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News & AlertsHighlights Issue 007

Highlights Issue 007

PAHO launches interactive dashboard to monitor avian influenza A(H5N1) in the Americas

Published: January 16, 2025 (PAHO)

https://www.paho.org/en/news/6-1-2025-paho-launches-interactive-dashboard-monitor-avian-influenza-ah5n1-americas


Outbreak of suspected Marburg Virus Disease – United Republic of Tanzania

Published: January 14, 2025 

https://hq_publichealthintelligenceunit.cmail19.com/t/d-l-sjluutd-dddkutyudi-y/

Brief Comment: On 13 January 2025, WHO informed its Member States and IHR State Parties of an outbreak of suspected Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in the Kagera region of the United Republic of Tanzania using our secure web-based platform—the Event Information Site (EIS). Under the International Health Regulations, the EIS is used to issue rapid alerts to Member States of acute and rapidly developing public health risks and events with possible international implications.


Norway secures an option for 11 million H5N1 vaccines

Published: January 12, 2025 

https://www.scoop.it/topic/virusworld

Brief Comment: The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is stepping up its preparedness against bird flu, and has secured an option for 11 million vaccines in the event of a pandemic. The agreement with two suppliers concerns vaccines that will be produced first if a new influenza virus arises that causes a pandemic, and includes two doses for everyone in Norway. The vaccines will be produced against a completely new virus that does not exist today, using the same method as current influenza vaccines. First vaccine doses are to be delivered four to six months after the WHO has declared a new pandemic.


CDC H5N1 – US Fatal Case Report

Published: January 6, 2025 

https://bit.ly/4fV58j6

Brief Comment: Louisiana health center reported that a person previously hospitalized with severe avian influenza A(H5N1) illness (“H5N1 bird flu”) has passed away. While tragic, a death from H5N1 bird flu in the United States is not unexpected because of the known potential for infection with these viruses to cause severe illness and death. As of January 6, 2025, there have been 66 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the United States since 2024 and 67 since 2022. This is the first person in the United States who has died as a result of an H5 infection. Outside the United States, more than 950 cases of H5N1 bird flu have been reported to WHO; about half of those have resulted in death.


Expanded Recommendations for Use of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines Among Adults Aged ≥50 Years: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2024-

Published: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2025;74:1–8. 

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7401a1

Brief comment: On October 23, 2024, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended a single dose of PCV for all adults aged ≥50 years who are PCV-naïve or who have unknown vaccination history. The risk-based recommendation for adults aged 19–49 years is unchanged.

The updated, expanded age-based recommendation is expected to improve pneumococcal disease prevention in adults aged 50–64 years, particularly among demographic groups experiencing higher disease rates.


WHO: Trends of acute respiratory infection, including human metapneumovirus, in the Northern Hemisphere

Published: January 7, 2025

WHO DON Trends of acute respiratory infection, including human metapneumovirus, in the Northern Hemisphere

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON550

Brief comment: Based on data published by China, covering the period up to 29 December 2024, acute respiratory infections have increased during recent weeks and detections of seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, RSV, and hMPV, particularly in northern provinces of China have also increased. The observed increase in respiratory pathogen detections is within the range expected for this time of year during the Northern hemisphere winter.


CEPI and Micron Biomedical accelerate needle-free vaccines against Disease X

Published: January 7, 2025. 

https://cepi.net/cepi-and-micron-biomedical-accelerate-needle-free-vaccines-against-disease-x


Dengue Situation in India

Published: January 6, 2025.

https://ncvbdc.mohfw.gov.in/index4.php?lang=1&level=0&linkid=431&lid=3715


Brazil’s Visitors Should Consider Chikungunya Vaccination in 2025

Published: January 5, 2025. 

https://www.vax-before-travel.com/2025/01/05/brazils-visitors-should-consider-chikungunya-vaccination-2025

Brief comment: The Federative Republic of Brazil recently announced it broke its record for international tourists last year with over 6.621 million travelers, exceeding results from 2018. As of the end of 2024, the PAHO reported over 420,139 chikungunya cases and 236 related deaths throughout Brazil.


Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infections in Humans

Published: December 31, 2024 – DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2414610

Brief Comment: Of the first 46 human cases of bird flu in the U.S., all but one person was exposed to sick or infected poultry and dairy cows, and most had mild illness.

The analysis, covering from March to October 2024, highlights the importance of wearing preventive equipment (PPE) and monitoring, testing, and treatment for H5 bird flu.


9 Countries say goodbye to a devastating disease

Published: December 30, 2024. 

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/12/30/g-s1-39336/disease-eliminate-blindness-leprosy-sleeping-sickness

Brief comment: This year Cape Verde and Egypt became malaria-free. Brazil and Timor Leste eliminated lymphatic filariasis, the disfiguring parasite that causes a condition commonly known as elephantiasis. Jordan became the first country to ever be certified as leprosy-free. Chad got rid of one form of human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness. And Pakistan, Vietnam and India eliminated trachoma, which causes blindness.


Whooping cough cases in the US are the highest they’ve been in a decade

Published: December 25, 2024. 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/25/health/whooping-cough-cases-surging-united-states/index.html

Brief comment: As of mid-December, preliminary data indicates that over 32,000 cases have been reported this year — approximately six times the number reported at the same time last year and the highest since 2014. Vaccination rates among children have also declined, with only about 92% of kindergartners receiving their DTaP vaccine for the 2023–2024 school year. This figure falls short of the 95% federal target, leaving thousands of schoolchildren vulnerable to infection.


United Nations Tourism Barometer

Published: November, 2024. 

https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/abs/10.18111/wtobarometereng.2024.22.1.4?journalCode=
wtobarometereng

Brief comment: An estimated 1.1 billion international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) were recorded in the January-September 2024, about 11% more than in the same period of 2023.

1.1 billion of potential susceptible persons to many vaccine-preventable diseases. Risks ranging from individual to potential outbreaks.


CDC H5N1 Informational Videos

Published: September 5, 2024.

https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/video-series/index.html

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