In The News

November 4, 2019Read more...

Measles (Rubeola) Update

IN THE NEWS Finally, after a year, almost all the news about measles is good.  Case numbers were way down in September compared to previous months, the outbreaks in New York City and State, which provided three-quarters of all the cases in 2018 and 2019, were declared over just days shy of their one-year anniversary and, because of that, the United States will likely maintain their WHO Measles Elimination status of 19 years. Unfortunately, a new outbreak in New York State...

September 16, 2019Read more...

Announcement of US Ebola Screening 9-16-19

IN THE NEWS It has come to our attention at FirstWatch, that some U.S. International Airports may have begun updated screening for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) on select flights, originating or connecting from Africa.  This is likely part of the response to an announcement by the WHO’s Emergency Committee that Ebola should now be considered a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on July 17, 2019.  This was done, amongst other rationale, in direct response to the spread of Ebola...

August 5, 2019Read more...

Measles Outbreak Update with a Link to New Recommendations for Health Care Personnel

IN THE NEWS Measles: According to the CDC, from January 1 through July 25, 2019, there have been 1164 confirmed cases of measles in 30 states.  This is the largest number of cases tallied in the past 27 years (1992), and that was 8 years BEFORE measles was considered eradicated from the U.S (2002). More information from the CDC with a map, charts, and specific outbreak info/links can be found at:  https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html There are currently 5 ongoing outbreaks (3 or more...

July 31, 2019Read more...

Acute Flaccid Myelitis

IN THE NEWS Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), a very rare syndrome affecting the spinal cord and causing muscle weakness/paralysis, continues to be identified in 2019.  According to the CDC, so far this year, there have been 11 confirmed cases in eight states (CA, MD, NE, NC, PA, TX, UT, and WV) with 57 reports of people under investigation (PUIs).  The number of cases in 2018 was greater than in any previous year, since it was first identified in large numbers in...

July 24, 2019Read more...

Ebola Case in Large City of Goma and PHEIC Declared by WHO 7-17-19

IN THE NEWS Ebola Case in Large City of Goma and PHEIC Declared by WHO 7-17-19 The WHO leadership was concerned about recent Ebola (EVD) news so the Emergency Committee was convened in Switzerland to determine if a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) should be announced.  This was the fourth meeting of this type however, when considered on previous occasions, all the criteria had not been met. This time, it was decided that they would recommend the announcement and the...

May 31, 2019Read more...

Update on the Outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the DRC – 5/25/19 

IN THE NEWS Note:  There have been previous posts on Ebola to the Health Intelligence Page.  Please see those articles for background, as well as more detailed information on EVD.  You can find these articles by clicking on the button marked ‘View all Posts & Resources,’ found at the bottom of the In the News and Outbreaks/Emerging Diseases categories, and then looking for Ebola.  The current outbreak began in August 2018 but there was another DRC outbreak earlier in 2019 on...

May 31, 2019Read more...

Measles (Rubeola) in Multiple States in the United States – 5/27/19

IN THE NEWS The Data: According to the CDC, from January 1st through May 24, 2019, there have been 940 confirmed cases of measles in 26 states within the U.S.A. (compared to 127 cases as of February 14, 2019), with an increase of 60 cases in just the past week.  This jettisons this year’s cases to the highest number since the decade before (1994) Measles was considered eradicated, which was 2000. There are currently 10 outbreaks of Measles located in seven (7)...

April 25, 2019Read more...

Measles (Rubeola) in Multiple States in the United States

IN THE NEWS According to the CDC, from January 1st through April 19, 2019, there have been 626 confirmed cases of measles in 22 states in the U.S.A. (compared to 127 cases as of February 14, 2019), with an increase of 71 cases just in one week.  This jettisons this year’s cases to the second highest since Measles was considered eliminated in 2000, with 2014 only slightly ahead with a total of 667 cases for that complete year vs. this year’s...

March 21, 2019Read more...

Measles Cases Continue to Escalate throughout 15 States in the U. S.

IN THE NEWS According to the CDC, in the nearly 11 weeks from Jan 1st until Mar 14, 2019, there have been 268 confirmed cases of measles throughout 15 states (compared to 127 cases in 10 states a month ago). However, since then, individual counties have posted an increase in cases as of March 19, so the number is actually a little higher now.   It is not considered an outbreak until there are three or more cases in an area; less than...

February 20, 2019Read more...

Measles (Rubeola) in Multiple States in the United States

IN THE NEWS According to the CDC, in the seven (7) weeks since January 1st through February 14, 2019, there have been 127 confirmed cases of measles throughout ten (10) states in the United States.  However, since then, individual counties have indicated an increase in cases as of Feb 18, so the number is actually higher now.   There are currently five (5) outbreaks of Measles located in four (4) states:  multiple areas of New York State (Rockland County, Monroe Country and...

January 7, 2019Read more...

Ebola

IN THE NEWS There are new items to report regarding the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): On December 29, the Nebraska Medical Center, located in Omaha, put out a news release that they had accepted a role in monitoring an American healthcare worker (HCW) who had been providing medical care in the DRC and had a possible exposure to the Ebola Virus.  This HCW was transported by private plane and car with the coordination with county,...

December 29, 2018Read more...

Updates on the Outbreaks of Ebola Virus Disease, Acute Flaccid Myelitis, and E Coli O157:H7

IN THE NEWS Note:  for each of these diseases, there have been previous posts to this Health Intelligence Page.  Please see those articles for background, as well as more detailed information on each disease.  You can find these articles by clicking on the button marked ‘View all Posts & Resources,’ found at the bottom of the In the News category, and then looking for the specific disease that matches the dates listed at the end of each of the diseases covered...

November 21, 2018Read more...

United States & Canadian Health Safety Alert/Public Health Notice on 11/20/18 of E. Coli O157: H7 Outbreak Linked to Romaine Lettuce

IN THE NEWS The CDC, Public Health Officials for multiple states, the FDA, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Provincial Health Partners, Health Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are collaborating on an investigation into a new outbreak of Shiga toxin producing E. Coli O157: H7 in 11 states (32 cases with 13 hospitalizations) and 2 provinces (18 confirmed cases with 5 hospitalizations).  The US and Canada are each reporting one (1) case each of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a...

October 19, 2018Read more...

Ebola Outbreak in Northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Update 10-18-18

IN THE NEWS Earlier in the week, the WHO (World Health Organization) announced that there was going to be a meeting of the Emergency Committee in Geneva, Switzerland to decide if the Ebola outbreak had reached a crucial stage of threat beyond the national and regional threat to the region that has already been identified (the outbreak currently has the label of Very High Risk at the Regional Level). The meeting was held and the Emergency Committee decided that the outbreak IS...

October 17, 2018Read more...

Outbreak of Acute Flaccid Myelitis – 10-17-18

IN THE NEWS The CDC is investigating a large surge in reported cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) for 2018 and reported 62 confirmed cases in 22 states through October 16, 2018.  These 62 confirmed cases are part of a larger group of 127 reported cases that the CDC has received notice on and is investigating, along with state and local health departments and hospitals.   The CDC has decided to include in its releases, the number of reported patient cases under...

October 12, 2018Read more...

Outbreak of Acute Flaccid Myelitis

IN THE NEWS The CDC is investigating a surge in cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) for 2018 and reported 38 confirmed cases in 16 states through September.  Since that release, state health departments from Illinois, Washington, Texas, New Jersey, New York have each reported cases.  Previously, Minnesota, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Illinois had reported cases from the beginning of 2018 through the present time.  This appears to be an untick in cases compared to last year (2017) which reported a total...

October 3, 2018Read more...

SUSPECTED RICIN FOUND IN MAIL NEAR THE PENTAGON

IN THE NEWS There is a mail gathering & screening facility adjacent but separate from the Pentagon, used to screen all mail going to the Pentagon.  It was built after 9/11 to prevent mail from entering the Pentagon that may be a danger to personnel or put the building at risk. On Monday, Oct 1, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, which screens all the mail 24/7, detected a suspicious substance in two packages; one was addressed to Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis...

August 28, 2018Read more...

Ebola Outbreak in Northeastern Part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Update

IN THE NEWS As of August 22, 2018, the number of those diagnosed or suspected of having Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) continues to increase and the death toll continues to rise as well.  In fact, in the three (3) weeks since this outbreak was announced, the total number of cases, as well as the deaths, have surpassed the total seen in the eleven (11) weeks of the DRC Northwestern outbreak that ended July 25, 2018.  Specifically, according to the World Health...

August 2, 2018Read more...

New Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic Of The Congo (DRC)

IN THE NEWS New Ebola Outbreak in the Democratic Republic Of The Congo (DRC) On August 1, 2018, just a week after the outbreak of Ebola in the northwestern part of the country was declared over, initial testing suggests that there is a new outbreak of Ebola in the northeastern part of the DRC.  The DRC Minister of Health said that four (4) people in the new area preliminarily tested positive for Ebola, and there have been 26 people with signs of...

July 30, 2018Read more...

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN DRC IS OVER

IN THE NEWS EBOLA OUTBREAK IN DRC IS OVER As of July 24, 2018, the Health Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared the Ebola outbreak over in his country, after the completion of two incubation periods since the last treated patient, without any more cases confirmed.   Both the WHO and CDC concurred with his entire message. A 90-day enhanced surveillance period will be in place in case there are latent infections or missed exposures.  Ultimately, there were 54...