Sep 25, 2026
The Ebola outbreak in Congo's North Kivu province has overwhelmed health facilities, with all 29 beds full at the Kitatumba treatment center. Mistrust is fueling the deadly hotspot even as the virus shows signs of easing elsewhere.
The CDC officially recognized one measles-related death in the U.S., nearly a month after Pennsylvania reported four measles deaths, highlighting a political dispute between state and federal health authorities over death toll reporting.
The State Department announced an additional $267 million toward fighting the Ebola outbreak in central Africa as health authorities battle to control the deadly virus. WHO reports Congo is running short of health workers as the outbreak remains uncontrolled.
Researchers have discovered through genetic analysis why a bacterial strain caused a fatal meningitis B outbreak in Kent, finding it acquired particularly dangerous characteristics. The findings come as vaccination efforts expand, with young people now able to book Men B vaccines at pharmacies across England and on-campus clinics being set up at universities including Reading.
An outbreak of mumps at San Diego State University in Southern California has been linked to several student athletes. The contagious disease causes jaw swelling, but the outbreak appears to be contained with three confirmed cases reported.
The CDC reports that extensively drug-resistant Shigella has emerged in the United States over the past 15 years, with cases occurring predominantly among men. The analysis examined trends and epidemiologic characteristics associated with the bacterial infection.
As negotiations continue on the unfinished WHO Pandemic Agreement, a key architect warns that delays risk derailing the process, while Indonesia's health minister calls for the WHO to seek external financing sources beyond its own budget to support member countries.
Public health officials issued warnings after an unvaccinated traveler infected with measles rode an Amtrak train from Chicago to Los Angeles, then traveled by trains and buses across at least six California counties before being hospitalized. Thousands of passengers may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease.
An elderly woman from Hillsborough County died on September 4, 2026, marking Florida's first confirmed dengue fever death of the year during what health officials describe as one of the state's worst dengue outbreaks in recent decades.
Vaccination coverage for children has fallen across the US and European Union since the COVID-19 pandemic, with Michigan reporting its highest exemption rate in over a decade and EU countries reversing progress made since 1980. Access issues persist as updated COVID-19 vaccines remain unavailable through a key federal program covering half of US children.
Three people have died from malaria in an extremely rare outbreak near Frankfurt Airport in Germany, with authorities believing an infected mosquito was transported aboard an airplane. The victims had not traveled to malaria-endemic regions.
Thirty thousand sterile male Asian tiger mosquitoes were released in Lisbon's Alvalade parish as part of an experimental project to reduce populations of the species that spreads dengue, zika and yellow fever. The non-biting males are intended to mate with females and produce no offspring.
Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency amid a sharp spike in infections, with one in every 60 people now living with the virus. Health officials link the outbreak to a growing methamphetamine crisis in the Pacific nation.
Pennsylvania's health department requested emergency CDC support as the state grapples with one of the country's largest measles outbreaks, with 117 new cases reported and two deaths. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy blamed the Trump administration's vaccine approach for the deaths.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo launched an Ebola vaccination campaign for 50,000 frontline health workers in Bunia, the epicenter of the country's largest-ever outbreak with over 7,000 cases across seven provinces. Aid groups warn the outbreak is not slowing but rather shifting into less-prepared areas despite some encouraging signs.
More than 25 people across four states became ill after receiving glutathione injections, with at least three hospitalized. The CDC is investigating the outbreak linked to dietary supplement-grade glutathione products, and three Texas compounding pharmacies have issued recalls.
The Zamfara State Ministry of Health in Nigeria has reported 44 deaths from a diphtheria outbreak affecting parts of the state. In response to the outbreak, authorities have extended the school resumption date.
Pennsylvania health officials confirmed four measles-associated deaths this year, including two additional fatalities announced recently. This brings the US total to the highest level in decades amid a nationwide outbreak that has reached approximately 3,300 cases.
A Legionnaires' disease cluster in the South Bronx has resulted in two deaths, prompting NYC health officials to order the cleaning of 10 cooling towers and expand community outreach to additional ZIP codes as the outbreak continues to spread.
CDC Director Erica Schwartz has been notably absent from public communication just one month into her tenure, as the country enters respiratory virus season with unclear guidance on COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccines amid a worsening measles epidemic.
Pfizer is targeting air traffic control agencies in Poland and Romania to enforce a Belgian court ruling ordering the two countries to accept €1.9 billion worth of COVID-19 vaccines they refused to take delivery of after pandemic-era demand waned.
A Calgary study found emergency department visits for suicide attempts among youth increased 22% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Separately, Boston researchers discovered smartphone check-ins can help predict suicide risk days before an attempt in patients with serious mental illness.
For the third consecutive week, the CDC has not included two Pennsylvania measles deaths in its official reporting, prompting internal concerns about data integrity as the U.S. faces its worst measles outbreak in decades.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's record-breaking Ebola outbreak has exceeded 7,000 confirmed cases and spread to Sud-Ubangi, a seventh province in the northwest, after a 23-year-old patient traveled through Rwanda and Uganda. The outbreak, described as the world's fastest-growing on record, shows no signs of slowing and threatens neighboring countries.
Federal health officials declared an end to the largest cyclospora food poisoning outbreak in U.S. history, which sickened 12,883 people across 21 states and was linked to contaminated lettuce from Taylor Farms. The FDA says its investigation remains ongoing despite the outbreak being declared over.
Bangladesh is experiencing its worst measles outbreak on record, with over 1,000 children dead and more than 50,000 confirmed or suspected cases since March. The crisis stems from vaccination gaps that left millions of children unprotected, overwhelming hospitals with shortages and overcrowding.
Plateau Express Services Group, which operates state-owned mass transit in Nigeria's Plateau state, has implemented a "no face mask, no entry" policy on its buses as the region faces a worsening diphtheria outbreak. The policy was announced by management on Monday.
Dating app Grindr has agreed to pay £26 million to settle a lawsuit brought by thousands of UK users who alleged the company shared highly sensitive personal information, including HIV status in some cases, with third parties.
The World Health Organization reports that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is outpacing containment efforts, even as some metrics like case growth and transmission rates show improvement. Burial teams in Ituri, the epicenter of what's described as history's deadliest Ebola outbreak, face community anger and fatigue while major gaps persist in contact tracing, testing, and safe burial coverage.
Bangladesh is experiencing a severe dengue outbreak with 42,590 hospitalizations and 117 deaths recorded in 2026, with a sharp September surge straining hospitals. The country recorded its highest daily admission tally this year with 1,558 hospitalizations in the past 24 hours.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo's deadliest Ebola outbreak is overwhelming response efforts despite international funding, vaccines, and treatment centers. Health workers are going unpaid, leading to lapses in safety protocols, while community resistance and the outbreak's rapid spread threaten to turn it into a global pandemic.
The Trump administration announced it will phase out financial support for Namibia's HIV response programs after more than 20 years and $1.1 billion in total aid. The U.S. will provide a final $45 million payment in fiscal year 2027, after which Namibia will fund its own programs.
At least 10 people have died and more than 40 have been infected with cholera in Sudan's West Kordofan state, with cases recorded in El Idai locality over Sunday and Monday. The World Health Organization has identified the region as the latest cholera outbreak hotspot, reporting more than 2,600 cholera cases nationwide.
A suspected diphtheria outbreak in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria has claimed at least 23 lives within three days, with health authorities confirming 117 people have contracted the infection. Health officials are warning of rapid spread and calling for urgent intervention.
Nigeria has recorded 252 deaths from 1,035 confirmed Lassa fever cases as of epidemiological week 33, with a case fatality rate of 24.4%. Approximately 87% of cases are concentrated in five states, with 14 new cases reported.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled new safety measures to strengthen New York City's response to Legionnaires' disease following an Upper East Side outbreak that killed 11 people. The plan includes expanded oversight of cooling towers, which can harbor Legionella bacteria, with improved tracking of registered towers and enforcement against unregistered ones.
A clinical trial published in Lancet Infectious Diseases found that Paxlovid, an antiviral drug commonly used to treat acute COVID-19, does not alleviate long COVID symptoms when treatment is extended. The study involved 959 participants.
The Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina reports its children's ward has exceeded capacity due to an influx of suspected and confirmed diphtheria cases. State officials are preparing to brief the public on the outbreak's scale and response measures, though case and death figures have not yet been disclosed.
The World Health Organization announced that the Democratic Republic of Congo will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine to contain what officials describe as the fastest Ebola outbreak in history. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision approved the immediate release of doses following a request from Congo's government.
The CDC reports cyclosporiasis cases have climbed to 15,716 across the United States, with the FDA unable to identify a confirmed source for the ongoing outbreak that has impacted leafy greens demand and salad dressing sales.
Two separate outbreaks linked to Taylor Farms have exposed weaknesses in the US food safety system's ability to safeguard produce from Mexico, as the country increasingly relies on Mexican agriculture while facing limited oversight capabilities.
New data from NHS England shows the country is nearing elimination of hepatitis C as a public health threat, with 80% of known cases cured. The progress is attributed to widespread testing initiatives including A&E blood tests, GP registration screening, and free at-home tests, along with a pioneering NHS drug deal with pharmaceutical companies.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has reached 2,011 confirmed deaths among 4,381 cases across five provinces, with the second 1,000 deaths occurring in just three weeks. Health officials warn the outbreak spread undetected for months and continues to outpace response efforts, with workers struggling to reach remote areas and many going unpaid.
England is approaching elimination of hepatitis C, a dangerous liver-attacking virus spread through infected blood contact. Health officials cite efforts including A&E blood tests, GP registration testing, and free home testing as key to reaching this milestone.
The World Health Organization disclosed that the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak, now the fastest-growing on record, actually started in February 2026—four months before its official declaration in mid-May. Health workers are racing to contain the virus that has spread at an alarming and unprecedented rate in eastern Congo.
Australia will begin vaccinating vulnerable native birds, including thousands of little penguins on Phillip Island, against the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain in the coming days and weeks. The virus was first detected in Australia in June 2026, making it the last continent to report cases of the highly contagious strain.
California-based produce supplier Taylor Farms has voluntarily recalled prepared foods containing jalapeños, including salsa and guacamole, sold at retailers like Walmart and Whole Foods across 26 states after supplier Coast Citrus Distributors recalled fresh peppers due to potential salmonella contamination. The recall comes weeks after the company was linked to a separate cyclosporiasis outbreak.
WHO data reveals Canada has approximately half the measles cases of the United States despite having only one-tenth the population, indicating a significantly higher per capita infection rate. The U.S. has reported 2,465 cases for the year, with 94 new cases added in a single week, mostly in Pennsylvania, while Manitoba has seen cases drop to just two in July.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told CDC staff that the U.S. would have done better in the Covid outbreak by listening to alternative voices, speaking at a memorial for last year's shooting at the agency.
Scientists have discovered how Candida auris, a deadly drug-resistant fungus that has infected over 3,000 patients across 27 US states this year, survives on human skin by hiding in hair follicles and hijacking the body's immune response. The pathogen, which the CDC considers an urgent antimicrobial threat, can colonize skin asymptomatically for months before becoming deadly if it enters the bloodstream through wounds or medical devices.
Michigan health officials cleared shoppers to resume normal lettuce consumption after cyclospora parasite infections linked to tainted lettuce began declining. The outbreak had prompted widespread warnings and consumer anxiety about salad greens.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing its largest Ebola outbreak on record, with over 4,000 confirmed cases and health officials warning the virus may be mutating. The response is being hampered by armed conflict, aid worker strikes over unpaid wages, and the outbreak outpacing containment efforts.
Congolese health authorities intercepted the Yingfeng 2 river boat on the Congo River near Kinshasa and placed hundreds of passengers under quarantine after a passenger who had disembarked earlier died from suspected Ebola. Screening is underway for all passengers and crew.
The United States announced $242 million in additional funding to combat the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing total US financial commitment to approximately $512 million. The outbreak, described as spreading at an "exceptional pace," is now the second-largest ever recorded.
University of Texas at Austin researchers published findings in Nature showing that severe COVID-19 infections can reactivate dormant viruses like Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus in hospitalized patients, offering new insights into long COVID and autoimmune complications.
Moderna has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial in Canada of mRNA-1469, an experimental vaccine targeting Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a strain of Ebola that has killed over 1,650 people and currently has no approved vaccine. Health Canada has authorized the trial and the first participants have already been vaccinated.
Maternal mortality rates have doubled in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as pregnant women avoid healthcare facilities due to fear and misinformation about the country's worst-ever Ebola outbreak, which has recorded over 3,600 cases as of late July 2026.
Australian authorities confirmed the country's first mass mortality event from H5N1 bird flu after approximately 50 greater crested terns were found dead near Cape Jaffa, south of Adelaide. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins warned Australians to expect wider spread of the virus among wildlife, just six weeks after the disease arrived in the country.
Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based partnership between Merck and Wellcome, is preparing to produce doses of an experimental vaccine targeting the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola amid a fast-spreading outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Study finds that kidney transplant recipients treated with remdesivir within a week of COVID-19 diagnosis and receiving at least three consecutive days of therapy experienced fewer cardiovascular complications compared to those who did not receive the antiviral treatment.
A major cyclosporiasis outbreak has infected over 11,000 Americans, with Michigan reporting more than 10,000 cases. FDA officials are defending the safety of the U.S. food supply while experts point to vulnerabilities in the food safety tracking system.
On World Hepatitis Day 2026, India reaffirmed its commitment to eliminate hepatitis by 2030 despite ranking among the world's top 10 hepatitis B hotspots, while WHO data shows 1.3 million annual deaths globally and Europe is projected to miss its elimination targets.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's current Ebola outbreak has surged to 3,262 confirmed cases with 1,405 deaths in just 10 weeks, nearly matching the 2018-2020 outbreak that was the country's largest ever. The virus has spread across five provinces at record speed, with cases increasing by 1,000 in just 10 days.
A multistate salmonella outbreak has infected 98 people and hospitalized 26 across 17 states since November, prompting Midwest Poultry Services to recall nearly 1.6 million dozen eggs sold at major retailers including Kroger and Brookshire's. Federal health officials say the recalled eggs don't account for all illnesses in the ongoing investigation.
Oxford University researchers administered the first dose of a rapidly developed vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola to a UK volunteer, as the deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now killed over 1,000 people. Separate studies suggest existing Ebola vaccines may offer some cross-protection against this rare strain.
The fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has killed more than 1,000 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with confirmed cases approaching 3,000. Health workers are striking over payment issues while medics struggle to contain the outbreak amid militant violence, attacks on clinics, and lack of approved vaccines or treatments.
Louisiana health officials have confirmed five deaths and nine total cases of Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria found in warm coastal waters, this year. The death toll represents a sharp increase from typical years, prompting warnings for beachgoers to take extra precautions.
Merck signed voluntary licensing agreements with seven generic drug manufacturers—including Aspen Pharmacare, Cipla, Aurobindo, and Viatris—to produce and sell lower-cost versions of alimatravir, its experimental once-monthly oral HIV pill, in 129 low- and middle-income countries. The drug is currently in late-stage development.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it is investigating a new outbreak of cyclosporiasis involving 72 reported cases. The source of the parasitic infection, which causes severe gastrointestinal illness, has not yet been identified and is separate from previously recalled lettuce.
A fifth person has died in connection with a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in New York City's Upper East Side neighborhood, with health officials confirming at least 82 total cases. Dozens of buildings have been found to contain live Legionella bacteria as authorities work to contain the outbreak.
Venezuela's health ministry confirmed three deaths from hantavirus infections in Anzoategui state, with two additional suspected deaths of health workers in Barinas state pending confirmation. Authorities stressed there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and the outbreak remains localized.
Sri Lanka's worst dengue outbreak in nearly a decade has surpassed 76,000 cases and at least 53 deaths since January 2026, driven by the DENV-2 strain. Air force drones and military resources have been deployed to locate and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.
Gilead Sciences and Merck announced that their experimental once-weekly HIV pill combining islatravir and lenacapavir successfully maintained viral suppression at 48 weeks in two Phase 3 trials (ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2) involving 1,209 adults with virologically suppressed HIV. The results support regulatory filings for what could become the first once-weekly oral HIV treatment regimen.
One study found that approximately 77,000 fewer children worldwide received U.S.-supported HIV treatment in the year ending October 2025 than in the previous fiscal year after Trump administration cuts and changes to foreign aid; some may have continued receiving treatment through governments or other donors. Separately, an amfAR survey of 166 PEPFAR-funded organizations in 46 countries reported more than 1,700 clinic and service-site closures and over 16,000 full-time job losses.
The FDA apologized and confirmed that laboratory results showing cyclospora parasite in Taylor Farms lettuce samples were false positives after re-testing, as investigation into the outbreak affecting over 5,000 cases continues.
California-based produce supplier Taylor Farms is voluntarily recalling all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico following a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people, primarily in Michigan and nearby states. The diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak could become one of the largest foodborne illness incidents in the United States in recent years.
Michigan health officials reported 4,312 cases of cyclosporiasis as of Thursday, marking an increase of 550 cases in one day. Investigators are still working to identify the source of the unusually large outbreak of the intestinal illness.