All posts tagged: outbreak

DOGE Made Drastic Cuts to a Global Vaccine Assistance Program. Now There’s a Deadly Measles Outbreak in Bangladesh

DOGE Made Drastic Cuts to a Global Vaccine Assistance Program. Now There’s a Deadly Measles Outbreak in Bangladesh

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Even after prolonged chaos, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency didn’t end up saving taxpayers much money. It did, however, manage to devastate global health infrastructure on its way out. For evidence, look no further than Bangladesh, currently in the grips of one of the worst measles outbreaks in recent memory. According to the Guardian, over 100 children have died as a result of gaps in vaccination coverage, with more than 900 confirmed measles cases reported since the viral flare-up began in March. Two thirds of those impacted are over nine months old, the outlet reported, the age at which infants typically become eligible for measles inoculation. The United Nations has helped the Bangladeshi government kickstart an emergency vaccination drive, but for many families, the damage has already been done. At the heart of the public health failure lies a shortage of vaccine stockpiles. That shortage traces back, at least in part, to the wave of DOGE-driven spending …

Babies are ‘sitting ducks’ as US measles outbreak spreads to more states

Babies are ‘sitting ducks’ as US measles outbreak spreads to more states

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore With baby Arthur too young for the measles vaccine and a sibling due in June, the Otwells grew nervous when the threat of the highly contagious virus started affecting their grocery run. “We go to the Costco that was kind of a hotbed,” said John Otwell after his state health department’s warnings of public exposures at the store. “A lot of people just don’t get it; they think it’s just a cold. It’s not.” By Arthur’s 9-month checkup, the South Carolina outbreak had exploded into the nation’s worst in more than 35 years, surpassing last year’s in Texas. That meant that under state guidance, Arthur could get his first dose of the MMR vaccine — for measles, mumps and rubella — earlier than the usual 12 to 15 months old. By Arthur’s 9-month checkup, the South Carolina outbreak had exploded into …

Gothenburg children’s hospital ‘evacuated’ as outbreak sees 16 staff members falling ill | World | News

Gothenburg children’s hospital ‘evacuated’ as outbreak sees 16 staff members falling ill | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

A children’s hospital in Sweden has been forced to close one of its areas amid a mystery outbreak, which saw 16 staff members falling ill. Staff at Queen Silvia’s Children’s Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, suddenly fell ill and began experiencing symptoms similar to allergic reactions. They are currently receiving medical treatment, while the facility has reportedly been closed. According to Aftonbladet, one of Sweden’s biggest newspapers, the paediatric surgery 2 department, which receives children undergoing daytime surgery has now been moved after staff became ill while working. Officials are investigating the cause of the outbreak and working to prevent it from spreading further. Safety officer Taru Kontio, of the Swedish Healthcare Association, told local newspaper Göteborgs-Posten that staff had also experienced symptoms consistent with asthma. Other symptoms reported include runny noses, itchy eyes, severe headaches, itchy scalps, eczema, fever, coughing, hoarseness and nasal congestion. Other local publications have reported the hospital has been evacuated, whiile others say only effected wards have been closed in an effort to contain the incident. Jonas Nordin, area manager for …

Bangladesh says suspected measles outbreak kills about 100 children

Bangladesh says suspected measles outbreak kills about 100 children

Published by Sam Flores

Bangladesh has made significant advancements in vaccinations to tackle infectious diseases, but a measles drive due in June 2024 was delayed by a deadly uprising that same year that toppled the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina. Most Bangladeshi children receive a vaccine at nine months, although many infected in the recent outbreak had been six months old, officials added. Mahmudur Rahman, chief of the National Verification Committee of Measles and Rubella, said that “we committed to reducing the number to zero by December 2025 but failed to achieve the target due to poor vaccination programmes”. Dhaka has identified 30 of the most affected areas in the region and has started a vaccination programme. Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul said the vaccination drive will cover the “worst affected areas” before being expanded to other regions. Tajul Islam A Bari, a former official at the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and a public health expert, told AFP that although funds had been allocated for vaccine purchases, authorities had failed to procure them. “Now we see the …

Cheese products recalled ‘under protest’ as FDA investigates E coli outbreak

Cheese products recalled ‘under protest’ as FDA investigates E coli outbreak

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore A California dairy producer is recalling some of its raw cheese products as health authorities investigate an ongoing outbreak of E. coli. Raw Farm of Fresno, California, said Thursday it is voluntarily recalling more than a half-dozen varieties of its cheddar cheese made from raw milk. The recalled batches, pictured on the FDA recall notice, carry expiration dates spanning from May 2026 to September 2026. They were sold nationwide, according to the FDA alert. The company announced the recall after health authorities launched an investigation into an ongoing outbreak of E. coli, which was first announced on March 15. Interest in and sales of raw milk have been rising in recent years, fueled by social media and growing support from the Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement. Raw milk has not been pasteurized, which kills germs …

Covid wrote the blueprint for the meningitis outbreak

Covid wrote the blueprint for the meningitis outbreak

Published by skeptic

The ‘vertical wall’ learning curve we encountered during the Covid pandemic means we now know how to protect children and pre-empt misinformation, says Hannah Carter I took the helm of my first headship exactly three weeks before the world stopped. Back then, my biggest concerns were the nuances of the school improvement plan and getting the canteen queues down. Then, Covid-19 arrived, and the headteacher job description was torn up. For those of us in that specific cohort of leadership, the learning curve was not a slope but a vertical wall. Overnight, we were not just educators. We were logistical commanders, public health deputies and masters of the pivot. The memories of those early months are a blur of high-vis vests and adrenaline. We did not just teach, we built. The challenges were granular and relentless. Health and education intertwined We transformed sports halls – once the site of exams and five-a-side football – into clinical testing hubs. I remember the surreal sight of invigilators trading pens for swabs and stopwatches for lateral flow timers. …

Horror as teenage girl dies of meningitis in Spanish holiday city | World | News

Horror as teenage girl dies of meningitis in Spanish holiday city | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

A teenage girl has died after contracting meningitis in a popular Spanish holiday destination just days before the Easter getaway rush. The 17-year-old fell ill in Denia, on the Costa Blanca, with “symptoms compatible” with the deadly disease on Monday. The girl, whose nationality has not yet been disclosed, had travelled to watch a basketball game in Valencia’s Roig Arena on Saturday, before beginning to feel unwell. After initially dismissing her symptoms as a cold, she woke up the next day with spots covering her face. The girl was rushed to hospital as her condition rapidly worsened, where she was admitted to intensive care and tragically died just days after first falling unwell. Health officials have since confirmed meningitis as the cause of death and launched urgent contact tracing, offering preventative antibiotics to those who may have been exposed. The tragedy comes amid growing concern over recent cases across Europe, including multiple deaths in Spain and a separate outbreak in the UK. There have been two other meningitis deaths in Spain – one in Extremadura …

Meningitis outbreak: Number of cases fall | UK News

Meningitis outbreak: Number of cases fall | UK News

Published by skeptic

The number of confirmed and suspected meningitis cases in the outbreak in Kent has fallen to 29, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said. It marks a decrease from 34 cases reported on Saturday, and includes two – a 21-year-old student at the University of Kent and a sixth form pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham – who died from the virus last weekend. It includes confirmed cases and those that remain under investigation. Read more: The symptoms, treatments and if you need the vaccine You need javascript enabled to view this content Enable javascript to share Share How meningitis outbreak has impacted local economy The UKHSA said in a statement that some of the cases that were initially confirmed “have been reclassified following further laboratory results and clinical investigation”. “As further laboratory assessments are completing, we expect some further probable cases to be downgraded in the coming days”, the agency added. The figures include 20 laboratory cases, which are confirmed, and nine which remain under investigation. You need javascript enabled to …