Recent News

By Region: North America

New DARPA project aims to make vaccines obsolete

(ArmyTimes) The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants to reinvent the way bodies are taught to fight off deadly viruses and bacteria — without needing a vaccine to make it happen. DARPA, the secretive Pentagon research arm, has hired Pfizer, Inc., to lead a program to build a technology that would induce the body to Read More »

December 9, 2013
| Filed under North America, Biotechnology, Public Health, and Research
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WHO Statement on the Fourth Meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee concerning MERS-CoV

(WorldHealthOrganization) The fourth meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) [IHR (2005)] concerning MERS-CoV was held by teleconference on Wednesday, 4 December 2013, from 12:00 to 15:50 Geneva time (CET). In addition to Members of the Emergency Committee, two expert advisors also participated1. A number of affected Read More »

December 5, 2013
| Filed under Middle East, North America, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Public Health
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1950s pandemic influenza virus remains a health threat, particularly to those under 50

(ScienceDaily) St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists have evidence that descendants of the H2N2 avian influenza A virus that killed millions worldwide in the 1950s still pose a threat to human health, particularly to those under 50. The research has been published in an advance online edition of the Journal of Virology.

December 4, 2013
| Filed under North America and Public Health
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Yellow fever in Sudan – update

(WorldHealthOrganization) The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) in Sudan has notified WHO of a yellow fever (YF) outbreak affecting twelve localities in West and South Kordofan states. The affected localities are Lagawa, Kailak, Muglad and Abyei localities in West Kordofan and Elreef Alshargi, Abu Gibaiha, Ghadir, Habila, Kadugli, Altadamon, Talodi and Aliri in South Kordofan.

December 4, 2013
| Filed under Africa, North America, International, and Public Health
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First real-time flu forecast successful

(Eurekalert) Scientists were able to reliably predict the timing of the 2012-2013 influenza season up to nine weeks in advance of its peak. The first large-scale demonstration of the flu forecasting system by scientists at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health was carried out in 108 cities across the United States.