ANNOUNCMENTS
3rd Annual One Health Day Seminar Day - Now a 2 Day Virtual Event!
3 & 4 November 2020: Microsoft CVR Teams Event - Registration Required
In celebration of One Health Week 2020, the Veterinary One Health Division is hosting the 3rd Annual One Health Day Seminar Day as a 2 Day Webinar Event on Microsoft CVR Teams. Come join us for part of the day or the entire event to listen, learn, collaborate and discuss One Health topics.
- The agenda is divided into Sessions.
- You must register for each individual session you plan to attend.
- If a session has multiple presentations, the session registration will provide access to all presentations within that session.
- Click on the Registration Link provided in the agenda below to Register for the individual sessions
- A CVR email/account is required to attend/access the sessions on Microsoft CVR Teams.
- Session registration deadline is 23 October 2020.
- Individual sessions may close earlier if maximum participant level is reached prior to the registration deadline.
APHC
U.S. MILITARY
Army to widen reach of health study on COVID-19
24 October- The Army looks to expand an online study that surveyed over 20,000 Soldiers in May to gauge its response to behavioral and public health efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of a collaboration between the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and Army Public Health Center, the initial study helped identify rates of potential behavioral health issues and if Soldiers sought care for them. "We joined forces in sharing our expertise and we were able to move quickly to create an online survey tool that reached thousands of Soldiers," said Amy Adler, Ph.D., senior scientist in WRAIR's Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience. The study also measured current public health guidance on COVID-19 and if it needed to be improved, as well as leadership behaviors and how the virus impacted families and relationships. Active-duty Soldiers assigned to I Corps and to units in South Korea and Europe participated in it. A behavioral health advisory team plans to work with these locations again as well as other areas that have been vulnerable to COVID-19 in the next phase of the study, which is still yet to be determined. "The pandemic has created significant disruption to everyday life," said Phillip Quartana, Ph.D., a research psychologist at WRAIR. "The military is not immune to these disruptions." Both spoke during a virtual event at the Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition on Oct. 13. Once the pandemic hit, the Army launched several safety measures to stop the spread so units could continue to train and conduct operations around the world. Due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, the study identified a number of consistently reported stressors from Soldiers. Stressors revolved around limited time with friends and family; the inability to participate in social engagements; changing guidance; someone close contracting the virus; and the potential impact on unit readiness, Quartana said.
Aerotech News
Coronavirus is delaying flu vaccine delivery to overseas military communities, officials say
23 October- KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — Not enough flu shots will be available until next month to inoculate all overseas Defense Department personnel and their families, military officials said Friday, pinning the delays on the coronavirus pandemic. At Ramstein Air Base, where a flu shot clinic for active-duty Air Force units was scheduled for next week, nothing has been penciled in for the rest of the community; U.S. Naval Hospital Naples isn't expecting its vaccine allotment before next month; and the Army in Kaiserslautern is also planning to expand vaccination events then to the broader military community, officials said. "The delay in scheduling community immunizations is due to COVID-19 interrupting the supply chain DOD-wide," said Col. Ryan G.K. Mihata, 86th Medical Group commander at Ramstein, in a statement. The base has received its first allotment of the vaccine, Mihata said, but it was less than expected. The full shipment isn't expected until mid-November, he said. Army medical facilities in Europe have also received some of their flu vaccine allotment but are required to vaccinate active-duty members and health care workers first, said Regional Health Command Europe spokesman Gino Mattorano. Vaccination events for the broader community are expected to start as early as the second week of November, he said — over a month later than they did in 2018 and 2019. The delays to mass inoculation campaigns come amid a resurgence of the coronavirus in Europe that has coincided with the start of flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said getting vaccinated against influenza "is more important than ever" this year "to protect yourself and the people around you from the flu, and to help reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic."
Stars and Stripes
FEHRM expands joint HIE expanding MHS GENESIS's reach
26 October- Earlier this month, the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) program office, along with the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), expanded their joint health information exchange (HIE) network to include the CommonWell Health Alliance. The addition of CommonWell to the joint HIE—a tool that allows the DOD, VA and USCG to exchange data with community partners—increases access to patient information and enhances care for service members, veterans and their families. This addition to the joint HIE enhances data available via the Joint Longitudinal Viewer, which allows health information to be exchanged between the DOD and the VA. This expansion adds a nationwide network of more than 15,000 hospitals and clinics to the 46,000 community partners already part of the joint HIE. These community partners include hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, labs, federally-qualified health centers and nursing homes. "The CommonWell connection means DOD, VA and USCG providers can access even more information about their patients to make the best care decisions," explained FEHRM Director William Tinston. "The FEHRM remains committed to driving federal capabilities such as the expanded joint HIE to improve health care delivery regardless of where patients get care." Participating community health care providers now have a single point of entry to request and access DOD, VA and USCG patient information to support the continuity of care for service members, veterans and their families. With more information about a patient's medical history, health care providers can make more informed decisions that can improve patient outcomes. "In DOD's new EHR, MHS GENESIS, the joint HIE is available to our providers as soon as they access a patient's electronic chart," explained Air Force Col. Thomas Cantilina, MHS GENESIS deputy functional champion. "In DOD's legacy EHRs, providers are able to access the same joint HIE data using the Joint Longitudinal Viewer." For the patient, the HIE is part of DOD and VA health care benefits. DOD and veteran beneficiaries are automatically enrolled. However, the joint HIE also honors patient consent. Those patients who choose to opt out of sharing their health information can do so, and their health information will not be shared through the joint HIE.
Health.mil
'Shots in arms within 24 hours:' Army General's complex vaccine delivery task takes shape
26 October- Once a COVID-19 vaccine is ready, all eyes will be on a four-star Army officer -- Gen. Gus Perna -- to head up a complicated and staged distribution system that will get it into the hands of Americans. On Oct. 23, the same day that a record number of more than 82,000 new coronavirus cases were reported, public health officials described just how complicated the distribution effort will be, outlining an updated, three-step plan for the production and delivery of a vaccine to more than 70,000 distribution hubs nationwide. "We're not pollyannaish about how complex this is from a logistical standpoint," said Paul Mango, deputy chief of staff for policy at the Department of Health and Human Services, adding that he believed Perna and his team could accomplish the mission nonetheless. The six companies now conducting vaccine clinical trials are expected to submit requests for approval from the Food and Drug Administration, said Mango, a West Point graduate, former 82nd Airborne Division soldier and former chief of staff at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dr. Matt Hepburn, vaccine development lead at Operation Warp Speed, the vaccine delivery effort, said the FDA has pledged full transparency in the approval of licenses for the vaccines, but said the administration was still in need of volunteers for clinical trials. Assuming the vaccines get approval, the plan is to have vaccines available for the most vulnerable populations and front-line workers by the end of the year; by the end of January for seniors; and by March or April for "any American who desires a vaccination," Mango said. "We are committed to those three time frames," Mango said. They'll still have to be coordinated with the Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Once ACIP gives final approval, Perna will take charge of getting delivery underway within 24 hours, Mango said.
Military.com
GLOBAL
A flu shot might reduce coronavirus infections, early research suggests
27 October- U.S. health officials are urging Americans to get their flu shots this year in the hopes of thwarting a winter "twindemic"—a situation in which both influenza and COVID-19 spread and sicken the public. But a new study suggests that there could be another key reason to get a flu jab this year: it might reduce your risk of COVID-19. The research, released as a preprint that has not yet been peer-reviewed, indicates that a flu vaccine against the influenza virus may also trigger the body to produce broad infection-fighting molecules that combat the pandemic-causing coronavirus. The paper is in line with some other recent studies published in peer-reviewed journals that point to similar effects. But researchers caution the research is preliminary and needs to be bolstered by more rigorous experiments. In the new study, Mihai Netea, an infectious disease immunologist at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, and his colleagues combed through their hospital's databases to see if employees who got a flu shot during the 2019–2020 season were more or less likely to get infected by SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19. Workers who received a flu vaccine, the researchers found, were 39 percent less likely to test positive for the coronavirus as of June 1, 2020. While 2.23 percent of nonvaccinated employees tested positive, only 1.33 percent of vaccinated ones did. Netea and his team posted their findings on the preprint server MedRxiv on October 16.
Scientific American
Almost 800,000 kids have contracted coronavirus in US, pediatricians say
27 October- Almost 800,000 children in the U.S. have been infected with the novel coronavirus, according to a leading group of doctors, but hospitalization and deaths related to the illness among this patient population remain uncommon. "At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is rare among children," the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) wrote in Monday's data update. "However, states should continue to provide detailed reports on COVID-19 cases, testing, hospitalizations, and mortality by age and race/ethnicity so that the effects of COVID-19 on children's health can be documented and monitored."
Fox News
Colorectal cancer screening should begin at age 45, not 50, national task force says
27 October- An influential independent task force composed of experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine plans to change its guidelines on colorectal cancer screenings to recommend that adults begin getting screened at 45 years old, instead of 50, citing "new science" that shows a younger starting age could prevent more deaths from the disease. "Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths, so making an impact on that third leading cause, where we think there are quite a few preventable deaths, can make a big difference," said Michael Barry, a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. The draft recommendation statement, which was released Tuesday and is now open for public comment, marks a departure from its last update to the guidelines about five years ago. (Task force recommendations are typically revisited every five years.) The panel previously concluded that data on lowering the starting age was mixed and that beginning screenings before 50 would provide only a "modest" benefit. Its position stood in contrast with the American Cancer Society's, which updated its recommendation in 2018 to say regular screenings should start at age 45. Now, though, Barry said a review of more recent epidemiological studies on the risk of colorectal cancer increasing in younger people, coupled with simulation modeling, which suggests additional deaths could be prevented if screenings were to start at 45, led the task force to the same conclusion as the cancer society. The draft statement will be available for public comment until Nov. 23, with final recommendations expected to be released "within a few months," Barry said.
The Washington Post
Covid: Antibodies 'fall rapidly after infection'
27 October- Levels of protective antibodies in people wane "quite rapidly" after coronavirus infection, say researchers. Antibodies are a key part of our immune defences and stop the virus from getting inside the body's cells. The Imperial College London team found the number of people testing positive for antibodies has fallen by 26% between June and September. They say immunity appears to be fading and there is a risk of catching the virus multiple times. The news comes as figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of Covid-19 deaths in the UK rose by 60% in the week of 16 October. The ONS figures suggest there have now been more than 60,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK. More than 350,000 people in England have taken an antibody test as part of the REACT-2 study so far. In the first round of testing, at the end of June and the beginning of July, about 60 in 1,000 people had detectable antibodies. But in the latest set of tests, in September, only 44 per 1,000 people were positive. It suggests the number of people with antibodies fell by more than a quarter between summer and autumn.
BBC News
Diet Coke is just as bad as regular soft drinks, possibly leading to heart disease
28 October- Diet Coke may seem the best alternative for soft drinks with a high sugar level. However, researchers and other experts are currently alarmed by these artificially sweetened drinks and other sugary beverages. They claim that diet drinks increase the risk of heart disease by up to 20%. The new study explained that they're as bad for your heart as the full-sugar versions. The team consists of French researchers, who tracked more than 104,000 people over the past ten years to observe their sugary or sugar-free soft drinks consumption. According to the Dailymail UK's latest report, the scientists discovered that the participants are more likely to develop heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes compared to the individuals who avoid the beverages.
Tech Times
FDA approves first COVID-19 drug: antiviral remdesivir
22 October- U.S. regulators on Thursday approved the first drug to treat COVID-19: remdesivir, an antiviral medicine given to hospitalized patients through an IV. The drug, which California-based Gilead Sciences Inc. is calling Veklury, cut the time to recovery by five days — from 15 days to 10 on average — in a large study led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It had been authorized for use on an emergency basis since spring, and now becomes the first drug to win full Food and Drug Administration approval for treating COVID-19. President Donald Trump received it when he was sickened earlier this month. Veklury is approved for people at least 12 years old and weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kilograms) who are hospitalized for a coronavirus infection. For patients younger than 12, the FDA will still allow the drug's use in certain cases under its previous emergency authorization. The drug works by inhibiting a substance the virus uses to make copies of itself. Certain kidney and liver tests are required before starting patients on it to ensure it's safe for them and to monitor for any possible side effects. And the label warns against using it with the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, because that can curb its effectiveness. "We now have enough knowledge and a growing set of tools to help fight COVID-19," Gilead's chief medical officer, Dr. Merdad Parsey, said in a statement. The drug is either approved or has temporary authorization in about 50 countries, he noted. Its price has been controversial, given that no studies have found it improves survival. Last week, a large study led by the World Health Organization found the drug did not help hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but that study did not include a placebo group and was less rigorous than previous ones that found a benefit. The FDA's approval statement noted that, besides the NIH-led one, two other studies found the drug beneficial. Ap News
Mask-wearing is up in the U.S., but young people are still too lax, CDC survey finds
27 October- More Americans may be wearing masks than early last spring, but other recommended behaviors to stop the pandemic's spread haven't kept pace, according to a new federal survey. And young people are the least likely to take needed steps to stop the virus, the data suggest. The proportion of U.S. adults reporting wearing face masks increased from 78% in April to 89% in June, according to the nationally representative survey released by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tuesday. But the survey found either no change or a decline in other behaviors aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus, such as hand-washing, social distancing and avoiding public or crowded places. "Interesting data," Dr. Carlos Del Rio, a professor of global health and epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, wrote in an email to NPR. Del Rio was not involved in conducting the survey, which appears in this week's issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. "Results are encouraging," he says, "but I wish they were better — especially among younger people." The survey, conducted by the CDC in April, May and June, questioned more than 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. Young people were the least likely to engage in any of the recommended behaviors, which could help explain the increase in infections among this age group over that time period, the scientists say. Although younger people are less likely to suffer the most serious complications of COVID-19, the infection can still be serious in some cases; and even those with mild cases or who are asymptomatic can spread the virus to older people, who are most vulnerable. "These findings underscore the need to prioritize clear, targeted messaging and behavior modification interventions, especially for younger adults, to encourage uptake and support maintenance of recommended mitigation behaviors proven to slow the spread of COVID-19," the researchers write in the MMWR report.
NPR
Seniors are better at pandemic safety than young adults, CDC finds
27 October- Older Americans are better than younger adults at following the recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, according to a new survey. This discrepancy could explain why Covid-19 infections started to rise in younger people starting in June, according to the team at the Data Foundation, a nonprofit think tank that conducted the survey. Most Americans report they're doing what they should, the researchers reported in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. For example, the use of face masks went up from an average of 78% in April to 83% in May, and reached 89% in June, the survey of 6,500 adults 18 and older showed. The percentage of older adults who reported wearing a mask was up to 14 percentage points higher, depending on the month, than those in the youngest age group. Other behaviors -- such as hand-washing, physical distancing and avoiding public or crowded places -- dipped slightly or remained unchanged on average over time.
CNN
Stuck-at-home Moms: The pandemic's devastating toll on women
28 October- Women are seeing the fabric of their lives unravel during the pandemic. Nowhere is that more visible than on the job. In September, an eye-popping 865,000 women left the U.S. workforce — four times more than men. The coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc on households, and women are bearing the brunt of it. Not only have they lost the most jobs from the beginning of the pandemic, but they are exhausted from the demands of child care and housework — and many are now seeing no path ahead but to quit working. Women have made great strides over the years: More women than men are enrolled in college, in medical schools and law schools. The number of women in the workforce even overtook men for a brief period of three months through February this year. But the uncomfortable truth is that in their homes, women are still fitting into stereotypical roles of doing the bulk of cooking, cleaning and parenting. It's another form of systemic inequality within a 21st century home that the pandemic is laying bare.
NPR
INFLUENZA
CDC: Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report
Key Updates for Week 42, ending October 17, 2020:
Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations: The Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network (FluSurv-NET) conducts population-based surveillance for laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations in select counties in the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) states and Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Project (IHSP) states. FluSurv-NET estimated hospitalization rates will be updated weekly starting later this season.
Influenza-Associated Pediatric Mortality: No influenza-associated pediatric deaths occurring during the 2020-21 season have been reported to CDC.
CDC
WHO: Influenza Update
26 October 2020, based on data up to 11 October 2020:
- The current influenza surveillance data should be interpreted with caution as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have influenced to varying extents health seeking behaviours, staffing/routines in sentinel sites, as well as testing priorities and capacities in Member States. The various hygiene and physical distancing measures implemented by Member States to reduce SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission have likely played a role in reducing influenza virus transmission.
- Globally, despite continued or even increased testing for influenza in some countries influenza activity remained at lower levels than expected for this time of the year.
- In the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, influenza activity remained below inter-seasonal levels, though influenza detections were reported in some countries.
- In the temperate zones of the southern hemisphere, the influenza season remained low or below baseline overall. Very few influenza detections were reported across countries.
- In the Caribbean and Central American countries, there were no influenza detections reported. Severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) activity, likely due to COVID-19, decreased in most reporting countries.
- In tropical South America, there were no influenza detections across reporting countries.
- In tropical Africa, influenza activity was reported in Côte d'Ivoire and Mali.
- In Southern Asia there were sporadic influenza detections across reporting countries.
- In South East Asia, increased influenza detections were reported in Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR).
- Worldwide, of the very low numbers of detections reported, seasonal influenza A(H3N2) viruses accounted for the majority of detections.
WHO
VETERINARY/FOOD SAFETY
Deli meats suspected for causing 3-state Listeria outbreak: 1 Death
24 October- Public health officials in the United States have confirmed that ten people, all requiring hospitalization, are infected with an outbreak strain of Listeria according to reports from three states–Florida, Massachusetts, and New York. One death in Florida is associated with the outbreak. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and state health officials are investigating the multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to deli meats.
Food Safety News
Grand jury charges former Blue Bell President Paul Kruse with wire fraud and conspiracy
21 October- A Texas grand jury has charged the former president of ice cream manufacturer Blue Bell Creameries LP with wire fraud and conspiracy in connection with an alleged scheme to cover up the company's sales of Listeria-tainted ice cream in 2015, the Justice Department announced today. In an indictment filed in federal court in Austin, TX, former Blue Bell president Paul Kruse was charged with seven counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to his alleged efforts to conceal from customers what the company knew about Listeria contamination in certain Blue Bell products. Kruse is scheduled to make his first appearance since the Grand Jury indictment at 2 p.m. on Oct. 29 in federal court in Austin before Judge Andrew W. Austin. According to the indictment, Texas state officials notified Blue Bell in February 2015 that two ice cream products from the company's Brenham, TX, factory tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous pathogen that can lead to serious illness or death in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
Food Safety News
WELLNESS
Seniors are forming pandemic pods to ward off winter isolation (and you can, too)
28 October- Over the past month, Dr. Richard Besdine and his wife have been discussing whether to see family and friends indoors this fall and winter. He thinks they should, so long as people have been taking strict precautions during the coronavirus pandemic. She's not convinced it's safe, given the heightened risk of viral transmission in indoor spaces. Both are well positioned to weigh in on the question. Besdine, 80, was the longtime director of the division of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Brown University's Alpert Medical School. His wife, Terrie Wetle, 73, also an aging specialist, was the founding dean of Brown's School of Public Health. "We differ, but I respect her hesitancy, so we don't argue," Besdine said. Older adults in all kinds of circumstances — those living alone and those who are partnered, those in good health and those who are not — are similarly deliberating what to do as days and nights turn chilly and coronavirus cases rise across the country. Some are forming "bubbles" or "pods": small groups that agree on pandemic precautions and will see one another in person in the months ahead. (Other age groups are pursuing this "let's stay connected" strategy as well.) Still, others are planning to go it alone. Judith Rosenmeier, 84, of Boston, a widow who has survived three bouts of breast cancer, doesn't intend to invite friends to her apartment or visit them in theirs.
CNN
USAFRICOM
Sudan chikungunya outbreak grows in West Darfur
22 October- In a follow-up on the chikungunya outbreak in West Darfur, Sudan, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports today that 248 people in West Darfur were diagnosed with chikungunya, with one related death reported. This is up from 45 confirmed cases a little over one week ago. UN officials say more than 300 cases were reported between July 2019 and February 2020 during the last chikungunya outbreak in the country. In 2018, more than 19,000 cases of chikungunya were reported across the country. With the rainy season, there is usually a spike in vector-borne diseases in Sudan as stagnant water provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which are the main vectors of chikungunya, malaria and other diseases. Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. Symptoms of chikungunya are fever and severe joint pain, as well as muscle pain, joint swelling, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. Joint pain associated with chikungunya is often debilitating and can vary in duration. There is currently no vaccine or specific drug for the virus and treatment focuses on relieving the disease symptoms, according to the WHO.
Outbreak News Today
USCENTCOM
Child malnutrition reaches new highs in parts of Yemen: UN
27 October- Parts of Yemen are seeing their highest levels of acute malnutrition in children, heightening warnings that the country is approaching a dire food security crisis, the United Nations said in a report. Drivers of malnutrition in Yemen worsened in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic, economic decline, floods, escalating conflict and significant underfunding of this year's aid response have compounded an already bleak hunger situation after nearly six years of war. "We've been warning since July that Yemen is on the brink of a catastrophic food security crisis. If the war doesn't end now, we are nearing an irreversible situation and risk losing an entire generation of Yemen's young children," said Lise Grande, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen. According to a UN Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) malnutrition analysis of south Yemen, acute malnutrition cases in children aged below five have increased about 10 percent in 2020 to more than half a million. "Acute malnutrition at that age causes irreversible damage to the brain and cognitive capacity of the child. It is absolutely terrible," Philippe Duamelle, the UNICEF representative in Yemen, told Al Jazeera from Yemeni capital Sanaa. "It not only puts the life of the child at risk, but it also puts their future at tremendous risk," he added.
Al Jazeera
USEUCOM
Anthrax: Five people hospitalized in Dagestan, Linked to tainted livestock
26 October- Health officials in the Russian republic of Dagestan are reporting five hospitalizations due to suspected anthrax, Tass news reports. "Five suspected anthrax cases were registered in the village of Kakamakhi in a period from October 24 to 26. All the patients have been taken to hospital and placed in an isolated ward," the ministry said, adding that all the five are in a moderately severe condition, having skin symptoms. Officials say the patients are likely to have been infected while slaughtering and butchering livestock. Anthrax is a bacterial pathogen in livestock and wild animals. Ruminants such as bison, cattle, sheep and goats are highly susceptible, and horses can also be infected. Anthrax is a very serious disease of livestock because it can potentially cause the rapid loss of a large number of animals in a very short time. Affected animals are often found dead with no illness detected. When conditions become favorable, the spores germinate into colonies of bacteria. An example would be a grazing cow ingests spores that in the cow, germinate, grow spread and eventually kill the animal. Anthrax is caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. This spore forming bacteria can survive in the environment for decades because of its ability to resist heat, cold, drying, etc. This is usually the infectious stage of anthrax.
Outbreak News Today
Coronavirus: Europe's daily deaths rise by nearly 40% compared with last week - WHO
27 October-
Europe's daily Covid deaths rose by nearly 40% compared with the previous week, the World Health Organization (WHO) has told the BBC. WHO spokeswoman Dr Margaret Harris said France, Spain, the UK, the Netherlands and Russia accounted for the majority of cases which increased by a third. "The concern... is that intensive care units in hospitals are now beginning to fill with very ill people," she warned. Russia reported a daily record of 320 deaths, pushing the tally to 26,589. There has been a sharp increase in Italy too, with 221 fatalities announced in the past 24 hours. The total number of fatalities in Austria went above 1,000 on Tuesday. Russia has the world's fourth highest number of Covid-19 cases after the US, India and Brazil. It recorded another 16,550 infections on Tuesday alone and authorities have now made the wearing of face masks compulsory in all crowded places. While infections surged in Italy too, to almost 22,000 in the past 24 hours, officials said testing had also been ramped up. Protests took place in towns and cities across Italy on Monday evening against a new round of restrictions.
BBC News
USINDOPACOM
Philippines: Negros Occidental reports most COVID-19 cases Tuesday, Immunization campaign rolled out
27 October- Philippines health officials reported an additional 1,524 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the country total to 373,144. Negros Occidental topped the list of places with the most number of newly announced cases at 115, Cavite with 76, Benguet with 72, Quezon City with 67, and Laguna with 65 infections. The number of active cases in the country is 37,489 while 328,602 people recovered since the pandemic started nationwide. The country's death toll rose to 7,053 as health officials reported 14 additional fatalities.
Outbreak News Today
USNORTHCOM
U.S.: Texas- Wichita Falls reports 'rare' Trypanosoma cruzi positive kissing bug
27 October- The City of Wichita Falls, Texas reports a lab test has confirmed that a Triatomine insect, commonly known as the "kissing bug", collected in Wichita County has tested positive for the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease. Kissing bugs are a blood feeding type of insect commonly found throughout the Southern United States. Though not new to the area, a recorded presence of Chagas disease in Wichita County is rare. Kissing bugs may be attracted to lights at night and their attraction to house lights may cause them to enter a home. A single kissing bug is not necessarily cause for alarm, but they can infest human and animal bedding and breed. The presence of nymphs or immature kissing bugs in a home suggest that a breeding population may have formed nearby and a licensed pest control company may need to be contacted.
Outbreak News Today
USSOUTHCOM
Colombia becomes the 8th country to top 1 million COVID-19 cases
25 October- The Colombia Ministry of Health recorded an additional 8769 confirmed COVID-19 cases Saturday, putting the country total case count over the one million mark, the eighth country to do so. As of Oct 24, Colombia has seen 1,007,711 total cases, following only the US, India, Brazil, Russia, France, Argentina and Spain. More than 900,000 people have recovered and their are currently 68,000 active cases in Colombia. With the addition of 198 fatalities Saturday, 30,000 deaths due to COVID-19 have been reported. Bogota has reported 308,000 cases, leading the country, followed by Antioquia (153K) and Valle del Cauca (77K). On Thursday, the country launched the National Contact Center for Telephone Tracking as part of the implementation of the PRASS program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minister of Health and Social Protection, Fernando Ruiz Gómez, pointed out that the PRASS program has been operating in Colombia for a few months, through which tests, tracking, isolation and monitoring of people with COVID-19 and their contacts are carried out. "This new service that will reach all Colombians seeks, essentially, to be able to reach people who have COVID-19 and to be able to immediately make a call, establish contacts and the risks they may have, this also to proceed to isolate them and avoid that in the context of opening there are possibilities of contagion".
Outbreak News Today
