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Ongoing communication is taking place between WHO and the National IHR Focal Points of Cabo Verde, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom to support timely information sharing and coordinated response efforts. On May 2, 2026, WHO was informed of a cluster of severe respiratory illness among passengers aboard a cruise ship carrying 147 passengers and crew. As of May 4, 2026, seven cases had been identified: two laboratory-confirmed hantavirus cases and five suspected cases. These include three deaths, one critically ill patient, and three people with mild symptoms. Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), also called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), [...]

ECDC has deployed an expert from the EU Health Task Force to the cruise ship affected by the Andes hantavirus outbreak, as part of a joint effort to investigate the outbreak and coordinate the public health response together with relevant Member States. On May 2, 2026, the Netherlands informed ECDC through the European Union Early Warning and Response System (EWRS) about a cluster of an unidentified illness causing severe respiratory symptoms aboard a Dutch-flagged cruise ship in the South Atlantic. The ship was carrying 149 people from 23 nationalities, including passengers or crew from nine EU/EEA Member States: Belgium, France, Germany, [...]

A pediatric infectious disease expert shares information on the Cicada variant, the latest COVID strain spreading in the U.S., and whether children are more at risk of infection. A newly identified COVID-19 variant known as BA 3.2, or “Cicada,” is spreading in the United States and has been found in wastewater samples from 25 states, according to a recent CDC report. BA 3.2 is a mutated form of the Omicron BA 1 variant and was nicknamed “Cicada” because, like the insect, it appears to vanish and then resurface months later. The BA 3.2 variant has over 70 mutations when compared with [...]

Measles Cases and Outbreaks Measles (Rubeola), a viral illness once declared eliminated in 2000, has since then resurged nationwide. Despite the safety of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, reports have shown that vaccination reports have been declining. Something to note is that in 2019–2020, it is reported that 95.2% of U.S. Kindergarteners have been vaccinated for the school year, while of those in 2024–2025, it has dipped to 92.5%. This leaves 286,000 children at risk of being infected with such a contagious virus. For the latest national case information, the CDC provides an updated measles cases and outbreaks page [...]

UV-C in healthcare can either become “hygiene theater” or a genuinely useful infection-control tool. The defines "hygiene theater" as visible but ineffective cleaning practices that look reassuring without being scientifically matched to how infections really spread. Their main framework is that any UV-C intervention should begin with understanding facility-specific transmission routes, then use technology validated for that exact real-world application, and finally include monitoring so the system keeps performing as designed. To make that case, theoretical UV-C performance can be contrasted with real-world limitations. For high-touch surfaces, enclosed UV-C devices may disinfect a specific point such as elevator buttons or bathroom [...]

A Call to Action in an Era of Pandemics and Multidrug-Resistant Organisms Germicidal UV (GUV) may have a long scientific history in healthcare, but its role still is not fully defined or widely embraced, particularly for air disinfection. With the rise of 222 nm “Far UV", interest in GUV as a tool for reducing healthcare-associated infections, including airborne transmission, began to increase. Thanks to COVID-19, Candida auris and other multidrug-resistant organisms, we now know how the pandemic strained healthcare workers and systems. We must understand that healthcare, public health, and industry should not wait for the next crisis; instead, we should [...]

BA.3.2 has been detected in 25 states and has shown 'immune escape characteristics'   A new variant of COVID-19 is spreading across the U.S., health officials say. At least 23 countries have reported the SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant as of Feb. 11, according to a study published last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant, found in 23 countries so far and in wastewater analysis in 23 states, is still very uncommon in terms of prevalence, but is concerning because it has over 70 mutations and deletions to its spike protein compared with the [...]

Through the use of specialized cameras and lasers, researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder have uncovered exactly how aerosols are affected by the flushing of a lidless toilet. Professor John Crimaldi and his team have shared their concerns regarding the actual exposure people have to pathogens when using the toilet. He urges that people should be more mindful when flushing the toilet and to close the lid at all times. Watch the CNN video here.

SAG suspends poultry product exports: Confirmed a positive case of avian influenza at an industrial facility The Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) reported this Wednesday the detection of the first positive case of avian influenza in laying hens at an industrial farm in the commune of El Monte, in the Metropolitan Region. In response to this situation, health protocols were activated with the aim of containing and eradicating the disease in the shortest possible time, and in accordance with international regulations, Chile self-suspended the certification of exports of all types of poultry products. Read more about the article here.