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Business Insider
4 days ago
- Health
- Business Insider
U.S. CDC issues alert as mpox outbreak in Central, East Africa leads to new cases in the U.S.
CDC urges vigilance as Clade I mpox cases appear in the U.S. following travel to affected regions in Central Africa, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The CDC issued a health advisory concerning Clade I mpox cases appearing in the U.S. from Central Africa-associated travel. Clade I of the mpox virus is more severe and has higher mortality rates compared to Clade II, as seen in past outbreaks. Health professionals are urged to evaluate patients with recent travel history to affected areas and provide preventive measures. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an official Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory in response to a growing mpox outbreak in Central Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The outbreak has led to a small number of travel-associated mpox cases diagnosed in the United States since 2024. This outbreak involves Clade I of the mpox virus, a variant historically associated with more severe illness and a higher case fatality rate than Clade II, which was responsible for the 2022–2023 global outbreak. The Clade I of the mpox virus is also known as the Congo Basin clade and is one of two types of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) viruses. Laboratory testing has confirmed that the virus detected in the current U.S. cases is genetically consistent with strains circulating in Central Africa and distinct from the Clade II strain previously seen in the United States. Disease contained in the U.S. As of May 2025, there is no evidence of sustained local transmission in the U.S., but the CDC is urging healthcare providers to remain alert, especially when evaluating patients with recent trave l to the DRC or neighboring countries. According to the CDC, the outbreak in the DRC shows signs of sustained human-to-human transmission. Mpox cases have been reported among men, women, and children, suggesting a possible shift in transmission dynamics compared to previous outbreaks that largely affected men who have sex with men. Vaccination remains a key preventive measure. The CDC supports the continued use of the JYNNEOS vaccine, which is effective against both Clade I and Clade II strains. However, the agency notes that uptake of the vaccine has declined since the height of the previous outbreak. The HAN advisory encourages health departments to identify individuals at risk and ensure they have access to testing, treatment, and vaccination. To support early detection and reduce the risk of further spread, the CDC recommends that clinicians: Consider mpox in the differential diagnosis of patients with compatible symptoms and relevant travel history. Promptly report suspected cases to local or state public health authorities. Collect specimens for confirmatory testing through the CDC or designated public health laboratories. US CDC issues warning No travel restrictions have been issued at this time, but travelers to the DRC are advised to avoid close contact with sick individuals, wild animals, and materials contaminated with bodily fluids. The CDC continues to monitor the situation and will provide updated guidance as more information becomes available. For now, health officials are emphasizing early recognition and public health response, given that Clade I mpox presents more serious health risks and has resulted in fatalities in affected countries abroad.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Measles fears in Texas cause flood of parents to seek vaccine causing vaccination rates to skyrocket
As the deadly measles outbreak in West Texas has continued to grow, parents have reportedly been racing to get their kids vaccinated. New data from the Electronic Health Record data analysis company Truveta has documented the surge, finding that the percentage of six-month-old children in Texas who got their shots in April increased by more than 30 times over last year's average. For 10-month-olds, the percentage increased by more than 10 times. The preliminary research findings have not been peer-reviewed. 'Our data show that starting in February 2025 and accelerating in March and April with the issuance of CDC's Health Alert Network about measles transmission on March 7, 2025, Texas parents are taking advantage of the early vaccine recommendation,' the company said in a news release alongside their findings. 'These results highlight that the outbreak is causing real concern for parents and changing vaccination behavior.' 'This is a huge increase,' Nina Masters, a senior scientist at Truveta and part of the research team, told NBC News. 'Just a really striking signal that vaccination behavior is changing.' In the months leading up to the outbreak fewer than 2 percent of Texas babies under a year old were vaccinated. Now, that figure has jumped to around 10 percent by the time the child reaches 10 months old. The analysis found that in more than 20 percent of all first measles vaccines in March and April were given to children between the ages of six and 11 months old: 11.5-times higher percentage than in 2019 during domestic outbreaks. The Texas Department of State Health Services told The Independent that it had data from the state's immunization registry showing a similar trend year over year. Lubbock's Kaia Hunter was one of the parents who took her child to get the shot. She told NBC News that she did not hesitate to get her 2-year-old son, Brady, fully vaccinated in March. 'Being in the hotbed of the measles outbreak,' said Hunter, 47, 'it was a no-brainer. If it was safe to get him vaccinated early, we were going to protect him.' The news comes amid falling child vaccination rates across the U.S., which have been tied to increasing vaccine hesitancy, the spread of misinformation about vaccine safety, and partisan divisions following the Covid pandemic. In the Lone Star State specifically, vaccine exemptions have been linked to the county with the largest number of infections. Texas law allows children to get an exemption from school vaccines for reasons of conscience. That includes religious beliefs. Still, the safety and efficacy of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine has been established. The two-dose series is 97 percent effective against measles, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's the way to prevent infection, experts say. In Texas, the two children who died in the outbreak were unvaccinated. An unvaccinated adult also died in New Mexico, and there have been more than 1,000 cases and 14 outbreaks reported across the country this year. As of last week, the U.S. was just short of the century's high mark of 1,274 in 2019, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group said U.S. cases are likely undercounted. Although, the number of new cases reported in Texas each week has fallen since the beginning of the month. Across the U.S., about 96 percent of measles cases this year have been among people who were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC. But, efforts to get people vaccinated have also hurdles from the nation's top health officials. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has said he supports getting vaccinated – but also pushed worrying treatments for measles. Recently, he has falsely claimed that the measles vaccine contains 'aborted fetus debris' and said the mumps vaccination does not work. Remarks from the administration have frustrated physicians who recently said that the nation is 'reaching a breaking point' in its ability to control the measles outbreak. 'It is critical that Congress ensure that the federal government provides the resources necessary for state and local governments and non-governmental organizations to prevent measles infections through access to vaccines, and that these entities have the tools they need to effectively respond to the outbreak,' AAP President Dr. Susan J. Kressly wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders. 'Even one child dying from measles is one too many,' Dr. Kressly wrote. 'What makes these deaths so tragic is that immunization could have prevented these deaths.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Measles fears in Texas cause flood of parents to seek vaccine causing vaccination rates to skyrocket
As the deadly measles outbreak in West Texas has continued to grow, parents have reportedly been racing to get their kids vaccinated. New data from the Electronic Health Record data analysis company Truveta has documented the surge, finding that the percentage of six-month-old children in Texas who got their shots in April increased by more than 30 times over last year's average. For 10-month-olds, the percentage increased by more than 10 times. The preliminary research findings have not been peer-reviewed. 'Our data show that starting in February 2025 and accelerating in March and April with the issuance of CDC's Health Alert Network about measles transmission on March 7, 2025, Texas parents are taking advantage of the early vaccine recommendation,' the company said in a news release alongside their findings. 'These results highlight that the outbreak is causing real concern for parents and changing vaccination behavior.' 'This is a huge increase,' Nina Masters, a senior scientist at Truveta and part of the research team, told NBC News. 'Just a really striking signal that vaccination behavior is changing.' In the months leading up to the outbreak fewer than 2 percent of Texas babies under a year old were vaccinated. Now, that figure has jumped to around 10 percent by the time the child reaches 10 months old. The analysis found that in more than 20 percent of all first measles vaccines in March and April were given to children between the ages of six and 11 months old: 11.5-times higher percentage than in 2019 during domestic outbreaks. A request for comment on the matter from the Texas Department of State Health Services was not immediately returned to The Independent. Lubbock's Kaia Hunter was one of the parents who took her child to get the shot. She told NBC News that she did not hesitate to get her 2-year-old son, Brady, fully vaccinated in March. 'Being in the hotbed of the measles outbreak,' said Hunter, 47, 'it was a no-brainer. If it was safe to get him vaccinated early, we were going to protect him.' The news comes amid falling child vaccination rates across the U.S., which have been tied to increasing vaccine hesitancy, the spread of misinformation about vaccine safety, and partisan divisions following the Covid pandemic. In the Lone Star State specifically, vaccine exemptions have been linked to the county with the largest number of infections. Texas law allows children to get an exemption from school vaccines for reasons of conscience. That includes religious beliefs. Still, the safety and efficacy of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine has been established. The two-dose series is 97 percent effective against measles, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's the way to prevent infection, experts say. In Texas, the two children who died in the outbreak were unvaccinated. An unvaccinated adult also died in New Mexico, and there have been more than 1,000 cases and 14 outbreaks reported across the country this year. As of last week, the U.S. was just short of the century's high mark of 1,274 in 2019, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group said U.S. cases are likely undercounted. Although, the number of new cases reported in Texas each week has fallen since the beginning of the month. Across the U.S., about 96 percent of measles cases this year have been among people who were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC. But, efforts to get people vaccinated have also hurdles from the nation's top health officials. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has said he supports getting vaccinated – but also pushed worrying treatments for measles. Recently, he has falsely claimed that the measles vaccine contains 'aborted fetus debris' and said the mumps vaccination does not work. Remarks from the administration have frustrated physicians who recently said that the nation is 'reaching a breaking point' in its ability to control the measles outbreak. 'It is critical that Congress ensure that the federal government provides the resources necessary for state and local governments and non-governmental organizations to prevent measles infections through access to vaccines, and that these entities have the tools they need to effectively respond to the outbreak,' AAP President Dr. Susan J. Kressly wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders. 'Even one child dying from measles is one too many,' Dr. Kressly wrote. 'What makes these deaths so tragic is that immunization could have prevented these deaths.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
US officials delayed warning public about heart inflammation risk from COVID shot: report
U.S. health officials knew about the risks of myocarditis from COVID-19 vaccines but downplayed the concern and delayed informing the public about the risks of taking the jab — that is according to a new Senate report released by Sen. Ron Johnson Wednesday. Johnson, R-Wis., chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, has been investigating the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. Earlier this year, he subpoenaed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for records relating to COVID-19 vaccine safety data and communications about the pandemic. Sen. Ron Johnson: The Covid Cover-ups Have To End The interim report, spanning 55 pages, obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital, revealed that Biden administration officials "withheld crucial health information from the Subcommittee and the public." Since 2021, Johnson has sent more than 70 oversight letters, which he says were "either completely ignored or inadequately addressed." The report highlights the records Johnson has obtained pursuant to the subpoena from the new, Trump administration-led health agency. Specifically, the report focuses on HHS' awareness of and response to cases of myocarditis—a type of heart inflammation—following COVID-19 vaccination. Read On The Fox News App Scientists Find Clues On Why Covid Vaccine Causes Chronic Health Problems In Some Johnson's report says the 2,473 pages of records he obtained "contain evidence of the Biden administration's efforts to downplay and delay warning the public about the risks of myocarditis associated with the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines." The report points to records from May 2021, in which health officials at HHS discussed whether to issue a formal warning about myocarditis. According to the report, the formal warning about myocarditis was initially going to be distributed nationwide as a Health Alert Network message, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is CDC's "primary method of sharing cleared information about urgent public health incidents with public information officers; federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local public health practitioners; clinicians; and public health laboratories." However, Johnson's report said that health officials at CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "ultimately decided against issuing a formal HAN and, instead, posted 'clinical considerations' on CDC's website about myocarditis." "Based on the subpoenaed records the Subcommittee has received to date, as well as public FOIA documents, this interim report will highlight records and present a timeline showing U.S. health officials knew about the risk of myocarditis; those officials downplayed the health concern; and U.S. health agencies delayed informing the public about the risk of the adverse event." Flashback: Gop Senators Invoke Statute To Force Hhs Answers On Covid Origins: 'Full-fledged Cover-up' The report also highlights the Israeli Ministry of Health notifying officials at the CDC in February 2021 of "large reports of myocarditis, particularly in young people, following the administration of the Pfizer vaccine." The report also highlights documents showing CDC officials discussing "safety signals" for myocarditis with mRNA vaccines in April 2021 based on Defense Department and Israeli data, but "still not taking immediate steps to warn the public." Documents obtained by Johnson also show CDC officials communicating with Moderna and Pfizer representatives about the risks. Johnson also obtained "draft meeting notes from late May 2021 exchanged between U.S. public health officials which included the question: 'Is VAERS signaling for myopericarditis now?,' and the answer: 'For the age groups 16-17 years and 18-24 years, yes.'" "VAERS" is an acronym for the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Flashback: Sen. Ron Johnson Confronts Hhs Secretary About Redacted Fauci Emails On Covid-19 Origins "Rather than provide the public and health care providers with immediate and transparent information regarding the risk of myocarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, the Biden administration waited until late June 2021 to announce changes to the labels for the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines based on the 'suggested increased risks' of myocarditis and pericarditis," the report states. "Even though CDC and FDA officials were well aware of the risk of myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination, the Biden administration opted to withhold issuing a formal warning to the public for months about the safety concerns, jeopardizing the health of young Americans." The report added that the Biden administration's decision "to downplay the COVID-19 vaccine health risks and delay warning the public about cardiac-related adverse events associated with the mRNA vaccines jeopardized the public's health." According to the report, as of April 25, 2025, VAERS reported 38,607 deaths and more than 1.6 million "adverse events worldwide associated with the administration of COVID-19 injections." Of the more than 38,000 deaths, the report said 25% occurred on Day 0, 1, or 2 following injection, compared to "2,663 deaths reported to VAERS associated with the flu vaccine over a period of 35 years." "No other reports of adverse events associated with any other drug or vaccine even come close to these statistics," the report states. "And yet, those who oversaw the development and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines continue to insist it is safe and effective, without providing the data to prove their claims." Johnson's report demands that the "full extent" of the Biden administration's "failure to immediately warn the public about all COVID-19 vaccine adverse events must be completely exposed." "The American people fund the federal health departments and agencies with their hardearned tax dollars," the report states. "The information developed by these departments and agencies belong to the American people, and should be made fully and transparently available." The report states that as "the roadblocks are removed and more documents that have been hidden and withheld for years become available, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations will provide transparency and let the American public see what is their right to see."Original article source: US officials delayed warning public about heart inflammation risk from COVID shot: report
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dengue fever cases rising in popular spring break locations, CDC alerts
As spring breakers this season continue to head south into warmer territory, mosquitoes are posing a health risk that calls for extra attention. Global cases of dengue fever are on the rise, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — and it's warning of an uptick in U.S. travelers. The agency released a Health Alert Network advisory on March 18 noting that dengue activity and transmission "remain high" in some parts of the U.S. and globally, including the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Dengue Fever: What You Need To Know About The Mosquito-borne Illness Sweeping Jamaica "Spring and summer travel coincide with the peak season for dengue in many countries, increasing the risk of both travel-associated and locally acquired cases in the United States," the CDC wrote. The CDC has marked dengue fever as a level 1 health alert, urging the public to "practice usual precautions." Read On The Fox News App This includes avoiding mosquito bites by using an EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, and sleeping in a room that has air conditioning or screened windows. Many countries have reported a "higher-than-usual" number of dengue cases in 2024 and 2025, the CDC noted. Tiger Mosquitoes Blamed For Spread Of Dengue Fever: 'Most Invasive Species' The following countries have also reported higher-than-expected numbers of dengue cases among American travelers returning to U.S. soil: Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Saint Lucia and Sudan. Dengue fever is a virus spread through bites from an infected mosquito. It is common in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Islands, among other countries, according to the CDC. Travel Hot Spot Seeks Emergency Declaration Over Massive Bug Infestation In 2024, more than 13 million cases were reported in North, Central and South America, as well as in the Caribbean. Local transmission of these outbreaks was reported in California, Texas and Florida last year. Typical symptoms include aches and pains (in the eyes, muscles, joints, or bones), nausea, vomiting and rash — usually experienced within two weeks of being bitten. Most people experience symptoms for two to seven days before recovering. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "It's typically a more mild illness, but can be severe, causing headaches, joint pain, fever, abdominal pain and even death," Dr. Mark Fischer, regional medical director of International SOS, a leading medical and security services company, previously told Fox News Digital. There is not currently any medication to treat dengue, according to the CDC. For more Health articles, visit Infected people are advised to rest, take acetaminophen for pain and fever, stay hydrated and see a doctor. There is a vaccine available for U.S. children between 9 and 16 years of age who have previously tested positive for dengue and are living in areas where the infection is common. Fox News Digital's Melissa Rudy contributed article source: Dengue fever cases rising in popular spring break locations, CDC alerts
