Friday, May 20, 2016

Pestilence

The Yellow Fever Outbreak: What You Should Know - TIME
Time reports: "An outbreak of yellow fever in Africa has global health experts worried. On Thursday the World Health Organization (WHO) convened an emergency meeting over a yellow fever outbreak that started in Angola and has now infected well over 2,000 people, including imported cases to other countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya and China. The group concluded that while the yellow fever outbreak is 'a serious public health event which warrants intensified national action and enhanced international support,' it will not be declared a public health emergency of international concern at this time."

Zika Cases In U.S. Pregnant Women Near 300 - TIME
Time reports: "There are 279 pregnant women in the United States and in U.S. territories who have Zika, health officials announced on Friday. There are 157 women pregnant women with the virus in the continental United States and 122 infected pregnant women in U.S. territories. The new numbers are from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Zika pregnancy registry systems in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. The new numbers include all pregnant women who have had laboratory confirmation of a Zika infection regardless of whether they had symptoms or not."

Zika Strain Linked to Birth Defects on ‘Doorstep of Africa,’ WHO Warns - TIME
Time reports: "The strain of the Zika Virus raging in South America that has been linked to birth defects has been confirmed in Africa for the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday.  [...] This strain of Zika has been linked to neurological problems and babies being born with microcephaly, but the virus as it originated in Africa has not been known to cause the defects."

Comment: I don't normally cite Time Magazine, but they are doing a great job reporting on the Zika virus and the Yellow Fever outbreak. 

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