The #Ebola #Bundibugyo outbreak in DRC's Ituri province is now the 2nd largest in known history, having overtaken the 2018-2020 outbreak in North-Kivu & Ituri in a matter of 2.5 months. Hard to say how big this one will get. Can't see it ending anytime soon.

#CDC has been alerted to 2 more kids who died from #influenza last winter. They bring to 190 the number of confirmed pediatric #flu deaths in 2025-26. This in a year in which Health Sec. Kennedy told CDC to drop its recommendation that kids 6 months & older get flu shots. www.cdc.gov/fluview/surv...

The confirmed #measles case count so far this year is now 2371, in only 7 months, compared to 2289 in all of 2025. Only 7 states haven't reported cases in 2026. Only 16 of these cases were imported, #CDC reports. www.cdc.gov/measles/data...

The #Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in NE DRC was likely underway for months before it was formally detected in mid-May. That's often the way with Ebola outbreaks, but the scale of the missed cases seems ... extraordinary. Terrific reporting by @kakape.bsky.social. www.science.org/content/arti...

EXCLUSIVE: Congo’s Ebola epidemic started at least 4 months before it was detected

A remote mining town gripped by fear saw hundreds of suspected cases before the government declared an outbreak, report says

science.org

For decades, Tony Fauci was beloved on both sides of the political aisle in Washington. Those days are over. www.statnews.com/2026/07/29/f...

Fauci invokes Fifth Amendment in declining to answer questions before Senate panel

At a highly anticipated Senate hearing, Anthony Fauci evoked his Fifth Amendment right to refuse to answer questions about the Covid-19 pandemic and its origins.

statnews.com

On June 30, Uganda reported a case of #Marburg to @WHO, only after the US embassy in Kampala revealed it had heard there was a case in the west of the country. Since then, radio silence. WHO confirmed today that though it has been asking for followup information, Uganda has provided none.

#USDA reports 3 new #H5N1 #birdflu infected dairy cow herds in Idaho, bringing the national total since the outbreak was first detected to 1,170 herds in 19 states. www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

DRC's #Ebola case count continues to climb. As of 07/22, there have been 2,905 confirmed cases, 1,269 of them fatal. At this pace it may not be long before this outbreak surpasses the 2018-2020 North Kivu outbreak, the 2nd largest on record (3470 cases, 2287 of them fatal). insp.cd/sitrep-n069-...

#CDC reports another pediatric #flu death in the 2025-26 season. That brings the number of children who died from flu this season to 188. FluView doesn't say what percentage of those kids were not vaccinated but earlier in the season CDC estimated about 85%. www.cdc.gov/fluview/surv...

#CDC reports that the confirmed #measles count in 2026 has hit 2,318, exceeding the 2025 total. It's the highest annual total — & the year's far from over — in 35 years. To keep measles under control, about 95% of kids need to be vaccinated. Few parts of the country are hitting that target.

1. Another European country is reporting cases of Dermatophilus congolensis, an animal skin disease, in men who have sex with men. Swiss researchers report in @eurosurveillance.org that they've detected 6 cases; two were likely imported, 4 locally acquired. www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...

Human infections with Dermatophilus sp.: travel-associated first case and a local cluster in the context of emerging European outbreaks, Basel, Switzerland, 2025 to 2026

We report six human Dermatophilus infections diagnosed in Basel between May 2025 and March 2026. The travel-associated first case developed a pustular rash and conjunctivitis after a stay in Thailand....

eurosurveillance.org

The #HELP committee vote on whether to advance the nomination of Erica Schwartz for #CDC director is also postponed; not enough senators showed up, per committee chair Bill Cassidy. Vote will take place next week. www.statnews.com/2026/07/23/e...

Senate health panel delays vote on CDC nominee

Too few senators were in attendance to proceed with a vote on the CDC director nominee.

statnews.com

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦@helenbranswell.bsky.social · 2w ago

The Senate's #HELP committee vote on whether to support Sean Kaufman's nomination for the head of the public health preparedness operations at #HHS has been delayed due to lack of support. @statnews.com 's intrepid @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social has the story. www.statnews.com/2026/07/23/s...

The Senate's #HELP committee vote on whether to support Sean Kaufman's nomination for the head of the public health preparedness operations at #HHS has been delayed due to lack of support. @statnews.com 's intrepid @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social has the story. www.statnews.com/2026/07/23/s...

Vote on key federal health nominee delayed amid questions over vaccine views

Sean Kaufman, nominated to run ASPR, has a track record of questioning the safety of vaccines.

statnews.com

The bits of animal data suggesting #Ervebo, the #Ebola Zaire vaccine, might be useful against #Bundibugyo Ebola are getting supported from data showing some cross protection in blood of vaccinees. That's leading to increasing calls to study the vaccine in DRC. www.statnews.com/2026/07/22/n...

New study supports testing of Merck’s Ebola vaccine in DRC outbreak

New data supports the idea that Merck’s Ebola vaccine Ervebo, licensed to target the Zaire species of ebolaviruses, could also offer some protection against another.

statnews.com

#USDA reports that Utah has another #H5N1 #birdflu infected dairy cow herd, its 14th since the beginning of June & 28th overall. That makes 1,167 confirmed infections in herds in 19 states since this outbreak was first detected in March 2024. www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

There is a bit of evidence to suggest vaccines to protect against other species of #Ebola might offer cross protection against #Bundibugyo, the cause of the DRC outbreak. I wrote about it here: www.statnews.com/2026/05/18/e... Looks like it may be studied: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

With no approved vaccine for Ebola outbreak, experts weigh testing a long shot

With no approved vaccine for the fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the DRC, experts weigh testing one with unknown protection.

statnews.com

#CDC reported today that it has been informed of 2 more pediatric #flu deaths in the 2025-26 season. The deaths occurred in March. That brings the total for this season to 187 peds flu deaths, though the number could continue to climb as late reports come in. www.cdc.gov/fluview/surv...

#Measles update: #CDC reports that another 29 confirmed cases have been detected, bringing the year to date total to 2260 — 29 cases shy of 2025's full year tally. 15 of these cases were imported; the rest were caught in the USA. www.cdc.gov/measles/data...

#USDA reports that 4 more dairy cow herds in Utah have been infected with #H5N1 #birdflu, bringing that state's total to 27. Nationally, 1,166 herds in 19 states have been confirmed to have been infected since the outbreak was first detected in March 2024. www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

Remember that #Marburg outbreak in Uganda that only came to light in late June because the US embassy there issued a health alert? #WHO has been asking for information, but has been getting none. www.statnews.com/2026/07/16/w...

WHO: Uganda is silent on updates following disclosure of Marburg outbreak

The government of Uganda has gone quiet on an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus that it reported late last month, the WHO acknowledged.

statnews.com

The nominees for #CDC director & #ASPR head faced tough questioning from the Senate #HELP committee today. Chair Bill Cassidy, who's out of a job next Jan., was especially blunt with the pair, suggesting Erica Schwartz (CDC) spent the hearing trying not to answer Qs. www.statnews.com/2026/07/15/b...

Cassidy grills Trump nominee on past vaccine comments in heated exchange

Sean Kaufman, Trump's pick for a key pandemic preparedness role, has questioned vaccines and criticized the CDC.

statnews.com

As an acting director of the #FDA biologics division tries to reset operations after Vinay Prasad's rocky tenure, battle-battered staff see at least some temporary relief from the chaos of the last 18 months, @lizzylawrence.bsky.social reports. www.statnews.com/2026/07/15/f...

Under a new leader, the FDA's biologics center moves to steady itself after stormy chapter

After his predecessor's turbulent tenure, Karim Mikhail is working to restore staff morale and revisit controversial rejections.

statnews.com

#USDA reports another dairy cow herd in Idaho has been infected with #H5N1 #birdflu, the 172nd in the state since the outbreak was first detected in March 2024. Nationally 1,162 herds in 19 states have been infected. Lately, Idaho & Utah have been adding cases. www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

#USDA reports that another #H5N1 #birdflu infected dairy cow herd was discovered in Utah, the state's 23rd. The national total is now 1,161 herds in 19 states. www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

The Trump administration's nominee for #HHS's pandemic preparedness operations, Sean Kaufman, has a history of questioning vaccines. Vaccines are a critical part of preparedness for future biological threats. 🤔@chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social reports. www.statnews.com/2026/07/10/s...

Nominee for key federal health role has a history of questioning vaccines

Sean Kaufman's views on vaccines may put him at odds with Sen. Bill Cassidy during next week's confirmation hearing.

statnews.com

1. #Measles update: The US has recorded 97% as many measles cases this year as were accumulated in the entirety of 2025. This year's confirmed total has reached 2231; last year's total inched up 1 in the most recent report. Only 13 of this year's cases were imported. www.cdc.gov/measles/data...

#Ebola update: DRC reported 84 new cases confirmed on 7/8. These bring the outbreak total in DRC to 1792 cases & 625 deaths. The outbreak is past the halfway mark to the 2018-2020 North Kivu-Ituri outbreak, the 2nd largest on record. Nearly 12,000 case contacts were ID'd on 7/8, and ~79% followed.

Sec Kennedy's plan to add #Covid vax-related injuries to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has experts watching to see if the list is made up of side effects known to be linked to the vaxes or some that are unproven. @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social reports. www.statnews.com/2026/07/08/h...

RFK Jr. plans to create list of injuries caused by Covid-19 vaccines

It's not clear what conditions may make the list, but outside experts are watching it closely.

statnews.com

This #Ebola outbreak was declared underway on 5/15, not yet 2 months ago. Weeks ago it became the 3rd largest on record. With DRC's 1708 cases & Uganda's 20 cases, it is halfway to becoming the 2nd largest on record. (DRC, 2018-2020, 3,470 cases.) Gonna be big.

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦@helenbranswell.bsky.social · 4w ago

#Ebola update: DRC reported 84 new cases (59 already dead) on 7/6. That brings their confirmed totals to 1708 cases, 580 of whom have died. On 7/6, 12,190 contacts of cases were on the monitoring list; 75% of them were reached that day. insp.cd/sitrep-n053-...

#Ebola update: DRC reported 84 new cases (59 already dead) on 7/6. That brings their confirmed totals to 1708 cases, 580 of whom have died. On 7/6, 12,190 contacts of cases were on the monitoring list; 75% of them were reached that day. insp.cd/sitrep-n053-...