Infectious disease ·
Washington resident dies of H5N1 after dairy exposure; U.S. measles deaths reach four; WHO clears two Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine candidates for trials
Listen to this post
read by AI voices · all episodesTHE SHORT READ
A Yakima County, Washington, resident exposed to infected dairy cattle died of H5N1 avian influenza Nov. 1, the third U.S. bird flu death since 2024, Contagion Live reported. U.S. measles cases reached 5,182 with four deaths for 2026 as New York reported an infant death, and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rule took effect requiring all international air passengers to the U.S. to attest they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
THE DETAILS
- Public health Nov 2, 2026A Yakima County, Washington, resident with underlying health conditions who was exposed to infected dairy cattle died Nov. 1, according to the Yakima Health District, Contagion Live reported; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the person was infected with H5N1, the Associated Press reported. Health officials are monitoring the person's contacts, and there is no known person-to-person spread, the CDC said. The CDC counts 74 human A(H5) cases in the U.S. since February 2024 and says the current public health risk is low.
- Public health Nov 6, 2026The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 5,182 confirmed U.S. measles cases in 2026 as of Nov. 5, with 43 new outbreaks, and its table lists four deaths for the year. New York officials said an unvaccinated infant in Lewis County died, and State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said the state was "well beyond 200 cases already this year and growing."
- Public health Nov 4, 2026The World Health Organization's (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on Candidate Vaccines Prioritization recommended phase 2/3 trials of ChAdOx1 BDBV, from the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India, and Moderna's mRNA-1469, WHO Science Director Meg Doherty said at a Wednesday briefing, according to Health Policy Watch. The candidates will be added to the Tumaini Trial, which uses a ring vaccination protocol and launched Oct. 23 in Bunia, once Democratic Republic of the Congo regulators approve. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for Bundibugyo virus, Health Policy Watch reported.Sources: Health Policy Watch, Latin Times
- Public health Nov 3, 2026A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) order announced in October took effect after Nov. 3: all passengers boarding international flights to the United States must attest that they have not been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and travelers who have been in DRC within 21 days of their flight will not be allowed to board, according to the CDC. The outbreak had reached 10,772 confirmed cases and 5,234 confirmed deaths as of Nov. 4, including 10,741 confirmed cases in DRC, the CDC said.
- Public health Nov 5, 2026Moderna said Nov. 5 that Health Canada authorized mFLUSIVA (mRNA-1010), an mRNA influenza vaccine, and mCOFLU (mRNA-1083), a combined influenza and COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, for adults 50 and older, making Canada the first country to authorize both. In its phase 3 trial against a standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccine, mFLUSIVA showed relative vaccine efficacy of 26.6% (95% CI 16.7 to 35.4) in adults 50 and older, the company said. For mCOFLU, the company said its phase 3 study met all primary end points, showing noninferior immune responses; the release gives no efficacy figure for the combination vaccine.
The weekly innovation roundup for infectious disease, published every Sunday for the week before; every item links to its sources. Latest infectious disease news · All specialties