Man in Mexico died of a bird flu strain that hadn’t been confirmed before in a human, WHO says

Man in Mexico died of a bird flu strain that hadn’t been confirmed before in a human, WHO says

WASHINGTON — A man’s death in Mexico was caused by a strain of bird flu called H5N2 that has never before been found in a human, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. The WHO said it wasn’t clear how the man became infected, although H5N2 has been reported in poultry in Mexico. There are numerous … Read more

A man in Mexico died with one form of bird flu, but US officials remain focused on another

A man in Mexico died with one form of bird flu, but US officials remain focused on another

NEW YORK — The mysterious death of a man in Mexico who had one kind of bird flu is unrelated to outbreaks of a different type at U.S. dairy farms, experts say. Here’s a look at the case and the different types of bird flu. A 59-year-old man in Mexico who had been bedridden because … Read more

Scientists are testing mRNA vaccines to protect cows and people against bird flu

Scientists are testing mRNA vaccines to protect cows and people against bird flu

The bird flu outbreak in U.S. dairy cows is prompting development of new, next-generation mRNA vaccines — akin to COVID-19 shots — that are being tested in both animals and people. Next month, the U.S. Agriculture Department is to begin testing a vaccine developed by University of Pennsylvania researchers by giving it to calves. The … Read more

Authorities urge proper cooking of wild game after 6 relatives fall ill from parasite in bear meat

Authorities urge proper cooking of wild game after 6 relatives fall ill from parasite in bear meat

MINNEAPOLIS — The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reaffirmed the importance of properly cooking wild game after six people became sick from a parasite traced to undercooked bear meat that was served at a family reunion in South Dakota. The six — one in South Dakota, four in Minnesota and one in … Read more

Brazil’s flooded south sees first deaths from disease, as experts warn of coming surge in fatalities

Brazil’s flooded south sees first deaths from disease, as experts warn of coming surge in fatalities

SAO PAULO — The first two deaths from waterborne bacterial disease were reported in southern Brazil, where floodwaters were slowly receding, and health authorities warned additional fatalities were likely. Rio Grande do Sul state’s health secretariat confirmed the death of a 33-year-old man due to leptospirosis on Wednesday. On Monday, authorities registered that a 67-year-old … Read more

Extreme weather. A lack of lifesaving vaccines. Africa’s cholera crisis is worse than ever

Extreme weather. A lack of lifesaving vaccines. Africa’s cholera crisis is worse than ever

LILANDA, Zambia — Extreme weather events have hit parts of Africa relentlessly in the last three years, with tropical storms, floods and drought causing crises of hunger and displacement. They leave another deadly threat behind them: some of the continent’s worst outbreaks of cholera. In southern and East Africa, more than 6,000 people have died … Read more

There’s bird flu in US dairy cows. Raw milk drinkers aren’t deterred

There’s bird flu in US dairy cows. Raw milk drinkers aren’t deterred

Sales of raw milk appear to be on the rise, despite years of warnings about the health risks of drinking the unpasteurized products — and an outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows. Since March 25, when the bird flu virus was confirmed in U.S. cattle for the first time, weekly sales of raw cow’s … Read more

English fishing village told to boil water after a parasite outbreak sickens over 45 people

English fishing village told to boil water after a parasite outbreak sickens over 45 people

LONDON — A scenic fishing village in southwestern England was under instructions to boil its tap water for a third day on Friday after a parasite sickened more than 45 people in the latest example of Britain’s troubled water system. Around 16,000 homes and businesses in the Brixham area of Devon were told to boil … Read more

US pledges money and other aid to help track and contain bird flu on dairy farms

US pledges money and other aid to help track and contain bird flu on dairy farms

U.S. health and agriculture officials pledged nearly $200 million in new spending and other efforts Friday to help track and contain an outbreak of bird flu in the nation’s dairy cows that has spread to more than 40 herds in nine states. The new funds include $101 million to continue work to prevent, test, track … Read more

A new form of mpox that may spread more easily found in Congo’s biggest outbreak

A new form of mpox that may spread more easily found in Congo’s biggest outbreak

KINSHASA, Congo — Congo is struggling to contain its biggest mpox outbreak, and scientists say a new form of the disease detected in a mining town might more easily spread among people. Since January, Congo has reported more than 4,500 suspected mpox cases and nearly 300 deaths, numbers that have roughly tripled from the same … Read more