Recent tests have identified measles in wastewater in Utah, coinciding with new cases surfacing in several other states.
Both Bangladesh and India have reported further H5N1 infections recently. In Bangladesh, a child showed symptoms after interacting with backyard poultry. Fortunately, this child has now recovered, marking Bangladesh’s eleventh human case of H5N1 since 2008 and its third in 2025. Earlier this year, the WHO noted two children from the Khulna region of Bangladesh had also recovered from the virus. The latest report does not specify the clade related to these cases but does reference the identified clade involving poultry in the region.
On the Indian front, a grown man has died from an H5N1 infection.
The impact of avian flu on the dairy industry has been significant. A recent study revealed some adult cows exhibit a tendency to suckle each other, which may facilitate the spread of the avian flu. Interestingly, flies have also been linked to transmission, which, I must say, is not particularly pleasant to think about.
In other news, there are reports of a cat transmitting the plague to its owner, which is definitely alarming.
Poliovirus has been detected across 20 districts in Pakistan, coinciding with increasing vaccine refusals. Meanwhile, Mississippi has reported a sharp rise in pertussis cases.
Some researchers are now suggesting we might not need booster shots for tetanus and diphtheria as frequently as every ten years. I’m a bit skeptical about that; considering that tetanus isn’t contagious but still presents a real danger from contaminated environments.
A study from Portugal indicates that hospitalization due to Covid may be associated with cognitive impairment two years later, which raises quite a few concerns. Furthermore, findings suggest that life expectancy in the US hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Salmonella outbreaks have been linked to frozen sprouted beans and, from an earlier outbreak, to pistachio cream. On a related note, there are also outbreaks connected to pet store geckos, which is unexpected.
