The state health commissioner warned that “this disease is still circulating and can cause severe illness and death.” Also in the news: dengue, Ebola, Hendra, and bird flu.
AP:
Officials: Monkeypox Contributed To Indiana Resident’s Death
Monkeypox was a contributing factor in the recent death of an Indiana resident, state health officials said Wednesday. The Indiana Department of Health said the person who died had a monkeypox infection as well as multiple other health conditions which contributed to that individual’s death. Patient privacy laws prevent officials from releasing additional information about the person who died. (11/16)
The New York Times:
NYC Ends Monkeypox Emergency And Mobile Vaccine Vans
The city’s mobile vaccination program for monkeypox, which has placed vans outside community centers, nightclubs and sex parties since late summer, has lost its funding and is coming to an end. The mass vaccination sites that the city set up this summer also closed on Nov. 14. (Otterman, 11/17)
In other outbreaks and health threats —
CIDRAP:
Arizona’s Maricopa County Reports Local Dengue Case
The Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) in Arizona this week reported a dengue infection in someone who was probably exposed to an infected mosquito in Maricopa County. Mosquito surveillance has detected dengue virus in a mosquito trap in one of the county’s neighborhood, the MCDPH said in a Nov 14 press release. (11/16)
Bloomberg:
Ebola Shots Donated By Merck To Be Tested On Vaccine-Resistant Strain
Ebola vaccine that Merck & Co. donated to an international immunization group will be part of a trial testing three shots against a resistant strain of the deadly virus that’s spreading in Uganda. (John Milton, 11/16)
NPR:
How Can We Stop Hendra Virus From Spilling Over From Bats To Horses … To Us?
Fortunately, Hendra doesn’t spread easily among humans. There have only been seven documented cases, but four of them were lethal. And each time a virus jumps from animals to humans — in this case, from bat to horse to person — it gets another chance at evolving and becoming more infectious. (Daniel, 11/16)
PBS NewsHour:
Why The Ongoing Bird Flu Outbreak Is Driving Up Poultry Costs Ahead Of Thanksgiving
The only known human case in the U.S. during the current outbreak was found in a man in Colorado who had contact with infected birds. The man tested positive once, then negative on follow-up tests, and reported only mild symptoms, so health experts theorized that the virus may have been present in his nose without actually causing an infection. (Sato, 11/16)
This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
