Mass polio vaccinations begin in Middle East, Equatorial Guinea reports second polio case
A mass vaccination campaign for polio commenced this week with a goal to reach 20 million children in Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt by the weekend, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative Wednesday. This More...
Eleven South-East Asia countries certified polio-free: WHO
Eighty percent of the world’s population is now certified as being polio-free with the recent announcement from the World Health Organization certifying the South-East Asia Region Friday. Image/Chris Zahniser, More...
The Top 10 Infectious Disease and Outbreak News stories of 2013
2013 was a year full of impactful infectious disease stories with outbreaks of diseases not before seen in humans, diseases seen in new parts of the planet and miracle stories of survivors. Drugs not approved in More...
Rotary responds to polio emergency in Syria
Rotary International will provide a US$500,000 emergency response grant to support efforts to quell a recent outbreak of the crippling disease polio in strife-torn Syria. The funds are the first to the World Health More...
Syria polio update: Three more cases confirmed, total now 13
In a follow-up to a report two weeks ago, the number of confirmed cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) have increased by three in the Syrian Arab Republic, bringing the total cases confirmed in the war-torn More...
German researchers warn of polio threat from Syria and Israel, could spread to Europe
Two German researchers write that the polio situation in parts of the Middle East could spread and threaten the European continent, according to a publication in The Lancet Nov.8. European Union MapImage/CIA Martin More...
Running the distance for polio eradication
By Tanya F. Wolff I am not a runner. I can jog. I can walk and I can hike. I do these things for those in the world who cannot. Image/Rotary International The PolioPlus program was already in effect when I joined More...
India: Dozens of children sickened after given hepatitis B vaccine orally
India has been polio-free for more than two years and was later taken off the list of polio endemic countries that now includes only Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Image/CIA In an effort to keep the country More...
Somalia polio cases rise by 20, brings total to 128
The polio outbreak on the Horn of Africa continues to rise with 21 new cases being reported in the area during the past week, according to the latest Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) data. Somalia map More...
American citizen killed in Egypt, State Department issues a travel warning
A US citizen was stabbed to death Friday in Alexandria during clashes between opponents and supporters of President Mohammed Morsi, according to a Reuters report. Image/CIA Gen. Amin Ezz Eddin, a senior Alexandria More...
Kenya reports polio outbreak, first confirmed cases in two years
The World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting a polio outbreak, wild poliovirus type 1( WPV1), on the Horn of Africa with confirmed cases being seen in Kenya and Somalia. Near Dadaab, Kenya, a four-month-old More...
Scientists: GPEI strategy for polio eradication possible by 2018
Polio eradication by 2018? According to a team of more than 400 international scientists, that’s the goal of a new strategy by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) released April 11. The Eradication More...
Al-Azhar University principal, Osama al-Abed, fired over food poisoning outbreak, Muslim Brotherhood denies being behind student illnesses
In a follow up to a story about a mass food poisoning outbreak at one of Cairo’s universities earlier this week, it is reported that Al-Azhar University principal, Osama al-Abed has been dismissed from his More...
Poliovirus found in sewage samples in Cairo, Egypt
A strain of wild poliovirus genetically similar to a strain found in Sindh, Pakistan, has been found in environmental sewage samples from two areas of Cairo, Egypt, according a World Health Organization (WHO) Global More...
Yellow fever outbreak fears face Nigerian health officials
The last time there has been a yellow fever epidemic in the African nation of Nigeria was three decades ago; however, health officials in Abuja are concerned because there has not been nationwide vaccination against More...
