Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Texas Herds Contracted H5N1, Virus Also Showed Up In Wastewater Samples
CIDRAP: H5N1 Avian Flu Virus Detected In Wastewater From 10 Texas Cities
A report yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine details detection of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu virus in wastewater from 10 Texas cities during the same time period the virus was detected in Texas cattle herds. Texas was the first state this year to confirm an H5N1 case, which involved an agricultural worker on March 28. The case-patient, who presented with conjunctivitis, among other mild symptoms, was exposed to symptomatic cattle. Since that detection, 13 other human US cases have been recorded, and all patients have made recoveries. "The widespread detection of influenza A(H5N1) virus in wastewater from 10 U.S. cities is troubling," the authors concluded. (Soucheray, 9/12)
Stat: Cause Of Missouri H5 Bird Flu Case Remains A Mystery, CDC Says
Disease investigators have not been able to determine how a person in Missouri with no known exposures to animals or poultry became infected with an H5 bird flu virus, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. But Nirav Shah said the ongoing investigation has turned up no evidence of onward spread of the virus, suggesting this case may turn out to be a one-off infection that defies explanation. (Branswell, 9/12)
CNN: The US Is Entering A Riskier Season For Spread Of H5N1 Bird Flu. Here’s Why Experts Are Worried
With the approach of fall and cooler weather across the United States, officials say the risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus could rise — and they’re taking steps to prevent the creation of a hybrid flu virus that could more easily infect humans. (Goodman, 9/12)
On mpox —
Bloomberg: Mpox Outbreak: Infection In Pregnant Women Spreading To Fetus, Africa CDC Says
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has seen cases of mpox infection in pregnant women being passed on to unborn babies in central Africa, Director-General Jean Kaseya said. Africa CDC doesn’t yet have details of the total number of cases, Kaseya said at a briefing Thursday. Scientists are rushing to understand a complex mosaic of infection patterns of the disease endemic to the region that’s become a global health emergency. (Kew, 9/12)
BBC: Mpox Outbreak: Morocco Confirms First Case In Current Outbreak
Morocco has confirmed a case of mpox in a man in the city of Marrakech, the health ministry said. The Moroccan authorities have not said which variant the man has. (9/12)
Bloomberg: Bavarian Explores Options To Boost Mpox Jab Supply By 50 Million
Bavarian Nordic A/S, one of a few companies with an approved mpox vaccine, is increasing the number of jabs it could supply to deal with an outbreak in Africa. Bavarian, which has faced criticism over the high cost of its vaccines, is prioritizing supplying the inoculations to Africa with a plan to defer some other 2024 orders to next year, according to a statement on Thursday. (Wass and Kew, 9/12)
On Ebola —
CIDRAP: Emergent BioSolutions Awarded BARDA Contract For Ebola Treatment
Emergent BioSolutions today announced that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, has awarded the company a research and development option worth $41.9 million to its existing contract to further the development and scale-up of its monoclonal antibody treatment for Ebola virus infection. (Schnirring, 9/12)
