Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Construction Of Ebola Quarantine Center In Kenya Brought To Standstill
Bloomberg: Kenya Halts Construction Work On US Ebola Quarantine Facility
Kenyan Health Secretary Aden Duale has frozen the construction of an Ebola isolation facility for US citizens, after he was found guilty of contempt for ignoring a court directive to halt the work. “I have directed the immediate and complete cessation of any intended construction site preparations or related activities concerning the Laikipia air base facilities,” Duale told the High court in Nairobi. “It was never the intention of the ministry or myself as the cabinet secretary to disregard, undermine, or act in defiance of the orders.” (Herbling, 6/23)
Reuters: Congo's Ebola Outbreak Has Most Cases In First Month Of Any African Outbreak, WHO Says
Congo's Ebola outbreak has the largest number of confirmed cases in the first month of any Ebola outbreak in Africa, a senior World Health Organization official told a briefing on Tuesday. (6/23)
AP: Conservation Group Donates Equipment To Help Prevent Human-Gorilla Transmission Of Ebola
As Uganda battles a deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus, conservationists are increasing efforts to protect the country's mountain gorillas. (6/22)
KUSA.com: Colorado Nurse Who Battled 2014 Ebola Outbreak Reflects As DRC Crisis Grows
Teo Wild traveled to Sierra Leone in 2014 during what is still considered the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. Wild was a nurse in Colorado at the time, and said the decision to go was simple. "It just seemed like an opportunity to do something good and was something that I was willing to do," Wild said. During that first trip, a piece of broken glass from a medication bottle cut Wild's glove and thumb. Health officials feared possible exposure and flew Wild back to the United States, where they were quarantined for 21 days. Wild said the experience came with many emotions. (Irizarry, 6/22)
On measles, tetanus, and covid —
The Salt Lake Tribune: In Utah, Some Measles Exposure Sites Never Appear In Public Alerts
A person who doesn’t know they are infected with measles may enter a business in Utah and unknowingly expose people they pass by or sit near — yet that business may never appear in public health alerts. County health departments across the state routinely publish lists of these potential exposure sites. But not every location is included. That’s because, state health officials say, a public notification may not be as efficient as reaching people directly, when possible. (Moilanen, 6/22)
CNN: Tetanus Cases Are Rising. How To Prevent Getting This Potentially Fatal Disease
Tetanus may sound like a disease from another era, but experts are warning that it remains a serious threat. Two recent reports from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found hundreds of tetanus cases and dozens of deaths over 15 years, along with four cases in children in 2024 alone. At the same time, vaccination rates have declined, worrying experts that more people could become vulnerable to this potentially deadly but preventable infection. (Chiu, 6/23)
CBS News Miami: Bench Trial Begins For South Florida Mother Accused Of Drowning Toddler; Defense Cites COVID-Induced Psychosis
A bench trial began Monday for a South Florida woman accused of drowning her 15-month-old daughter, with her defense team arguing she was temporarily insane due to a psychotic episode linked to COVID-19. ... The state challenged the defense's argument that COVID-19 caused the child's death. "COVID is not the issue in this case. There will be no clear and convincing evidence that COVID made this defendant drown her 1-year-old daughter," the prosecutor said. (Maugeri, 6/22)
