Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pennsylvania Doctors Face 'Very Steep' Learning Curve As Congenital Measles Emerges
NBC News: America Had Wiped Out Measles. As Pennsylvania Outbreak Grows Babies Are Infected At Birth
At least six babies in Pennsylvania have been born infected with measles, with two so sick they had to be admitted to intensive care. The growing outbreak is raising alarm among doctors who are treating the potentially deadly condition. Congenital measles is a disease that’s rarely, if ever, seen in the U.S. (Edwards, 9/24)
CIDRAP: Pennsylvania Tops 800 Measles Cases As CDC Acknowledges Only 1 Measles Death
Measles cases in Pennsylvania have now reached 835, according to the state Department of Health yesterday, and 43 of them are new. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday listed a single measles death for 2026 on its dashboard—its first confirmed death of 2026—but Pennsylvania is still reporting four recent deaths related to the virus. (Soucheray, 9/24)
On dengue, salmonella, and bird flu —
WUSF: Florida Counties Declare States Of Emergency To Battle Dengue Fever
Hillsborough County, which remains an active area for dengue fever, declared a state of emergency Thursday over the mosquito-borne illness. So did neighboring Pasco and Pinellas, which took the proactive step to prevent the disease from spreading across county lines. (Mayer, 9/24)
CIDRAP: 10 More Sickened In Salmonella Outbreak Tied To Broccoli Sprouts
Ten more people have fallen ill in a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an update today. The outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbificans has now sickened 32 people in six states, with three hospitalized. Illness-onset dates range from July 7 to September 3. Of the 27 people who’ve been interviewed, 26 reported eating sprouts or microgreens. (Dall, 9/24)
CIDRAP: H5N1 Avian Flu Activity Picking Up In Minnesota As Study Notes Virus In Polar Bears
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recorded eight new H5N1 avian flu outbreaks among commercial poultry, backyard flocks, and commercial turkey operations, with six of the outbreaks reported in Minnesota, while a new study reports H5 avian flu in polar bears in Alaska. Montana and Wisconsin each reported a single poultry outbreak. (Soucheray, 9/24)
On Ebola and other global diseases —
The Washington Post: U.S. Pledges An Additional $267 Million To Contain Fast-Spreading Ebola
The United States on Wednesday said it will give an addition $267 million in humanitarian aid to help contain and alleviate the deadly Ebola epidemic ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo. The sum adds to the $887 million already provided, the State Department said in a statement, and will go toward building Ebola treatment units, helping response teams bury bodies safely, buying medical equipment and expanding programs meant to contain the spread of the disease. (Ombuor, 9/24)
CIDRAP: Fractured Ecosystems, Climate Change Raise Risk Of Zoonotic, Vector-Borne Disease Outbreaks, Study Finds
An analysis of more than 58,000 outbreaks of 32 diseases in 169 countries finds that the fragmentation of ecosystems and climate change–related declines in rainfall have driven up the risk of diseases that spread from animals, mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas to people. For the study, published yesterday in Nature, an international group of researchers assessed outbreaks of zoonotic diseases (those transmitted directly from animals to people) such as coronaviruses, Ebola, and mpox and vector-borne diseases (those spread by mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas), including dengue, Lyme disease, and malaria. (Van Beusekom, 9/24)
The latest from the World Health Organization —
Stat: 'Vulnerable' WHO Begins Process Of Picking New Director-General
At least five candidates are in the running to become the next director-general of the World Health Organization, a job that will come with extraordinary challenges. (Branswell, 9/25)
