Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Decades After Achieving Measles-Elimination Status, US Will Lose It Again, Scientists Say
The New York Times: The U.S. Has Lost Its Measles-Elimination Status, Data Suggests
Measles is once again endemic — a constant and predictable presence — in the United States, 26 years after it was declared eliminated in the country, an analysis of genetic data from outbreaks of the disease has found. Data from the outbreaks will be the focus of deliberations by an international panel of scientific experts convening on Tuesday to decide whether the United States should lose its official designation as a nation that has eliminated measles. An announcement of the decision is expected on Nov. 17. The New York Times asked several scientists to analyze the publicly available genetic data before the meeting. (Mandavilli, 11/10)
ABC News: Measles Cases Grow Among Pregnant Women In Pennsylvania: What To Know About Risks
Measles cases in Pennsylvania have now surpassed 1,500, according to data reported on Monday. As the outbreak continues to grow, doctors and health officials are concerned about a rising number of cases among pregnant women, posing a risk to both mom and baby. As of Nov. 6, "the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has now confirmed that 97 of the state's measles cases in 2026 were in pregnant women," Stephanie Nojiri, the DOH deputy press secretary, told ABC News. (Cobern, 11/10)
NBC News: She’s Delivered 2,000 Babies. The Measles Outbreak Changed Her Mind About Vaccines
When Roberta Devers, a midwife in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, did a prenatal check on an expectant mom this week, the woman — a member of the Amish community in her third trimester — had been sick with measles. Devers said she has cared for dozens of pregnant women infected with the virus since measles began spreading rapidly in the county in April. Lancaster County is largely rural, with sprawling family farms. “Every single day,” she said, “someone’s calling to ask what they do. They’re pregnant and they’ve gotten it, or their babies have gotten it.” (Edwards, 11/12)
NBC News: How Measles Surged In The U.S.
Just a quarter-century ago, state and federal leaders rushed to eradicate measles, a life-threatening virus that, in severe cases, can cause miscarriage, pneumonia, encephalitis (or brain swelling), hospitalization and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Vossoughian and Garcia, 11/11)
On the spread of Ebola —
AP: Congo's Ebola Outbreak Tops 11,000 Cases
Congo’s Ebola outbreak has topped 11,000 cases, the government said Wednesday, a stark figure that underscores the severity of the situation as the country grapples with the spread of the disease. According to the latest health ministry data, 11,042 people have been infected with the deadly virus that has now killed 5,387 — nearly half of those infected in what has been Congo’s deadliest outbreak. (11/11)
The New York Times: Kenya Contains Ebola Outbreak As Last Patient Leaves Hospital
Kenya began a countdown on Wednesday to declare the end of its Ebola outbreak. The final patient who had tested positive for the virus was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday. And the Kenyan cabinet secretary for health, Aden Duale, said at a news conference that the last 11 people being monitored for Ebola symptoms had also been discharged after completing a 21-day quarantine period. (Bigg, 11/11)
Bloomberg: Kenya Rejects US Plan To Host Ebola Quarantine Facility For Travelers
Kenya said it won’t serve as a quarantine hub for travelers heading to other countries, an apparent reversal of plans to host a facility for US citizens exposed to the Ebola virus. “Travelers will not be detained in Kenya to fulfill entry requirements imposed by their destination countries,” the health ministry said in a statement following the discharge of its last known Ebola patient. “The ministry will not issue quarantine or Ebola-free certificates for travel purposes, as such requirements have no basis in the International Health Regulations.” (Nyambura, 11/11)
Also —
The New York Times: Her Death From Dengue May Signal That The Disease Is Here To Stay
On the last Friday in August, Gay Rabb Small went for her daily walk along the Tampa shore. Nearing 80, she was determined to stay healthy and walked at least five miles a day. That night at dinner, her daughter, Anna Small, noticed that her mother seemed a little off. “I thought she had overdone it,” Ms. Small said. By Saturday, Gay Small had developed a tremor, and her daughter took her to the emergency room, where she was diagnosed with dengue, a viral illness transmitted by mosquitoes. She died the following Friday, Sept. 4, her 80th birthday. (Hartocollis, 11/9)
CIDRAP: New Study Links COVID To Fewer Long-Term Health Problems
A new study links COVID-19 infection to substantially fewer long-term health problems than previous research suggests. (Bergeson, 11/9)
The New York Times: The Russian Scientist Behind The Deadly Novichok Nerve Agents Has Died
Vladimir Uglev, a Russian chemist who during the Cold War developed a class of highly deadly nerve agents called Novichok, then turned against the Russian government when it was used against dissidents including Alexei A. Navalny, died on Oct. 25 in Anapa, Russia. He was 80. His son Alexandr confirmed the death, in a hospital, from complications of a heart attack. (Risen, 11/11)
