Infectious Disease

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John Macki, a public health expert, controls motorcycle taxis before a health check point screening along the street, in Mongbwalu, Djugu Territory of Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on May 23, 2026.

Could Economic Incentives Encourage Faster Outbreak Reporting?

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A new funding mechanism could speed up early disease reporting, which could prevent outbreaks like Ebola from spiraling out of control

A displaced Palestinian mother, Wafaa Abdelhadi, walks past the rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike as she returns to her shelter with her daughters Lynn and Roueida, after they got vaccinated against polio, in Deir Al-Balah, in the Gaza Strip, on September 1, 2024.

Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine: Tracking Outbreaks Amid Conflict

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War recovery plans should include detailed monitoring to prevent diseases like polio and cholera from spreading

Trauma, Destruction, Disruption: Nepal's Health Workers Struggle in Aftermath of Floods

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Funding to rebuild remains scarce as Nepal's overburdened health system works to address postdisaster public health threats

Aerial view of flood-ravaged Betrawati in Rasuwa; many houses are buried beneath the mud, on August 29, 2026.

As Malaria Spreads, Africa Needs Data on Gene-Edited Mosquitos

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Gene drives could be transformational for the malaria response, but countries need evidence to weigh the benefits over the risks

Mosquito Biologist Dr. Bart Knols, points to an Anopheles mosquito larvae as he speaks on the use of drone technology in the fight against malaria, in a rice field near Zanzibar City, on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, October 30, 2019. Picture taken October 30, 2019. REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Visualizing Bangladesh's Massive Measles Outbreak

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Policy failures in Bangladesh dismantled decades of progress toward eliminating measles, creating the conditions for the explosive 2026 outbreak

A mother waits to admit her measles‑affected child at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on May 23, 2026.

How Industry Can Help Prevent the Next Cruise Ship Outbreak

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Critical disease-outbreak intelligence sits inside private firms, and an outbreak escrow system could securely hold that data to be shared in an emergency

A passenger of the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, looks on from inside a bus as it leaves the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, Spain, on May 11, 2026.

Charting Ebola Responses: How 2026 Stacks Up After Aid Cuts

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An Ebola outbreak circulating undetected for weeks or months is a collective failure of global health security, regardless of cause

A map titled "Where the 2026 Ebola Outbreak is Spreading" shows confirmed and suspected cases of Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda as of June 1, 2026. Affected regions are shaded in salmon/orange-red, and affected cities are marked with black dots. Ituri Province in northeastern DRC is labeled as having seen the most cases and is the largest highlighted region. Additional affected areas in DRC include militia-controlled Goma in North Kivu and areas near Bukavu in South Kivu. In Uganda, Kampala is marked as having confirmed nine cases. A small inset map shows the location of the outbreak region within the broader African continent. Source: Ministry of Health, Democratic Republic of Congo.

How NYC Practices for Ebola and Special Pathogen Outbreaks

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NYC Health + Hospitals has added virtual reality training to reinforce its readiness for high-consequence infectious diseases

A volunteer is guided through the full donning sequence for special pathogen personal protective equipment during a training seminar led by Syra Madad, chief biopreparedness officer for NYC Health + Hospitals, on February 2, 2026.

The World Health Assembly Reacts to the Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak

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A Chatham House fellow reports from WHA79 about how the new Ebola emergency has advanced conversations about actionable health reform

The regional supply chain lead for emergencies at the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Africa pastes stickers on shipment pallets that are being sent in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 18, 2026.

Hantavirus Outbreak Tests Global Health Law Amid WHO Crisis

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As international negotiations stall around pathogen access and benefit sharing, the Andes virus outbreak exemplifies why the system is needed

Civil guard members approach the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, on a motorboat, at the port of Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Spain, on May 11, 2026.

London Opens New Clinic for Tuberculosis Survivors

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Many TB survivors are thrust back into the world with ongoing medical problems and little support to manage them

The x-ray scan is shown on a computer after a screening for tuberculosis, in London, England, on January 27, 2014.

Sustaining Tuberculosis Innovations to Counter Foreign Aid Cuts

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A new World Health Organization policy allows for portable TB testing, which could help close massive gaps in disease surveillance

A man is treated for tuberculosis, at the Muniz public hospital, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 11, 2019.