涩里番

96 Global Health NOW: The Race to Develop a New Ebola Vaccine; and Broadening HPV Vaccine Access to Boys May 21, 2026 TOP STORIES Bangladesh officials ignored repeated warnings from UNICEF over several years about a shortage of measles vaccines that could lead to an outbreak, ; the current outbreak has now killed 481, with six children dying over 24 hours as suspected cases reach 57,856, .     The UN has voted to support a landmark ruling from the International Court of Justice which found countries have a legal obligation to address the 鈥渆xistential threat鈥� of the climate crisis; 141 member states voted in favor, with eight voting no and 28 abstaining.      Local transmission of malaria in the U.S. remains 鈥渁 significant public health concern,鈥� warns a , which points to a 2023 outbreak in which 10 people across four states were locally infected, and highlights most U.S. residents鈥� lack protective immunity against the disease.     Common preservatives used in store-bought foods were linked to a 29% greater risk of elevated blood pressure and a 16% higher risk of heart attacks and stroke, per ; the study found that even 鈥渘atural鈥� preservatives citric acid and ascorbic acid were linked to a 22% greater risk of high blood pressure.   EDITORS' NOTE We're Taking a Long Weekend
Heads up, readers! We won鈥檛 be publishing Monday in observance of Memorial Day in the U.S. We鈥檒l be back Tuesday with more news!鈥擳he Editors  IN FOCUS A border health officer at the Busunga crossing between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo checks a traveler's temperature on May 18. Badru Katumba/AFP/Getty The Race to Develop a New Ebola Vaccine    As the global health community mobilizes to respond to the Ebola outbreak centered in eastern DRC and Uganda that has now sickened ~600 ad killed ~139, a simultaneous effort is kicking into gear in labs worldwide: develop a vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain鈥攆ast.    But such a vaccine is still months away, The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or targeted treatment, and WHO officials say producing doses for trials could take six to nine months.    Current status: There are two potential vaccine candidates, but neither is ready to move into human testing.  

• The leading vaccine candidate uses the same platform as Merck鈥檚 Ervebo shot, which protects against the Zaire strain of Ebola. Previous research identified a Bundibugyo-specific version of that shot protected monkeys, but it was never manufactured to human-testing standards.  

• A second candidate, built on technology similar to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, could move into trials sooner, though there is not yet animal data to support safety and efficacy.  

• Meanwhile, an investigational monoclonal antibody treatment, called MBP134 and developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., can protect against multiple strains of Ebola and has been through early human testing. 

Dire impact of American absence: Already, cuts to USAID and CDC programs have led to life-threatening surveillance gaps and delays in the movement of critical protective gear and testing supplies, . Those gaps also slow and endanger future vaccine development and distribution models.  

• 鈥淚n a time when hours matter, we鈥檙e delayed by weeks,鈥� said Nicholas Enrich, the former top global health official for USAID.  

Related: Analysis of past Ebola outbreaks suggests 54% death rate, identifies hemorrhage as key risk factor 鈥� SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS Broadening HPV Vaccine Access to Boys     Researchers are urging South Africa to include boys in its HPV vaccination program, warning that men are increasingly affected by HPV-related cancers, too.     Prioritizing girls: South Africa鈥檚 soon-to-be-launched 2026-2030 cervical cancer elimination strategy aims to have girls vaccinated for HPV between ages 9鈥�15. 

• The campaign does not include boys, who can鈥檛 get routine HPV-related cancer screening through public health care.  

The case for wider access: While women are especially at risk for developing cervical cancer from the human papillomavirus, men also face a substantial threat: One in five men globally carries a cancer-causing strain of HPV.  

• Experts say a gender-neutral HPV vaccination approach would improve overall cancer prevention. 

OPPORTUNITY Deadline Extended: Apply for the Heroes of Tomorrow UN SDG Awards  
The Changemaker Awards honor individuals leading collective action towards justice, equality, and peace in support of UN #SDGs. Successful changemakers demonstrate visionary leadership and the ability to make measurable, lasting impact within their communities and beyond鈥攍ike J卯n Dawod (2025 Winner), a mental health visionary who transformed her experience as a Syrian refugee into life-changing support for displaced communities across 26 countries.   
In 2026, the will bring together nine finalists from all over the world for a unique program of coaching and capacity building in advance of the , in Rome, Italy on October 29, 2026. 

• Extended deadline: May 31, 2026 

•  

•  

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION The Rhythm Will Be Televised    It鈥檚 a grounding principle of democracy: Give the people what they want.     And if that鈥檚 more air guitar, so be it.     Hungary鈥檚 health-minister-to-be Zsolt Heged疟s went viral in April for his of incoming prime minister P茅ter Magyar鈥檚 victory. Because how better to celebrate the ousting of Viktor Orb谩n after 16 years in power than with a rollicking medley of finger-points, raise-the-roofs, and snakey-arms?    Heged疟s saw his debut as a 鈥渟ingular, spur-of-the-moment outpouring of emotion,鈥� . But his base鈥攏ow consisting of the entire internet鈥攚asn鈥檛 having it. By the time he arrived at Maygar鈥檚 swearing in on May 9, 鈥渢he audience had been waiting for this so eagerly鈥� and he 鈥渄idn鈥檛 want to let down the people,鈥� he said.    Anti-virus, pro-viral: Heged疟s has been busy , and touting the health benefits of throwing shapes:  鈥淚t鈥檚 not that I鈥檓 going to start dancing in parliament鈥濃�攁 real shame, actually鈥斺�渂ut I want to use this popularity to encourage people to adopt a health-conscious lifestyle and focus on mental wellbeing,鈥� he said.    Thanks for the tip, Barbara Benham!  QUICK HITS Gaza鈥檚 public health crisis deepens as rodent infestations, sewage overflow and soaring heat threaten civilians 鈥�     'Get off your phones': Surgeon general advisory calls on kids to cut screen time 鈥�      Treating Superbugs With Litigation: Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria From Animal Agriculture As a Public Nuisance 鈥�     Immunotherapy could be used to treat depression, early trial suggests 鈥�     U.S. researchers face new restrictions on publishing with foreign collaborators 鈥�     World Cup鈥檚 hidden health operation 鈥�   Issue No. 2920
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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United Nations agencies have moved swiftly to support efforts to contain the latest Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), delivering emergency medical supplies, protective equipment and logistics support.

96 Global Health NOW: A 鈥極nce-in-a-Generation鈥� Reset for Humanitarian Aid; and Nicotine Pouch Popularity Surges May 20, 2026 TOP STORIES The Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda could take months to contain, the WHO said today, reporting a current suspected death toll of 130+ and 600+ suspected cases, ; meanwhile, challenges related to the region鈥檚 conflict and shortages of personnel, medical equipment, disinfectant, and protective gear are complicating the response, . 
  Iran鈥檚 appeal for support against attacks on healthcare by the U.S. and Israel failed at the WHA yesterday, with 19 votes in favor and 30 against; a similar resolution from Lebanon, which asks the WHO to provide support through medications and supplies, passed with 95 votes in favor and two against.     Over half of U.S. teens are unaware of their right to independently access STI testing and treatment without a guardian鈥檚 consent, finds a .     Undiagnosed ADHD may be linked to traffic-related injuries among adults, finds a new study presented at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting; the study found that ~35% of 95 adults admitted to the hospital for traffic-related injuries screened positive on the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale and that high-risk driving behaviors were more common among adults who screened positive. Thanks for the tip, Chiara Jaffe!  IN FOCUS Residents gather to collect drinking water in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City on May 19. Ahmed Al Arini / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty A 鈥極nce-in-a-Generation鈥� Reset for Humanitarian Aid    The global humanitarian aid system is 鈥渘o longer fit for purpose,鈥� that calls for a total overhaul of aid systems rather than incremental reforms, .    Background: A rising number of conflict-driven deaths and forced displacement globally spurred the 鈥攁 collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health and The Lancet.  

• Their research period spanned the Trump administration鈥檚 dismantling of USAID and other international funding shortfalls鈥攄emonstrating the politicization of aid that essentially functions as 鈥渞ationing by design鈥� driven by donor interests rather than human need.  

But failures have been decades in the making, the Commission argues, as seen in:  

• Rising harm: Conflict deaths nearly doubled between 2021 and 2024, and attacks on healthcare hit a record 3,663 incidents in 2024. 

• Need gaps: 239 million people are expected to need aid in 2026, but only ~87 million are likely to receive it.  

A need for a power shift: The pressures of the moment have created what lead author Paul Spiegel called a 鈥渙nce-in-a-generation opportunity鈥� to remake systems, including:  

• Moving decision-making and funding control to affected communities.

• Financing to create pooled, independent funds that are channeled straight to local groups and healthcare and are insulated from donor politics. 

• Using health outcomes to create better accountability around violations of humanitarian law.  

• A single streamlined UN aid agency instead of fragmented groups. 

What鈥檚 next: The Commission aims to help form a Global Humanitarian Alliance, regional implementation forums, and accountability reports aimed at turning the recommendations into enforceable global standards.    Related: Rethinking Humanitarian Health 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES TOBACCO Nicotine Pouch Popularity Surges     The WHO is raising alarm over a rapid uptake of nicotine pouch products among youth, as the small sachets containing flavored powdered nicotine are 鈥渂eing aggressively marketed鈥� to young people worldwide, .    Youth-targeting tactics include using sweet flavors and savvy social media campaigns to attract young users, who are especially susceptible to developing long-term nicotine addiction, .  

• Sales topped 23 billion+ units in 2024鈥攁 50% spike over the previous year鈥攃reating a ~$7 billion industry in 2025.  

Regulation is limited or absent in many countries, says the WHO, which urges 鈥渃omprehensive鈥� policymaking from advertising bans to taxation.  

• The regulatory debate is playing out across Europe, 鈥攚ith Sweden taking a more permissive approach and France instituting a total ban. 

Related:    It鈥檚 maddeningly difficult to ban smoking 鈥�      WHO Member States Should Treat Fossil Fuels like Tobacco 鈥� as a Public Health Threat 鈥�     Fire and 鈥榮heer volume鈥�: how Britain鈥檚 6m-vape problem is putting recycling under strain 鈥�   OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS How measles unleashed a wave of suffering in Bangladesh 鈥�     CDC Director鈥檚 Nomination Is an Opportunity to Reconstitute the CDC 鈥�     She Was Finding Sources of Dangerous Water and Soil Pollution. The E.P.A. Canceled Her Grant 鈥�      Religious Anti-Abortion Center Finds Opportunity in Town Without OB-GYNs 鈥�     At least 80% responsibility for ill health in old age down to individual, says study 鈥�     Can extra snoozing reverse the health hazards of a bad night鈥檚 sleep? 鈥�   Issue No. 2919
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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Facing a fast-moving Ebola outbreak caused by a rare strain of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) is relying on a rapid, community-centred response to halt transmission in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, a senior official has told UN News.

Before heading to strike sites in war-torn Lebanon, rescue workers and paramedics often say goodbye to one another 鈥� a ritual captured in widely shared videos reflecting the growing dangers faced by aid workers since hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel erupted on 2 March.

The deadly Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda does not represent a global pandemic emergency, although the risk is high at a regional and national level, the UN health agency chief said on Wednesday.

Researchers at 涩里番 have discovered a centuries-old genetic mutation that helps to explain why some French鈥慍anadians in Quebec are at an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer. Until quite recently, standard genetic tests have not been able to identify this 鈥渏umping gene鈥� cause.

The findings, published in the Journal of Medical Genetics, suggest better-targeted genetic testing could help identify people at higher cancer risk who were previously missed.

96 Global Health NOW: Ebola Worries Loom Over #WHA79; and How AI is Accelerating Biosecurity Risks May 19, 2026 TOP STORIES A diphtheria outbreak in Australia鈥檚 Northern Territory鈥攚ith 133 cases, including one likely death鈥攈as spread, with Western Australia, Queensland, and South Australia now reporting up to 90 cases; it鈥檚 now the biggest diphtheria outbreak the country has seen in decades, per the country鈥檚 health minister, Mark Butler.     As infectious disease outbreaks like hantavirus and Ebola grow more frequent, they are also becoming more damaging, exacerbated by the climate crisis and armed conflict, say the authors of the ; they warn that the pandemic risk is outpacing investment in preparedness, which is undermined by 鈥済eopolitical fragmentation and commercial self-interest.鈥�    U.S. abortion bans appear to have made it harder for people experiencing miscarriages to receive appropriate鈥攐r even any鈥攖reatment, ; as the Oregon Health & Science University-led study focused only on first trimester miscarriages among people with private insurance, the impact is likely an underestimate.     Nearly half of U.S. teens are on their phones between midnight and 4 a.m., losing critical sleep time on school nights, according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics that tracked 657 adolescents participating in the national Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.  IN FOCUS WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivers a speech at the opening of the 79th World Health Organization assembly. Geneva, May 18. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Ebola Worries Loom Over #WHA79     The burgeoning Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda at once overshadowed yesterday鈥檚 opening of the  and emphasized the importance of international cooperation. 

• 鈥淔rom conflicts to economic crises to climate change and aid cuts, we live in difficult, dangerous and divisive times,鈥� WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said yesterday at the WHA's opening, . 

Ebola latest:  

• The outbreak has caused 131 suspected deaths and 513 suspected cases, according to DRC health minister Samuel-Roger Kamba, . 

• 30 cases have been laboratory confirmed and linked to the outbreak in the DRC鈥檚 northeastern Ituri Province. 

• 2 cases have been confirmed in Uganda. 

• Tedros said today that he is 鈥渄eeply concerned about the scale and speed鈥� of the outbreak, . He expects numbers to increase as surveillance, contact tracing, and lab testing scale up. 

• The WHO's Emergency Committee is convening today to discuss the outbreak.  

#WHA79 highlights:  

• 鈥淲e are witnessing the end of an era, and we must have the courage to build the next one,鈥� Ghana鈥檚 President John Dramani Mahama said yesterday, noting that global health cuts could lead to 9 million preventable deaths by 2030, . His own country has lost $78 million in USAID funds, affecting programs in malaria, maternal and child health, HIV, and nutrition.  

• Spain鈥檚 Prime Minister Pedro S谩nchez called for greater investment in global health in the face of 鈥渢he pandemic of egotism and selfishness,鈥� Health Policy Watch reports. Spain has boosted its official development aid by 30%, he said. S谩nchez obliquely castigated the U.S., saying 鈥渢he country that cut $18 billion from global public health and ODA [official development assistance] has spent more than $29 billion on war.鈥� 

Related:  
  US bans travellers from DRC, Uganda and South Sudan amid major Ebola outbreak 鈥�      Your guide to events at the 79th World Health Assembly 鈥�      Watch the World Health Assembly sessions 鈥�   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HEALTH SECURITY How AI is Accelerating Biosecurity Risks    Advanced biological AI tools are powering a research revolution, allowing scientists to design proteins and viruses鈥攁nd opening up access to bioengineering knowledge and tools to people outside of labs.     Promise and risk: This new era could pave the way to great medical discoveries鈥攁nd, scientists fear, for bad actors to misuse in the creation of toxins, viruses, and other bioweapons that can evade detection.     A range of responses: Scientists say a series of safeguards are needed in response to increased risks, including better screening by companies that synthesize nucleic acids to order so they can better identify dangerous sequences.  

• Others say AI tools themselves must have more stringent access controls and flagging systems to prevent misuse.  

    Related:      Q&A: Is AI democratizing global health or reinforcing old inequities? 鈥�      FDA clears first AI-based early warning system for sepsis 鈥�   OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Mpox infections may outnumber diagnosed cases 33 to 1, study suggests 鈥�      HHS withdraws amended vaccine advisory panel charter 鈥�      Steep drop in number of people with Affordable Care Act health coverage, analysis finds 鈥�     Children鈥檚 Mental Health Visits Have Shot Up, Research Shows 鈥�     Thousands of U.S. countertop workers could have damaged lungs, safety expert says 鈥�     Kazakhstan Sees Later Marriages and More Equal Partnerships, Study Finds 鈥�     RFK Jr. wants meat back on hospital trays, no matter what cardiologists think 鈥�   Issue No. 2918
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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A fast-spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has health workers rushing to stop transmission while the roll out of any potential vaccine is months away, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. 

96 Global Health NOW: Ebola Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern; and We Know How to Stop Disease Outbreaks. Will We? May 18, 2026 TOP STORIES The WHO should declare the global climate crisis a public health emergency of international concern, ; the WHO-convened commission delivered a report to European ministers yesterday on the eve of the World Health Assembly.      LGBTIQ+ people are increasingly targeted for violence and discrimination, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker T眉rk said yesterday; consensual same-sex relations are criminalized in more than one-third of countries.  
Mifepristone remains accessible via telehealth prescription and mail delivery after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a freeze on a lower court ruling that would have required in-person appointments for patients to acquire the drug; the underlying legal case remains unresolved and is expected to eventually return to the Supreme Court.  
Hantavirus can survive in human sperm for up to six years, creating potential for sexual transmission even after recovery from the virus, ; while such transmission has not been documented, UK health officials say they were reviewing hantavirus research while monitoring British passengers from the MV Hondius.   IN FOCUS A CBCA Virunga Hospital staff member checks a visitor's temperature before allowing her access to the hospital. Goma, DRC, May 17. Jospin Mwisha/AFP via Getty Ebola Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern    The WHO has declared an Ebola outbreak centered in eastern DRC as cases rapidly mount and epidemiologists urgently seek to gauge the spread of the highly contagious virus that has likely been circulating undetected for weeks, .  

• The announcement, made Saturday, came one day after the Africa CDC reported that the DRC outbreak was linked to dozens of suspected deaths, and after the confirmation of at least two cases in Uganda. 

Questions around count: 300+ suspected cases and 88 deaths have been reported, . But epidemiologists warn the scale of the outbreak could be far larger, with the WHO highlighting 鈥渟ignificant uncertainties鈥� about the number of infections and geographic spread. 

• The virus is centered in a mining corridor region that Africa CDC director general Jean Kaseya described as 鈥渁 very vulnerable and fragile region鈥� weakened by conflict and poor health infrastructure, . 

• Cases have also been reported in heavily populated areas including Kinshasa, Goma, and Kampala, further complicating response.  

Rare strain, few tools: The outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has only been reported twice before, reports the AP. 

• There are no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the strain, and WHO officials said existing rapid tests initially missed the virus. 

• The response is also impacted by USAID cuts, reduced CDC funding, and the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, say global health experts, who pointed to a pivotal U.S. role in previous Ebola outbreaks.  

Americans exposed: A small number of Americans may have been exposed in Congo, including at least one symptomatic individual who is being considered for medical evacuation by the CDC, .  DATA POINT

1.1 billion
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
People live in slums, per the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat); how to house them in dignity is a question being discussed at the this week. 鈥�
  GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY Using the 7-1-7 target, public health officials in El Salvador managed to stop the spread of imported malaria cases and maintain the nation鈥檚 malaria-free status. Courtesy of Resolve to Save Lives We Know How to Stop Disease Outbreaks. Will We? 
In December 2024,鈥痑s鈥痗ases of cholera were surging in South Sudan, the Ministry of Health recognized and curbed the outbreak in record time, with just six confirmed cases and no reported deaths.     Compare that to what鈥痺e鈥檙e鈥痵eeing鈥痺ith measles globally鈥攁s the disease has made a comeback in countries that had once鈥痚liminated鈥痠t, like the U.S. 
  鈥淭he difference isn鈥檛 the disease; it鈥檚 the response and investment in prevention,鈥�  
  One tool鈥痶hat鈥檚鈥痟elping to鈥痗ontain鈥痮utbreaks鈥攊ncluding in South Sudan鈥撯�搃s the鈥�7-1-7 target,鈥痙eveloped by Resolve to Save Lives and adopted by dozens of communities, countries, and institutions around the world, based on three simple goals:鈥� 

• Detect an outbreak within seven days of鈥痶he first case. 

• Notify public health authorities within one day鈥痮f detection. 

• Complete鈥痚arly response鈥痑ctions within鈥痵even鈥痙ays of notification.   

A model to follow:鈥�The latest installment of the  shows 7-1-7 target success stories from countries that used the tool to鈥痠dentify鈥痑nd stop outbreaks quickly鈥攊ncluding an Ebola outbreak in Uganda last year. Other countries can follow their lead, McClellan says, and adopt the 7-1-7 target to鈥痠mprove rapid outbreak detection and response.     鈥淲e have a choice,鈥� McClellan writes. 鈥淲e can wait for the next crisis and respond after lives are lost, or we can invest in prevention and stop outbreaks before they spread.鈥�   OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Top WHO official: I鈥檓 relieved it isn鈥檛 bird flu, but we鈥檙e in a 鈥榤ake or break鈥� phase for hantavirus 鈥�

A Danish Couple鈥檚 Maverick African Research Finds Its Moment in RFK Jr.鈥檚 Vaccine Policy 鈥�

Study reveals hidden trauma of unaccompanied Afghan refugee children brought to UK 鈥�

Efforts to understand America鈥檚 drugged-driving problem stalls under Trump 鈥�

RFK Jr.鈥檚 department to make it easier to fire career staff 鈥�

With a Friend in Trump, the Tobacco Industry Secures a Lucrative Win 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Dave Cundiff!

How outbreaks at sea have been helping to shape the global health system since medieval times 鈥�

A revolutionary cancer treatment could transform autoimmune disease 鈥�   Issue No. 2917
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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From Ebola outbreaks in Central Africa to the complex evacuation of passengers aboard a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) opened its annual assembly on Monday as countries grapple with disease outbreaks, deep funding cuts and growing geopolitical tension.

A day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo an international emergency, top global disease transmission experts stressed that the chances of another global pandemic similar to the 2019 coronavirus emergency are increasing all the time.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing rising cases, cross-border spread and significant uncertainties about the scale of the epidemic.

Brightly coloured nicotine pouches promoted through social media influencers, music festivals and youth-oriented advertising are driving a rapid rise in nicotine use among young people worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday.

At event honouring 116 winners of major awards, keynote speaker and SSHRC Gold Medal recipient Myriam Denov emphasized the importance of listening.

涩里番 celebrated more than 100 researchers at the 21st edition of Bravo, a gala event May 7 honouring the winners of major provincial, national and international research prizes and awards in 2025.

96 Global Health NOW: The Hunt for Hantavirus Origins; and The Paternal Mortality 鈥楤lind Spot鈥� Plus: In Chonkers鈥� Wake May 14, 2026 TOP STORIES Global health progress is off-target and hard-won gains are being reversed, warns the , which found that malaria incidence has increased, measles immunization coverage remains dangerously low, and the decline in maternal and child mortality rates is slowing.     U.S. overdose deaths dropped by 14% last year, ; but researchers caution that the number of deaths is still high (~70,000) and that cuts to harm reduction programs and the emergence of new illicit drugs could reverse progress.     Delayed diagnosis of travel-acquired malaria was common among U.S. children hospitalized for the disease between 2016 and 2023, , which found that malaria was not considered or tested for in 1 in 4 pediatric patients seeking initial clinical care; 51% of those children went on to develop severe symptoms.      Gene therapy was linked to a brain tumor in a boy years after receiving the treatment as a baby, per research presented at the annual meeting of American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy; while the mass was safely removed, it is the first time a gene therapy delivered by the adeno-associated virus has been linked to cancer, say researchers, who also said the rare outcome should not prevent the use of AAV in gene therapy.   IN FOCUS An aerial view of Ushuaia harbor in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, on May 13. Edrien Esteves/AFP via Getty The Hunt for Hantavirus Origins
As passengers of MV Hondius quarantine in their home countries, international health officials are racing to pinpoint the origin and transmission patterns of the Andes strain of hantavirus  and sparked global alarm.    Epidemiological detective work: Scientists are retracing the route traveled by the virus鈥檚 first known victims, a Dutch couple who boarded the cruise ship after crisscrossing Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, .  

• Questions surrounding the initial source and incubation timeline have made it difficult to draw a clear line, resulting in some international finger-pointing between Argentina and Chile.   

• Scientists are also trapping rodents to determine whether the virus has spread into new regions beyond Patagonia. 

Scrambling to understand spread: Researchers are also working to grasp the transmission patterns of the Andes strain鈥攖he only hantavirus known to spread between humans, .  

• That means defining the conditions needed for the virus鈥檚 spread: incubation timing, respiratory droplet size, type of contact needed for spread, and the infectious dose needed to overcome immune defenses. 

Risk and response: While American cruise passengers are being quarantined and monitored, the CDC said Wednesday the threat to the public remains low, .  

• Laboratories, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center, are rapidly developing diagnostic tests, , and refining containment protocols as scientists study possible mutations.  

Misinformation contagion: Meanwhile, COVID-era conspiracy theories are resurging online鈥攂ut this time, AI is an accelerant, . 

• 鈥淭he conspiracy theories from COVID-19 never really died,鈥� said University of Buffalo misinformation researcher Yotam Ophir. 鈥淭hey lay dormant for a few years.鈥� 

POPULATIONS The Paternal Mortality 鈥楤lind Spot鈥� 
New insights are emerging into the understudied crisis of paternal mortality in the U.S., in which new fathers are dying from preventable causes like accidental injuries, homicide, suicide, and overdose in their children鈥檚 early childhood, .   

• While maternal health and mortality are well-tracked in the U.S., paternal mortality has received little attention, despite its adverse effects on children and families. 

Illuminating the issue: Northwestern University researchers tracked ~130,000 babies born in Georgia in 2017 to see if their fathers died over the following five years, . 

• Among 796 fathers who died, 60% of the deaths were preventable鈥攑ointing to 鈥渁 huge blind spot鈥� in public health. 

Need for more data鈥攁nd intervention: Researchers are unpacking the factors driving the deaths; however, , the study鈥檚 lead author said birth-related health care visits provide a key opportunity to connect with fathers and provide them with support.   OPPORTUNITY Last Call to Submit for Open Forum Conference! 
There are a few more days to submit abstracts and awardee nominations for the .    Hosted by the  the annual public health workforce development gathering will be held August 24鈥�26 in Nashville, Tennessee. 

• Abstract submissions are open  for five conference tracks including performance improvement, data modernization, public health challenge navigation, and more. 

• Nominate your colleagues, friends, and mentors for  celebrating new and emerging leaders in the public health field. 

Abstract and award nominations are due by Sunday, May 17.  ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION In Chonkers鈥� Wake
Swim on, Moby Dick: There鈥檚 a new white whale in our lives, and his name is Chonkers.    Chonkers is not a whale. But the 1,500+-lb. Steller sea lion brought his own chonky mythos to San Francisco Bay this spring, dwarfing the resident sea lions and drawing 鈥渂onkers for Chonkers鈥� crowds to Pier 39, 鈥攊ncluding some who made cross-country pilgrimages 鈥渓ooking for the big one,鈥� .     We are all drawn to Chonkers鈥攂ut what drew Chonkers to us? Relatably, he was 鈥渧ery food-motivated,鈥� ; and the easy pickings of anchovies, herring, and rockfish in the bay probably spurred Chonkers to make the unusual 30+ mile trek shoreward. Now that he鈥檚 dined, it appears that he鈥檚 ditched us, .      What now? Bereaved Chonkers-watchers may hope for another visit from the Steller sea lion; but the local harbormaster Sheila Chandor says the Pier 39 docks and their typical dainty, 700-lb. denizens aren鈥檛 exactly fit to host him, .     鈥淗e makes them all look like little kittens,鈥� Chandor said.  QUICK HITS It鈥檚 Time to Blow Up the Public Health Events Model 鈥� 

鈥榃e will not denounce people in distress鈥�: Luxembourg doctors balk at EU migration proposals 鈥� 

French authorities to release millions of sterile tiger mosquitoes 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!

Tunisia validated by WHO as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem 鈥� 

White House threatens to withhold Medicaid money from states over fraud 鈥� 

On Monday morning it was a busy South Sudan hospital. By Tuesday night it was a bombed-out shell 鈥� 

Want to keep aging at bay? Get some arts and culture every day, study finds 鈥�    Issue No. 2916
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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