May 10 Congo announces first suspected Ebola death since new outbreak By Associated Press Health officials declared an Ebola outbreak in the country's northwest on Tuesday after lab tests confirmed the deadly virus in two cases from the town of Bikoro in the Equateur province. Continue reading
May 09 Democratic Republic of Congo reports Ebola outbreak, 2 cases confirmed By Jessica Villagomez The Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an Ebola outbreak after two suspected cases tested positive for the Zaire strain of the virus. Continue reading
May 24 Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus becomes the first African director-general of the World Health Organization By Helen Branswell, STAT Ethiopia’s former health minister -- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus -- has been elected to serve as the next director-general of the World Health Organization — the first African picked to lead the global health agency. Continue reading
Oct 31 One in seven of world’s children breathe toxic air, UNICEF reports By Ryan Connelly Holmes Using satellite imagery, the children’s aid organization determined that 300 million children worldwide breathe air six times more polluted than the World Health Organization’s recommended limit. Continue reading
Aug 12 Nigeria launches emergency measures after first polio cases in 2 years By Emily Wishingrad Nigerian military helicopters rushed emergency polio vaccines to Nigeria’s northern state of Borno on Friday morning, in response to Africa’s first cases of the polio virus in more than two years. Continue reading
Mar 29 The Ebola public health emergency is over, WHO declares By Helen Branswell, STAT Ebola no longer constitutes an international health emergency, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. Continue reading
Mar 11 Florida may use GMO mosquitos to fight Zika. Here’s what you should know By Jennifer Kay, Associated Press MIAMI — The spread of the Zika virus in Latin America is giving a boost to a British biotech firm's proposal to deploy a genetically modified mosquito to try to stop transmission of the disease. Continue reading
Feb 16 Why it’s so hard to zap the Zika mosquito, and what we can do By Larisa Epatko The little black Aedes aegypti mosquito with its white-striped legs and body seems harmless enough, but it can spread the Zika virus, which is tentatively linked to birth defects in babies. Continue reading
Feb 01 WHO declares international emergency over Zika virus By Larisa Epatko The World Health Organization declared the Zika virus, and its possible link to an explosion of birth defects in Latin American countries, a public health emergency in need of a coordinated international response on Monday. Continue reading
Jan 28 WHO alarmed at spread of Zika virus and risk of deformities in babies By Larisa Epatko Millions of cases of the Zika virus, with its potential to cause deformities in newborns, might come to the Americas over the next year, World Health Organization officials said Thursday. Continue reading