Recent News

By Category: Public Health

Lassa fever: Nigeria on verge of an epidemic

(The Nation Newspaper) Lassa fever is an acute viral illness that was discovered in Nigeria. The viral hemorrhagic illness was discovered in 1969 after two missionary nurses were killed by the disease. The cause of the illness was found to be Lassa virus, named after lassa, …

March 26, 2012
| Filed under Africa and Public Health
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DHS struggles to balance mission with new facilities

(FederalNewsRadio.com) “Severe cuts to S&T budget in recent years makes it impossible to fund NBAF construction out of the S&T operating budget,” said Tara O’Toole, the under secretary for the Science and Technology directorate at DHS, Wednesday during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing. “Our FY 2012 appropriations for discretionary research and development Read More »

March 23, 2012
| Filed under North America, Agriculture, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
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New Zealand Opens Advanced Biolab

(Global Security Newswire) A new highly secure biological research laboratory that opened on Monday in Christchurch, New Zealand, will allow the city to analyze anthrax and other disease samples rather than sending them to another jurisdiction, the Press reported. Canterbury Health Laboratories is operating New Zealand’s lone Physical Containment 3-certified hospital laboratory. The new $814,000 Read More »

March 23, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Biosafety, Public Health, and Research
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Sharp rise in cases of new strain of whooping cough

(University of New South Wales) Australia’s prolonged whooping cough epidemic has entered a disturbing new phase, with a study showing a new strain or genotype may be responsible for the sharp rise in the number of cases.

March 22, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Public Health, and Research
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Twin Cities to test mass delivery of emergency meds by mail

(CIDRAP News) Mail carriers will deliver empty pill bottles to about 35000 homes in Minneapolis and St. Paul on May 6, in the area’s first test of a program to quickly provide antibiotics to the populace in the event of an anthrax attack …