Cancer Vaccine Breaking News

According to the World Health Organization, mpox outbreaks remain a global health risk. Since mpox is a vaccine-preventable disease, access to the approved vaccine is essential.

To address this need, Bavarian Nordic A/S, a global vaccine company, recently issued the following clarification regarding the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) framework agreement.

The initial order for 750,000 doses of the MVA-BN (JYNNEOS) smallpox/mpox vaccine announced on October 31, 2025, will be delivered in 2026 and is the result of a new joint procurement contract by the European Commission through HERA.

This represents the second order received in 2025, following the earlier award of a contract option from the U. S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced in May.

Bavarian Nordic anticipates additional orders for MVA-BN over the course of the following year.

As of November 3, 2025, in the United States, the JYNNEOS vaccine is commercailly available at various health clinics and pharmacies.

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans through infected mosquitoes. The first known outbreak occurred in 1952. In the past year, 100 countries have reported chikungunya outbreaks to the the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

In Italy, the National Institute of Health has reported 419 chikungunya cases in 2025, with approximately 370 confirmed as locally transmitted, primarily in the northern region of the country.

According to ECDC's Week 44 report on October 29, 2025, the largest cluster of cases is located in Carpi, San Prospero, Soliera, Novellara, Cavezzo, Modena, Nonantola, Correggio, Novi di Modena, and Cesenatico.

In the United States, the CDC says locally acquired chikungunya cases have not been reported since 2019.

However, as of late November 2025, the CDC confirmed 19 travel-related cases in states such as Florida, several of which were linked to visitors from Cuba.

The CDC currently recommends that international travelers visiting outbreak areas speak with a travel vaccine provider about immunization options. Approved chikungunya vaccines will be available at clinics and pharmacies in November 2025.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published the 59th situation report for the multi-country outbreak of mpox, which provides details on the global epidemiological situation for mpox.

As of November 2, 2025, the WHO stated all clades of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) continue to circulate across all regions.

In September 2025, 42 countries reported a total of 3,135 confirmed cases, including 12 related fatalities.

More than 80% of these cases were reported in the African Region.

The WHO wrote, 'In light of expanding community transmission of clade Ib MPXV and its detection among men who have sex with men, WHO currently assesses the public health risk as moderate for men who have sex with men and low for the general population in contexts outside historically endemic areas.'

From a prevention perspective, More than 684,000 doses of MVA-BN (JYNNEOS) and 118,000 doses of LC16 have been administered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which accounts for more than 61% of people vaccinated in African countries.

Other countries that recently reported mpox are developing national mpox vaccination plans and are encouraged to consider dose-sparing options of the MVA-BN vaccine.

Additional doses have been donated and procured, and partners continue to work together to support access to mpox vaccines and secure operational funds for implementation of national mpox vaccination plans.

In the United States, the JYNNEOS vaccine is offered at various health clinics and pharmacies and is recommended for at-risk individuals.

The Czech Republic (Czechia) is currently experiencing what may be the largest hepatitis A epidemic in the last 46 years, as reported by Ivana Lesková from MF DNES.

Since the arrival of the virus from Slovakia in April 2024, the State Institute of Health has documented 2,141 cases of hepatitis A and 26 related fatalities, including ten in Prague.

As of October 28, 2025, the Institute of Health has noted a significant increase in demand for hepatitis A vaccinations.

This year alone, more than 127,000 doses have been administered—almost double the total from last year. Due to this surge in demand, there are currently shortages of the vaccine.

However, the State Institute for Drug Control has announced to the local media that extraordinary vaccine shipments are on their way to the Czech Republic.

This vaccine shortage extends the HepA risk to over 20 million international travelers who may visit Czechia this year.

Currently, the U.S. CDC recommends that unvaccinated travelers aged 1 year or older visiting Czechia in 2025 speak with a healthcare provider about immunization options. 

For international travelers who are allergic to a vaccine component, they should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides adequate protection for up to 2 months, depending on the dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, are immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart for a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and, at the same appointment, receive immune globulin, says the CDC.

The travel advisory for the Republic of Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa, has been elevated to Level 4 status by the U.S. Department of State.

As of October 24, 2025, the State Department stated U.S. residents 'should not visit Mali for any reason.'

Furthermore, the U.S. government cannot provide routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens outside Bamako due to safety risks.

Have a plan to leave in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government help, and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive digital alerts from the U.S. embassy. Enrolling helps the U.S. embassy contact you or your emergency contact in an emergency.

About 200,000 international travelers visit Mali annually.

From a health perspective, medical services for routine and emergency procedures are limited in Mali. Health facilities are available in major cities. It may be harder to find adequate health care in rural areas.

The U.S. CDC previously issued Level 1: Practice Usual Precautions for Mali regarding dengue and measles outbreaks. In addition to these diseases, the CDC recommends vaccination against yellow fever, typhoid, polio, and malaria medications when visiting Mali in 2025.

These vaccines and medications are offered at travel pharmacies.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) recently confirmed the first local death from the West Nile virus (WNV) in the 2025. The resident of the San Fernando Valley was hospitalized and died from a neurological illness caused by severe West Nile virus.

A total of 14 West Nile virus infections have been documented in Los Angeles County in 2025, excluding Long Beach and Pasadena. Half of the infected people live in the San Fernando Valley region.

Public Health reports West Nile virus cases every year, generally from June to November, as the virus is endemic in the region.

According to LACDPH, about 1 in 150 people will have severe WNV symptoms that may include high fever, stiff neck, muscle weakness, and sometimes rash. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 14 days after being infected.

West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne disease affecting residents of LA County, which has also reported locally acquired dengue cases in 2025.

"To the family and friends grieving the loss of a loved one due to West Nile virus, we extend our heartfelt condolences,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer, in a press release on October 24, 2025.

“This tragic loss reminds us how dangerous mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus and dengue can be. Protect yourself and your neighbors by using insect repellent, getting rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed, and keeping window and door screens in good repair. Small actions like these can make a big difference in preventing illness.”

In collaboration with local vector control agencies, Public Health monitors the risk of WNV infection. It actively engages residents to provide information about reducing the risk by promoting protective measures against mosquitoes.

As of October 27, 2025, there is no WNV vaccine available in the USA.

Since the Zika virus was first detected in the Americas in 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reported cases from 52 countries and territories in the region.

As of October 24, 2025, the PAHO Zika data dashboard indicates that there have been over 23,000 cases and four related fatalities in the Region of the Americas this year.

The current leaders are Brazil (21,762), Bolivia (1,012), and Argentina (849).

And in the Central America Region, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala are the unfortunate leaders in reporting this mosquito-transmitted disease.

This PAHO data aligns with 2024, when 44,480 cases and two related fatalities were confirmed across all countries for the entire year.

Last year, Brazil reported about 90% of all cases.

In the Americas, one in four Zika-infected people may develop symptoms, but in those who are affected, the disease is usually mild, with symptoms lasting between 2 and 7 days. The clinical appearance is often similar to dengue or chikungunya.

According to the PAHO, Zika virus infection during pregnancy poses severe risks to the fetus, ranging from congenital Zika syndrome to microcephaly to milder neurodevelopmental issues.

From a severity perspective, there is scientific consensus that Zika is a cause of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

As of October 2025, the UK travel advisory says that since there is no vaccination or medication to prevent Zika infection, women should avoid becoming pregnant while traveling to at-risk countries such as those listed above, and for 2 months after their last possible Zika virus exposure.

Prevention involves reducing mosquito populations and avoiding bites, which occur mainly during the day, says the UK advisory.

In the future, a Zika vaccine candidate may be approved for human use.