Coronavirus Breaking News

The Quezon City Government, through the City Health Department (QCHD), declared a dengue outbreak today as cases and related fatalities have surged in the city. 

From January 1 to February 14, 2025, the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division of QCHD recorded 1,769 dengue cases, nearly 200% higher than last year. Ten citizens, including eight minors, have already died from the mosquito-transmitted disease.

Fifty-eight percent of the reported cases involve school-aged children (5 to 17 years old).

Mayor Joy Belmonte has mobilized all assets and resources and ensured that programs and services are established and accessible for QCitizens to curb the outbreak.

“Our declaration of a dengue outbreak ensures that we are on top of the situation, and we are doing everything we can to protect our residents from this deadly disease, especially our children,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a press release on February 15, 2025.

Quezon City, a tourist top destination located northeast of Manila, is the most populous city in the Republic of the Philippines, with a population of about 2.9 million.

To alert international travelers of their health risks when visiting the Philippines, the U.S. CDC includes this Southeast Asia country in its Global Travel Health Advisory. Other disease risks in 2025 included chikungunya and measles.

A recent study confirms that human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination prevents the development of invasive cervical cancer, regardless of dosage.

Published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on January 22, 2025, this analysis concluded that even one or two doses one month apart confer benefit if given at 12-13 years of age. At older ages, three HPV doses are required for statistically significant vaccine effectiveness.

No cases of invasive cancer were recorded in women immunized at 12 or 13 years of age, irrespective of the number of doses.

Women vaccinated at 14 to 22 years of age and given three doses of the bivalent vaccine showed a significant reduction in incidence compared with all unvaccinated women (3.2/100 000 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.1 to 4.6] vs. 8.4 [95% CI = 7.2 to 9.6]).

Unadjusted incidence was significantly higher in women from most deprived (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 1) than least deprived (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 5) areas (10.1/100 000 [95% CI = 7.8 to 12.8] vs 3.9 [95% CI = 2.6 to 5.7]).

Women from the most deprived areas showed a significant reduction in incidence following three doses of vaccine (13.1/100 000 [95% CI = 9.95 to 16.9] vs 2.29 [95% CI = 0.62 to 5.86]).

Dr. Kirsty Roy, Consultant in Health Protection, Public Health Scotland, and co-author of this encouraging study, said in a press release, "This study involves every woman in Scotland who is eligible for the cervical cancer screening program and demonstrates the impact of the HPV vaccine in preventing cervical cancer."

"It shows how effective the HPV vaccine is as there have been no cervical cancer cases to date in fully vaccinated women who were given their first dose at age 12-13 years.    

"Vaccination against HPV is shown to be effective in preventing cervical cancer, and along with regular screening for early detection and treatment, it is possible to make cervical cancer a rare disease." 

In the United States, Merck's GARDASIL 9® vaccine has been found to protect women and men ages 9 to 45 against diseases caused by nine types of HPV. GARDSIL is generally available at clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

A recent study by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) shows that the Zoonotic Influenza Vaccine Seqirus injektioneste protects people against the disease caused by the currently circulating avian influenza viruses.

Since the summer of 2024, avian influenza vaccinations have been offered to occupational groups in the Republic of Finland at increased risk of the disease, such as those working with fur animals and poultry. They were offered Seqirus's vaccine, which the European Medicines Agency authorized.

Announced on February 13, 2025, the study showed that the vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies identified the vaccine virus and the avian influenza viruses that caused the outbreaks on fur farms in Finland in 2023 and on dairy farms in the United States in 2024.

About half of the previously unvaccinated individuals received one vaccine dose, which induced antibody levels that were estimated to protect against the disease caused by the avian influenza virus. Two doses induced protective antibody levels in the majority. The results suggest that the vaccine protects against currently circulating avian influenza viruses. 

In the United States, the FDA has authorized one avian influenza vaccine, and the government has funded various vaccine candidates.

These 'bird flu' vaccines are not commercially available in the U.S.

According to disappointing news released today, the world must wait for an approved vaccine that prevents invasive E. coli disease (IED).

Sanofi announced today that a scheduled review of the E.mbrace phase 3 clinical study conducted by an independent data monitoring committee (IDMC) determined that Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson's vaccine candidate for extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli was not sufficiently effective at preventing IED compared to placebo.

As a result of the IDMC's determination, the E.mbrace study is being discontinued.

The study, initiated in June 2021, enrolled older adults with a history of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the past two years. It was conducted at over 250 sites across five continents. Janssen Research & Development, LLC, is the trial sponsor and responsible party and will continue appropriate safety follow-up for the currently enrolled participants.

Jean-François Toussaint, Sanofi's Global Head of Research and Development Vaccines, commented in a press release on February 13, 2025, "E. coli sepsis is a devastating disease, and no preventative measures are available to date."

In October 2023, Sanofi agreed with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Janssen), a Johnson & Johnson company, to develop and commercialize the vaccine candidate. As a result of the discontinuation, Sanofi has recorded an impairment charge before tax of $250 million in the Q4 2024 results.

UTIs are among the most common bacterial infections, many of which are caused by uropathogenic E. coli. Still, less common pathogens, such as Enterococcus faecalis and other enterococci, can cause infections by infecting an abnormal or catheterized urinary tract.

UTIs are more common in females because their urethras are shorter, making it easier for bacteria to enter the urinary tract. Moreover, younger people also suffer from UTIs.

As of 2025, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most UTIs can be treated with antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare professional. 

However, international travelers seeking access to a non-FDA-approved UTI vaccine (Uromune™, MV140) outside of the USA can submit an appointment request using this Vax-Before-Travel link.

While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued measles outbreak advisories for 59 counties, it may soon issue one for western Texas, which has reported 25 measles cases in 2025.

On February 11, 2025, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported that the ongoing measles outbreak in Gaines County has exceeded previous records.

The local health department, South Plains Public Health District (SPPHD), has confirmed 24 measles cases with symptom onset within the last two weeks. Nine of the patients have been hospitalized.

All of the cases are unvaccinated and residents of Gaines County.

DSHS wrote, 'Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in Gaines County and the surrounding communities.

DSHS is working with SPPHD and Lubbock Public Health to investigate this measles outbreak.

Additionally, in early February, Lynn County, which is located south of Lubbock and east of South Plains, confirmed one measles case.

Previously, Harris County, located in eastern Texas, reported two measles cases in 2025.

There is no suspected link between the west Texas outbreak and the Harris County cases.

Elsewhere in the U.S., Alaska, Georgia, New York City, and Rhode Island have reported measles cases in 2025.

In 2024, the CDC reported 284 measles cases in 32 jurisdictions.

DSHS and the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommend that children receive one dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 to 15 months of age and another at 4 to 6 years of age. Each dose lowers the risk of infection and the severity of illness if they are infected.

Children too young to be vaccinated are more likely to have severe complications if they contract the measles virus.

Measles vaccines will generally be offered at community pharmacies in 2025.

Throughout the Region of the Americas, the Federative Republic of Brazi has been the unfortunate leader in the multi-year Dengue fever outbreak.

In Brazil, the Municipal Health Department of São Paulo reported the most Dengue cases in 2024, about 2.1 million. 

To reduce the number of pediatric Dengue cases in 2025, the Municipal Health Department of the capital advised parents and guardians on February 7, 2025, to take children aged 10 to 14 for Dengue vaccination, which occurs at Basic Health Units (UBSs).

UBSs also actively searched the territories in 2024 and 2025 to ensure that Dengue immunization reached this population. The government has estimated 600,000 children in Sao Paulo, and 259,000 first doses (38%) and 134,000 second doses (20%) have been administered to date.

As of February 12, 2025, Takeda's QDENGA® two-dose vaccine is available in Brazil and the Americas but not in the United States.

The U.S. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently published a draft agenda for its meeting scheduled for February 26-28, 2025.

This ACIP meeting will be hosted at the CDC in Atlanta, GA, is open to the public, and will be broadcast digitally on YouTube.

On Wednesday, February 26, Dr. Keipp Talbot (ACIP Chair) will welcome the new ACIP members and lead discussions on Meningococcal, Chikungunya, Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) disease, and related vaccines.

The ACIP will vote on specific recommendations, which are then sent to the CDC"s Director for consideration and/or approval.

As of January 24, 2025, Susan Monarez, PhD, became the Acting CDC Director, First Assistant to the Director, and Principal Deputy Director.

On Thursday, the 27th, the committee will continue discussing RSV vaccines and then review Human Papillomavirus, Mpox, Pneumococcal, and Lyme diseases.

Then, on Friday, the 28th, COVID-19 and Cytomegalovirus vaccines will be discussed.

The CDC has already scheduled additional ACIP meetings for June 25-26 and October 22-23, 2025.

The ACIP includes up to 19 voting members responsible for making recommendations. The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services selects these members. ACIP voting members are independent medical and public health experts who do not work for the CDC.

These ACIP meetings are essential as the CDC sets the U.S. adult and childhood immunization schedules based on recommendations from ACIP.