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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report indicated minimal flu activity in the U.S.
Based on the National Center for Health Statistics Mortality Surveillance data available on June 15, 2023, 6.3% of the deaths during week #23 were due to pneumonia, influenza, and/or COVID-19 (PIC).
Among the 1,295 PIC deaths reported for last week, ten listed influenza.
Furthermore, in the southern hemisphere, Australia's Department of Health and Aged Care published report No. 4, which stated there is not enough information to assess the potential severity of the 2023 influenza season.
Since seasonal surveillance commenced in Australia in April 2023, there have been only 518 sentinel hospital admissions with confirmed influenza as of June 2, 2023.
As of June 18, 2023, various flu shots are available worldwide.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported nearly 1.5 million new COVID-19 cases and 7,300 related fatalities in the last 28 days (May 15 to June 11, 2023).
As of June 15, 2023, all six WHO regions reported (Edition #147) decreases in COVID-19 cases and fatalities.
During the current 28-day period, only 59% of countries and territories reported cases, a proportion that has been declining since mid-2022.
Various COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapies remain available in most countries as of June 18, 2023.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published Influenza Update N° 447, which presented data on the current respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasonality.
In the U.S., the 2022–23 RSV season it started later than during 2021–2022 but earlier than the prepandemic seasons, suggesting a return toward prepandemic seasonality.
Across both prepandemic and pandemic years, RSV circulation in the U.S. began in Florida.
Globally, RSV activity was generally low except in Australia, and a few countries in the Region of the Americas reported the WHO on June 12, 2023.
RSV activity decreased to low levels in Central America and the Caribbeans while increasing in a few countries in tropical and temperate South America.
In South Africa, the RSV detection rate among children under five years of age in pneumonia surveillance remained at a low level.
As of June 17, 2023, RSV vaccines for adults and antibody therapy for infants are authorized in various countries.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) announced on June 12, 2023, new mpox patients and outbreaks are possible, as demonstrated by three recent mpox cases.
Unfortunately, two of the three Colorado patients involve people fully vaccinated with two doses of the JYNNEOS® (MVA-BN) vaccine.
“While (mpox) cases remain low in Colorado and nationally compared to last year’s outbreak, now is a great time to get vaccinated if recommended for you,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, Colorado state epidemiologist, in a press release.
“Vaccination provides the best protection against illness and hospitalizations, and we want Coloradans to know about available testing and treatment options if they get mpox.”
CDPHE confirmed it would resume updating mpox case counts weekly but will not release any additional demographic information about individual cases at this time to protect patient privacy.
Other sexually transmitted disease news is posted by Precision Vaccinations.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced today London had reported 11 new mpox cases within the past few weeks.
Most of these cases were in unvaccinated individuals. However, three were in those who had only received one dose of Bavarian Nordic's JYNNEOS® (MVA-BN) vaccine.
In response to London's mpox outbreak, the UKHSA vaccinations would be offer in London to qualifying men beyond July 2023.
After the end of July, people who regularly travel to London or abroad to have sex and are eligible for the JYNNEOS vaccine are empowered to schedule a London-based appointment using the vaccine finder.
Dr. Claire Dewsnap, President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, commented in a related press release, "We strongly encourage all those eligible to book an appointment to receive a mpox vaccination, especially given the worrying recent spike in cases."
"One dose of the vaccine protects against the virus, and the second dose can further prevent severe symptoms and transmission."
"This is particularly important as we move into the summer months, during which festivals and events are more common, increasing the likelihood for people to have multiple sexual partners."
As of June 16, 2023, 21 mpox cases have been reported in the UK.
Other mpox outbreaks are posted by Vax-Before-Travel.
The Global Vaccine Impact Conference in Madrid evaluated the past two years of implementation of the Vaccine Alliance's five-year strategy.
As of June 15, 2023, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, confirmed it surpassed 1 billion children vaccinated since its founding in 2000.
This announcement came as Gavi published its new Mid-Term Review report, Raising Generation ImmUnity, which looked at data from the first two years of the Alliance's 2021-2025 strategic period.
In June 2019, the Gavi Board approved a new five-year strategy ("Gavi 5.0") with a vision of "Leaving no one behind with immunization" and a mission to save lives and protect people's health by increasing the equitable and sustainable use of vaccines.
Novavax, Inc. today announced it participated in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee's (VRBPAC) meeting.
This VRBPAC meeting resulted in a unanimous vote recommending updating the current COVID vaccine composition to a monovalent XBB-lineage.
"Novavax expects to be ready for the commercial delivery of a protein-based monovalent XBB COVID vaccine this fall in line with today's VRBPAC recommendation," said John C. Jacobs, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax, in a press release on June 15, 2023.
"In partnership with regulators and public health authorities, Novavax has been developing and manufacturing this vaccine candidate, and now that we are nearing harmonization on guidance from the FDA, the World Health Organization, and European Medicines Agency, we believe we are in a better position to offer an alternative vaccine choice for individuals worldwide."
Novavax presented data at the VRBPAC meeting that supports the recommendation to vaccinate this fall (2023) with a monovalent XBB strain.
Novavax data showed that its XBB.1.5 COVID vaccine candidate induced functional immune responses for XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, and XBB.2.3 variants, indicating a broad response that could be applicable for forward-drift variants.
The journal Vaccine published study results on June 2, 2023 that found correlates of protection imply a fourth (5 µg SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein + 50 µg Matrix-M™ adjuvant) post-boost efficacy of ≥ 82% for Omicron variants and did not increase local/systemic reactogenicity in those aged 18–84 years.
Novavax COVID-19 vaccine brands include Nuvaxovid, CovoVax, NVX-CoV2373, and TAK-019, and are available in about 40 markets globally.
