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According to the Washington Post, the U.S. administration is launching a $5 billion program to accelerate the development of new coronavirus vaccines and treatments, seeking to better protect against a still-mutating virus and other coronaviruses currently impacting humans, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Announced on April 10, 2023, the “Project Next Gen” approach intends to partner with private sector companies to expedite the development of vaccines and therapies.

The Post reported this new effort would focus on creating long-lasting monoclonal antibodies, accelerating the development of vaccines that produce what is known as mucosal immunity, and speeding efforts to develop pan-coronavirus vaccines.

Note: The U.S. FDA has not approved a MERS vaccine as of April 11, 2023, but several vaccine candidates are conducting clinical trials.

Vaccine Treats: 
MERS
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from Pixabay
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Don Hackett
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Washington DC
Vaccine: 
MERS Vaccines
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Moderna, Inc. today announced clinical program updates focusing on Lyme disease, a global health issue impacting about 120,000 people in the U.S. and Europe annually.

To address Lyme's biological complexity, Moderna is advancing a seven-valent approach with two Lyme disease vaccine candidates that will be developed in parallel.

Moderna announced on April 11, 2023, new vaccine candidates, mRNA-1982 and mRNA-1975, represent the Company's first application of its mRNA technology to bacterial pathogens such as Lyme disease.

"Our mRNA platform has changed medicine and will continue to have a major impact on global health. Today we are excited to announce multiple new vaccine candidates, including for enteric viruses, such as norovirus, and targeting Lyme disease, our first bacterial vaccine," said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, in a related press release.

mRNA-1982 is designed to elicit antibodies specific for Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes almost all Lyme disease in the U.S.

While mRNA-1975 is designed to elicit antibodies specific for the four major Borrelia species causing disease in the U.S. and Europe.

Lyme disease burden follows a bimodal age distribution, affecting mainly children under 15 and older adults. Patients can develop a rash, fever, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and headaches.

Older adults appear to have higher odds of unfavorable treatment response than younger patients, and neurologic manifestations are more common at presentation for this more aging adult population.

Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved a Lyme disease vaccine.

However, VLA15, a multivalent Lyme disease vaccine candidate produced by Pfizer In. and Valneva SE, is conducting late-stage clinical research.

Vaccine Treats: 
Lyme Disease
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from Pixabay
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Karen McClorey Hackett
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Cambridge
Vaccine: 
Lyme Disease Vaccine (VLA15)
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Sanofi today announced in a press release it had simplified its contractual arrangements relating to the development and commercialization of Beyfortus® (nirsevimab) in the United States (U.S.).

As of April 11, 2023, Beyfortus is an investigational long-acting antibody designed to protect all infants against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections from birth through their first RSV viral season with a single dose.

Under the new and updated arrangements, Sanofi has complete commercial control of Beyfortus in the U.S.

Concerning territories outside the U.S., the existing Collaboration Agreement between AstraZeneca and Sanofi continues to govern that relationship.

The new and updated contractual agreements do not impact Beyfortus registration and launch in the U.S., where all parties remain committed to making Beyfortus available for all infants in time for the 2023/24 RSV season.

Beyfortus is a monoclonal antibody (mAbs) that does not require immune system activation to confer direct and rapid protection against infection.

Beyfortus has already received marketing authorization in the European Union to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in neonates and infants from birth during their first RSV season.

This RSV mAbs pending approval in the U.S. is independent of the Food and Drug Administration's efforts to authorize RSV vaccines in 2023.

Vaccine Treats: 
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
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by Gerd Altmann
Live Blog Update Author: 
Don Hackett
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Paris
Vaccine: 
Beyfortus (Nirsevimab) RSV Antibody 2023
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The U.S. National Parks Service recently reported that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) had been confirmed to cause mortality for three California condors in northern Arizona.

As of April 4, 2023, a total of three deceased birds have been retrieved and confirmed as HPAI-positive.

As of April 7, 2023, HAPI had not been detected in the other condor populations in California or Baja California, Mexico. 

The Arizona-Utah condor population moves throughout northern Arizona and southern Utah, using the landscape within Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, the Kaibab Plateau, and surrounding areas. 

On March 9, 2023, the Peregrine Fund, which manages the Arizona-Utah condor flock, first observed a bird in the wild exhibiting signs of illness, initially suspected to be lead poisoning.

Crews continued to monitor this bird and others showing similar behavior. On March 20, they collected the deceased female below her nest, the first bird confirmed positive for HPAI.

Test results are not yet final for five additional deceased birds. Others have been collected and are pending necropsy and testing; information will be provided once test results are available.

Additionally, five birds displaying signs of illness were captured by The Peregrine Fund and sent to Liberty Wildlife in Phoenix, Ariz., for care. Unfortunately, one of the birds died shortly after arrival. The remaining four are in quarantine while samples are tested for HPAI.

This announcement was coordinated with The Peregrine Fund, Liberty Wildlife, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management.

Updated on April 13, 2023 - picture correction.

Vaccine Treats: 
Bird Flu
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U.S. National Park Service 2023
Live Blog Update Author: 
Don Hackett
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Arizona
Vaccine: 
Audenz Influenza A(H5N1) Vaccine
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The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently posted an update for another suspected polio case in the Republic of Peru.

PAHO announced on April 7, 2023, genetic analysis suggests this poliovirus isn't related to any other detected strains.

Local health officials are testing fecal samples, including that from a child from Atahualpa's native community who developed paralysis symptoms. The samples also include four contacts and four unvaccinated children as part of community surveillance.

The initial vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 case in Peru involved an unvaccinated child with no travel history whose paralysis symptoms began in December 2022.

The PAHO confirms polio is a vaccine-preventable disease.

The PAHO / World Health Organization reiterates to Member States the importance of continuing efforts to achieve and maintain polio vaccination coverage greater than 95% to minimize the risk of a poliomyelitis outbreak.

And strengthen epidemiological surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis, a polio-like illness that affects the spinal cord and can cause sudden paralysis.

There have been 724 confirmed Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) cases in the U.S. since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began tracking AFM in August 2014.

As of April 3, 2023, there has been one confirmed AFM case in 2023 out of 13 reports of patients under investigation.

In the U.S., poliovirus wastewater surveillance programs are active in New York and other states as of April 10, 2023.

To alert international travelers of this health risk, the CDC issued a Global Polio Travel Advisory in March 2023, which stated before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines.

Vaccine Treats: 
Polio
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Image Caption: 
U.S. CDC Peru map April 2023
Live Blog Update Author: 
Don Hackett
Location Tags: 
Lima
Vaccine: 
nOPV2 Polio Vaccine 2023
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The World Health Organization (WHO) Western Region recently announced a third human infection with the influenza A(H3N8) virus with one related fatality.

A recent fatal case was a 56-year-old female from Guangdong province, China, with an onset of illness on February 22, 2023. 

And as of April 6, 2023, a total of 240 cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus have been reported from four countries within the Western Pacific Region since January 2003. The last case was reported from China in late 2022.

Of these 'bird flu' cases, 135 were fatal (CFR 56%).

The WHO stated whenever avian influenza viruses circulate in poultry, there is a risk for sporadic infection and small clusters of human cases due to exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments.

Therefore, sporadic human cases are not unexpected.

The rise in the number of reported human cases of A(H5N6) infection may reflect the continued circulation of the virus in birds and enhanced surveillance system and diagnostic capacity as a direct outcome of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, added the WHO.

In the U.S., the government has already approved one avian influenza vaccine for people and, as of April 10, 2023, significantly invested in newer bird flu vaccine candidates.

Furthermore, the WHO confirms the 2022-2023 annual flu shots do not protect against these types of avian influenza.

Vaccine Treats: 
Bird Flu
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Image Caption: 
by Ingela Skullman
Live Blog Update Author: 
Don Hackett
Location Tags: 
China
Vaccine: 
Audenz Influenza A(H5N1) Vaccine
RSV therapy for infants April 2023

RSV Season Returns to Normal

RSV monoclonal antibody therapy was approved for children in 1998
April 10, 2023
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The U.S. Department of State recently reissued its Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution for the Republic of Indonesia. On April 5, 2023, the State Department stated some areas in Indonesia had increased risk.

And reconsider visiting the provinces of Central Papua (Papua Tengah) and Highland Papua (Papua Pegunungan) due to civil unrest.

Furthermore, Indonesia’s revised criminal code, which takes effect in January 2026, includes penalties for defamation, blasphemy, cohabitation, and sex outside of marriage.

However, it is unclear how Indonesian authorities will implement the revised criminal code, says the State Department.

According to travel industry data, foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia reached about 700 thousand in February 2023, amid several international events as the economy fully reopened from COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Indonesian Ministry of Health, recently celebrated their successful collaboration under the United States COVID-19 assistance program.

Throughout the pandemic, USAID helped deliver over 100 million vaccine doses to Indonesia, including 42 million donated directly from the United States.

“In the face of this unprecedented challenge, Indonesia and the United States stood together to confront the pandemic, and together, we have dramatically reduced deaths and severe illness,” said U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Michael F. Kleine in a press release on April 5, 2023.

From a health-risk perspective, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued several travel vaccination recommendations when planning to visit Indonesia.

These CDC Travel Alerts include measles and polio.

These travel vaccines are available in the U.S. at certified clinics and pharmacies.

Vaccine Treats: 
COVID-19
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Image Caption: 
USAID COVID-19 Assistance Program - Indonesia, April 2023
Live Blog Update Author: 
Karen McClorey Hackett
Location Tags: 
Jakarta
Vaccine: 
Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine

Yellow Fever Outbreaks

Yellow Fever Outbreaks July 2025

Scientists believe yellow fever has existed for about 3,000 years, originating in Africa and spreading to the Americas in the 17th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries, yellow fever (YF) was considered one of the most dangerous mosquito-transmitted infectious diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of July 2025, the YF virus has become endemic in tropical areas of Africa and 13 countries in the Americas. As of June 29, 2025, the overall risk associated with the yellow fever virus in the Americas Region, particularly in endemic countries such as Brazil, is classified as ¨High.¨

Africa Yellow Fever Outbreak

Since the beginning of 2023, documented probable and confirmed cases of yellow fever have been reported in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, Togo and Uganda. In July 2025, the Angolan Ministry of Health reported seven confirmed cases of yellow fever from 5 provinces: Luanda, Benguela, Malanje, Huíla, and Huambo. On March 28, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice regarding a yellow fever outbreak in Nigeria. Between January 2024 and November 2024, 29 confirmed YF cases were reported in Nigeria. The overall risk at the regional level was reassessed as moderate.

The Americas' Yellow Fever Outbreaks

Yellow fever human cases and deaths by country and sub-national geographic distribution from 2000 to 2022 are posted by the PAHO. As of June 2025, countries in the Americas Region had reported about 200 confirmed human cases of yellow fever, including 85 deaths (CFR 40%). Yellow fever cases were reported in the Plurinational States of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In 2024, 61 human cases of yellow fever were confirmed in the Americas Region, including 30 deaths (CFR= 50%), among five countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, and Peru. In February 2025, the PAHO published a Public Health Risk Assessment related to yellow fever, confirming the high risk of YF outbreaks in the Americas. On April 15, 2025, the U.S. CDC issued a Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions, Travel Helath Advisory regarding YF outbreaks in the Americas. In 2024, the PAHO reported 61 YF cases, 30 of which were fatal.

In Brazil, yellow fever transmission historically occurs within a sylvatic cycle in the Amazonian Region. Between 2020 and 2025, three cases of yellow fever were confirmed in the Peixe and São Salvador regions. São Paulo State Health Department confirmed that 679 human cases were recorded from 2000 to 2023. Brazil experienced its largest recorded outbreak of yellow fever in 2018. Yellow Fever cases have been confirmed in Pará State, Amazon Region of Brazil, for three decades. In March 2025, five confirmed deaths and 27 cases of YF were reported on Marajó Island. As of 2025, Australia, the U.S. CDC, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom have issued travel alerts regarding Brazil's YF outbreaks.

Bolivia reported three YF cases, including one death (CFR 33%), in the city of Palos Blancos in the La Paz Department in 2025. Eight YF cases occurred in 2024 and five in 2023.

Since October 2024, the YF virus has appeared in areas not previously affected in past years in the Colombian department of Tolima. As of June 9, 2025, there have been 104 cases, with 45 deaths, primarily in Tolima. Although the vaccine for yellow fever was incorporated into Colombia's national immunisation schedule for children in 2002 in endemic regions, coverage remains low among adults.

The Ecuadorian Ministry of Public Health reported 10 confirmed fatal yellow fever cases and eight related fatalities as of June 21, 2025, from the provinces of Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe.

Peruvian authorities issued an epidemiological alert due to a sharp rise in yellow fever cases in areas of the Peruvian Amazon in 2025, including Huánuco, San Martín, and Amazona districts. As of April 24, 2025, Peru has reported 32 confirmed cases of yellow fever, resulting in 10 deaths. In comparison, Peru reported 19 confirmed cases of yellow fever, with nine deaths, for 2024.

United States Yellow Fever Outbreaks

In the United States, the Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District in California detected the Aedes aegypti (yellow fever) mosquito in 2023. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were found for the fourth consecutive year in Butte County. The American Society for Microbiology provides a history of the emergence of yellow fever outbreaks in the United States.

Yellow Fever Vaccine Availability 2025

Various yellow fever vaccines are authorized and commercially available in the U.S. as of 2025.

4 min read
Reviewer: 
Robert Carlson, MD
Last Reviewed: 
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 - 17:40
Description: 
Yellow fever outbreaks in Africa, the Americas, and Oceania reported in 2025.
Vaccine: 
YF-VAX Yellow Fever Vaccine
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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles cases increased by about 80% in 2022 compared to the previous year.

In addition, travel experts continue to warn of expanding measles outbreaks in 2023.

For example, the CDC's top ten list of measles outbreaks is led by India, which has reported over 47,979 cases over the past year.

To emphasize this health risk, the CDC issued a Global Measles Watch - Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions notice on April 6, 2023.

While the U.S. has reported very few measles cases this year, recent cases in Kentucky, Utah, and Ohio have been highlighted in national media.

As of March 30, 2023, the CDC reported six measles cases in 2023 and 121 cases in six U.S. jurisdictions during 2022.

To reduce traveler's health risk, measles is a vaccine-preventable disease, with various vaccines approved in the U.S. and available to local clinics and community pharmacies.

Vaccine Treats: 
Measles
Image: 
Image Caption: 
CDC measles outbreaks April 6, 2023
Live Blog Update Author: 
Don Hackett
Location Tags: 
Worldwide
Vaccine: 
Priorix Vaccine