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Current polio vaccines are made from either inactivated or weakened versions of the virus. These vaccines have been administered worldwide for many decades.
However, this approach presents challenges in certain situations. It highlights the need for an improved vaccine that does not rely on the virus itself, particularly as the global community strives to end poliovirus infections.
As of June 30, 2025, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified poliovirus detections in 41 countries.
Developing vaccine formulations that do not use live viruses in their production would be highly beneficial, as it would eliminate the potential safety risks associated with handling and growing the virus, wrote Evaxion A/S in early June 2025.
To address this need, Evaxion received undisclosed funding from the Gates Foundation to help eradicate polio worldwide by exploring design options for a new and innovative vaccine.
This project will combine Evaxion’s leading and clinically validated AI-Immunology™ platform to identify and combine various antigens to combat the virus. Based on these findings, several new antigen constructs will be designed for selection and validation.
“We are thrilled to receive support from the Gates Foundation and help the world achieve the goal of completely eradicating polio. We are excited to apply our AI-Immunology™ platform to combat yet another infectious disease. The grant allows for further application and validation of our platform without adding to our operational spend,” says Christian Kanstrup, CEO of Evaxion, in a press release on June 3, 2025.
The inactivated (killed) polio vaccine (IPV) was developed in 1955 to produce antibodies in the blood that target all three poliovirus types, thereby preventing the spread of the virus, and has been offered in the U.S. since 2000.
IPV vaccinations are offered at clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.
Recently, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advised against all travel to several volcanoes in the Republic of Indonesia.
On June 18, 2025, the FCDO stated that ash plumes from volcanoes can have a significant impact on health, particularly for individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma.
Additionally, during the dry season from May to November, widespread wildfires cause a smoke haze that drifts across parts of Indonesia, particularly the Riau Islands, central Sumatra, and Kalimantan.
The haze can disrupt local and regional air travel, and air pollution has a significant impact on public health.
If you plan to visit Indonesia in 2025, the UK advises researching your destinations and obtaining suitable travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities, and expenses in the event of an emergency.
Seperately, the U.S. Department of State recently issued a level 4 advisory for international visitors to consider before visiting Indonesia.
From a health perspective, the U.S. CDC includes Indonesia in recent measles and polio travel advisories.
As of June 2025, Indonesia's dengue cases had risen to 52,410, with 210 deaths reported this year. And chikungunya cases reached 1,245, primarily in Java.
The CDC suggests speaking with a travel vaccine expert before visiting Indonesia this year.
The first malaria vaccine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to become significantly less expensive in Africa soon.
This news is essential as most of the malaria-endemic countries have the highest rates of infections and deaths, which are found in Africa.
Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) and GSK plc today announced that Bharat Biotech will reduce the price of the RTS,S vaccine (Mosquirix™) by more than half, to less than $5, progressively by 2028.
This price reduction is driven by process improvements, expanded production capacity, cost-effective manufacturing, and minimal profit margins. Bharat Biotech has invested over $200 million in new, higher-output manufacturing facilities, product development, and technology transfers.
Dr. Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of BBIL, said in a press release, "Through this historic announcement, we aim to change the course of malaria burden for millions of children and families. For us, this is more than a cooperation, it’s a promise..... At Bharat Biotech, we believe technology must deliver on three essentials: safety, affordability, and accessibility."
"With this collaboration, we are turning this belief into real impact, to ensure life-saving vaccines reach the communities that need them most.”
With Gavi’s support, 12 endemic countries in Africa will have introduced RTS,S through routine immunisation programmes by the end of 2025.
As of June 26, 2025, neither malaria vaccine is available in the United States.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) today issued updated travel advice for visiting the Kingdom of Thailand.
On June 24, 2025, the FCDO posted new information about the temporary suspension of border crossings due to civial unrest.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border, such as Pattani Province, Yala Province, Narathiwat Province, and southern Songkhla Province, south of the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, and south of the train line which runs between Hat Yai and Padang Besar.
Additionally, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar train line, which runs through these provinces.
This advisory may impact Thailand's international tourist arrivals, which reached about 35 million in 2024.
From a health advisory perspective, the U.S. CDC previously issued disease outbreak warnings and vaccination recommendations regarding chikungunya, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, measles, rabies, and typhoid.
On June 13, 2025, the CDC advised prospective visitors to Thailand to consult with a travel vaccine expert about immunization options.
GSK plc recently announced that it has licensed its Shigella vaccine candidate, altSonflex1-2-3, to India-based Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL).
This agreement paves the way for the ongoing development and potential distribution of the vaccine in low- and middle-income countries where Shigella, an acute human infection of the large intestine, is the leading bacterial cause of diarrhoea, posing a significant health threat to children under five.
The urgent challenge posed by increasing antimicrobial-resistant enteric bacteria, including Shigella, highlights the broader impact a vaccine could have beyond helping to reduce illness and mortality rates.
If approved, a Shigella vaccine has the potential to indirectly reduce antibiotic consumption and help combat the rise of antimicrobial resistance.
As of June 18, 2025, there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)- approved Shigella vaccines.
Thomas Breuer, Chief Global Health Officer at GSK, stated in a press release, "With young children in lower-income countries disproportionately impacted by Shigella, the development of a low-cost vaccine is an important goal for global public health."
Following the technology transfer, GSK will collaborate with BBIL on its design of the Phase 3 trial and support BBIL's efforts to secure external funding. This collaboration builds on GSK's existing relationship with the Indian Biotech company, following a product transfer and license agreement in 2021 for the world's first malaria vaccine, RTS,S (Mosquirix™).
Currently, Valneva SE and LimmaTech Biologics AG are co-developing the Shigella4V2 second-generation tetravalent bioconjugate vaccine candidate against shigelllosis, which is progressing in clinical trials.
One of North America's favorite vacation destinations, located just 193 miles east of South Florida, accessible by boat or plane, has been informed by Canada to 'Exercise a high degree of caution.'
On June 3, 2025, Canada affirmed that the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is experiencing a high level of civil unrest, especially in Nassau and Freeport.
The Bahamas is an island country located in the Atlantic Ocean, welcoming approximately 11 million visitors in 2024, many of whom came from Canada and the United States.
Amongst the various warnings, Canada states that the water sports rental industry in the Bahamas is poorly regulated, and reputable operators are limited. Boating accidents occur frequently, particularly on jet skis.
Canada offers the following advice to vacationers: Only rent water sports equipment from reputable, registered operators. Ensure that proper training is provided before using the equipment, and verify that beach and aquatic equipment is safe and in good condition.
The U.S. State Department has also issued a Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution travel advisory for The Bahamas.
Similar to Canada, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau issued a Security Alert on April 9, 2025, advising U.S. citizens of the risks associated with renting jet skis in The Bahamas.
The Embassy wrote, Nassau jet ski operators have raped and sexually assaulted two U.S. citizen women in 2025, and three rapes were reported in 2024.
Women victims reported that male jet ski operators picked them up from downtown Nassau and Paradise Island beaches. This includes the area from Junkanoo Beach to Saunders Beach and Cabbage Beach.
The victims said they were raped and assaulted on isolated islands near New Providence.
Furthermore, due to security risks, U.S. government employees working in The Bahamas are prohibited from renting and using jet skis on New Providence and the Paradise Islands.
From a health perspective, mosquito-transmitted disease reporting from The Bahamas appears lacking.
While the entire Region of the Americas, including the Caribbean countries, set records for Dengue virus infections in 2024, The Bahamas didn't report any cases. Nor has it reported any in 2025.
Which leads to questions about the number of Chikungunya, Malaria, and Zika infections vacationers experience following a Bahamas vacation.
However, the U.S. CDC did include The Bahamas in a recent measles outbreak alert.
Therefore, when scheduling a quick trip to enjoy the warm waters of the Caribbean in June 2025, vacationers should heed the advice from these government agencies and exercise caution.
