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The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) recently issued a health alert confirming an increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases in the state.
As of July 10, 2025, 80 cases have been reported so far this year. This total is an increase from 2024, when the MSDH reported 49 cases.
As of July 22, 2025, no related fatalities have been reported.
Most (76%) of this year's cases have occurred in children less than 18 years of age. Of the 73 age-eligible cases for pertussis vaccination, 28 were not vaccinated.
While cases have been reported statewide, 40% were identified in northeast Mississippi.
According to the U.S. CDC, reported cases of pertussis have increased across the United States. Preliminary data show that more than six times as many cases were reported in 2024 compared to 2023.
The CDC states that there's no distinct seasonal pattern to pertussis; however, past trends suggest that cases may increase in the summer and fall.
Pertussis is transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets or contact with airborne droplets. Patients are considered infectious from the onset of symptoms until three weeks after the start of high-pitched coughing fits, or until they have completed five days of antibiotics.
Vaccination, one of the safest and most effective ways to protect against pertussis, is recommended for everyone. Two types of combination vaccines include protection against pertussis, as well as diphtheria and tetanus: DTaP and Tdap.
DTaP is recommended for younger children, while Tdap is recommended for older children, pregnant women, and adults.
Recommended treatment includes antibiotics within three weeks of cough onset in people 1 year of age and older, and within six weeks of cough onset in infants younger than 1 year old and pregnant women.
MSDH offers vaccinations to children and uninsured adults at county health departments. To make an appointment, visit msdh.ms.gov/pertussis or call (855) 767-0170.
As summer vacation season 2025 reaches a peak, the state of Florida recently reported that numerous individuals have been diagnosed with travel-related diseases in several counties.
As of July 12, 2025, Florida Department of Health confirmed Escambia and Miami-Dade counties remain under mosquito-borne illness alerts.
And St. Johns and Brevard counties have issued Mosquito-Borne Illness Advisories in 2025.
The diagnosed diseases in Florida include four travel-related cases of chikungunya. The countries of origin were Bolivia, Brazil, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.
A total of 105 cases of dengue fever were reported among individuals who had traveled internationally, with 49 cases of DENV-4 originating from Cuba. Additionally, three locally acquired dengue cases (DEN-3, DENV-4) were reported in Miami-Dade (2) and Brevard (1) counties in 2025.
And 21 travel-related malaria cases have been confirmed in Florida, primarily in people visiting from Africa.
While not travel-related, four people in Florida have died from infections caused by the bacterium Vibrio vulnificus, commonly known as the "flesh-eating" bacterium, in 2025. Last year, 11 cases were confirmed.
From an alert perspective, no country has issued a Travel Health Advisory focused on the state of Florida as of July 21, 2025. However, routine and travel-related vaccines are recommended for many people.
In 2025, the United States reached an unfortunate milestone with a record number of measles cases, leading many patients to look for medication.
According to a press release issued today by NanoViricides, Inc., the company has made significant progress in developing a drug to combat measles.
On July 21, 2025, NanoViricides stated NV-387 showed strong antiviral effectiveness against the measles virus.
"NV-387 is on its way to become the very first drug to treat Measles," commented Anil R. Diwan, PhD, adding, "Measles cases are skyrocketing globally, and the world needs a drug."
NV-387 is a clinical-stage, broad-spectrum antiviral drug designed to act as a decoy for a cell, presenting to the virus the very features it requires for binding to the cell. Upon binding, the virus particle is destroyed, preventing infection.
While most measles cases can be prevented through vaccination, the percentage of the population that would not benefit from vaccination continues to increase due to chronic diseases and immunological deficiencies.
Thus, a treatment for measles is of paramount importance to the global health community.
Amidst the prime summer vacation season, the United States and United Kingdom have issued 'Do Not Travel' advisories for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
As of July 18, 2025, both countries reported that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has declared a nationwide State of Emergency. Anyone visiting this Caribbean vacation destination this summer should expect an increased police and military presence.
As a reminder, the U.S. Embassy advises government personnel to avoid traveling to areas such as Laventille (including Picadilly Street and Charlotte Street between Oxford Street and Park Street), Beetham, Sea Lots, Cocorite, and the interior of Queen's Park Savannah, and to refrain from visiting these places after dark.
If you plan to visit Trinidad and Tobago in 2025, the U.S. CDC recommends various routine and travel vaccinations, including those for measles, typhoid, and yellow fever. Travel vaccines are commercially offered at clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.
The United States is currently in the midst of the annual tick season; however, new data indicate fewer tick bites than in most seasons.
This data is very positive as it indicates the number of Lyme Disease cases in the U.S. will be reduced.
As of July 21, 2025, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a decreasing tick-bite trend when compared to the previous year.
While there are nearly 900 species of ticks globally, only a handful pose a significant risk to humans, such as those that cause Lyme Disease.
However, since 1995, the range of Lyme disease cases has expanded significantly, migrating from Lyme, Connecticut, decades ago, now reaching into the upper Midwest, such as Michigan, which reported 1,215 cases in 2024.
From a disease prevention perspective, without an approved vaccine, the best tactic is to take precautions to avoid being bitten by ticks when outdoors in 2025.
The Department of Tolima in the Republic of Colombia recently reported 100 confirmed cases of yellow fever, with a total of 35 related fatalities.
Tolima reported its first case of yellow fever in October 2024, marking the first case in the country since 2000. Within the month, yellow fever cases were reported across the rural municipalities of Cunday, Prado, Purificación, and Villarrica in Tolima.
While yellow fever is endemic throughout most of Colombia, cases are seldom reported in high-altitude areas in the Andean region. The Tolima department is located in the centre-west of the Andean region, at an average elevation of 700 meters above sea level.
This makes the emergence of the disease in the region remarkable, wrote the health department in February 2025.
"The main prevention strategy against yellow fever is vaccination. In the department of Tolima, people between 1 and 59 years of age should be vaccinated. It's important to have adequate and effective protection against the disease," explained Juan Pablo Escobar, Infectious Disease Specialist and Pediatrician, last year.
As of July 19, 2025, yellow fever vaccines are offered in Colombia and recommended for international travelers visiting endemic areas. In 2024, 6.7 million travelers visited Colombia, setting a new record for tourism in this South American country.
The YF-VAX vaccine is commercially available in the United States at certified travel clinics and pharmacies.
The Republic of Mauritius today announced its adoption of an innovative strategy to combat mosquito-borne diseases through the implementation of the Sterile Insect Technique.
This method involves releasing sterilised male mosquitoes into the wild to mate with females, thereby reducing the mosquito population and containing the spread of diseases such as Chikungunya and Dengue.
This program is essential as the island of Mauritius has already reported over 1,500 Chikungunya cases in 2025.
Furthermore, France's neighboring departments reported a surge in Chikungunya cases in the Indian Ocean, east of Africa.
In a statement published on July 18, 2025, the Minister highlighted that the Sterile Insect Technique has proven effective during a pilot phase and is safer than traditional methods such as larviciding and fogging, which rely on chemical insecticides.
He noted that while current cases of mosquito-borne diseases remain low—around 40 cases of Chikungunya and none of Dengue—now is the time to prepare for the high-risk summer season.
The Sterile Insect Technique has been implemented over the past two to three years and has resulted in a 70% reduction in the mosquito population across a 20-hectare area in Port Louis.
While there is no specific treatment for Chikungunya infections, two vaccines are currently available in various countries, including the United States.
In 2025, the Americas Region reported over 7,100 measles cases, including 13 deaths, according to data recently published by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The Plurinational State of Bolivia has already reported 60 cases of measles this year.
Of the total confirmed cases, 95% have been in the department of Santa Cruz, distributed in 10 municipalities.
According to the PAHO information available in July 2025, from confirmed cases, the age group with the highest proportion of cases corresponds to the 10-19 years old group (24%),
In response to this outbreak, Bolivia has declared a National Health Emergency.
To help reduce this measles outbreak, ANI reported on July 17, 2025, that India has supplied 300,000 MR vaccines to Bolivia.
"India stands by its friends in the Global South," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.
To alert international travelers, the U.S. CDC included in its Global Measles Travel Health Advisory issued on May 28, 2025.
The CDC recommends that anyone visiting Bolivia in 2025 be fully protected from the highly contagious measles virus.
Additionally, Bolivia is included in the CDC's Chikungunya and Yellow Fever outbreak alerts.
