Travel Vaccine Breaking News

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported, based on the current data and available information from the Indonesia Ministry of Health, the overall risk of measles at the national level is assessed as high.

And the WHO reconfirmed measles is endemic in Indonesia and is an ongoing risk around the world.

On April 28, 2023, the WHO reported a total of 2,161 measles cases had been reported across 18 of 38 provinces in Indonesia, primarily from the provinces of West Java (796 cases) and Central Papua (770 cases) from January thru April 3, 2023.

In 2022, a total of 4,845 laboratory-confirmed measles cases and six deaths were reported across 32 of the 38 provinces. 

To alert international visitors, the U.S. CDC issued a Watch - Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions regarding the global measles outbreak, which included Indonesia.

Recently, American Samoa's government declared a measles outbreak.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The measles virus can live for up to two hours in airspace after an infected person leaves an area.

Furthermore, the CDC says that measles can be severe in all age groups and can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia.

And all international travelers, including infants and children, should be fully vaccinated against measles.

Measles vaccines are generally available at clinics and community pharmacies in the U.S.

Despite the U.S. government's plan to end the public health emergency in May 2023, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) today announced it is distributing about $50 million in Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants to improve COVID-19 vaccine access and education.

"Those living at home are less likely to have access to the pharmacy," commented Josh Hodges, Chief Customer Officer at NCOA, as McKnight's Home Care Daily Pulse reported on May 1, 2023.

"They're less likely to be able to interact with their community as a whole, so bringing the vaccine into the home is part of what many of our organizations are doing."

"It's not only important for the individual themselves, but the caregivers, the family members, and those surrounding the older adult," added Hodges.

With $50 million in federal funding from the HHS' U.S. Administration for Community Living, the largest grant in its history reported NCOA.

Previously, LeadingAge confirmed on April 17, 2023, it would distribute $270,000 in grants among 20 member organizations to boost vaccinations. 

LeadingAge's partnership with HHS' We Can Do This campaign is the latest pandemic-related collaboration between the two organizations. 

Note: Pharmacies in the U.S. have distributed over 50% of all COVID-19 vaccines in 2023.

According to a non-peer-reviewed study, a strain of avian influenza H5N1 (bird flu) has been found to transmit between ferrets effectively.

Published by Biological Sciences on April 21, 2023, these researchers determined that uncharacterized genetic signatures may be important determinants of mammalian adaptation, and these Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenzas (HAPI) pathogenicity clade 2.3.4.4 viruses.

Clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses were first isolated from poultry and wild birds in Canada in December 2021. Since then, millions of birds have died worldwide.

And various mammals, such as bears, cats, dogs, seals, and others, have died from HAPI infections.

This study encouraged 'ongoing surveillance of circulating HPAI A(H5N1) viruses across species, including humans, should be a top priority to promptly identify viruses that may have pandemic or outbreak potential in mammals.'

While few human cases of infection with clade 2.3.4.4b viruses were reported as of April 30, 2023, the potential for spillover, particularly of viruses harboring mammalian adaptation signatures, remains a critical concern.

The U.S. CDC says the annual flu shot is not designed to protect people from bird flu viruses.

However, the U.S. government has already approved one vaccine (Audenz™) for this type of bird flu.

The SCMP reported today that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (HKSAR) recorded its fifth Mpox case. This 59-year-old patient had traveled to Guangdong province multiple times and was not linked to other Hong Kong cases as of April 30, 2023.

The initial Mpox patient was confirmed in September 2022 and presented with an infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome.

Since May 2022, over 100 countries have reported Mpox cases.

HKSAR's Health Department identified most of these cases among men. Mpox is caused by a sexually transmissible virus, and members of the public should seek medical attention if they experience symptoms such as fever, severe headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph node, mouth lesion, and rash.

Hong Kong's Mpox Vaccination Programme (JYNNEOS® (MVA-BN)) for high-risk groups began on October 5, 2022.

As of April 30, 2023, Mpox vaccines and treatments (TPOXX® (Tecovirimat)) were available in most countries.

However, recent research indicates breakthrough cases are being reported post-therapy.

Separately, the U.S. CDC recommends various routine and travel vaccination before visiting Hong Kong in 2023.

According to data recently announced from the Health Surveillance Directorate of the Costa Rican Ministry of Health, during epidemiological week #16, the Huetar Caribbean Region registered a marked decrease in malaria cases in the cantons of Limón and Pococí.

As of April 28, 2023, Limón reported 19 cases during week #15, while for week #16, 5 patients were registered, and for week #17, just 3 cases were reported, offering evidence of a significant decrease.

Furthermore, no malaria cases were identified in the canton of Talamanca, which corresponds to the South Caribbean, despite active inter-institutional searches in the border area with Panama and passive pursuits.

During the last weeks, the containment actions established by the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Costa Rican Social Security Fund have been maintained, such as exhaustive tracking of all people in contact with confirmed cases.

Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite that spreads to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

Previously, the U.S. CDC issued an Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions confirming an outbreak of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Limón and Alajuela Province.

Malaria can be prevented by taking a prescription antimalarial drug to kill the parasites, and in some countries, other than the U.S., malaria vaccines are available as of April 30, 2023.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter today updating Pfizer Inc.'s COVID-18 vaccine authorization.

Addressed to Pfizer's Leslie Sands on April 28, 203, the new authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals six months through 4 years of age with certain types of immunocompromised, who have previously received three 0.2 mL doses (Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent):

• a fourth dose administered at least one month following the most recent dose;
• additional doses may be administered at the healthcare provider's discretion, considering the individual's clinical circumstances.

This issue was discussed during the U.S. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting on April 19, 2023.

In the United States, there remains a considerable burden of disease attributed to serotypes not included in currently approved pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

To address this need, Pfizer Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved PREVNAR 20® for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) caused by the 20 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes contained in the vaccine in infants and children six weeks through 17 years of age.

And for preventing otitis media in infants six weeks through five years of age caused by the original seven serotypes contained in PREVNAR®.

"Today's FDA approval of our vaccine, PREVNAR 20, now offers parents the ability to help protect their children against 20 pneumococcal serotypes in circulation, which represent the majority of pneumococcal disease in U.S. infants and children," said Annaliesa Anderson, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, in a press release on April 27, 2023.

"This important PREVNAR 20 approval builds on more than 20 years of real-world impact with PREVNAR and PREVNAR 13, safety data, and effectiveness, highlighting Pfizer's leadership in developing groundbreaking pneumococcal conjugate vaccines to help protect infants and their families from life-threatening infections."

Pneumococcal vaccine news is posted by Precision Vaccinations.