Vaccine News

As the global number of Dengue cases began to mount in 2025, several countries in the Pacific Region, such as the Republic of Singapore, are reporting weekly increases.

The island country and city-state of Singapore in Southeast Asia has recorded several recent Dengue outbreaks.

As of May 20, 2025, Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) wrote, 'Collective community action and vigilance are critical to help prevent a surge in Dengue cases this year.'

NEA reported 104 Dengue cases in the week ending May 17, 2025, 1 case fewer than the previous week.

Furthermore, there are 16 active Dengue clusters, of which there were with red alerts,

Persistent transmission has been noted in the cluster at Hougang Avenue 1 (106 cases). The large clusters at Begonia Drive/Dedap Road (33 cases) and Woodlands Avenue 1/Woodlands Street 31 (30 cases) have relatively fast transmission rates, with an increase of 10 and 12 cases, respectively, from the previous week.   

Among the four Dengue virus serotypes circulating in Singapore, Dengue virus serotype 2 has been predominant in Singapore since September 2023.

Globally, data indicates that over 2.5 million Dengue cases and 1,305 related fatalities have already occurred in 2025, with the U.S. reporting 1,760 travel-related Dengue cases and one local case this year.

While a second-generation Dengue vaccine is available in about 40 countries, it is unavailable in Singapore and the United States in 2025.

The U.S. CDC does recommend various routine and travel vaccinations before visiting Singapore.

Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) today formally adopted the world's first Pandemic Agreement.

Announced on May 20, 2025, the decision by the 78th World Health Assembly culminated in more than three years of negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regarding national sovereignty, Agreementent states that: "Nothing in the WHO Pandemic Agreement shall be interpreted as providing the Secretariat of the World Health Organization, including the Director-General of the World Health Organization, any authority to direct, order, alter or otherwise prescribe the national and/or domestic law, as appropriate, or policies of any Party, or to mandate or otherwise impose any requirements that Parties take specific actions, such as ban or accept travellers, impose vaccination mandates or therapeutic or diagnostic measures or implement lockdowns."

The new Agreement was driven by the goal of making the world safer and more equitable in response to future pandemics, such as Disease X.

According to the WHO, Disease X represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease. 

On April 4, 2025, the WHO's Global Health Emergency Corps announced a framework designed to strengthen countries' emergency workforce, coordinate the deployment of surge teams and experts, and enhance collaboration between governments, which was tested.

Disease X was first included in the WHO Blueprint for Epidemics in February 2018, aiming to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures. It is expected to be caused by a "pathogen X," likely a zoonotic disease or infection that can be transmitted between humans and animals.

In the United States, the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) developed a Pandemic Preparedness Plan to prepare for future public health emergencies caused by infectious diseases.

While it is recognized that pathogens other than viruses could lead to public health emergencies, the NIAID Pandemic Preparedness Plan focuses on viruses that could cause epidemics or pandemics.

India has retrospectively reported ten cases of mpox due to clade Ib mpox virus detected between December 2024 and March 2025.

According to the WHO's Multi-country outbreak of mpox, External situation report #52, as of May 14, 2025, all clade 1b cases reported in India had a recent history of travel to countries in the Gulf or contact with travellers from those countries.

Outside Africa, 16 countries have reported travel-related cases of mpox due to clade Ib: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (12 cases), Germany (10 cases), China (seven cases), Belgium (five cases), Qatar (five cases), Thailand (five cases), the United States of America (four cases).

Globally, Cases of mpox due to clade Ib continue to be reported primarily in Africa, where ten countries have reported community transmission of this strain, reaching over 14,000 cases in 2025.

Reported #52 discloses that mpox vaccination in countries in the African Region has more than 668,000 doses of MVA-BN (Bavarian Nordic A/S JYNNEOS®) vaccines administered in seven countries.

From the total number of JYNNEOS doses, 87% have been administered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the United States, the JYNNEOS vaccine is commercially available at many pharmacies.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially approved JYNNEOS for smallpox prevention in September 2019. And on March 31, 2025, the FDA approved the freeze-dried formulation of JYNNEOS.

With over 16 million visitors in 2024, the Republic of Singapore has become a tourist favorite destination. However, before visiting this city-state in Southeast Asia in May 2025, it is highly recommended that you protect yourself from COVID-19.

Like most other countries, Singapore has experienced multiple waves of COVID-19 since the first confirmed case in January 2020. 

According to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Communicable Diseases Agency, COVID-19 infections have significantly increased in the Spring of 2025. 

The MOH estimated the number of COVID-19 cases from the last week of April to May 3, 2025, at 14,200, compared to 11,100 cases in the previous week.

The 28% increase in cases could be due to several factors, including waning population immunity.

Currently, LF.7 and NB.1.8, descendants of the JN.1 variant, are the main COVID-19 variants circulating in Singapore, accounting for more than two-thirds of locally sequenced cases.

JN.1 is also the variant used in formulating the current COVID-19 vaccines, which remain effective in protecting against severe illness.

Singapore's MOH wrote that 'individuals at increased risk of severe COVID-19, such as those aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals, or residents of aged care facilities, are recommended to keep updated with vaccinations, and receive an additional dose around one year after their last dose.

In the United States, the U.S. FDA recently approved Nuvaxovid™, a non-mRNA, JN.1 COVID-19 vaccine that is active against current circulating strains, including KP.2 and KP.3. This vaccine, and other travel vaccines, are offered at clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it has approved Novavax's Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine.

As of May 17, 2025, Nuvaxovid is indicated in the U.S. to prevent COVID-19 in those aged 65 years and older and for those aged 12-64 years who have one or more underlying conditions that put them at a high risk of developing COVID-related severe outcomes.

On December 17, 2021, the World Health Organization granted an Emergency Use Listing for Novavax's vaccine, and it has been available under an emergency use authorization in the United States.

As of May 18, 2025, Novavax's vaccine is the only non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine available at clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

With the various countries reporting chikungunya virus outbreaks in 2025, the U.S. government has announced reassuring news regarding disease prevention.

In April, the independent vaccine committee issued recommendations for using chikungunya vaccines. Effective May 13, 2025, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary adopted the recommendations, which are now the official recommendations of the U.S. CDC.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends the live attenuated chikungunya vaccine for persons aged ≥18 years traveling to a country or territory with a chikungunya outbreak. In addition, the live attenuated chikungunya vaccine may be considered for persons aged ≥18 years traveling or residing in a country or territory without an outbreak but with elevated risk for U.S. travelers if planning travel for an extended time, such as 6 months or more.

Additionally, the ACIP recommends the virus-like particle chikungunya vaccine for persons aged ≥12 years traveling to a country or territory where there is a chikungunya outbreak. In addition, the virus-like particle chikungunya vaccine may be considered for persons aged ≥12 years traveling or taking up residence in a country or territory without an outbreak but with elevated risk for U.S. travelers if planning travel for an extended period, such as six months or more.

As of May 15, 2025, travel vaccination appointments are commercially available at clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently confirmed that 13 African countries have reported confirmed or probable yellow fever cases since the start of 2023.

As of May 2025, the east African country of the Republic of Uganda has taken aggressive action to reduce the impact of this vaccine-preventable, mosquito-transmitted disease.

GAVI reported on May 12, 2025, that Uganda, with a population of about 46 million and located in the so-called African yellow fever belt, introduced routine immunisation in October 2022.

In 2025, a campaign targeted 4.3 million people aged 9 months to 60 years in 19 districts across Uganda's eastern region, hoping to reduce the impact of this epidemic disease.

But national vaccine coverage has remained low, at 39%.

Other countries in this Yellow Fever Belt are also at risk.

Uganda’s eastern neighbour, Kenya, whose yellow fever vaccine coverage rates hover at only 6%, declared a yellow fever outbreak. 

When visiting these countries, the U.S. CDC recommends getting vaccinated at least ten days before traveling abroad. Yellow fever vaccination appointments are offered at travel clinics and pharmacies in the United States.