Lab chief faces sentencing in Michigan 12 years after fatal US meningitis outbreak

HOWELL, Mich. — Days after a routine injection to ease back pain, Donna Kruzich and a friend drove across the border to Canada in 2012 to see end-of-summer theater in Stratford, Ontario. The 78-year-old Michigan woman suddenly became ill and returned home. By early October, she was dead. “Most of the time she could not … Read more

Thailand steps up border control of livestock after anthrax outbreak is reported in neighboring Laos

BANGKOK — Thailand’s government has ordered officials to closely monitor livestock along the border with Laos after more than 50 people were reported to have contracted anthrax in the neighboring country. Thai authorities have been working closely with those in Laos after receiving reports of the outbreak and have prepared vaccines in case of infections … Read more

Dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas test positive for bird flu

Milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas has tested positive for bird flu, U.S. officials said Monday. Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and to occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows … Read more

Florida refuses to bar unvaccinated students from school suffering a measles outbreak

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida’s controversial surgeon general is drawing criticism for his handling of an elementary school’s measles outbreak, telling parents of unvaccinated children it is their choice whether their students attend class — a contravention of federal guidelines calling for their mandatory exclusion. Dr. Joseph Ladapo, nationally known for his outspoken skepticism toward … Read more

Bean dips, enchiladas and taco kits are among new recalled items linked to listeria outbreak

More foods are being recalled in the wake of a deadly outbreak of listeria food poisoning, including snack foods that may be part of Super Bowl Sunday party menus. Seven-layer bean dip, chicken enchiladas, cilantro salad dressing and taco kits sold at stores like Costco, Trader Joe’s and Albertson’s are part of the growing recalls … Read more

Anthony Fauci will reflect on his long government career in ‘On Call,’ to be published in June

NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci has a memoir coming out in June, a look back at his long career as an infectious disease expert and the many outbreaks he contended with, from HIV/AIDS to the COVID-19 pandemic that made him famous. Viking announced Thursday that Fauci’s “On Call: A Doctor’s … Read more

Diapers and baby formula are hard to find in Gaza, leaving parents desperate

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Zainab al-Zein was forced to make a desperate decision: Feed her infant daughter solid foods that her tiny body may not be able to digest or watch her starve because of a lack of baby formula in the besieged Gaza Strip. Al-Zein chose to give 2 1/2-month-old Linda solids, knowing … Read more

Stigma against gay men could worsen Congo’s biggest mpox outbreak, scientists warn

KINSHASA, Congo — As Congo copes with its biggest outbreak of mpox, scientists warn discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make it worse. In November, the World Health Organization reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, was being spread via sex in Congo for the first time. That is a significant … Read more