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We report here the case of a previously healthy 12-year-old boy in whom virus-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis developed approximately 1 week after the onset of respiratory infection symptoms. Immune thrombocytopenia was suspected, and prednisolone therapy (30 mg daily) was started at the referring hospital.
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Source:
Link: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2605960?query=TOC
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Influenza at the human-animal interface Summary and risk assessment, from 8 August to 6 September 2026 {1}
• New human cases {2}:
° From 8 August to 6 September 2026, based on reporting date, detections of influenza A(H5N1) in one human and influenza A(H9N2) in three humans were officially reported. Additionally, two human cases of infection with influenza A(H1N2) variant (A(H1N2)v) viruses were detected.
• Circulation of influenza viruses with zoonotic potential in animals:
° High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) events in poultry and non-poultry animal species continue to be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).{3} The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) also provides a global update on avian influenza viruses with pandemic potential.{4} Additionally, low pathogenicity avian influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses continue to circulate in animal populations.
• Risk assessment {5}:
° There have been no reports of sustained human-to-human transmission associated with the above-mentioned human infection events. Based on information available at the time of this update, the overall public health risk from currently known influenza A viruses detected at the human-animal interface has not changed and, at present, these viruses are not thought to be capable of sustained human-to-human transmission, although this could change as they evolve. Whilst human infections with viruses of animal origin are infrequent, they are not unexpected at the human-animal interface.
• IHR compliance {6}:
° This includes any influenza A virus that has demonstrated the capacity to infect a human, and its haemagglutinin (HA) gene (or protein) is not a mutated form of those, i.e. A(H1) or A(H3), circulating widely in the human population. Information from these notifications is critical to inform risk assessments for influenza at the human-animal interface.
Avian influenza viruses in humans
A(H5N1), Bangladesh
On 30 August, Bangladesh, through the national IHR focal point, notified WHO of one laboratory-confirmed human infection with an A(H5) virus in a child from Rangpur division.
On 15 August 2026, the child developed a fever, cough and rhinitis and was admitted to hospital on 17 August.
On 18 August, a nasopharyngeal swab and throat swab was collected as part of hospital-based influenza surveillance and tested positive for influenza A(H5) by real-time RT-PCR at the icddr,b laboratory on the same day.
The sample was subsequently confirmed positive for influenza A(H5N1) at the Molecular and Genomic Laboratory Department of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and National Influenza Centre (NIC) of Bangladesh.
Genetic sequencing is underway.
The child remained hospitalized and was improving clinically at the time of reporting.
There was no reported history of travel outside the area of residence. The child had a history of exposure to duck and chickens, including some that were sick, in the household and adjacent households.
Poultry meat and oropharyngeal swab specimens collected from several backyard chickens on 26 August tested negative for influenza A(H5).
Close contacts were identified and placed under monitoring and all contacts remained asymptomatic during the observation period, except for two heath care workers.
Respiratory specimens collected from these two individuals tested negative for influenza A viruses.
This is the 4th laboratory-confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5) reported in Bangladesh in 2026.
According to reports received by WOAH, various influenza A(H5) subtypes continue to be detected in wild and domestic birds in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Infections in non-human mammals are also reported, including in marine and land mammals.{7} A list of bird and mammalian species affected by HPAI A(H5) viruses is maintained by FAO.{8}
Risk assessment for avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses:
1. What is the current global public health risk of additional human cases of infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses?
° Most human infections so far have been reported in people exposed to A(H5N1) viruses, for example, through contact with infected poultry or contaminated environments, including live poultry markets, and occasionally infected mammals and contaminated environments. As long as the viruses continue to be detected in animals and related environments humans are exposed to, further human cases associated with such exposures are expected but remain unusual. The impact for public health if additional sporadic cases are detected is minimal. The current overall global public health risk is low.
2. What is the likelihood of sustained human-to-human transmission of avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses related to the events above?
° No sustained human-to-human transmission has been identified associated with the recent reported human infections with avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses. There has been no reported human-to-human transmission of A(H5N1) viruses since 2007, although there may be gaps in investigations. In 2007 and the years prior, small clusters of A(H5N1) virus infections in humans were reported, including some involving health care workers, where limited human-to-human transmission could not be excluded; however, sustained human-to-human transmission was not reported. Current evidence suggests that influenza A(H5N1) viruses related to these events did not acquire the ability to efficiently transmit between people.
3. What is the likelihood of international spread of avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses by travellers?
° Should infected individuals from affected areas travel internationally, their infection may be detected in another country during travel or after arrival. If this were to occur, further community- level spread is considered unlikely as current evidence suggests these viruses have not acquired the ability to transmit easily among humans.
A(H9N2), China
Between 13 August and 1 September 2026, China notified WHO of three laboratory-confirmed human cases of A(H9N2) virus infection.
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All cases had direct or indirect exposure to poultry and/or local live bird markets. Samples from environments associated with the likely area of exposure of some of the cases tested positive for A(H9) viruses.
No further cases were detected among contacts of these cases.
Risk assessment for avian influenza A(H9N2):
1. What is the global public health risk of additional human cases of infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) viruses?
° Most human cases follow exposure to the A(H9N2) virus through contact with infected poultry or contaminated environments. Most human infections of A(H9N2) to date have resulted in mild clinical illness. Since the virus is endemic in poultry in multiple countries in Africa and Asia, additional human cases associated with exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments are expected but remain unusual. The impact to public health if additional sporadic cases are detected is minimal. The overall global public health risk is low.
2. What is the likelihood of sustained human-to-human transmission of avian influenza A(H9N2) viruses related to these events?
° At the present time, no sustained human-to-human transmission has been identified associated with the recently reported human infections with A(H9N2) viruses. Current evidence suggests that A(H9N2) viruses from these cases did not acquire the ability of sustained transmission among humans.
3. What is the likelihood of international spread of avian influenza A(H9N2) virus by travellers?
° Should infected individuals from affected areas travel internationally, their infection may be detected in another country during travel or after arrival. If this were to occur, further community level spread is considered unlikely as current evidence suggests the A(H9N2) virus subtype has not acquired the ability to transmit easily among humans.
Swine influenza viruses in humans
Influenza A(H1N2)v, United States of America
Since the risk assessment of 8 August 2026, two human infections with influenza A(H1N2v) viruses were detected in the state of Michigan.{7}
The patients, both <18 years of age, developed illness in the week of 15 August. They were not hospitalized and have recovered. Both attended the same agricultural fair where sick swine were present. The cases did not have contact with each other and no additional human infections with A(H1N2)v viruses have been detected around this event.
Including these two cases, there have been a total of three human infections with variant influenza A viruses reported in the United States in 2026.
Risk Assessment:
1. What is the public health risk of additional human cases of infection with swine influenza viruses?
° Swine influenza viruses circulate in swine populations in many regions of the world. Depending on geographic location, the genetic characteristics of these viruses differ. Most human cases are exposed to swine influenza viruses through contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. Human infection tends to result in mild clinical illness in most cases. Since these viruses continue to be detected in swine populations, further human cases are expected but remain unusual. The impact for public health if additional cases are detected is minimal. The overall risk of additional human cases is low.
2. What is the likelihood of sustained human-to-human transmission of swine influenza viruses?
° No sustained human-to-human transmission was identified associated with the event described above. Current evidence suggests that contemporary swine influenza viruses have not acquired the ability of sustained transmission among humans, therefore sustained human-to-human transmission is thus currently considered unlikely.
3. What is the likelihood of international spread of swine influenza viruses by travelers?
° Should infected individuals from affected areas travel internationally, their infection may be detected in another country during travel or after arrival. If this were to occur, further community level spread is considered unlikely as current evidence suggest that these viruses have not acquired the ability to transmit easily among humans.
Overall risk management recommendations:
Surveillance and investigations
• Due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, WHO continues to stress the importance of global strategic surveillance in animals and humans to detect virologic, epidemiologic and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza viruses that may affect human (or animal) health. Continued vigilance is needed within affected and neighbouring areas to detect infections in animals and humans. Close collaboration with the animal health and environment sectors is essential to understand the extent of the risk of human exposure and to prevent and control the spread of animal influenza. WHO has published guidance on surveillance for human infections with avian influenza A(H5) viruses.
• Epidemiologic and virologic surveillance and the follow-up of suspected human cases should continue systematically. Guidance on investigation of non- seasonal influenza and other emerging acute respiratory diseases has been published on the WHO website.
• Countries should increase avian influenza surveillance in domestic and wild birds, enhance surveillance for early detection in cattle populations in countries where HPAI is known to be circulating, include HPAI as a differential diagnosis in non-avian species, including cattle and other livestock populations, with high risk of exposure to HPAI viruses; monitor and investigate cases in non-avian species, including livestock, report cases of HPAI in all animal species, including unusual hosts, to WOAH and other international organizations, share genetic sequences of avian influenza viruses in publicly available databases, implement preventive and early response measures to break the HPAI transmission cycle among animals through movement restrictions of infected livestock holdings and strict biosecurity measures in all holdings, employ good production and hygiene practices when handing animal products, and protect persons in contact with suspected/infected animals.{8} More guidance can be found from WOAH and FAO.
• When there has been human exposure to a known outbreak of an influenza A virus in domestic poultry, wild birds or other animals – or when there has been an identified human case of infection with such a virus – enhanced surveillance in potentially exposed human populations becomes necessary. Enhanced surveillance should consider the health care seeking behaviour of the population, and could include a range of active and passive health care and/or communitybased approaches, including: enhanced surveillance in local influenza- like illness (ILI)/SARI systems, active screening in hospitals and of groups that may be at higher occupational risk of exposure, and inclusion of other sources such as traditional healers, private practitioners and private diagnostic laboratories.
• Vigilance for the emergence of novel influenza viruses with pandemic potential must be maintained at all times, including during a non-influenza emergency. To maximize the value of influenza surveillance platform for other respiratory threats, WHO has updated and published practical guidance for integrated surveillance.
Notifying WHO
• All human infections caused by a new subtype of influenza virus are notifiable under the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005).{9,10} State Parties to the IHR (2005) are required to immediately notify WHO of any laboratory-confirmed {11} case of a recent human infection caused by an influenza A virus with the potential to cause a pandemic {12}. Evidence of illness is not required for this report. Evidence of illness is not required for this report.
• WHO published the case definition for human infections with avian influenza A(H5) virus requiring notification under IHR (2005): https://www.who.int/teams/global-influenzaprogramme/avian-influenza/case-definitions.
Virus sharing and risk assessment
• It is critical that these influenza viruses from animals or from humans are fully characterized in appropriate animal or human health influenza reference laboratories. Under WHO’s Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, Member States are expected to share influenza viruses with pandemic potential on a timely basis {13} with a WHO Collaborating Centre for influenza of GISRS. The viruses are used by the public health laboratories to assess the risk of pandemic influenza and to develop candidate vaccine viruses.
• The Tool for Influenza Pandemic Risk Assessment (TIPRA) provides an in-depth assessment of risk associated with some zoonotic influenza viruses – notably the likelihood of the virus gaining human-to-human transmissibility, and the impact should the virus gain such transmissibility. TIPRA maps relative risk amongst viruses assessed using multiple risk elements. The results of TIPRA complement those of the risk assessment provided here, and those of prior TIPRA risk assessments are published at http://www.who.int/teams/global-influenza-programme/avianinfluenza/tool-for-influenza-pandemic-risk-assessment-(tipra).
Risk reduction
• Given the observed extent and frequency of avian influenza in poultry, wild birds and some wild and domestic mammals, the public should avoid contact with animals that are sick or dead from unknown causes, including wild animals, and should report dead birds and mammals or request their removal by contacting local wildlife or veterinary authorities.
• Eggs, poultry meat and other poultry food products should be properly cooked and properly handled during food preparation. Due to the potential health risks to consumers, raw milk should be avoided. WHO advises consuming pasteurized milk. If pasteurized milk isn’t available, heating raw milk until it boils makes it safer for consumption.
• WHO has published practical interim guidance to reduce the risk of infection in people exposed to avian influenza viruses.
Trade and travellers
• WHO advises that travellers to countries with known outbreaks of animal influenza should avoid farms, contact with animals in live animal markets, entering areas where animals may be slaughtered, or contact with any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with animal excreta. Travelers should also wash their hands often with soap and water. All individuals should follow good food safety and hygiene practices.
• WHO does not advise special traveller screening at points of entry or restrictions with regards to the current situation of influenza viruses at the human-animal interface. For recommendations on safe trade in animals and related products from countries affected by these influenza viruses, refer to WOAH guidance.
Links:
° WHO Human-Animal Interface web page https://www.who.int/teams/global-influenza-programme/avian-influenza
° WHO Influenza (Avian and other zoonotic) fact sheet https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(avian-and-other-zoonotic)
° WHO Protocol to investigate non-seasonal influenza and other emerging acute respiratory diseases https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-WHE-IHM-GIP-2018.2
° WHO Public health resource pack for countries experiencing outbreaks of influenza in animals: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240076884
° Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Reported to WHO https://www.who.int/teams/global-influenza-programme/avian-influenza/avian-a-h5n1-virus
° Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Information https://www.who.int/teams/global-influenza-programme/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-a-(h7n9)-virus
° World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH) web page: Avian Influenza https://www.woah.org/en/home/
° Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) webpage: Avian Influenza https://www.fao.org/animal-health/avian-flu-qa/en/
° WOAH/FAO Network of Expertise on Animal Influenza (OFFLU) http://www.offlu.org/
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{1} This summary and assessment covers information confirmed during this period and may include information received outside of this period.
{2} For epidemiological and virological features of human infections with animal influenza viruses not reported in this assessment, see the reports on human cases of influenza at the human-animal interface published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record here.
{3} Avian influenza. Global situation. World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) (https://www.woah.org/en/disease/avian-influenza/#ui-id-2).
{4} Global Avian Influenza Viruses with Zoonotic Potential situation update. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (https://www.fao.org/animal-health/situation-updates/global-aiv-with-zoonoticpotential).
{5} Rapid risk assessment of acute public health events. World Health Organization; 2012 (https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/70810).
{6} Case definitions for the four diseases requiring notification in all circumstances under the International Health Regulations (2005). World Health Organization; 2009 (https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/casedefinitions-for-the-four-diseases-requiring-notification-to-who-in-all-circumstances-under-the-ihr-(2005)).
{7} Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates for Week 32, ending August 15, 2026. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2026 (https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2026-week-32.html).
{8} World Organisation for Animal Health. Statement on High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in Cattle, 6 December 2024 (https://www.woah.org/en/high-pathogenicity-avian-influenza-hpai-in-cattle/).
{9} World Health Organization. International Health Regulations (2005), as amended through resolutions WHA67.13 (2014), WHA75.12 (2022), and WHA77.17 (2024) (https://apps.who.int/gb/bd/pdf_files/IHR_2014-2022-2024-en.pdf).
{10} World Health Organization. Case definitions for the four diseases requiring notification in all circumstances under the International Health Regulations (2005) (https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/casedefinitions-for-the-four-diseases-requiring-notification-to-who-in-all-circumstances-under-the-ihr-(2005)).
{11} World Health Organization. Manual for the laboratory diagnosis and virological surveillance of influenza (2011) (https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/44518).
{12} World Health Organization. Pandemic influenza preparedness framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits, 2nd edition (https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/341850).
{13} World Health Organization. Operational guidance on sharing influenza viruses with human pandemic potential (IVPP) under the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework (2017) (https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/259402).
Source:
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
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Event data
° 551 Positive events
° 45,115 Hotline reports
As of 4pm AEST, 15 September 2026, Australia has 551 confirmed events of H5 bird flu in wildlife.
§ 10 in Western Australia (WA)
§ 299 in South Australia (SA)
§ 32 in New South Wales (NSW)
§ 2 in Queensland (QLD)
§ 169 in Victoria (VIC)
§ 38 in Tasmania (TAS)
§ 1 in Other Territories*
{*} Jervis Bay Territory (Commonwealth jurisdiction)
As H5 bird flu is confirmed in more locations and species in Australia it will not be necessary to continue testing all species in known areas of transmission, or to test every animal involved in an investigation.
Reporting will be targeted to provide a clear picture of the national H5 bird flu situation in wildlife in Australia and key developments.
Data disclaimer
Data reflects information provided by state and territory governments to the Australian Government as at 17:00 AEST daily. The Australian Government publishes this information for national reporting purposes. Responsibility for the accuracy, completeness and currency of the data remains with the relevant state or territory government. Due to differences in reporting timing, information on the national dashboard may differ from information published on state or territory government websites.
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Source:
Link: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/campaigns/birdflu/latest-data#h1_bird_flu
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Significance
SARS-CoV-2 evolved into distinct phylogenetic clades, generating a series of mutant strains. Notably, variants such as BA.1, BA.2.86, and BA.3.2 deserve special attention as they emerged abruptly at high detection frequencies during specific periods and harbored extensive mutations in the spike protein relative to contemporaneously prevalent strains, often accompanied by unique phenotypic characteristics. In this study, we primarily evaluated the structural and functional features of the BA.3.2.2 S protein, revealing its distinct traits in receptor binding, immune evasion, cross-species transmission, and glycosylation evolution. We observed constrained viral immune escape, as certain antibodies that were nonneutralizing against previously dominant subvariants exhibited neutralizing activity against recently emerged BA.3.2.2. These findings provide mechanistic insights for viral surveillance, vaccines, and therapeutics development.
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve. The subvariant BA.3.2 (Cicada), a derivative of the Omicron BA.3 subtype first detected in late 2024, harbors multiple spike protein mutations, ORF7 and ORF8 deletions, and has recently evolved sublineages (BA.3.2.1 and BA.3.2.2), rendering it a critical target for epidemiological surveillance. The BA.3.2.2 sublineage, represented by RE.2.2, shows a marked upward trend in late 2025. Using surface plasmon resonance, we found that RE.2.2’s spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) exhibits relatively high affinity for human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, with structural analysis identifying the R493Q reverse mutation as the key determinant. Pseudovirus infection and antibody neutralization assays demonstrated that RE.2.2 exhibited a distinct neutralization profile compared to contemporaneous dominant subvariants. Notably, several antibodies that previously lacked neutralizing activity (e.g., S2K146 and L4.65) to other subvariants regained neutralizing potency against RE.2.2, which was associated with key mutations including G446D. Profiling of RE.2.2 RBD binding to ACE2 orthologs across species showed no significant difference in species tropism from the representative Omicron BA.1. Importantly, RE.2.2 exhibits the newly emerged N-linked glycosylation at spike protein N529 (absent in all other subvariants), a modification potentially associated with immune evasion or spike protein conformational dynamics. In addition, we corroborated the “O-follow-N” glycosylation observation as previously reported, where O-linked glycans preferentially localize near N-glycosylation sites, implying coordinated glycan organization as an extra layer of spike regulation. These findings illuminate the evolutionary characteristics, functional changes, and the constrained virus immune escape of BA.3.2.2 (RE.2.2), providing critical insights into antibody development and variant surveillance.
Source:
Link: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2614163123
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Excerpts}
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Event description
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has expanded to a seventh province, with the first confirmed case reported in Bulu Health Zone, Sud-Ubangi, a province bordering the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo.
This latest geographic expansion heightens concern about further spread towards international borders, while transmission within the country remains increasingly heterogeneous across affected provinces and health zones.
Since External Situation Report #17, a further 572 confirmed cases and 284 confirmed deaths have been reported, bringing the cumulative total to 7258 confirmed cases, including 3510 deaths [case fatality ratio (CFR) 48.4%], as of 13 September 2026.
Ituri remains the principal focus but its relative contribution continues to decline, accounting for 78.0% of cumulative confirmed cases, while transmission continues to increase in Nord-Kivu and persists in Haut-Uélé.
The outbreak now affects 62 health zones across seven provinces, with Bulu Health Zone in Sud-Ubangi being the latest affected.
At the national level, daily incidence remains high and fluctuating, with the seven-day moving average declining from its mid-August peak, followed by a modest rebound in early September. This national pattern masks increasingly divergent provincial trajectories.
Ituri continues to decline from its mid-August peak but remains at a high level, while Nord-Kivu is experiencing a sharp and sustained increase, reaching its highest incidence since the start of the outbreak and increasingly driving the national trajectory.
Transmission in Haut-Uélé remains sustained but has declined from its August peak.
Tshopo shows a recent increase from a low baseline, while Bas-Uélé continues to report sporadic transmission, and no recent transmission is evident in Sud-Kivu.
Overall, the epidemic is becoming more geographically heterogeneous, with declining transmission in Ituri and Haut-Uélé occurring alongside rapid intensification in Nord-Kivu, renewed activity in Tshopo and continued geographic expansion to new areas.
Figure 1. Daily national trend in confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases, with seven-day moving average, by date of report, Democratic Republic of the Congo, as of 13 September 2026
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During the most recent 21 days (24 August – 13 September 2026), 1674 confirmed cases were reported nationally.
Compared with 1782 cases during the preceding 21-day period (3 – 23 August 2026), this represents a decrease of 108 cases (−6.1%). Reported cases declined by 25.0% in Ituri, from 1338 to 1004, and by 16.7% in Haut-Uélé, from 120 to 100.
In contrast, cases increased sharply by 76.1% in Nord-Kivu, from 314 to 553, while Tshopo increased from 8 to 13 cases and Bas-Uélé from 2 to 3 cases. One case was also reported in the newly affected province of Sud-Ubangi during the latest period. Consequently, Ituri’s contribution to newly reported cases fell markedly from 75.1% to 60.0%, while Nord-Kivu’s contribution nearly doubled from 17.6% to 33.0%; Haut-Uélé’s contribution declined slightly from 6.7% to 6.0%.
Overall, the modest 6.1% national decline masks a pronounced geographic redistribution of transmission, with the substantial decline in Ituri increasingly offset by rapidly intensifying transmission in Nord-Kivu and continued geographic expansion.
During the same period, 830 confirmed deaths were reported nationally, compared with 973 deaths during the preceding 21 days, representing a decrease of 143 deaths (−14.7%). The national decline was driven largely by Ituri, where reported deaths decreased from 706 to 495 (−29.9%), while deaths also declined in Haut-Uélé, from 50 to 31 (−38.0%).
In contrast, deaths increased substantially in Nord-Kivu, from 213 to 299 (+40.4%). Consequently, Ituri’s contribution to newly reported deaths fell markedly from 72.6% to 59.6%, while Nord-Kivu’s contribution increased from 21.9% to 36.0%; Haut-Uélé’s contribution declined from 5.1% to 3.7%. Tshopo and Bas-Uélé each reported two deaths during the latest period, while one death was reported in Sud-Ubangi.
Overall, the national reductions in both cases (−6.1%) and deaths (−14.7%) were driven predominantly by declining transmission and mortality in Ituri and mask sharply divergent provincial trajectories. In particular, the simultaneous increases in cases (+76.1%) and deaths (+40.4%) in Nord-Kivu indicate substantial intensification of the outbreak there, with the province now accounting for one-third of newly reported cases and more than one-third of newly reported deaths nationally.
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Additionally, during the most recent 21 days (24 August – 13 September 2026), 49 of the 62 affected health zones (79.0%) reported at least one new confirmed case, while 13 (21.0%) reported no new cases. Health zones reporting no cases were Adja, Ariwara, Aungba, Kambala and Mahagi in Ituri; Goma in Nord-Kivu; Gombari in Haut-Uélé; Lubunga, Tshopo and Wanie-Rukula in Tshopo; Miti-Murhesa in Sud-Kivu; and Buta and Viadana in Bas-Uélé.
Provincial trends also mask important differences between health zones. In Ituri, where cases declined by 25.0% overall, several health zones continued to increase, notably Komanda (22 to 76; +245.5%), Mangala (92 to 116; +26.1%), Lita (56 to 65; +16.1%) and Mongbwalu (50 to 61; +22.0%).
In contrast, major transmission areas declined substantially, including Bunia (384 to 285; −25.8%), Nizi (210 to 120; −42.9%), Rwampara (258 to 106; −58.9%) and Nia-Nia (89 to 46; −48.3%).
Nord-Kivu shows the opposite pattern, with broad-based intensification rather than an increase confined to a few hotspots. Cases increased in Katwa (162 to 175; +8.0%), Beni (53 to 111; +109.4%), Butembo (51 to 101; +98.0%) and Musienene (27 to 46; +70.4%), alongside transmission in newly or recently affected health zones. Haut-Uélé declined overall, but this also concealed a marked increase in Pawa, from eight to 38 cases (+375%), while Isiro and Wamba declined.
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Summary
° What is already known about this topic?
§ The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is experiencing its largest and deadliest Ebola disease outbreak, which is also the largest Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus and the second largest Ebola outbreak worldwide.
° What is added by this report?
§ The 2026 Ebola outbreak resulted in 5,458 confirmed cases and 2,606 deaths in DRC in the first 100 days after initial detection, indicating rapid growth. No previous Ebola outbreak caused >800 cases during the first 100 days.
° What are the implications for public health practice?
§ This Ebola outbreak appears to be expanding faster than any previously documented Ebola outbreak, with seven times as many cases 100 days after initial detection than the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the largest outbreak worldwide. Urgent implementation of public health interventions to identify cases, trace contacts, and limit transmission are needed to bring the outbreak under control.
Abstract
The first 100 days after identification of an outbreak are important to understanding transmission dynamics, impact of early public health interventions, and trajectory of potential future cases and deaths. A large Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has become the country’s largest and deadliest, is ongoing. To better understand the current outbreak, this report compared metrics from the first 100 days of this outbreak with those of four past Ebola outbreaks. The historic outbreaks of Ebola disease selected for this comparison include the two largest (the 2014 outbreak in West Africa and a 2018 outbreak in DRC), and the only two previous outbreaks caused by Bundibugyo virus (the 2007 outbreak in Uganda and the 2012 outbreak in DRC). This activity was reviewed by CDC, deemed not research, and conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.*
Source:
Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7537e1
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Abstract
Geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe underscore the urgency of addressing the climatic and radiological consequences of a regional nuclear conflict. Using an Earth System Model, we simulate a hypothetical nuclear conflict at the Ukraine-Russia border that releases 5 Teragram (Tg; 5 million tons) of black carbon (BC), the dominant driver of the post-detonation climate response, into the stratosphere. We adopt the 5 Tg BC post-detonation emission scenario because it is a widely modelled scenario for a “limited” regional nuclear conflict (typically India–Pakistan), enabling a direct comparison with prior studies. The extended stratospheric lifetime of BC induces hemispheric climate disruption: the Northern Hemisphere cools by ~1 °C in year-1, with anomalies of −5 °C in Russia and −4 °C in the United States; surface solar radiation declines by ~30 W m−2 over the US; and precipitation decreases by ~40% across mid-latitude croplands. Stratospheric warming alters subtropical and polar jets, displacing the Intertropical Convergence Zone ~2–6° southward, delaying climate recovery by ~6 years. Long-lived radionuclides transported with BC disperse globally, with ~40% depositing in the Southern Hemisphere. These findings underscore the importance of nuclear-risk reduction and provide a robust benchmark for food-security and humanitarian-impact assessments.
Source:
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44407-026-00064-7
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
Abstract
Andes hantavirus (ANDV) is a rodent-borne orthohantavirus associated with hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in southern South America. Its maintenance and spillover risk depend on the ecology of its principal reservoir, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, and on environmental changes that alter habitat availability, host abundance, and human–rodent interfaces. We developed a mechanistic eco-epidemiological model that couples effective habitat cover to an SIR framework for ANDV transmission in O. longicaudatus. Habitat degradation and compensatory restoration modify rodent carrying capacity, natality, and the force of infection, which depends on infected host load relative to instantaneous ecological capacity. We derived the habitat equilibrium, the basic reproduction number ℛ0, and the time-dependent effective reproduction number ℛ𝑒(𝑡) and evaluated infection-burden and threshold indicators across degradation-restoration scenarios. The analysis shows that ℛ0 is independent of equilibrium habitat cover because susceptible abundance scales with carrying capacity at the disease-free equilibrium. In contrast, ℛ𝑒(𝑡), cumulative incidence, and infected load depend on transient habitat-mediated crowding. Restoration increases reservoir abundance and absolute infection burden, whereas degradation can reduce abundance while increasing crowding-driven transmission pressure and prolonging supercritical windows. These results identify ecological conditions under which habitat change may intensify reservoir infection pressure and guide One Health surveillance at human–rodent interfaces.
Source:
Link: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/18/9/1024
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Excerpt}
(...)
Avian influenza A(H9N2):
° Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region:
§ A two-year-old boy with onset on August 23, 2026.
(...)
Source:
Link: https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/2026_avian_influenza_report_vol22_wk37.pdf
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
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{Lowland white-eye. By Gideon Ferrer - Facebook and donated by Owners, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=152574672}
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A wild Yellow-vented bulbul and a wild Lowland white-eye birds in the Pangasinan Region.
Source:
Link: https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7837
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I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
{Excerpts}
(...)
The CDC pointed out that the domestic influenza epidemic is rising and in its epidemic season.
In the 36th week (September 6th-12th), there were 136,796 outpatient and emergency room visits for influenza-like illnesses, an increase of 16.5% compared to the previous week.
Additionally, last week (September 8th-14th), there were 92 new cases of severe influenza complications (79 H1N1, 5 H3N2, and 8 untyped A cases) and 21 deaths (18 H1N1, 2 H3N2, and 1 untyped A case).
Laboratory monitoring data shows that the influenza virus currently circulating in the community is mainly type A, with type A H1N1 accounting for 82.2%.
This flu season has seen a cumulative total of 1,421 severe cases (800 H1N1, 503 H3N2, 28 untyped type A, and 90 type B) and 274 deaths (149 H1N1, 104 H3N2, 9 untyped type A, and 12 type B).
The majority of severe cases are among those aged 65 and above (65.0%) and those with a history of chronic diseases (82.7%). 68.3% of those affected have not received the flu vaccine this season.
According to data from the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the COVID-19 epidemic in Taiwan is declining, but it is still in its epidemic period.
In week 36 (September 6-12), there were 17,847 outpatient and emergency room visits related to COVID-19, a 13.3% decrease compared to the previous week (August 30-September 5).
Last week (September 8-14), there were 53 new severe cases and 18 local deaths.
Since October 2025, there have been a cumulative total of 675 locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 complicated by severe illness, of which 124 have died.
Severe cases are predominantly among those aged 65 and above (73.3%) and those with a history of chronic diseases (82.8%). 83.6% of these cases have not received the COVID-19 vaccine this season.
In the past four weeks, the most prevalent local variants have been NB.1.8.1 and PQ.16.1.1.
I am an Italian blogger, active since 2005 with main focus on emerging infectious diseases such as avian influenza, SARS, antibiotics resistance, and many other global Health issues. Other fields of interest are: climate change, global warming, geological and biological sciences. My activity consists mainly in collection and analysis of news, public services updates, confronting sources and making decision about what are the 'signals' of an impending crisis (an outbreak, for example). When a signal is detected, I follow traces during the entire course of an event. I started in 2005 my blog ''A TIME'S MEMORY'', now with more than 40,000 posts and 3 millions of web interactions. Subsequently I added an Italian Language blog, then discontinued because of very low traffic and interest. I contributed for seven years to a public forum (FluTrackers.com) in the midst of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014, I left the site to continue alone my data tracking job.
