ETIDIOH - NEW

{Excerpt} Diphtheria is a major public health problem in the WHO African Region despite substantial efforts on immunization activities over the past three decades .  Between 2000 and 2024, 75 789 suspected diphtheria cases were reported in the Region, with the majority reported from 2023 to 2024, when Algeria, Chad, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Niger , and South Africa reported a resurgence of diphtheria outbreaks with approximately 57 000 suspected cases and 2 000 deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR) of 3.5%) recorded.  The countries most affected were Guinea, Nigeria and Niger .  Most cases reported were in children under fifteen years and female .  Over 50% of suspected cases were non-vaccinated or with unknown vaccination status.  In 2025, as of 19 October 2025, over 17 000 suspected diphtheria cases and about 900 deaths with an average CFR of 5.1% have been reported across eight Member States in the African Region; Algeria, Chad, Guinea, Mali, Mau...

  {Excerpt} Novel Influenza A Virus Infections Two confirmed human infections with novel influenza A viruses were reported to CDC this week .  One infection with an influenza A(H5N5) virus was reported by the Washington State Department of Health and one infection with an influenza A(H1N2) variant (A(H1N2)v) virus was reported by the Vermont Department of Health. One infection with an influenza A(H5N5) virus was reported by the Washington State Department of Public Health .  -- The case occurred in an individual aged ≥18 years .  -- This individual developed symptoms during the week ending October 25 , 2025 (Week 43) and was hospitalized with their illness during the week ending November 8, 2025 (Week 45).  -- Respiratory specimens collected at the healthcare facility tested positive for influenza A and were presumptive positive for influenza A(H5) at the University of Washington.  -- The specimens were sent to the Washington State Public Health Laboratory ...

  {Excerpts} Situation at a glance On 12 November 2025, WHO noted a press release from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH), and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), announcing suspected viral hemorrhagic viral fever (VHF) in Jinka town, South Ethiopia Regional State, Ethiopia.  On 14 November 2025 , the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia confirmed that the cases previously reported as suspected VHF were Marburg virus disease (MVD).  Molecular testing conducted by the National Reference Laboratory at EPHI identified Marburg virus (MARV) in patient samples.  As of 20 November 2025, 33 laboratory tests have been conducted, of which six confirmed cases , including three deaths , have been reported.  Of the six confirmed cases, three are currently alive and on treatment.  In addition to the lab-confirmed cases , a further three epidemiologically linked cases could not be tested; all three are deceased and recorded as probable cases.  A total of 206 ...

  {Summary} Time Period: November 09, 2025 - November 15, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  1 site(s) ( 0.3% ) -- No Detection :  382 site(s) ( 99.7% ) -- No samples in last week :  75 site(s) (...) Source:  Link:  https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/wwd-h5.html ____

Wild Species (unspecified) in Xinjiang Uygur Region. Source:  Link:  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6978 ____

  Summary Background Two large-scale trials comparing high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV) versus standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (SD-IIV) against hospitalisation outcomes have been conducted in Denmark and Spain . We aimed to analyse the pooled data from these trials to enhance generalisability and assess the relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) of HD-IIV versus SD-IIV against severe clinical outcomes in older adults. Methods FLUNITY-HD was a prespecified, individual-level pooled analysis of two methodologically harmonised pragmatic, individually randomised trials comparing HD-IIV with SD-IIV in older adults. DANFLU-2 included adults aged 65 years or older and GALFLU included community-dwelling adults aged 65–79 years. DANFLU-2 was conducted during the 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25 influenza seasons in Denmark, whereas GALFLU was conducted during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons in Galicia, Spain. In both trials, participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to ...