ETIDIOH - NEW

  Situation at a glance In 2025, a resurgence of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) disease was noted in a number of countries , including some that had not reported substantial case numbers in recent years.  Between 1 January and 30 September 2025, a total of 445 271 suspected and confirmed CHIKV disease cases and 155 deaths were reported globally from 40 countries , including autochthonous and travel imported cases.  Some WHO Regions are experiencing significant increases in case numbers compared to 2024, although others are currently reporting lower case numbers.  This uneven distribution of cases across regions makes it challenging to characterize the situation as a global rise, however, given the ongoing outbreaks reported globally in 2025, the potential for further spread remains significant .  CHIKV disease can be introduced into new areas by infected travelers and local transmission may be established if there is the presence of Aedes mosquito and a susceptible p...

  Date of issue : 30 September 2025 Data as reported by : 28 September 2025 {Summary} The Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues, with signs of a notable decline in transmission .  Since our last update (Situation Report #2), a total of seven new cases have been reported, comprising six confirmed and one probable cases (retrospectively validated).  The new cases were detected across three health areas within Bulape Health Zone , namely, Bulape (n=4), Mpianga (n=2), and Dikolo (n=1).  During the same reporting period , seven deaths occurred among newly identified and previously hospitalized cases. The reported deaths were distributed across Dikolo (n=3), Bulape (n=2), Mpianga (n=1), and Bulape Communitaire (n=1) health areas. As of 28 September 2025, a total of 64 cases (53 confirmed and 11 probable), including 42 deaths (31 confirmed, 11 probable), have been reported from Bulape Health Zone, Kasai Province , Democratic Republic...

  Summary Background Cancer is a leading cause of death globally. Accurate cancer burden information is crucial for policy planning , but many countries do not have up-to-date cancer surveillance data. To inform global cancer-control efforts, we used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2023 framework to generate and analyse estimates of cancer burden for 47 cancer types or groupings by age, sex, and 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023, cancer burden attributable to selected risk factors from 1990 to 2023, and forecasted cancer burden up to 2050. Methods Cancer estimation in GBD 2023 used data from population-based cancer registration systems , vital registration systems, and verbal autopsies. Cancer mortality was estimated using ensemble models , with incidence informed by mortality estimates and mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs). Prevalence estimates were generated from modelled survival estimates, then multiplied by disability weig...

  The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that there is currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and use of acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) during pregnancy.  Globally, nearly 62 million people (1 in 127) have autism spectrum disorder , a diverse group of conditions related to development of the brain . Although awareness and diagnosis have improved in recent years, the exact causes of autism have not been established , and it is understood there are multiple factors that can be involved.   Extensive research has been undertaken over the past decade, including large-scale studies, looking into links between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism . At this time, no consistent association has been established.  WHO recommends that all women continue to follow advice of their doctors or health workers, who can help assess individual circumstances and recommend necessary medicines. Any medicine sh...

  New human cases {1,2}:  -- From 2 July to 25 August 2025 , based on reporting date, the detection of influenza A( H5N1 ) in five humans and influenza A(H9N2) in two humans were reported officially.   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}  Risk assessment {5}:  - Sustained human to human transmission has not been reported from these events.  - Based on information available at the time of this risk assessment update , the overall public health risk from currently known influenza A viruses detected at the human-animal interface has not changed and remains low .  - The occurrence of sus...

  Overview Starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at the highest levels ever since the conflict began almost two years ago .  Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health , and humanitarian aid has cost many lives. Malnutrition is on a dangerous trajectory in the Gaza Strip , marked by a spike in deaths in July.  As of 5 September 2025, 361 Palestinians have died due to malnutrition , including 130 children .  As of 15 August 2025, Famine (IPC Phase 5)—with reasonable evidence—is confirmed in Gaza Governorate .  After 22 months of relentless conflict , over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death.  Another 1.07 million people (54%) are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), and 396 000 people (20%) are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). More broadly, since 7 October 2023 , as reported by Ministry of Health (MoH), the number of casualties include 63 746 fatalities and 161 245 inju...

  Situation at a glance On 1 September 2025, WHO received an alert from the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) regarding suspected cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Bulape Health Zone, Kasai Province, DRC .  The first known index case was a pregnant woman who presented at Bulape General Reference Hospital on 20 August 2025 with symptoms of high fever, bloody diarrhoea, haemorrhage and extreme weakness . She died on 25 August from multiple organ failure .  On 4 September 2025 , following confirmatory laboratory testing, the Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of EVD .  Ebola virus disease is a serious , often fatal illness in humans. The virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood or secretions of infected wildlife and then spreads through human-to-human transmission .  As of 4 September 2025, 28 suspected cases, including 15 deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR): 54%), have been reported from three ar...

  {Summary} Situation at a glance The global cholera situation continues to deteriorate , driven by conflict and poverty, posing a significant public health challenge across multiple WHO regions.  Between 1 January and 17 August 2025, a total of 409 222 cholera/Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) cases and 4738 deaths were reported globally, from 31 countries , with six of the 31 countries reporting case fatality rates above 1%, indicating serious gaps in case management and delayed access to care.  Cholera is resurging in a number of countries , including some that had not reported substantial case numbers in years, like Chad and the Republic of Congo , while other countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo , South Sudan , and Sudan , are experiencing outbreaks that are continuing from 2024, with significant geographic expansion. This complicates containment efforts and strains fragile health systems.  Conflict, mass displacement, disasters from natural hazard...

  More than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation, destitution and preventable deaths, according to a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released today .  Famine conditions are projected to spread from Gaza Governorate to Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis Governorates in the coming weeks . The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNICEF, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have collectively and consistently highlighted the extreme urgency for an immediate and full-scale humanitarian response given the escalating hunger-related deaths, rapidly worsening levels of acute malnutrition and plummeting levels of food consumption, with hundreds of thousands of people going days without anything to eat. The agencies reinforced that famine must be stopped at all costs . An immediate ceasefire and end to the conflict is critical to allow uni...

Abstract The study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer diagnosis, tumor characteristics, and staging in an Eastern-European country . This retrospective study included 11,635 breast cancer patients and clients presenting between March 2019 and March 2022. Patients were categorized into pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic groups . Data included age, sex, pathology, tumor characteristics (histologic type, grade, ER/PR/HER2 status), and TNM staging . Statistical analysis compared these parameters across the three-time intervals. During the pandemic, breast cancer diagnosis decreased significantly compared to the pre-pandemic period (9.1% vs. 13.17%, p < 0.001) but increased post-pandemic (11%, p = 0.013). Invasive ductal carcinoma of non-special type (IDC-NST) was predominant in all three-time periods. Aggressive tumors (Nottingham grade 3, ER negative) increased during the pandemic and post-pandemic times . Molecular subtypes showed variations ac...

  Key points   -- At the present time , based on available information, FAO-WHO-WOAH assess the global public health risk of influenza A(H5) viruses to be low , while the risk of infection for occupationally or frequently exposed (e.g., with backyard poultry) persons is low to moderate depending on the risk mitigation and hygiene measures in place and the local avian influenza epidemiological situation.  -- Transmission between animals continues to occur and, to date, a growing yet still limited number of human infections are being reported. Although additional human infections associated with exposure to infected animals or contaminated environments are expected to occur, the overall public health impact of such infections at a global level , at the present time, is considered minor . The assessment could change if and when additional epidemiological or virological information becomes available.  -- This risk assessment from FAO, WHO and WOAH updates the assessment ...