ETIDIOH - NEW

{Summary} Situation at a glance Since January 2025, Angola has been experiencing a substantial cholera outbreak . As of 23 March 2025, a total of 8543 cases and 329 deaths (Case Fatality Rate (CFR) 3.9% ) have been reported, with one-third of the deaths occurring in the community. The outbreak has rapidly spread to 16 out of Angola’s 21 provinces , affecting individuals of all age groups , with the highest burden among those under 20 years old . The Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and partners, is managing the cholera outbreak response through case detection, deployment of rapid response teams, community engagement and a vaccination campaign. Given the rapidly evolving outbreak, ongoing rainy season, and cross-border movement with neighbouring countries, WHO assesses the risk of further transmission in Angola and surrounding areas as very high. (...) Source: World Health Organization,  https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON562 ____

February 2025  The development of influenza candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs),  coordinated by WHO, remains an essential component of the overall global  strategy for influenza pandemic preparedness . Selection and development of  CVVs are the first steps towards timely vaccine production and do not imply a  recommendation for initiating manufacture. National authorities may consider the  use of 1 or more of these CVVs for pilot lot vaccine production, clinical trials and  other pandemic preparedness purposes based on their assessment of public health  risk and need. Zoonotic influenza viruses continue to be identified  and evolve both antigenically and genetically, leading to the need for additional  CVVs for pandemic preparedness purposes. Changes in the antigenic and genetic  characteristics of these viruses relative to existing CVVs and their potential risks  to public health justify the need to develop new CVVs. This docume...

{Excerpt} Time Period: March 16 - March 22, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  5 sites ( 1.2% ) -- No Detection :  401 sites ( 98.8% ) -- No samples in last week :  211 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html ____

{England} Small ~53 chicken backyard flock, commercial premises (egg sold). Increased mortality and other clinical signs for HPAI were reported. Samples taken tested positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6373 ____

Backyard and farm-reared poultry in Andhra Pradesh State. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6344 ____

Situation at a glance On 11 March 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) received a report from the International Health Regulation (2005) (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) of the United States of America (United States) on the ongoing measles outbreak in the country , notified under IHR because it is an unusual event with potential significant public health impact , with the number of cases and deaths in 2025 exceeding the numbers in previous years. Additionally, cases linked to the outbreak in the State of Texas, United States, have been reported in Mexico . Measles is a highly contagious, airborne viral disease that can lead to severe complications and death. From 1 January to 20 March 2025, 17 States have reported a total of 378 cases of measles , including two deaths - the first deaths related to measles in the United States in a decade. The majority of cases are in children who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status, and the overall hospitalization rate is 17%. In ...

A mink farm in Lombardy Region. The minks were controlled in the framework of a national surveillance plan. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6367?reportId=173318&fromPage=event-dashboard-url ____

 A poultry farm in Khulna Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6351 ____

A poultry farm in Maritime Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6361 ____

Sheep, March 2025 One domestic sheep (Ovis aries) tested positive for influenza of avian origin (H5N1) in March 2025 . The case was identified following routine surveillance of farmed livestock on a premises in Yorkshire where highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) had been confirmed in other captive birds . The single animal was a ewe with signs of mastitis but no other clinical signs . The milk was positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the blood tested positive for H5 antibodies.   All affected birds and the infected ewe were humanely culled to mitigate the risk of further disease spread. Further official testing of the remaining flock of sheep were all negative for the presence of avian influenza virus. Source: DEFRA,  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bird-flu-avian-influenza-findings-in-captive-mammals/confirmed-findings-of-influenza-of-avian-origin-in-captive-mammals ____

{Excerpt} Time Period: March 09 - March 15, 2025 -- H5 Detection :  12 sites ( 2.7% ) -- No Detection :  431 sites ( 97.3% ) -- No samples in last week :  177 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html ____

{Highland Scotland} Flock of 23 chickens and 4 goose. Increased mortality reported. Samples taken were found positive for HPAI H5N1. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6357 ____

On 12th September 2024, a dead Tristan (Brown) Skua (Stercorarius antarcticus hamiltoni) was found at the Gough Island helipad. The following day, a live skua was observed showing suspicious signs of HPAI , including head drooping, lethargy and weakness , and was later reported dead. Between the 12th and 15th September, a total of four skuas were found dead from suspicious causes. Three carcasses were swabbed on the 20th of September and all were confirmed POSITIVE for H5N1 HPAIV by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Weybridge laboratory) in the UK on the 24th of October 2024. On the day of sampling, the fourth carcass could not be found and was probably taken away by a scavenging skua. Since then, no further signs of HPAI among skuas or in other seabirds breeding on Gough Island, have been observed. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6354 ____

{Excerpts} Recent updates Laboratory CDC completed serology testing on blood specimens from close contacts of a child with mild illness in San Francisco who was confirmed to be positive for avian influenza A(H5N1) virus, though, there were no known animal exposures associated with that case.  -- Serology testing was conducted to look for antibodies to influenza A(H5N1) virus in this child, which would indicate recent infection.  -- The child's blood was tested and found to have antibodies to avian influenza A(H5N1) virus.  -- None of the close contacts of the case in San Francisco who were tested had antibodies to avian influenza A(H5N1) virus, which supports the conclusion that none of these close contacts were infected , and that no person-to-person spread occurred among these close contacts.  -- These findings are reassuring. To date, human-to-human transmission of influenza A(H5) virus has not been identified in the United States. CDC has sequenced the virus from...

A poultry farm in Telangana Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6323 ____

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) is hereby transmitting the report of the third meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee (Committee) regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024, held on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CET . Concurring with the advice unanimously expressed by the Committee during the meeting, the WHO Director-General determined that the upsurge of mpox 2024 continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and, accordingly, on 27 February 2025, issued temporary recommendations to States Parties. The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee. Proceedings of the meeting Sixteen (16) Members of, and two Advisors to, the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee (Committee) were convened by teleconference, via Zoom, on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CET...

 A poultry farm in Centre Region. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6338 ____

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H7N9 of North American wild bird lineage was detected in a commercial broiler breeder chicken flock in Mississippi . Depopulation of the affected flock is in progress. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in conjunction with State Animal Health and Wildlife Officials, are conducting a comprehensive epidemiological investigation and enhanced surveillance in response to the detection. A commercial broiler breeder premises {in Mississippi}. Clinical signs included increased mortality. Depopulation was completed 13 Mar 2025. Source: WOAH,  https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6340 ____

  Time Period: March 02 - March 08, 2025 - H5 Detection :  29 sites ( 6.2% ) - No Detection :  438 sites ( 93.8% ) - No samples in last week :  152 sites (...) Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html ____