Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Philanthropic support helps drive progress across WHO's key health priorities and services

Philanthropic support plays a vital role in enabling countries to build stronger health systems and advance towards health equity.

28 May 2025

Sodium intake varies across racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.

Almost all adults in the U.S. consume more sodium (salt) than recommended, yet the sources and use of sodium vary among people of different races and ethnicities, indicating the need for culturally customized advice about sodium intake, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

28 May 2025

Researchers develop bioactive peptide with therapeutic and regenerative potential

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, global interest in antiviral therapies has increased significantly. Recently, with the growing attention to peptide-based drugs such as Wegovy, demand for effective peptide therapeutics derived from natural substances is rapidly rising.

28 May 2025

PAHO highlights surge in yellow fever cases across the Americas in 2025

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued a new Rapid Risk Assessment (RRA) on yellow fever in the Americas which shows that the risk to public health remains high due to continued human cases in endemic countries of the Region.

27 May 2025

Genomic analysis reveals how bird flu jumped from wild birds to poultry and people

Researchers identified a novel genotype (D1.1) of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 spreading among wild birds, poultry, and a human in British Columbia, Canada, during fall 2024. Genomic analysis reveals the virus arose from reassortment between Eurasian and North American strains, with implications for surveillance and control.

27 May 2025

Pediatric mental health emergency visits often result in long waits for care

Approximately one in three pediatric mental health Emergency Department (ED) visits resulting in admission or transfer exceeded 12 hours, and over one in eight exceeded 24 hours, according to estimates based on nationally representative data from 2018 to 2022.

27 May 2025

Prior COVID-19 vaccination provides strong protection against emerging variants

Prior COVID-19 vaccination did not stop the immune system from mounting a protective response to the Delta and Omicron strains, though new mutation-specific antibody production dipped slightly, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences and published in Nature Immunology.

27 May 2025

Mental health among U.S. mothers declines sharply between 2016 and 2023

A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals a concerning decline in self-reported mental health among mothers in the United States between 2016 and 2023.

27 May 2025

Healthcare utilization among the elderly remained stable in Japan despite pandemic challenges

Public healthcare emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can drastically disrupt healthcare systems with long-term repercussions.

27 May 2025

Federal cuts ripple through a bioscience hub in rural Montana

Scientists are often careful to take off their work badges when they leave the campus of one of the nation's top research facilities, here in southwestern Montana's Bitterroot Valley.

27 May 2025

Experts explain how H5 avian influenza adapts to infect more animals

The Gs/Gd lineage of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza viruses—including H5N1—has rapidly evolved, spreading globally and infecting a growing range of birds, mammals, and occasionally humans. This review highlights the expanding risks, the challenges of cross-species transmission, and urgent needs for surveillance, vaccination, and a unified One Health response.

25 May 2025

Wayne State research team tracks effects of bullying from high school to college

With funding from the Spencer Foundation, a private foundation focused on funding education studies, a Wayne State University research team is examining the long-term effects of bullying and mental health on social and academic progress in adolescents.

23 May 2025

Study reveals continuing and worrying trend in excess US deaths

There were over 1.5 million "missing Americans" in 2022 and 2023, deaths that would have been averted if US mortality rates matched those of peer countries.

23 May 2025

UK surveillance identifies traces of West Nile virus in mosquitoes

Fragments of West Nile Virus have been identified in mosquitoes collected in the UK for the first time, according to a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) monitoring programme designed to understand the emergence and transmission of vector-borne disease in the UK.

23 May 2025

Trump’s team cited safety in limiting covid shots. patients, health advocates see more risk.

Larry Saltzman has blood cancer. He's also a retired doctor, so he knows getting covid-19 could be dangerous for him — his underlying illness puts him at high risk of serious complications and death.

23 May 2025

FOXP4 gene variants reveal new genetic link to long COVID risk

Researchers have identified genetic variants in the FOXP4 gene that significantly increase the risk of developing long COVID, independently of COVID-19 severity. The study also reveals that ancestry, smoking, and other factors contribute to the complex genetics of long COVID.

23 May 2025