NYU GPH Journal of Public Health Disasters
A student-led journal driven by the latest research in public health disaster preparedness and management.
An anthrax outbreak in Kyotera District, Uganda, resulted in 17 fatalities this past November. The outbreak, initially referred to as a “strange disease” by residents, was confirmed by Dr. Edward Muwanga, the Kyotera District Health Officer. The deadly bacteria, Bacillus anthracis, is believed to have infected humans through contact with contaminated animal products or infected animals.
Continue reading “Anthrax Outbreak Claims 17 Lives in Kyotera, Uganda”
AMR is a leading cause in global fatalities from infectious diseases such as malaria and HIV. An international team of researchers studied what is known as “the most comprehensive assessment yet” for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans.
Continue reading “WHO Outlines Global Strategies to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance Threat to Public Health”
The world is currently experiencing a mass shortage of nurses. The U.S. has lost an estimated 100,000 nurses since the pandemic hit in 2020, and this number is expected to rise to approximately 600,000 in the next three years. The same issue faces the United Kingdom and Switzerland, with Switzerland experiencing high drop out rate of 18% to 36% among new nursing students.
Continue reading “Worldwide Shortage of Nurses Declared a Global Health Emergency”
The United Nations Climate Change Conference of 2023, also called COP28, was set up to be a historic acknowledgment of the dangers of climate change by most countries around the globe. Health would finally be at the forefront of discussions, a welcome emphasis after 30 years of discord. This conference proved to have some obvious benefits but also had several failings, particularly related to demanding swift actions against the devastating effects of a hotter planet.
Continue reading “Health Was Finally At The Center of COP28, But More Drastic Action Is Needed”
A Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory was issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to combat against low vaccination rates for influenza, COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). This warning comes as national and international respiratory disease prevalence has increased significantly in recent years in both children and adult populations.
Continue reading “CDC Issues Health Alert for Increasing Immunization Against Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV in 2023-2024”
In 2023, catastrophic natural events––floods, earthquakes, droughts, and storm–– dominated the news. In February, a twin earthquake with magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.5 devastated Turkey near the Syrian border. In September, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Morocco, followed by two 6.3 magnitude earthquakes in Afghanistan in October.
Continue reading “Extreme Natural Disasters in 2023”
NotifyNYC issued the following alert on January 2, 2024, at 11:26AM:
“The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that a 1.7 magnitude earthquake has occurred near Astoria, Queens. The earthquake has reportedly been felt in the New York City area, but there are no reports of injuries or damage in New York City at this time.”
Continue reading “1.7 Magnitude Earthquake Detected Near Astoria, Queens”
One question from the 1918 flu pandemic that intrigued epidemiologists was the shape of its death curve. Most communicable diseases have a U shaped death curve, as the youngest and the oldest members of society have the weakest immune defenses against contagions. However, previous studies found that those who were believed to be young and healthy were equally at risk to pass away from the 1918 flu; as a result, the death curve from the pandemic is shaped like the letter W.
Continue reading “1918 Flu Victim Skeletons Provide New Explanation for the Pandemic’s “W”-Shaped Mortality Curve”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that five countries located in East and Southern Africa are currently experiencing outbreaks of the Anthrax disease, with more than 1,100 cases and 20 deaths reported this year. The majority of cases have originated from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda, and Zambia.
Continue reading “Anthrax Outbreak in Eastern & Southern Africa”
The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which began on April 15, 2023, has worsened the existing humanitarian crisis, resulting in the highest number of internally displaced people globally. Various human rights and humanitarian organizations, including the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), have issued calls to address the disparities in philanthropic response compared to other crises. The situation involves widespread violence, sexual assaults, attacks on civilians, and suppression of journalists and human rights defenders. The UN warns of a deepening humanitarian crisis with escalating hostilities, ethnic violence, rising malnutrition, food insecurity, and mass displacement. Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, grapples with a complex crisis rooted in decades of internal conflict, political instability, extreme weather events, and economic challenges.
Continue reading “Sudan’s Unfolding Humanitarian Crisis: Urgent Calls for Unity and International Aid”