In September 2024, 193 delegations gathered during the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to withstand the effects of treatments, such as antibiotics. This makes common infections more difficult to treat, potentially reversing decades of medical advancements. The UN emphasized that without immediate action, AMR could cause millions of additional deaths each year, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. The high-level meeting on AMR called for coordinated global efforts to reduce the projected 10 million annual deaths by 2050 due to drug-resistant infections.
Continue reading “The Growing Global Threat of Antibiotic Resistance”Samantha Whitegeese’s Case Study on 1993 Four Corners Hantavirus Outbreak
In 1993, the Southwestern region of the Four Corners, where the borders of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah meet, had nearly 30 cases of acute hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and 16 deaths from Sin Nombre Virus (SNV), caused by deer mice. As the region overlaps with the Navajo Nation, the Navajo people faced public shame for the rise in the disease, and were blamed for its consequences.
Continue reading “Samantha Whitegeese’s Case Study on 1993 Four Corners Hantavirus Outbreak”Pandemics Coincide with Climate’s Instability, Research Shows
In the wake of major outbreaks involving diseases such as Dengue, Ebola, and COVID-19, researchers have pointed to the planet’s role in the rise of pandemics. With the threats of climate change more apparent than ever, the relationship has been made abundantly clear.
Continue reading “Pandemics Coincide with Climate’s Instability, Research Shows “Study Highlights Access to Information and the Impact on Behaviors During COVID-19
A recent study published in the Journal of Emergency Management and Disaster Communication studied the impact of access to information regarding emergency behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examined disease knowledge, dynamic news, government measures, and media in the context of how guidelines and information were communicated to the general public. The researchers analyzed preventative behaviors and their correlation with perceived risk among the general public, highlighting the profound effects media, misinformation, and public perception have on adhering to guidelines. The study notes that past research excluded the effects of information access during large-scale health crises, instead focusing on common infectious diseases.
Continue reading “Study Highlights Access to Information and the Impact on Behaviors During COVID-19”Luis Gomez-Escobar’s Case Study on Vector-Borne Disease in Kenya
In 2021 and 2022, Kenya faced multiple outbreaks of vector-borne diseases, including Dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to high rates of infectious disease transmission. The emergence and re-emergence of viral infections in Kenya emphasizes the need to build the capacity of the country’s healthcare system.
Continue reading “Luis Gomez-Escobar’s Case Study on Vector-Borne Disease in Kenya”Felipe Garcia’s Case Study on Mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The World Health Organization declared a mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in the summer of 2024. Over 15,000 cases and 550 deaths were reported in the DRC alone, leading WHO to use the emergency declaration.
Continue reading “Felipe Garcia’s Case Study on Mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo”New WHO Data Shows Surging Global Cholera Deaths
Data recently released by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that more than 4,000 people died from cholera in 2023, representing a 71% increase in reported deaths compared to the prior year. Reported cholera cases rose by 13% during that period, according to the WHO’s global cholera statistics.
Continue reading “New WHO Data Shows Surging Global Cholera Deaths”Manasi Narayan’s Case Study on the Syrian Refugee Crisis
The Syrian refugee crisis has lasted over a decade, forcing the displacement of over 7 million people. In 2011, teenagers were arrested for anti-government graffiti, which led to public demonstrations that grew into a civil war. The refugee crisis that followed has forced millions to flee, killed thousands of children, and has left 70% of the Syrian population in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
Continue reading “Manasi Narayan’s Case Study on the Syrian Refugee Crisis”560,000 Children Vaccinated Against Polio in Gaza
When Gaza reported its first case of polio in a quarter century in late August, there was a swift effort taken by health officials to provide polio vaccines to the region and prevent further spread. The effort was led by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a group of national governments and partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the vaccine alliance. So far, the effort has been successful, with nearly 560,000 children vaccinated.
Continue reading “560,000 Children Vaccinated Against Polio in Gaza”Mosquito-Borne Virus, EEE, Health Raising Concerns in Northeast
There have been growing concerns among health experts about the recent surge in Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) cases in the Northeast, a rare mosquito-borne virus with severe health risks. Health officials have reported infections in New York, Wisconsin, Vermont, and Massachusetts, and one death in New Hampshire, prompting warnings and curfews in certain areas.
Continue reading “Mosquito-Borne Virus, EEE, Health Raising Concerns in Northeast”