We inform you about the latest infectious disease outbreaks from overseas. Read the new articles.
Information as of May 16, 2025
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus|12 May 2025|Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Among these cases, a cluster of seven was identified in Riyadh, including six health and care workers who acquired a nosocomial infection from one single infected patient they had cared for. Of the six health and care workers, four remained asymptomatic, while two developed mild, nonspecific symptoms including myalgia, fatigue, nausea and vomiting (Table 1). Laboratory confirmation of the cases was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) between 1 March 2025 and 16 April 2025. Of the cases, only one had indirect contact with camels and is not a part of the reported cluster. The rest of the patients had no known history of contact with camels or camel products.
Chikungunya|12 May 2025|La Réunion and Mayotte
In August 2024, the regional health authority (Agence régionale de santé, ARS) of La Réunion, France, reported three locally transmitted chikungunya cases. Cumulatively, from the start of the outbreak in August 2024 through 4 May 2025, over 47 500 confirmed cases of chikungunya and more than 170 000 consultations for suspected chikungunya have been reported on the island. The surge in cases was observed from early 2025 with weekly case counts increasing from 30 at the end of 2024 to 4000 during the week of 10-16 March 2025 (epidemiological week 11), indicating more than a 100-fold increase.
Measles|13 May 2025|Morocco
From 1 October 2023 through 13 April 2025, more than 25 000 suspected measles cases were reported from all 12 regions, 13 706 of which were laboratory-confirmed cases and 184 people died.
Source:https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON568
Epidemiological Update Avian Influenza A(H5N1) in the Americas Region – 15 May 2025|15 May 2025 |Pan American Health Organization
In 2020, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 of clade 2.3.4.4b caused an unprecedented number of deaths in wild birds and poultry in numerous countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. In 2021, this virus spread through major waterfowl flyways to North America and, in 2022, to Central and South America. By 2023, outbreaks in animals were reported from 14 countries and territories, mainly in the Americas.