Two days ago, amid intensified bombardment in Rafah, a World Health Organization (WHO) staff member's home was destroyed due to an airstrike in its vicinity; he was injured, along with his spouse and one child. His 7 year old niece was killed.

We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and loss. Other

When asked about World Health Organization (WHO) team in #Gaziantep , resilience & adaptability immediately come to mind. Deeply impressed by their earthquake response, despite being directly affected. The well-deserved DG award was no surprise. I was glad to speak with our heroes - I am proud of you all!

The conflict in Gaza is at another critical juncture.
 
The decisions that are made today and their consequences in human suffering will be remembered by the generation that follows us.

Let us be ready for their reproaches.

🔴 Statement on Ukraine from the OPCW Spokesperson

The Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been monitoring the situation on the territory of Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022 in relation to allegations of use of

6 months after the influx of refugees from the Karabakh region, WHO, through WHO Armenia & WHO/Europe, has been working w/ national & international health partners to meet the acute and longer-term health needs of 115,000+ #refugees .

🔗Read the story: bit.ly/4dkW9ro

As negotiations are once again underway, I strongly encourage the government of Israel & the Hamas leadership to reach an agreement.

For the sake of the people of Gaza.
For the sake of the hostages & their families.
For the sake of the region & the wider world.

While we know more about #LongCovid now, it remains a puzzle.

A new WHO/Europe report examines different approaches taken in 🇮🇱 🇮🇹🇬🇧 & 🇪🇸 (Aragon/Catalonia regions) to identify, diagnose and manage patients with often disabling post-COVID conditions.

bit.ly/3TQKsPW

My colleagues and I have just posted a
'Note about availability of #H5N1 2.3.4.4b consensus sequences from cattle and other species' Virological Posts.

Consensus genomes and metadata.

virological.org/t/note-about-a…

Interesting tidbits from a press conf today on #H5N1 #birdflu by US agencies
—NIAID-funded researchers found commercial milk that was PCR-pos for H5, but could not grow live virus from it. (Good)
—USDA & CDC admitted some farmers won't let them test.
statnews.com/2024/04/24/h5n…

WHO publishes a global technical consultation report introducing updated terminology for pathogens that transmit through the air.

This report is the result of an extensive, multi-year collaborative effort and reflects shared agreement on terminology between WHO, experts and four

Footage of interior of Gaza's largest hospital Al Shifa released by WHO.

WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus said that the hospital had been reduced to ashes, leaving it an 'empty shell with human graves'.

trib.al/1nrrK5T

Al-Shifa hospital in #Gaza this morning, following the end of the latest Israeli siege.

I repeat: hospitals must be respected and protected; they must not be used as battlefields.

The worst news.

In June 2018, we followed the Euphrates down through Deir Ezzor investigating an E. coli outbreak. We found villages along the river had little access to clean water.

WASH is life saving. Emad undoubtedly kept people from disease.

ERVISS update:
🔵Most (55%) of countries report baseline flu/acute respiratory virus activity levels
🔵Flu, SARS CoV-2 & RSV activity declining. SARS CoV-2 activity stable, at relatively low levels
🔵Hospitalizations for flu, RSV & SARS CoV-2 have declined substantially
ECDC

Today's attacks on infrastructure have left many in Ukraine without basic necessities like electricity, heating and water. Despite, the entire team at the Center for Disease Control in #Zaporizhzhya remained at work. Thanks to a generator, they were able to continue their duties.

Famine is imminent in Gaza.

The international community should hang its head in shame for failing to stop it.

What’s new from erviss.org?
🔵67% of reporting countries have elevated flu/acute respiratory virus activity levels.
🔵Influenza activity elevated but flu, SARS CoV-2 & RSV activity declining.
🔵Hospitalizations for flu, RSV & SARS CoV-2 continue to decline.

ECDC

The first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize, the first individual to be awarded two Nobel Prizes and still today the only individual with two Nobel Prizes in two different scientific categories: Marie Skłodowska Curie.

Learn more: nobelprize.org/prizes/chemist…

🆕Disease Outbreak News: 5 countries in the WHO/Europe region have reported increased cases of psittacosis, mostly associated with contact with wild or domestic birds. Bird-owners & clinicians should lower bar of suspicion as disease can be severe.

👉who.int/emergencies/di…

What’s the latest from erviss.org?

Of reporting countries, 70% have elevated flu activity levels. These levels are generally decreasing

SARS CoV-2 & RSV activity is declining

Hospitalizations for flu remain elevated but are going down for RSV & SARS CoV-2 ECDC