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News Article
Three Ebola vaccines in development amid growing outbreak fears in Africa
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Three new vaccines are being developed to tackle the rare species of Ebola that has already killed nearly 250 people. The International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), which is working on one vaccine, said the outbreak was threatening to be the worst ever. The University of Oxford and the pharma company Moderna are also researching vaccines against the Bundibugyo species. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi), which is providing funding to each group, said "every day counts". There are now more than 1,000 suspected cases in the DR Congo with nine confirmed cases in neighbouring Uganda. There is growing concern this outbreak – which was detected only after it had spread in a conflict zone with limited healthcare resources – could reach the size of the largest ever Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-16. Then, nearly 29,000 people were infected and more than 11,000 died. Dr Mark Feinberg, head of IAVI, said: "I think this is clearly threatening to be as severe an outbreak as that, if not even worse, and development of a vaccine, and other countermeasures, is clearly a priority." It echoes concerns from the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) which said the situation was "deeply alarming" and never before had "so many cases" been recorded so soon. Read full story Source: BBC News, 1 June 2026 -
EventuntilThe Ebola outbreak highlighted significant gaps in monitoring systems for healthcare professionals. Dynamic health information can be challenging to track and respond to effectively, increasing susceptibility to outbreaks of special pathogens. This webinar will describe operational challenges in post-exposure monitoring for Ebola and other special pathogens; explain how digital monitoring tools can strengthen healthcare workers’ safety; identify key design considerations for special pathogen monitoring systems; discuss how Ebola preparedness lessons can be applied to other special pathogens; evaluate how drills and simulations validate readiness; reveal near misses; test escalation pathways; improve coordination between occupational health, infection prevention, supervisors, emergency management, and public health; and recognise the importance of human oversight in digital preparedness systems. Register
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Content ArticleGroup B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of serious bacterial infection in the first few weeks of life and is a major global cause of neonatal meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia. This report examines clinical negligence claims related to early onset GBS disease in neonates. The analysis reviewed 19 closed claims notified between January 2016 and March 2023, of which 11 were settled with damages paid. The total cost of these closed claims was £1,430,894, including claimant legal costs, NHS legal costs and damages. The report makes practical recommendations for maternity and neonatal services, including improved triage systems, robust processes for tracking and communicating test results, and enhanced staff training in recognising signs of sepsis. Did you know? Most babies in this group were symptomatic within the first 24 hours of life. Most babies in this cohort presented as being unwell at the time of birth or with early jaundice or poor feeding. 79% of infants required a prolonged inpatient admission, with the mean stay being 6.6 days and the maximum being 21 days. Across all these claims, this included days on neonatal units (NICUs), paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), postnatal wards and paediatric wards. Only 25% of babies in this group received antibiotics within the nationally recognised 1-hour target. In this group of babies with early onset GBS disease, the proportion of mothers known to be colonised during pregnancy, found to be colonised during or after the delivery, and not known to be carrying GBS at all were almost equal (i.e. around a third in each of these categories). Further reading on the hub Top picks: 7 resources about Group B Strep
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News ArticleAn "alarming" report has linked meningitis to 159 deaths in the UK in one year - as pharmacists warn that childhood vaccination rates are falling. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called for an immunisation catch up service to be rolled out for teenagers who have missed out on being vaccinated against meningitis and other diseases. NPA chair Olivier Picard said declining immunisation rates for illnesses, including meningitis and measles, highlighted that the current strategy was "not fit for purpose" in the face of growing "vaccine hesitancy". It comes after a deadly outbreak of the disease in Kent earlier this month claimed the lives of two students. Mr Picard said: "It's clear there are gaps in the original national vaccination strategy for meningitis and pharmacies want to reach those in need of protection. "The NHS should urgently commission pharmacies to provide a catch-up vaccination service for teenagers who did not receive their MenACWY immunisations, as well as commissioning pharmacies to support NHS colleagues with wider childhood vaccinations." Read full story Source: Sky News, 28 March 2026
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News ArticleA hospital trust did not immediately alert health officials about a case of meningitis in Kent. A patient first presented to East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust on the evening of Wednesday 11 March, a spokesperson said. But the trust waited until Friday 13 March, once a diagnosis had been confirmed, to notify the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which manages an outbreak of such an illness. Dr Des Holden, acting chief executive of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our first patient presented on the evening of Wednesday 11 March. “We recognise there was an opportunity prior to diagnosis being confirmed on Friday 13 March to notify UKHSA". Health secretary Wes Streeting said that there was a 24-hour window in which hospitals were meant to raise a suspected case with the agency, and that staff had instead done so in 26 hours. He told LBC: “The patient came in on the Wednesday unwell. By mid-morning on Thursday, the staff suspected meningitis. Now at that stage, they had 24 hours within which they should have notified the UKHSA. They did so in 26 hours. “While I can reassure people that it appears in this case that that delay did not have a material impact – we have not found evidence of onward transmission to other people through that delay that we would otherwise have traced faster – nonetheless, we have that 24-hour standard for a reason, and I am taking this seriously.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 25 March 2026
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News Article
Health bosses can't confirm meningitis outbreak contained
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Health bosses cannot yet confirm whether a deadly meningitis outbreak has been contained, Kent's director of public health has said. An urgent public health alert was issued urging health workers to look out for signs of infection after 20 suspected cases were investigated by the UK Health Security Agency, including two people who had died. A vaccination programme targeting about 5,000 students began at the University of Kent, following an outbreak thought to have originated at a Canterbury nightclub. When asked whether the outbreak had been contained, Dr Anjan Ghosh, of Kent County Council, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme they were "not in a position yet to say that definitively". He added: "If you see the daily reporting that's going on, there are more and more cases being reported, but these cases all relate more or less to that same period of time when the initial exposure happened. "We are looking at what's called secondary transmission, so that's a case that's then transmitted to another couple of people. We need to rule that out before we can say it's definitely contained." Health chiefs have described the "explosive nature" of the outbreak as unprecedented. Read full story Source: BBC News, 18 March 2026 -
News ArticlePharmacies are running out of stock for the meningitis B vaccine as concern rises and demand soars. The spike comes after the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed it is now investigating 20 cases of meningitis in Kent during an “explosive” outbreak that has left two dead. Boots has implemented a queuing system for customers to enter the vaccination service page of its website, with a warning that demand for its menB jab is currently high. Superdrug has also created a waiting list for the vaccine, with a note on its website informing customers of a “national shortage” and adding “stock is limited”. It said it is “working with suppliers to secure more doses”. The high street pharmacy reported a 65-fold increase in demand compared to last week. Some pharmacies in Kent are also running out of supplies, according to Dr Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of the Independent Pharmacies Association. Read full story Source: The Independent, 18 March 2026
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News ArticleHealth secretary Wes Streeting has described the outbreak of meningitis in Kent as “unprecedented” and warned it is a “rapidly developing situation”. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced a targeted vaccination programme for students living at Canterbury halls of residence at the University of Kent, while 700 doses of antibiotics have been given out. The agency confirmed on Tuesday morning that 15 cases of meningitis have been recorded, an increase of two from Monday, and all those affected were hospitalised. Experts have described the outbreak as “unusual”, with the disease killing an 18-year-old pupil called Juliette and an unnamed 21-year-old university student. Warnings were issued that some pharmacies in the region are running out of the MenB vaccine due to a surge in demand, with some reporting no stock left. Meningitis B has been confirmed as the strain in some cases, with concerns growing in the region after a third school confirmed a case, as well as the university. Read full story Source: The Independent, 17 March 2026
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News Article
School student is second person to die from Kent meningitis outbreak, says MP
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A school pupil has been confirmed as the second person to have died after an outbreak of meningitis in Kent, an MP has said. Over the weekend it was reported that a University of Kent student was one of two people to have died after contracting the disease, while 11 more people were seriously ill in hospital. On Monday, Helen Whately, the MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, said: “The meningitis outbreak in our area is a huge shock. Feeling so deeply sad for the young lives lost – a year 13 pupil at QEGS [Queen Elizabeth’s grammar school] and a uni of Kent student. My heart goes out to their families.” In a post on Facebook, she added: “It’s incredibly worrying too for the families of the young people in hospital, and others at risk. I am asking the NHS urgently for more information and guidance, especially given the rumours going round about where they may have picked it up.” The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it had provided antibiotics to students in the Canterbury area after it detected 13 cases of invasive meningococcal disease; a combination of meningitis and septicaemia. The fast-acting disease is caused by meningococcal bacteria spreading to the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which causes meningitis, and infecting the bloodstream, which causes sepsis. The UKHSA said anyone with meningitis and septicaemia symptoms should seek medical help urgently, and that it could help save lives. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 16 March 2026 -
News ArticleMeasles infections have been confirmed across at least seven schools in north London as the NHS has warned parents to immunise their children. Cases were confirmed across several schools in Enfield and Haringey, according to a warning issued by Evergreen GP Surgery in Edmonton, who said that the infection was spreading. More than 60 measles cases were reported in London since January, and labs have confirmed 34 cases of measles in Enfield since 12 January, with one in five of these children being admitted to hospital with the infection. “There is no treatment for measles, only the vaccination to prevent catching it, which is part of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) injection,” the surgery said on the website. “Parents should ensure that their children are up-to-date with all their immunisations. This can be done by checking the child’s immunisations ‘red book’ or contacting the practice nurse here at the GP practice.” The MMR vaccine has been updated to also protect against chicken pox. The outbreak comes after recent UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures showed that not a single childhood vaccine in England last year met the target needed to ensure diseases cannot spread among youngsters. Read full story Source: The Independent, 15 February 2026
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News ArticlePeople living with obesity are 70% more likely to be hospitalised by or die from an infection, with 1 in 10 infection-related deaths globally linked to the condition, research suggests. Being an unhealthy weight significantly increases the risk of severe illness and death from most infectious diseases, including flu, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections and Covid-19, according to a study of more than 500,000 people. Obesity may already be a factor in as many as 600,000 of 5.4 million deaths (11%) from infectious diseases every year, researchers found. The study’s first author, Dr Solja Nyberg, of the University of Helsinki, said the problem could worsen. “As obesity rates are expected to rise globally, so will the number of deaths and hospitalisations from infectious diseases linked to obesity. “To reduce the risk of severe infections, as well as other health issues linked with obesity, there is an urgent need for policies that help people stay healthy and support weight-loss, such as access to affordable healthy food and opportunities for physical activity.” In the meantime, she added, it was “especially important” for those living with obesity to keep up to date with their vaccinations. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 9 February 2026
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News Article
Why the US measles review matters as experts warn of wider risk
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
International health authorities are set to convene in April to determine if the U.S. has forfeited its measles-free designation, a year after an outbreak first emerged in West Texas. Experts are concerned that the vaccine-preventable virus has re-established a foothold, potentially leading the U.S. to follow Canada in losing this significant public health achievement. The re-evaluation is largely symbolic, contingent on whether a single measles chain has spread uninterrupted within the country for at least 12 months. Public health scientists are currently investigating potential links between the now-concluded Texas outbreak and active cases in Utah, Arizona and South Carolina. However, medical professionals and researchers assert that the U.S. – and North America more broadly – confronts a significant measles challenge, irrespective of the upcoming decision. “It is really a question of semantics,” said Dr. Jonathan Temte, a Wisconsin family physician who helped certify the U.S. was measles-free in 2000. “The bottom line is the conditions are sufficient to allow this many cases to occur. And that gets back to de-emphasizing a safe and effective vaccine.” “The most important thing that we can do is to make sure the people who aren’t vaccinated get vaccinated,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center. “We have not issued a clear enough message about that.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 20 January 2026 -
Content Article
At Patient Safety Learning we believe that sharing insights and learning is vital to improving outcomes and reducing harm. That’s why we created the hub; providing a space for people to come together and share their experiences, resources and good practice examples. To mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which takes place every year in November, we’ve selected 18 resources related to antimicrobial resistance. Shared with us by hub members and patient safety advocates, they provide valuable insights and practical guidance about AMR. 1 Global antibiotic resistance surveillance report 2025 Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat to global health, undermining the effectiveness of life-saving treatments and placing populations at heightened risk, whether from common infections or routine medical interventions. This new World Health Organization (WHO) report presents a global analysis of antibiotic resistance prevalence and trends, drawing on more than 23 million bacteriologically confirmed cases of bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, and urogenital gonorrhoea. 2 Short-term intermittent IV antibiotics – Understanding the issue of under delivery In this blog, Claire Davies, Clinical Therapy Manager at B. Braun Medical Ltd., explores the issue of under delivery and provides essential insights for clinicians to optimise their antibiotic therapy. 3 Tackling antibiotic underdosing: Interview with Ruth Dando, Head of Nursing for Theatres, Critical Care and Anaesthetics at BHRUHT In this video interview, Ruth Dando, Head of Nursing, Theatres, Critical Care and Anaesthetics at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust (BHRUHT) explains why antibiotic underdosing is a risk to patient safety and describes how she has implemented a change in practice to tackle the issue across BHRUHT. 4 Tackling antimicrobial resistance: How to keep antibiotics working for the next century The first WISH report on antimicrobial resistance, 'Antimicrobial Resistance: In search of a collaborative solution', was published in 2013. This report takes stock of what has emerged from the United Nations (UN) General Assembly High-Level Meeting on tackling AMR and makes six recommendations. 5 Silent Pandemic – The global fight against antimicrobial resistance (film) The film Silent Pandemic shows how countries, scientists and private initiatives around the world are networking and forming alliances, and what strategies and measures they are using to counter the advance of antibiotic resistance. 6 Why won’t my doctor give me antibiotics? Ron Daniels explains Ron Daniels, a Consultant in Critical Care, Vice President of the Global Sepsis Alliance and Chief Medical Officer of the United Kingdom Sepsis Trust, explains why doctors have to carefully manage the use of antibiotics in order to protect patients, now and in the future. 7 My involvement with Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship Scheme (CwPAMS) in Zambia In this blog, Fiona Rees, who worked in the NHS as a hospital pharmacist for 13 years, shares her experience of working with colleagues in Zambia to improve the use of antimicrobials by using the expertise of pharmacists to help tackle AMR. 8 Reform - Powering the UK's approach to AMR: the future of AMR policy This report draws on the expert input of a roundtable held by public service think tank Reform in October 2022, to assess progress made against proposals published by Reform in 2020. It recommends actions for NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and public health departments to address the threat of AMR. 9 Antimicrobial resistance survivors: calling the world to action This Lancet article was written by a group of AMR survivors and their caregivers in order to share individual stories and perspectives on the impact of AMR. The authors highlight challenges in raising the profile of AMR, including insufficient funding, research, motivation and knowledge. They also call for meaningful patient engagement in the AMR agenda. 10 WHO: How vaccines can help prevent antibiotic resistance – Zimbabwe’s response to drug resistant outbreaks of typhoid and cholera This case study focuses on large outbreaks of antibiotic resistant strains of both cholera and typhoid in Zimbabwe and the steps taken to tackle them. It looks at a mass typhoid Vi-conjugate vaccine (TCV) vaccination campaign from February to March 2019 in nine suburbs of Harare that were severely affected by the outbreaks. 11 British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy: Antimicrobial stewardship: From principles to practice This e-book provides an extensive overview of the day-to-day challenges posed by AMR, tools for setting up stewardship programmes and guidance on how to make the most of existing programmes. Its resources apply the principles of antimicrobial stewardship to a wide range of professions, populations and clinical/care settings. 12 How antibiotic underdosing affected my mum’s end of life care: An interview with Ashleigh Hughes In this interview, senior sister Ashleigh Hughes shares her personal story about the impact of antibiotic underdosing on her Mum’s end of life care. Antibiotic underdosing is a medication safety issue that has profound implications for the health service as well as individual patients, but there is currently a lack of understanding and recognition of the issue. 13 Strengthening primary health care-oriented health systems to address antimicrobial resistance: policy brief WHO policy brief on antimicrobial resistance with an emphasis on primary care. It is noted that ‘Most patient interactions occur in primary care and in the community, where an estimated 80–90% of antibiotics are prescribed. Effective primary care plays a vital role in improving the management of infectious diseases and in reducing overuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics, thus slowing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and ensuring the continued effectiveness of antimicrobials.’ 14 Reducing hospitalizations and multidrug-resistant organisms via regional decolonisation in hospitals and nursing homes Infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, length of hospitalisation, and health care costs. Regional interventions may be advantageous in mitigating MDROs and associated infections. This study evaluated whether implementation of a decolonisation collaborative is associated with reduced regional MDRO prevalence, incident clinical cultures, infection-related hospitalisations, costs, and deaths. 15 What factors in the workplace enable success in antimicrobial stewardship in paediatric intensive care? Efforts to mitigate AMR prioritise antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions. These interventions typically focus on deficiencies in practice and providing negative or normative feedback. This approach may miss opportunities to learn from success. In this study, the authors aimed to identify factors that enable success in AMS practices in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) by analysing the data obtained from interviews with staff members who had achieved success in AMS. 16 WHO: The case for investment and action in infection prevention and control Infections acquired in health care settings, including those antimicrobial resistant, cause tremendous suffering to patients, families and health workers and pose a high burden on health systems. Most of these infections are preventable with appropriate infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes and practices and basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. This WHO document provides the evidence on the expected return in investment in and guidance for implementing and monitoring the WHO global action plan on IPC at the country level. 17 NHS England: Digital vision for antimicrobial stewardship in England Effectively tackling the challenge of AMR requires a co-ordinated and strategic approach across healthcare settings. Antimicrobial stewardship is an important element of this work. This publication outlines the functionalities that clinical digital systems need to support optimal antimicrobial stewardship in primary and secondary care. 18 Putting patients at the centre of antimicrobial stewardship in Uganda: Why meaningful patient engagement is essential to beating antimicrobial resistance Although antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) has traditionally focused on prescribers, laboratories and health facilities, evidence from Uganda demonstrates a critical reality: a large proportion of antibiotic use occurs at community and household level. Without engaging patients and communities as partners, stewardship efforts remain incomplete and unsustainable. Annet Naguudi, Regina Kamoga and Joshua Wamboga from the Uganda Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (UAPO) argue that strengthening AMS in Uganda requires placing patients at the centre of the response and highlights the strategic positioning of the UAPO to lead this shift in line with national and global priorities. #Share4safety Are you a healthcare professional looking to share your frontline insights to help improve patient safety? Have you developed a resource or tool locally that others could benefit from? Or perhaps you have an experience to share around antimicrobial resistance? Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected] Join our global patient safety community the hub is an award winning platform, bringing together people from around the world who are passionate about patient safety and reducing unsafe care. It's free and easy to join so why not sign up today and join a growing community helping to drive safer care. -
Content ArticleThe Covid-19 pandemic, which rapidly escalated into a global crisis that impacted millions of lives and disrupted economies around the world, was a wake-up call for the management of infectious disease outbreaks. Dr Stella Chungong and Dr Landry Ndriko Mayigane work for the Health Security Preparedness Department in the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme. In this article, they encourage countries to implement early action reviews (EARs) of disease outbreaks. EARs help countries assess their vigilance, planning and responsiveness, and could help countries be better prepared during outbreaks. The guidelines detail three time-based metrics, named 7-1-7, which offer a simple, structured approach to outbreak management: 7 Days to Detect, which measures how quickly the country can detect a suspected disease outbreak, with the aim being detection within 7 days. 1 Day to Notify, which measures the time taken to notify relevant public health authorities and stakeholders, with the aim being notification within 1 day. This goal is not new; it is consistent with the International Health Regulations (2005) that require countries to notify the relevant authorities within 24 hours of detecting a disease outbreak. 7 Days to Respond measures how quickly the country can establish a response to the outbreak, the aim being the instigation of effective response actions within 7 days.
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Content Article
WHO: Global report on infection prevention and control 2024
Mark Hughes posted an article in Infection control
This report highlights the burden of health care-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the related harm to both patients and health workers in care settings. It also presents an updated global situation analysis of the implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes at the national and health care facility levels, including a focus on the WHO regions. Headline points from this report include: On average, out of every 100 patients in acute care hospitals, seven patients in high-income countries (HICs), and 15 patients in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), will acquire at least one HAI during their hospital stay. Almost up to one third (30%) of patients in intensive care can be affected by HAIs, with an incidence that is two to 20 times higher in LMICs than in HICs, in particular among neonates. One in four (23.6%) of all hospital-treated sepsis cases are health care-associated and this increases to almost one half (48.7%) of all cases of sepsis with organ dysfunction treated in adult intensive care units. In 2023–2024, according to the system established to monitor the status of country progress towards the implementation of the AMR global action plan (the Tracking AMR Country Self-assessment Survey), 9% of countries did not yet have an IPC programme or plan. Only 39% of countries had IPC programmes fully implemented nationwide, with some being monitored for their effectiveness. -
Content ArticleThe first WISH report on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was published more than a decade ago. Section 1 of this report reviews progress on recommended actions in the five areas identified by the 2013 report. Section 2 of the report considers opportunities for action in three areas: global citizen engagement, translational science and policy and regulation, illustrated by case studies from around the world. Section 3 of the report takes stock of what has emerged from the United Nations (UN) General Assembly High-Level Meeting on tackling AMR and makes six recommendations. Recommendation 1 International organisations should put into action the 2024 UN AMR high-level meeting recommendation to establish an independent body to advise on the evidence and inform action. This panel will identify gaps in the current evidence on AMR, assess emerging and future risks of AMR, and inform cost-effective options for mitigating AMR, including global targets. Recommendation 2 Countries and international bodies should engage their citizens in tackling AMR, with clear plans to do so by 2028. Recommendation 3 Governments should give more priority to water and sanitation in addressing AMR. This includes increasing investment in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to reduce infections and environmental microbe exposure, and the development of national programs to surveil antibiotic residues, resistance genes and resistant pathogens in the water supply and factory effluent. Recommendation 4 By 2027, high-income countries should commit to only prescribing antibiotics (with a few defined exceptions) when need is confirmed by a diagnostic test. Low- and middle-income countries should achieve this by 2030. Recommendation 5 By 2026, all high-income countries should have introduced pull incentives for the development of new antimicrobials, to deliver on global antibiotic priorities. Recommendation 6 Global health organisations should use the forthcoming centenary of the discovery of penicillin (2028) to accelerate progress on the AMR agenda. We have four years before the centenary of the discovery of penicillin (2028) to accelerate progress on tackling AMR, so that we can keep antibiotics working for the next 100 years.
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Content ArticleAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an important global health challenge. Evaluating changing trends in AMR mortality across time and location is necessary to understand how this important global health threat is developing and prepares us to make informed decisions regarding interventions. This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of the global burden of AMR from 1990 to 2021, with results forecasted until 2050. The results showed a high variability of AMR burden by location and age, so it is important that interventions combine infection prevention, vaccination, minimisation of inappropriate antibiotic use in farming and humans and research into new antibiotics to mitigate the number of AMR deaths that are forecasted for 2050.
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News ArticlePeople in the most deprived areas of England are almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital as a result of infectious diseases than their least deprived counterparts, according to a major study. The report, by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), analysed NHS and government data to look at the state of health inequalities in England due to infectious diseases and environmental health hazards. The analysis found a stark regional divide across England: those living in the north-west of the country were 30% more likely to be admitted to hospital for an infectious disease, with 3,600 admissions for every 100,000 people between September 2023 and August 2024, compared with the average for England, which stood at 2,800 for every 100,000. The study found that inequality was highest in the case of respiratory infections, with an estimated additional 260,000 admissions due to inequalities associated with deprivation. People living in the 20% most deprived areas of England were twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for respiratory diseases, seven times as likely for tuberculosis and six times for measles, than their counterparts from the least deprived areas. Prof David Taylor-Robinson, an academic co-director at Health Equity North and professor of public health and policy at the University of Liverpool, said: “This report echoes past research showing that deprived communities, typically in the North of England, bear the brunt of health inequalities. “It is particularly troubling to see the high number of hospital admissions due to infectious diseases, especially as some of these are preventable diseases.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 2 May 2025
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News ArticleState and local health officials are seeing skyrocketing cases of whooping cough, and experts are sounding the alarm it could join the outbreak of measles in impacting thousands of Americans. Cases of the highly contagious bacterial infection have reportedly risen by more than 1,500 percent nationwide since 2021. Cases of whooping cough have been high in measles-stricken Texas, with the Laredo Public Health Department reporting more cases there than all of last year. “We’ve seen more cases of whooping cough this year in Laredo than in the past few years,” Dr. Richard Chamberlain, director of Laredo Public Health told The Laredo Morning Times. “This isn’t just happening in Laredo; other places in Texas are also seeing more cases. Right now, we’re keeping a close eye on it. There’s no need to panic, but it’s important to stay informed and take simple steps to help keep everyone safe.” “Many babies who get whooping cough are infected by family members or caregivers who may not even know they are carrying the bacteria,” the Louisiana Office of the Surgeon General noted earlier this month. “About half of babies younger than a year old who get whooping cough will need hospital care.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 15 April 2025
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News Article
151 dead as Nigeria struggles with rapidly spreading outbreak
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Health authorities in Nigeria are struggling to contain a rapidly spreading meningitis outbreak that has so far killed 151 people - with children affected the most. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported this week that cases, initially identified in October, have now spread to 23 of the country's 36 states. Nearly half of the fatalities (74) have occurred this year alone. Local partners described the recent rise in fatalities as "alarming". The NCDC has highlighted a critical factor contributing to the high death toll, namely delayed access to healthcare. NCDC spokesperson Sani Datti explained that many infected individuals either do not seek medical attention or arrive at health facilities too late, already suffering from severe complications. This issue has plagued previous outbreaks in Nigeria. The outbreak comes at a particularly challenging time for Nigeria's healthcare system, which is grappling with the impact of US aid cuts implemented earlier this year. Nigeria relied heavily on such aid over the years to help fight similar outbreaks and support its underfunded healthcare systems. Read full story Source: The Independent, 9 April 2025 -
News Article
Trump makes sweeping HIV research and grant cuts: ‘Setting us back decades’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The federal government has cancelled dozens of grants to study how to prevent new HIV infections and expand access to care, decimating progress toward eliminating the epidemic in the United States, scientists say. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) terminated at least 145 grants related to researching advancements in HIV care that had been awarded nearly $450m in federal funds. The cuts have been made in phases over the last month. “The loss of this research could very well result in a resurgence of HIV that becomes more generalized in this country,” said Julia Marcus, a professor at Harvard Medical School who recently had two of her grants cancelled. “These drastic cuts are rapidly destroying the infrastructure of scientific research in this country and we are going to lose a generation of scientists.” In 2012, the FDA approved pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an antiviral drug taken once a day that is highly successful at preventing new HIV infections. While the drug has been a powerful tool to contain the virus, inequities remain in accessing those drugs and sustaining a daily treatment. Despite major progress, there are still 30,000 new infections each year in the US. Many of the terminated HIV-related studies focused on improving access to drugs like PrEP in communities that have higher rates of infections – including trans women and Black men. One of Marcus’s projects was examining whether making PrEP available over the counter would increase the use of the drug in vulnerable communities. “The research has to focus on the populations that are most affected in order to have an impact and be relevant,” said Marcus. Yet, this may be the justification for defunding so many HIV-related studies. A termination letter reviewed by the Guardian dated 20 March cited that “so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) studies are often used to support unlawful discrimination on the basis of race and other protected characteristics, which harms the health of Americans.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 1 April 2025 -
News Article
USA: HPV-linked cancer is becoming common in one group
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Cancer caused by the common human papillomavirus infection, also known as HPV, is increasing in some women in the U.S., researchers said this month. They found that rates of cervical cancer — which is one of the most preventable cancers and largely caused by HPV infection — have been rising among women in their 30s and 40s: many of whom weren’t eligible for HPV vaccines when they were first released in 2006. Approximately 42.5 million Americans are infected with HPV and there are at least 13 million new infections reported each year. The vaccines, which protect individuals from getting several cancers associated with different strains of America’s most common sexually transmitted infection, were originally only recommended for girls and women between the ages of nine and 26. Since then, eligibility has expanded to include individuals between the ages of 27 and 45. It is now recommended for routine vaccination starting at age 11 or 12. Although vaccination has proven to be both safe and effective, vaccine hesitancy and resistance has persisted. In recent years, it has been tied to social media. A December study from USC found that Americans are under-vaccinated for HPV, with 7% of eligible adults completing the full course. Screening is also an issue tied to the American Cancer Society study’s findings, with the percentage of women falling from 47% in 2019 to 41% in 2023. Women between the ages of 21 and 29 are the least likely to be up to date with their screenings, previous research found. Read full story Source: The Independent, 25 March 2025 -
News Article
UK draws up new disease-threat watch list
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The UK has a new watch list of 24 infectious diseases that could pose the greatest future threat to public health. Some are viruses with global pandemic potential - like Covid - while others are illnesses that have no existing treatments or could cause significant harm. Avian, or bird, flu is on the list, as well as mosquito-spread illnesses that may become common with rising temperatures from climate change, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The aim is to steer scientists and investors into making new tests and vaccines or medicines in preparation. "When Covid arrived, it took too long to adjust our response to a different threat, which was part of the reason we ended up in lockdown," Prof Mark Woolhouse, director of the Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa, University of Edinburgh, said. "Since the pandemic, there have been many initiatives to better understand the diversity of pandemic threats that the UK and the world may face in the coming years. "The UKHSA's pathogen prioritisation exercise is a welcome contribution to this global effort." Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 March 2025 -
News ArticleStruggling to contain a raging measles epidemic in West Texas, public health officials increasingly worry that residents are relying on unproven remedies endorsed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, and postponing doctor visits until the illness has worsened. Hospitals and officials sounded an alarm this week, issuing a notice explaining which measles symptoms warranted immediate medical attention and stressing the importance of timely treatment. “I’m worried we have kids and parents that are taking all of these other medications and then delaying care,” said Katherine Wells, director of public health in Lubbock, Texas, where many of the sickest children in this outbreak have been hospitalized. Some seriously ill children had been given alternative remedies like cod liver oil, she added. “If they’re so, so sick and have low oxygen levels, they should have been in the hospital a day or two earlier,” she said. In his first public statements about the outbreak, Mr. Kennedy faced intense backlash for minimizing the situation, saying it was “not unusual” and falsely claiming that many people hospitalized were there “mainly for quarantine.” In the following weeks, Mr. Kennedy altered his approach, offering a muted recommendation of vaccines for people in West Texas while also promoting unproven treatments like cod liver oil, which has vitamin A, and touting “almost miraculous and instantaneous” recoveries with steroids or antibiotics. Read full story (paywalled) Source: New York Times, 15 March 2025
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News ArticleSecretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised unconventional treatments, but didn’t mention vaccines, in an interview on Fox News about the expanding measles outbreak in West Texas. In the prerecorded interview, Kennedy said that the federal government was sending vitamin A to the epicenter of the outbreak in Gaines County. He added that the government was also helping to arrange ambulance rides. While officials from the health department have previously said that they were sending doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine to the state, Kennedy, who has a history of vaccine-skeptic views, didn’t mention vaccination as an option during an interview. Kennedy instead claimed that doctors in Texas had experienced “very, very, good results” by treating the disease using the steroid budesonide, the antibiotic clarithromycin, as well as cod liver oil, which the secretary said has high amounts of vitamins A and D. The chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases, Dr. Sean O’Leary noted when speaking to The New York Times that doctors sometimes use vitamins to treat children with measles, but added that cod liver oil is “by no means” a treatment based in evidence. He said he had never heard of a doctor using cod liver oil to treat the disease. Read full story Source: The Independent, 5 March 2025
