outbreak

The WHO warns of a new outbreak with a strain for which we do not have a vaccine

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A few days ago the news broke in the media that warned of the decision taken by the WHO to warn of a new Ebola outbreak in the province of Ituri, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just when we are still trying to resolve the health emergency triggered by the hantavirus. With this ‘alarm voice’ the WHO gives international relevance to this outbreak, which is not a routine or predictable episode, but is a variant for which there are no approved treatments and, above all, which can be expand easily to the surrounding countries. Expanding. The magnitude of the problem is reflected in its rapid evolution, since in just a few weeks since the initial detection, the health authorities have already recorded more than 246 suspected cases and around 80 deaths that would be related to this virus a priori. And although so far there are only eight laboratory-confirmed cases, the geographical situation complicates tracking. The epicenter is in the east of the DRC, but the pathogen has not respected territorial limits, since the virus has already crossed the border into Ugandawhere two cases have been confirmed in the capital itself, Kampala. This jump to a densely populated urban center is precisely what has precipitated the maximum alert by the United Nations and the WHO. It is not a pandemic. At the moment the criteria are not met to consider this outbreak as a pandemic, but the declaration seeks coordinate international response before mobility between affected countries turns this outbreak into something much larger. And we must not forget that we are facing a virus that generates a serious and potentially fatal disease. In the past. If we look back, this situation is not completely new, since a outbreak in 2014 In West Africa this same alert was raised and the consequence was that it ended up reaching Spain. This virus in our territory caused the repatriation of several citizens, some infections on the ground and also the sacrifice of the famous dog Excalibur On this occasion, the protagonist was the strain Zaire, but the current outbreak is developed by the strain Bundibugyo. The big problem facing the scientific and health community is that, although in recent years we have developed an impressive preventive and therapeutic arsenal for the variant Zairethese tools they don’t work against the Bundibugyo strain. The absence of prophylaxis and specific approved treatments exponentially multiplies the clinical risk and makes control efforts on the ground difficult. The perfect storm. Added to the virological challenge is a first-level logistical and social challenge. We must keep in mind that the east of the DRC is one of the areas more unstable of the planet, characterized by constant armed conflicts, and this is the perfect storm epidemiologically speaking due to many factors such as: Lack of access to medical equipment and rapid response in hot zones safely. The constant movement of refugees means that the virus may be spreading between countries. Distrust of national and international health systems makes it difficult to isolate the sick, trace direct contacts, and implement protocols to manage bodies. It is not endemic Ebola. On many occasions we can hear that Ebola is ‘one more’ in some areas of Africa, referring to the constant circulation of the virus in animal reservoirs such as, for example, bats in Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone. In this case, the virus can emerge sporadically and cause outbreaks that are contained and do not generate too many epidemiological problems. And now we are facing something quite different, starting with the strain that resembles what we were used to and also because it is now ‘jumping’ geographical borders and passing between countries. This is also added to the fact that this new outbreak with an international emergency is developing in a country with war, where the disease takes a back seat, which is more dangerous when we are faced with a variant that we are not used to and for which we do not know many treatments. Images | aleksandarlittlewolf in Magnific In Xataka | We believed we were prepared for a post-covid world. Hantavirus is the first serious test and the results are not optimistic

The hantavirus outbreak has sparked a search to find its origin. Ushuaia fears that this will cost it its tourism

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Until a few days ago, the vast majority of Spaniards had never heard of hantavirus. Probably not Ushuaiathe capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego. The crisis unleashed by the MV Hondius cruise ship, however, has united both names in one of the most worrying episodes so far in the turbulent 2026, at least in health terms. And so worries in Ushuaia. A lot. Although there are still unknowns about how, where and when the viral outbreak broke out, in the southern region they fear that what happened affects one of the pillars of their economy: tourism. They even talk about a “smear campaign”. And the hantavirus arrived. Although there are still many months ahead until December, 2026 seemed basically doomed to be the year of the iran waroil through the clouds, Maduro’s arrest or (in another order of things) the North American World Cup. Now that list is expanded with one more item: the hantavirus. Since on May 2 A viral outbreak was confirmed on board the MV Hondius, the world is waiting for what happens to the ship, its passengers and the chain of possible people infected by a virus that until almost two weeks ago was almost completely unknown in Europe. In a place in Patagonia… In Ushuaia, capital of the province of Tierra del Fuego (Argentina), one of the southernmost cities of the planet, the evolution of the outbreak is also being followed with interest. Although there what really generates debate is not the last hour about the outbreak or what may happen from now on, but what has happened in recent weeks. The reason is very simple: the fateful voyage of the MV Hondius left its port April 1. When the ship set sail, there were about 140 passengers on board, including the septuagenarian Dutchman who only a few days later (on the 6th) began to show symptoms of infection. More than a month has passed since then, four long weeks during which events have happened at breakneck speed. That first patient died on April 11, days later his wife did and since then at least one more dead and half a dozen infected. As for the MV Hondius, after the evacuation of the last hours on board the ship there are only a few dozen of people who will continue heading to the Netherlands. What has not changed is the question that authorities have been asking for days: Where is the origin of the outbreak? Where the hell did the Dutch couple get infected? A remote landfill. Taking into account the incubation period of hantavirus, which ranges between one and six weeks, authorities are working with the hypothesis that the epicenter of the outbreak is not on the ship. That is, the most plausible theory (at least in appearance) is that the virus they took him to the MV Hondius one or more travelers who were already carrying it before navigation began. That made all eyes turn first to the couple of Dutch retirees and second to Ushuaia, the place where they embarked. In recent days the conversation has revolved around a very specific point in the town: a garbage dump located about seven kilometers from the center of Ushuaia, a place where, assures The Countryepidemiologists are looking for traces of infected rodents. Hantavirus infection, let us remember, is contracted mainly by coming into contact with the urine, feces or saliva of certain rodents. The most common thing is that contagion occurs by inhaling remains of this waste in poorly ventilated spaces, but it could also be contracted in a large landfill. The unknowns begin. That a Dutch couple (he 70 years old, she 69) stop by a mega urban garbage dump before embarking on a luxury cruise through the South Atlantic may sound strange, but it makes a lot of sense. The MV Hondius trip was not just any trip. It was planned as an expedition cruise to contemplate Atlantic fauna. And the Ushuaia landfill is not just any garbage dump either. Lovers of birds and natural photography usually go there to enjoy the species that fly over it, including scavenger birds such as the white matamico. In recent days it has been published that some of the travelers who boarded the MV Hondius visited the dump. The Country even interviewed to a guide who was in the area with some of the tourists from the cruise, although the Dutch couple was not among them. Did they get infected there? Is that the epicenter and genesis of the outbreak? Hard to know. First because the marriage (unfortunately) has died. Second, because before boarding the cruise the couple had made a long road trip that took them to different parts of South America. In fact, it is believed that they were four months visiting several countries on the continent, including Chile and Uruguay. “We have no evidence”. This fact (that the first deaths were in other parts of South America) has been strongly emphasized by the authorities of Ushuaia, who do not quite understand that the couple was infected in their territory. The reason? The main one, insists Juan Facundo Petrina, general director of Epidemiology and Environmental Health of the province, is that the hantavirus is not a problem in the area. “In Tierra del Fuego we have no record of cases in our history,” clarifies to the BBC. “Specifically, since 1996, when the National Surveillance System included it among the notifiable diseases, we have not had a single case in Tierra del Fuego.” More than 1,000 km north. As if that were not enough, Petrina details a few more facts. To begin with, the hantavirus endemic area is more than 1,500 km to the north. Also remember that there are no records confirming that the mouse subspecies that transmits the disease lives in the area. “And if rodents begin to move, since they do not respect borders, it is important to remember that we are an island,” duck. Another key that … Read more

The measles outbreak is close to 8,500 cases and puts the health status of the country in check

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Measles has ceased to be a latent threat and has become a worrying statistical reality in Mexicoas the latest consolidated data from February 2026 have pointed out. These leave no doubt that the country is going through its most complex outbreak in decades, accumulating 8,459 confirmed cases since the start of the crisis in 2025. It’s already worrying. The situation has escalated to such a point that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued a clear warning: If the chain of transmission is not cut in the coming weeks, Mexico could lose its status as a measles-free country. X-ray of the outbreak. The figures are compelling and draw a map of active transmission in the 32 states of the republic. Although the problem is national, the intensity is not homogeneous, since there are points where positive cases are much more evident. This is something that can be seen in the reports of the Ministry of Health (SSA) of Mexico, which indicates that so far in 2026, 2,143 cases have been reported. But the current epicenter is in Jaliscowhich is where 1,245 cases have been concentrated, representing almost 60% of the reports this entire year. Historical accumulated. Since February 2025, the state of Chihuahua leads the accumulated total with more than 4,400 cases, now followed by the rebound in the west of the country. But the most tragic thing is undoubtedly the human losses, since they have already been confirmed 27 deaths since the beginning of the outbreak in February 2025, with two recent deaths recorded in Tlaxcala and Michoacán This is in addition to the fact that the most vulnerable population is the youngest children, who are between one and four years old. Something that also makes it act as the perfect vector to infect the older population and those at greater risk of suffering from a more serious disease. The root of the problem. Experts point out that it is necessary to have a herd immunity to be able to apply containment to this serious health problem. And for such a contagious virus, at least 95% of the population is required to be vaccinated, something very similar to what was noted in the Covid pandemic in our environment. And the problem is precisely in low vaccination coverage that exists in these regions, causing many to not reach this percentage. And, despite the fact that the SSA reports the application of more than 11.8 million vaccinesthe spread of the virus suggests that there are still susceptible population groups, especially those where there are a greater number of cases right now. Use of face masks. As already happened in the COVID pandemic, there are some states such as Jalisco or Nuevo León that are evaluating the use of masks or face coveringsespecially in closed spaces and with a large influx of people. This is a simple containment barrier to prevent spread while the population finishes its vaccination schedule. The ultimatum. On the technical side, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched an extension until April to evaluate whether Mexico has achieved endemic transmission of this virus. This is something that is achieved when there is no continuous circulation of the virus in a territory for 12 months. Mexico has been fighting this outbreak since February 2025, and if transmission continues uninterrupted beyond the calendar year, measles will once again be considered endemic (typical of the region) and not an imported case. In addition to this, PAHO has confirmed that Mexico currently accounts for 71% of the cases on the entire American continent, a figure that forces health authorities to rethink the containment strategy to prevent its spread to the rest of the neighboring countries. What’s coming The next PAHO meeting in April will be critical in this regard. The decision that Mexico lose “measles-free” status It is not just a diplomatic label, but it implies greater costs in epidemiological surveillance, potential barriers in tourism and the confirmation of a major setback in the country’s public health status. Intensive campaigns are underway, but with the virus present in all states and active community transmission, the Mexican health system faces its most important test of the post-COVID era. A global problem. Although the news focuses on the many cases in Mexico in this case, the reality is that In other parts of the planet cases have also increased. One of the clearest examples is in the United States, where the CDC has raised alarm bells after observing how cases are multiplying in a matter of months. In Spain Official data also indicate that, while in 2023 only 14 cases were recorded, in 2024 they increased to 229 cases and in 2025 the forecast points to almost 400. Images | NIH Ed Us In Xataka | The myth of 37º: it is increasingly clear to us that there is no “normal” body temperature

There is an outbreak of swine fever in Barcelona and the most worrying thing is that no one is able to explain where it came from.

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In November 2025 in Catalonia all the alarms went off due to an outbreak of African swine fever that forced the slaughter of a large number of animals and the application of very restrictive measures. At that moment everyone was wondering where this pathogen could have emerged from, and all eyes were on the IRTA-CReSAa high security center that worked with these pathogens. A failed hypothesis. On the table it seemed perfect, since everything matched. But the reality is that the latest report of the committee of experts, endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculturehas completely dismissed this theory. In this way, we already know that It was not a leak from this laboratory that works with this type of pathogens, but then… Where did a virus come from that has already infected more than a hundred wild boars and that has the scientific community crying out for more data? DNA doesn’t lie. The suspicion about this laboratory was completely legitimate, since in November a technical incident occurred in a laboratory digester which coincided with the appearance of dead wild boars in the area. a team fundamentalsince it converts the bodies of infected animals into sterile waste without the presence of their infection, but its failure could have triggered this. But genomics has come into play to dismantle itsince, according to the preliminary reportthe analyzes carried out by the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Algete and experts from IRB Barcelona are categorical. Specifically, 81 samples have been analyzed and compared with the viral strains that were manipulated within CReSA and the result is that there is no genetic match. The virus was already there. This is where the plot thickens. If the virus did not leave the laboratory during the November incident… when did it arrive? The experts and the ministerial report suggest we have been looking at the wrong timetable. All this because, according to analysis of the corpses and the dispersion of the 23 initial outbreaks, which have already escalated to more than 100 positive wild boars According to the latest updates, they indicate that the virus had been circulating “under the radar” for much longer. It is estimated that infections could have started up to four months before the official outbreak was detected. This almost definitively eliminates the connection with the failure of the CReSA digester in November, since the virus was already completely free in the mountains of Barcelona when that occurred. There is a hypothesis. If we rule out the involvement of the laboratory and also the natural arrival by wildlife, we are only left with the most mundane and worrying option: humans. And the current consensus points to the introduction of this virus through contaminated meat products into our environment. A simple piece of infected foodas a sausage sandwich made with meat from an infected pig in another country dumped in a peri-urban area accessible to wild boar is enough to start an epidemic. Something that is on the table right now, with the theory of “passive poisoning” with the human vector that brings the virus in the suitcase and the local fauna does the rest by scavenging through the trash. What science demands. Although the “accidental” origin is reassuring in terms of biological safety, the management of information has opened another front. International experts such as Edward Holmes, famous for his work on the origin of COVID-19, They have raised their voices about the lack of transparency in the information. Although the ministry and the expert committee claim that there is no match between the virus DNA found in those infected and in the laboratory, the global scientific community is calling for the complete sequenced genomes to be published for independent analysis. In the era of Open Sciencesaying “trust us” is no longer enough, as researchers want to see the raw data to understand the unique mutations of this “Barcelona virus” and trace its true family tree. And now what? The outbreak is currently active with more than 100 wild boars affected and the Civil Guard investigating the origin. It is true that the priority has gone from looking for culprits in white coats to contain an expansion that threatens the Spanish pork industry by quarantining those possibly exposed to prevent it from continuing to spread. What we know today is that technology has saved a laboratory’s reputation, but it has left us with a more disturbing reality: biosecurity depends not only on high-tech facilities, but on what we throw in the trash on a field day. Images | Kemal Berkay Dogan In Xataka | The Argentine sea hid one of the most disturbing animals in the world: an 11-meter-long “ghost jellyfish”

Big Tech are already dedicating up to 70% of their ebitda to AI. The same figures prior to the outbreak of the points

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The most powerful technology companies are immersed in A frantic career for mastering artificial intelligence. Therefore, the investment in infrastructure and technology that allows them to advance in that race is crucial. From its operational benefits a very high percentage is destined in the construction of data centers, buy chips, expand your computational capacity and the like. For some experts and analysts in the sector, this expense level is already reaching Typical levels of past bubbles. Echoes of the Puntocom. Big Tech are already allocating between 50% and 70% of their EBITDA (Operating Benefit before Tax) to fixed asset investments, mostly from AI and cloud infrastructure, according to the GQG Partners analysis. This resembles AT&T behavior in the Puntocom bubble (a company that before the debacle allocated 72% of its benefits) or Exxon in the energy bubble 2014 (allocating 65%). Percentage of operational benefit that Big Tech are spending against the level of AT&T and Exxon before bubbles. Image: GQG Partners Issues. For GQG Partners and as Share Also Tobias Carlisle, founder of Acquirer’s Funds, this high proportion is usually a sign of structural risk, with many expensive investments, assets that can be obsolete, and delay in seeing real returns. In the image we can see the percentage of total operational benefit that Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Oracle invest in fixed assets (CAPEX) In detail. There is a huge investor appetite, and the figures reflect it. Alphabet has raised its forecasts and Plan to spend more than 85,000 million dollars This year, almost everything destined to reinforce your cloud and your services. Goal, meanwhile, provides A range of between 66,000 and 72,000 million In 2025, promising to invest a total of 600,000 million dollars By 2028. On the other hand, Microsoft has also announced tens of billions in new facilities to accelerate the training of AI models. Together, Financial Times esteem That the annual capex added of the large technological will exceed 300,000 million dollars, an unpublished figure in the sector. That level of investment worries analysts. Goldman Sachs He pointed out Recently, Hyperscalers (AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud) have already committed hundreds of thousands of millions in Capex and R&D, which implies that, to justify it, they must generate much higher income in the coming years. On the other hand, Bank of America warns That the costs of depreciation and amortization of these infrastructure can grow even faster than the income that companies manage to extract from them, which could put their operational margins at risk. Morningstar, meanwhile, remember That the semiconductor industry, a centerpiece of this race, remains prone to boom and fall cycles, at risk that the current euphoria due to AI derive in a cooling in 2025-2026. Even Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAi, He has admitted That there is a “bubble” around AI, although it clarifies that technology itself will have an immense long -term value. Between the lines. Investing a lot in infrastructure does not guarantee on its own that future income will compensate for such high expense. If the euphoria between investors is maintained, perhaps yes, but if subsequently penetrates doubt and uncertainty, things can change. He GQG Partners analysis It also talks about “hidden” costs, accelerated depreciation, technological obsolescence, Huge maintenance of data centersenergy, and other factors that could erode much faster than real benefits are believed. Cover image | Generated by AI with Freepik In Xataka | “Psychosis by AI” does not exist, it is only another invented diagnostic label: one that has come to stay

Tuberculosis in the US: Kansas faces the greatest outbreak in history

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Kansas has been the epicenter of an unprecedented outbreak of tuberculosis in the United States, according to local health authorities. This outbreak, which began at the beginning of January 2024, has already registered 67 cases of active tuberculosis, with 60 of those cases in Wyandotte County, and the other seven in Johnson County. In addition, 79 cases of latent tuberculosis have been confirmed, an inactive form of the disease, which, if not, can evolve to active tuberculosis. Most of these latent cases are found in Wyandotte, which includes a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, while Johnson, southwest of the city, has registered only two cases. According to the Department of Health and Environment of Kansas (KDHE), the appearance of these cases marks the largest outbreak of tuberculosis in the country since the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) began monitoring cases in cases in The 1950s. Health officials also reported that, unfortunately, the outbreak has already caused two deaths, both occurred in 2023. Although the outbreak is still ongoing, the authorities say that the risk for the community in general remains low, and claim to be implementing strict preventive measures following the guidelines of the CDC. Tuberculosis, a respiratory disease caused by bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosishas historically been one of the main causes of death in the world. It is transmitted through the air, through goticles expelled by an infected person when coughing, speaking or singing. Symptoms include persistent cough, fever, weight loss, night sweats and fatigue. It is important to note that some people may have latent tuberculosis, where germs remain in the body without causing symptoms and without being contagious. However, if not treated, these cases can progress to active tuberculosis, which represents a risk of transmission to other people. CDCs have indicated that the number of tuberculosis cases in the United States increased in recent years. In 2023, more than 8,700 cases were recorded, a figure that marks a rebound with respect to the levels prior to the pandemic. This increase may be linked to a variety of factors, including decrease in control efforts during Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges associated with the detection and treatment of tuberculosis in an overloaded medical care environment. Although the tuberculosis rate had been decreasing since the mid -1990s, in recent years they have shown a stabilization of cases, which matched the levels of incidence prior to the pandemic in 2023. The treatment of tuberculosis generally involves an antibiotic regime between four to nine months, depending on the severity of the disease and the presence of underlying conditions such as diabetes or HIV. Health professionals must adapt treatments to address any additional complication. Regarding prevention, CDC emphasizes that vaccination with the calmette-guérin (BCG) bacillus is common in countries with high prevalence of tuberculosis, although in the United States it is not recommended in a generalized way, since efficiency varies between adults and can interfere with tuberculosis diagnostic tests. This outbreak in Kansas highlights the importance of maintaining and reinforcing infectious disease control strategies throughout the country, especially in areas with high population and mobility density. Although the immediate risk outside the affected counties is low, the authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and working with the CDCs to minimize the impact on public health. Continue reading: (tagstotranslate) tuberculosis

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