/ en Sat, 26 Apr 2025 13:34:22 -0500 Thu, 15 Aug 24 15:02:09 -0500 /news/headline/2024-08-15-who-declares-global-health-emergency-latest-mpox-outbreak <p>The World Health Organization Aug. 14 declared a <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/14-08-2024-who-director-general-declares-mpox-outbreak-a-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern">global health emergency</a> due to the recent mpox outbreak in Africa, the second mpox declaration in two years. The WHO said the emergence of a deadlier strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, clade 1b, spread rapidly within the past year and has been detected in four neighboring countries that have not reported mpox cases before: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. More than 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of the new strain have been reported in those countries, and experts believe the true total is higher due to a large number of cases that have not been tested. The WHO is working with countries and vaccine manufacturers on potential mpox vaccine donations and facilitating access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other tools.  <br><br>In its <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/08/14/united-states-governments-response-clade-i-mpox-outbreak-democratic-republic-congo-other-countries-region.html">response</a> to the WHO’s declaration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that “the risk to the general public in the United States from clade I mpox circulating in the DRC is very low, and there are no known cases in the United States at this time. Due to efforts over the last nine months, the United States is well prepared to rapidly detect, contain, and manage clade I cases should they be identified domestically.” Further, HHS “continue[s] to encourage those at high risk to get vaccinated with the JYNNEOS mpox vaccine, which has been demonstrated to be safe and highly effective at preventing severe disease from mpox.”</p> Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:02:09 -0500 Emerging Pathogens /news/headline/2022-10-11-webinar-covid-19-lessons-managing-emerging-infectious-diseases <p>The Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response will host a Nov. 7 webinar on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to help hospitals and health systems manage emerging infectious diseases. Experts from the field will share how their approach to outbreaks has changed since the pandemic began and highlight new tools and resources. Register for the 2 p.m. ET webinar <a href="https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/special-pathogens-lessons-learned-webinar-flyer--final.pdf">here</a>.<br />  </p> Tue, 11 Oct 2022 14:30:02 -0500 Emerging Pathogens /news/headline/2020-02-26-hhs-tracking-drugs-made-china-global-coronavirus-cases-increase <p>The Department of Health and Human Services is aware of 20 pharmaceutical products made or with a critical active ingredient solely sourced in China, but to date is not aware of any expected shortages, HHS Secretary Alex Azar <a href="https://appropriations.house.gov/events/hearings">told</a> House appropriators today. He said the agency knows of two pharmaceutical makers in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, but they have a large stockpile supply of advance production.</p> <p>For the first time since the outbreak started, more new cases are being reported outside China than from China, the World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200226-sitrep-37-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=6126c0a4_2">said</a> today. While China continues to have the most cases overall, there are now confirmed COVID-19 cases on every continent except Antarctica, totaling more than 81,000 in 37 countries.</p> <p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to update resources, including interim <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html">guidance</a> for businesses and employers to plan and respond to COVID-19.</p> <p>For the latest information and resources, visit <a href="/2020-01-22-updates-and-resources-novel-coronavirus-2019-cov">AHA’s coronavirus webpage</a>.</p> Wed, 26 Feb 2020 14:43:56 -0600 Emerging Pathogens /news/headline/2020-02-25-coronavirus-spread-us-inevitable-cdc-official-says <p>The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) will spread in the U.S., and hospitals, communities and individuals should ramp up their preparedness efforts, Nancy Messonnier, M.D., director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/a0225-cdc-telebriefing-covid-19.html">said</a> today. “It’s not a question of if but rather a question of when and how many people in this country will have severe illness.”</p> <p>Communities must implement non-pharmaceutical interventions, or community mitigation measures, to slow the spread of COVID-19, Messonnier said. She emphasized that a COVID-19 pandemic would cause major disruptions to people’s lives and that hospitals may need to add telehealth options and delay elective surgeries.</p> <p>CDC plans to release community mitigation guidelines for the outbreak, including personal, community and environmental non-pharmaceutical interventions that will build on its 2017 <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/rr/rr6601a1.htm">guidelines</a> for preventing pandemic influenza. </p> <p>The National Institutes of Health today <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-remdesivir-treat-covid-19-begins">announced</a> a clinical trial that will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the investigational antiviral drug remdesivir to treat COVID-19 in adult patients at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. </p> <p>State and local labs Monday <a href="https://twitter.com/APHL/status/1232332982867955713?s=20">asked</a> that the Food and Drug Administration allow them to create their own SARS-CoV-2 tests due to <a href="/news/headline/2020-02-12-state-labs-report-issues-coronavirus-test-kit-cdc-send-new-reagents">issues</a> with a test kit developed by CDC. Twelve labs across the country have a properly working test, and CDC hopes to send new kits to states soon.</p> <p>The White House Office of Management and Budget yesterday sent Congress a $2.5 billion supplemental budget request for novel coronavirus preparedness and response, including therapeutics, vaccines, personal protective equipment, state and local support, and surveillance, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/review-of-the-fy2021-budget-request-for-hhs">told</a> Senate appropriators today.</p> <p>For the latest information and resources, visit <a href="/2020-01-22-updates-and-resources-novel-coronavirus-2019-cov">AHA’s coronavirus webpage</a>.<br />  </p> Tue, 25 Feb 2020 15:09:47 -0600 Emerging Pathogens /news/headline/2020-02-24-who-novel-coronavirus-not-yet-pandemic-preparing-it <p>The World Health Organization <a href="https://www.pscp.tv/w/1YpJkQPBjLBKj">said</a> today that for the time being it will not categorize the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic, mainly because of the virus’ contained spread and lack of large-scale severe disease and deaths. WHO emphasized that countries should prioritize protecting health workers and communities most at risk of severe disease, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.</p> <p><a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200224-sitrep-35-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=1ac4218d_2">Global cases</a> stand at over 79,000, with nearly 2,600 deaths, mostly in China. Along with rapidly growing cases in Italy, South Korea and Iran, Lebanon and Israel have confirmed COVID-19 patients, WHO said. The State Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised travel alert warnings to Level 2 (exercise increased caution) for <a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Japan.html">Japan</a> and <a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthKorea.html">South Korea</a>.</p> <p>CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal today released a <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/20-0198_article?deliveryName=DM20712">study</a> showing potential presymptomatic transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. According to the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3051966/coronavirus-wuhan-quarantine-all-cured-patients-14-days-after">South China Morning Post</a>, Chinese authorities are requiring a 14-day quarantine after patients recover because some recovered and released patients in Wuhan, China, tested positive for the virus.</p> <p>To learn more about the novel coronavirus, join these upcoming webinars:</p> <ul> <li>CDC webinar, with the American Health Lawyers Association and Association of Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Professionals, Feb. 25 at 1:30 p.m. ET on COVID-19 and health care provider legal preparedness. <a href="https://distancelearning.healthlawyers.org/p/W-NCV20">Register here</a>.</li> <li>National Ebola Training and Education Center and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response webinar on highly pathogenic infectious disease training March 5 at 1:30 p.m. ET. <a href="https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/aspr-tracie-netec-exercise-and-training-tools-webinar-flyer.pdf">Register here</a>.</li> </ul> <p>For the latest information and resources, visit <a href="/2020-01-22-updates-and-resources-novel-coronavirus-2019-cov">AHA’s coronavirus webpage</a>.<br />  </p> Mon, 24 Feb 2020 14:20:38 -0600 Emerging Pathogens <p class="MsoNormal"><span>AHA webinar on conronavirus featuring Rebecca Bartles, executive director of system infection prevention at Providence St. Joseph Health in Washington state, which was the first health care organization to care for a patient in the U.S. with COVID-19. Bartles shared what Providence learned about treating COVID-19, and advice for hospitals and health systems on how they should be preparing. Listen to the webinar and view the presentation files below. </span></p> <p><a class="btn btn-default btn-round" href="/system/files/media/video/2020/02/aha-members-only-coronavirus-webinar-replay-2-21-2020.mp4" target="_blank">Watch the webinar</a></p> Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:40:26 -0600 Emerging Pathogens /news/headline/2020-02-21-cdc-confirms-new-us-coronavirus-patient-changes-how-it-reports-cases <p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/a0221-cdc-telebriefing-covid-19.html?deliveryName=USCDC_1_3-DM20491">confirmed</a> a new travel-related case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in northern California. The Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services <a href="https://humboldtgov.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2562">said</a> it is also monitoring one other person who had close contact with the patient. </p> <p>CDC changed how it <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html">reports</a> confirmed cases in the U.S. — counting the 21 cases from quarantined repatriated citizens separately from the 13 identified in the U.S. by health networks — to better help monitor for community spread in the U.S. Ian Brownlee, acting principal deputy assistant secretary of the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the Department of State, said repatriation in these scenarios is not standard and pointed towards an updated <a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/novel-coronavirus-hubei-province--china.html">travel alert</a> advising U.S. citizen to reconsider travel by cruise ship to or within Asia. </p> <p>While the U.S. has to date only seen travel-related or close-contact COVID-19 cases, CDC continues to prepare for the possibility of wide spread within communities. CDC noted that it would soon release mitigation guidance to prevent pandemic COVID-19 based on an update of its current pandemic influenza guidelines. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus <a href="https://www.pscp.tv/w/1rmxPAjwLAgKN">said</a> today, “Although the total number of COVID-19 cases outside China remains relatively small, we are concerned about the number of cases with no clear epidemiological link, such as travel history to China or contact with a confirmed case.”</p> <p>CDC yesterday released <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/icd/ICD-10-CM-Official-Coding-Gudance-Interim-Advice-coronavirus-feb-20-2020.pdf">ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding guidance</a> for COVID-19 infections and deaths, developed with input from the AHA, and plans to release a new unique <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/icd/Announcement-New-ICD-code-for-coronavirus-2-20-2020.pdf">diagnosis code</a> for the virus in October. For the latest information and resources, visit <a href="/2020-01-22-updates-and-resources-novel-coronavirus-2019-cov">AHA’s coronavirus webpage</a>. <br />  </p> Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:34:13 -0600 Emerging Pathogens /news/headline/2020-02-20-cms-develops-new-code-coronavirus-lab-test <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has <a href="https://www.cms.gov/outreach-and-educationoutreachffsprovpartprogprovider-partnership-email-archive/2020-02-20#_Toc32923423">created</a> a Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System code (U0001) specifically for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. Labs and health care providers using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Real Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Test can use the code for billing. CMS said the code provides better tracking, and Medicare will begin accepting this code April 1 for claims with dates of service on or after Feb. 4, 2020.</p> <p>CDC, the World Health Organization and other groups continue to monitor the supply chain of drugs and personal protective equipment coming out of China. In a <a href="https://www.pscp.tv/w/1OdJrqkOkPYGX">press briefing</a> today, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "I’ve written to 12 chief executives of manufacturers of personal protective equipment to seek their cooperation to ensure supply to protect health workers.” He added that there is a “good signal” from those manufacturers. CDC also released a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_llGsYMy3k&list=PLvrp9iOILTQaJa78zFQ0QgvShQ2HEwHxP&index=2&t=0s">webinar</a> on how health systems can optimize the N95 respirator supply.</p> <p>WHO <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200220-sitrep-31-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=dfd11d24_2">reports</a> nearly 76,000 confirmed cases and over 2,000 deaths, with the majority in China.</p> <p>For the latest COVID-19 information and resources, visit <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html">CDC’s coronavirus webpage</a> and <a href="/2020-01-22-updates-and-resources-novel-coronavirus-2019-cov">AHA’s coronavirus webpage</a>.</p> Thu, 20 Feb 2020 14:25:28 -0600 Emerging Pathogens /news/headline/2020-02-19-cruise-ship-passengers-under-travel-restrictions-due-coronavirus <p>More than 100 additional Americans today left a cruise ship quarantined due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and must wait 14 days before entering the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0218-update-diamond-princess.html">said</a>. The <a href="https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/diamond-princess-update.html">Diamond Princess</a> cruise off the coast of Japan reported over 450 cases of COVID-19 during the quarantine period, which ended today. On Sunday, more than 300 of the ship’s <a href="/news/headline/2020-02-18-americans-repatriated-coronavirus-quarantined-cruise-ship">U.S. passengers</a> voluntarily returned to the U.S. and are currently in quarantine in Texas and California. For the latest information and resources on COVID-19, visit <a href="/2020-01-22-updates-and-resources-novel-coronavirus-2019-cov">AHA’s coronavirus webpage</a>.</p> Wed, 19 Feb 2020 14:22:19 -0600 Emerging Pathogens /news/headline/2020-02-18-americans-repatriated-coronavirus-quarantined-cruise-ship <p>More than 300 citizens returned to the U.S. Sunday from a quarantined cruise ship off the coast of Japan, including 14 who tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the State Department <a href="https://www.state.gov/joint-statement-by-u-s-department-of-state-and-u-s-department-of-health-and-human-services-on-repatriation-of-american-passengers-from-the-diamond-princess-cruise-ship/">announced</a>. Those testing positive were <a href="https://www.unmc.edu/news.cfm?match=25104">sent</a> to University of Nebraska Medical Center, which is prepared to take other quarantined patients who develop symptoms. Asymptomatic passengers will stay in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0215-Diamond-Princess-Repatriation.html">quarantine</a> at either Travis Air Force Base in California or Joint Base San Antonio in Texas. <br /> <br /> The Food and Drug Administration continues to closely monitor the domestic and global supply chain for potential disruptions or shortages of critical medical products or equipment, including personal protective equipment, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fdas-actions-response-2019-novel-coronavirus-home-and-abroad">said</a> FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. Since inspectors could not travel to China due to a travel advisory, FDA said it postponed PPE, medical device and drug inspections or used other information to conduct inspections. <br /> <br /> While no treatment currently exists for the new coronavirus, the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/02/18/hhs-janssen-collaborate-to-develop-coronavirus-therapeutics.html">announced</a> it is working with Janssen Research and Development to create treatments and with <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/02/18/hhs-engages-sanofis-recombinant-technology-for-2019-novel-coronavirus-vaccine.html">Sanofi Pasteur</a> to develop a vaccine.<br /> <br /> See today’s special AHA coronavirus <a href="/advisory/2020-02-18-coronavirus-update-updated-resources-preparing-covid-19-and-stewardship">update</a> for more information on member calls, PPE and preparing for COVID-19-positive patients.<br /> <br /> For the latest information and resources, including <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/hcp-hospital-checklist.html">hospital checklists</a> and “<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters">myth busters</a>,” visit <a href="/2020-01-22-updates-and-resources-novel-coronavirus-2019-cov">AHA’s coronavirus webpage</a>.</p> Tue, 18 Feb 2020 14:58:22 -0600 Emerging Pathogens