Categories: Emergency Preparedness & Response, Global Health Threats, Innovative Labs, Public Health Partners
May 3rd, 2013 4:59 pm ET -
Blog Admin
People continue to be infected with H7N9 bird flu in China. Fortunately, there is no evidence that this virus is spreading from person-to-person the way seasonal flu does. However, flu viruses are constantly changing and this virus could gain the ability to spread easily among people. At CDC, we are working around-the-clock in China and at home to respond to the global threat posed by H7N9. We are monitoring the situation closely, coordinating response efforts with international and domestic partners, and keeping the public and health providers informed (check out the H7N9 webpage and our recent blog post, H7N9 Influenza: 6 Things You Should Know Now).
We are also taking routine preparedness measures, including developing a candidate vaccine virus that could be used to make a H7N9 vaccine if one is needed. Other important work to learn more about the virus is ongoing in the CDC laboratories. In this short video, Dr. Michael Shaw, associate director for Laboratory Science in the Influenza Division, talks about how CDC’s scientists are studying the genetic sequences of the H7N9 virus. These dedicated scientists are producing results at an amazing speed – leading to a better understanding of the virus, including what drugs can be used to treat it and how the virus might be changing. The bottom line to all this work is improving CDC’s ability to protect people against this emerging public health threat.
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Categories: Disease Detectives, Emergency Preparedness & Response, Global Health Threats, Public Health Partners
April 22nd, 2013 12:38 pm ET -
Dr. Michael Jhung, Influenza Division, CDC
Image of the H7N9 virus courtesy of Cynthia S. Goldsmith and Thomas Rowe
Not long after a newsworthy 2012-2013 influenza season, flu is in the headlines again. On April 1, the World Health Organization (WHO) first reported 3 human infections with a new influenza A (H7N9) virus in China. Since then, additional cases have been reported. Most of the people reportedly infected have had severe respiratory illness and, in some cases, have died.
Fortunately, there are currently no reported cases of H7N9 in the U.S. or anywhere outside of China. At CDC, we are following this situation closely, coordinating with domestic and international partners, taking routine preparedness steps, and sharing frequent updates.
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Categories: Disease Detectives, Emergency Preparedness & Response, Global Health Threats, Innovative Labs, Public Health Partners, State & Local Success, U.S. Disease Outbreaks
March 25th, 2013 9:00 am ET -
Blog Admin
1. The Hajj and Disease Surveillance by John P. Abellera: This photo was taken in Mina, Saudi Arabia on the first day of the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj attracts more than 3 million Muslims from over 140 countries and poses serious disease outbreak concerns. The CDC Office of Global Health was invited by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide epidemiologic and technical assistance to KSA’s Ministry of Health in the use of mobile technology and data analysis to enhance disease surveillance.
In anticipation of National Public Health Week (April 1-7, 2013), CDC unveiled the winners of its Ninth Annual Public Health in Action Photo Contest. The 11 winners capture how CDC works around-the-clock to protect people at home and abroad from health and safety threats. Take a minute to look at the winning photos, read their captions, and see public health come to life.
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Categories: Emergency Preparedness & Response, Global Health Threats, Innovative Labs, Public Health Partners
February 25th, 2013 11:01 am ET -
Blog Admin
Photos courtesy of CDC Foundation
In January 2010, Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake that killed thousands of people, left millions homeless, and significantly damaged the country’s already fragile infrastructure, including its health system. In this guest blog post, Dr. John Vertefeuille, country director for CDC Haiti, discusses how he is cautiously optimistic about improvements in Haiti’s public health since the earthquake. (This post is an abbreviated version of Dr. Vertefeuille and colleagues’ commentary published in The Lancet on January 15, 2013.)
Be sure to also check out CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden’s latest Director’s Briefing video on Haiti, which highlights how CDC, CDC Foundation, and other critical partners are helping Haiti recover and build back better. New office space for Haiti’s Minister of Health and the Ministry’s surveillance, epidemiology, and laboratory staff are allowing critical public health work to continue, protecting people in Haiti and abroad from health threats. After all, diseases know no borders.
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Categories: Disease Detectives, Emergency Preparedness & Response, Global Health Threats, Innovative Labs, Public Health Partners, State & Local Success, U.S. Disease Outbreaks
January 18th, 2013 3:37 pm ET -
Blog Admin
As America’s health protection agency, CDC works around-the-clock to save lives and protect people from health threats, whether they start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, are curable or preventable, or are the result of human error or deliberate attack.
Here’s a look at 13 public health issues CDC is working on for you in 2013:
1. Healthcare-Associated Infections: Protecting Patients, Saving Lives
More than 1 million Americans get a healthcare-associated infection during the course of their medical care, which accounts for billions of dollars in excess healthcare costs. CDC is working toward the elimination of healthcare-associated infections across all settings. CDC continues to target untreatable drug resistant infections that threaten patient safety and, in early 2013, will be releasing updated national and state numbers on healthcare-associated infections prevention in U.S. hospitals. (Above photo: CDC scientist Alicia Shams demonstrating K. pneumoniae growth on a MacConkey agar plate.)
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