Bird flu warning over new virus risk: "significant public health concern" Public health officials have warned that new mutations of bird flu with human flu could have dangerous consequences. Newsweek

Combined infection with bird flu and human flu could lead to mutations of new viruses that could have dangerous public health consequences, agencies have warned.

This is following the news that mutations of bird flu have occurred within a Louisiana patient and a teenager from Canada who both suffered with severe symptoms, potentially raising the risk of serious human infection among others.

WHO: Common respiratory viruses seen in samples from remote DR Congo outbreak Further tests found seasonal flu, rhinovirus, COVID, and other common respiratory viruses, alongside malaria and complications from malnutrition. CIDRAP

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The WHO now refers to the outbreak as acute respiratory infections complicated by malaria. Officials said acute malnutrition led to an increase in severe illnesses and deaths.

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France reports bird flu on two farms, losing disease-free status

Bird flu update: CDC says it's searching for these pandemic red flags The CDC has revealed the red flags it is monitoring for that suggest that bird flu was about to become the world's next pandemic. Newsweek

The CDC told Newsweek Monday that while bird flu's current risk to the general public remains low, the agency is carefully monitoring for several red flags that could indicate that the virus could be on the verge of becoming a pandemic.

Those red flags include any outbreaks of bird flu that are spread from person-to-person, as well as evidence that the virus has mutated, making it easier for it to spread between humans.

CDC: Respiratory illness activity high nationally RSV activity remains high, with pediatric hospitalizations increasing across most of the country. CIDRAP

According to the latest weekly update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19, seasonal influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity continue to increase across the country, with COVID wastewater detections reaching high levels. ...

Climate change led to 41 extra days of extreme heat this year on average: Analysis Climate change led to nearly six extra weeks of dangerous heat worldwide over the past year, according to a new study from Climate Central and World Weather Attribution. The report, released Friday… zbudryk The Hill

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Clinical and Operational Changes in ED Management of COVID-19 The following is a summary of “Correlates of improved outcomes in patients with COVID-19 treated in US emergency departments,” published in the December 2024 issue of Emergency Medicine by Slutske et al. Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the impact of therapeutic advances during the COVID-19 pandemic on clinically relevant metrics of emergency care. Physician's Weekly Admin Physician's Weekly

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