July 2, 2026
TOP STORIESWildfires in France have posed a growing challenge for firefighters amid extreme heat and high winds, ; meanwhile in the U.S., this July 4 could be the hottest ever for many regions experiencing a massive heatwave鈥攚ith 300+ record temperatures forecast, .
West Nile virus in the U.S. is off to its earliest and worst start in over two decades, per the CDC, which has reported 48 cases in 23 states, including 38 severe cases as of June 30; the average number of cases reported to the CDC by the end of June has typically been ~10 since 2004.
The Trump administration terminated 53 teen pregnancy prevention grants worth ~$67 million two years ahead of schedule鈥攎ost because the Health and Human Services Department听said they normalized or promoted sexual activity for minors and 鈥渘o longer aligned with the agency鈥檚 priorities鈥�; the cuts hit university, community, and public health grantees in more than two dozen states.听
Anthropic announced Claude Science, a new AI tool to support scientific research; the company says it will also use the product for its own research into the development of drugs for rare, neglected diseases.
IN FOCUSA woman holds her child with visible skin infections inside a medical tent in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on August 21, 2025.听Doaa Albaz/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty
Fighting a Growing Fungal Threat听Fungal infections affect 300 million+ people worldwide every year鈥攁nd that burden continues to grow with rising antifungal resistance. 听
Yet fungal infections remain 鈥渙ne of the most neglected global health threats,鈥� : widely underrecognized, underdiagnosed, and largely absent from many national health plans and antimicrobial resistance strategies. 听
That is why the WHO has released a , which provides practical guidelines to strengthen prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance. 听
Growing stakes: The guidelines are the WHO鈥檚 latest effort to address a threat that is rapidly expanding because of climate change, international travel, and antifungal pesticide usage in agriculture. The blueprint builds on its 2022 .
While common infections such as ringworm are usually treatable, invasive fungal infections can be life-threatening, particularly for transplant recipients, cancer patients, and people living with HIV. People in LMICs face increased risk, says the WHO.听
鈥楢 concrete path forward鈥�: The document calls on countries to focus on four core domains to strengthen response:
Bolster public awareness, preparedness, and antifungal stewardship.听听
Expand access to diagnostics and medicines while supporting research and innovation.
Improve laboratory capacity and surveillance.
Address environmental and agricultural drivers through a One Health approach.听
Meanwhile, two pet-related fungal infections are on researchers鈥� radars:听
A cat-carried fungus, Sporothrix brasiliensis, is a 鈥済rowing public health concern鈥� amidst an outbreak in South America, . 听
And dogs may provide a bellwether for the potentially fatal fungal disease blastomycosis, say health officials in Northern Ontario, where five people died of the disease in 2021, .
Related: Radio Health Journal + syndicated to multiple outlets: The Fungal Frontier: How Fungi Could Trigger A Zombie Pandemic 鈥�
SUCCESS STORIES How Scotland Treated Violence Like an EpidemicIn 2005, Scotland was deemed 鈥渢he most violent country in the developed world鈥� by the UN and had Europe鈥檚 highest murder rate. But today, homicides are at their lowest level in 20+ years and now fall in the middle of European rankings. 听
What made such a turnaround possible? 听
Adopting a public health approach: Officials created the Scotland Violence Reduction Unit in 2005, seeking to reframe violence as a public health problem stemming from preventable risk factors, based on U.S. programs. 听
A slate of interventions has included peer support groups, school programs, and partnerships with courts and health workers鈥攑articularly the group , which trains health workers to support patients vulnerable to violence.
Rapid impact: Violent crime fell by almost a third between 2006鈥�2015. 听
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Ranch Goes with Everything, and EveryoneAt what point does a charming trend become a homeland-security-threatening obsession? When it comes to ranch dressing, the answer is murky鈥攚ith a nice, tangy aftertaste.
It all started a month ago, when international visitors in the U.S. for the World Cup seemingly encountered 鈥溾�� en masse, resulting in viral social media posts praising the sauce鈥檚 boundless virtues. 听
But that enthusiasm has escalated, , which documented a series of somewhat concerning (yet relatable) scenes: 听
A Panama fan 鈥渃hugging a handle of ranch鈥� before entering Newark International Airport. 听
A man at Boston Logan International Airport selling ranch packets out of a suitcase. 听
A Germany fan claiming he had consumed three bottles of ranch in a week, and 鈥渄rank straight from it this morning.鈥� 听
Global 鈥渄ip-lomacy鈥�: The TSA reminding new ranch devotees to 鈥渕ake sure to keep your carry-on sauces to 3.4 oz or less.鈥� 听
In response, food producer Kraft announced it was fast-tracking a 鈥淭SA-Compliant Ranch,鈥� . And UPS launched a "Ship and Dip" deal for travelers, , to ensure 鈥渘o ranch left behind.鈥�
Underground Births, Under Bombardment: Childbearing in Ukraine 鈥�
Kids with autism are prone to drowning. Florida is trying to prevent that 鈥�
A Mom Said Infant Formula Killed Her Baby. The Manufacturer Didn鈥檛 Tell the FDA. 鈥�
Immigration hardliner takes over US foreign aid 鈥�
Provision buried in controversial U.S. rule change would help people legally challenge 鈥榳oke鈥� federal research 鈥�
Women more often hired after losing weight on GLP-1s: Study 鈥�
Coffee Lovers and Their Livers Can Celebrate, Study Suggests 鈥�
听Issue No. 2943
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Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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July 1, 2026
TOP STORIESUganda reported a Marburg disease outbreak to the WHO yesterday鈥攏ews that could complicate the effort to contain the Ebola outbreak that has also affected the country; while the Ugandan government has not disclosed the outbreak publicly, on Monday. 听
The U.S. FDA will allow Zyn nicotine pouches to be marketed as safer than cigarettes in a 鈥渟ignificant win for tobacco giant Philip Morris International鈥�; the move drew criticism from the American Lung Association, which says the 10 flavors marketed with this claim are designed to appeal to young people.
Niger鈥檚 ban on same-sex acts has led to the arrest of ~40 people and forced LGBTQ+-focused health organizations to shutter; the ban, enacted in February, dictates that same-sex acts are punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years and has created the climate of a 鈥渨itch hunt,鈥� say health workers. 听
A cat-carried parasite that causes toxoplasmosis and can lead to retina-damaging eye infections and permanent vision loss could infect as much as a third of the world鈥檚 population, ; the authors argue that toxoplasmosis meets the criteria for WHO recognition as a neglected tropical disease. 听
IN FOCUSA laboratory worker prepares mRNA at the Inserm ART-RNAm laboratory of the Regional Hospital Centre, in Orleans, France. November 18, 2025. Jean-Francois Monier/AFP via Getty
Building Confidence in the Next Generation of VaccinesBillions of doses of mRNA vaccine have been administered since the first COVID shots to use the technology were brought to market six years ago鈥攁nd the efficacy, safety, and 鈥渢ransformative鈥� potential only continue to bear out, .
But public confidence in the vaccines hinges on the ways scientists and health providers communicate about them, researchers say.听听听
Strong findings, : mRNA vaccines had 87% effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection and 94% against mortality two to six weeks after vaccination.听听
鈥楨xceedingly rare鈥� side effects: While myocarditis and pericarditis are very rare side effects of mRNA vaccines, COVID itself puts people at far greater risk of the same heart issues, .听听听
New promise: The versatility of the mRNA platform is opening a new horizon of treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases, influenza, and RSV.听听听
Communication is crucial: In the face of uneven mRNA vaccine uptake, the researchers argue that vaccine hesitancy should be met with better communication and accessible information.听听
鈥淧eople should feel empowered to ask questions about their health and what they put in their bodies,鈥� lead study author Anna Blakney .听听
demonstrates the opportunity for trust-building, finding that relatively few adults firmly believe common vaccine myths, but many remain uncertain and open to credible information鈥攁 group researchers called the 鈥渕alleable middle.鈥澨�
The survey also found that trust in healthcare providers is strongly linked to lower belief in misinformation, .听听听
Related:听听听
If a Lyme disease vaccine gets approved, how would it go over? We asked hunters 鈥� 听听听听听
RFK Jr Changes Terms for US Vaccine Committee as Email Leak Reveals Sustained Political Interference in Vaccine Policy 鈥� 听听
Artificial intelligence could usher in a new era of vaccine development 鈥�
TECH & INNOVATIONSUntethering TB TestingZambia鈥檚 devastating drought in 2024 led to widespread electricity shortages鈥攄isrupting TB testing that relies on large, power-intensive molecular diagnostic machines. 听
But health workers throughout the country will now be equipped with a lifesaving alternative: A handheld, battery-powered device known as a near-point-of-care (NPOC) test. 听
Designed to operate with minimal power, the NPOC can deliver results in under an hour and offers 鈥渋mmense鈥� potential in underserved communities worldwide. 听
While the devices won鈥檛 replace molecular tests, they will allow doctors to 鈥渇ind people earlier, begin treatment faster and save many lives,鈥� said Benin鈥檚 health minister Benjamin Hounkpatin. 听
Further reach: Over the coming months, the Global Fund and partners will deliver ~3 million tests throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. 听
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITSTrump鈥檚 actions signal a move toward institutionalizing people with disabilities, advocates warn 鈥�
Witchcraft and WhatsApp: The fight to contain Ebola misinformation 鈥�
Rizla maker and cult football fashion house cash in on World Cup 鈥�
The shilajit dilemma 鈥�
Affordable Healthcare Emerges as a Voter Priority in Purple Nevada 鈥�
After Trump's reelection, these U.S. scientists found jobs in the U.K. 鈥�
听Issue No. 2942
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Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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June 30, 2026
TOP STORIESThe Ebola outbreak in east Africa could push ~1 million people into poverty and trigger an economic development crisis on the continent, , which projected the outbreak could cost ~$3.6 billion and hundreds of thousands of jobs, with women disproportionately affected.
A new FDA panel on peptides will include doctors and pharmacists with deep financial ties to the growing industry; the meeting next month will reconsider the safety and effectiveness of several popular peptide injections, which have historically been deemed too risky for FDA approval.
The odds that young women received chlamydia testing increased 2.74X when medical assistants prepping patients for doctor鈥檚 appointments received an electronic medical alert, that included 18,000 primary care visits; chlamydia is often asymptomatic but U.S. screening rates are suboptimal.
Medicare will cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss for the first time starting tomorrow, a move that is expected to result in a surge in prescriptions for patients 65+; however, the coverage is a temporary pilot program set to expire at the end of 2027.
IN FOCUSA sign on a door forbids people from carrying guns into a public building on July 17, 2016, in Cleveland, Ohio. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
America's Ever-Shifting Ground on Gun PolicyThe U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week striking down Hawaii's default ban on carrying firearms on private property is expected to have ripple effects beyond the state, as lawmakers nationwide grapple with how to craft gun safety laws that can survive the Court's increasingly expansive interpretation of the Second Amendment.
Background: Hawaii legislators passed the law in the wake of a 2022 Supreme Court ruling, which found the Second Amendment gives most people the right to have guns in public, .
Hawaii鈥檚 law required people to get permission to carry guns into privately owned establishments, and is similar to other laws in California, Maryland, New Jersey and New York.
Implications: Business owners must now explicitly prohibit firearms if they want to keep guns off premises.
And the ruling further complicates how states can craft their own gun policy, 鈥攁nd 鈥減erpetuates an atmosphere of uncertainty for legislators that are committed to protecting their communities from gun violence,鈥� said Kelly Roskam, the Center鈥檚 director of law and policy.
Other stories we鈥檝e watched in June, which is Gun Violence Awareness month:
Uninsured gunshot victims in Florida hospitals are discharged significantly sooner than insured patients, even when injuries are similarly severe, finds . On average, uninsured patients stayed about six days鈥攖hree fewer days on average than their insured counterparts.
20+ gun violence prevention bills were signed into law in Virginia this month, ; however, an assault weapons ban has since been blocked by a judge, . 听
The leading cause of non-medical deaths in Alabama children in 2024 was weapons鈥攏early all firearms, .
And new bipartisan Ohio law allows people to temporarily store firearms at gun shops as a suicide prevention measure, .
In winter 2022, invasive Strep A and scarlet fever killed several thousand people across Europe, North America, Australia, and East Asia and culminated in a 鈥攂ut few reports mentioned that Strep A, the bacterium behind strep throat and impetigo, , .
Most of the deaths are in young people in LMICs who suffer from rheumatic heart disease (RHD), in which the鈥痓ody鈥檚鈥痠mmune response to repeated infections misfires and damages heart valves.
In wealthier countries, the threat has largely disappeared, thanks to better鈥痟ousing, sanitation, healthcare, and antibiotics鈥攂ut globally, around鈥�痵till live with RHD.
Collins, who spent her career working on vaccines, had never heard Strep A mentioned as a global health priority鈥攗ntil she joined the . And yet, there are indications that a Strep A vaccine could work鈥攂ut research efforts are鈥�, even compared to diseases with similar mortality like malaria and HIV.
Collins details needed actions to address the issue鈥攊ncluding multiple vaccine candidates approaching clinical trials and a
鈥淓conomic development could one day end this disease. A vaccine could do it now,鈥� says Collins.
DATA POINT5
鈥斺赌�
The number of Americans who die every hour from toxic vehicle emissions, according to 鈥�
I Was an NIH Program Official. Here's What a Peer Reviewer Doesn鈥檛 See: The NEJM editors understand the threat of the proposed federal grant review changes 鈥�
What the Return of the New World Screwworm Means for Public Health 鈥�
Democratic states sue over Medicaid work rules 鈥�
Shortage of Chemotherapy Drugs Brings Rationing Fears 鈥�
May as Well Get COVID and Flu Shots on the Same Day, Study Says 鈥�
Why some Europeans resist air conditioning, even amid deadly heat waves 鈥�
听Issue No. 2941
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Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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June 29, 2026
TOP STORIESDRC鈥檚 Ebola outbreak is still growing and outpacing the response, the WHO says, while that there is a 70% chance the outbreak will spread into South Sudan; researchers say preparing for that scenario should be a priority, given the country鈥檚 weakened health infrastructure.
Europe鈥檚 heatwave has been linked to 1,300+ excess deaths since June 21 per WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; temperature records were broken continent-wide again yesterday, including in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
Undiagnosed tuberculosis leads to at least one death a week in England, finds a ; older, British-born men were among those most likely to have been diagnosed after death, suggesting health workers could be overlooking the possibility of TB in patients with that profile. 听
An LGBTQ+-specific crisis hotline is being relaunched after the Trump administration ended it last year鈥攂ut it might exclude the suicide prevention program The Trevor Project, which originally helped develop and run the hotline.
IN FOCUSPeople gather outside the Domingo Luciani hospital searching for relatives following twin earthquakes in Caracas, Venezuela, on June 25. Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty.
Collapse Upon Collapse in VenezuelaMore than 72 hours after Venezuela鈥檚 devastating twin earthquakes, overwhelmed first responders and health workers are improvising and relying on civilian volunteers as the country鈥檚 long-deteriorating health system buckles under the country鈥檚 deadliest natural disaster in decades, .
The latest: ~1,450 people have died, ~3,150 people have been injured, and 12,721 people are displaced, with officials warning that those numbers will rise.
International assistance is accelerating, but many communities continue to rely on volunteers using shovels, ropes, and bare hands for rescue and relief efforts as the window narrows for finding survivors. 听
Overwhelmed facilities, desperate measures: In hard-hit La Guaira, two of the state鈥檚 three public hospitals are out of service, and others across the region are heavily damaged, .
Surviving facilities have faced dire shortages of water, electricity, medicines, and both medical and communications equipment. 听
Makeshift trauma wards have filled with patients lying on benches, IVs held up by tree branches, citizens supplying water and medical supplies, and overflowing morgues, per and . 听
Already on the brink: The earthquakes struck a health system long hollowed out by years of economic crisis, underinvestment, and mass emigration of health workers.
鈥淭he earthquake didn鈥檛 collapse the health system. We already had a collapsed health system,鈥� Janeth M谩rquez, director of the Venezuela chapter of the Catholic charity Caritas, told The New York Times. 听
Ongoing health crisis: Physicians warn that the crisis is entering a more critical phase as people trapped for longer periods have arrived with more complex medical needs.
Meanwhile, recovery workers face mounting risks, including contamination from bodies under the rubble and a lack of protective and sanitation gear, .听
In an era of rising misinformation, declining reliance on institutions, and social upheaval driven by climate change, conflict, and AI, how do public health communicators gain trust from their communities?听
The age-old, yet revolutionary answer: Sustained human connection.
鈥淚nformation alone does not change lives. Trust, relationships, and human connections do,鈥� said Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Dean Keshia Pollack Porter of the in Panama City last week.听
What connection looks like: Instead of a top-down public health messaging approach, the field is shifting toward locally based, community-led strategies that especially look to Indigenous knowledge holders and young voices to craft interventions that reflect the lived realities of the people they are meant to serve.听
Cross-discipline connection: Researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and creatives from a wide range of backgrounds must work together to support needed changes.
鈥淣o single organization, country, or discipline can solve today鈥檚 challenges alone,鈥� said Babafunke Fagbemi, executive director of the Centre for Communication and Social Impact.
To that point: The 2026 summit included participants from 125 countries.听听
Related, via the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs:
Thousands of miles from the Strait of Hormuz, the Iran war death toll is rising 鈥�
Whereabouts of nearly 300 people with Ebola unknown in DR Congo 鈥� 听
Sunset or new dawn? UNAids fights for survival 鈥�
Three Candidates Vying for Global Fund Leadership in Contentious Race 鈥�
MAHA feels betrayed after Supreme Court ruling on Monsanto, glyphosate 鈥�
Support builds on the right for prosecuting women who get abortions 鈥�
Explaining inequalities in quality of life: a longitudinal study of health disparities in Norway 鈥�
听Issue No. 2940
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Bike infrastructure is expanding in Canada, but access remains uneven
Children and older adults are consistently less likely to live near bike lanes, finds a new study that mapped cycling infrastructure in three Canadian cities over a decade.
The 成人VR视频-led research analyzed census data for Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria. Across all three cities, neighbourhoods with a higher proportion of children (under 15) and older adults (65+) were located farther from cycling infrastructure.
June 25, 2026
TOP STORIESIn Venezuela, a frantic rescue effort is underway after twin听7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes yesterday killed at least 32 and injured 700; road closures, power outages, and communication disruptions are complicating the rescue effort in the country where the emergency response capacity and health system have been weakened by years of political and economic tumult.
Dengue is surging in Sri Lanka, where the military has been deployed to assist in mosquito control after 1,000+ cases were reported in a single day; ~19,000 cases have been reported in June so far, leading to fears that the caseload threatens to overwhelm hospitals and clinics.
Amid a flu outbreak of nearly 300 at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, flu vaccines are once again mandatory; after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth鈥檚 repeal of the vaccine mandate for the military in late April, only 40% of recruits at Lackland elected to get the shot.
$1.4 billion+ in emergency Ebola funding has been requested by the Trump administration to help combat the spiraling outbreak in Africa; the funding, described as a "national security measure,鈥� is one of the most significant U.S. health-related spending initiatives on the continent since drastic cuts to aid programs, and will support infection control, contact tracing, and a quarantine center in Kenya for Americans.
IN FOCUSVolunteer teachers lead morning lessons for children displaced by fighting at a Norwegian Refugee Council-supported school. Tawila, North Darfur, Sudan, February 22. Giles Clarke/Avaaz via Getty
Mapping Childhood AdversityMillions of children worldwide have their early years shaped by stress, trauma, or abuse. Such adverse childhood experiences, known as ACEs, can have lifelong detrimental effects on physical and mental health鈥攁nd are associated with premature morbidity and mortality, .听听听
With such widespread and varied childhood harm, what can be done to improve outcomes as kids grow up?听听听
A new Lancet series seeks to help answer that question by more specifically mapping the global burden of ACEs, and by shining a light on the outsized impact of ACES among young people experiencing homelessness.听听听
Together, the studies provide one of the most comprehensive pictures yet of how childhood adversity shapes health and social outcomes鈥攁nd what policymakers can do to improve outcomes.听
Key findings:听听听
led by researchers from the University of Calgary drew on 1,000+ studies involving 2.6 million adults across 102 countries. They found ACEs are widespread globally, with emotional abuse the most common experience (28%), followed by parental separation or divorce (24%), emotional neglect (22%), and household substance misuse (22%).听听
led by researchers at Charit茅 鈥� Universit盲tsmedisin Berlin, found nearly all youth reported at least one ACE, including disproportionate rates of physical abuse (62%) and sexual abuse (27%). 听
Guiding prevention: Such data must 鈥済uide where prevention efforts should focus,鈥� 鈥攆rom parenting support and mental health services to violence prevention.听
For youth experiencing homelessness, researchers call for integrated, trauma-informed models that combine housing, healthcare, social services, and 鈥渦pstream prevention of child maltreatment,鈥� .听听听
Related: Save the date: 2nd Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HEALTHCARE WORKFORCELithuania鈥檚 Doctor Shortage Debate听As Lithuania grapples with a growing doctor shortage in rural areas, lawmakers and doctors are at odds about how best to address the crisis.听听
Background: By 2032, Lithuania is projected to have a deficit of 269 family doctors, 207 internal medicine doctors, and 146 pediatricians.听听
Lawmakers鈥� solution: Parliament has voted to fund 385 medical residencies鈥攚ith a stipulation: Most doctors who complete the state-funded residency program will be required to work five years in a shortage-affected region.听听
Doctors鈥� opposition: Junior doctors plan to challenge the rule in court, calling it overly restrictive and saying it fails to address a more complex question: 鈥淲hy do doctors choose, or choose not, to work in regional areas?鈥� said Laurynas Maciulevi膷ius, Lithuania鈥檚 Junior Doctors Association president.听听
Other European strategies to address shortages range from financial incentives to expanding career development opportunities, .听听
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Now Hear This听We鈥檝e all encountered our own version of the loudest person in the world: the woman talking on speakerphone on the train; the dad at the youth soccer game who insists that 鈥淚鈥橫 NOT YELLING!鈥�; or our own baby wailing on a long-haul flight. 听听
But the world鈥檚 actual loudest person has officially made himself heard: 58-year-old Australian Joseph McGrail-Bateup has made the Guinness Book of World Records for bellowing the word 鈥渘ow鈥濃�攕orry, 鈥淣OW!!!!鈥濃�攁t the ear- and record-splitting volume of 122.4 decibels. That鈥檚 within range of a chainsaw, a jet taking off, and a nearby ambulance siren.
Resounding success: While you 鈥渃an鈥檛 really practice鈥� for such a feat, it seems like his role of being Canberra鈥檚 honorary town crier might have helped a smidge (Just turn your speaker volume down before sampling his jubilant 鈥渙yez鈥�). 听听听
Still echoing: The previous longstanding record was set in 1994 by a Northern Ireland schoolteacher who, quite understandably, hollered the word 鈥渜uiet.鈥澨�
QUICK HITSThe Ebola Outbreak's Central Mystery: Where Did This Virus Come From? 鈥� The New
Life and death in an Ebola virus disease treatment center 鈥�
Why are crisis pregnancy centers saying they can 'rule out' ectopic pregnancy? 鈥�
Ukraine: The Hidden Battle to Protect Millions from Tuberculosis and Other Deadly Diseases 鈥�
Years without fluoridated water show pattern of tooth decay experts warned about鈥�
Pandemic pathogens, dengue, cholera were world鈥檚 largest emerging infectious disease burdens from 2000 to 2022 鈥�
Vermont is the first state to ban paraquat, a weed killer linked to Parkinson鈥檚 disease 鈥�
Singing the Shopping List: How Music Can Rewire the Brain After Stroke 鈥�
听Issue No. 2399
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June 24, 2026
TOP STORIESThe use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Sudan amounts to a war crime and possibly crimes against humanity, issued yesterday that documents such violence in 16 of Sudan鈥檚 18 states; the report calls for immediate and long-term actions by parties in the conflict, Sudanese authorities, and the international community.
500+ mothers and babies died or were harmed amid widespread substandard care at Nottingham University hospitals, ; the 401-page report听describes routine understaffing and dangerously poor and sometimes 鈥渃ruel鈥� treatment over a period of 13 years. 听听
A study on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness blocked from publication in a CDC journal by the Trump administration has now been ; the study found that the vaccine was ~55% effective against virus-associated hospitalizations and reduced related trips to EDs and urgent care clinics by 50%.
A U.S. federal judge blocked a Trump administration move to let states bar recipients from using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program money to purchase soda and candy, ; separately, , the number of U.S. children receiving food assistance has plummeted by at least 776,000 since the Trump administration rolled out changes to the federal food benefits.听
IN FOCUSSwimmers sunbathe on the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris during a heat wave, on June 20. Arnaud Finistre/AFP via Getty
Europe鈥檚 Heat Emergency听As Europe endures one of its most extreme early-summer heat waves on record, communities are closing schools, restricting outdoor activities and sports, mobilizing emergency responders, and struggling to maintain power, water, and transport systems under strain, .听听
Intensifying toll: 350 million+ people鈥攔oughly two-thirds of Europe鈥檚 population鈥攁re seeing temperatures above 30掳C (86掳F), .听
The heat wave is being driven by an 鈥淥mega block鈥濃�攁 high-pressure weather pattern that is trapping a mass of hot air over Europe, .听
This year鈥檚 risks fit a larger trend, as the continent warms at 2X+ the 鈥実lobal average, leading to 200,000+ heat-related deaths over the past four years鈥攊ncluding ~1,500 people in May鈥檚 heat wave, per the AP.听听听
Dangers and disruptions:听
In France, which recorded its hottest day on record yesterday (44.3掳C/111.7掳F), 40 drowning deaths have been reported as people seek relief in rivers and canals.
845 schools closed in France; in England, ~300 schools closed amid the nation鈥檚 failure to adapt for heat, .听
Scrambling to adapt: One billion more people worldwide now face at least one day of 鈥渆xtreme heat stress鈥� annually compared to the 1970s, , . As dangers escalate, so does the body of research seeking adaptation strategies:
In Belgium and the Netherlands, researchers are studying how migrant communities experienced with heat can shape urban adaptation strategies, .听
And the new South Asia Hub of the Global Heat Health Information Network finds that adaptations like cool roofs can reduce deaths and the burden on infrastructure, .听听听
Related:听听
How India鈥檚 heatwaves are shutting schools 鈥� and pushing women out of the workforce 鈥� 听
New report documents Singapore鈥檚 multi-stakeholder approach to urban heat resilience 鈥�
THE LATEST: EBOLAAs Ebola cases surge over 1,000, experts say outbreak could be the worst ever 鈥�
US releases experimental Ebola drug for DR Congo outbreak trials 鈥�
France reports first Ebola case in doctor returning from Congo 鈥�
Construction of US-backed Ebola quarantine unit in Kenya is stopped 鈥�
Ebola Symptoms in Current Outbreak May Be Milder Than in Previous Ones 鈥�
ESSENTIAL READING STIsAustralia鈥檚 Syphilis ResurgenceOver the past decade, syphilis cases in Australia have nearly doubled, rising from 4,773 in 2015 to 8,993 in 2025 and leading health officials last year to declare the outbreak a 鈥渃ommunicable disease incident of national significance.鈥澨�
Impact on infants: The disease鈥檚 comeback has especially impacted newborns, with 130 cases of congenital syphilis reported in the last 10 years, resulting in 42 deaths, per the Australian CDC.
First Nations children accounted for 60% of those deaths.听听
Northern Territory nexus: Infection rates in the country鈥檚 Northern Territory are 7.5X the national average.听听
Especially high prevalence among Aboriginal communities has led health leaders to adopt culturally informed health worker training and expand community-led testing efforts.听
US: Millions Lost Health Insurance When Subsidies Expired 鈥�
Treating Elephantiasis Cuts HIV Risk In Tanzania 鈥�
The Covid Czar People Still Trust 鈥�
Cannabis increases the risk of psychotic episodes, but legalization does not always have the same consequences 鈥�
Does it seem easier to book a dermatologist for Botox than a mole check? You're not alone 鈥�
How I used public radio to recruit 20,000 participants for a peer-reviewed study on walking breaks 鈥�
听Issue No. 2398
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Copyright 2026 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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June 23, 2026
TOP STORIESIndia is facing a drastic shortage of two critical chemotherapy drugs because of sharp increases in the price of platinum and supply chain problems; ~20% of cancer patients worldwide rely on platinum-based chemotherapy. 听听
Australia will continue to allow the use of paraquat, an herbicide banned in 70 countries, because of its link to Parkinson鈥檚 disease; the pesticides regulatory board made the decision after a decades-long review found no causal link between the weedkiller and the disease. 听听
Dozens of Haitian medical students protested outside the prime minister鈥檚 residence in Musseau yesterday, demanding that the general hospital be reopened: 鈥淲e are ready to serve the population. Unfortunately, the State is not providing the necessary infrastructure,鈥� protesters said. 听
U.S. DEA officials didn鈥檛 intervene as hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills were distributed in New Mexico from 2023 to 2025; instead, the agency tracked shipments as federal prosecutors built criminal cases against traffickers.
IN FOCUSYoung Filipinos who participated in a focus group study believed that they were the main target of e-cigarette marketing. Institute for Global Tobacco Control
Filipino Youths Pulled to VapingAs adolescent vaping surges in the Philippines, young people say they are drawn to the products through a compelling range of marketing tactics: trendy product design, fun flavors, social media influencers, and endless online trends.听听
Those are just some of the findings from a at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which surveyed 171 Filipino participants ages 13鈥�20.
The study was conducted as vaping prevalence among youths skyrocketed from 7.5% in 2021 to ~40% in 2023.
The surge followed passage of a July 2022 law allowing previously banned flavors and dropping the minimum purchase age from 21 to 18, .
Sweet scents and social capital: Flavors鈥攅specially sweet, fruity, or candy-esque鈥攁nd product design are appealing, but media portrayals of vaping as a symbol of an aspirational lifestyle are normalizing the products in 鈥渄angerous鈥� ways, .听听
鈥淰ape promotion is reaching them at every turn,鈥� said lead study author Tuo-Yen Tseng.听听
After decades of improvement, U.S. pedestrian fatalities have increased by ~75% since 2009. One key culprit, per an extensive New York Times analysis: The growing popularity of larger pickups and SUVs.听
200鈥�400 deaths per year鈥攐r ~10% of pedestrian deaths鈥攃ould have been avoided if vehicle sizes had remained similar to those of the early 2000s, found the investigation.
Why? Two key reasons:
Higher hoods:听More vehicles鈥� hoods are now taller than the average American鈥檚 center of gravity, making them more likely to knock people to the ground and increasing the risk of fatal injuries.
Bigger blind zones: Blind spots have expanded substantially in popular truck models, making it much harder for drivers to spot pedestrians.听听
听
QUICK HITSEbola outbreak in DR Congo tops 1,000 cases, at least 254 dead 鈥�
Displaced in Lebanon, Women Search for Water, Privacy and Dignity 鈥�
Who will lead the WHO after Trump's retreat? 鈥�
鈥楾he law is clear鈥�: Sasha Stevenson fights back as vigilantes try to keep migrants out of clinics 鈥�
鈥楬ealed Healers Heal鈥�: Inside the Push for an Indigenous Medical School 鈥�
Indiana Takes On Powerful Hospitals by Capping Prices They Charge Employers 鈥�
A blood test that screens for multiple types of cancer? It may be available soon 鈥� 听
听Issue No. 2397
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Copyright 2026 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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June 22, 2026
TOP STORIESAI helped diagnose 18 children with rare diseases at Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital, ; the OpenAI o3 model was used to analyze patient genomes and helped identify new diagnoses for the patients, including rare neurodevelopmental diseases, neuromuscular disorders, early psychosis, and factors that led to sudden deaths.
A major flu outbreak has sickened ~160 U.S. troops at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, less than two months after Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth declared U.S. troops would no longer be required to receive the flu vaccine; since then, only ~40% of Air Force trainees have opted to get the vaccine. 听
The Department of Health and Human Services is proposing updates to testosterone replacement therapy labels after reviewing new data; the update could mean that more men with age-related low testosterone could access the therapy, as well as potential revisions to warnings on enlarged prostate and prostate cancer risk.
Uganda will require emission checks on vehicles after data showed that high air pollution levels in Kampala account for around one in five adult deaths from natural causes there; recent exhaust tests on the city鈥檚 aging fleet of vehicles showed nitrogen oxide emissions 9X+ higher than European limits.
IN FOCUSPassengers evacuated from the MV Hondius board UME buses, on May 11, in Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Europa Press Canarias via Getty Images
Hantavirus and Ebola Raise Questions About QuarantineToday has been dubbed 鈥楩reedom Day鈥� for quarantined passengers of the Dutch cruise ship the MV Hondius, whose release today in their home countries marks the close of an 80-day hantavirus outbreak that infected 13 people and claimed three lives, . 听
But the questions and debate surrounding outbreak response continue鈥攅specially regarding quarantine鈥攁nd now take on fresh urgency as the struggle to contain Ebola in the DRC grows. 听
End of an outbreak: The quarantine period was six weeks鈥攖he maximum known incubation window for the Andes strain of the virus. No additional cases emerged during that time.
Isolation: protection or coercion? The outbreak exposed a spectrum of differences in how countries balanced public safety and individual liberty, .
Passengers in the UK were 鈥渧oluntarily鈥� isolated at home with daily well-being checks and grocery deliveries.
Others, such as U.S. passengers, faced mandatory quarantine measures, including one passenger whose initial medical clearance for release from quarantine last week was overruled by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Legal experts described the measure as 鈥渁rbitrary鈥� and 鈥渁uthoritarian,鈥� and warned it could undermine public trust in future emergencies,
A multipronged crisis in DRC: Those concerns are now echoed in the DRC, where hungry Ebola patients have fled treatment centers in search of food, .
Aid agencies say hunger and inadequate medical support have become major barriers to containment. More than 150 patients have reportedly fled Ebola treatment facilities.
鈥淚n this environment, isolation is seen [by Ebola patients] as a coercive mechanism that prioritizes abstract public health metrics over the welfare of individual patients, rather than a pathway to healing,鈥� .
Related: Ebola and hantavirus can start like the flu but turn deadly fast 鈥�
THE QUOTE鈥淭he world鈥檚 policymakers are in Lisbon, yet here I am in Uganda, trying to explain to an embassy why I should have the right to travel. ... The WHO says we need 鈥榤idwifery models of care鈥�. I have a rare example of this, but I鈥檝e been silenced.鈥�
鈥斺赌斺�斺赌斺�斺赌斺�斺赌斺�斺赌斺�撯�撯��
鈥�Harriet Akello, from Uganda, who was among to attend a key maternal and child health conference in Lisbon last week.
The U.S. CDC鈥檚 role in global health programs will be drastically curtailed later this year, as the State Department assumes more control of such programs and funds following the dismantling of USAID.
Background: The CDC鈥檚 international offices and established partnerships have long helped administrate PEPFAR and related programs, including outbreak investigations, immunization campaigns, and disease surveillance in vulnerable countries.
But under the new structure, the State Department plans to offer transactional, country-by-country funding agreements, which include the option to choose from a 鈥渕enu鈥� of 34 itemized health-related services such as disease surveillance.
The overhaul is raising concerns that governments will scale back critical prevention programs鈥攚eakening laboratory networks, disrupting HIV care for millions, and undermining outbreak investigations.
鈥淭his is the end of autonomy and independence and long-term capacity at the CDC for work in global health,鈥� said Atul Gawande, a former head of global health at USAID.
Related: These 3 brothers lost their parents to AIDS. Now they struggle to make it on their own 鈥�
QUICK HITSFederal grant delays could jeopardize essential disability services, research 鈥�
China launches probe into baby diaper chemical safety concerns 鈥�
FDA panel backs first-of-its-kind flu vaccine using mRNA technology 鈥�
Researchers caught in the crossfire as companies and governments grapple over AI safety 鈥�
Most sunscreen content on TikTok is accurate, but it鈥檚 the misinfo that goes viral 鈥�
听Issue No. 2936
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Copyright 2026 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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June 18, 2026
TOP STORIESThe WHO has released Ebola and Marburg clinical care guidelines as the DRC outbreak grows, with the recommended response to such filovirus diseases including a focus on early treatment and close patient monitoring, ; meanwhile, to make an experimental antibody treatment available for trials and emergency use in the DRC, . 听
Pakistan plans to abolish its 鈥減eriod tax鈥� on sanitary products after young advocates took the government to court over the charges; commercial period products have historically been used by a minority of women in Pakistan because of their cost. 听
The COVID-19 vaccine reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events linked to the virus by ~40%, ; the findings, which showed reduced risk of strokes, heart attacks, and hospitalization from heart disease suggest such benefits have persisted years after the COVID vaccine鈥檚 initial introduction.
No cervical cancer deaths in women 20鈥�24 were recorded in England from 2020 to 2024, a result of the HPV vaccine being offered to girls 12鈥�13 in the country since 2008, finds a new study in ; the findings are the first evidence that the vaccine prevents cervical cancer-related deaths in addition to dramatically reducing HPV infections.
IN FOCUSPatrica Atim and her baby sit next to a treated mosquito net in Miciri A village in Apac District, Uganda
on April 7, 2025. Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images
The Evolving Fight Against MalariaThe fight against malaria in 2026 is full of ever-shifting front lines. Threats are evolving鈥攆rom mosquitoes鈥� building resistance to insecticide, to the devastating disruption of sudden global aid cuts last year.
But the toolkit is growing too, as scientists discover innovative mosquito control methods and communities adopt new prevention strategies. 听
The bottom line is that there is no silver bullet in the malaria fight, researchers and public health leaders say. Instead, the arsenal must be diverse and adaptable鈥攃ombining proven interventions, next-generation technologies, and most importantly, sustained investment to combat the disease that led to ~600,000 deaths in 2024.
Forced to adapt: After USAID funding was slashed last year, the impact was felt immediately in Nigeria鈥檚 Sokoto state. Available rapid diagnostic tests fell from ~21,000 per quarter to ~700, and stockouts of malaria medicines and tests reached 48% this spring, . 听
Community health leaders focused on continuing malaria chemoprevention programs for young children, but they warn that any gains could be lost without reliable infrastructure鈥攃alling the funding crisis a 鈥渃larion call鈥� for more sustainable Nigeria-based programs.
Defenses needing reinforcement: While insecticide-treated bed nets remain highly effective at reducing malaria, their overall performance varies by region, .
Insecticide resistance, changing mosquito behavior, and uneven net use lead to varying outcomes across different communities, highlighting the need for close local monitoring and adaptability, .
Introducing new tools: Meanwhile, researchers have identified a new ally in the fight against malaria: an orange yeast, Rhodotorula taiwanensis, that appears capable of both attracting and trapping malaria-carrying mosquitoes, .
The yeast could form the basis of low-cost, biodegradable mosquito traps, .
Related: DNDi and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) pool regulatory expertise to accelerate access to lifesaving medicines 鈥�
VAPINGA New Generation of Nicotine Addiction in South AfricaSince electronic cigarettes were introduced in South Africa in 2012, they have remained entirely unregulated. Over a decade later, the impacts of such wide-open access are coming into focus, especially among young people, .
Toll on teens: ~17% of students responded that they were vape users, and of those, 61% showed signs of addiction, reporting that they couldn鈥檛 get through a day without their device. 听
Failure to act: A wide-ranging bill that aims to regulate most tobacco products, including vapes, has been stalled in the country鈥檚 parliament since 2018. 听
Advocates for regulation say a separate, more limited under-18 ban would be easier to pass鈥攁nd is overdue.
The annual Canada Gairdner Awards celebrate the world鈥檚 best biomedical and global health researchers, including: 听
The Canada Gairdner International Awards ($250,000): a celebration of the original contributions that change our understanding of human biology and disease, aimed at recognizing the world鈥檚 brightest minds in medicine.
The Canada Gairdner Global Health Awards ($100,000): to recognize scientists making strides in addressing global health inequities through exceptional scientific research.
Deadline: Nominations for the 2027 International and Global Health Awards due by 11:59 p.m., PDT, October 1, 2026.
Visit the Gairdner awards , join a , , or connect with the awards team to learn more.
Many of us have been thrown off by cat interruptions, like a tail appearing mid-Zoom, or . But try playing dead Romeo in front of a live, cackling audience while a stray tabby swats at your face and eats your hair. 听
In a dazzling display of 鈥榮how must go on-ness鈥� that deserves some kind of special award, Romeo remained very much dead while being accosted by the wayward feline during an amphitheater production of Romeo and Juliet by the Imperial Russian Ballet Company in Izmir, Turkey.
While it鈥檚 been widely read as a simple snafu, the cat鈥檚 behavior suggests a retelling of the romance involving two star-crossed lovers 鈥� and a jealous cat. 听
How else does one explain why the intrepid cat鈥攏ow 鈥斺赌�,鈥� (by sticking its butt in his face), and then simply 鈥�.鈥� Stunning performances all around.
Cats and cast alike: We drink to thee.
QUICK HITSEbola and the US patient spotlight global health 'injustice' 鈥�
RFK Jr. announces $700M investment in addiction services, emphasizing faith-based organizations 鈥�
Scientists Find Intriguing Link Between Ozempic and Violent Behavior 鈥� 听
A Roadmap to Effective Gun Violence Policy 鈥�
AI tool could speed antibiotic development 鈥� 听
Dutch children are unusually happy and healthy. Is it because of this walking ritual? 鈥�
Issue No. 2935
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Copyright 2026 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Contributors to Global Health NOW include: Brian Simpson, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, and Jackie Powder.
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