Category: Weekly Situation Update

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • The State Health Commissioner has released a communicable disease update for the Commonwealth.
  • COVID-19 activity has likely stabilized but remains elevated.
  • The 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines were approved by the FDA. They are recommended for everyone older than six months of age.
  • Clade Ib mpox cases are increasing in Burundi. No new cases were reported outside of Africa this week.
  • WHO has launched a preparedness and response plan to combat mpox.
  • The measles outbreaks in Oregon and Minnesota continue to grow.
  • Dangerous heat is expected to continue over the weekend. Much of Virginia will experience moderate heat risk.
  • Anti-microbial resistance was responsible for 255,000 deaths in Africa in 2019. This represents 20% of the global total.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • Thailand reports case of clade Ib mpox. This is the second case detected outside of Africa.
  • TPOXX (tecovirimat) is ineffective against clade Ib mpox.
  • HPAI A(H5N1) has been detected in indoor cats in Colorado.
  • COVID-19 growth may be slowing. ED diagnoses fell in Virginia for the first time since May. Yet, overall rates remain highly elevated.
  • A multi-county measles outbreak in Oregon is ongoing.
  • Labor disputes have shutdown Canada’s freight rail, with significant effects on U.S. supply chains expected.
  • The highest number of conflicts since World War II is contributing to antimicrobial resistance, disease outbreaks, and forced displacements.
  • A total of 10,257 pertussis cases have been reported in the U.S. in 2024, compared to 2,815 for the same period in 2023.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • The WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to the mpox outbreak in central Africa. The outbreak involves both a clade Ia strain, as well as a novel clade Ib strain.
  • Sweden has reported the first case of clade Ib mpox outside of Africa.
  • The CDC rates the future pandemic potential of HPAI A(H5N1) as a ‘moderate’ risk. It notes that the current threat level remains ‘low’.
  • The FDA and USDA tested 167 commercial dairy products and found no evidence of viable HPAI A(H5N1) virus in any of them.
  • COVID-19 activity continues to increase. Wastewater data suggest that viral activity is now ‘very high’ in Virginia.
  • The CDC issued an alert regarding an increase in reported human parvovirus B19 cases, following a similar increase in parts of Europe.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • Tropical Cyclone Debby continues to impact the Commonwealth and has caused at least six deaths nationally. Another system, with a 40-60% chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next seven days, is heading towards the Caribbean.
  • The WHO will convene an emergency committee meeting to consider whether the clade Ib mpox outbreak in Africa is a ‘PHEIC’. The outbreak has spread from DR Congo to neighboring Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
  • HPAI A(H5N1) was found in ten new dairy herds in Colorado and Texas. The herds in Colorado were detected by a new bulk-milk testing system.
  • Antibody tests may have found two new human cases of HPAI A(H5N1) in Texas. Not including those cases, the official human case count for 2024 is now 13.
  • The World Health Organization updated its priority pathogen list, adding mpox, influenza A, and dengue among other pathogens.
  • COVID-19 rates continue to grow. COVID-19 wastewater levels and ED diagnosis rates now rival those of late January.
  • Oregon is experiencing a multi-county measles outbreak. The number of measles cases detected in 2024 is already more than three times the number detected in 2023.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • HPAI A(H5N1) was detected in deer mice and house cats in Colorado.
  • The CDC will fund seasonal flu vaccines and training for farm workers. The goal is to reduce the risk of HPAI A(H5N1) genetic reassortment.
  • COVID-19 activity is elevated nationally and in Virginia.
  • A study found COVID-19 infections in multiple species of Virginian wildlife.
  • Oropouche virus is causing an unusual number of cases and spreading to new areas in South America and the Caribbean.
  • Extreme heat is expected across Virginia today and into the weekend.
  • Potential Tropical Storm Four could bring heavy rainfall to the Southeast.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • Colorado reports two more human cases of HPAI A(H5N1). The cases were found among workers of commercial egg laying facilities. This brings the total number of national human cases to eleven.
  • CDC study finds no evidence of asymptomatic HPAI A(H5N1) carriers in humans.
  • HPAI A(H5N1) testing efforts remain inconsistent across affected states.
  • COVID-19 rates continue to grow nationally and locally. Rates in Virginia are now comparable to those in mid-February.
  • A shortage of blood culture bottles causing facilities to conserve supplies may ease in September.
  • A train derailment damaged a wall and four garages in Fredericksburg.
  • Though cooler weather has moved into Virginia, heat records continue to fall globally. Northwest Virginia is experiencing extreme drought.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by justincrow

Key Takeaways

  • A global IT outage is affecting numerous systems, including in Virginia. This situation is ongoing.
  • Avian influenza was detected among Colorado poultry workers. The patients reported mild respiratory symptoms and conjunctivitis. CDC considers the threat to the general public ‘low’.
  • HPAI A(H5N1) was detected in an Oklahoma dairy herd. The virus has now been found among cattle in 13 states.
  • COVID-19 activity continues to grow nationally. Virginia is now reporting a ‘high’ wastewater viral activity level.
  • Arlington authorities report a possible exposure event at a local grocery store from an out of state measles case.
  • Richmond experiences over four more heat waves annually compared to the 1960s, while Norfolk experiences almost six additional heat waves.
  • A shooting at a major-party presidential campaign event last week, and a speech by the Israeli prime minister next week, highlight the ongoing threat of political violence.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • Extreme heat is expected to impact Virginia in the coming week. The entire Commonwealth will experience at least ‘moderate’ heat risk. Most regions will experience ‘major’ or ‘extreme’ risk.
  • A new study suggests that HPAI A(H5N1) could be transmitted by raw milk. The same study found that the virus may be better adapted to infecting humans than other avian influenza strains.
  • COVID-19 viral activity continues to grow. Diagnosis rates in Virginia are now comparable to those from early March. The CDC notes that COVID-19 surges can happen any time of year.
  • NIH begins trial of nasal COVID-19 vaccine.
  • New mpox cases in South Africa and Connecticut, along with the ongoing outbreak in DR Congo, highlight the ongoing threat from the disease.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • The Heat Index will be above 100° F across much of the state this weekend and early next week.
  • The CDC detected a fourth human case of HPAI A(H5N1) this week. The patient was a dairy worker from Colorado.
  • COVID-19 activity continues to increase across the nation. Wastewater data suggest Virginia has a ‘moderate’ level of activity.
  • Hurricane Beryl’s rapid intensification into a major hurricane may herald a difficult 2024 hurricane season.
  • Hackers are targeting the health sector using personal information from previous data breaches to impersonate colleagues and IT staff.
  • Have a fun and safe Independence Day weekend!

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update

Posted on by alextelionis

Key Takeaways

  • As was the case last week, a heat wave will bring dangerous temperatures to Virginia this weekend.
  • HHS has unveiled a “Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Strategy” to optimize the response to a potential HPAI A(H5N1) outbreak.
  • The FDA will begin testing commercial dairy products for signs of HPAI A(H5N1) contamination.
  • Indicators continue to suggest COVID-19 growth. Levels remain low.
  • The US Surgeon General declared firearm violence a public health crisis.
  • Severe weather and flooding have impacted much of the Midwest, killing two and causing significant damage to infrastructure.
  • The CDC issued a HAN alert related to an increase in dengue cases in the US, including among US travelers.

VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update.

VDH Surveillance Data Update.

This page updates weekly on Friday by 5:00 PM.

The VDH OEP Weekly Situation Update is produced by the VDH Office of Emergency Preparedness. This update covers ongoing or potential public health and emergency preparedness issues, including COVID-19. This product is intended to enhance situational awareness among the public health, healthcare, and emergency management communities. Some items covered may pose little or no threat to the public at large. These items are included for situational awareness only and do not represent an endorsement of the source or information therein.