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Published by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
Editors: Diane Meyer, RN, MPH; Divya Hosangadi, MSPH & Amanda Kobokovich, MPH
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The epidemic of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second largest in history after the 2014 west African epidemic. A storm of detrimental factors complicates this event: armed conflict, political instability, and mass displacement. WHO, the DRC government, and non-governmental organisation partners have shown remarkable leadership but are badly stretched. The outbreak remains far from controlled, risking a long-term epidemic with regional, perhaps global, impacts. More information
here.
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Public Health & Healthcare Preparedness
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REPORT
Situation Update: Summary of Weekly FluView Report.
According to this week's FluView report, seasonal influenza activity remains elevated overall and increased again over last week's report. Influenza-like-illness (ILI) is 4.3%, which is above the national baseline of 2.2% and the highest it has been so far this flu season, but is still substantially lower than the 7.5% peak recorded last season.
(CDC, 2/8/19)
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NEWS
What is "Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America?".
HHS Secretary Alex Azar wrote on February 5, 2019, that we have "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to end the epidemic, thanks to the most powerful HIV prevention and treatment tools in history and new tools that allow us to pinpoint where HIV infections are spreading most rapidly." (HIV.gov, 2/7/19) |
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RESEARCH
A New Approach for Understanding Ebola Virus Pathogenesis. In September 2018, FDA awarded a two-year contract to the Broad Institute to conduct the largest Ebola virus and host gene expression (i.e. transcriptomics) study to date. Researchers at the Broad Institute will use the latest sequencing technologies, including single-cell sequencing methods, to assess how Ebola virus evolves and spreads within the body.
(FDA, 2/1/19)
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Homeland Security & Disaster Preparedness
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NEWS
Intelligent Healing for Complex Wounds. DARPA believes that recent advances in biosensors, actuators, and artificial intelligence could be extended and integrated to dramatically improve tissue regeneration. To achieve this, the new Bioelectronics for Tissue Regeneration (BETR) program asks researchers to develop bioelectronics that closely track the progress of the wound and then stimulate healing processes in real time to optimize tissue repair and regeneration.
(DARPA, 2/6/19)
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Radiological & Nuclear Disaster Preparedness
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WORKSHOP
2019 RITN Workshop Registration is Now Open!
The Radiation Injury Treatment Network (RITN) will host its 6th biennial workshop titled - "Crisis in context: Minding the gaps in medical preparedness for a Rad/Nuke incident" in Arlington, VA, on July 30-31, 2019. The workshop materials are up on www.RITN.net and online registration is open!
(NACCHO, February 2019)
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Science & Technology Policy
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ANNOUNCEMENT
Safeguarding the Bioeconomy Committee Meeting #2.
Research and innovation in the life sciences is fueling rapid growth in many sectors of the US economy. Capitalizing on the opportunities presented by this emerging bioeconomy will require efforts to better understand and protect it without hindering its growth.
(February 2019)
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