Ebola Update:
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• With 1,118 confirmed cases, this Ebola outbreak is now the third largest ever. (Brown Pandemic Center)
  
  
• France confirmed its first Ebola case in a doctor returning from DR Congo. (Reuters)
  
  
• Scientists believe there’s an animal reservoir of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, but they haven’t identified the specific animal. (NY Times)
• Some good news: the number of patients who have recovered from the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has now doubled. (Bloomberg)
  
  

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Health News:
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• After 275+ troops at one TX base got flu just months after a mandate was lifted, the military is once again requiring basic trainees to get the flu vaccine. (ABC)
  
  
• Tetanus is a rare but dangerous disease that’s on the rise amid a drop in vaccinations. (CNN)
  
  
• A study showing that the COVID vaccine cut ER visits and hospitalizations in half was published in JAMA this week, after the CDC chief blocked its publication in their weekly scientific report this spring. (Washington Post)
  
  
• There’s a big spike in cyclosporiasis, with 64 U.S. cases this week (up from 20 two weeks ago), including an ongoing FDA investigation without a known source. (FOI Clinical)
  
  
• A new ACIP charter widens member criteria and focuses on vaccine alternatives, a major change for the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. (STAT)
  
  
• A new Supreme Court ruling on immigration is expected to cause a healthcare worker shortage. (Washington Post)
  
  
• More sanitation workers are getting pricked by used needles - the rise in GLP-1s may be partly to blame. (Curbed)
  
  
• 1 in 3 Americans use chatbots for health advice. (Washington Post)
  
  
• Some good news: despite a rough run, vaccine manufacturers are still optimistic and continue to invest in developing new vaccines. (STAT)

Best Question:

We have restaurants near popular Appalachian Trail stops, and we’ve seen that there’s a serious norovirus outbreak in hikers. Should we be worried? 

Summer is thru-hiking season for popular hiking routes like the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. While norovirus tends to spike in the broader population from November to April, we consistently see major noro outbreaks in the summer related to hiking trails. This year, we’ve already heard warnings about norovirus on both the AT and PCT. 

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Noro spreads easily through contaminated food, water, or surfaces, like the communal composting toilets that are common in parts of these trails. Hand sanitizer doesn’t work to kill norovirus, and access to soap and water for hand washing on the trail is limited. It only takes a tiny amount of the virus to make others sick, and since it’s highly contagious, just one person’s illness can cause an outbreak among a group that is hiking together or using shared bathroom facilities, despite good ventilation in the great outdoors.

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If you operate restaurants near a popular trailhead, be sure to let your team know that there’s noro in the area and that they should be extra vigilant about washing their hands. Consider adding an extra bathroom cleaning (or two) per day, especially if you have hikers using your facilities. Emphasize the importance of staying home if your employees get sick with a stomach bug, and not returning to work until two days after their symptoms stop. Those three simple steps should protect you significantly if there’s an outbreak near you.
 

Sources: Backpacker.com, SF Gate, NYT

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Best Read:

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For something a little lighter to send you into your weekend: 

The USDA Just Issued A Terrifying Warning Using A Muffin, And It's Going Viral - Buzzfeed

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