July 21, 2026
TOP STORIESGlobal road injuries and deaths have fallen by nearly a third from 1990 to 2023, ; but traffic crashes still led to +1.1 million deaths last year.
A healthy diet is beyond the financial reach of 2.7 billion people, , though global hunger fell for the third year in a row; the authors said countries must subsidize dairy, fruits, and vegetables rather than cereals and starchy foods.
India鈥檚 drug regulator has approved the country鈥檚 first dengue vaccine after reviewing a phase 3 trial that included 20,000+ participants in eight countries; Takeda Pharmaceutical had partnered in 2024 with India鈥檚 Biological E to manufacture 100 million doses annually of the QDENGA vaccine by 2030.
U.S. universities that lost research grants may have a better chance of getting them back after a federal judge鈥檚 July 17 ruling that the Trump administration cannot rescind active grants because of a shift in the government鈥檚 priorities.
IN FOCUSA girl fills containers with water drawn from the leftovers of underground pipes at a camp for people displaced by war in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City on July 6. Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP via Getty
War鈥檚 Continued Toll on Gaza鈥檚 Women and ChildrenThe ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reshaped daily life for women and children in the enclave, as both struggle to help their families survive amid the collapse of infrastructure and public institutions.
Children forced into work: Aid groups say extreme poverty has driven many children into hard labor鈥攈auling water, selling food, or scavenging for materials鈥攖o earn money for their families, .
With ~85% of schools destroyed, 625,000+ children have been out of formal education for three years. And the proportion of children 10鈥�17 engaged in hard labor has risen 5X+ compared to pre-war levels.
Health workers report rising injuries and long-term physical and mental harm; meanwhile, UNICEF warns prolonged absence from school increases the risk of dropping out. 听
Women bear water crisis: At the same time, a finds women and girls in Gaza have been especially impacted by the destruction of water, sanitation, and hygiene services in the enclave, with lack of safe water complicating pregnancy, menstrual hygiene, and caregiving, :
Women are forced to journey long distances and wait hours in unsafe conditions to fetch just a few liters of water.
Related: MSF demands Israel release detained Palestinian healthcare workers 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES ONE HEALTHRecruiting Fish in the Battle Against Schistosomiasis听Researchers in Senegal are testing whether raising fish in rice fields can reduce the parasitic disease schistosomiasis, while also boosting crop yields and food security. 听
How it works: African bonytongue fish prey on the freshwater snails that carry the schistosomiasis-causing parasitic worm, while tilapia provide natural fertilizer through their waste, potentially boosting rice yields without costly chemical fertilizers. Farmers can also harvest the fish for food or income.
Early promise: where the fish were raised in rice fields found the approach suppressed snail populations and increased rice yields by ~25%, though researchers say larger studies are needed to confirm lasting health and agricultural benefits.
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITSThe resistance gene that鈥檚 causing 鈥榥ightmares鈥� in US hospitals 鈥�
#Aids2026: What The Polygamist gets wrong about HIV 鈥� and what would save lives in real life 鈥�
This Lifesaving Genetics Tool Works Best if You鈥檙e White 鈥�
鈥楥ancer Doesn't Care What Party You Belong To鈥�: Poisoned Water Is Turning This Rural State Bluer 鈥�
New study finds avocado oil products may contain cheaper oils 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Xiaodong Cai!
鈥楬eat deaths are not inevitable鈥�: WHO pushes Europe to heat鈥憄roof its hospitals 鈥�
The squad of motorbike-riding women fighting wildfires in the jungle 鈥�
听Issue No. 2593
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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 20, 2026
IN FOCUS As Aid Cuts Deepen, Countries Rush to AdaptThe U.K. has outlined deep cutbacks to its overseas aid budget, with some of the steepest reductions hitting sub-Saharan African nations over the next three years: Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania will each face aid cuts of ~90% by 2029, . 听
While officials say the goal is to move to 鈥減artnerships rather than paternalism,鈥� aid groups and researchers warn that the drastic, abrupt shift could have devastating, immediate consequences for health, education, and humanitarian programs. 听
鈥淚t is just too sudden, too soon,鈥� Saskia Osendarp with the NGO Micronutrient Forum .
A new aid paradigm: The massive cuts from both the U.K. and the U.S. last year are rapidly reshaping sub-Saharan Africa鈥檚 health sectors, forcing countries to experiment with new funding models in both public and private sectors. 听
鈥淲e鈥檙e in a phase between the old order and a new order,鈥� said Dan Banik, a researcher with the University of Oslo who studies the role of aid in the region, per .
Malawi presents a case study of such adaptation, as external donors have for years funded over half of the country鈥檚 health spending. 听
The country is seeking new models for its health sector鈥攆rom grassroots initiatives like the construction of a community-funded clinic in central Malawi to longer-term government reforms including taxes for a national health fund. 听
But such efforts will take time and will not fully offset the rapid loss of external support during the transition, say Malawi health officials.
Related: In Malawi, funding cuts hold back medical help from above 鈥�
TOP STORIESSeven U.S. aid workers have been quarantined in the U.S.-run facility in Kenya after responding to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, though none are reporting symptoms, ; meanwhile, Uganda is calling on countries to lift travel restrictions to the nation after its last Ebola patient was discharged last week, .
Spain鈥檚 largest wildfire is burning for a fifth day in the country鈥檚 central Guadalajara province, forcing the evacuation of ~1,000 residents as forecasters warn of increased fire risks throughout the country as another 鈥宧eat wave looms.
A third death from Legionnaires鈥� disease has been reported amid an outbreak in New York City that has led to at least 74 cases; the city鈥檚 health department says the source of the bacteria has been eliminated but that anyone who spent time in affected areas and develops flu-like symptoms should seek medical attention.
The source of the Cyclospora outbreak in the U.S. remains unclear, that a re-review of lettuce samples from Taylor Farms鈥攚hich already issued a widespread recall of lettuce products鈥攑roduced a false positive for the parasite, meaning as of yesterday that 鈥渢here are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora.鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES OBESITYHow Big Soda Leveraged the World Cup Spotlight听Coca-Cola鈥檚 sponsorship of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup allowed the company to use branded replay and clip videos and social media campaigns that vastly expanded the company鈥檚 reach beyond live matches鈥攊ncluding to children, say researchers calling for more regulation over what they described as 鈥渟portswashing,鈥� .
鈥淏y aligning its brand with athletic excellence, Coca-Cola perpetuates a false sense of health and legitimacy that directly contradicts what sport represents,鈥� said Nalin Singh Negi, lead author of a .
that most news coverage of Coca-Cola鈥檚 2024 Paris Olympics sponsorship was favorable and rarely addressed public health risks. 听
Vital Strategies鈥� findings were presented at the . The conference convened researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to discuss efforts to curb Mexico鈥檚 obesity rates, including recent tax hikes on sugar-sweetened beverages, front-of-package warning labeling, tactics to reduce stigma, and new medical care protocols.
PAHO and the Organization of American States also presented new , designed with ministries of health and education across the Americas.
Violence repeatedly erupts in dementia care despite warnings, inspections show 鈥�
Doctors 鈥楥ringe鈥� at Possibility of Documenting Which Medicaid Enrollees Too Sick To Work 鈥�
Climate Change Hits Women Hardest. It's Time Our Solutions Reflected That. 鈥�
'No more families should endure this' - parents of student who died from MenB back new vaccine advice 鈥� 听
Quitting smoking is hard. A Medicare change may push doctors to give more help 鈥�
Trump administration ends dozens of grants for studying patient care 鈥�
How to keep the air inside your home clean during wildfires 鈥�
听Issue No. 2952
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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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July 16, 2026
TOP STORIESFrance鈥檚 parliament adopted an intensely debated right-to-die bill yesterday, supporting assisted dying for adults with incurable illnesses; the bill is slated to undergo review by France鈥檚 Constitutional Council before it can take effect.
More health workers in the DRC have gone on strike claiming a lack of pay amid the region鈥檚 ongoing Ebola outbreak, which has now exceeded ~2,000 cases and led to 754 deaths, ; meanwhile a hospital in Uganda is set to discharge the country鈥檚 last known Ebola patient, triggering a 42-day countdown after 鈥寃hich it could be declared free of the virus, .
The link between multiple sclerosis and the Epstein-Barr virus is becoming better understood, as researchers were able to show how the virus triggers the immune system ; researchers also demonstrated how an immunotherapy treatment can prevent relapses and slow disease progression.
Reducing ultra-processed foods could help prevent thousands of heart disease deaths, , which suggests between 23%鈥�38% of heart disease deaths could be attributable to UPF consumption.
IN FOCUSA nurse administers the cholera vaccine to a child in Sudan's Gedaref city on November 20, 2023. AFP via Getty Images
Gradual, Vulnerable Vaccine GainsGlobal childhood vaccination rates continue to gradually recover after their steep pandemic dropoff鈥攂ut rates are still far off the pace needed to meet global immunization goals, and could further unravel under global health funding cuts, .
"Millions of vulnerable children are still being left unprotected due to conflict, displacement, and poverty,鈥� said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell.
Key takeaways: ~13.5 million children remained 鈥渮ero-dose鈥� in 2025, meaning they missed all routine vaccinations. That number is down ~750,000 from the previous year, but still well above pre-pandemic levels. And it is ~4 million off the 2025 milestone needed to meet the global goal of halving the number of unvaccinated children by 2030, .
Conflict, poverty, displacement, and rapid population growth are the key barriers, as more than half of zero-dose children live in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings.
Uneven progress: WHO also warned that growing numbers of children start vaccine schedules but fail to complete them, contributing to stalled measles coverage and renewed outbreaks, .
Globally, 7.3 million infants are estimated to have received their first DTP dose, but dropped out before receiving their first measles dose.
Looming impact of aid cuts: The 2025 data sets also do not yet reflect major international funding cuts. Already, though, surveillance systems 鈥渁re themselves showing strain,鈥� the report found.
Sudan鈥檚 bright spot: Despite ongoing conflict, Sudan recorded the largest improvement globally last year, 鈥渄emonstrating what is possible鈥� when access is improved, per the report.
Meanwhile in the U.S.: Vaccine policy remained in focus on Capitol Hill as senators led by Sen. Bill Cassidy sharply questioned CDC director nominee Erica Schwartz, who sidestepped queries about whether the agency would maintain scientific independence under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., .
Cassidy also confronted Sean Kaufman, who has been tapped to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, over Kaufman鈥檚 previous vaccine-skeptical posts and doubts over mRNA research, .
New Alzheimer鈥檚 research is continuing to uncover new clues about the disease, as scientists seek more ways to understand risk, identify the disease sooner, and refine treatment routes.
The research, much of which was presented this week at the Alzheimer鈥檚 Association International Conference in London, demonstrates the growing emphasis on earlier, more personalized approaches to preventing and slowing the disease.
Better understanding risk: A blood test measuring a biomarker called p-tau217 could help identify symptom-free older adults at higher risk of developing Alzheimer鈥檚 years before cognitive problems appear, . The study, , drew results from long-running studies of 2,684 older adults.
For now, researchers view the early test primarily as a way to recruit participants for prevention trials rather than as a routine screening tool.
New pathways to treatment: An experimental drug might help slow early Alzheimer鈥檚 disease by lowering levels of the brain protein tau, . While further tests are needed, the Biogen drug, diranersen, could introduce a different approach than the medications lecanemab and donanebab, which clear buildup of the better-known amyloid protein.
Related: New WHO guidelines: up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed 鈥�
SURVEYWhat do you think of GHN鈥檚 frequency (Monday鈥揟hursday)?
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Peanut Butter and LegacyIt鈥檚 hard enough spreading peanut butter evenly on a PB&J sandwich.
Now imagine being asked to evenly spread 800 lbs of the stuff鈥攅nough for 15,000 sandwiches鈥攁cross a 25-meter hexagon.
Punishment? Nay! An honor of the highest artistic order鈥攁nd also 鈥渁 lot of work,鈥� admitted one PB-worker who helped to spread the piece on a museum floor in honor of its creator, the Dutch conceptual artist Wim T. Schippers, who died last month, .
To spread the love, Schippers left behind instructions for replicating Pindakaasvloer, or peanut butter floor: 鈥淣o one is supposed to stand in, or lie down on the peanut butter,鈥� he ordered. But visitors at the latest installation have already trodden on the work and dropped their phones in it,
Schippers鈥� Floor Covering Series also included one covered in glass shards and salt. A warning to vandals: If you step on that one, the joke鈥檚 on you.
QUICK HITSDengue outbreak complicates Bangladesh measles crisis response 鈥�
U.S. military will test service members鈥� testosterone levels, Pete Hegseth says 鈥�
Are Microplastics Linked To Higher Heart Attack Risk? 鈥�
Parkinson鈥檚 drastically changed how they have sex. They're not alone. 鈥�
Lawmakers want to make daylight-saving time permanent 鈥� health experts say that's precisely the wrong idea 鈥�
Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years with new DNA analysis 鈥�
听Issue No. 2951
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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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July 15, 2026
TOP STORIESMany of DRC鈥檚 newly reported Ebola deaths are people who died in their communities without ever receiving care鈥攁 鈥渕ost alarming finding,鈥� per the WHO, which warned that a majority of new cases are coming from 鈥渦nknown chains of transmission,鈥� as the toll for the fastest-growing outbreak ever approaches 2,000 confirmed cases and 700+ deaths.
221 people have died in Nigeria鈥檚 Lassa fever outbreak, which has spread to 23 of the nation鈥檚 36 states, per the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; the case fatality rate of the outbreak is now 24%, with people ages 21鈥�30 the most affected.
A tuberculosis outbreak at an ICE facility in Colorado has sickened ~12 people, and dozens of others have reportedly been placed in quarantine without air conditioning, per detainee accounts; another outbreak was reported in the same facility last spring.
A U.S. appeals court has revived hundreds of lawsuits claiming links between acetaminophen usage during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders; a lower court had previously thrown out the suits, which were filed against pharmacies and the manufacturer of Tylenol, as scientists and obstetrics groups repeatedly emphasize that there is no connection between the medication and such disorders.
IN FOCUSAn advertisement for Zyn smokeless nicotine pouches at a smoke shop in New York City on January 27, 2024. Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty
Pushback Against Big Tobacco鈥檚 Political BoostLongstanding efforts to curb youth tobacco use in the U.S. could be undermined in coming years, warn health advocates, as federal regulators loosen restrictions on vapes and nicotine products while also rolling back smoking prevention and cessation programs. 听
Eased federal guidance on newer tobacco products 鈥渉elps the tobacco industry target kids and threatens the hard-won progress our nation has made in reducing youth tobacco use,鈥� argued a coalition of public health groups, pediatricians, and parents who filed yesterday, . 听
Background: In May, the FDA released new guidance that rolled back restrictions on vaping鈥攊ncluding the sale of flavored vapes鈥攁nd fast-tracked the approval of nicotine pouches. 听
Meanwhile, a that the agency approved Zyn nicotine pouches without fully assessing or determining the composition of materials used in the pouches. 听
Diminished prevention efforts: At the same time, CDC鈥檚 office on smoking and health has been shuttered for more than a year, and a federal advisory panel set to issue updated guidance on helping young people quit tobacco has been stalled since last March, . 听
The 鈥渂roadly pro-tobacco agenda鈥� is coming into play as President Trump increased his investments in major tobacco companies and as industry groups donated millions to Trump-aligned political committees, per an investigation by KFF Health News. 听 听
Related:
Making Americans Smokers Again: Trump Administration Cuts Anti-Tobacco Programs 鈥�
Cola, Cotton Candy and 鈥榮weet-flavoured鈥� vapes to be banned to protect children 鈥�
Cigarettes are back in vogue. How did this happen? 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES NEGLECTED DISEASESFun, Games, and PreventionTo combat the parasitic disease schistosomiasis, public health workers in Nigeria rely on an arsenal of interventions: testing, preventive drugs, and a rousing variation of the board game Chutes and Ladders.
鈥淪chisto & Ladders,鈥� more than a decade ago, shows kids how to navigate the complex quest of preventing and treating schistosomiasis:
On a colorful board, players slide down 鈥淪chisto worms鈥� for risky behaviors, such as playing in an infected river. But they can also 鈥渃limb ladders鈥� for healthy choices, like taking preventative praziquantel at school or cutting vegetation around a river to discourage snails, the parasite鈥檚 host. 听
Interactive impact: One 2020 study found that after six months of gameplay, more than two-thirds of 275 students were familiar with praziquantel, and 65% consented to treatment. 听
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS
The new malaria vaccine helps in Africa but faces a test: Completing all 4 doses 鈥�
Americans in Congo barred from听immediately听returning home amidst Ebola听outbreak 鈥�
鈥榃hen she turns听eight听they will take her鈥�: rising number of Afghan girls being sold into child marriage 鈥�
The Dangerous Unraveling听Of听The听United States鈥櫶鼺amily Planning Safety Net 鈥�
What to watch for as senators question CDC nominee Erica Schwartz 鈥�
Medieval plague survivors left us graffiti, court听records听and a lesson for COVID 鈥�
The rise of evidence-based medicine and the 鈥榤avericks鈥� who championed it 鈥� Thanks听for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!听
Going to museums, movies, and theater may help your body stay younger 鈥�
听Issue No. 2950
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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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July 14, 2026
TOP STORIESEl Salvador earned WHO validation for eliminating trachoma鈥攖he world's leading infectious cause of blindness鈥攁s a public health problem; El Salvador conducted targeted assessments between 2023鈥�2026 and found no evidence of active trachoma transmission, detected no signs of the disease in children, and found no advanced cases capable of causing blindness in adults.
First responders to the burgeoning Ebola outbreak in the DRC need better protective equipment and pay,听; dozens of Ituri province health workers joined a strike yesterday demanding back pay.听
After landslides in Bangladesh this month killed at least 13 Rohingya refugees and displaced听4,000+, Human Rights Watch warns that refugees 鈥渃rammed into bamboo and tarp shelters ... on steep, deforested hillsides鈥� are vulnerable to cyclones, floods, and landslides and called on the Bangladesh authorities, the UN, and donors听to reduce overcrowding and restore aid for embankments, drainage, access routes, and emergency relocation sites.
Michigan health officials have tentatively linked salad greens or lettuce to the outbreak of explosive diarrhea that has topped 2,600 cases in the state, though other sources of cyclosporiasis cannot be ruled out.听
IN FOCUSJaan Vaart, coordinator of the harm reduction service, stands inside a van equipped with syringes and emergency equipment. Tallinn, Estonia, November 18, 2019. Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty
A Swiftly Evolving Drug Crisis 听When Estonia cut fentanyl overdose deaths by a stunning 70%+ by 2018, there was little time to celebrate: Soon, even more dangerous synthetic opioids filled the void fentanyl left behind, driving overdoses up once again, . 听 听
Mutating threats: Estonia鈥檚 crisis points to a new frontier in the global opioid epidemic, as potent, lab-manufactured opioids emerge faster than researchers, public health officials, or law enforcement can respond. 听 听
Nitazenes, which can be 40X stronger than fentanyl, have led to a dramatic uptick in overdoses in Estonia. This year, an even more lethal opioid, cychlorphine, has hit the streets. 听 听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 changing too quickly,鈥� said Katri Abel-Ollo, a researcher at Estonia鈥檚 National Institute for Health Development. 听 听
Cychlorphine is a growing concern in the U.S. too, 鈥攁nd many of the victims have skewed younger, according to Luis Agostini, a DEA public information officer. The overdose-reversing drug Narcan or naloxone can work to an extent, but it may take multiple doses, given cychlorphine鈥檚 strength. 听
Expanding access to a lifeline: In the U.S., momentum is growing to open up naloxone access to teens, who often face barriers obtaining and carrying it due to varying state laws and consent requirements, . 听
A bipartisan bill in Congress, the School Access to Naloxone Act, seeks to fund naloxone supply and training for schools, and expand legal protections for those who administer the medication in emergencies. 听
The Quote: 鈥淚 think it would be good if people realize that putting things in a lockbox and telling people no isn鈥檛 going to stop a teenager,鈥� says Max Zimbron Martinez, a leader of the Bulldogs Against Overdose student group at Garfield High School in Seattle.
Related: Inside the push for a fentanyl vaccine 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARYWhy Global Health Needs a Planetary Health StrategyIf you鈥檙e committed to advancing global health, it鈥檚 time to join the young, transdisciplinary field of planetary health, . 听听
The field recognizes that Earth鈥檚 natural systems play a critical role in supporting human health, and the degradation of those systems is becoming a dominant driver of the global burden of disease, writes Myers, faculty director of the Planetary Health Alliance and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health. 听听
What can be done: 听
Medical and public health practitioners and researchers can break down silos to focus on different innovations, policies, and practices to protect the public鈥檚 health.
Researchers can work with nontraditional partners like urban planners, business leaders, material scientists, and others. 听
Nurses and physicians can advise patients to adopt a planetary health diet (high in plants and low in meat and dairy) and spend time in nature to improve their health. 听听
These are just a few ways we can adapt our efforts to reflect the fact that the health of humanity and the state of the planet are inextricably connected, argues Myers.
Read the full commentary by Samuel Myers OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITSSingapore bat colony could unlock the future of medicine 鈥�
Reforming WHO: Five Considerations for the Next Director General 鈥�
鈥業f a woman is killed, they say she fell, she took poison鈥�: Pakistan鈥檚 devastating rise in 鈥榟idden鈥� sexual violence 鈥�
Profound health inequalities between Sub-Saharan Africa and other world regions 鈥�
Proximity to Golf Courses and Risk of Parkinson Disease 鈥�
How wearable tech such as watches or bracelets could help to detect Sepsis more quickly 鈥�
Is there a doctor on board? Yes, and airlines depend on it 鈥�
听Issue No. 2949
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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 13, 2026
TOP STORIESA growing cholera outbreak in Sudan has killed 114 people, per WHO officials, who also reported 1,330+ cases; the outbreak especially threatens vulnerable communities in conflict zones, where aid access continues to be hampered.
A group of NGOs allege rights abuses by wealthy countries that control much of the world鈥檚 pharmaceutical industry as pandemic agreement talks stall; countries including the EU, Norway, Japan, and Switzerland have opposed proposals that would require pharmaceutical companies to grant licenses for production in developing countries, and are 鈥渟ystematically resisting measures essential to realise the right to health鈥� of other nations, .
A U.S. outbreak of cyclosporiasis, the gastrointestinal affliction caused by the parasite Cyclospora, has reached 31 states, with 843 confirmed cases reported, ; however, the true number of infections is likely much higher, with as of Friday.
A Legionnaires鈥� disease outbreak on Manhattan鈥檚 Upper East Side has widened, with reports of 50+ people diagnosed, but fewer than 20 remain hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported; more than two dozen buildings鈥攊ncluding the Guggenheim museum鈥攔ecently tested positive for the bacterium that causes the disease and have reportedly cleaned and disinfected their cooling towers in response.
IN FOCUSA health worker dries gumboots and gloves under the sun at the Mulago National Referral Hospital isolation unit in Kampala, Uganda, on July 8. Badru Katumba/AFP via Getty
The Race for a Bundibugyo VaccineThe first human trial of an experimental vaccine for Bundibugyo will launch in Uganda in the coming weeks, a critical step as researchers rush to develop new protections to stem the rapidly spreading Ebola epidemic. 听
The trial: 110 volunteers are set to receive the vaccine in Masaka, Uganda, which is home to a large research outpost of the UK鈥檚 Medical Research Council and the Ugandan Virus Research Institute, . 听
The shot uses ChAdOx, a viral vector platform developed by Oxford researchers that was used to develop the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as well as vaccines for malaria and the plague. The phase 1 study will focus on safety. 听
Other Bundibugyo vaccines in the pipeline include one from Moderna and another from biotech nonprofit IAVI, with researchers optimistic that at least one candidate could prove successful within a year. 听
The vaccine trials will join the emergency clinical trials of experimental antiviral and antibody-based therapies recently launched in eastern Congo, .
Ever-heightening stakes: While DRC remains at the center of the crisis with 1,800+ infections and hundreds of deaths, health officials are increasingly concerned about cross-border spread in what is now the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, . 听
In Uganda, which has reported 20 cases, bans around public gatherings and handshakes have been put in place. 听
And health leaders are keeping a close eye on South Sudan鈥攚here fragile health systems could swiftly become overwhelmed.
Related:
Congo鈥檚 Ebola Outbreak Spreads to Two More Provinces 鈥�
US citizen tests positive for Ebola in Congo 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES MISINFORMATIONThe Devastating Consequences of Vitamin K RejectionsAs more U.S. parents decline newborn vitamin K shots, doctors are seeing more babies arriving at the hospital with devastating hemorrhages.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not unusual anymore,鈥� said pediatric emergency medicine physician Meghan Martin in St. Petersburg, Florida, whose department treats an infant hemorrhage every month or two.听听听
Background: Vitamin K deficiency, which is common in infants, can cause life-threatening brain or abdominal hemorrhages. Since 1961, cases have been largely prevented through widespread adoption of newborn vitamin K shots.听听
Rising rejections: Vaccine hesitation has led to an uptick of refusals: In 2024, 5.2% of U.S. babies missed the shot, up from 2.9% in 2017, .
Over the last five years, physicians have seen more cases, and severe outcomes鈥攊ncluding lasting brain injury and death.听听听
听听
Related:听听
Lawmakers Call for CDC to Track Vitamin K Shot Refusals, Cite ProPublica Report 鈥� 听听
ICYMI: The newborn vitamin K shot: What every parent needs to know 鈥�
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITSLEN can stop HIV. But first people need to understand it 鈥�
Malaria Surge in Urban Teens: Medics cite gaps in care 鈥�
Nearly half of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in ER, missing critical treatment window, study finds 鈥�
World Bank drops climate funding target, raising fears for Africa 鈥�
Federal funding and science doubled life expectancy. We can鈥檛 do more with less. 鈥�
Graduating without a thesis: meet the people getting 鈥榩ractical鈥� PhDs in China 鈥�
听Issue No. 2948
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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 9, 2026
TOP STORIESAttacks on Ebola health care efforts continue in the DRC, as rumors and misinformation fuel violence that has included arson at treatment facilities, assaults on health workers, and repeated clashes over safe burial procedures.
Gun suicides reached a record high of 27,593 in the U.S. in 2024, ; the report, which determined ~45,000 people died by gun violence in 2024, also found that the firearm-related homicide rate dropped 15.8% from 2023.
NFL players are 4X more likely to die of neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, dementia, and Parkinson鈥檚 than the general population, finds a study of ~20,000 NFL players; the study, which was published in the Lancet鈥檚 eClinicalMedicine, is the largest of its kind to date to examine mortality in pro football players.
Catnip lotion is an effective mosquito repellent, ; the study, based on trials carried out in Uganda, found the herb has insect-repelling properties 鈥渨ith performance equivalent to DEET.鈥� 听 Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner!听听
IN FOCUSA dermatologist screens a boy living with Albinism for skin cancer at the Thika School for the Blind. Thika, Kenya, June 13. Simon Maina/AFP via Getty
Cancer Outcomes Shaped by IncomeInequities in cancer care are widening worldwide, , which warns that annual cancer cases could soar from ~20.6 million in 2024 to ~35 million by 2050 without 鈥渦rgent鈥� investment in prevention, early detection, and treatment鈥攅specially in lower-income countries, .听听听
Stark survival gaps: The report highlights 鈥減ersistent and widening鈥� disparities between rich and poor countries,听.听Some examples from the report:
Women diagnosed with breast cancer in high-income countries have five-year survival rates of ~87%, compared with ~42% in low-income nations.
Access to 20 priority cancer medicines ranges from 68% to 94% in high-income countries, compared with 9鈥�54% in LMICs.听
<1/3 of countries include comprehensive cancer care in universal health coverage.听听
鈥淔ar too many people are still being left behind,鈥� says Andr茅 Ilbawi, the WHO鈥檚 team lead for cancer control, .听 听听
Powerful opportunities in prevention: Despite the report鈥檚 sobering findings, researchers emphasized that 4 in 10 cancers are preventable, with risk factors including tobacco and alcohol use, obesity, physical inactivity, and infections such as HPV and hepatitis, The Washington Post reports.
Already, interventions like smoking cessation and HPV vaccines are leading to major gains.
But that progress is uneven: In North America and Europe, cervical cancer has been reduced to 鈥渁lmost elimination鈥濃�攚hile it is still a leading cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.听
鈥� 鈥e have become more aware of this challenge and the importance of us being out there, being transparent and providing information. We鈥檙e trying to re-establish trust in what we are doing, and鈥痜irst of all, standing up for science.
鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
鈥�Steffen Thirstrup, MD, PhD
As chief medical officer of the European Medicines Agency, the Amsterdam-based EU drug regulator, Steffen Thirstrup has grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-vaccine politics in Europe, and upheaval at the FDA, the EMA鈥檚 U.S. counterpart. 鈥�
But now, other issues are keeping him up at night: health misinformation and anti-science politics. 听 听
why the EMA is taking on a more public role in fighting misinformation鈥攁nd the risks of staying silent. Key takeaways: 鈥�
On choosing battles wisely: 鈥淲e鈥痗annot react to every mis- and disinformation that we by chance pick up, but if we see that there is a potential negative health impact, we try to push back.鈥� 听
On tactics: Communicating at the eye level of the audience, and engaging with trusted鈥痠nfluencers or content creators online鈥攖o push positive messages, and also tackle misinformation. 听听
On challenges ahead: The speed of information flow and social media, where everybody can make themselves an expert; and political movements spreading information that questions science.
Read the full Q&A by Gabriela Galvin ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Turn the Cleat Around听We鈥檝e all seen some fancy footwork during this World Cup. But it鈥檚 unlikely that even the fanciest moves from the likes of Messi, Haaland, and Mbappe can stack up to the maneuvers described in this match in West Hollywood last week :听听
The players headed the ball 鈥� and shimmied to ABBA鈥檚 鈥淕imme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).鈥� They dance-battled to 鈥淐ar Wash.鈥� They shot penalty kicks to Donna Summers鈥檚 鈥淚 Feel Love.鈥� At one point, a goalie hung upside down from the goal frame, swinging to and fro.听听
These players are of course, cut from a different鈥攑erhaps lam茅?鈥攃loth than your standard soccer roster. That鈥檚 because they aren鈥檛 soccer players. They鈥檙e Discofoot players.听听听
The beautiful game, further beautified: Invented in 2014 by Swedish choreographers, Discofoot is soccer-esque, :
Instead of dribbling, players must improvise dance moves. Goals matter, but judges also give points for artistic merit. The pregame national anthem is the Bee Gees鈥� 鈥淪tayin鈥� Alive.鈥� And crucially: All players must wear shimmering gold shorts.听
I fear a new HIV and Aids epidemic is coming 鈥� and the world won鈥檛 care, UN official warns 鈥�
An Italian region defies US pressure to end a Cuban doctors program 鈥�
Study dampens hope that meningitis vaccine can also prevent gonorrhea 鈥�
State IVF measures may reduce access to fertility care, docs say 鈥�
My Search for a Psychiatric Bed in an Overburdened Health System 鈥�
Are Autonomous Vehicles Safer Than Human Drivers? 鈥�
How to advance revolutionary science: high turnover, high risk and a license to fail 鈥�
听Issue No. 2947
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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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Reducing vehicle emissions could prevent thousands of deaths in Canada
A shift to cleaner transportation could prevent more than 3,600 premature deaths in Montreal and Toronto by reducing ultrafine particle pollution, finds a new study led by 麻豆社 researchers.
Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are microscopic pollutants produced in large quantities by vehicle exhaust. Because of their small size, they can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream and may contribute to serious health problems such as heart and lung disease.
July 8, 2026
TOP STORIESAn Egyptian court has sentenced a doctor and filmmaker for drawing attention to a pattern of obstetric violence at an Alexandria public hospital鈥攊ncluding widespread physical, sexual, and verbal abuse and medical negligence; the doctor was charged with 鈥渟preading false news,鈥� fined, and given a six-month suspended prison sentence.
A public health emergency in Venezuela is growing as already-strained health systems struggle to meet surging medical needs following the country鈥檚 twin earthquakes; 20 health facilities are facing 鈥渟evere shortages of vital medical supplies,鈥� and just 1,038 healthcare workers are available for a population of 1.7 million+ people.听
Nearly 1 in 4 adults in five states with high rates of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) tested positive for alpha-gal antibodies, suggesting that the presence of the molecule that triggers AGS could be more common than AGS itself, ; the researchers recommend that testing be reserved for patients with clinical symptoms to avoid overdiagnosis.
Average testosterone levels in men declined by 54% between 1972 and 2019, according to data presented this week at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in London; researchers say rising obesity and diabetes are the key drivers but also highlighted endocrine-disrupting chemicals and climate change as potential factors.
IN FOCUSNurses pull on gloves before administering COVID-19 vaccinations to children at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. June 21, 2022. Wesley Lapointe/Los Angeles Times via Getty
Pandemic-Era Push for PPE StallsA U.S. effort to rebuild domestic medical glove manufacturing during the COVID-19 pandemic has largely fallen short six years later鈥攁 saga that underscores the struggle to sustain the pandemic-era priority of achieving medical supply independence, .
Background: In the face of dire COVID-era PPE shortages, ~$850 million in government funding was allocated to six American companies for nitrile glove manufacturing. 听
That included an effort to kickstart production of butadiene, a key glove ingredient which has long been imported鈥攁 vulnerability highlighted this year as the Iran war led to glove price hikes, . 听
Drained investments: None of those funded companies are producing medical gloves today, and the U.S. still relies heavily on imports. 听
Companies say federal funding was not sustained as they were hit by rising construction costs and struggled with a lack of buyers, since domestic gloves can cost ~2X as much as imported ones. 听
鈥淚t is frustrating to watch because value chains for any medical product take a while to establish and take root,鈥� said Prashant Yadav, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations. 听
Future focus: The Trump administration is shifting from manufacturing investment to procurement policies that direct federal agencies to buy American-made nitrile gloves whenever possible. 听
Meanwhile, as another outbreak grows: The Africa CDC is working with manufacturers to scale up domestic PPE production to ensure ~60% of PPE is Africa-produced by 2040, reports New Vision. 听 听
Related:
鈥楳onumental failure of government鈥� led to lost 拢11bn for Covid PPE 鈥� 听
The fight for PPE that fits 鈥�
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES AUTISM Long Road of Advocacy in GuineaFamilies of children with autism face an uphill battle in Guinea, where a range of obstacles stand between them and support services: 听
Unclear picture of need: Guinea does not track autism cases, making it harder to train health workers to diagnose the condition and build out support systems. 听
Stigma: The condition is often misunderstood and sometimes attributed to evil spirits. 听
Few facilities: Only a few schools serve children with autism, and they are prohibitively expensive for most families. 听
Advocates press forward: In 2023, the Salim Foundation for Children with Autism opened as a free school for autistic children and as a support hub for families. 听
鈥淭hese children deserve acceptance, understanding, education and unconditional love,鈥� said founder Mariam Aisha Barry. 听
What do you think about GHN鈥檚 length today?
QUICK HITSAd hoc organization relies on creativity, 鈥榮crappy鈥� funding to monitor public health during World Cup 鈥�
Waiver or not, US places no gag rule conditions on Global Fund funding 鈥�
Liberia鈥檚 abortion law reform: A new front in the global culture wars 鈥�
What can France learn from Spain's heatwave protection for workers? 鈥�
What to know about Legionnaires鈥� disease making people sick on New York鈥檚 Upper East Side 鈥�
Americans May Be Smarter About Vaccines Than You Think 鈥�
听Issue No. 2946
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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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