Brief History Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity as spoils of the 19th Century Opium Wars. For the next 156 years, under British influence, Hong Kong developed a political culture unique to Mainland China and flourished as an open economy. In 1997, after years of negotiations, Hong Kong was returned to China… Read more about Crisis in Hong Kong: Update for Travelers
Today marks one year since the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared an Ebola outbreak, and is now considered the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in the history, according to the WHO, topped only by the one in West Africa in 2014. One year later, the fight to contain the outbreak is far from over. This summer… Read more about One Year Later: DRC Ebola Outbreak is the Second-Deadliest in History
School is out and summer is in full swing. Days are filled with backyard barbecues, time with friends, and dips in the pool to beat that relentless summer heat. Though swimming in community pools is a regular part of many American’s summer routines, federal public health officials are urging people to think twice before diving… Read more about ‘Crypto’ parasite outbreaks on the rise in US swimming pools
Ophidiophobia is the term to describe one’s abnormal fear of snakes. Researchers believe that the fear has evolutionary traces, developed by early humans as a survival tactic. Although the exact number of individuals suffering from Ophidiophobia is unknown, snake fears are relatively common. Considering that 200 people die every day from snakebites around the world,… Read more about Snakebites: A Leading Global Health Crisis Causing 200 Deaths Every Day
Latest Measles Data From January 1, 2019, through May 10, 2019, measles cases are now up to 839 and present in 23 states, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week. The outbreaks in the US have been cited as “numerous” and “unrelated” to each other. The multi-state element is… Read more about Understanding “Elimination” vs “Eradication” of Infectious Diseases in The Wake of The Measles Outbreak
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new report today that at least 704 people have been sickened by measles since January 1, 2019 – the greatest number of reported cases in 25 years, marking a sad and alarming milestone in the history of the disease. The measles epidemic has been a… Read more about Measles Cases Hit 25-Year Record High At The Start Of National Infant Immunization Week
As numbers continue to rise in the European measles epidemic, localized outbreaks throughout the United States and parts of the rest of the world are being reported. Instead of receding, it appears that the European measles epidemic has transformed into a worldwide measles epidemic. Both local and international travelers should be aware of the risks… Read more about Measles – An Ongoing Epidemic
February – a month dedicated to all things heart shaped – has fittingly been dubbed American Heart Month. It is the time of year for us to consider our heart health and to raise awareness of the risks of heart disease. And if you think you’re seeing a lot of red today – you’re not… Read more about February is American Heart Month – Tips When Traveling with a Heart Condition
From the reemergence of vaccine-preventable diseases to Acute Flaccid Myelitis, we’re bringing you a roundup of the major global health stories of 2018. Reemergence of Measles Measles is a highly contagious, viral illness. During the 1950s, in stark contrast to the present day, almost every American was affected by the measles, with nearly all children suffering a bout… Read more about 2018 in Review: The Major Health Stories of the Year
News of the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in western Africa shocked the world and took international media by storm. Despite international efforts to contain the virus, in the largest outbreak of its kind, the virus took the lives of 11,300 people in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Although no stranger to Ebola and the devastating effects the disease can have on… Read more about The Ongoing Ebola Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo
