Cases

At least 130 people thought to have been killed, says Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus before emergency meeting‘It’s heartbreaking’: panic in eastern DRC over return of EbolaThe director general of the World Health Organization has said he is deeply concerned about the scale and the speed of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there had been at least 500 suspected cases of Ebola and 130 suspected deaths in DRC since the new outbreak began. Thirty cases had been confirmed in DRC’s north-eastern province of Ituri, and one death and one case had been confirmed in Kampala, Uganda, he added. In addition, he said, there was “one US citizen confirmed positive and transferred to Germany, as reported by the US”. Continue reading...

• The CDC confirmed 51 additional measles cases, bringing the nationwide U.S. outbreak to 1,893 infections as of May 16, 2026. • The agency said all but nine cases were locally acquired, 27 outbreaks have been reported this year, and 92% of patients were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. • The outbreak is significant because measles spreads quickly in under-vaccinated communities, and the U.S. is now on pace to exceed last year’s 2,288 cases if transmission continues.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praises Spain’s ‘compassion and solidarity’ in evacuating virus-hit cruise shipThe head of the World Health Organization has warned countries to prepare for more hantavirus cases after the outbreak onboard the MV Hondius, and thanked Spain for the “compassion and solidarity” it had shown by taking in the stricken cruise ship and evacuating its passengers and crew.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to follow the WHO’s advice and recommendations, which include a 42-day quarantine and constant monitoring of high-risk contacts. Continue reading...

• An Andes hantavirus outbreak has been confirmed aboard an Atlantic cruise ship, with seven Americans who were passengers now returning to their homes in Arizona, Georgia, California, Texas, and Virginia. • The acting CDC director Jay Bhattacharya stated that US health agencies are equipped to handle the hantavirus response and have been coordinating closely with international partners to contain the outbreak. • New Jersey has joined a growing list of US states now monitoring for hantavirus cases related to the cruise ship incident, expanding surveillance across multiple regions.

• Global cancer cases have surged dramatically, doubling since 1990 with 18.5 million new diagnoses recorded in 2023, representing a significant increase in disease burden worldwide. • Cancer deaths have climbed to over 10 million annually, with the steepest increases occurring in low- and middle-income countries where healthcare infrastructure remains limited. • The surge underscores widening health disparities and highlights the urgent need for expanded cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment programs in underserved regions.

• As of April 30, 2026, the US reported 1,814 confirmed measles cases, including 12 among international visitors, per CDC data updated May 1. • 93% of cases (1,688) are outbreak-associated, with 25 new outbreaks in 2026 following 24 earlier ones. • This surge underscores ongoing vaccination gaps, contributing to public health challenges amid 2,288 cases in 2025.

• Echelon Singapore 2026, set for June 3-4, features exhibitors in AI-powered sustainability, cybersecurity, and HR platforms across ASEAN. • Leaders from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam will highlight digital transformation initiatives amid regional tech growth. • The event underscores Southeast Asia's rising role in global AI and green tech innovation, drawing investors and startups.