Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

From 22 to 28 April 2020, one new confirmed case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) was reported from Beni Health Zone in North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Figure 1). This person was listed as a contact of a confirmed case, a family member who was reported on 17 April. The person was vaccinated on 20 April and was followed by the contact tracing team, though not on a regular basis due to insecurity.

Since the resurgence of the outbreak on 10 April 2020, seven confirmed cases have been reported, all from Beni Health Zone. Of these, one is receiving care at the Beni Ebola treatment centre (ETC), one who was receiving care at the ETC recovered and was discharged, and one remains in the community. Response teams are engaging with the community in order to try to bring that person to the ETC for access to treatment and supportive care, and to prevent further transmission in the community. Four of the people confirmed to have Ebola died, including two community deaths and two deaths in the ETC in Beni.

Published on April 30, 2020
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Shining a Light on Dark Matter

Dark matter, although invisible, makes up most of the universe’s mass and creates its underlying structure. via NASA https://ift.tt/35i4vgE

Mars Helicopter to Fly on NASA's Next Red Planet Rover Mission

The Mars Helicopter, a small, autonomous rotorcraft, will travel with NASA's Mars Perseverance rover, currently scheduled to launch in July 2020. via NASA https://ift.tt/3bOe0GT

30 Years of the Hubble Space Telescope

On April 25, 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was deployed from the cargo bay of space shuttle Discovery. via NASA https://ift.tt/2y6EiFF

NASA Joins the Fight Against COVID-19

On Friday, April 24, 2020, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine visited the White House to brief President Trump on NASA's fight to alleviate COVID-19. via NASA https://ift.tt/2KDmoNp

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Measles – Mexico

Mexico is experiencing a measles outbreak. Between 1 January and 2 April 2020, 1,364 probable¹cases of measles were reported, of which 124 were laboratory confirmed, 991 were discarded and 328 remain under investigation. The age of the confirmed measles cases ranged from three months to 68 years (median=20 years), and 59% were male. Analysis conducted by the National Reference Laboratory (InDRE) identified the genotype D8 (similar to other countries in the Region), linage MVs/GirSomnath.IND/42.16/ for 17 of the confirmed cases.

Of the 124 confirmed cases, 105 were in Mexico City, 18 in Mexico State, and one in Campeche State; the following is a summary of the epidemiological situation in each:

Published on April 24, 2020
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Space Station Crew Snaps an Image of the Susquehanna River

The Susquehanna River cuts through the folds of the Valley-and-Ridge province of the Appalachian Mountains in this photograph taken by the crew of the International Space Station. via NASA https://ift.tt/2xVzL90

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Dengue fever – Mayotte, France

Through event-based surveillance performed throughout 2019, WHO became aware of a dengue outbreak in Mayotte, France, since July 2019.

Published on April 23, 2020
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Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

From 15 to 21 April 2020, three new confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, all from Beni Health Zone in North Kivu Province (Figure 1).

Published on April 23, 2020
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An Otherworldly-Looking Bombetoka Bay, Madagascar

On the northwestern coast of Madagascar, the salty waters of the Mozambique Channel penetrate inland to join with the freshwater outflow of the Betsiboka River, forming Bombetoka Bay. via NASA https://ift.tt/34X6O8G

The Black Marble: Our Planet in Brilliant Darkness

This image is one of several global images of the Earth at night released in 2017. via NASA https://ift.tt/3eFAT0Z

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Yellow fever – Ethiopia

On 3 March 2020, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) reported three suspected yellow fever cases in Enor Ener Woreda, Gurage zone, SNNPR. The three reported cases were members of the same household (father, mother and son) located in a rural kebele. Two of three samples tested positive at national level by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and were subsequently confirmed positive by plaque reduction neutralization testing (PRNT) at the regional reference laboratory, Uganda Viral Research Institute (UVRI) on 28 March 2020.

In response to the positive RT-PCR results, the EPHI and Ministry of Health performed an in-depth investigation and response, supported by partners including WHO.

Published on April 22, 2020
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The Gulf Stream in Infrared

This image shows a small portion of the Gulf Stream off of South Carolina as it appeared in infrared data collected by the Landsat 8 satellite in April 2013. via NASA https://ift.tt/2RY6Zvj

The Blue Marble: The View From Apollo 17

Fifty years ago, on April 22, 1970, people around the world marked the first Earth Day. via NASA https://ift.tt/3eCY1xa

Jessica Meir and Her Crewmates Return Safely from the Space Station

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir gives a thumbs up after she, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan landed in their Soyuz MS-15. via NASA https://ift.tt/3ajabYu

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

From 10 to 14 April 2020, three new confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) were reported in the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Figure 1).

Published on April 16, 2020
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Kepler-1649c: Earth-Size, Habitable Zone Planet Hides in Plain Sight

This artist's illustration shows what Kepler-1649c could look like from its surface. via NASA https://ift.tt/34MXwfp

Checkpoint: OSIRIS-REx Practices Sample Collection

This image shows sample site Nightingale Crater, OSIRIS-REx’s primary sample collection site on asteroid Bennu. via NASA https://ift.tt/3b9y8CN

NASA 'Optometrists' Verify Mars Perseverance Rover's 20/20 Vision

Equipped with visionary science instruments, the Mars Perseverance rover underwent an "eye" exam after several cameras were installed. via NASA https://ift.tt/3bhhd1z

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Yellow fever – Republic of South Sudan

On 3 March 2020, the Ministry of Health of South Sudan reported two presumptive positive cases of yellow fever in Kajo Keni county, Central Equatoria State, South Sudan. Both the cases were subsequently confirmed positive by plaque reduction neutralization testing (PRNT) at the regional reference laboratory, Uganda Viral Research Institute (UVRI) on 28 March.

The cases were identified through a cross-border rapid response team investigation mounted in response to the recently declared outbreak in bordering Moyo district, Uganda. During the investigation, the team collected 41 blood samples from five villages which were in close proximity to the bordering Moyo district, Uganda. Of the 41 individuals whose samples were collected, nine (22%) had history of fever, but none had history of jaundice. The individuals represented a spectrum of occupations typical for the area (farming, forestry, homemaker, soldier). Most of the individuals investigated were between 20-45 years of age, and 18 (44%) of these individuals were female.

Published on April 10, 2020
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Imagining Apollo 13 on the Lunar Surface

Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970, on a journey to become the third crew to land on the Moon. The crew never made it. via NASA https://ift.tt/2wyrnf0

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

No new cases have been reported in the ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 17 February 2020 (Figure 1).

Published on April 09, 2020
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Launching the Next Crew to the Space Station

The Soyuz MS-16 lifts off from Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday, April 9, 2020. via NASA https://ift.tt/2JQapM3

Assembling the X-59 QueSST Wing

The X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology, or QueSST, wing assembly is lifted by a crane and moved to another area of the manufacturing floor in preparation for wing skin installation. via NASA https://ift.tt/2USFIMv

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

From 1 through 29 February 2020, the National IHR Focal Point of Saudi Arabia reported 18 additional cases of MERS-CoV infection, including five associated deaths. The cases were reported from Riyadh (seven cases), Hafer Albatin (two cases), Najran (two cases), Eastern (two cases), Aljouf (one case), Makkah (one case), Hail (one case), Taif (one case) and Jeddah (one case) regions. Among reported cases of MERS-CoV infection, majority (16 cases) were male, and only two cases were female. The age of reported cases ranged from 34 to 81 years. No cases were reported among healthcare workers.

The link below provides details of the 18 reported cases.

Published on April 08, 2020
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Cardiac Research on the Space Station

Aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Jessica Meir conducts cardiac research inside the Life Sciences Glovebox. via NASA https://ift.tt/34kQo9H

Eagle Nebula’s Pillars of Creation in Infrared

In this Hubble Space Telescope image, researchers has revisited one of Hubble's most iconic and popular images: the Eagle Nebula’s Pillars of Creation. via NASA https://ift.tt/3dYT0hY

Hubble Captures a Cannibal Galaxy

This remarkable spiral galaxy, known as NGC 4651, may look serene and peaceful as it swirls in the vast, silent emptiness of space, but don’t be fooled — it keeps a violent secret. via NASA https://ift.tt/2JxQd1s

Disease outbreak news from the WHO: Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Since 17 February 2020, no new cases have been reported in the ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While this is a positive development, there is still a high risk of re-emergence of EVD given the current challenges related to limited resources amidst other local and global emergencies, continued insecurity and population displacement in previous hotspots, and limited access to some affected communities. It is therefore critical to maintain surveillance and response operations in the period leading up to the declaration of the end of the outbreak, as well as after the declaration – as outlined in the WHO recommended criteria for declaring the end of the EVD outbreak.

Ongoing outbreak response efforts continue, which include investigating and validating new alert cases, supporting appropriate care and rapid diagnosis of suspected cases (which continue to be detected), supporting survivors through a multi-disciplinary programme, and strategically transitioning activities. From 24 to 31 March, an average of 4082 alerts were reported and investigated daily. Of these alerts, 274 were validated as suspected cases, requiring specialized care and laboratory testing to rule-out EVD. From 23 to 29 March, 2376 samples were tested including: 1322 blood samples from alive, suspected cases; 365 swabs from community deaths; and 689 samples from re-tested patients. Overall, laboratory activity decreased by 14% compared to the prior week.

Published on April 02, 2020
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Rosette Nebula Gives Birth to Stars

This 2010 image from the Herschel Space Observatory shows dust clouds associated with the Rosette Nebula, a stellar nursery about 5,000 light-years from Earth in the Monoceros, or Unicorn, constellation. via NASA https://ift.tt/3aOfQa0

Klotho and Lina

Appearing as strings of orange dots, the brightest sets of dots belong to asteroids Klotho and Lina. Both orbit out in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. via NASA https://ift.tt/3dOjZwA