Tropical Diseases

A batty solution? The potential vaccine for future outbreaks

Bats may well be the answer, so why not try?

In Nigeria, families battle coronavirus and the more deadly Lassa Fever

Nigeria's health system could come under immense stress as it faces a two-pronged fight.

What do we know about the origins of the coronavirus?

Scientists have spent decades studying the diseases lurking in the animal kingdom and they have managed to find very few answers to a whole range of questions.

Congolese anti-Ebola fighter killed as new vaccine arrives

The motive for the murder in the town of Lwemba in the troubled Ituri region was unknown, but it came as health authorities were set to introduce a new vaccine against the disease in unaffected areas.

Pakistani officials say outbreak of dengue fever kills 20

The mosquito-borne viral infection, that is found in tropical countries worldwide, kills dozens of people every year in Pakistan.

Ebola death toll exceeds 1,600 mark in DRC

Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 2,382 cases of Ebola, of which 1,606 were fatal, the Health Ministry says.

Politics and mistrust of foreigners slows fight against Ebola

People in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have linked the response to the Ebola outbreak with political disenfranchisement making it harder for foreign organisations to contain the outbreak.

Second Ebola patient dies in Uganda - health ministry official

Victim was the grandmother of a five-year-old boy who died on Tuesday after crossing into Uganda with his family from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Uganda declares first Ebola case outside outbreak from DRC

A 5-year-old boy vomiting blood becomes the first cross-border victim of Ebola in the current outbreak, while two more people in Uganda test positive for the highly contagious disease that has killed nearly 1,400 in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Death toll tops 1,000 in Congo Ebola outbreak

A World Health Organization expert says the UN body expects continued "intense transmission" of Ebola virus in Congo with community mistrust being a major issue in some areas.

WHO extremely concerned about "perfect storm" for Ebola in DRC

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo could deteriorate rapidly because of attacks by armed groups, community resistance and the geographic spread of the disease.

Ebola strikes Congo again

The latest flare-up comes one week after DRC's government declared the end of another outbreak that is believed to have killed as many as 33 people. There are 13 confirmed cases.