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Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US)

The latest news and top stories on Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. A prominent US federal agency, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It serves as the national public health agency, dedicated to protecting public health and safety by controlling and preventing disease, injury, and disability globally. Its main activities include combating emerging infectious diseases, promoting environmental health, occupational safety, and health education. The CDC is recognised for its significant contributions to disease eradication, such as smallpox and polio, and its crucial role in responding to public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Congolese health worker checks a woman's temperature at a border crossing point. Photo: Reuters

Ebola virus

WHO warns of ‘scale and speed’ of deadly Ebola outbreak

Deaths and cases surge in eastern DR Congo as rare Ebola strain spreads.

19 May 2026 - 7:13PM

Africa

US to screen for Ebola at airports as American worker is infected

19 May 2026 - 1:14PM

Hantavirus

More passengers from hantavirus-hit cruise ship test positive

11 May 2026 - 8:48PM

United States

Norovirus outbreak on Caribbean Princess cruise ship sickens over 100 guests

The company has increased cleaning and disinfection on the vessel carrying more than 4,000 people to the Bahamas.

10 May 2026 - 11:30AM

The Caribbean Princess cruise ship makes its way to Port Canaveral, Florida, in 2024. Photo: Orlando Sentinel/TNS

Hantavirus

‘Not another Covid’ says WHO, as new suspected hantavirus cases found

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO chief, is in charge of MV Hondius’ evacuation; latest patient sat on plane near woman infected during cruise.

9 May 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Editorial | Hong Kong is right to hold the line against US vaccine scepticism

As Hong Kong steps up its fight against viral hepatitis, health authorities are right not to follow a US policy shift on the hepatitis B vaccine.

7 Feb 2026 - 6:45AM

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

‘Don’t blindly follow’ US changes to infant vaccines, Hong Kong parents told

Warning comes after US health authorities scaled back routine child vaccine recommendations, leaving key shots to parental choice.

28 Jan 2026 - 8:22PM

Hong Kong health authorities have warned parents not to “blindly follow” overseas changes to childhood immunisation schedules. Photo: Getty Images

Wellness

The hidden benefits of common vaccines, including reduced dementia, heart risks

Flu, RSV, shingles, Covid and other vaccines have ‘off-target’ benefits for older adults, making them ‘key tools’ for healthy ageing.

19 Jan 2026 - 12:44PM

United States

Medical groups win right to challenge RFK Jnr’s Covid-19 vaccine policies

Judge lets medical groups challenge Kennedy’s CDC vaccine changes, citing health risks to public health and unlawful panel influence.

7 Jan 2026 - 12:42AM

United States

US vaccine advisers say not all newborns need hepatitis B shot

Scrapping the recommendation for vaccination at birth will reverse decades of public health gains, disease experts say.

6 Dec 2025 - 1:00AM

Protesters rally outside CDC headquarter during a meeting of the vaccine committee in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Science

US fuels brain drain to China with Trump’s anti-science ‘Cultural Revolution’

Chinese-American researchers are finding similarities with chaotic period under Mao Zedong that targeted intellectuals in China.

23 Oct 2025 - 12:07AMvideocam

As the Donald Trump administration slashes research funding and brings institutes under broader political control, some Chinese-American scientists are drawing parallels with China’s Cultural Revolution. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Explainer | How to differentiate between flu types in Hong Kong and protect yourself

Health experts share their advice after death of teen over the weekend raises alarm bells over seriousness of the disease in the city.

14 Oct 2025 - 3:44PM

India

India on health alert with ‘brain-eating’ amoeba on the rise

19 people died and 72 were infected by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba this year, including nine deaths and 24 cases in September alone.

18 Sep 2025 - 5:34PM

United States

Charlie Kirk killing a watershed moment as US political violence rises

Politically-motivated attacks have nearly doubled in the first half of 2025, with one expert fearing the assassination could be a ‘flashpoint’.

11 Sep 2025 - 3:48PMvideocam

A crowd scatters after Charlie Kirk was shot. Photo: Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP

United States

RFK Jnr’s family members say he’s a threat to Americans’ health

Trump’s health secretary is facing scrutiny over his firing of CDC officials and efforts to pull back Covid-19 vaccine recommendations.

7 Sep 2025 - 3:18AM

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jnr testifies during a Senate hearing on Thursday. Photo: EPA

United States

RFK Jnr defends CDC shake-up, as Democrats call for his resignation

The firing of director Sue Monarez, several high-level resignations and hundreds of earlier lay-offs plunged the health agency into turmoil.

5 Sep 2025 - 2:14AM

Robert F. Kennedy

Former CDC heads say Kennedy Jnr ‘endangering’ all Americans

Nine ex-leaders pen essay with warning that the US health secretary’s actions are unprecedented and alarming.

2 Sep 2025 - 2:24PM

United States

Fired US CDC director clashed with Kennedy on vaccine policy

Susan Monarez told a close associate that she had been asked to do things that were illegal or flew in the face of science.

29 Aug 2025 - 6:29AM

Susan Monarez, US President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, arrives to testify before a Senate committee in Washington in June. Photo: AP

United States

US CDC chief fired, senior officials resign amid tensions over health directives

CDC director Monarez challenges her dismissal after less than a month on the job.

28 Aug 2025 - 3:12PM

US Politics

At least 600 CDC employees are getting final termination notices, union says

US health department did not offer details on lay-offs at the agency. Affected projects included work to prevent rape and child abuse.

21 Aug 2025 - 8:33AM

Health in China

Vice-premier urges south China’s Foshan to stamp out chikungunya as cases rise

Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong calls on manufacturing hub in southern Guangdong province to strictly follow ‘port health quarantine measures’.

2 Aug 2025 - 4:51PM

A worker sprays insecticide in Foshan, Guangdong province, on July 25 as part of a drive to eliminate mosquitoes. Photo: Xinhua

United States

Opinion | Trump’s ‘big beautiful’ spending plan will only worsen US economy

On top of the policy missteps on issues from immigration to trade, Congress’ passage of the massive bill will further compromise US economic strengths.

6 Jul 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

US President Donald Trump speaks at a rally to kick off the July Fourth holiday weekend at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on July 3 in Des Moines, Iowa. Trump used the opportunity to tout his just passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” which outlines his administration’s spending priorities. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

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Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US)

WHO warns of ‘scale and speed’ of deadly Ebola outbreak

Deaths and cases surge in eastern DR Congo as rare Ebola strain spreads.

US to screen for Ebola at airports as American worker is infected

More passengers from hantavirus-hit cruise ship test positive

Norovirus outbreak on Caribbean Princess cruise ship sickens over 100 guests

The company has increased cleaning and disinfection on the vessel carrying more than 4,000 people to the Bahamas.

‘Not another Covid’ says WHO, as new suspected hantavirus cases found

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO chief, is in charge of MV Hondius’ evacuation; latest patient sat on plane near woman infected during cruise.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | Hong Kong is right to hold the line against US vaccine scepticism

As Hong Kong steps up its fight against viral hepatitis, health authorities are right not to follow a US policy shift on the hepatitis B vaccine.

‘Don’t blindly follow’ US changes to infant vaccines, Hong Kong parents told

Warning comes after US health authorities scaled back routine child vaccine recommendations, leaving key shots to parental choice.

The hidden benefits of common vaccines, including reduced dementia, heart risks

Flu, RSV, shingles, Covid and other vaccines have ‘off-target’ benefits for older adults, making them ‘key tools’ for healthy ageing.

Medical groups win right to challenge RFK Jnr’s Covid-19 vaccine policies

Judge lets medical groups challenge Kennedy’s CDC vaccine changes, citing health risks to public health and unlawful panel influence.

US vaccine advisers say not all newborns need hepatitis B shot

Scrapping the recommendation for vaccination at birth will reverse decades of public health gains, disease experts say.

US fuels brain drain to China with Trump’s anti-science ‘Cultural Revolution’

Chinese-American researchers are finding similarities with chaotic period under Mao Zedong that targeted intellectuals in China.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Explainer | How to differentiate between flu types in Hong Kong and protect yourself

Health experts share their advice after death of teen over the weekend raises alarm bells over seriousness of the disease in the city.

India on health alert with ‘brain-eating’ amoeba on the rise

19 people died and 72 were infected by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba this year, including nine deaths and 24 cases in September alone.

Charlie Kirk killing a watershed moment as US political violence rises

Politically-motivated attacks have nearly doubled in the first half of 2025, with one expert fearing the assassination could be a ‘flashpoint’.

RFK Jnr’s family members say he’s a threat to Americans’ health

Trump’s health secretary is facing scrutiny over his firing of CDC officials and efforts to pull back Covid-19 vaccine recommendations.

RFK Jnr defends CDC shake-up, as Democrats call for his resignation

The firing of director Sue Monarez, several high-level resignations and hundreds of earlier lay-offs plunged the health agency into turmoil.

Former CDC heads say Kennedy Jnr ‘endangering’ all Americans

Nine ex-leaders pen essay with warning that the US health secretary’s actions are unprecedented and alarming.

Fired US CDC director clashed with Kennedy on vaccine policy

Susan Monarez told a close associate that she had been asked to do things that were illegal or flew in the face of science.

US CDC chief fired, senior officials resign amid tensions over health directives

CDC director Monarez challenges her dismissal after less than a month on the job.

At least 600 CDC employees are getting final termination notices, union says

US health department did not offer details on lay-offs at the agency. Affected projects included work to prevent rape and child abuse.

Vice-premier urges south China’s Foshan to stamp out chikungunya as cases rise

Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong calls on manufacturing hub in southern Guangdong province to strictly follow ‘port health quarantine measures’.

Opinion | Trump’s ‘big beautiful’ spending plan will only worsen US economy

On top of the policy missteps on issues from immigration to trade, Congress’ passage of the massive bill will further compromise US economic strengths.

Editorial | Hong Kong is right to hold the line against US vaccine scepticism

Explainer | How to differentiate between flu types in Hong Kong and protect yourself