As COVID numbers rise, public health officials call for vigilance against respiratory viruses

CHICAGO — With COVID-19 hospitalization back on the rise in Illinois, state public health officials are asking residents to double down on protecting themselves against seasonal illness. Twenty Illinois counties are now at a medium level for hospitalization related to COVID-19, with a 17% increase in hospital COVID-19 cases since last week. Flu and RSV … Read more

How Many Microbes Does It Take to Make You Sick?

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. For a pathogen to make us sick, it must overcome a lot. First it has to enter the body, bypassing natural barriers such as skin, mucus, cilia, and stomach acid. Then it needs to reproduce; some bacteria and parasites can do this virtually anywhere in … Read more

The Vampire Bat Is Moving Closer to the US. That’s a Problem

But vampire bats represent a new threat because they feed on the blood of other animals. Their usual victims are livestock, and occasionally wild mammals and birds. Using their sharp front teeth, they make a small incision in their victim’s skin and lap up a teaspoon or two of blood with their tongues. The bites … Read more

Inside the Race to Stop a Deadly Viral Outbreak in India

On the morning of September 11, critical care specialist Anoop Kumar was presented with an unusual situation. Four members of the same family had been admitted to his hospital—Aster MIMS in Kozhikode, Kerala—the previous day, all similarly sick. Would he take a look? He gathered his team of doctors to investigate. Soon they were at … Read more

Sure, There’s a New Covid Variant. No, You Shouldn’t Panic

It’s scariant season—once more. A brand new offshoot of Omicron, BA.2.86—nicknamed Pirola—has popped up in Israel, the US, South Africa, and the UK after it was first recorded in Denmark in late July. Pirola initially set off alarm bells as a result of it was noticed in 4 international locations on the similar time—and since, … Read more