Building the Future of Biodefense

Recommendation: Organizations should provide flexible work schedules to support employees making vaccine appointments for themselves or family members. Measles is highly contagious and can quickly spread among unvaccinated individuals in a work environment. Information on vaccination before attending a mass gathering, such as music festivals, can also be included in employee wellness communication.

Situation: Health officials in England issued health advice ahead of the Glastonbury Festival on 6/21-25, reminding visitors that measles is circulating in the country and abroad. The risk of transmission is elevated in environments with close contact, such as festivals. Health officials advised visitors to review their vaccination status and to get vaccinated. They also highlighted the risk from other health threats, including sexually transmitted infections and weather-related illness. [Confidence: Very High]

Recommendation: Due to an anthrax outbreak, organizations in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and western Uganda, organizations should caution employees to avoid contact with animals in the region, ensure any water from nearby sources is boiled before consumption, and not to consume meat obtained from sick animals or animals that died suddenly. The US State Department lists the DRC under a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory and Uganda as a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory.

Situation: From March to April 2025, concurrent anthrax outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda affected both wildlife and humans. In the DRC, North Kivu reported 17 human cases and 1 death, with some cases linked to handling or consuming infected animals or with cross-border cattle movement from Uganda. In Uganda, 30 human cases were reported, tied to the handling of dead livestock. In addition to unsafe animal handling practices, the outbreak was compounded by low public awareness, cultural beliefs linking livestock deaths to witchcraft, cross-border animal movement, and limited veterinary services for sick animals. Response efforts are ongoing. See PHC alert 5/01 for earlier info. [Confidence: Very High]

Recommendation: The chikungunya mosquito vector, Aedes albopictus, is present in France. Chikungunya is not considered endemic in the country, though locally transmitted cases have occurred. Organizations in France can support mosquito control measures at their facilities by eliminating standing water. Employees should eliminate sources of standing water around their property and prevent mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing and using insect repellent.

Situation: Mainland France confirmed the detection of its 1st locally acquired chikungunya case this year. The case was detected in La Crau commune of the Var Department. Vector control measures were implemented. The case follows high levels of imported vector-borne diseases this year, including chikungunya (see PHC alert 5/29). [Confidence: Very High]