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western african ebola epidemic

'The roulette wheel is spinning': Quammen on the future of pandemics and politics

'The roulette wheel is spinning': Quammen on the future of pandemics and politics

Science journalist David Quammen predicted the pandemic era eight years before COVID-19. Now, in a year of multiple viral outbreaks worldwide, he warns that the next pandemic scares him less than the paranoid and politicized American public that would have to survive it. “My prediction is that there will

How cuts to CDC are dismantling its capacity to protect Americans’ health

Since the Trump administration took office in January 2025, the workforce at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has weathered uncertainty and change. Mass firings, communication freezes, political interference in the CDC’s scientific mission and a revolving door of leaders have created a challenging work environment for the

What’s wrong with how US and Uganda plan to stop Ebola spreading

What’s wrong with how US and Uganda plan to stop Ebola spreading

As public health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo work to rein in a growing outbreak of a rare Ebola virus, other countries are establishing protocols for keeping their own populations safe. As of May 27, 2026, Congo has reported more than 1,000 suspected and confirmed cases, and

Final talks begin on missing piece for pandemic treaty

Final talks begin on missing piece for pandemic treaty

An extra week of negotiations to complete an international agreement on handling future pandemics kicked off in Geneva on Monday, with sharp divisions holding up an accord. Wealthy countries and developing nations are at loggerheads in the talks at the World Health Organization over how the pandemic treaty, adopted last