“Rwanda Biomedical Center has announced that it targets to achieve ‘zero malaria’ in 2023 following a significant decline in the infection-related cases, according to officials….

Dr. Jean Louis Ndikumana Mangara, Director of Malaria Prevention Unit at Rwanda Biomedical Center, points out that a decrease of approximately 85 percent has been observed since 2016.”

From AllAfrica.

“The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the world’s first vaccine for chikungunya, which it sees as an ’emerging global health threat.’ The mosquito-borne disease causes fever and joint pains and can be fatal to newborns.

The FDA’s approval is expected to speed up the vaccine’s global rollout.  This year, about 440,000 chikungunya cases, including 350 deaths, have been reported as of September.”

From BBC.

“Kala-azar, the most severe form of leishmaniasis, is a life-threatening disease caused by Leishmania spp. parasites transmitted by infected female phlebotomine sandflies. It affects the most disadvantaged rural communities, among whom poverty, poor housing conditions, malnutrition, genetic factors and other infectious diseases are major risk factors. Kala-azar leads to symptoms such as fever, weight loss, spleen and liver enlargement, and, if left untreated, can prove fatal in over 95% of cases.

Bangladesh was successfully validated by WHO based on the fact that the number of reported cases of visceral leishmaniasis was below 1 per 10 000 population in each of the country’s subdistricts for at least 3 consecutive years.”

From World Health Organization.

“Medics could soon have a tool to stem the rise of drug-resistant ‘super-gonorrhoea’. The first new antibiotic in decades for treating gonorrhoea has produced good results in a large-scale clinical trial, the non-profit organization developing the drug announced today.”

From Nature.