Congo finally begins mpox vaccinations in a drive to slow outbreaks Congolese authorities have started vaccinations against mpox, nearly two months after the disease outbreak that spread from Congo to several other African countries and beyond was declared a global emergency. AP News

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XEC, like countless others before it, is a part of the omicron family. The variant is closely related to KP.2, the strain targeted by the updated vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. And both XEC and KP.1 are descendants of the JN.1 strain, targeted by the updated Novavax vaccine.

“I think we have good reason to think that there will be substantial protection from the boosters that are available,” Hanage said.

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US ranks last on key health care measures compared with other high-income nations, despite spending the most, report says | CNN The US spends more on health care than any other high-income country, but a new report suggests that “Americans are sicker, die younger and struggle to afford essential health care.” Jacqueline Howard CNN

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National Academies: Wastewater surveillance could be even better for detecting pathogens A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report recommends five actions to transition the National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS)—developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic—to a forward-looking version for both endemic and emerging pathogens. CIDRAP

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The Academies recommended five steps to more robust NWSS that could better support public health, including better readiness for future pandemics:

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