Infectious diseases

A drone sprays insecticide near homes on the outskirts of Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020. Brazil's health ministry launched a campaign to fight the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits dengue, zika and chikungunya, diseases that can generate

Brazil’s public health workers race to tackle dengue surge

Health & Medicine

Heavy rains and a lull in public health prevention programs during the pandemic have allowed the deadly mosquito-borne disease to flourish.

Refugees wait to travel back to Ukraine from the train station in Przemysl, southeastern Poland

Ukraine: The humanitarian catastrophe

Dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses are spread by the Aedes species of mosquito, like the Aedes albopictus pictured here

An unlikely hero could help in the fight against deadly mosquito-borne disease

Disease
Pharmacy technician Hollie Maloney loads a syringe with Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine at the Portland Expo in Portland, Maine.

Checking in on the pandemic: Part I

Critical State
Bar owner Cristina Mattioli put up a sign asking patrons not to talk about COVID-19.

At this Roman bar, talk about anything. Just not COVID-19.

Two Haitians protest with a pink sign against UN peacekeeping mission that caused a massive cholera epidemic.

10 years on, UN officials reflect on Haiti cholera epidemic caused by peacekeeping mission

Global Politics

Ten years ago, sewage from a UN peacekeeping mission’s base in Haiti contaminated a major water supply. The resulting cholera epidemic killed over 10,000 Haitians.

A young boy is shown wearing a red mask and holding a pencil while sitting on a mat next to a tree outside for school.

Discussion: Reopening schools and workplaces amid the coronavirus

Coronavirus Conversations

With fall underway, millions of students and teachers in the United States are adjusting to the new normal of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. For college students, living on campus has also brought new challenges. As part of our regular series of conversations on the pandemic, The World’s global health reporter Elana Gordon moderated a discussion with healthy buildings expert Joseph Allen.

Three women wearing head scarves, long jackets and masks by a gray fountain

In Turkey, doctors fear coronavirus numbers are higher than the government admits 

COVID-19

Turkey’s reopening follows a national lull in the coronavirus infections. But the country’s largest association of doctors says that based on its own research, the actual number of cases of the coronavirus in Turkey is much higher than reported figures.

A woman sings while holding a music book in her hands in a soccer field six-feet away from another singer.

Choirs in the age of coronavirus: A new study looks at the risks of singing

COVID-19

Are choirs really dangerous in the age of COVID-19? A new study measures the actual number of particles sprayed while singing the classic song “Happy Birthday.” Jonathan Reid, a chemistry professor leading the research at Bristol University, speaks to host Marco Werman about the study.

Contact tracers are pictured in a room

COVID-19 threatens global progress in fight against other communicable diseases 

Concerns are growing that the singular focus on COVID-19 is having a secondary impact — threatening years of progress in efforts to slow the spread of other, long-standing communicable diseases.