The hottest Disease Surveillance Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health Politics Topics

Outbreak Outlook - National - March 22

Force of Infection • 76 implied HN points • 22 Mar 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Disease Surveillance
  1. Flu activity is falling quickly and should drop below the seasonal baseline next week, with all age groups reporting fewer outpatient visits and Flu B making up most late-season cases.
  2. Covid-19 is quiet and mostly declining nationwide, with low ED visits and hospitalizations, though Washington, Pennsylvania, and DC show stable activity.
  3. RSV has peaked in most regions but remains high with infant hospitalizations still elevated despite recent improvements; norovirus is very active and rising, and several foodborne outbreaks/recalls (including an E. coli–linked raw cheese), plus ongoing measles spread and a UK meningitis cluster, are current concerns.

A new home for Force of Infection

Force of Infection • 154 implied HN points • 17 Mar 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Disease Surveillance
  1. The newsletter is moving off Substack to a standalone website, and subscriptions (including paid and regional choices) will transfer automatically; only readers who use the Substack app need to switch to email notifications.
  2. The move is intended to create a more permanent, independent, and stable home so the publication stays reliable despite changes to platform algorithms.
  3. The new site will let the newsletter expand beyond weekly reports into evergreen reference pages, seasonal summaries, and practical tools, with paid subscribers enabling that growth.

Why CDC health data are still reliable

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1068 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. Local hospitals and state health departments collect, clean, and verify cases before sending final numbers to CDC. Because CDC mainly stitches those state pieces together rather than controlling raw inputs, the underlying data remain largely reliable.
  2. Communications and some scientific materials have been weakened by edits, removed content, and staff cuts, which has sharply reduced alerts and public-facing messaging. That makes it harder for clinicians and the public to get timely guidance even if the data are sound.
  3. Automation like genetic sequencing and algorithms helps detect outbreaks, but human investigators and adequate funding are still essential, and current layoffs and budget cuts threaten response capacity. Non‑federal groups and regional coalitions are stepping in, but they can’t fully replace the federal agency’s scale and authority.

Covid Situation Report: Jun 27, 2024

Independent SAGE continues • 239 implied HN points • 28 Jun 24
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. Covid cases in England are rising again, especially in the North East and North West, but they are still at relatively low levels overall.
  2. Deaths from Covid have slightly increased recently, but they remain lower compared to last year, with only 101 deaths recorded for a recent week.
  3. The Spring 2024 booster campaign is ending soon, and while 55% of those eligible have received it, many immunocompromised individuals still need to get vaccinated.

Covid Situation Report: May 30, 2024

Independent SAGE continues • 219 implied HN points • 31 May 24
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. Covid positivity rates in England have recently peaked and are starting to decline, indicating that this small wave of Covid is likely over.
  2. The Spring 2024 booster campaign is doing well, with over 3.6 million doses given, but many immunocompromised individuals still need better vaccine coverage.
  3. A new variant called KP.2 is spreading, but it doesn't seem to be significantly more effective than other existing variants at this time.
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Covid Situation Report: Mar 28, 2024

Independent SAGE continues • 339 implied HN points • 30 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. Covid cases and hospital admissions are currently low and showing a downward trend. This means the winter surge is considered over.
  2. The Juno variant is still the main strain, but no new variants have been detected that could cause another surge.
  3. A Spring 2024 booster campaign is starting for vulnerable groups, reminding us that older individuals have a higher risk of hospitalization if infected.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Dec 22

Force of Infection • 73 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. Influenza is surging nationwide: outpatient ILI and test positivity have climbed sharply, many states now show high activity, and hospitalizations and pediatric deaths are rising. If you haven't had a flu shot yet, it's still the best way to reduce severe illness.
  2. COVID-19 and RSV remain at relatively low levels overall but are inching upward, with small increases seen in wastewater, ED visits, and hospitalizations in some regions. RSV is below average for the season but slowly rising and continues to hit young children hardest.
  3. There are multiple food recalls and a recalled infant formula tied to a botulism outbreak was still found for sale in many stores, contributing to numerous infant hospitalizations. Officials are also reportedly considering changes to the childhood vaccine schedule that could alter routine recommendations.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Dec 14

Force of Infection • 72 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Disease Surveillance
  1. Flu season has begun — outpatient ILI is above baseline and test positivity rose to 8.1%, with H3N2 making up about 86% of samples and hotspots in New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and Louisiana. A small Thanksgiving-related dip in pediatric cases looks temporary and activity usually rebounds in the following weeks.
  2. COVID-19 is starting to climb from recent lows, with wastewater and regional indicators rising (especially in the Northeast), though severe illness remains very low and increases in ED visits and hospitalizations are small. Expect a typical winter uptick even if current burden is still low.
  3. RSV is still low nationally but is increasing in most states, with higher wastewater activity in places like DC, Florida, Kentucky, Colorado, and Louisiana, while ED visits and test positivity remain well below last year. Other respiratory viruses (adenovirus, parainfluenza) are still active, rhinoviruses are falling, and human coronaviruses and metapneumovirus are beginning to rise.

FOI Clinical is live

Force of Infection • 15 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Disease Surveillance
  1. FOI Clinical is a new clinician-focused briefing that delivers updates on reportable diseases, emerging outbreaks, policy changes, and same-day alerts for urgent events.
  2. The first issue highlights a range of current concerns—measles clusters, pertussis trends, a shift toward influenza B, meningitis, tularemia, mumps, and Nipah—covering both domestic and international threats clinicians should watch.
  3. The product is a paid subscription ($18/month or $189/year) with a free trial and is built on the Force of Infection platform that has tracked respiratory viruses for many readers since 2022.

Outbreak Outlook: Week 6 of DIY disease surveillance

Force of Infection • 79 implied HN points • 09 Nov 25
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. COVID-19 cases are low across the country, but there may be a rise coming soon. Most states report minimal emergency department visits for COVID.
  2. Influenza activity is increasing, especially in the Southern states, while RSV is showing regional variations with more cases among young children in certain areas.
  3. Food recalls are happening due to contamination concerns, including infant formula linked to botulism, which is especially dangerous for babies.

Regional Editions Return

Force of Infection • 66 implied HN points • 14 Nov 25
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. CDC is back online tracking respiratory diseases like COVID-19 and influenza. This means we can now get more details about what’s happening with these illnesses.
  2. Paid subscribers will get regional updates this winter, breaking down data by U.S. regions. This will offer a closer look at how different areas are impacted.
  3. This winter is expected to see higher-than-normal flu cases, so the data updates will be really important for everyone to stay informed.

Outbreak Outlook - National - July 21

Force of Infection • 47 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. COVID-19 cases are rising in some southern and western states like Texas, California, and Florida, despite being low in many areas. It's important to stay alert to the changes in these regions.
  2. Influenza-like illnesses have very low outpatient visits right now, which is typical for summer. Most states are seeing minimal activity for these illnesses.
  3. The summer COVID-19 wave is starting later this year, possibly due to a lighter winter season. It may peak later than usual, so keep an eye on the trends.
  4. ] }

Outbreak Outlook - National - Dec 16

Force of Infection • 69 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Disease Surveillance
  1. Influenza-like illness is on the rise, especially in the southern U.S., with young children seeing a slight decrease in cases. This suggests a possible peak in activity as we move into the new year.
  2. COVID-19 cases are starting to pick up again, particularly in the Midwest, though severe illness remains low. It's a good time to stock up on at-home tests ahead of holiday gatherings.
  3. Norovirus is seeing high positivity rates this year, especially in the West and Midwest. It's important to be cautious and aware of food recalls related to contamination.