The hottest Outbreaks Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Health & Wellness Topics

Flu still hanging on

Force of Infection • 61 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Influenza activity remains stubbornly high across much of the country, driven by the South and Midwest. Young children have the highest outpatient ILI rates, and Flu B is rising as Flu A wanes.
  2. Norovirus test positivity has reached season highs, especially in the Midwest and Northeast, while RSV activity is holding steady. COVID-19 activity and hospitalizations are relatively low and declining.
  3. Numerous food recalls affect many products and stores, so check your pantry, and public health concerns include a large measles resurgence tied to low vaccination and an avian flu outbreak in Pennsylvania poultry.

Flu goes on and on

Force of Infection • 80 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Flu activity remains high and isn’t declining yet; young children and people aged 5–24 are seeing the most clinic visits, and hospitalizations are elevated though slowly improving.
  2. RSV and norovirus activity are elevated — RSV hospitalizations are very high among infants and toddlers, and norovirus is circulating widely and spreads quickly in close quarters.
  3. Multiple food recalls and outbreaks are ongoing, including a Salmonella outbreak tied to moringa capsules that involves an extensively drug‑resistant strain; throw out affected products and clean anything that touched them.

Outbreak Outlook - National - February 1

Force of Infection • 94 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Flu has started to rebound after weeks of decline, driven mainly by increases in school-age children and a rise in influenza B, though overall activity and hospitalizations remain well below the recent peak and influenza A still makes up most cases.
  2. COVID-19 indicators are generally declining — wastewater and ED visits are down and hospitalizations are low — but the Midwest is seeing very high wastewater levels and regional differences persist.
  3. RSV is at quite elevated levels and growing in parts of the country while norovirus trends are mixed regionally, and public health attention is also on multiple food recalls and a Nipah outbreak in India; a partial U.S. government shutdown could disrupt CDC surveillance reporting.

Outbreak Outlook - National - February 8

Force of Infection • 71 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Influenza is widespread across most states and remains especially high in young children, though emergency visits and hospitalizations have been falling recently.
  2. COVID-19 activity is roughly steady overall, with wastewater signals and regional trends rising in the Midwest and Northeast while hospitalizations continue to decline.
  3. RSV and several other respiratory viruses are elevated and climbing. Norovirus activity is high nationwide and a measles outbreak in Jalisco raises travel-related risks for the upcoming World Cup.

Flu rebound watch

Force of Infection • 83 implied HN points • 24 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Flu activity is falling nationwide, but school-age children are showing a small rebound that could either be a brief bump or the start of a larger spike, so this needs close watch over the next week or two.
  2. COVID-19 is improving overall with lower ED visits and wastewater signals, but the Midwest remains relatively higher and a similar small rebound among school-age kids is being monitored.
  3. Measles outbreaks are growing rapidly across states and could cause the US to lose its elimination status, underscoring serious gaps in vaccination and public health risk.
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Widespread flu activity overshadows holiday season

Force of Infection • 124 implied HN points • 28 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Flu is surging across many states with emergency visits, test positivity, and hospitalizations doubling or tripling in places and in some areas already exceeding last year’s peaks.
  2. Other respiratory viruses — RSV, rhinoviruses/enteroviruses, adenovirus and metapneumovirus — are also on the rise, while COVID-19 is increasing in some states but remains generally low.
  3. Multiple food recalls and non-respiratory outbreaks (growing measles clusters, a salmonella outbreak tied to raw oysters, and rising norovirus wastewater signals) add extra public health risks, so check recalled items and follow basic hygiene steps.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Jan 4

Force of Infection • 86 implied HN points • 04 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Flu activity is very high across the country, with emergency visits and hospitalizations elevated in many states and several areas near or past their seasonal peak.
  2. COVID-19 and RSV are both rising; COVID remains generally low but has notable increases in some states, while RSV is at moderate levels and climbing with some states reaching seasonal baselines.
  3. Norovirus activity is increasing and highly contagious, so hand washing and surface cleaning are important. Multiple food recalls and a large measles resurgence also highlight the need for food safety and vaccination.

Food Safety News and Resources | February

The Rotten Apple • 31 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26
🍲 Food & Drink Outbreaks
  1. A strain of Clostridium botulinum that sickened infants was found in organic whole milk powder used in ByHeart formula, traced to a third‑party supplier and sparking blame between suppliers.
  2. Shrimp recalls for cesium‑137 contamination from Indonesian products are continuing, and some recalled shipments were not added to the FDA advisory page.
  3. WHO has updated INFOSAN manuals to strengthen national outbreak surveillance and response, and free guidance and webinars are available on allergen validation, metal detection, and international outbreak investigations.

Food Safety News and Resources | January

The Rotten Apple • 31 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🍲 Food & Drink Outbreaks
  1. Several unusual and serious recalls are happening right now, including a global infant formula recall for the heat‑stable cereulide toxin that has sickened infants, a sea moss gel pulled over possible botulism risk, and frozen beef patties recalled for E. coli O157:H7.
  2. Surveillance and policy are evolving: French monitoring found low STEC prevalence in beef, and the UK/EU have updated shelf‑life guidance to help keep ready‑to‑eat foods safe from Listeria throughout their shelf life.
  3. Food safety risks are both microbial and chemical, with rare outbreaks like Salmonella from raw oysters and extreme lead contamination found in some spices, highlighting the need for strong supplier controls, proper pH/temperature records, and correct cooking or handling.

FOI Clinical is live

Force of Infection • 15 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  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.

Three Years In

Force of Infection • 107 implied HN points • 26 Jul 25
🏥 Health Politics Outbreaks
  1. The newsletter has evolved to focus more on everyday health issues rather than just major outbreaks. This change came from reader feedback about what they find most helpful.
  2. Over the past three years, the newsletter has gained a large audience, reaching over 42,000 readers in many countries. This shows that people value the information provided.
  3. Looking ahead, there is a desire for ongoing input from readers to improve the newsletter. The goal remains to offer clear, trustworthy health information that helps readers make better choices.

220 | The worst and weirdest food safety moments of 2025 |

The Rotten Apple • 10 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
🍲 Food & Drink Outbreaks
  1. 2025 saw a string of bizarre and serious food hazards — from frozen snakes and radioactive shrimp to anthrax, infant botulism, and deadly Listeria — showing contamination can be unexpected and severe.
  2. Failures across the supply chain made outbreaks worse: companies and suppliers sometimes had poor sanitation, relied on negative test results, mishandled recalls, and retailers failed to pull dangerous products from shelves.
  3. These events show lasting risks: foodborne exposures can cause long-term health problems, myths and fraud (like thinking hand sanitizer removes allergens) increase danger, and stronger prevention, testing, and communication are needed.

Understanding mysterious outbreaks

Force of Infection • 70 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Outbreaks
  1. Mysterious outbreaks often fall into three categories: known diseases, rare diseases, and completely new diseases. It's important to understand these categories to respond effectively.
  2. The most common cause of an outbreak is usually a known disease that flares up, especially in areas with poor healthcare resources. These can be serious but are often easier to manage.
  3. Outbreaks of rare or new diseases are the most concerning. They require quick action because they can be very dangerous and might not have available treatments or vaccines.

Outbreak Outlook - National - Dec 9

Force of Infection • 53 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Outbreaks
  1. There is an increase in influenza-like illnesses, especially among young children. Outpatient visits for these symptoms have gone up recently.
  2. COVID-19 activity remains low across the country, but there are signs it could pick up soon in certain regions. Hospitalizations are currently at the lowest levels of the past year.
  3. Norovirus cases are on the rise, with the highest rates in the West. It's important to keep washing your hands to stay healthy.

VSRF LIVE TONIGHT: Episode 178 - Measles Outbreak Update

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 1 implied HN point • 22 May 25
🏥 Health Politics Outbreaks
  1. There is currently a severe measles outbreak, especially in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Many people are getting sick, so it's important to stay informed and cautious.
  2. The CDC has reported over 1,000 confirmed cases just this year, making it one of the highest years for measles infections since the disease was considered eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
  3. A special live discussion will focus on the outbreak's details and ways to protect yourself and your loved ones. It's a good opportunity to ask questions and learn more about staying healthy.