Since the beginning of the year and up to November 8, a total of 127,838 dengue cases and 141 dengue deaths have been reported from Thailand. The number of cases and deaths between January and October 2023 is higher than for the same period in previous years (2018 to 2022).

In October 2023, the following countries reported meningitis outbreaks:Epidemic: Nigeria: Nangere LGA (Yobe State) Warning:Nigeria: Machina LGA (Yobe State), Garawa LGA and Gumel LGA (Jigawa State)Ghana: Bole District (Savannah Region)Chad: Goundi district (Manoul region)Seasonal meningitis epidemics occur in sub-Saharan Africa mainly during the dry season, usually from December to June. They decline rapidly with the onset of the rains. In general, the meningococcal serogroups A, C, W and X are responsible for these outbreaks. The disease spreads from person to person by droplets. If symptoms (high fever, severe headache and vomiting) occur, a doctor should be consulted immediately and antibiotic therapy started, as the disease can lead to life-threatening conditions within hours. Vaccination against the most important meningitis strains is available as prophylaxis for adults and children over 1 year of age.

From January 1 to November 12, 2023, a total of 12 569 suspected Mpox cases, including 581 Mpox deaths, were reported in 22 out of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the highest number of annual cases ever reported, with new cases occurring in geographical areas where no Mpox cases had previously been reported, including Kinshasa, Lualaba and South Kivu. 

On the World AIDS Day on December 1, here is a look back at the extent of the pandemic:In 2022:39 million people are living with HIV worldwide 1.3 million people were newly infected with HIV 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses29.8 million people received access to antiretroviral therapy Since the beginning of the epidemic:85.6 million people have been infected with HIV and 40.4 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses.

Since the beginning of the year and up to October 28, 2023, the CDC Africa has reported a total of 2,779 yellow fever cases and 36 deaths in seven countries of the African Union. The countries affected are Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Nigeria and Uganda.

More than 125 confirmed cases of whooping cough (pertussis) have been reported in Croatia since January 2023, a significant increase compared to the usual number of cases, mainly in the city of Zagreb and the Split-Dalmatia region.

The cantonal medical service reports an outbreak of measles. Five cases of measles have been confirmed so far. The index case was reported as imported from Turkey.

On September 23, the Jamaican Ministry of Health reported a dengue fever outbreak. So far 565 cases have been registered. Resources are being made available to implement dengue control strategies such as the removal of bulky waste and the cleaning of drains throughout the country.

In Denmark, whooping cough (pertussis) cases have increased significantly during the spring and summer, with the authorities now reporting a figure more than ten times higher than normal. In the 37th week alone (up to September 16), 200 cases of whooping cough were detected (normally an average of around 20 cases per week).Whooping cough is a respiratory infection that is characterized by a course lasting up to three months with severe coughing fits, often accompanied by howling breathing and vomiting immediately after the attacks.

An 8-year-old girl died of rabies in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, on October 25, 2023, after being bitten by a stray dog two weeks earlier. The child did not inform anyone in her family except her mother about the incident, and she was only given some home remedies instead of the necessary rabies vaccine. The family only contacted the Community Health Center when the girl developed symptoms after 15 days. According to officials, as many as 5000 cases of dog bites are reported every month in both rural and urban Agra.