On 22 August 2025, the US FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research has suspended the biologics license for Valneva Austria GmbH’s live-attenuated IXCHIQ vaccine.

This vaccine was initially approved by the FDA under the accelerated approval pathway in November of 2023 for the prevention of disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in individuals 18 years of age and older who are at increased risk of exposure to CHIKV. CBER’s decision is based on serious safety concerns related to the vaccine, which appears to be causing chikungunya-like illness in vaccine recipients. There has been one death from encephalitis directly attributable to the vaccine (CSF PCR was + for the vaccine strain of the virus) and over 20 reported serious adverse events that were consistent with chikungunya-like illness. Reported serious adverse events have included 21 hospitalizations and 3 deaths. Furthermore, the clinical benefit of the vaccine has not yet been verified in confirmatory clinical studies. CBER’s benefit-risk analysis broadly shows the vaccine does not have benefits outweighing risks, under most plausible scenarios. For these reasons, CBER believes this vaccine is not safe and that continued administration to the public would pose a danger to health. 

• Local media report a Chikungunya outbreak in Chittagong, the second largest city in Bangladesh, with around 2100 cases recorded from January to mid-August 2025.
  
• High mosquito density and insufficient mosquito control are worsening the spread.
• Public health concerns increase due to limited routine surveillance and diagnostic difficulties.

Within few days, the number of cases with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) has risen to 8 cases, bringing the total of PAM cases in Kerala to 28 suspected and 11 confirmed cases.

PAM is a rare brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, it is almost always fatal. The ameba live in warm fresh water and soil around the world. The risk of a Naegleria fowleri infection is very low. 

On 24 Aug 2025, twenty-six individuals in Balasan, Iloilo Province developed symptoms consistent with suspected ciguatera fish poisoning after consuming barracuda purchased from the local public market. All cases were mild to moderate, with no fatalities, and patients have shown clinical improvement. 

Since the beginning of 2025, and as of 20 August 2025, nine countries in Europe have reported human cases of West Nile virus infection: Albania, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Serbia and Spain. Currently, 67 areas are known to be affected.

For updates, see ECDC LINK.

At the 42nd meeting on 18 June 2025, the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) reviewed the data on wild poliovirus (WPV1) and circulating vaccine derived polioviruses (cVDPV) in the context of the global target of interruption and certification of WPV1 eradication by 2027 and interruption and certification of cVDPV2 elimination by 2029. Technical updates were received about the situation in the following countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Papua New Guinea.

Since the last meeting of the Emergency Committee, new detections were reported as follows:
Wild poliovirus:

• Since the beginning of 2025, 13 WPV1 cases have been reported.
  
• WPV1 positive environmental samples were reported in 2025 in Afghanistan (30) and Pakistan (245).
  
• Both countries see a persisting upward trend.
  

Circulating vaccine derived poliovirus (cVDPV) in 2025:

• In 2025, 65 cVDPV2 cases and 2 cVDPV3 cases (all in Guinea), no cVDPV1 cases.
  
  

The Committee unanimously agreed that the risk of international spread of poliovirus still remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and recommended the extension of Temporary Recommendations for a further three months.

Risk categories and advice aimed at reducing the risk of international spread of WPV1 and cVDPVs:

1. States infected with WPV1, cVDPV1 or cVDPV3.
   
2. States infected with cVDPV2, with or without evidence of local transmission.
   
3. States previously infected by WPV1 or cVDPV within the last 24 months.

According to media citing the Ministry of Health, since the beginning of 2025, a total of 95’729 malaria cases have been reported, a significant increase compared to 2024 (16’113 cases). The Zambezi region is the most affected (25’065 cases), followed by Kavango West region (18’4242), and the Andara and Outapi districts with 12’964 and 7’963 cases, respectively. The cases have declined sharply in the past three months.

Malaria risk is considered high year-round in the Zambezi region, while in other northern and northeastern regions of Namibia, it is seasonally high from September to May. The situation in Outapi district is less clear, as it is uncertain whether recent increases are due to imported cases from Angola or locally acquired infections. The Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine is working to obtain more detailed information for this region.

Paraguay declared a public health emergency in August 2025 after confirming its first locally transmitted outbreak of cases since 1998. By 14 Aug 2025, 12 cases were under investigation. The first case was diagnosed on 02 Aug 2025, in an unvaccinated traveler returning from abroad.

See also EpiNews as of 7 August 2025. The NYC Health Department is currently investigating a community cluster of Legionnaires' disease in Central Harlem (ZIP codes 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039). As of August 19, there are: 108 confirmed cases, 5 deaths, 14 currently hospitalized.

Investigations are ongoing.

Legionella multiply especially in hot water systems, humidifiers, cooling towers, whirlpools and hydrotherapeutic facilities at water temperatures below 50°C.

Particularly at risk of severe illness are people older than 50, smokers, people with chronic lung disease diabetes, or weakened immune system such as transplant recipients and tumor patients.