A Grays Harbor resident who was hospitalized with influenza symptoms in early November has been confirmed to have influenza A H5, a type of avian influenza. Additional testing shows the virus to be H5N5, an avian influenza virus that has previously been reported in animals but never before in humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DOH currently consider the risk to the public from avian influenza to be low.

A woman in Falun, Dalarna, became infected with cowpox after her cat fell ill and was euthanized—reportedly the first known case in Dalarna. She was on sick leave for a month and is sharing her story to warn others about this rare zoonotic infection.

Many residents sought medical attention for respiratory discomfort and eye irritation caused by volcanic smog and air pollution lingering over Reykjavík and nearby areas.

Other new fires were reported near the Eureka Roadhouse along the Glenn Highway and near the Denali Park community. Forty new fires were reported Thursday.

Anchorage is experiencing the highest tree pollen counts in nearly a decade, with counts reaching thousands of grains per cubic meter from birch, poplar, cottonwood, aspen, willow, and alder, triggering widespread allergy symptoms.

A person in Louisiana has been hospitalized after being exposed to sick and dead birds. Meanwhile, California has declared an emergency over its growing outbreak in cattle.

Authorities in New Delhi shut schools, halted construction and banned nonessential trucks from entering the city after air pollution shot up to its worst level this season.

A teenager in British Columbia has tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza and remains in critical condition, with health officials unable to identify the source of exposure despite extensive contact tracing.

Norway reports a record high of 175 Lyme disease cases from January to June 2024, with uncertain causes attributed to weather conditions and increased tick awareness.

India faces a severe heatwave with 99 deaths in Odisha, unprecedented temperatures in Delhi, and a water crisis, prompting urgent measures and a forecast for slight relief.

Extreme pollen spread in Eastern Norway is causing significant discomfort for allergy sufferers due to a combination of a long winter, delayed spring, and sudden warm, dry weather.

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) said no fewer than 2,122 suspected human cases, 411 confirmed cases, and 72 deaths have been recorded from Lassa fever in Nigeria this year.

Public health officials say two people in Southern California people have come down with dengue fever without traveling outside the United States, where the mosquito-borne illness is rare.

A mountain biker died Saturday after trying to help dehydrated hikers in an eastern San Diego valley, officials said.

A Norwegian viper.snake (European adder) can make individuals very ill while others do not notice anything, Viper bites have doubled from 2022 to 2023 in the month of May in Norway.

An "extreme" lake-effect storm that dumped 77 inches in Orchard Park has left the Buffalo metro area, but forecasters from the National Weather Service warn that blowing snow on Sunday could make travel difficult.The storm turned deadly for a couple of men who died of heart attacks while clearing snow. "It can be very, very dangerous for some individuals, people who have high blood pressure, people who have any type of cardiac history, to go out and shovel the snow, especially right now, because the snow is so heavy," said Burstein.

Melting permafrost and severe erosion have plagued the community for decades. The most recent storm brought waves so fierce, the water claimed roughly half of the 80 or so remaining feet of land that stands between the back end of the school and the edge of the Ningliq river.

The Kostanai Region declared a state of emergency on Sept. 4 after forest fires burned a record 43,000 hectares (the size of Сarribean Barbados island) and forced an evacuation of 1,841 people. 

There's a wildfire burning near Fort Smith, N.W.T., about 9,000 hectares in size. Fire crews are currently at the scene. People are being evacuated from the Taltson Dam area "out of an abundance of caution," the territory says.

Anchorage saw temperatures spike above 60 degrees every day in June for the first time in recorded history. The city also experienced near record low precipitation: Only 1/10 of an inch of rain fell the entire month.