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Biological Security - Weekly Update - August 2021

The Weekly Biological Security Update is prepared by PGA's International Peace and Security Program and provided strictly for informational purposes only. Any opinions expressed in articles contained in this Update are not necessarily shared by PGA or any individual/s associated with PGA, nor does PGA, or any individual/s associated with PGA, vouch for the accuracy of the contents of these articles.

Read more about PGA IPSP PUEBLO and the Campaign for Biological Security and Health

  AfricaAfrica's COVID-19 cases pass 7.72 mln: Africa CDC
  AfricaAfrica CDC and the IFRC ramp up COVID-19 response in Africa
  BeninBenin confirms H5N1 avian flu outbreak
  GlobalCalling for a New Multilateral Financing Mechanism for Global Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness
  CanadaBiosecurity breaches a major factor in disease outbreaks
  ChinaSuspected anthrax outbreak reported in northern Chinese village
  Côte d'IvoireIvory Coast’s first Ebola patient in more than 25 years declared ‘cured’
  Côte d'IvoireFAO supports response to highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in Côte d'Ivoire
  GlobalCOVID-19 Pandemic Origins: Bioweapons and the History of Laboratory Leaks
  DRCPoverty, conflict and displacement leave children at risk from renewed Bubonic plague outbreaks in Ituri region of eastern DRC
  Ghana/CanadaPoultry farmers get education on Avian Influenza
  GlobalHow can One Health prepare us for the next pandemic
  KazakhstanAnthrax case reported in North Kazakhstan
  MongoliaMongolian inspectors seize 22 dead marmots that might spread bubonic plague
  NigeriaNigeria leverages lessons learnt from Ebola response in fight against COVID-19 pandemic
  GlobalOrigins of SARS-CoV-2: window is closing for key scientific studies
  RDC l’ancien ministre de la Santé placé en détention pour détournement de fonds
  Sierra LeoneFAO reinforces Sierra Leone's capacities on joint health risk assessment
  GlobalThe lab leak hypothesis — true or not — should teach us a lesson
  United KingdomFarmed carnivores may become 'disease reservoirs' posing human health risk
  United StatesHouse Republicans press NIH and NIAID for further details on Wuhan Lab biosafety concerns
  United StatesZalgen to supply Lassa Fever antibody testing kits for CEPI study in West Africa
  United StatesUS intelligence community divided on coronavirus origins but rules out 'bioweapon theory'
  United StatesBill to Bolster Infectious Disease Monitoring and Support Border Health Initiatives
  United StatesResponsible Regulation in the Era of Zoonotic Disease
  United StatesRecombinant Protein Filovirus Vaccines Protect Cynomolgus Macaques From Ebola, Sudan, and Marburg Viruses
  United StatesUSDA one step ahead on protecting U.S. pork exports
  United StatesBiden Must Stop Russia’s Illicit Procurement of Sensitive American Technologies
  United StatesAPHIS receives $300M for emerging virus surveillance as part of One Health focus between human and animal diseases.
  United StatesUNMC scientists unveil research around COVID-19 and airborne transmission
  United StatesAnthrax Diagnosis, Treatment And Handling
  VietnamCDC Hanoi office to assist regional disease responses
  WHOWorld leaders and experts call for significant reduction in the use of antimicrobial drugs in global food systems

  Africa Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 7.46 mln: Africa CDC
  Africa Ebola, other outbreaks, atop COVID-19, risk straining West Africa health systems -WHO
  Africa Africa’s plan for a continent-wide pandemic recovery
  Africa What is driving COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Sub-Saharan Africa?
  Africa African scientist urges conducive policies to spur biotechnology uptake
  Global A natural pandemic has been terrible. A synthetic one would be even worse
  Burkina Faso/RCI CAS D’EBOLA EN RCI
  Burkina Faso Ebola : détection d'un cas "suspect" au Burkina Faso (ministère de la Santé)
  Global Canada announces emergency support to respond to global food crises
  Canada Feds drop court fight to block documents on firing of National Microbiology Lab scientists
  Caribbean Interpol warns Caribbean gov'ts against purchasing fake COVID vaccines
  Global China tightens laboratory animal rules amid calls for coronavirus lab-leak probe
  China Bubonic plague case reported in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
  China China out to boost food security with 13-storey ‘hog hotels’ that protect pigs from viruses
  Global Côte d'Ivoire : près de 50 personnes cas contact au virus Ebola
  Global Côte d'Ivoire: Ebola, 6 cas contacts retrouvés à Duekoué et San-Pédro sur les 70 voyageurs du car de la patiente détectée
  Global Côte d’Ivoire starts Ebola vaccination of frontline workers
  Global Côte d’Ivoire to vaccinate all Ebola contact cases
  Côte d'Ivoire WHO ‘very concerned’ as second Ebola case suspected in Ivory Coast
  Côte d'Ivoire Source of Ivory Coast Ebola case probed
  Global COVID-19 lab-leak theory: Gain-of-function is a hot topic, but a bad explanation
  Global Ebola: portrait d'un virus tueur
  Ghana Ebola, Murburg outbreaks: Ghana heightens border surveillance
  Ghana Ghana has the capacity to diagnose both Ebola and Marbug – GHS
  Ghana We should be more concerned with the outbreak of Ebola than Marburg – WACCBIP
  Ghana/Canada COVID-19: Society of the Physically Disabled calls for special arrangement to vaccinate its members
  Ghana/US US Department of Agriculture organizes poultry workshop for retirees
  Ghana/China Chinese medical team hailed in Ghana
  Global Guinée, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina : Ebola tisse sa toile en Afrique
  Guinea/Côte d’Ivoire Guinea identifies 58 contacts of Ebola patient in Ivory Coast
  Global Guinea combats Ebola outbreak with One Health
  Guinea Could the Marburg Virus Start Another Outbreak? What We Know
  Global How Did the Bubonic Plague, the Last Pandemic, Come to an End?
  IAEA Being Better Prepared for the Next Pandemic: Join us for the IAEA Scientific Forum on Zoonotic Outbreaks
  India Nipah virus and Covid-19: How an artist in Kerala braved both health emergencies
  Indonesia "Biodefense, lessons learned from the COVID-19 war"
  Global Killer Pathogens: The New Threat of Bioweapons?
  Liberia As Alarm Blow Of Ebola Back In Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberians Are Calling On President Weah To Order Closures Of Boarders
  Madagascar New strain of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) plague emerged in an outbreak in rural Madagascar: Study
  Madagascar Drug-resistant bacteria found in the guts of lemurs who live around humans
  Nigeria FG working with WHO to develop biosecurity policy
  Nigeria Biosafety Agency Gets WHO Support On Biosecurity Policy Document
  OIE La OIE destaca el papel de la salud animal y humana contra el bioterrorismo
  United Kingdom Covid-vaccine scientists begin plague-jab trial
  United Kingdom ‘Chemical Warrior’ by Hamish de Bretton-Gordon is a human yet harrowing insight into the world of chemical warfare
  United Nations Update on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on terrorism, counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism
  United Nations National Points of Contact for all matters related to UNSCR 1540 from Madagascar and Uruguay are updated
  United States How To Build A Better Policy For Countering WMD Threats
  United States Congressional watchdog: HHS, DHS, DOD, USDA must mutually prepare for biological threats
  United States New Mexico sees first case of bubonic plague this year
  United States Vetting Biden’s Export Control Nominee Up To Senate Committee On Banking, Housing, And Urban Affairs
  United States Biden Poised to Repeat Mistakes that Led to COVID Pandemic, Biosecurity Experts Say
  United States Alexandria’s SPA lands $185M contract for Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  United States D.C. National Guard Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team trains with partners and local government in Puerto Rico
  United States Heat Biologics Announces Formation of Biothreat Advisory Board
  United States Just In: Pentagon Shifting Approach to Chem-Bio Defense
  United States RedHill Biopharma Announces Two New U.S. Patents Covering Opaganib for Ebola Virus and RHB-104 for Crohn's
  United States U.S. Imposes Additional Sanctions on Russia for Aleksey Navalny Poisoning
  World With or without the Taliban, COVID and climate will inspire terrorism
  WHO Call for experts to join Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens
  WHO WHO Statement on advancing the next series of studies to find the origins of SARS-CoV-2

  Africa/Asia How deforestation poses dengue pandemic risk for Africa and Asia
  Africa Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 7.25 mln: Africa CDC
  Africa Panic as Delta variant wreaks havoc in 33 African countries
  Africa Africa Trade Insurance Agency supports Africa CDC in COVID-19 Response in Africa
  Africa Africa Urged to Set Up ‘Mini-CDCs’ to Combat Future Outbreaks
  Africa Africa CDC to Host the Inaugural Annual Conference on Public Health in Africa from 14-16 December
  Africa UN experts: Africa became hardest hit by terrorism this year
  Burkina Faso renforcement de la surveillance épidémiologique après l'apparition de la fièvre de Marburg en Guinée
  BWC ISU BWC ISU organizes the Biosecurity Diplomacy Workshop for Young Scientists from the Global South
  Canada Government of Canada supporting Canada's major airports with funding for COVID-19 testing and screening infrastructure
  Canada Reduction in Antimicrobial Use and Resistance to Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli in Broiler Chickens, Canada, 2013–2019
  Canada/China Chinese agent targeted Canadian scientist in bacteria-smuggling plot: RCMP documents
  Canada/China O'Toole seeks intervener status in government's court battle to shield lab documents
  China/Japan Japanese WWII germ warfare document released
  China/Japan Japanese WWII germ warfare document released
  Costa de Marfil Un caso de ébola importado de Guinea enciende las alarmas en Costa de Marfil
  Côte d'Ivoire Un cas de virus Ebola détecté en Côte d'Ivoire, le premier depuis 1994
  Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast reports 1st Ebola case since the 1990s
  Côte d'Ivoire Ebola case in Abidjan, Ivory Coast: Africa CDC, Statement from hospital
  Côte d’Ivoire The Government of Republic of Côte d’Ivoire has declared a case of an Ebola Virus Disease in Abidjan
  Deutschland Köln: Urteil gegen Frau des Rizinbombers bestätigt
  Guinea WHO says Guinea monitoring confirmed 155 cases of Ebola-like Marburg virus
  Guinée La maladie à virus Marburg diagnostiquée en Guinée « est un cas isolé »
  Global Guinea combats Ebola outbreak with One Health
  World Has COVID taught us anything about pandemic preparedness?
  United States Look at the Anti-Science in Our National Reaction to COVID. Then Imagine If the Marburg Virus Made It Here.
  World Nanotechnology-based solutions to combat zoonotic viruses with special attention to SARS, MERS, and COVID 19: Detection, protection and medication
  Nigeria NICAFE 2021: Eight experts make case for post-COVID-19 era
  South Korea/US S.Korean civic group sues Fort Detrick biolab, USFK over smuggled toxic substances
  United Nations 1540 Committee Chair delivered a video message to National Workshop of Strengthening UNSCR 1540 (2004) Implementation in Botswana
  United Nations 1540 Committee Chair delivered a video message to National Workshop of Strengthening UNSCR 1540 (2004) Implementation in Botswana
  United States Preparing for Doomsday
  United States Antimicrobial Treatment and Prophylaxis of Plague: Recommendations for Naturally Acquired Infections and Bioterrorism Response
  United States Several pandemic preparedness bills under consideration in U.S. Congress
  United States U.S. Sen. Baldwin introduces Disease X Act, seeking $2B to help BARDA with future viral preparation
  United States DARPA selects three teams to develop novel therapeutics through HEALR program
  United States 9/11 anniversary, COVID-19 measures could spark terrorist attacks in the US: DHS
  United States NTI | bio virtual workshop showcases international effort to approach unknown biological threats
  United States Biodefense: After-Action Findings and COVID-19 Response Revealed Opportunities to Strengthen Preparedness
  United States Military and civilian leaders must work to secure dual-use technologies, top Navy officer says
  WHO
 WHO scientist puts COVID lab leak theory back under spotlight

  Global Address risky human activities now or face new pandemics, scientists warn
  Africa Morning Update: Mounting desperation in Africa as vaccine shortage persists
  Africa AU Set To Roll-Out 400 Million COVID-19 Doses Across Africa
  Africa African countries acquire about 103 mln doses of COVID-19 vaccines: Africa CDC
  Africa Africa CDC director has ‘unbearable’ case of COVID, but ‘wouldn’t be here’ without vaccine
  Africa Drones and Violent Nonstate Actors in Africa
  Deutschland Mobiles Datenlabor soll Ermittlern Zeitgewinn verschaffen
  DRC Rebels, Doctors and Merchants of Violence: How the fight against Ebola became part of the conflict in eastern DRC
  Guinée Après l’Ebola et la COVID-19, cas probable du dangereux virus de Marburg
  Guinea Guinea records probable case of Ebola-like Marburg virus
  India Data and genetic manipulation for race specific bioweapons not an impossibility
  India New study finds that minority of animals host majority of zoonotic viruses
  Malaysia Malaysia furthers research and scientific understanding into Nipah virus
  Malaysia/Norway Norway and Malaysia team up to further research the Nipah virus
  RDC RDC: la riposte Ebola a-t-elle financé des groupes armés?
  CDC Treating Bioterrorism-Related Plague: CDC Issues New Guidelines
  United Kingdom Oxford vaccine team make 'big step forward' in fight against deadly Nipah virus
  United Kingdom Zoonotic disease surveillance must be integrated into health security intelligence systems, experts say
  United Nations National Points of Contact for all matters related to UNSCR 1540 from Eswatini and Seychelles are added.
  United Nations Summary of 1540 Committee 88th Formal Meeting is posted. [Replicated in its entirety below]
  United States Guard soldiers who take on simulated chem, bio and nuke attacks are adding hypersonic threats
  United States Learning the lessons of COVID-19, experts testify resources still inadequate to fight pandemics
  United States We Need to Invest in Defenses Against Bioterrorism: Bill Maris
  United States Democrats to block Biden proposal to cut Pentagon pandemic warning system
  United States Sens. Portman, Peters sponsor bill to research supply chain vulnerabilities
  United States GAO: COVID-19 Response Revealed Opportunities to Strengthen Biodefense Preparedness
  United States Bubonic plague alert: Killer disease detected in the US
  United States Chipmunks Test Positive for the Bubonic Plague in Several South Lake Tahoe Locations
  United States Yes, Lake Tahoe Chipmunks Have Bubonic Plague. But Don’t Worry (Too Much).

  Australia Australia Researching Use of Parasites Against Bio-Weapons
  Australia Opinion: Authoritarian laws for the common wealth and health
  Canada The Government of Canada announces biomanufacturing and life sciences strategy
  Canada Amendments to Canada's Export Control List Take Effect July 23, 2021
  China Nanjing: New virus outbreak worst since Wuhan, say Chinese state media
  China China rejects WHO plan for study of COVID-19 origin
  CIS CIS to step up cooperation in biosecurity
  Deutschland Risiko Virendiebstahl | Wenn entwendete Erreger zu Biowaffen werden
  Germany Researchers in Germany Sequence Genome of Bubonic Plague Bacteria Taken from Remains of Man who Lived More than 5,000 Years Ago
  Ghana UN Agencies commended for providing WASH facilities
  Guinée La Guinée a été encouragée de soumettre son premier rapport national au Comité 1540 du Conseil de sécurité, sur les mesures qu'elle a prise pour empêcher la prolifération des armes de destruction massive à des acteurs non étatiques, y compris des organisations terroristes
  Guinée La résolution 1540 du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies, adoptée en 2004, exige de tous les États membres des Nations Unies qu'ils prennent des mesures pour empêcher la prolifération des armes de destruction massive à des acteurs non étatiques, y compris des organisations terroristes.
  India Need to create awareness on zoonotic diseases: Mansukh Mandaviya
  Indonesia Need global cooperation against bioterrorism: Vice Admiral Octavian
  Global Is genetic engineering unleashing threat of increased bioterrorism and biological warfare?
  Malaysia Malaysia researchers to study Nipah virus immune responses with CEPI funding
  Nigeria Deaths, thorny debts: Inside Nigeria’s largest pig farm where farmers lost billions to African swine fever
  Nigeria FG Ready To Develop Guidelines For Regulation Of Stacked Gene Organism ? NBMA
  United Kingdom Phase 1 Trial Begins for Oxford University’s ChAdOx1 Plague Vaccine
  United Kingdom Why vaccines matter in the fight against zoonotic diseases
  United States Biodefence research two decades on: worth the investment?
  United States Learning the lessons of COVID-19, experts testify resources still inadequate to fight pandemics
  United States Battelle pursues predictive monitoring technology to identify epidemic security threats
  United States IDSA applauds infectious diseases inclusion in U.S. House funding, but says more is still needed
  United States