Loading...








PGA’s vision is to contribute to the creation of a Rules-Based International Order for a more equitable, safe, sustainable and democratic world.

Biological Security - Weekly Update - January 2022

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.

  Australia‘Batman’ Linfa Wang to the rescue with Covid immunity breakthrough
  CanadaMeet Rotimi Aluko, Canada Research Chair in Bioactive Peptides
  ChinaChina reports 2 new human cases of H5N6 bird flu
  DRC/WHODonors seek more WHO action on sexual abuse after Congo scandal
  IndiaBattling terrorism is an uphill task
  MozambiqueISIS Expansion with Affiliate in Mozambique Increases Terrorist Group’s Threat
  GlobalScientists evaluate zoonotic potential of NeoCoV, a coronavirus related to MERS-CoV
  GlobalSheet, surveillance, strategy, salvage and shield in global biodefense system to protect the public health and tackle the incoming pandemics
  United KingdomNew Porton Down laboratory in Wiltshire Council applications
  United KingdomTeesside marine biologist calls for more testing as Defra rules out dredging as cause of crab deaths
  United NationsUpcoming Events
  United StatesGovernment watchdog says key federal health agency is failing on crises
  United StatesBird Flu Is Back in the US. No One Knows What Comes Next
  WHOWHO publishes key document to provide guidance on One Health actions
  WHOImprove resistance to neglected tropical diseases, WHO urges

  Africa Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 10.56 mln: Africa CDC
  BWC ISU CARICOM Member States join online workshop on national implementation legislation for the Biological Weapons Convention
  Canada A pandemic treaty must address roots of zoonotic disease
  Canada 'Not a question of if:' University of Alberta research building better antivirals in prep for new variants, next pandemic
  Canada 'Ebola for pigs' among projects in $5M of research spending
  Canada Conservatives urged to reconsider compromise on documents about fired scientists
  Canada DAL SCHOLAR NAMED CIHR APPLIED PUBLIC HEALTH CHAIR, TO INVESTIGATE INEQUITY IN COVID INTERVENTIONS
  FAO Strengthened early warning systems are urgently needed to reduce the risk of global health crises
  Ghana Bono Region: 8,400 animals infected with bird flu destroyed
  IAEA, FAO IAEA, FAO supporting global labs to help control chemical residues in foods
  United Nations Terrorists, too, could use deadly pathogens
  India How to beat viruses and other biothreats
  India We consider private companies important stakeholders on One Health: Rupala
  Kazakhstan Kazakhstan denies military laboratory was seized by rioters after Russia claimed a possible pathogen leak occurred at controversial facility, as country's health ministry says more than 160 have been killed during protests in the country
  Liberia Could Liberians' Appetite for Bushmeat Trigger the Next Ebola Outbreak?
  Namibia Suspected avian influenza outbreak reported along Namibian coast
  Nigeria Top Women Making Waves in Medical Profession
  Nigeria Ending Illegal Trafficking of Endangered Animals
  RDC la France va piloter un projet de surveillance épidémiologique de plus de 18 millions $
  Global Scientists Use Nanobodies to Detect All Types of Ebola Virus
  South Africa A South African study of infected zoo lions spurs worries about the virus spreading in the wild.
  South Africa Asymptomatic animal handlers transmit Covid Delta variant to lions at zoo in Sou ..
  Sri Lanka The invisible danger of CBRN weapons
  United Kingdom Killer Threat What is the Nipah virus and what are the symptoms?
  United Kingdom British Labs Supply the World with Genetic Information about COVID-19
  United Kingdom Dog illness mystery solved
  United Nations Female peacebuilders face 'vastly worse' situation due to Covid-19
  United States Animals Infecting Humans Is Scary. It’s Worse When We Infect Them Back.
  United States Research team determines how fleas transmit Bubonic Plague
  United States H5N1 avian influenza detected in two more wild birds in US
  United States Defending Against Zoonoses Through Food Safety
  United States State officials warn farmers and hunters to look out for bird flu infections
  United States Workers cleaning up after Iowa bird flu outbreak owed $3.3 million in back wages
  United States Lawrence Livermore National Lab, academic and army scientists to jointly develop multi-pathogen vaccine
  United States Four Lab-Bound Monkeys Escaped Highway Crash—With Viruses?
  United States Gates Foundation, Wellcome offer $300M to CEPI’s pandemic, vaccine development efforts
  United States New biodefense center looks to prevent next pandemic
  United States The University of Wyoming will now be able to research pathogens that cause dangerous wildlife diseases
  Global What the Doomsday Clock is really counting down to

  Africa Africa's COVID-19 cases surpass 10.32 mln: Africa CDC
  Canada Understanding how animals become infected with COVID-19 can help control the pandemic
  Canada Building better antivirals: Understanding interactions between drugs and viruses key to being ready for variants and the next pandemic
  China Two people in China die from bird flu with three others in hospital after five new cases of virus were confirmed
  DRC Rapid testing can detect Ebola-related deaths, reducing transmission through burials
  Global How One Health is forging a better future
  Rwanda An environmental scan of one health preparedness and response: the case of the Covid-19 pandemic in Rwanda
  Thailand Updates on Thailand's export control and dual-use items regulations
  Uganda Uganda’s ‘Dr. Gladys’ honored by U.N. for work linking conservation and health
  United Kingdom Respirator filter expert Simon Smith explains what’s in a mask and what drives personal protective equipment R&D
  United Kingdom U.K.'s first human case of H5N1 avian flu detected in man with pet ducks
  United Nations St. Vincent and the Grenadines submits Request for Assistance to UNSCR 1540 Committee
  Global Note: PGA organized a 1 Day Workshop in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in October 2019, supported by Global Affairs Canada, Promoting Implementation of international biological security frameworks, including UNSCR 1540 (2004)
  United States Koblentz receives funding for global biolabs project
  United States Cultivating the Biosafety and Biosecurity Profession
  United States South Florida Residents Sentenced for Illegally Exporting Controlled Items to Libya
  United States Infectious Disease Focused Zalgen Labs Opens New HQ in Frederick, Eyes Clinical Trial for Lassa Fever Therapeutic
  United States Northern Arizona University researchers to study zoonotic diseases
  United States Plum Island: The Truth Behind The 'Area 51' Of The East Coast
  United States Bipartisan, bicameral legislation seeks strengthened domestic pharmaceutical supply chains
  United States Sens. Burr, Hickenlooper push Early Countermeasure Discovery Act to improve research detection of pathogens
  United States Minnesota CBP Stops the Deadly Introduction of Bushmeat in the U.S.
  United States Scientists: Duck is 1st wild bird flu case in US in 5 years

  Africa Africa’s COVID-19 cases surpass 10 million: Africa CDC
  Canada COVID-19: Canada focusing on inclusive recovery
  Canada National Microbiology Laboratory tells all staff to work remotely when possible starting Monday
  Canada Conservatives demand Liberals make NSICOP a parliamentary committee, release Winnipeg lab docs
  China The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence and mortality of zoonotic diseases in China
  Global Eroding norms over release of self-spreading viruses
  India Supreme Court dismisses plea asking for action against China for spreading COVID-19 virus as biological weapon; calls it 'publicity stunt'
  India Bengaluru can ensure better health of its residents with the ‘One Health’ approach
  Global Into the wild: Scientists strive to stop animal diseases from igniting the next pandemic
  South Africa
 Zoonotic viruses: Protect bats to protect people
  United States Justice Department details Chinese national espionage plea
  United States Cue Health, BARDA partnering on development of real-time Omicron-Genotyping COVID-19 Test
  United States New funding will help UCF researcher develop nanotech to detect animal-borne diseases
  United States Is lax security in labs putting us at risk of another pandemic?
  United States Why We Suck at Preparing For Pandemics
  United States 412th Security Forces train to succeed in hostile, degraded combat environment

  Global Massive New Bird Flu Outbreak Could Be 2022’s Deadly Pandemic
  Australia Zoonotic disease and virome diversity in bats
  Brazil Brazilian Army aims to boost CBRN defences
  Canada High pathogenic avian influenza detected in Canada
  Canada Six Unlearned Lessons of the Pandemic
  China Current efforts towards safe and effective live attenuated vaccines against African swine fever: challenges and prospects
  China White Paper: China's Export Controls
  China/US Wuhan’s lower biosafety level labs posed greater risk for coronavirus lab leak, experts said
  CIS Informal meeting of the CIS heads of state
  CIS Russia says ready to design, equip high-security medical labs for CIS countries
  Czech Republic/Slovenia Czech Republic and Slovenia report H5N1 bird flu outbreaks
  Europe Avian bird flu epidemic ravaging Europe: Experts
  France Virus influenza aviaire : un risque exceptionnel pour l’Homme
  France Bird flu on our doorstep: Six farms shut down as 'highly contagious' strain hits France
  India Bengaluru: National Disaster Response Force(NDRF) and District Disaster Management Authority(DDMA) wear protective suits and gas masks during a joint mock drill simulating rescue and relief efforts in the event of emergency of CBRN(Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear)disasters. #Gallery
  India Is One Health approach the gateway towards pandemic preparedness?
  India Better monitoring of livestock needed as zoonotic infections surge, urge TN veterinarians
  Indonesia Youth, experts tackle food security, zoonotic diseases with One Health approach at core
  Ireland/Qatar From Qatar to the streets of Dublin: Irish bomb disposal teams develop terror attack response
  United Nations ISIL committed war crimes at Mosul prison, UN investigation finds "...The group’s approach “is seen even more clearly in two other key lines of investigation that have accelerated in the last six months: the development and use of chemical and biological weapons by ISIL, and the financial mechanisms through which it sustained its campaign of violence,” he said...."
  Israel Thousands of cranes killed by bird flu, half a million chickens slaughtered in Israel
  Japan Intestinal organoids used to explain why bats infected with viruses do not succumb to diseases
  Japan The impact of temperature on the transmissibility potential and virulence of COVID-19 in Tokyo, Japan
  New Zealand The next pandemic: Nature under threat, rogue scientist risk make more outbreaks near-certain
  RDC Un quart de la population aura besoin d’aide humanitaire en 2022
  South Africa Call for Application: Migration Health Data Analyst (Consultancy Service)
  South Korea Military deploys upgraded chemical, biological reconnaissance vehicles
  United Kingdom Warning over UK’s biggest outbreak of bird flu to date
  United Kingdom Avian flu confirmed at 10th Lincolnshire site
  United Nations Dual-Use Materials Awareness Workshop for Law Enforcement and Police Border (Expert Notes) | MENA Region
  United States Biden should push for a stronger biodefense to protect Americans
  United States Washington U to build six floors on top of Med School building, including high-level disease lab
  United States Federal investigation launched into monkey farm run by University of Washington
  United States Human & animal health, food security & biosecurity
  United States Zoom workshop will focus on zoonotic diseases
  United States What is the role of AI in pandemic response? The National Security Commission on AI provides a framework ".....The Canadian firm BlueDot detected the spread in Wuhan long before it was taken seriously...."
  United States Veterinary Diagnostic lab receives 3 grants to expand emergency response capacity
  United States US National Pork Board invests $15 million to enhance swine herd health
  United States Army Names 2 Awardees on $299M Contract for CBRN Filters
  United States MOPP Gear is Proving That Not All Heroes Wear Capes
  WHO WHO says omicron has not spread widely among the vulnerable yet, still too early to determine severity
  WHO Acute phase of pandemic could end in 2022-WHO

  Africa COVID-19 cases pass 9.59 mln in Africa
  Africa Africa CDC Chief: 'The response to Covid on the continent of Africa has been exceptional"
  Bulgaria Bulgaria culls 39,000 chickens after bird flu outbreak
  Canada Avian flu discovered in birds around St. John's, Environment Canada says
  Global Can This Gene Editing Tool Make Chickens Resistant To Avian Flu?
  China Droplets containing spores could be the source of anthrax pneumonia case reported in Beijing in August: China CDC
  DRC Democratic Republic of the Congo Humanitarian Fund 2021 Mid-year Monitoring Report
  France/Syria France detains suspect in Syria chemical weapons probe
  Israel Bird Flu Outbreak in Israel Unlikely to Become Pandemic, Experts Say
  Israel Expert warns avian flu to reach Sea of Galilee, posing danger to humans
  Japan Why bats? The common secret behind COVID and Ebola
  South Africa Meeting the enemy face-to-face: The intrepid scientist who grew Omicron for testing
  United Kingdom How COVID-19 transformed genomics and changed the handling of disease outbreaks forever
  United States Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on Meeting with European Commission on COVID-?19 and Global Health Security
  United States The Global Health Security Index is not predictive of vaccine rollout responses among OECD countries
  United States Measurability and Inclusivity: Challenges for the New Global Health Security Fund
  United States The discovery and development of novel treatment strategies for filoviruses
  United States Congress is weighing cuts to the Pentagon disease-fighting budget
  United States Bill Gates’s lofty goal for 2022: Ensuring ‘that Covid-19 is the last pandemic’
  United States Rapid and Durable Protection Against Marburg Virus with a Single-Shot ChAd3-MARV GP Vaccine
  United States Hantavirus case investigated in southeast King County, Washington
  WHO Ebola virus disease nosocomial infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a descriptive study of cases during the 2018–2020 outbreak
  WHO 2021 has been tumultuous but we know how to end the pandemic and promote health for all in 2022