A new set of swine flu viruses have been discovered that are highly adapted to infecting humans – and they’re already spreading among farm workers in China.
A century ago, the influenza pandemic killed about 50 million people. Today we are battling the coronavirus pandemic. Are we any better off? Two social scientists share five reasons we have to be optimistic.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some critics say livestock farms promote diseases that spread from animals to humans. An animal scientist explains how well-run farms work to keep that from happening.
Initial data from the outbreak in China did not reveal as much information as scientists needed to assess the epidemic. Now, more accurate data suggest an epidemic worse than some previously thought.
Viruses are small enough to pass through filters, including face masks. Disabling viruses with electrically charged gases could be a better way to curb airborne transmission.
Colin Simpson, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
All too often, researchers around the world act in competition when trying to answer research questions in an emergency situation, such as outbreaks of the flu. The UK is trialling a new approach.
Important research questions can almost always be answered better with a combination of methods – where both quantitive and qualitative data play a role.
As influenza season begins in North America, many people wonder whether to get a flu shot. Our expert delves into the pros and cons of the vaccine and how it works.
It took a computer to discover the potential threat of a drug-resistant strain of swine flu that was about to spread from New South Wales. So how close did we come to a global pandemic?
One of the biggest recent controversies in medicine involves the effectiveness of the antiviral drug Tamiflu. Governments have stockpiled the drug but many have raised doubts about its usefulness.
Australia’s in the middle of the annual flu season and once again, it’s claimed to the worst on record. But why is it that every season seems to outdo previous ones and how bad is this year, really?