Cecelia Smith

Senior reporter @usnews. Previously @eenewsupdates. Email: [email protected]

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

U.S. News tracks the 2026 measles surge as officials prepare to review the nation’s elimination status following 30 new outbreaks this year. https://t.co/9YKy5UNgdY

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a respiratory illness that is spread easily from person to person through the air. https://t.co/xy5X6DOczN

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

The first moon base mission will launch no earlier than fall 2026 and use a Blue Origin lunar cargo lander to deliver NASA payloads. https://t.co/h0EVrhBpTs

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo includes almost 600 suspected cases, and the World Health Organization says cases and deaths will keep increasing. https://t.co/ZFqKPxtii7

[Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus @DrTedros]

#Hantavirus update:
- no new deaths in 20 days;
- the #Netherlands reported one additional case — a crew member who left the ship in Tenerife, was repatriated, and has been isolating since;
- total number of cases up to date 12, with three deaths (all before 2 May)

The situation is stabilising. @WHO is actively monitoring all quarantined passengers and crew alongside national governments. Surveillance will continue until the incubation period ends for everyone who was on board.

[CDC @CDCgov]

CDC has temporarily restricted entry for certain travelers who were recently in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan.
There are currently no suspected, probable, or confirmed Ebola cases in the United States, and the risk to the American public remains low. U.S. citizens, nationals, and lawful permanent residents may still enter the country, but will undergo enhanced screening.
Travelers should monitor for Ebola symptoms for 21 days after leaving affected countries. Anyone who develops symptoms should avoid travel and contact public health authorities immediately. These measures are part of a layered public health strategy to help detect illness early and reduce the risk of disease spread.
Read more: https://t.co/OY3iIViYY1

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

Highlights from rapid risk assessment of #hantavirus cluster linked to MV Hondius:
🔸 The public health risk has been reassessed with the most current information available, and the global risk remains low.

🔸 The risk for passengers and crew who were onboard the cruise ship remains moderate, as individuals exposed prior to the implementation of control measures may still develop illness during the incubation period and should therefore be closely monitored.

🔸 While additional cases may still occur among passengers and crew members exposed before containment measures were implemented, the risk of onward transmission is expected to be reduced following disembarkation and the implementation of control measures.

Read more https://t.co/mbhs53Nq7T

[National Hurricane Center @NHC_Atlantic]

The first Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook of 2026 is out.

Good news: No tropical cyclone formation is expected over the next 7 days across the Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf.

Today (May 15) marks the start of daily Tropical Weather Outlooks, issued through Nov 30 at 2 AM, 8 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM EDT.

Stay informed all season long: https://t.co/3DFQTO3d6c

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

Discover why Switzerland leads the #BestCountries rankings—with unmatched economic strength, stable politics, and rich cultural heritage, it's truly a global standout! 🇨🇭✨ https://t.co/7czZQYQHWF

[HHS @HHSGov]

All 16 Americans who arrived yesterday at the @unmc Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) in Omaha after traveling on the MV Hondius cruise ship currently remain asymptomatic. Last night, the mildly symptomatic U.S. passenger taken to the @EmoryUniversity RESPTC in Atlanta tested negative for the Andes variant of hantavirus.

[HHS @HHSGov]

HHS through @ASPRgov and @CDCgov is supporting @StateDept in the repatriation of 17 American citizens from the MV Hondius cruise ship affected by the Andes variant of hantavirus.

All 17 are currently en route via @StateDept airlift to the United States, with two of the passengers travelling in the plane's biocontainment units out of an abundance of caution. One passenger currently has mild symptoms and another passenger tested mildly PCR positive for the Andes virus.

As of now, the airlift will transport passengers to the ASPR Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska before taking the passenger with mild symptoms to a second RESPTC at its final destination.

Upon arrival at each facility, each individual will undergo clinical assessment and receive appropriate care and support based on their condition.

[CDC @CDCgov]

The CDC issued this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform clinicians and health departments about the hantavirus disease cases caused by infection with Andes virus. The risk to the public's health in the United States is considered extremely low at this time. As a precaution, CDC is working to increase awareness of the outbreak among travelers, public health agencies, laboratories, and healthcare professionals nationwide. https://t.co/DV7S2yQXs4

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

The World Health Organization is working to evacuate two sick passengers from a cruise ship off the coast of Cape Verde. https://t.co/OFNnVvWlWd

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that naturally infect rodents and are occasionally transmitted to humans.

WHO factsheet on #hantavirus https://t.co/iRNXmhlJsd

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

Northern Virginia has one of the world's largest concentrations of data centers. https://t.co/Kj51QAOAKQ

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

The rapid rise of data centers is becoming a public health concern – and it’s not just about water usage. https://t.co/vtoHcER74V

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

La Niña is officially out, and forecasters are watching for a ‘Super El Niño.’
https://t.co/EWZHd8WdNH

[NASA @NASA]

But wait, there's more!
These newly released photos show off striking details on the far side of the Moon, like craters of various sizes and basins. See new photos here: https://t.co/yBzg59O7yp

[NASA @NASA]

Hello, Moon. It’s great to be back.

Here’s a taste of what the Artemis II astronauts photographed during their flight around the Moon. Check out more photos from the mission: https://t.co/rzM1P0QbOl

[U.S. News & World Report @usnews]

It would be the first lunar flyby with humans since Apollo 17 in 1972. https://t.co/l8OU6jlWrd