Favipiravir for Lassa fever: an open-label, randomized controlled phase 2 trial

Cyril Erameh / nature - Nature Medicine, Published online: 15 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04402-wAn open-label, randomized controlled phase 2 trial comparing favipiravir with ribavirin for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Lassa fever in Nigeria found that favipiravir was s…

AI Summary: An open-label, randomized Phase 2 trial of favipiravir for Lassa fever reported encouraging results, suggesting antiviral benefit where few options exist. The study offers early clinical proof-of-concept, especially important for endemic West African settings, and calls for larger trials to confirm efficacy, optimize dosing, and assess deployment logistics.

Tick season off to a fast start, and some experts worry about future illnesses

abcnews - Tick season seems to be off to a fast start, with an unusually high number of bites already reported across the country

AI Summary: Tick season is starting early and with gusto: health officials are seeing an uptick in tick encounters and emergency-department visits, and experts warn that expanding tick range could drive more tick-borne illnesses in coming months. Public-health authorities urge vigilance, prompt removal, and better surveillance to avoid this season’s bite turning into a bigger problem.

Moderna, after losing US funding, rebounds to start mRNA bird flu vaccine trial

Kristin Jensen / healthcaredive - A program that got caught up in HHS’ decision to abandon mRNA research was revived by a public-private coalition and is now beginning a large, late-stage test that could support a future approval.

AI Summary: Moderna has initiated a clinical trial of an mRNA vaccine targeting a potentially pandemic bird‑flu strain, joining global efforts to have a rapid‑response countermeasure ready. Regulators and public‑health experts hail the move as sensible pre‑emptive science—because nothing says “we planned for this” like testing the vaccine before the outbreak arrives.

Congo says its mpox outbreak is over after 2 years and more than 2,200 suspected deaths

abcnews - Congo has declared the end of a two-year mpox outbreak, which is believed to have caused over 2,200 deaths

AI Summary: Republic of the Congo announced its prolonged mpox outbreak has ended after roughly two years and more than 2,200 suspected deaths, even as genomic surveillance uncovered co-circulating clades, including evidence of clade IIb lineage A.2.2. Health officials now face the twin tasks of documenting lessons and monitoring for lingering transmission.

Do you love sleeping with your pet? Science reveals there's a tricky trade‑off

medicalxpress - For some pet guardians, their pets are present in their lives from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. This happens because cats, dogs and other companion animals are increasingly perceived as family members. I'm not talking about the di…

AI Summary: New research finds sleeping with pets can boost comfort and emotional wellbeing, but carries trade-offs: increased allergen exposure, more fragmented sleep and small infection risks. Experts advise weighing mental‑health gains against sleep quality and hygiene, and using pet‑free bedrooms when needed — because 'cute' is not a medical recommendation.

Pfizer Lyme vaccine candidate heads to FDA

Ella Jeffries / beckershospitalreview - Pfizer and Valneva’s investigational Lyme disease vaccine candidate, PF-07307405 (LB6V), demonstrated more than 70% efficacy in preventing Lyme disease among individuals age 5 and older, according to topline phase 3 trial results. The prespecified analysi…

AI Summary: Pfizer is advancing a Lyme disease vaccine toward FDA submission despite a messy late‑stage picture: efficacy signals above 70% were reported while a pivotal trial missed its primary endpoint and struggled with low case numbers. Regulators must weigh public health need against statistical nuance as the company pushes for licensure.

F.D.A. Investigates 7 E. Coli Illnesses as Raw Dairy Farm Denies Any Link

Christine Hauser and Alice Callahan / nytimes - The outbreak has sickened people in California, Texas and Florida. The agency said Cheddar cheese products from Raw Farm are “the likely source,” but the company denies it and has not recalled them.

AI Summary: Federal investigators are probing seven E. coli infections across multiple states tied to cheddar cheese produced from raw milk. The implicated Raw Farm cheddar is the suspected source; the producer denies responsibility as public health officials trace exposures and warn consumers while urging caution around unpasteurized dairy.

CMS freezes $260M in Medicaid funding to Minnesota, citing fraud concerns

Jakob Emerson / beckershospitalreview - CMS is freezing $259.5 million in federal Medicaid funding to Minnesota, citing unsupported or potentially fraudulent claims in the state’s program. “We have decided to temporarily halt certain amounts of Medicaid funding that are going to the state of Mi…

AI Summary: Officials confirmed avian influenza in elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo State Park, prompting the suspension of seal‑watching tours and an urgent wildlife response. Several pups have died; researchers are testing samples and authorities are warning the public to avoid contact while investigations continue.