Ready to respond: adapting rapid response team training in Papua New Guinea during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Problem: Rapid response teams (RRTs) are critical for effective responses to acute public health events. While validated training packages and guidance on rolling out training for RRTs are available, they lack country-specific adaptations. Documentation is limited on RRT programming experiences in various contexts.

Challenges in Investigating a Salmonellosis Outbreak in a Correctional Facility.

Timely reporting of disease outbreak and access to the outbreak site are necessary for prompt investigation and control. Local health departments (LHDs) establish the reporting time frames, methods, and communication channels within their jurisdictions in advance. This report describes a salmonellosis outbreak investigation in a federal correctional center (FCC) that was delayed due to issues with jurisdictional ownership and with separate reporting protocols for the FCC.

An outbreak of pertussis in rural Texas: an example of the resurgence of the disease in the United States.

During 2012, an increase in the number of pertussis cases or outbreaks was reported among most states within the United States. The majority of these cases included previously vaccinated children between the ages of 7-10 years. This underscores the growing concern regarding current immunization practices and vaccine efficacy, especially as it pertains to pertussis prevention within this age group.