GENEVA – The World Health Organization declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius over on Thursday. The final contact of a person exposed to the virus completed quarantine, tested negative and returned home, WHO said. “No further cases have been reported since the 25th of May,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general, […]
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported 1,406 cumulative confirmed Ebola cases and 438 deaths, according to a June 30 situational update. The case fatality rate is slightly above 31%. The latest figures represent an increase of 73 confirmed cases in 24 hours, the report said. Health officials also reported 192 recoveries and 609 […]
At least 1,274 confirmed Ebola cases and 360 deaths have been reported in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, health agencies say — part of a regional toll that now stands at 1,295 confirmed cases and 362 deaths across DR Congo, Uganda and France. It is caused by Bundibugyo – a rarer Ebola species with no […]
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda could cost Africa as much as $3.6bn and lead to the loss of 328,000 jobs if it spreads further across the region, the UN has warned. The outbreak has infected 1,307 people and killed 377 in DR Congo since it was declared on 15 […]
French health authorities confirmed on June 24 the first case of Ebola virus disease in the country. The patient, a physician who had returned from a humanitarian mission in one of the Ebola-affected areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was immediately isolated and admitted to a specialized healthcare facility. The patient is […]
For 27 years, Handwashing For Life has been dedicated to overcoming underwashing and helping operators avoid foodborne outbreaks. Transforming myths into evidence-based interventions has revealed two key insights: brand protection is the primary reason for investing in handwashing, and although kitchen staff are well-trained, they often lack motivation to wash their hands frequently. Clear expectations […]
The benefits of research-driven advances in handwashing, traditionally take considerable time to reach the nation’s restaurants. This May 12th meeting in Oak Park, Michigan attempts to be a game-changer with an early immersion into the rigors of FDA codification. The SaniOnce handwash protocol has been thoroughly tested by an independent laboratory. It offers considerable advantages […]
Since science has proven that operators have choices in their handwashing protocols, naming those alternatives helps communication, improves memorability, promotes ownership, increases its motivational value and converts the complex into common sense. These proposed names recognize industry practices and evidence-based options. Any hand treatment is expected to have an effect, though effectiveness varies. The references […]
Using Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) to set Science-Based Handwashing Standards Background: Handwashing protocols in Foodservice are intuitively based on risk – “I don’t want to be tomorrow’s headline!” This is tempered by factors that influence profitability, like labor and direct costs. Operations personnel are under constant pressure for productivity gains, creating a downward influence on […]
CFP 2025 Submissions on Handwashing Issue to Consider: Hand hygiene is a critical step in fighting disease, especially foodborne pathogens. In food handling settings, washing hands with soap and water is the required primary method for performing hand hygiene. In other settings, such as healthcare, alcohol-based hand sanitizers (aka hand antiseptics) are the preferred method […]