2013 Pandemics & Diseases Events — Verified Historical Highlights
2013 Pandemics & Diseases Events — Verified Historical Highlights | TakeMeBack.to
- 30 Jan Tornado Outbreak in United States: Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes strike multiple states from Missouri to Georgia, causing significant damage and resulting in at least two fatalities.
- 16 Feb Angelina Jolie undergoes preventive double mastectomy: In February 2013, actress Angelina Jolie publicly announced that she had undergone a preventive double mastectomy after learning she carried the BRCA1 gene, which significantly increased her risk of breast cancer. Her decision aimed to reduce her risk of developing the disease and sparked widespread discussion about genetic testing and preventive healthcare. source: cancer.gov
- 31 Mar H7N9 Avian Influenza Outbreak: Two people died from a new H7N9 avian influenza strain in China, marking the first known human transmission of this sub-type and raising global health concerns.
- 05 Apr Sixth death from H7N9 influenza in China: On April 5, 2013, Chinese health authorities reported the sixth death from H7N9 influenza in the People's Republic of China. This followed the closure of poultry markets in Shanghai and the mass culling of 20,000 birds to control the spread of the virus. source: upi.com
- 17 Apr H7N9 Avian Influenza Outbreak: The Shanghai H7N9 avian influenza strain claimed two more lives, bringing the national death toll to 16. Taiwan responded by considering a permanent ban on poultry killing in traditional markets to prevent virus spread.
- 27 May H1N1 Epidemic in Venezuela: A severe H1N1 outbreak in Venezuela resulted in 17 deaths and 250 infections, highlighting ongoing public health challenges in the region.
- 28 May First MERS death reported in France: On May 28, 2013, France reported its first death from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus. The patient had recently traveled to the Arabian Peninsula, highlighting the global health concerns surrounding the outbreak. source: reuters.com
- 09 Jun Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Fruit Juice: A Hepatitis A viral infection outbreak was traced to Townsend Farms fruit juice products, with 79 Americans reported infected.
- 23 Jul Cyclospora Parasite Outbreak in Midwestern United States: Over 250 people were infected by the Cyclospora parasite due to contaminated fresh produce shipped across state borders, with eight individuals hospitalized, highlighting food safety concerns.
- 02 Aug FDA Identifies Source of Cyclospora Outbreak: The United States Food and Drug Administration traced a cyclospora parasite outbreak to Taylor Farms, which infected 223 individuals across Nebraska and Iowa, demonstrating critical food safety monitoring.
- 24 Aug Cronut Food Poisoning Outbreak: A food poisoning incident at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto, Ontario, was confirmed with 150 cases linked to cronuts contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus.
- 24 Oct Polio Epidemic Emerges in Syria: On October 24, 2013, Syria launched a large-scale immunization campaign targeting 1.6 million children against polio, measles, mumps, and rubella. This initiative was in response to the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in the Deir Al Zour province, marking the first polio cases in Syria since 1999. The outbreak posed a significant risk of regional spread due to ongoing conflicts and population movements. source: who.int
- 29 Oct Polio outbreak in Syria: A polio outbreak was confirmed in Syria, marking the first cases in the country since 1999. The outbreak raised significant health concerns, prompting international health organizations to initiate vaccination campaigns to control the spread of the virus. source: who.int
- 18 Nov Deadly Tornado Outbreak in Midwest: Severe storms spawned destructive tornadoes across the Midwest, killing six people in Illinois. Devastating twisters touched down near Peoria and Chicago, causing widespread destruction and community trauma.
- 06 Dec First recorded Ebola death in Guinea: On December 6, 2013, Guinea reported its first confirmed death from the Ebola virus, marking the beginning of an outbreak that would spread across West Africa. This event raised alarms about public health responses in the region. source: who.int
- 11 Dec Bubonic Plague Outbreak in Madagascar: A severe bubonic plague outbreak in a Malagasy village resulted in twenty fatalities, highlighting ongoing public health challenges in the region.
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