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Caitlin Rivers

@cmyeaton.bsky.social
9.8K followers 75 following 348 posts

Infectious disease epidemiologist @JohnsHopkinsSPH. Associate professor. Author of CRISIS AVERTED (Viking). Outbreak newsletter at forceofinfection.com

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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
It looks like we may be headed for an early flu season, especially in the Western region, where test positivity is climbing quickly. www.forceofinfection.com/second-look-...
forceofinfection.com
Second look at flu
Early signs of flu increase in Pacific states
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Hensley Lab @scottehensley.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
This is a really important development. It appears H1N1 cases are rising in the western part of the United States, and these viruses have a key HA substitution that @jbloomlab.bsky.social recently demonstrated is targeted by antibodies in young people. 1/4 www.kuow.org/health/2026-...
kuow.org
The flu has arrived early in Washington state
Flu cases are surging in Washington state, much sooner than when health officials usually expect the illness to peak in winter.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
It looks like we may be headed for an early flu season, especially in the Western region, where test positivity is climbing quickly. www.forceofinfection.com/second-look-...
forceofinfection.com
Second look at flu
Early signs of flu increase in Pacific states
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Public Health On Call Podcast @publichealthpod.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Those whose immune systems are more vulnerable are at a higher risk of getting sick with and experiencing severe symptoms of flu, COVID-19, and RSV. Epidemiologist @cmyeaton.bsky.social gives her recommendations for vaccines this respiratory virus season. 🎧 t.jh.edu/ZXy7pM
Promo graphic for episode 1109 of Public Health On Call titled A Guide to Fall Vaccines for People Who Are Immunocompromised. Additional text reads: An epidemiologist’s recommendations for flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Covid-19 activity has likely peaked in the South, with other regions still rising. Flu activity is rising steadily but still far below start of flu season. Free national edition + regionals start in about a month. www.forceofinfection.com/sep132026/
forceofinfection.com
Outbreak Outlook - Sep 13
Covid-19 peaks; influenza activity low but stirring
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This is my annual September 11 re-read. www.washingtonpost.com/local/f-16-p...
washingtonpost.com
F-16 pilot was ready to give her life on Sept. 11
A pilot reflects on one of the lesser-told tales of Sept. 11: how the first counterpunch the U.S. military prepared to throw at the attackers was effectively a suicide mission.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Our middle school got rid of Chromebooks this year and the experience is already 200% better. Keep classrooms analog.
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
On #LongCovid and profiling my colleague @julialmv.bsky.social @smithsonianmag.bsky.social www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/m...
smithsonianmag.com
For Many Americans, Covid Is Still a Chronic, Disabling Disease. These Scientists Are Working Tirelessly to Bring Them Relief
Long Covid saps the strength and vitality of patients, who have little recourse to fight it. A team of specialists—including an afflicted researcher working mostly from her bed—is looking for answers
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Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
“Anna, who was pregnant, worried about the effect measles might have on her baby, but she didn’t think she could avoid being exposed. ‘I saw we can’t even get away from it because so many people have it’” www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/...
theatlantic.com
The Measles-Stricken Mother Who Lost Her Newborn Son
The family at the center of Pennsylvania’s measles controversy tells their story.
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Article here. This will be updated as I learn more, especially about any access difficulties. If a question is unanswered in this article, I don't know the answer yet, but I'm working hard to get more info as quickly as possible.
nytimes.com
What to Know About New Covid Vaccines for Fall 2026 (Gift Article)
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Today on Force of Infection, I shared guidance and evidence on seasonal vaccinations specifically for people with immunocompromise. I relied heavily on info shared by the Infectious Diseases Society for America @idsainfo.bsky.social www.forceofinfection.com/ic-guide-to-...
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
sometimes, in the middle of yet another two-factor procedure, I think to myself...i don't actually want to check my email this badly.
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Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
“The number of infants aged under six months with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) requiring intensive or high-dependency care fell by around 50% during the first full year of England’s maternal vaccination programme” hospitalhealthcare.com/specialisms/...
hospitalhealthcare.com
Infant RSV intensive care admissions halve following maternal vaccine rollout
The number of infants aged under six months with RSV requiring intensive care fell by 50% in the 2025/26 winter season, the UKHSA says.
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
D.A. Henderson died ten years ago today. I've written a letter to him every August since — a list of the questions I'd have walked down the hall to ask him. Ten years of asking has produced a ledger. This year's is worse than last year's. ameshadalja.substack.com/p/da-henders...
ameshadalja.substack.com
DA Henderson: Ten Years Gone
A decade of asking questions nobody has answered
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
To me, this suggests challenges with case ascertainment rather than increased disease severity.
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
“the case fatality ratio, has risen from about 20% ‌in ⁠early June to 46%” www.reuters.com/business/hea...
reuters.com
Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo becomes deadliest in country's history
The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 2,325 people, government data showed on Sunday, surpassing the toll from the 2018-2020 outbreak to become the deadliest in the country's h...
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Alexandra Phelan 余雪莲 @alexandraphelan.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
The Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the DR Congo "is in a phase of intense transmission. It is the largest Ebola outbreak ever reported in the country and expanding faster than any previous Ebola outbreak." As of 12 Aug: 4665 confirmed cases, inc 2184 deaths. www.who.int/emergencies/...
who.int
Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus - Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in a phase of intense transmission. It is the largest Ebola outbreak ever reported in the country and expanding f...
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Vaccines are probably the most life-saving invention in history. For the past 75+ years, every effort has been toward making them *more* widely available. These rollbacks are senseless.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Reserved a minivan with Enterprise. Get there, no minivan. Called customer service and confirmed that a second location had a van in stock. Get there, no minivan. Enshittification everywhere.
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Senator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 31/07/2026
Fatima came to the US on a Fulbright scholarship & is a researcher at Johns Hopkins. She had previously filed for TPS & currently has a pending asylum case. But ICE has detained her & is working to deport her. [1/2]
thebanner.com
ICE detains Hopkins public health researcher as agency expands airport arrests
A Johns Hopkins University public health researcher and former Fulbright scholar was detained this week by immigration agents while boarding a domestic flight as the Trump administration ramps up immi...
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
“There’s a huge cluster of cases in North Carolina and the southeastern states, which may well represent the second outbreak that’s not associated with the lettuce,” www.cidrap.umn.edu/cyclospora/d...
cidrap.umn.edu
A difficult-to-trace parasite, messaging missteps contribute to summer of overwhelming Cyclospora outbreaks
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
the ER is a ghastly place. it's painfully obvious to anyone on this side of the stethoscope that people are not there for fun or convenience.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
I joined PBS News Hour to discuss cyclosporiasis, salmonella, and measles. Outbreaks abound. x.com/NewsHour/sta...
x.com
PBS News (@NewsHour) on X
Public health concerns are growing as cyclosporiasis cases surge, and now a salmonella outbreak across 17 states has many Americans raising concerns about U.S. food safety. For more, @WmBrangham spea...
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Kai Kupferschmidt @kakape.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Another massive jump in Ebola cases in DRC (reflecting new cases as well as "data harmonization"). Now 2,905 cases including 1,269 deaths. I find it harder every day to square the size and speed of spread of this outbreak with the lack of attention it is getting. insp.cd/sitrep-n069-...
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Cyclosporiasis is seasonal. 3,000-4,000 cases are reported in a typical year, so multiple outbreaks is not out of the ordinary. But the ideal number of cases is zero so...
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Don't love parasite-smoke-heatwave-pocalypse, but on the bright side (?) I'm reading A Distant Mirror and the 14th century was definitely worse.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
My book Crisis Averted, a book about the hidden science of fighting outbreaks (ahem, cyclosporiasis), is featured on Penguin's Books for this Moment page. The hardcover is half off on Amazon right now, too! sites.prh.com/booksforthis...
sites.prh.com
Books for This Moment | Penguin Publishing Group - Penguin Random House
With headlines changing rapidly, we at Penguin Publishing Group want to keep you up-to-date on the books and authors that can provide expert knowledge and more context on current news and events.
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Reposted by Caitlin Rivers
Matt Tobey @mtobey.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
I’m finally going to listen to my doctor and eat more vegetables and get more fresh air
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Amesh Adalja @ameshaa.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
“The Supreme Court has said in multiple occasions that the government can only deprive somebody of liberty, including for infectious diseases, if there’s an individualized determination that they pose a serious risk to the public and that hasn’t happened here” www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
politico.com
Americans in Congo barred from immediately returning home amidst Ebola outbreak
U.S. citizens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will have to spend 21 days in a third country before returning to the U.S., even if they show no signs of disease.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Surveillance for cyclosporiasis is finicky, so you have to examine your assumptions closely. I think the cyclosporiasis outbreak started in mid May, not late June. www.foiclinical.com/posts/cyclos...
foiclinical.com
When did the cyclosporiasis outbreak start?
The cyclosporiasis outbreak may be older than previously understood
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
I always say I'm not going to do this anymore, and then I do it anyway. Went state by state to cyclosporiasis counts. We're over 3,000 now, perhaps as high as 3,400. www.foiclinical.com/posts/cyclos...
foiclinical.com
Cyclosporiasis cases top 3,000
Cyclosporiasis reports now exceed 3,300 nationwide, with Michigan hardest hit at 1,562, followed by New York (470) and Ohio (364). No source identified.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
"As of 9:30 a.m. on July 9, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported 1,251 cyclosporiasis cases across the state since June 22." www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2...
clickondetroit.com
Cyclosporiasis outbreak: Cases in Michigan rise to over 1,200
Over 1,200 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in Michigan as of Thursday, up more than 200 from Wednesday.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Seems that rinsing produce can help to prevent cyclosporiasis, but not reliably. The literature is thin, papers citing in circles with no real evidence base. Most direct answer I found: "For C. cay, which seems to be stickier, removal by rinsing under tap water was lower, ranging from 11.4–68.6%.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
New alert from FOI Clinical on the cyclosporiasis outbreak. www.foiclinical.com/posts/alert-...
foiclinical.com
Alert: Cyclospora cayetanensis: Multistate Outbreak with Midwest Epicenter
FOI Clinical issues two types of rapid communications: alerts for highest priority information, and advisories for emerging events clinicians should be aware of. This is an alert. Situation Summary ...
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BEACON @beaconbio.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
HPAI (H5N1) – Sustained dairy cattle outbreak with 71 herds under quarantine in Idaho, USA Read more at: beaconbio.org/en/report/?reportid=f…
USDA/APHIS
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
In new edition of FOI Clinical: a botulism outbreak tied to infant formula is traced to the same supply chain as ByHeart. The cyclosporiasis outbreak we've been reporting on for over a month continues to grow. Powassan virus rears its ugly head. ($, free trial) www.foiclinical.com/posts/foi-cl...
foiclinical.com
FOI Clinical - Issue 21
The Ebola outbreak is now the third-largest on record. A Cyclospora outbreak has sickened at least 145 people across nearly 20 states, no food source identified. A second infant formula botulism outbr...
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
www.expressnews.com/news/article...
expressnews.com
Air Force confirms first death in Lackland flu outbreak, Rep. Castro says
A flu bug has swept the ranks of recruits at San Antonio's Lackland Air Force Base, the service's basic training hub. Nearly 300 are said to have been infected.
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Dr. Nahid Bhadelia @bhadeliamd.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Another one to watch. RFI: 14 deaths in two weeks reported in Bulungu territory, Kwilu province, DRC; etiology unidentified. RFI on diagnostic testing results, patient demographics, confirmation of case numbers and exposure history via @beaconbio.bsky.social - beaconbio.org/en/report/?r...
beaconbio.org
BEACON
Track biological threats, share vital information, and collaborate on solutions for community protection and preparedness.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
I used to do respiratory disease surveillance as an epidemiologist for the Army. Trainees at Basic come from all over the country, bringing local germs with them. They live, train and sleep in close quarters, under huge physical strain. Training camps are famous as outbreak hotspots. 1/2
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
I used to be a civilian epidemiologist for the Army. The optional-flu-vaccine policy won't last.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
This is very sad and entirely predictable. Didn't even last two months. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/u...
nytimes.com
Scores Fall Ill at Air Force Base After Hegseth Makes Flu Vaccine Optional
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Adam Kucharski @adamjkucharski.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
With another Public Health Emergency declared by WHO for Ebola, a reminder that the Pathogen Epidemiology Review Group at Imperial have previously done great work systematically reviewing key clinical and biological parameters for the virus, and making available open source: 1/
mrc-ide.github.io
Tools to update and summarise the latest pathogen data from the Pathogen Epidemiology Review Group (PERG)
Contains the latest open access pathogen data from the Pathogen Epidemiology Review Group (PERG). Tools are available to update pathogen databases with new peer-reviewed data as it becomes available, ...
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Alexandra Phelan 余雪莲 @alexandraphelan.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
The WHO Director-General has just declared Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. This is the first time a PHEIC has been declared without an Emergency Committee first. Very surprising procedurally but makes sense for public health given size, spread & WHA
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Alexandra Phelan 余雪莲 @alexandraphelan.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
A direct letter from @drtedros.who.int to the people of Tenerife, Canary Islands in light of the MV Hondius’ arrival. This is thoughtful and compassionate, and correctly describes the legal framework, but more importantly the solidarity that underpins it.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
widespread interest in epidemiology and public health capacity is good, actually.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
I wrote about how I am thinking about the hantavirus outbreak, and what I am watching for as the situation develops. (now with gift link) www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Here’s How Freaked Out You Should Be About the Hantavirus Cruise Ship
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
I wrote about how I am thinking about the hantavirus outbreak, and what I am watching for as the situation develops. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Here’s How Freaked Out You Should Be About the Hantavirus Cruise Ship
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Someone gave me an encouraging word while I was publicly flailing at training my puppy and it has stuck with me even days later. A good reminder to spread kindness.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
We wrote on the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Legionnaire's, Ebola, and the 1976 swine flu incident.
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Caitlin Rivers @cmyeaton.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
I used to be a civilian epidemiologist for the Army. The optional-flu-vaccine policy won't last.
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