Despicable, Delusional Democrats & The Female Platner

The Democrats have a blatant Jew-hater named Maureen Galindo, and somehow they are blaming the Republicans for her latest remarks.

The gloves are off. Now candidates are open and brazen about their hatred of Jews and Israel, and we have to fight back. 

This antisemite, who is fighting for a seat in Congress, wants to turn an ICE center into "a prison for American Zionists". As one of those "American Zionists", I hope she loses her race and is never heard from again. I wish I could say the same for the awful AOC and Hakeem Jeffries.

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Fox News 5-20-26 

Dem candidate’s Zionist castration rant sparks firestorm as party leaders rewrite narrative to target GOP Democrat Maureen Galindo vowed to turn a local ICE facility into a prison for 'American Zionists and former ICE officer 

"Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and other Democrats responded to a Democratic congressional candidate’s "antisemitic" rant about jailing and castrating "American Zionists" by attempting to shift the blame to Republicans.

"After progressive Democrat Maureen Galindo stirred up a firestorm of controversy for pledging to open a "prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers," Jeffries and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) said in a joint statement that "MAGA extremists should be ashamed of themselves."

"Jeffries and the DCCC accused GOP leaders of backing Galindo, saying, "House Republican leadership must immediately cease propping up this antisemitic candidacy, pull spending in the race and forcefully condemn these comments."

"This vile language by her is disqualifying and has no place in American politics, and certainly not in the Democratic Party," Jeffries and the DCCC said in the statement, adding, "To embrace and uplift a fringe candidate with antisemitic — and extremely dangerous — rhetoric and views in order to win an election is beyond the pale."

"Texans will not be fooled and will reject her at the ballot box next week," they added.

"Galindo, who is currently locked in a primary runoff for a Texas congressional seat, is under fire after pledging in a social media post to turn a local ICE center into a "prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers." She also said in the post that the prison "will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles, which will probably be most of the Zionists."

"Earlier this month, the DCCC accused "Washington Republicans" of secretly contributing to Galindo’s campaign through dark money spending.

"Galindo and her primary opponent, Johnny Garcia, who has been endorsed by the DCCC, are set to face off in a runoff election next week. In their first matchup, Galindo had a narrow lead over Garcia, 29% to 27%, though neither candidate came close to clearing the 50% threshold required to win the nomination."

Your Local Epidemiologist, 5-20-26

Here's an excellent column  on how the huge crowds at the World Cup and other large events will be monitored for diseases that might affect Americans.

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World Cup’s hidden health operation: YLE behind the scenes

Katelyn Jetelina, May 20, 2026

"Every four years in ancient Greece, tens of thousands of people converged on Olympia for the Games. Athletes, merchants, politicians, and pilgrims came from across the Greek world, slept in makeshift camps, shared water from the same sources, and packed into the same dusty, sunbaked arena in the height of summer. There was no sanitation infrastructure and no concept of germ theory, so there were outbreaks of typhoid, dysentery, and salmonella, to name a few.

"There was also a massive fly problem. It was so severe that the Greeks made ritual sacrifices to a deity they called Zeus Apomyios (which meant Zeus Averter of Flies). Before the Games, they appealed to a god specifically designated to keep the insects away.

"The conditions were so notorious that ancient philosophers used them as a shorthand for human endurance. Epictetus asked his students: Are you not scorched? Are you not pressed by a crowd? Are you not without comfortable means of bathing? … Have you not abundance of noise, clamour, and other disagreeable things? But I suppose that setting all these things off against the magnificence of the spectacle, you bear and endure.

"The World Cup kicks off in less than a month. It will be a magnificent spectacle and, thankfully, we don’t have to sacrifice to Zeus, as public health has advanced enormously in the past century. But the underlying challenge hasn’t gone away.

"Here’s what’s happening in preparation and how you can get involved.

The world’s largest event

"More than 100 matches will be played across 16 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico over 38 days. Travelers from more than 48 countries will be flying in to watch and celebrate, with an expected 1.5 million additional inbound trips to the country. People will fill stadiums, spill into surrounding neighborhoods, pack bars and parks, and use public transit.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

"While this is a beautiful moment of celebration and the mixture of cultures, it brings enormous complexities to protecting the public’s health in two primary ways:

1. The sheer number of humans. High density = amplification of disease spread. Also, an influx provides added stress to health systems, like more broken bones, more heat-related illnesses, more (possibly violent) injuries, etc. For example, below are medical encounters before and during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar; they surged.

2. When people mix, diseases mix. New diseases could be introduced that we are not normally exposed to or immune to. A traveler from one region may carry a pathogen that’s routine back home but entirely novel to someone sitting next to them in the stands.

What are the diseases top of mind?

"Some disease modelers are hard at work examining more than 80 diseases, and only a few show excess risk. At the top of the watchlist this summer:

1. Measles. This is surging in many parts of the world, and all it takes is one person to find a tightly knit, unvaccinated pocket to start measles spreading like wildfire.

2. Dengue. The U.S. has mosquito populations capable of carrying the virus. We haven’t seen widespread domestic spread, but the combination of summer heat, outdoor crowds, and high travel volume creates conditions worth watching carefully, particularly in southern states like Florida, California, and Texas.

3. High-consequence diseases. Many systems are gearing up to detect Ebola, hantavirus, and other rare pathogens. But the public risk remains low, including for Ebola, simply because of how the virus spreads (through direct contact with bodily fluids). It's worth remembering that the 2014 World Cup in Brazil coincided with the largest Ebola outbreak in history, and there was no outbreak there.

"Beyond infectious diseases, heat-related illness may be the least dramatic item on the list, but it’s probably the most reliable risk. Crowds plus sun plus summer temperatures plus physical exertion plus alcohol is a combination that sends people to emergency rooms every year.

So what’s the plan?

"Local and state health departments have been preparing. Many have activated their Emergency Operations Centers, which are the same command structures they use for natural events like hurricanes. Data systems are being tuned and tested to catch unusual signals early, before a cluster becomes an outbreak. Hospital systems are coordinating on surge capacity. Rapid response teams are on standby. Weekly coordination calls have already started in many jurisdictions.

"This local preparation is essential as they know their communities best. But given movement across state and international borders, a national bird’s-eye view is also necessary to stitch together a broad picture of health around the World Cup.

"One national effort in which YLE is playing a central role is the Health Security Operations Center. This will be held in person in Washington, DC, led by Dr. Rebecca Katz at Georgetown University. In normal times, this would reside within the federal government. This is the first-ever non-governmental operations center that brings together academic researchers, technology companies (like Verily and Samsung), and public health departments under one roof.

"This will act as an intelligence fusion center pulling in data from wastewater monitoring, hospitals, contextual sources, and social listening. All of these data systems are built as underlying infrastructure, so they can turn on a dime for many diseases. (For example, wastewater monitoring for hantavirus is already turned on.) The goal is rapid detection of emerging health threats, with warnings shared across jurisdictions as early as possible, so people can take the necessary action.

World Health Organization Operations Center during 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Source: WHO.

"YLE is charged with ensuring that the right information is delivered to the right people at the right time, so they can make the right decisions. This means leading information collection, social and media monitoring, “translation,” and dissemination.

What this means for you

"During the games, be aware of your surroundings, consider using DEET, drink plenty of water, and wear a seatbelt. A mask can help in very crowded indoor settings. I will be sure to bring you along for the ride with what we are seeing in the data and what it may mean for you.

"If you’re attending a game or live within 30 miles of a host city, we want to hear from you!

• What you’d be doing: Taking a short weekly survey. It’s a few questions about what health topics are on your mind, what rumors or concerns you’re hearing, and what questions aren’t getting answered.

• Why it matters: We will use your responses to directly address the questions and concerns most relevant to you in the Your Local Epidemiologist newsletter. We’ll also summarize the responses for our partners so that local health systems and governments can better address fan and community needs in real time.

• Sign up here, and we’ll follow up with everything you need to get started.

2026 FIFA World Cup host cities. Source: Axios

Bottom line

"This summer, we will continue a tradition that has lasted for decades. Public health partners, and we will be watching the data carefully in the background so that millions of fans can be scorched, crowded, and thoroughly, joyfully present.

"Love, YLE"

Good Riddance, Rep. Massie, & Take Your Anti-Israel Sentiment With You

I honestly thought I had heard it wrong when Thomas Massie, in his classless concession speech last night, actually said he wanted to speak to winner Ed Gallrein, but "he was in Tel Aviv."

What a sore loser, and what a way to go, with the kind of gratuitous, antisemitic remarks he's known for. Why would you even say such things except to try to somehow blame your defeat on -- who else? -- the Jews and Israel.  

Below is coverage from The Times of Israel, where I went to confirm that what I had heard was indeed, sadly correct. 

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May 20, 2026 

Massie says he had to find primary winner ‘in Tel Aviv’ to concede race

"After being defeated in the GOP primary, US House Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky tells supporters that he would’ve announced his concession sooner but he first called his opponent “and it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.”

"He also claims in his concession speech that young voters are still on his side.

“People that want somebody that will go along to get along, I’ve never heard of that strategy but that seems to be what the voters want,” Massie says. “But not the young voters.”

"The crowd is still energetic despite Massie’s loss, and starts a chant of “No more wars!” that the congressman joins in on. Massie’s speech meanders through different topics and touches on other politicians before another chant start of “America First!”

"In a short speech, Gallrein pledges to take the party’s agenda to Washington and work closely with US President Donald Trump. His victory speech lasts around five minutes.

“We have a saying on the family farm that it’s a contact sport,” Gallrein says. “I can tell you that campaigning is one as well folks.”

Hurry And Capture This Traitor!

This news is sickening. You see how decent Iranians are being tortured and killed, and many more would love to be able to come to the United States to start a new life. 

Then there's this traitor, selling American secrets to Iran. I hope she is finally caught and prosecuted to the fullest degree. She deserves no sympathy whatsoever.

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FBI Offers $200K Reward for Iran Defector Monica Witt — Former U.S. Counterintelligence Specialist Accused of Betraying America Still on the Run

by Jim Hᴏft at The Gateway Pundir, May. 16, 2026 12:40 pm

Screenshot

"The FBI is ramping up its hunt for accused traitor and former U.S. Air Force counterintelligence specialist Monica Witt, announcing a massive $200,000 reward for information leading to her arrest and prosecution after years on the run in Iran.

"Witt, a former Air Force special agent trained in Farsi and entrusted with highly sensitive national security information, was indicted in 2019 on espionage charges after allegedly defecting to Iran and handing classified intelligence to the hostile Islamic regime.

"According to federal authorities, Witt served in the Air Force from 1997 to 2008 and later worked as a Defense Department contractor with access to secret and top-secret intelligence programs, including the identities of undercover American intelligence personnel.

"The FBI now believes she may still be actively assisting Iranian intelligence operations.

"In a statement this week, FBI Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division chief Daniel Wierzbicki blasted Witt for allegedly turning against her own country.

“Witt allegedly betrayed her oath to the Constitution more than a decade ago by defecting to Iran and providing the Iranian regime National Defense Information,” Wierzbicki said, adding that the FBI believes she “likely continues to support their nefarious activities.”

"Federal investigators say Witt attended anti-American conferences in Iran before ultimately defecting in 2013. Prosecutors allege she helped Iranian operatives identify and target her former U.S. intelligence colleagues and exposed a highly classified American intelligence program.

"Read the press release below:"

"The FBI Washington Field Office today announced that the FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension and prosecution of Monica Witt, a former U.S. service member and counterintelligence agent who was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia in February 2019 on charges of espionage, including transmitting national defense information to the government of Iran. 

"Witt, a former active-duty U.S. Air Force intelligence specialist and special agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, served in the military between 1997 and 2008 before working as a U.S. government contractor until 2010. Her military service and contracting employment provided her access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information relating to foreign intelligence and counterintelligence, including the true names of U.S. Intelligence Community undercover personnel.

"In 2013, Witt defected to Iran. According to the indictment, she subsequently provided information to the government of Iran, placing at risk sensitive and classified U.S. national defense information and programs. Witt allegedly intentionally provided information endangering U.S personnel and their families stationed abroad. She also allegedly conducted research on behalf of the Iranian regime to allow them to target her former colleagues in the U.S. government.

"Witt’s defection to Iran has benefitted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has elements responsible for intelligence collection, unconventional warfare, and providing direct support to multiple terrorist organizations targeting U.S. citizens and interests.

"While Witt has been indicted for her alleged crimes, she remains at large. The FBI continues to actively work to locate Witt and bring her to justice.

“Monica Witt allegedly betrayed her oath to the Constitution more than a decade ago by defecting to Iran and providing the Iranian regime National Defense Information and likely continues to support their nefarious activities,” said Daniel Wierzbicki, special agent in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “The FBI has not forgotten and believes that during this critical moment in Iran’s history, there is someone who knows something about her whereabouts. The FBI wants to hear from you so you can help us apprehend Witt and bring her to justice.” 

Your Local Epidemiologist - The Dose, 5-19-26

If you don't know about Ebola, you should. I read "The Hot Zone" in the 90s and never forgot it.  I've seen too many conspiracy theorists downplaying this horrific disease lately, and it makes me angry. Dr. Katelyn Jetelina has more information for you below.

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Ebola international emergency, hantavirus update, ticks, heat, opioid deaths decline, and more. The Dose (May 19)

Katelyn Jetelina, May 19, 2026

"Mother Nature seems mad at us. Or perhaps, rather, this is what happens when we dismantle public health systems. Diseases thrive when humans are most vulnerable, and now we have two diseases of high consequence in the news: hantavirus and Ebola.

"That’s on top of tick season peaking and heat-related illnesses entering the picture. I end with some good news and a poll.

"Here’s what’s going on and what it means for you and your health.

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In case you missed it: NYT op ed

"Last week, I wrote for the Times and, to my surprise, didn’t combust from nervousness.

"It’s time to stop playing games and speak truth to power. The public deserves stronger, better systems. That’s not created by performative headlines or destruction alone; it also means not going back to 2019.

Here’s a gift link.

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Disease weather report

Hantavirus update

"The outbreak remains contained, and 41 people are being actively monitored in the U.S. Risk remains low for reasons previously covered.

"A few updates:

1. People shuffling. The three people in biocontainment units (hospital-level setting) were moved to the Nebraska quarantine center (more like an isolated dorm room). All three tested negative, even the doctor who had a “mild positive.” It’s a telling sign of just how hard it is for this virus to spread; the doctor was treating infected patients on the cruise ship with very little PPE.

2. Are those in Nebraska able to go home? The federal government is forcing them to stay until the end of the month, even though some want to quarantine at home. This is pretty darn hypocritical given the administration’s medical freedom movement.

Hantavirus update. Purple = change since last week. Figure created by Your Local Epidemiologist.

"Countdown to mid-June. We’re in a waiting game to see if the outbreak grows. The 42-day quarantine clock starts from last exposure and CDC is assuming that was the day passengers arrived in Nebraska. The median infection window is 18 days, which is an intermediate target for good news.

Figure by Your Local Epidemiologist

What this means for you: Unless you’re a passenger or were alerted by health officials of a contact, your risk is essentially zero.

Ticks still ticking, but did they peak?

"We are in peak tick season, especially in the Midwest and Northeast, where ~110 per 100,000 people visit emergency departments for tick bites.

"But we may have already peaked, which is 5 weeks earlier than previous years. Whether this season is just early or will stretch on unusually long, time will tell.

Data from CDC; Annotated by Your Local Epidemiologist.

Heat: Introducing a new section

"Heat risk peaks today across Texas and the Northeast, then eases later in the week.

"Heat sends more people to the ER with heat stroke, asthma attacks, dehydration, and heart problems. While relatively rare, it can also lead to death, which has increased over the past decade with more extreme heat. An increase in deaths outside largely drives this pattern. Indoor deaths are mostly among those without a working AC.

"The real danger is heat imbalance. That’s when your body produces more heat than it can release. Normally, sweat helps cool us down. But when it’s hot and humid, sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily. The air is already saturated with moisture, making it harder for your body to cool itself and increasing the risk of illness.

"Some federal tools were dismantled in 2025, but the NOAA-CDC HeatRisk tool remains active. This tool:

• Offers hyperlocal risk forecasts up to 7 days ahead.

• Rates conditions from “No Risk” to “Extreme” by considering temperatures, humidity, and other factors.

• Provides an action: what you and your family can do to be protected.

What this means for you: Over the summer, be sure to check the HeatRisk tool.* A red day isn’t the best day for that soccer game for a kid with asthma, and a stretch of orange days is a great time to check on your elderly neighbor.

*Disclosure: I helped build this tool as a Senior Advisor to CDC.

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Spotlight: Ebola outbreak

"A concerning Ebola outbreak is unfolding in Central Africa. This remains a very low risk to those in the U.S., but the WHO just declared it a public health emergency of international concern. Over 340 suspected cases and 100 deaths have been reported, and now there is a travel ban from three countries.

"I called my friend Dr. Craig Spencer, a physician and Ebola survivor who worked in this region, to fill you in. Craig, take it away…

"What is Ebola? It’s a virus you don’t want to mess with. It was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola river (hence the name). It’s severe (25-90% case fatality rate). Symptoms include fever, severe headache, vomiting, and in serious cases, internal and external bleeding.

"How did this start? We don’t know yet, but typically when a human comes in contact with an infected animal, usually fruit bats. From there, the virus spreads person-to-person. The people who take care of patients when they’re very sick—especially close family members and health care workers—are the most at risk. It spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids.

"Why is this concerning? Four reasons:

1. This is not your normal Ebola. Ebola has six known strains. (The technical term is “species.”) Most outbreaks have been of the Zaire strain, and that’s the one we have vaccines and treatments for. But this outbreak is due to the Bundibugyo strain. This has caused a few small outbreaks in the past, but unlike the Zaire strain, there is no vaccine or treatment for this strain.

2. This outbreak is already big. Health officials learned about this outbreak long after it had already been spreading. This makes it really hard to find contacts and all the cases. Most outbreaks don’t get this big by the time they’re over, let alone this big by the time we even recognize them.

3. The location is exceptionally difficult. The outbreak is centered in eastern DR Congo, an area with significant conflict, cross-border traffic, and instability. There are also cases in the big cities here, which means a greater, faster spread due to the urban environment. I’ve worked up here; it’s a tough spot to get to and work in, due to transport and conflict. There was an Ebola outbreak here in 2018-2019 that grew to over 3,000 cases.

4. It’s on a few borders. This outbreak is close to the borders of Uganda and South Sudan. Uganda has extensive experience with Ebola outbreaks; South Sudan has less. We already know of two cases across the border in Kampala, the largest city in Uganda. And it’s possible there have already been cross-border cases into South Sudan and Rwanda, given the size of the outbreak. WHO and countries will be stepping up surveillance, but again, this is a place with a lot of conflict and instability.

"This suggests the “true” outbreak is much larger, and that it will be tough to contain.

Map of the area. Source: World Health Organization

"What triggers the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)? WHO makes the PHEIC declaration based on three criteria:

1. It is unusual and unexpected.

2. There is the potential for cross-border spread.

3. It requires a coordinated, international response.

"This is the ninth time it’s happened in history. But what is unique is that this is typically determined by committee. The director general declared PHEIC without convening the committee, hinting at the outbreak’s urgency. The outbreak was first announced on Friday, and a public health emergency was declared the next day.

"This designation helps with emergency funding and signals to the world the urgency of the outbreak.

"This has been spreading for awhile, without detection. Is this because of the cuts to USAID and global health efforts? They almost certainly played a role. U.S. funding once built strong surveillance systems around the world; without it, many of those programs are now shuttered. For example,

• USAID helped train communities on safer burial practices during the last Ebola outbreak and set up airport screening to prevent symptomatic travelers from boarding planes.

• CDC worked alongside affected countries and WHO to expand testing and coordinate the early response.

"But the biggest loss was trust. Outbreak detection depends as much on relationships as technology. When we pulled our funding and support, we didn’t just lose the programs. We lost the credibility and the contact that made early warning possible. That’s almost impossible to rebuild quickly once an outbreak has already begun.

"Does the travel ban work? Travel bans may seem like a necessary step, but they do not work unless you stop all travel from every country worldwide. Travel bans are often a political move; a tool to show the public that the government is responding. Travel bans can do a lot of damage in the meantime, like perpetuating disease-related stigma, reducing access to medical supplies, and more.

"What this means for you: If you had travel plans to this region, it’s time to cancel them. This is a high-risk situation in Central Africa and CDC released a Level 4 Travel Advisory (i.e., the highest warning level.)

"One American, a physician who was working in DRC on a mission, has tested positive. His family also had high-risk exposure. We have specialized treatment centers in the U.S. with experience taking care of Ebola patients, but the U.S. is sending them to Germany, arguing that its a shorter flight for the patient and their family.

"To the general public in the U.S., your risk remains very, very low right now.

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Good news

• Opioid deaths in the U.S. have declined for the third year in a row, driven by education and medical advancements. Harm reduction workers are noticing a less publicized reason: smoking is becoming more common than injecting. This shift may be saving lives because it allows people to better titrate their dose in real time, reducing the risk of a fatal overdose.

Source: CDC

• Mifepristone was overruled by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court blocked a Fifth Circuit ruling that would have required women to obtain Mifepristone through in-person visits, allowing telehealth and mail access to continue nationwide. This matters enormously for access: medication abortions now account for more than 60% of abortions in the U.S.

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Bottom line

"Public health is never boring—it can be slightly terrifying (and really sad) at times. Let this all be a reminder of why we need these systems in place, from local to state, federal, and global.

"Love, YLE"

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Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. YLE comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “Translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. YLE reaches over 425,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members.

Scary: Even Less Prepared For A Pandemic Now Than Before COVID

Very frightening to hear, especially with Ebola and hantavirus around now. In the early 1990's, I read Richard Preston's nonfiction book about Ebola, "The Hot Zone", and I have never forgotten it.

Will the conspiracy theorists, naysayers, and deniers even pay attention? I doubt it. 

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The world is more at risk of a pandemic now than before COVID, experts say. This is why

As world health leaders face deadly outbreaks of hantavirus and Ebola, a major pandemic preparedness report finds we are less safe from viral outbreaks than before COVID

By Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 5-18-26

The world is more at risk of a pandemic and less safe from deadly viral outbreaks now than it was before COVID, a major pandemic preparedness report found.

“The evidence is clear: health, economic, social and political impacts of health emergencies have not diminished, and an in important areas are growing,” the report authors write. “In short, reforms have not kept pace with rising pandemic risk—the world is not meaningfully safer.”

The report is the final analysis by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, a World Health Organization (WHO) group established in the wake of West Africa’s 2016 Ebola epidemic to assess how well countries were prepared to face a deadly pandemic. The report, which first published in 2018, has provided an annual snapshot of pandemic preparedness since—and the world is moving in the wrong direction, the authors concluded.

Just days ago, the WHO declared a global health emergency over an outbreak of a type of Ebola virus in Africa that has killed scores of people and sickened hundreds more; meanwhile, the organization and national health agencies are trying to contain a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has killed three who were onboard the cruise ship where the spread began.

“Global health security is facing a convergence of threats that place the world at a greater risk of a devastating global pandemic than it was previously,” says Jessica Justman, an epidemiologist and senior technical director of ICAP at Columbia University, a research center focused on global health emergencies and pandemics. The Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks show that “infectious disease outbreaks have not gone away.”

The report authors point to several reasons for the growing risks: these include a lack of public trust in health institutions, increased threat of climate change and armed conflict, geopolitical fragmentation, a dearth of funding for health initiatives, weakened access to medical treatment and commercial self-interest. On the latter, the authors note artificial intelligence’s potential to transform pandemic preparedness, but they argue that without guidance, it will likely exacerbate health risks.

“The threats are broad,” says Justman. Many national governments aren’t adequately funding public health infrastructure, while the scope of threats to global health has grown to include AI risks, war, accelerating climate change and antimicrobial resistance, she says.

The report warns that the future will see increasingly frequent pandemics and public health emergencies that will be harder to manage and more disruptive even than COVID.

“The world risks entering a cycle of accelerating health crises, where each new shock further erodes resilience and widens existing fractures,” the authors write.

­­“To change course, global health security needs to be financially prioritized in national budgets, especially by the countries that have the resources to do so,” Justman says. Whether the political will is there remains to be seen, however: In the U.S., the Trump administration has slashed funding to research infectious diseases such as COVID, while also cutting off support for global health initiatives by dismantling organizations such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.

The administration also pulled the U.S. out of the WHO, removing the world’s top health body’s biggest funder and cutting off crucial support for responding to emerging pandemic threats. At the same time, the WHO has for months struggled to finalize its own Pandemic Agreement, a treaty aimed at improving international pandemic preparedness and response in the wake of COVID—at issue is how countries are expected to share emerging pathogen information with one another.

That disagreement may be symptomatic of what the report authors say is a broad “democratic erosion” in the wake of successive pandemics and health emergencies through the last decade. Trust is critical to pandemic preparedness—and it is in steep decline.

“These pressures make the world not only more likely to face epidemics and pandemics going forward, but also more vulnerable to their cascading impacts,” the authors write.

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Claire Cameron is breaking news chief at Scientific American. Originally from Scotland, she moved to New York City in 2012. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, Slate, Inc. Magazine, Nautilus, Semafor, and elsewhere. 

Dr Ruth Report, 5-17-26

Here's the latest informative newsletter by Dr Ruth Ann Crystal.  I've been reading these newsletters for years and always feel better knowing she's on top of things.

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Dr. Ruth Report, 5/17/26
Ruth Ann Crystal MD, May 17, 2026

Virus Summary

COVID levels are at their lowest in the last 5 years, and Influenza A and B wastewater levels are low in most parts of the country. There are still a few pockets of RSV, but RSV activity has peaked and is decreasing in most areas of the United States.

The Andes Hantavirus outbreak on the Dutch cruise ship appears to be contained.

The WHO has labeled an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the DRC and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. (see below)

___________________________________________

Regional wastewater levels for COVID, RSV, Flu A, Flu B from Wastewater SCAN:

Research on Acute COVID infection

5/15/26 BioRxiV (MIT and others): Expansion Revealing of Pathology Resolves Nanostructures Associated with Inflammatory Phenotypes in COVID-19 Decedent Human Brain Tissue https://buff.ly/ikYRPuI

“Expansion revealing of pathology” (ExRPath) is a new imaging technique that physically expands brain tissue about 20 times, allowing scientists to see structures as small as 20 nanometers and uncover details that are normally too crowded to detect. MIT researchers developed ExRPath, and a faster version of this technology called 15ExMPath, which expands tissue about 15 times in a single step instead of requiring multiple rounds.

Using ExRPath and 15ExMPath, MIT researchers examined brain tissue from 8 people who died of COVID infection and found SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins clustered with amyloid deposits in some of the brains, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease pathology. The same tissue samples also showed evidence of neuroinflammation operating through molecular pathways associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Expansion revealing of pathology (ExRPath) Technique:

From: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.14.725177v1.full.pdf

5/9/26 Pathogens and Immunity: Impact of Sex on Viral Shedding and Symptom Severity During Acute COVID-19 https://buff.ly/Bez0ODy

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital tracked 668 COVID patients and found “In the first 3 days after symptom onset, female participants exhibited higher nasal SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels than males, but lower viral RNA levels thereafter… Female participants also tended to have higher symptom scores.”

Social and Advocacy

5/12/26 Bloomberg Law: Doctors Rebuffed by Courts in Long Covid and Disability Fights https://buff.ly/D7eH49L

A Bloomberg Law analysis of 130 Long Covid disability lawsuits filed in the United States found that judges frequently challenge the flawed conclusions of physicians hired by disability insurers to deny claimant benefits. The cases reveal how the private disability insurance system creates significant obstacles for Long COVID patients.

Seniors

5/8/26 PLOS One: Life lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic: A model-based cohort analysis of mortality displacement in the registered population of England https://buff.ly/8LYywNe

Analysis of 62 million registered residents of England found that a substantial portion of older adults who died of COVID had considerable remaining life expectancy prior to infection. Among individuals over age 65 who died, at least 28% were projected to survive five or more additional years had they not contracted the virus.

Pediatrics

5/11/26 BMJ Paediatrics Open: “It’s sad, and I want to go back to how things were before”: a qualitative study of young people’s experiences of living with long COVID https://buff.ly/2Zh0OM1

Swedish scientists conducted qualitative interviews with 7 young people under age 18 who are living with Long COVID. They found that “Long COVID negatively impacted the children and young people’s lives, affecting their relationships, education, leisure activities and sense of identity. Dismissive and sceptical attitudes from professionals and peers substantially increased the burden, whereas encountering acceptance and knowledgeable professionals facilitated coping with long COVID.”

Antiviral treatments

PEP for COVID

5/13/26 Nature: At last, a pill that can prevent COVID after exposure to infected people https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01546-0

5/13/26 NEJM: Ensitrelvir for Covid-19 Postexposure Prophylaxis in Household Contacts https://buff.ly/zWaGS6z

A clinical trial of 2,041 household contacts of COVID patients found that taking a 5 day course of the antiviral drug Ensitrelvir reduced the rate of symptomatic COVID infection from 9% down to 3% when taken after COVID exposure. This marks the first oral medication demonstrated to block COVID from developing in people who have been exposed but have not yet shown symptoms, offering particular promise for protecting vulnerable populations.

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Long COVID

May 2026 Lancet eClinical Medicine: The next phase in Long COVID research: addressing the ethical challenges in trials of disease-modifying treatments https://buff.ly/DGuTUI9

A team of bioethicists, doctors, and Long COVID patients argue in a new opinion piece that researchers should not wait for a complete mechanistic understanding of Long COVID before testing possible treatments. The authors say that the ethical hurdles created by Long COVID’s complexity, including the fact that it likely represents several distinct subtypes with different underlying causes, can be overcome with careful study design, thoughtful participant selection, and close attention to whether the benefits of any given trial outweigh the risks for all groups involved, including children. “Some treatment candidates are widely used to treat diseases other than Long COVID and are expected to be equally safe in people with Long COVID (PWLC), even if the evidence on the given agent’s potential clinical benefits for PWLC is still emerging (e.g., monoclonal antibodies, several immune modulators, GLP-1 agonists).”

5/9/26 Nature: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation improves dysautonomia, post-traumatic stress disorder and cognitive impairment in long covid patients: a pilot study https://buff.ly/LiwoDBT

Researchers at Paris Saclay conducted a pilot study of 17 Long COVID patients and found that noninvasive electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve through the outer ear reduced autonomic nervous system dysfunction by 56% over eight weeks of treatment. The same intervention also produced measurable improvements in both cognitive function and PTSD symptoms among participants.

5/13/26 Nature: Endothelial dysfunction and metabolic biomarkers in post-COVID-19 syndrome https://buff.ly/lSTbrI3

German scientists tracked 262 adults for nearly nine months following COVID infection and documented persistent markers of blood vessel dysfunction alongside measurable metabolic disruptions. Among participants reporting severe Long COVID fatigue, elevated circulating fatty acids associated with inflammatory processes (PUFA, LA, MUFAs, OA, PA) were a distinguishing biochemical feature and may have potential utility as biomarkers.

5/12/26 GeroScience: Tissue-specific autoantibody signatures reveal immune alterations undetected by routine serology in long COVID https://buff.ly/fzOXszO

Hungarian researchers compared 114 Long COVID patients to 36 pre-pandemic controls and found autoantibodies that standard ANA screening missed. “In the majority of Long COVID patients (83% vs. 53% in controls; p < 0.05), showing a dominant cardiovascular pattern…Vascular autoreactivity was markedly elevated in Long COVID (34% vs. 8% in controls; p < 0.05).” A significant portion of longitudinally studied autoantibodies were IgM, pointing to persistent immune system disruption.

4/29/26 International Journal of Molecular Sciences: Imbalance of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurotransmitter Systems in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome https://buff.ly/byf9y1T

A new review from Charite in Berlin looked at “neurotransmitter systems implicated in ME/CFS and Long COVID, focusing on potential mechanisms of dysregulation and their roles in disease pathology and symptom generation, as well as implications for treatment.” They found an increase in excitatory neurotransmitters like Glutamate, Noradrenaline, Histamine and Dopamine, and a decrease in inhibitory neurotransmitters (GABA, Serotonin, and Glycine). This imbalance is proposed as a mechanism underlying characteristic symptoms including post exertional malaise, disordered sleep, chronic pain, and the paradoxical state of simultaneous exhaustion and heightened neurological arousal (aka “tired but wired” state).

Proposed multifactorial model:

From: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/9/4041

5/12/26 Nature: Whole-protein screening and multi-modal profiling of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells at single-cell resolution https://buff.ly/HsiYmPq

Screening for antigen-specific CD8+ T cells is well established, but profiling CD4+ helper T cells has been too difficult to do until now. The Institute for Systems Biology researchers monitored a single Long COVID patient over three years and detected virus specific CD4+ helper T cells that remained active throughout the entire observation period. The ongoing immune response to the virus may help explain why Long COVID symptoms can continue long after the initial infection has ended.

7/2026 (5/11/26): Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health: White matter microstructural abnormalities in neurological poste-acute sequelae of coronavirus (PASC) disease: Imaging signatures consistent with persistent neuroinflammation https://buff.ly/lBAdVAP

Researchers at Stony Brook University studied 80 people, including 54 with Long COVID (PASC) and neurological symptoms such as brain fog and difficulty concentrating, 10 unexposed controls and 19 recovered COVID controls. They found that patients with neurological Long COVID (N-PASC) showed changes in white matter pathways involved in memory and attention. These structural brain abnormalities were still present approximately 2.7 years after the initial infection, suggesting that the neurological effects of COVID infection can persist far longer than previously thought.

Fig. 1. Correlational tractography shows tracts with increased (red) and decreased (blue) tractography when comparing Neuro-PASC (N-PASC) to controls.

From: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354626000839#fig1

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5/9/26 Nature: One-year longitudinal cohort study of chemosensory recovery and plasma biomarker dynamics in SARS-CoV-2 survivors https://buff.ly/4NSI77x

Hong Kong Polytechnic University researchers tracked 120 COVID survivors over 12 months and found that loss of smell recovered most within the first six months, while the loss of taste improved more rapidly. Elevated plasma alpha synuclein levels were associated with poorer recovery in the sense of smell.

5/11/26 Health and Quality of Life Outcomes: Impact of post-exertional malaise frequency and fatigue in Long COVID patients on health-related quality of life https://buff.ly/CGLgoFh

German researchers studied 161 Long COVID patients and found that both the frequency of post-exertional malaise (PEM) and the severity of fatigue were strongly associated with reduced health-related quality of life. Among all measured factors, experiencing post-exertional malaise (PEM) on a daily basis carried the greatest negative impact on participants’ overall health and functional capacity.

5/9/26 Nature: Interpreting hand grip strength in hospital employees with post-COVID syndrome compared to non-infected controls: a case-control study https://buff.ly/PthgUo1

In a small study, German researchers tested 19 hospital employees with Long COVID and 23 healthy controls, finding that those with post COVID syndrome demonstrated reduced hand grip strength (HGS) and diminished muscular recovery after repeat exertion compared to uninfected colleagues. These objective findings indicate that persistent fatigue commonly reported after COVID infection may have quantifiable physical markers detectable through standardized HGS testing.

5/8/26 J of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R): Factors associated with low anaerobic threshold and its impact on sleep quality and health‐related quality of life in individuals with long COVID https://buff.ly/OcIUPSj

Researchers in Taipei enrolled 219 Long COVID patients and found that reduced anaerobic threshold was associated with younger age and lower exercise capacity (peak VO2). Participants whose endurance testing revealed impaired aerobic limits also scored significantly worse on measures of sleep quality and quality of life.

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Hantavirus

5/15/26 Reuters: WHO revises hantavirus cases lower after US passenger tests negative https://buff.ly/4TCbQBQ

There have been a total of 10 confirmed Andes hantavirus cases and 3 deaths related to the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. “The Andes virus [is] a rare hantavirus strain and the only one known to be capable of ‌limited human-to-human transmission”. The risk to the general public is low.

5/15/26 YLE: Something deeper than hantavirus https://buff.ly/2Bplon5

Dr. Katelyn Jetelina from Your Local Epidemiologist discussed that public anxiety regarding the current Andes hantavirus cruise ship outbreak reveals something more concerning than the virus itself: a society operating on unprocessed COVID trauma and deeply eroded trust in the CDC and the US Government. In addition, mistrust is pervasive, and is often fueled by social media.

Measles

CDC Measles updates (on Wed.): https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html

• As of May 14, 2026, 1,893 confirmed measles cases have been reported in the United States in 2026.

At least 95% of people need to be vaccinated against measles, in order to prevent outbreaks.

MMR vaccine coverage for kindergarteners by school year:

From: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html

South Carolina Department of Public Health (Measles):

• The South Carolina measles outbreak is over after 997 measles cases.

Utah Department of Public Health (Measles):

• Utah cases in 2025: 197

• Utah cases in 2026, so far: 466

• Utah cases in the last 3 weeks: 29

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NEW: Ebola (Bundibugyo) Outbreak in DRC and Uganda

5/17/26 WHO: Epidemic of Ebola Disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda determined a public health emergency of international concern https://buff.ly/MSHn9aX

The WHO has now designated the Bundibugyo virus Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), but not a pandemic emergency. As of May 16, 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths have been reported in Ituri Province, with confirmed cases now reaching Kampala and Kinshasa. The outbreak is likely larger than what is being detected and reported. No approved vaccines or treatments exist for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. The WHO is calling for urgent international coordination.

UNICEF/Vincent Tremeau (2019)

U.S. Government Health News

5/13/26 Politico: White House cuts $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments to California https://buff.ly/53akP89

“The Trump administration is withholding $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California for failing to “combat fraud”… Though the administration has repeatedly criticized California’s fraud oversight, this is the first time the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has targeted payments to the state. In recent months it has withheld more than $300 million in Medicaid reimbursements to Minnesota for suspect claims.”

Other news

5/13/26 NY Times (gift link): Why U.S. Test Scores Are in a ‘Generation-Long Decline’ https://buff.ly/DfR2IFL

Stanford researchers looked at reading and math scores from 3rd grade through 8th grade across most U.S. school districts and found a troubling pattern: reading scores dropped in 83% of districts over the past decade, and math in 70% with rich districts, poor districts, urban, rural, and every racial group being affected. Experts point to the 2015 gutting of federal school accountability laws, the explosion of smartphones and social media, and the COVID pandemic. “Nearly half of American teenagers now say they are online “almost constantly,” compared with just under a quarter who said that a decade ago.”

From: NY Times https://buff.ly/DfR2IFL

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5/7/26 SciTech Daily: This Simple Movement Could Be Secretly Cleaning Your Brain https://buff.ly/aPi11ZB

4/27/26 Nature Neuroscience: Brain motion is driven by mechanical coupling with the abdomen https://buff.ly/GLzUdot

Penn State researchers have found that abdominal muscle contractions during everyday movement act like a hydraulic pump, pushing blood into the spinal canal and gently shifting the brain within the skull. Computer simulations indicate this motion boosts cerebrospinal fluid circulation, potentially clearing metabolic waste. Findings suggest routine physical activity may support brain health through a previously unrecognized daytime mechanism that drives interstitial fluid out of the brain, which is opposite to glymphatic flow during sleep.

5/15/26 Sutter Health and Santa Clara University to Launch the Mark & Mary Stevens School of Medicine https://buff.ly/dNgZRsx

A new Bay Area medical school called Mark & Mary Stevens School of Medicine is being created from a collaboration between Sutter Health and Santa Clara University. “It is being funded in part by a $175 million gift from Santa Clara 1984 alumna Mary (Mathews) Stevens and her husband, venture capitalist Mark Stevens, who, along with their children, are multi-decade Sutter Health patients.”

5/15/26 Nature: Even mild blows to the head disrupt the microbiome https://buff.ly/NpJdBYS

In a small study, Colgate University researchers found that mild, asymptomatic knocks to the head in American football players altered gut bacterial composition within just 3 days. Certain bacterial species declined in abundance as the season progressed, suggesting that repeated mild head hits may produce cumulative shifts in the gut microbiome over time. “Changes in bacterial populations have previously been seen after more severe traumatic brain injuries in mice and humans, and these variations might play a part in neurodegeneration caused by repeated injuries.”

Photo: Rich Barnes/Colgate Athletics

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5/8/26 Nature Metabolism: Metformin inhibits mitochondrial complex I in intestinal epithelium to promote glycaemic control https://buff.ly/uGlkm1k

Northwestern University scientists used transgenic mice and human metabolomic data to show that metformin works primarily by inhibiting mitochondrial complex I in intestinal epithelium, turning the gut into a glucose sink, and by increasing the conversion of glucose into lactate. They note that phenformin and berberine also block mitochondrial complex I in a similar fashion.

5/11/26 Nature Reviews Bioengineering: Organoids as platforms for infectious disease research https://buff.ly/J8fw9do

Organoids are miniature lab grown models of human organs that are emerging as powerful tools for studying how infectious diseases behave in human tissue. They mimic human biology better than animal models. A new review in nature explains how the use of organoids may accelerate the development of vaccines and antiviral treatments as well as strengthen global readiness for future pandemics.

Figure 2

From: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44222-026-00445-3/figures/2

5/15/26 Nature Cell Biology: Mechanisms and functions of large extracellular vesicle biogenesis https://buff.ly/32arCie

A new review published in Nature Cell Biology examines how cells produce large extracellular vesicles (EVs), bubble shaped particles that transport waste, signals, molecules, and even viruses between cells. While most research has been focused on smaller EVs (<200 nm), scientists are increasingly interested in larger EVs because of their roles in cell communication and waste removal. Researchers also believe these structures could become useful tools for disease diagnosis, laboratory testing, and targeted drug delivery.

I love these names: Blebbisome and Zombosome

From: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-026-01940-w/

5/4/26 SciTech Daily: First-of-Its-Kind Discovery: Homer’s Iliad Found Embedded in a 1,600-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy https://buff.ly/32BGAae

While excavating in Egypt, the University of Barcelona’s Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission discovered a Greek papyrus fragment placed on the abdomen of a Roman-era mummy during embalming. Analysis in early 2026 confirmed the text is from the Catalogue of Ships in Book II of Homer’s Iliad. It is the first instance in history of a Greek literary text deliberately incorporated into the mummification process rather than magical or ritual content.

The papyrus, placed in the mummy’s abdomen, contains a catalogue of ships.

Credit: Professor Ignasi-Xavier Adiego.

5/14/26 Guardian: How a kindergarten teacher became the accidental guardian of 200 king penguins https://buff.ly/Lsa5c6R

Former kindergarten teacher Cecilia Durán Gafo in Chile established the world’s only continental king penguin reserve after poachers, selfie seekers, and invasive mink nearly wiped out a colony that settled on her property in 2010. Her 12-person team now protects nearly 200 penguins, with a record 23 chicks surviving last year.

Photograph: Anastasia Austin/The Guardian

Have a good week,

Ruth Ann Crystal MD