July 25, 2025

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Gaza Faces Shortage of Therapeutic Food for Malnourished Children

Gaza’s therapeutic food pipeline is collapsing, imperiling the survival of its most vulnerable. UNICEF warns its stock of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)—critical for treating severe acute malnutrition—will be exhausted by mid-August unless replenished.

Key facts:

Only enough RUTF remains to treat 3,000 children, yet 5,000 were treated in early July alone.

Between April and mid-July, 20,504 children were admitted for acute malnutrition; 3,247 of those suffered severe forms.

Aid agencies and the World Health Organization are calling for unfettered access to deliver nutrient-dense supplies before more lives are lost.

West Nile Virus Surges Early in New York, Indiana, Illinois and Pacific Northwest

West Nile virus activity has accelerated ahead of schedule across the United States, with human infections confirmed in New York, Indiana and Illinois—and infected mosquito pools now detected in Idaho, Utah and Washington. Public health authorities are warning that this early uptick could presage a larger outbreak as peak mosquito season approaches.

Key developments:

• New York State DOH reported two human cases in Erie and Onondaga counties alongside multiple positive mosquito samples in Rockland, Suffolk and New York City boroughs.
• Indiana’s Vanderburgh County marked the state’s first 2025 human infection, prompting repellant and standing–water guidance.
• Illinois recorded its earliest onset of West Nile this year, with three human cases confirmed by mid-July—its first since 2016.

Meanwhile, surveillance teams in Idaho (Canyon County), Utah (Salt Lake, Box Elder, Cache, Uintah) and Washington (Yakima) have identified WNV in mosquito pools, though no human cases have yet been reported. Health officials urge residents to use EPA-registered repellents, wear protective clothing at dawn and dusk, and eliminate standing water to curb transmission.

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Federal Funding Cuts Threaten U.S. Vaccination Programs

Millions in federal immunization grants were unexpectedly reduced this July, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services pulling back funds under its “Defend the Spend” review. Of 66 jurisdictions, 40 received awards below their targets, and more than a dozen states—including Massachusetts, New York, California and Arizona—were funded at levels below their 2019 budgets.

Public health leaders warn that cuts to Section 317 grants—the backbone of state and local vaccination efforts—will force staff layoffs, scale back services for low-income and uninsured populations, and risk declining vaccination rates amid surging measles and whooping cough outbreaks.

Gene‐Drive Mosquitoes Show Promise in Blocking Malaria Transmission

Researchers have engineered a CRISPR-based gene drive in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes that interrupts Plasmodium falciparum development, blocking transmission in lab settings. The study, published in Science Advances and funded by the National Institutes of Health, demonstrated a 99% reduction in parasite load across multiple mosquito generations.

Key next steps include WHO evaluation, ecological risk assessments, and community engagement ahead of planned semi-field releases in Burkina Faso by late 2025. If successful, this approach could complement bed nets and drugs to accelerate malaria elimination efforts in sub-Saharan Africa.

Agencies Move to Define Ultraprocessed Foods Amid Chronic Disease Surge

Federal health agencies have initiated a joint effort to create a unified definition of ultraprocessed foods—a category that now comprises roughly 70% of U.S. packaged products and supplies 60% of children’s daily calories. This move, part of the “Make American Healthy Again” initiative, aims to standardize research and policy tools to combat rising rates of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and neurological disorders.

• Who: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), USDA and FDA
• What: Joint Request for Information to craft a federal definition of ultraprocessed foods
• Why: Agencies cite strong evidence linking these ready-to-eat, nutrient-poor products to the nation’s chronic disease epidemic

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Gaza’s Therapeutic Food Stocks to Run Out by Mid-August, Thousands of Children at Risk