The World Health Organization has approved a version of a widely used cholera vaccine that could help address a surge in cases that has depleted the global vaccine stockpile and left poorer countries scrambling to contain epidemics.
WHO authorized the vaccine, made by EuBiologics, which also makes the formulation now used, last week. The new version, called Euvichol-S, is a simplified formula that uses fewer ingredients, is cheaper, and can be made more quickly than the old version.
The vaccine was shown to be help preventing the diarrheal disease in late stage research conducted in Nepal.
WHO’s approval means donor agencies like the vaccines alliance Gavi and UNICEF can now buy it for poorer countries. Leila Pakkala, director of UNICEF’s supply division, said in a statement that the agency will be able to boost supplies by more than 25%.
Gavi estimated there could be about 50 million doses for the global stockpile this year, compared with 38 million last year.
Dr. Derrick Sim of Gavi called WHO’s authorization “a lifeline for vulnerable communities around the world.”
More is still needed, however: Since January, 14 countries affected by cholera outbreaks have requested 79 million doses. In January, the U.N. agency said the global vaccine stockpile was “entirely depleted” until the beginning of March. As of this week, WHO said there were 2.3 million doses available.
Cholera is an acute diarrhea disease caused by a bacteria typically spread via contaminated food or water. It is mostly seen in areas that have poor sanitation and lack access to clean water. While most people infected with cholera don't experience symptoms, those with severe cases need quick treatment with intravenous fluids and antibiotics. If left untreated, cholera kills about a quarter to half of people infected.
Since last January, WHO has reported more than 824,000 cholera infections, including 5,900 deaths worldwide, with the highest numbers of cases reported in the Middle East and Africa. The U.N. agency said warming temperatures that allow the cholera bacteria to live longer, have also worsened outbreaks and led to the highest death rates in a decade.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FILE - A family enters a tent set aside for cholera patients at a clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Nov. 18, 2023. The World Health Organization has approved a new version of a widely used cholera vaccine that could help address a surge in cases that has depleted the global vaccine stockpile. In a decision last week, WHO authorized a new vaccine by EuBiologics, the only maker of the oral cholera vaccine for a global stockpile managed by the U.N. health agency and partners. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, File)
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ARMY-PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE — A haunting new video touting the power of words, ideas and “invisible hands” is the latest effort by the Army to lure soldiers to some of its more secretive units. Army Special Operations Command hopes that those drawn to the video may be interested in joining as one of its psychological warfare soldiers. By Lolita C. Baldor. SENT: 1,320 words, photos.
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TOP STORIES
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ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-CAMPUS-PROTESTS — Police removed barricades and began dismantling a pro-Palestinian demonstrators’ fortified encampment at the UCLA campus after hundreds of protesters defied police orders to leave, about 24 hours after counter-protesters attacked a tent encampment on the campus. The law enforcement effort comes after officers spent hours threatening arrests over loud speakers if people did not disperse. The sound of flash bangs could be heard as police moved in. By Krysta Fauria, Ethan Swope, Jake Offenhartz and Joseph B. Frederick. SENT: 1,520 words, photos, videos, audio. With BIDEN-CAMPUS PROTESTS — Biden keeps quiet as Gaza protesters and police clash on college campuses; and ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-CAMPUS-PROTESTS-THE LATEST. See more on campus protests below.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — Hamas was considering the latest proposal for a cease-fire with Israel that the United States and other mediators hope will avert an Israeli attack on the Gaza town of Rafah. But chances for the deal are entangled with the question of whether Israel can accept an end to the war without reaching its stated goal of destroying Hamas. UPCOMING: 1,020 words, photos, videos, audio. With MIDEAST-TENSIONS-THE LATEST — It would take until 2040 to rebuild all homes destroyed so far in Gaza, UN report says — SENT. See more on the Israel-Hamas war below.
TRUMP-HUSH MONEY — Donald Trump faces the prospect of additional sanctions in his hush money trial as he returns to court for another contempt hearing, followed by testimony from a lawyer who represented two women who have said they had sexual encounters with the former president. By Michael R. Sisak, Jennifer Peltz, Eric Tucker and Jake Offenhartz. SENT: 720 words, photos. UPCOMING: 990 words after trail resumes at 9:30 a.m. With ELECTION 2024-TRUMP — Trump calls judge ‘crooked’ after facing a warning of jail time if he violates a trial gag order — SENT.
ABORTION — Two years after a leaked draft of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion signaled that the nation’s abortion landscape was about to shift dramatically, the issue is still consuming the nation’s courts, legislatures and political campaigns — and changing the course of lives. A ban on abortion after the first six weeks of pregnancy, often before women realize they’re pregnant, took effect in Florida, echoing laws in two other states. By Geoff Mulvihill. SENT: 940 words, photos. With ELECTION 2024-ABORTION-ARIZONA — Arizona will repeal its 1864 abortion ban. Democrats are still planning to use it against Trump; and ABORTION-ARIZONA — Arizona governor set to sign repeal of near-total abortion ban from 1864 — SENT.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-FORTIFICATIONS — Ukrainian soldiers say they are worried fortifications are not being built quicky enough as Russian forces continue to advance along the front lines. Poorly built defensive lines, including trenches, foxholes and firing positions, are part of the reason outgunned Ukrainians forces have had to withdraw, because there is no safe retreat. By Samya Kullab. SENT: 1,210 words, photos.
INDIA-ELECTION-MISINFORMATION — Misinformation about India’s election is surging online as the world’s most populous country votes. Researchers who track disinformation in India say the country is particularly vulnerable to misinformation and hate speech because of its linguistic and cultural diversity as well as weak enforcement of anti-misinformation policies by social media companies. By David Klepper and Krutika Pathi. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.
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MORE CAMPUS PROTEST STORIES
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CAMPUS-PROTEST-OUTSIDE-AGITATORS — A retired teacher saw inspiration in Columbia’s protests. Eric Adams called her an outside agitator. SENT: 950 words, photos.
CAMPUS-PROTESTS-STUDENT-JOURNALISTS — Student journalists are put to the test, and sometimes face danger, in covering protests on campus. SENT: 1,270 words, photos.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-COLUMBIA-SCENE — Columbia University student journalists had an up-close view for days of drama. SENT: 900 words, photos.
CAMPUS-PROTESTS-MIDEAST-MEDIA — Nonstop Mideast coverage of Israel-Hamas war pauses for protests and police action at US schools. SENT: 930 words, photos.
CONGRESS-CAMPUS-PROTESTS — House passes bill to expand definition of antisemitism amid growing campus protests over Gaza war. SENT: 830 words, photos.
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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES
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GERMANY-HOLOCAUST-SURVIVORS — Holocaust survivors are participating in a digital campaign called #CancelHate which features videos of them reading Holocaust denial posts from different social media platforms. The campaign was launched by the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. Each post illustrates how denial and distortion can not only rewrite history but perpetuates antisemitic tropes and spreads hate. By Kirsten Grieshaber. SENT: 720 words, photos.
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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
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MIDEAST-TENSIONS — The UN’s nuclear watchdog chief will visit Iran next week as concerns rise about uranium enrichment. SENT: 630 words, photo.
BIDEN-PALESTINIANS — Biden administration weighing measures to help Palestinians bring family from the region. SENT: 340 words, photos.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-COLOMBIA — Colombia’s president says the country will break diplomatic relations with Israel over the war in Gaza. SENT: 330 words, photo.
SWEDEN-EUROVISION-SONG-CONTEST — Organizers of Eurovision Song Contest ready to remove Palestinian flags or symbols. SENT: 380 words, photo.
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MORE NEWS
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GRINER-INTERVIEW — Brittney Griner says she thought about killing herself during first few weeks in Russian jail. SENT: 330 words, photo.
JAZZ-FEST-ROLLING-STONES — Time is on their side: Rolling Stones to rock New Orleans Jazz Fest after two previous tries. SENT: 340 words, photo.
FILM REVIEW-THE IDEA OF YOU — Movie Review: In ‘The Idea of You,’ a boy band is center stage but Anne Hathaway steals the show. SENT: 720 words, photos.
ITALY-GETTY-ANTIQUITIES — European court upholds Italy’s right to seize important bronze from the Getty Museum, rejects appeal. SENT: 140 words, developing.
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WASHINGTON/ POLITICS
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ELECTION 2024-BIDEN — President Joe Biden, who heads to Wilmington, North Carolina to talk about the economy, is detouring to Charlotte to meet with the families of law enforcement officers shot to death on the job just a week after he sat down with the grieving relatives of two cops killed in Upstate New York. SENT: 750 words, photo.
CONGRESS-SPEAKER-IN-WAITING — Without wielding the gavel or holding a formal job laid out in the Constitution, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries might very well be the most powerful person in Congress right now. Jeffries, the minority leader of the House Democrats, decided this week his party would help Speaker Mike Johnson stay on the job rather than be ousted by far-right Republicans. By Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 1,060 words, photos. With CONGRESS-SPEAKER – SENT.
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NATIONAL
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SHOOTER-WISCONSIN-SCHOOL — Police shot and killed a student outside a Wisconsin middle school after receiving a report of someone with a weapon, the state’s attorney general said in the first law enforcement briefing on gunshots that sent children fleeing and prompted an hourslong lockdown of local schools. SENT: 900 words, photos, video, audio.
HAWAII-WILDFIRES-BUDGET — Hawaii lawmakers appropriated funds for more firefighting equipment and a state fire marshal after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century ripped through the historic Maui town of Lahaina and exposed shortcomings in the state’s readiness for such flames. SENT: 530 words, photos.
OFFICERS-SHOT-CHARLOTTE-WARRANTS — Arrest warrants must be served to alleged criminals if society is going to function. But there is no guarantee of safety for police officers knocking on their doors. SENT: 860 words, photos. With MASS-KILLINGS-LIST — The latest mass killing in the U.S. happened in Charlotte, North Carolina, where four officers were fatally shot in the deadliest attack on U.S. law enforcement since 2016. — SENT.
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INTERNATIONAL
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CHINA-HIGHWAY-COLLAPSE — The death toll climbed to 48 as search efforts continued in southeastern China after a highway section collapsed in a mountainous area, sending more than 20 cars down a steep slope. SENT: 230 words, photos.
SOUTH-KOREA-HALLOWEEN-CRUSH — South Korea’s parliament approved legislation mandating a new, independent investigation into the 2022 Halloween crush in Seoul that killed 159 people. SENT: 480 words, photos.
GEORGIA-DIVISIVE-LAW — The parliament of Georgia cancelled its plenary session following massive protests against a proposed law that critics fear will stifle media freedom and endanger the country’s bid for membership in the European Union. SENT: 270 words, photos, video.
FRANCE-OECD-AI — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled an international framework for regulation and use of generative AI, adding to global efforts on governance for the rapidly advancing technology. SENT: 220 words, photo.
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PREGNANCY DEATHS — New government data suggests U.S. pregnancy-related deaths have fallen back to pre-pandemic levels. About 680 women died last year during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth. That’s down from 817 deaths in 2022. SENT: 540 words, photo.
CONGO-MPOX-OUTBREAK — Scientists say a new form of mpox detected in a mining town in Congo might more easily spread among people. Already, Congo is seeing its biggest mpox outbreak with more than 4,500 suspected infections and nearly 300 deaths. SENT: 670 words, photos.
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CLIMATE
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AFRICA-CLIMATE-TECH-FUNDING — African climate-tech startups are increasingly raising money from private sources, but while those funds for climate solutions are growing, a huge gap remains in meeting the actual financial needs for climate action in Africa. Africa requires an estimated $277 billion annually to implement its climate goals. SENT: 1,080 words, photos, video.
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BUSINESS
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — World markets wobbled in trading after U.S. stocks swung to a mixed finish with the Federal Reserve delaying cuts to interest rates. SENT: 600 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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TIKTOK-UNIVERSAL-MUSIC-GROUP — Artists from Universal Music Group, which include Taylor Swift, Drake, Adele, Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish, will be returning to TikTok as the two parties have struck a new licensing agreement following an approximately three-month long dispute. SENT: 420 words.
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SPORTS
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CLARK BIGGER ARENAS — WNBA teams have started making moves to capitalize on the popularity of Caitlin Clark. Some are booking bigger venues for when Clark and the Indiana Fever come to town. The numbers Clark generated in college indicates it’s a smart move. SENT: 620 words, photos.
VIDEO-GAMES-COLLEGE-FOOTBALL-DREAMS — Gamers’ appetites for immersive sports video games have not changed much since the heyday of EA Sports’ college football. Society, however, has. Video-game developer EA Sports is breaking back into the college football world 11 years after lawsuits over using players’ likeness without compensation froze the franchise. SENT: 1,210 words, photos.
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Amir Coffey, top, and Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving dive for a loose ball during the second half in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
A shoeshiner walks past a bloodied body being removed by forensic workers in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Forensics said the body had gunshot wounds. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Freeland, Mich., Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Police stage on the UCLA campus near an encampment set up by pro-Palestinian demonstrators Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators watch police activity behind a barricade on the UCLA campus Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators stand near a large sign on the UCLA campus Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
