WHO says mpox remains public health emergency of international concern

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it will keep its alert for mpox at the highest level amid a surge in cases. A WHO committee made up of about a dozen independent experts made the decision at a meeting in Read More …

UK: NHS staff ‘may have treated Covid with poor PPE’

A former Welsh health minister has said that NHS staff may have treated Covid patients during the pandemic with inadequate PPE. Former first minister Vaughan Gething, who was in charge of the health service from 2016 to 2021, returned to Read More …

UK: Two new cases of Clade lb mpox detected

Two new cases of a strain of mpox that is thought to be more transmissable have been detected in the UK, the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said. This brings the total number of confirmed cases of the Clade lb mpox Read More …

Biosafety: Laboratory Planning and Preparedness to Mitigate Risk

Biosafety is focused on reducing the risk of people, animals, and the environment being accidentally exposed to dangerous biological materials such as viruses and bacteria. More formally, biosafety is a risk assessment-based approach to identifying and mitigating the risks posed Read More …

Marburg virus death toll in Rwanda rises to 11 as travellers in Germany test negative

Eleven people have died in Rwanda as the African country continues to fight an outbreak of Marburg virus. The Rwandan government said there were 36 confirmed cases of the virus in its latest update, with 25 people in isolation. Two Read More …

Genetic ghosts suggest Covid’s market origins

A team of scientists say it is “beyond reasonable doubt” the Covid pandemic started with infected animals sold at a market, rather than a laboratory leak. They were analysing hundreds of samples collected from Wuhan, China, in January 2020. The Read More …

WHO needs $87.4m to contain Mpox outbreak

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it needs 87.4 million dollars for more than six months to work with countries, partners and other stakeholders to contain the current outbreak of Mpox. The world body said on Tuesday in a statement Read More …

Laboratory-acquired infections and pathogen escapes worldwide between 2000 and 2021: a scoping review

Laboratory-acquired infections (LAIs) and accidental pathogen escape from laboratory settings (APELS) are major concerns for the community. A risk-based approach for pathogen research management within a standard biosafety management framework is recommended but is challenging due to reasons such as Read More …

UNICRI: Final review meeting of the Prosecutor’s guide to radiological and nuclear crimes

The threat of acquiring, producing and disseminating radiological and nuclear hazardous materials for deliberate use has substantially increased over the past ten years. The lack of experience and awareness among law enforcement and judicial authorities, as well as prosecutorial and Read More …

A New Age of Bioterror: Anticipating Exploitation of Tunable Viral Agents

Abstract: Advances in technology, particularly biotechnology, over the past decade have dramatically changed the world. Scientists are employing gene editing tools to cure genetic diseases, reduce the effects of climate change, and generate sustainable food sources. These same tools, however, Read More …

DHS CWMD and Seattle Conduct a Biological Threat Preparedness Exercise

WASHINGTON – On January 25, 2022, the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD), Seattle area emergency managers, public health officials, lab officials, and first responders conducted a virtual tabletop exercise of the BioWatch program. Participants discussed how they Read More …

The U.S. Department Of State established Chemical Forensics International Technical Working Group

The U.S. Department of State established the Chemical Forensics International Technical Working Group (CFITWG) to address gaps in chemical forensic science and capabilities through an international partnership of experts from science, policy, academic, law enforcement, and export-control organizations. The effort Read More …

DASA UK competition: Catch the ChemBio SCENT! Screening, Collecting and Exploiting Novel Technologies

This Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) competition is seeking proposals that can address challenges associated with screening for, the preservation of sample / evidence, and the attribution of hazardous chemical and biological (ChemBio) materials. New technology options or technical approaches Read More …

About us

Welcome to the Counter-IED Report website, a one-stop source of information and news for Counter-IED professionals. The Counter-IED Report is the leading international subscription-based publication covering the latest developments in the fight against the IED threat. The purpose of the Read More …

Mumbai: BMC prepares SOP to tackle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attack

After monsoon, cyclone and earthquake preparedness, the Mumbai civic body has prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to tackle Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) attacks. The SOP includes an off-site plan, which is Geographic Information System (GIS)-enabled, giving details Read More …

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland host NATO Allies for exercise ANAKONDA 2018

ANAKONDA 2018, a Polish-led multinational exercise, which began on 7 November, today completed its first week. The exercise involves around 12,500 troops in Poland and approximately 5,000 troops in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The exercise demonstrated the interoperability of the Read More …

UK: Terrorism response tested in national multi-agency exercise

The emergency services’ reaction to a terrorist attack is being practised in the largest exercise of its kind to take place this year. The emergency services, other public services and the government this week undertook a three-day exercise to rehearse Read More …

DARPA Seeks to Expand Real-Time Radiological Threat Detection to Include Other Dangers

Advanced commercially available technologies-such as additive manufacturing (3-D printing), small-scale chemical reactors for pharmaceuticals, and CRISPR gene-manipulation tools-have opened wide access to scientific exploration and discovery. In the hands of terrorists and rogue nation states, however, these capabilities could be Read More …