Around the world every year, there are an estimated 2.9 million reported cases of cholera.

That staggering statistic happens despite constant work to reduce cholera cases. Officials continue to try and improve drinking water and sanitation in developing countries. But, the disease still causes over 100,000 deaths every year, according to Eureka Alert.

As another step in the fight against cholera, the WHO created a Global Task Force for Cholera Control. The organization then set a goal to eliminate cholera as a public health threat by 2030.

One crucial part of this plan is better information on active cholera cases. We need to be able to keep track of cases as accurately as possible.

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Today, epidemiology is a valuable field of study which plays a role in eradicating diseases. It helps us prevent outbreaks, craft preventative measures and treat illnesses.

But, it wasn’t so long ago that the world didn’t have this practice and suffered much more drastic consequences from each case of sickness.

Stories of the most rudimentary vaccines stretch back a few hundred years, but epidemiology is a bit younger.

Described by Merriam Webster as, “medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population,” epidemiology’s origins are largely credited to legendary Victorian doctor John Snow. His claim to fame in discovering that cholera is spread by a parasite through contaminated water or food. Snow’s work even earned the nickname “the father of epidemiology.”

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Once a bacteria reaches the brain, it can quickly spell trouble. Without any time for treatment, the illness can cause permanent and life-threatening damage to a person.

That’s why a severe disease like meningitis can cause panic when an outbreak occurs. Meningitis is both highly contagious and can cause swelling of the membranes, or meninges, that surround your brain. There are many causes for this kind of inflammation including bacterial infections, as well as parasitic, fungal, and viral infections.

But, Bacterial Meningitis is the most common.

This version of the disease starts when the bacteria gets into a person’s bloodstream. From there the bacteria can reach the spinal cord and brain that makes up the central nervous system. But, according to the Mayo Clinic, “it can also occur when bacteria directly invade the meninges.”

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Plans for a roadway tunnel close to Stonehenge are putting the ancient site in danger and locals have something to say.

Though Stonehenge is one of the most memorable symbols of England, its reputation may not be enough to assuage frustration over traffic problems plaguing the area.

Plans for the tunnel started in 1989, but was shelved for almost 30 years. The proposed tunnel would alleviate much of the congestion of the A303 highway. By narrowing from two landes to one, the highway adds an hour of travel time for those going between London and the South West of England.

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Back in 2000, the CDC declared that measles was eliminated in the United States. Since that time, the disease has made a dangerous comeback across the country.

A new report from the organization revealed that air travel may be the source for many of these cases.

In 2018, 82 people brought the disease into the U.S. after traveling to a foreign country, making up a large portion of the almost 350 cases. The situation gets worse this year, as every cases of the measles can be linked to infected travelers via airplane. That spread adds up to over 200 cases reported in 12 states. Some of these countries include the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and many European countries, including Great Britain, Italy, and France.

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