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Helen Branswell - a legendary disease reporter has died - October 13, 2026

sharon sanders

Editor-in-Chief & President
Please read the Stat news report before my comments:


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I agree with all of the comments by the various people quoted in the above obituary.

She was exemplary. She always checked her work and in the rare occasion of a mistake she corrected as soon as possible. Just the facts.

I had many emails with her about our posts on the discovery and initial days of COVID-19. Also, we exchanged emails about H5N1, MERS, Ebola, and other disease situations over the years. I do not disclose any information about emails without the permission from all parties so those are silent forever. But I can say she was funny, smart, interesting, and logical.

I met her in 2007 at a conference and while other media were having a lunch break she was alone in a hallway, at a table, working. She was courteous and very professional. On HHS and CDC conference calls she was always respectful and she asked pertinent questions.

She followed FluTrackers since joining twitter (2009) and continued through today.

She was an icon and it is a real loss that she is gone.

FluTrackers offers the most sincere condolences to her family, friends, and co-workers.
 
Here are a few of the dozens of early public mentions of FluTrackers by Helen. She was easy to collaborate with.

Screenshot 2026-10-13 163721.webp


Screenshot 2026-10-13 163658.webp



Screenshot 2026-10-13 163532.webp


Screenshot 2026-10-13 163457.webp



So sad to think we will never see her online again.

:(
 
Deeply saddened by the loss of Helen Branswell. Her reporting on outbreaks and public health was a reliable guide for so many years. She will be greatly missed. :(
 
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