Tag: health

Monkeypox: From beginnings in Africa to global spread

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — As monkeypox infections jump around the world, prompting a scramble for vaccines, AFP looks at how the disease has spread since first appearing in Africa in the 1970s. On Thursday, World Health Organization (WHO) experts will meet to decide whether a surge in infections outside Africa since May now constitutes a global health emergency. Monkeypox, so called because it was first discovered in a monkey, is related to the deadly smallpox […]

Danish lab to supply 1.5 million monkeypox doses in Europe

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Danish company Bavarian Nordic, the lone laboratory manufacturing a licensed vaccine against monkeypox, said Tuesday an “undisclosed European country” had ordered 1.5 million doses. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for “intense” efforts to fight the disease as cases rise, especially in western Europe. Bavarian Nordic said deliveries to the unisclosed country would start this year under the contract but the majority of the doses will be delivered during 2023. […]

China Covid outbreak grows with millions under lockdown

  BEIJING, China (AFP) — China on Saturday reported its highest number of coronavirus cases since May, with millions in lockdown this weekend as authorities persist with their zero-Covid policy. Using snap lockdowns, long quarantines and mass testing, China is the last major economy still pursuing the goal of eliminating outbreaks, even as the strategy takes a heavy toll on the economy. China reported 450 local infections on Saturday, up from 432 a day earlier. […]

Queen gives UK’s health service top award, praises Covid vaccine rollout

  London, United Kingdom (AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE) Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday awarded the George Cross to the state-run National Health Service (NHS) for its work over the past 74 years and praised its Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The George Cross is the highest non-military award for gallantry bestowed by the British government. The queen presented the medal to health leaders from across the UK. They were joined at the ceremony by frontline workers, who nursed the […]

Pres. Marcos Jr designates Vergeire as DOH officer-in-charge

  (Eagle News) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has designated Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire as officer-in-charge of the Department of Health (DOH). The decision was made as the President is still in the process of choosing who would be the next DOH Secretary. Following the announcement by Palace press secretary Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles, the health department immediately issued a statement thanking President Marcos Jr., for designating Vergeire as the DOH’s OIC. “The DOH appreciates […]

PBBM now free from all Covid symptoms, could be released from isolation on Friday, July 15

  (Eagle News) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is already “free from all symptoms of COVID-19” and could be released from isolation on Friday, July 15, according to Malacanang. Citing the latest health bulletin on President Marcos, Palace Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles on Wednesday, July 13, said that President has been free from all symptoms of Covid-19 for the past two days The President’s lead physician Dr. Samuel Zacate visited Marcos in his residence at […]

Macau closes casinos, most businesses as Covid outbreak worsens

  Hong Kong, China (AFP) Macau on Saturday announced a weeklong shutdown of its casinos and non-essential businesses as the city confronted its worst coronavirus outbreak yet. Macau will enter “static management” for a week starting July 11 and residents must stay home, with rulebreakers liable to be jailed for up to two years, top city official Andre Cheong said at a press conference. Some public services and businesses such as supermarkets and pharmacies can […]

China locks down city of 300,000 over single Covid case

BEIJING, China (AFP) — Hundreds of thousands of people were under lockdown in a small Chinese city Tuesday after just one case of Covid-19 was detected, as Beijing’s strict no-tolerance virus strategy showed no sign of abating. China is the last major economy glued to a zero-Covid policy, crushing new outbreaks with snap lockdowns, forced quarantines and onerous travel curbs despite mounting public fatigue and damage to the economy. Authorities in several regions have imposed […]

Ghana reports two suspected cases of Marburg virus

  ACCRA, Ghana (AFP) — Ghana has reported two suspected cases of the Marburg virus, which belongs to the same family as Ebola, in the country’s southern Ashanti region, health authorities said on Friday. No treatment or vaccine exists for Marburg, which is somewhat less deadly than Ebola, with symptoms including high fever and internal and external bleeding. Preliminary findings from blood samples for the two cases suggest Marburg virus and the samples have been […]

PHL detects 167 more highly infectious Omicron subvariant cases, including 140 BA.5 cases

Most already tagged as recovered; DOH reminds public to always wear face masks (Eagle News) – The Department of Health reported the detection of 140 more cases of the highly infectious Omicron variant BA.5, with majority of the cases coming from Region 6 or Western Visayas region. The DOH also reported 20 additional BA.2.12.1 cases, and seven additional BA.4 cases. These two Omicron sub-variants are also highly infectious. In a briefing on Thursday, July 7, […]

Covid outbreak hits Sri Lanka on eve of Australia Test

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Sri Lanka’s team were hit by a Covid-19 outbreak on the eve of Friday’s second Test against Australia with Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay and Asitha Fernando all testing positive for the virus. “All three players were found to be positive during a Rapid Antigen Test conducted yesterday,” Sri Lanka Cricket said Thursday. The hosts are looking to bounce back after their crushing 10-wicket defeat inside three days in the […]

With more than 6,000 cases confirmed worldwide, WHO to reconvene monkeypox emergency committee

by Robin MILLARD Geneva, Switzerland (AFP)  – The World Health Organization said Wednesday it will reconvene its monkeypox experts to decide if the worsening outbreak now constitutes a global public health emergency — the highest level of alert. The UN health agency’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he would hold a second meeting of the emergency committee on monkeypox, with more than 6,000 cases now confirmed in 58 countries. A surge in monkeypox infections has […]