Girls more susceptible to Mpox sub-variant

Girls more susceptible to Mpox sub-variant

A study has shown that girls and young women may be more vulnerable to a sub-variant of the mpox virus, which has spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to nearby countries. Research published in Eurosurveillance reveals that among 154 confirmed cases in Burundi between 3 July and 9 September 2024, the median age was 9.5 years. According to Bloomberg, the average age for infected girls was six, while for […]

October 22, 2024 9

World

Joe Biden has COVID. Here’s what someone over 80 can expect

By Hassan Vally, Deakin University If US politics leading up to the 2024 presidential election was a Hollywood thriller, it would be a movie full of plot twists and surprises. The latest twist is President Joe Biden has COVID and is isolating at home. Biden’s doctor says his symptoms are mild and include a runny nose, cough and generally feeling unwell. His temperature, oxygen […]

July 18, 2024 11

Africa

Neglected tropical diseases persist in the world’s poorest places: four reads about hurdles and progress

By Nadine Dreyer, via The Conversation It’s sobering to reflect that “neglected tropical diseases” are referred to as “neglected” because they persist in the poorest, most marginalised communities even after being wiped out in more developed parts of the world. A variety of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins, cause neglected tropical diseases, which include dengue, chikungunya, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and yaws. They inflict tremendous suffering because […]

January 30, 2024 17

Health / Medical

Global COVID-19 cases increase

The World Health Organisation has revealed that the number of new Coronavirus cases increased by 52 percent during the past four weeks globally with over 850 000 new cases reported. Most infections have been caused by a new strain called JN. 1 which is now under close scrutiny by the UN health agency as a variant of interest. JN. 1 was reportedly first detected in the United States before spreading […]

January 8, 2024 63

Health / Medical

HIV, AIDS, and COVID-19 leading causes of death in working-age population

A new report from the Namibia Statistics Agency shows that HIV and AIDS, COVID-19, and other communicable diseases remain the leading causes of death among the economically active population in the country. In 2020 alone, HIV and AIDS accounted for 13.5% of deaths among adults aged 15-59, while COVID-19 became the leading cause of death in 2021, accounting for 15.1% of fatalities in this age group.

December 6, 2023 8