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 15

Health / Medical

More U.S infants dying since abortion access was overturned

New research shows that hundreds of more infants have died in the United States than expected since the Supreme Court overturned abortion access in the Dobbs decision of 2022. Since then, more than 20 states have implemented bans or restrictions on the medical procedure. Toni Waterman has more.

October 22, 2024 21

Namibia

Rundu faces severe water crisis

Rundu is currently facing a water crisis, with many households going without water for hours daily and schools having to send children home due to shortages. The Rundu Town Council attributes the problem to outdated water infrastructure that cannot accommodate the growing population. Governor of the Kavango East region, Bonifatius Wakudumo.

October 21, 2024 40

Uncategorized

WHO confirms first case of cholera in Lebanon

The United Nations says it has detected the first case of cholera in Northern Lebanon, sparking fears of an outbreak amongst those displaced by the war. Since the start of intense fighting in Lebanon, many have fled to the northern parts of the country. According to official UN data some 1.2 million people have so far been uprooted. Jody Jacobs has more.

October 18, 2024 21

Africa

Rwanda reports six deaths from Marburg virus outbreak

Six people have died from a Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda, primarily affecting healthcare workers in an intensive care unit. According to the BBC, Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana reported that twenty cases have been identified since the outbreak was confirmed on Friday. Marburg, which can have a fatality rate of up to 88%, is related to Ebola and is transmitted to humans from fruit bats, spreading through contact with the […]

September 30, 2024 48

Africa

WHO approves first Mpox vaccine for Africa

The World Health Organization has approved the use of an Mpox vaccine for the first time, which it says should facilitate “timely and increased access” for millions at risk in Africa where the latest outbreak has infected more than 20,000 so far this year. Matt Wells from UN news reports.

September 16, 2024 20

Africa

Rating agencies and Africa: the absence of people on the ground contributes to bias against the continent – analyst

By Misheck Mutize, University of Cape Town Rating agency Fitch recently warned that the rapid spread of the mpox virus in sub-Saharan Africa could add to the fiscal pressures many countries in the region are already experiencing. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have declared the latest outbreak of mpox in Africa a health emergency. An epidemic in the Democratic […]

September 9, 2024 20

Africa

Aluminium foil that can clean water: we’ve developed a coating which attracts and traps dangerous microbes

John Fredricks/NurPhoto By Taufiq Ihsan, Universitas Andalas More than 2 billion people around the world do not have access to safe, uncontaminated drinking water. Around 418 million of them live in African countries. The problem is most acute in rural communities, where people’s primary water sources are rivers, lakes and hand-dug wells, which are often contaminated with harmful pathogens. This contamination is caused by inadequate sanitation facilities, open […]

September 2, 2024 23

Health / Medical

Health Executive Director gives update on Mpox testing capacity

Following the announcement by the Ministry of Health and Social Services that, as of 26 August 2024, public and private health facilities have collectively tested 18 patients for Mpox, with 15 cases testing negative and three still awaiting results, we asked Executive Director Ben Nangombe whether Namibia has the infrastructure and capacity to test for the disease and how long it takes to receive the results.

August 28, 2024 29