Health

Bangladesh faces COVID-19 vaccine shortage amid new variant surge

Bangladesh faces COVID-19 vaccine shortage amid new variant surge

Bangladesh is facing a vaccine crisis to fight against the newly detected sub-variants of the Omicron strain of COVID-19. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the country stressed that only 3.2 million doses of older vaccines are available, which are due to expire in a few months, local media reported.

According to a report by Bangladeshi media outlet UNB, COVID-19 infection rates have surged nationwide over the past month. According to the data from the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) in Dhaka, 134 cases tested positive out of 1,409 samples in May, a sharp rise in the infection rate at 9.51 per cent, the highest recorded in Bangladesh from January to May 2023.

“In total, there are around 3.2 million doses of vaccines. No new vaccines for the sub-variants have arrived so far. However, the process of procurement is ongoing. A vaccine committee will be formed soon to make a prompt decision,” said Halimur Rashid, Line Director of the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) unit at the DGHS.

सिडनी में खसरे के लिए स्वास्थ्य चेतावनी जारी की गई

सिडनी में खसरे के लिए स्वास्थ्य चेतावनी जारी की गई

ऑस्ट्रेलियाई शहर में खसरे के लिए स्वास्थ्य चेतावनी जारी की गई है, क्योंकि एक पुष्टि किए गए मामले ने शहर के अंतरराष्ट्रीय हवाई अड्डे से यात्रा की, जबकि वह संक्रामक था।

न्यू साउथ वेल्स (NSW) राज्य के स्वास्थ्य विभाग ने शुक्रवार को कहा कि पुष्टि किया गया मामला सोमवार को दक्षिण पूर्व एशिया से सिडनी पहुंचा, जहां कई देशों में खसरे का प्रकोप जारी है।

जो कोई भी व्यक्ति सोमवार को सिडनी अंतरराष्ट्रीय हवाई अड्डे पर पहुंची वियतनाम एयरलाइंस की उड़ान VN773 में सवार था या जो उसी दिन सुबह 8:00-9:30 बजे के बीच हवाई अड्डे के आगमन और सामान संग्रह क्षेत्रों में था, उसे खसरे के लक्षणों की निगरानी करने की सलाह दी गई है।

दक्षिण पश्चिमी सिडनी स्थानीय स्वास्थ्य जिले के सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य के कार्यवाहक निदेशक मिशेल स्मिथ ने कहा कि शुरुआती लक्षणों में बुखार, आंखों में दर्द, नाक बहना और खांसी शामिल है, जिसके कुछ दिनों बाद चेहरे से शरीर के बाकी हिस्सों में दाने निकल आते हैं।

Measles health alert issued for Sydney

Measles health alert issued for Sydney

A health alert for measles has been issued in the Australian city after a confirmed case traveled through the city's international airport while infectious.

The health department in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said on Friday that the confirmed case arrived in Sydney from Southeast Asia, where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles in several countries, on Monday.

Anyone who was on board Vietnam Airlines flight VN773 that arrived at the Sydney International Airport on Monday or who was in the airport's arrivals and baggage collection areas between 8:00-9:30 a.m. on the same day has been advised to monitor for symptoms of measles.

Mitchell Smith, the acting director of Public Health for the South Western Sydney Local Health District, said that initial symptoms include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough followed days later by a rash that spreads from the face to the rest of the body.

5.72 crore people screened for Sickle Cell Disease: Centre

5.72 crore people screened for Sickle Cell Disease: Centre

With the screening of 5.72 crore people, India is stepping closer to a sickle cell-free future, said the Union Ministry of Health on Thursday on Sickle Cell Day.

World Sickle Cell Day is observed on June 19 to raise awareness about sickle cell disease (SCD), a genetic blood disorder.

Sickle Cell Disease is a chronic, single-gene disorder that causes a debilitating systemic syndrome characterised by chronic anaemia, acute painful episodes, organ infarction, and chronic organ damage, significantly reducing life expectancy.

The genetic blood disorder affects the entire life of the patient, as it leads to various severe health complications.

"This World Sickle Cell Day, India is stepping closer to a sickle cell-free future!" the Ministry said in a post on the social media platform X.

A busier social life may signal Alzheimer’s risk, says study

A busier social life may signal Alzheimer’s risk, says study

While social isolation has long been known a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, a new study showed that being more sociable can be an early sign of the neurodegenerative disease.

The study examined the social habits and genetic data of half a million British people whose average age was 56.

Researchers from the University of California San Francisco and Boston University found that Alzheimer’s may make people more sociable rather than less -- at least in the early stages.

The study shows that at its earliest stage Alzheimer’s doesn’t make people less socially engaged.

“Their social lives may even expand,” said co-senior author Ashwin Kotwal, from USCF. “We don’t know for sure if they are engaging more with others, or if those around them are noticing subtle changes and giving them more support," he added.

Indonesia steps up efforts to eliminate malaria by 2030

Indonesia steps up efforts to eliminate malaria by 2030

Indonesia is stepping up its measures to achieve malaria-free status by 2030, and is currently focusing on reducing cases in the country's easternmost region of Papua.

The Southeast Asian country reportedly has the second-highest number of malaria cases in Asia, following India, although it has seen a decrease in cases from around 443,000 in 2022 to around 418,000 in 2023.

According to the 2024 report from the World Health Organisation, Indonesia was lauded for its achievements in malaria control over the last decade. However, malaria cases in the country have increased consistently, following a surge last year to around 543,000 cases.

Urgent action, solidarity needed in fight against malaria in Asia-Pacific

Urgent action, solidarity needed in fight against malaria in Asia-Pacific

Countries of the Asia-Pacific region called for urgent action and solidarity in the fight against malaria during the two-day 9th Asia-Pacific Leaders' Summit on Malaria Elimination, held in Indonesia's Bali.

"Time is the most precious commodity we have. And in this time of extraordinary conflict, contraction, and chaos across the global health landscape, what we need most is cooperation and commitment," Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance CEO Sarthak Das said on Tuesday.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recorded more than 260 million global malaria cases, with over 600,000 deaths, three-quarters of them children under the age of five.

A technical session with international experts was held on the first day, discussing the latest evidence, innovations, and malaria control and elimination strategies, while emphasising the importance of solidarity across borders, sectors, and communities.

The Global Fund's Executive Director, Peter Sands, highlighted the progress made in tackling malaria, in line with growing global capabilities in technological and medical innovation.

Night shifts may raise risk of asthma in women: Study

Night shifts may raise risk of asthma in women: Study

Women who work nightshifts are more likely to suffer from moderate or severe asthma compared to women who work in the daytime, according to a study of more than 270,000 people.

However, the study, published in ERJ Open Research, found no such link between asthma and working nightshifts in men. The risk of asthma in men did not alter according to whether they worked days or nights.

Women who only work nightshifts were around 50 per cent more likely to suffer from moderate or severe asthma compared to women who only work in the daytime.

"Asthma disproportionately affects women. Women generally have more severe asthma, and a higher rate of hospitalisation and death from asthma compared to men,” said Dr. Robert Maidstone from the University of Manchester, UK.

Ageing population, smoking behind surge in global rheumatoid arthritis since 1980: Study

Ageing population, smoking behind surge in global rheumatoid arthritis since 1980: Study

An increase in the elderly population as well as a rise in smoking are behind the surge in the global rheumatoid arthritis burden since 1980, according to an AI-powered study.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.

The novel analysis published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases details significant socioeconomic disparities and worsening inequalities in disease burden.

The findings revealed that demographic ageing, population growth, and uneven healthcare infrastructure exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis burdens differently across regions.

Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), the study integrated the largest spatiotemporal rheumatoid arthritis dataset spanning 953 global to local locations from 1980 to 2021 with a novel deep learning framework.

Australian researchers launch pioneering trial targeting untreatable cancers

Australian researchers launch pioneering trial targeting untreatable cancers

Australian researchers have launched a pioneering clinical trial that aims to combat aggressive cancers previously deemed untreatable.

The trial led by a team from the Australian National University (ANU) focussed on malignancies driven by the elusive MYC protein -- a protein implicated in 70 per cent of human cancers --, news agency reported.

The success of the trial could redefine treatment paradigms for aggressive malignancies globally, offering a template for tackling other molecularly complex diseases, said the team.

The study will test an experimental drug, PMR-116, designed to disrupt cancer growth mechanisms in patients with prostate, breast, ovarian, and blood cancers, or MYC-driven tumours.

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