Nearly one fifth of dengue cases in Latin America and the Caribbean, or about 45 million infections a year, are attributable to climate change, in the past decade, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard and Stanford Universities.  Rising temperatures combined with mosquito species uniquely suited to sprawling urbanization and deforestation are fueling […] Continue reading ->
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) expects to diagnose ‘Disease X’, which has killed at least 79 people in the Panzi district of Kwango Province by the weekend, according to the country’s Director-General of Health, Dr Dieudonné Mwamba. “The disease is characterised by fever, headaches, cough and sometimes difficulty breathing,” Mwamba told a media briefing […] Continue reading ->
From being a largely unknown pathogen, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is now almost a household word – and a fearful one for families with infants and young children at risk. But new solutions, such as long-acting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and maternal vaccination, both recently recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), could dramatically alter the […] Continue reading ->
“Much stronger surveillance” of deadly H5N1 and other avian influenza strains in both domestic and wild animals is needed both in The United States as well as globally so as to head off pandemic risks from variants that could mutate to infect humans more directly.  A senior World Health Organization official, Dr Maria Van Kerkkove, […] Continue reading ->
WHO’s Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the new ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, which took effect Wednesday, but he noted that health needs in Gaza remain huge and “will only increase” with the onset of winter cold and rains.   While there is an opportunity now to rebuild southern Lebanon’s shattered health infrastructure, […] Continue reading ->