The “almost vertical” spike in SARS-CoV-2 infections seen in many countries over the last few weeks is largely due to increased social contact and not virus mutations, WHO has said. Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s COVID-19 Technical Lead, stated that sharp increases in transmission had occurred in a […] Continue reading ->
Switzerland’s drug regulatory agency, Swissmedic, has authorized Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for use – in a move that should helop accelerate its rollout of vaccines against the pandemic, The Swiss Federal Government has secured 7.5 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, with deliveries expected to begin next week from the Visp-based plant where most of […] Continue reading ->
Governments have spent at least €93 billion on COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics globally since the beginning of the pandemic, a new study has found. Research published on Monday by the kENUP Foundation, a European non-profit supporting research-based innovation in health industries, found that in 11 months, the public sector invested heavily in the development of […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) research investigation in China to study the origin of the SARS-CoV2 virus that triggered a worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 is not intended to apportion blame, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme Michael Ryan stressed in a press briefing on Monday. The statement was made hours after WHO Executive Director […] Continue reading ->
After months of delay, China has confirmed that a WHO research team investigating the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus will finally be allowed to enter the country on Thursday, 14 January – a week after Beijing blocked their entry, leaving two international experts stuck in transit. Members of the task force will now be able […] Continue reading ->
Some 42 countries around the world are now rolling out brand new COVID-19 vaccines to their populations. But 36 of those are high-income countries, 6 are middle-income countries, and none at all are low-income countries, said WHO’s Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a WHO press briefing on Friday. He and other WHO officials […] Continue reading ->
The United Kingdom has approved the mRNA vaccine developed by Moderna, securing an additional 10 million doses to its initial 7 million: but supplies aren’t expected until spring. Despite procuring 17 million doses of the vaccine, a rollout isn’t anticipated for some time, with Moderna vaguely stating that “deliveries of the COVID-19 Vaccine … from […] Continue reading ->
WHO called on European countries to step up their game to curb the highly contagious COVID-19 variants that are overtaking the region, already straining overstretched health systems. Meanwhile some researchers were warning that the new virus variants could spell double trouble if the mutation first identified in South Africa, in particular, makes new vaccines just […] Continue reading ->
CAPE TOWN – As South Africa reported its highest COVID-19 cases ever this week – over 20,000 in one day – Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced that the country had procured 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine and would start vaccinating health workers by the end of this month. The South African government […] Continue reading ->
After brief holiday respites, countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa have reverted to major lockdowns as a strategy to stave off new, and even more infectious, SARS-CoV2 virus variants that have been identified in the United Kingdom and in South Africa – which threaten to overwhelm health systems even as countries also […] Continue reading ->