More than 40 million health professionals from 90 countries worldwide have issued an open letter to G20 leaders and their chief medical advisors, urging them to support climate smart development in their plans for economic recovery from COVID-19. The appeal to the Group of 20 of the world’s most industrialized countries, supported by some 350 […] Continue reading ->
In contrast to Europe and the Americas, Africa has just 1.5 percent of the world’s reported cases of COVID-19, and less than 0.1 percent of the world’s deaths, World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted on Africa Day 2020. “Africa appears to have so far been spared the scale of outbreaks we have […] Continue reading ->
This story was updated 4 June to reflect the Lancet study’s retraction. Enrollment of new patients in the hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) arm of the World Health Organization’s Global COVID-19 Solidarity Trial will be put on pause, as the trial’s oversight committee reviews all available data on COVID-19 and hydroxychloroquine, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said […] Continue reading ->
Even as Eastern Africa and the Horn of Africa are facing unprecedented flooding and locust swarms, a cyclone that has hit Southeast Asia, is presenting new challenges there in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Torrential rain, fierce winds of up to 180 km per hour, and a 16-foot tall storm surge cut off road […] Continue reading ->
A COVID-19 vaccine candidate made by Chinese researchers successfully induced the development of neutralizing and binding antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to early results from a non-randomized phase I clinical trial published Friday in The Lancet. The trial results follow on to results announced by Moderna earlier this week, which found […] Continue reading ->
This story was updated 4 June to reflect the paper’s retraction. New research published in The Lancet on Friday found that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine has ‘no benefit’ for coronavirus patients, and could even increase the risk of heart arrhythmias and mortality. The study was retracted by three of its authors on June 4, due to […] Continue reading ->
New technical guidance for national governments was released to support the enhanced measurement of two key indicators for the COVID-19 response; the number of cases and the number of deaths, as reported on national and global dashboards. The package was launched by global health NGO Vital Strategies. Limited COVID-19 testing capacity in low- and middle-income […] Continue reading ->
East Africa and the Horn of Africa are facing a series of unprecedented overlapping disasters – widespread displacement and food insecurity caused by a record season of flooding and locusts, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report released Thursday by the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC). Meanwhile, the United Nations […] Continue reading ->
Over the past 24 hours, the world has seen the largest-ever increase in new COVID-19 infections, with most of the 106,000 cases cases occurring in just four countries, warned WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday. “In the last 24 hours, there have been 106,000 cases reported to WHO – the most in […] Continue reading ->
With overwhelming support, the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Tuesday approved a resolution to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which represents the strongest commitment yet from the global community to international cooperation in fighting the pandemic as well as ensuring access to COVID-19 treatments and future vaccines. The final text also called for an independent evaluation […] Continue reading ->