After COVID, WHO defines disease spread “through air”
London, UK Reuters The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives. The Geneva-based UN health agency released a technical […]
Biden takes on Trump over Russia, democracy in fiery State of the Union address
Updated: 3pm (AEDT) Washington DC, US Reuters President Joe Biden assailed former President Donald Trump for kowtowing to Russia, failing to care about COVID-19 and papering over the 6th January Capitol assault on Thursday in a State of the Union speech making his case for re-election in 2024. Biden, speaking before a joint session of […]
More than half the world faces high measles risk, WHO says
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters More than half the world’s countries will be at high or very high risk of measles outbreaks by the end of the year unless urgent preventative measures are taken, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday. Measles cases have been increasing across most regions mainly due to missed vaccinations during the COVID-19 […]
Measles: Children most at risk as cases soar from Ethiopia to Yemen
LIN TAYLOR, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports…
Italy launches COVID inquiry over opposition protest
Rome, Italy Reuters Italy’s parliament approved on Wednesday the creation of an official inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, angering opposition parties who were in power at the time and fear it will become a political witch hunt. The lower house, now dominated by right-wing parties from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s ruling coalition, […]
Countries risk missing deadline for pandemic accord, says WHO chief
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters Countries risk missing a May deadline for agreeing a legally binding treaty on fighting pandemics and this would be a big blow for future generations, the head of the World Health Organization said on Monday. The new pact and a series of updates to existing rules on dealing with pandemics are intended […]
Healthcare under pressure: WHO sees “incredibly low” COVID, flu vaccination rates as cases surge
JENNIFER RIGBY and JULIE STEENHUYSEN, of Reuters, report…
Spain considers nationwide hospital mask rule, as flu, COVID hit Europe
Madrid, Spain Reuters Spain’s government proposed a nationwide mandate for people to wear masks in hospitals and health clinics on Monday, and Italy said respiratory illness infection rates had hit a record, as flu and COVID spread across Europe. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommended that people on the continent stay home […]
US Black church coalition names reparations, voting, health equity among priorities
United StatesRNS The Conference of National Black Churches has called on African American congregations to embrace a list of priorities – from “government-sponsored reparations” to improved access to healthcare – as they move out of a pandemic era and into an election year. “We believe Black life must be valued and the humanity of all […]
Scientists see risk of lost opportunity for long COVID research in China
Shanghai, ChinaReuters With more than a full year past since China eased restrictions and let COVID-19 sweep its households, scientists are worried a unique opportunity may be slipping away to study long COVID from possibly hundreds of millions of infections in that country. Global disease experts say little is known about China’s experience with long-term […]