World Health Organisation

Ukraine faces dramatic health crisis ahead of its third winter at war: WHO

The World Health Organisation issued a stark warning on Thursday about a potential health crisis in Ukraine as the country faces its third winter of war since Russia's full-scale invasion. Ongoing Russian airstrikes have severely damaged the nation's energy and health care infrastructure, leaving millions vulnerable as temperatures drop, officials from the United Nations agency said. Ukraine is approaching its third winter amid a full-scale war likely its most challenging yet. The renewed focus on health is more critical than ever, Hans Kluge, the WHO's regional director for Europe, told reporters in Kyiv. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN agency has recorded nearly 2,000 attacks on Ukraine's health care infrastructure, which it said is having a severe impact on the largely public health system. Targeted attacks have damaged Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Frequent power outages are already taking a toll with danger signs for the winter, Klu

Mpox case confirmed, strain not part of WHO's health emergency: Govt

Union Health Ministry asks states/UT's to review preparedness, increase screening

India reports first suspected mpox case; patient's condition stable

Samples from the patient, put under isolation, currently being tested to confirm presence of the virus

South-east asian nations must take steps to reduce road mishap deaths: WHO

The World Health Organization on Monday called on countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region to accelerate measures to reduce road traffic deaths, a leading cause of mortality among young people aged 15-29. "Vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists and two or three-wheelers constitute 66 per cent of all reported road traffic deaths in our region," said Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, in her address at the 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion (Safety 2024) which began here today. She emphasised that the roads and their networks need to be designed prioritising those most at risk -- children and adolescents, people with disabilities, pedestrians and other vulnerable groups. The WHO South-East Asia Region accounted for 330,223 of the 1.19 million estimated global road traffic deaths in 2021, representing 28 pc of the global burden, the WHO said in a statement. With 70 per cent of the global population projected to live i

India's largest Chandipura outbreak in 20 years with 82 deaths, says WHO

The Ministry of Health recorded 245 AES cases with 82 deaths (33 per cent fatality) in 43 districts from June this year to August 15

Mpox alert: Govt tells airports to stay vigilant, assigns 3 nodal hospitals

Current assessment shows the risk of a large outbreak of the disease, with sustained transmission remains low in India, which has no detected cases of mpox so far

Mpox outbreak spreads in Africa with Burundi reporting 100 cases: WHO

The cases, 28 per cent of which were in children under five, have been reported since July in multiple districts

PM's principal secy holds meeting to review preparedness for Mpox

Prime Minister's Principal Secretary P K Mishra on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness for Mpox amid enhanced surveillance for prompt detection. A statement said there is no reported case of Mpox in the country as of now, and the risk of a large outbreak with sustained transmission is low, as per the current assessment. It may be noted the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in view of its prevalence and spread across many parts of Africa. Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to monitor the situation, it said. It was briefed during the meeting that Mpox infections are generally self-limiting, lasting between two and four weeks, and its patients usually recover with supportive medical care and management. The Mpox transmission happens through prolonged and close contact with an infected patient. Among the steps taken so far, a meeting of experts was convened by the National Centre

Mpox triggers second global alert in 2 years as new variant spreads rapidly

A new mpox variant, clade Ib, detected in Sweden and Pakistan, spreads mainly through household contact and has a higher fatality rate, prompting increased global alert

Mpox emergency response hit by scarce financing amid WHO calls for support

WHO has released $1.45 mn from its contingency fund for emergencies, while African Union has approved $10.4 mn from its existing Covid funds for Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

Mpox now a global health emergency; 'easily transmitting': Causes, symptoms

Monkeypox (or Mpox) is part of the same virus family as smallpox but typically causes milder symptoms, such as fever, chills, and body aches

Sweden reports case of more infectious form of mpox 1st identified in Congo

Swedish health officials said Thursday they have identified the first case of a person with the more infectious form of mpox first seen in eastern Congo, a day after the World Health Organisation declared the outbreaks there and elsewhere in Africa to be a global emergency. The Swedish public health agency said in a statement the patient recently sought health care in Stockholm. In this case a person has been infected during a stay in the part of Africa where there is a major outbreak of (the more infectious mpox), the agency said. Magnus Gisslen, a state epidemiologist with the Swedish health agency, said the person had been treated and given rules of conduct. The fact that a patient with mpox is treated in the country does not affect the risk to the general population," Swedish officials said, adding that experts estimate that risk to be very low. They said, however, that occasional imported cases may continue to occur. Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a n

Mpox outbreaks in Africa declared global health emergency. What is mpox?

The World Health Organization has declared that the increasing spread of mpox in Africa is a global health emergency, warning the virus might ultimately spill across international borders. The announcement by WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus came after a meeting of the UN health agency's emergency committee. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared mpox a public health emergency on the continent on Tuesday. WHO on Wednesday said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths in Africa this year, which already exceed last year's figures. So far, more than 96% of all cases and deaths are in a single country -- Congo. Scientists are concerned by the spread of a new version of the disease there that might be more easily transmitted among people. Here's a look at what we know about mpox, and what might be done to contain it: What is mpox? Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a

Africa declares mpox a public health emergency. Here are the key details

On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation is convening its own expert meeting to consider making a similar emergency declaration over mpox

1.6 million children unvaccinated in India; Afghanistan and Pak rank better

Persistent socio-economic barriers and geographical disparities hinder immunisation efforts, with significant impact on global health

IMA announces national alliance of medical professionals to tackle AMR

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines such as antibiotics, antibacterials, and antivirals, according to the World Health Organisation

As Covid-19 ticks up, US advisers recommend a fall vaccination campaign

With fresh COVID-19 cases bubbling up in some parts of the country, health officials are setting course for a fall vaccination campaign. An influential government advisory panel on Thursday recommended new shots for all Americans this fall. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must endorse the recommendation. Officials acknowledged the need for vaccinations is not as dire as it was only a few years ago. Most Americans have some degree of immunity from being infected, from past vaccinations or both. COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations last month were at about their lowest point since the pandemic first hit the United States in 2020. But immunity wanes, new coronavirus variants keep emerging and there are still hundreds of COVID-19-associated deaths and thousands of hospitalizations reported each week. What's more, health officials have reported upticks this month in COVID-19-associated emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and a pronounced increase i

Rare flesh-eating bacteria that can kill in two days spreads in Japan

At the current rate of infections, the number of cases in Japan could reach 2,500 this year, with a 'terrifying' mortality rate of 30%

US govt to fund up to $500 mn for studies on oral, nasal Covid vaccines

The funding is part of Project NextGen, a $5 billion initiative led by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)

India logs second ever human case of bird flu in Bengal: How to stay safe

A bird flu case of infection in a human being was detected in a four year old in West Bengal. The patient, admitted to a local hospital since February, has been treated and discharged