QUEZON City, Philippines — United States of America – President of the United States, Barack Obama asked the United States Congress to finance a $1.8 billion emergency fund to counter the Zika virus. Said fund will be used in mosquito control programs, development of vaccines as well as diagnostic tests. (Washington, D.C., ) (Eagle News Service Described by Jay Paul Carlos, Video Editing by Jericho Morales, Uploaded by MRFaith Bonalos)
Health
Olympics: USOC ‘will not prevent athletes from competing’ over Zika
LOS Angeles, United States (AFP) — The United States Olympic Committee on Monday refuted an “inaccurate” report that it had advised American athletes to reconsider competing in the Rio Games because of Zika virus fears. “The reports that the USOC has advised US athletes to reconsider competing in Rio due to the Zika virus are 100 percent inaccurate,” USOC spokesperson Patrick Sandusky said in a statement. “Team USA looks forward to the Games and we […]
Obama calls for $1.8 billion to fight Zika
By Andrew BEATTY UNITED States (AFP) — President Barack Obama on Monday asked for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funds to tackle the fast-spreading Zika virus in the United States and beyond. The mosquito-borne illness has surged through Latin America, prompting fears that clement spring weather could bring a spate of cases north of the Rio Grande. The White House said fresh cash is needed to fund mosquito control programs, vaccine research and other […]
Widespread Zika vaccine not likely to be available for years – U.S. official
(Reuters) — U.S. health officials said on Monday (February 8) that a widespread vaccine to combat the Zika virus will likely not be available for years. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told reporters during a briefing at the White House that initial steps are under way but health officials believe it is “unlikely to have vaccine that’s widely available for a few years.” “The good news […]
TATT Syndrome
QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – Have you been so tired lately? No, not tired but you have no drive towards work, lack of motivation and energy. You feel depressed for no reason. You think you are tired, always tired. According to Dr. Amithava Chaudhury, a general physician, “everyone goes through periods of feeling worn out, lacking in energy and generally run down at some point in life. The feeling may be caused by overwork or […]
101 die in Nigeria from Lassa fever outbreak
A growing Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has killed 101 people, as West Africa battles to contain a flare-up of the virus, according to data from the nation’s health authorities released Saturday. Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) statistics show that reported cases of the haemorrhagic disease — both confirmed and suspected — stood at 175 with a total of 101 deaths since August. “As at today, 19 (including Abuja) states are currently following up […]
Who is Zika?
QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – Who is Zika? It is actually not a person but a virus. Borne by mosquitoes, Zika causes mild fever, skin rash (exanthema), conjunctivitis (sore eyes) and muscle pain. These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days. Its name derived from the Zika forest in Uganda, where scientists first identified in 1940’s. The virus was associated with birth defects in Brazil. Since the start of 2015, Brazil has recorded 4,000 cases of […]
Florida declares public health emergency due to Zika virus
FLORIDA, United States of America – Florida added another county under public health emergency due to the Zika virus, bringing up the number of counties affected in Florida to five. In Brazil, two cases of Zika virus were recorded due to blood transfusion. (Eagle News Service Described by Jay Paul Carlos, Video Editing by Dexter Magno/Aniway Acosta and Uploaded by Vince Alvin Villarin) https://youtu.be/tfQYjDcxLMU
Unsanitary conditions in slums provide breeding grounds for mosquitos spreading Zika virus
Unsanitary conditions in Brazil’s slum areas are provided potential breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes that can transmit viruses including Zika and dengue. In the city of Recife, capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco, ditches are found with waste water and even other garbage discharged by local residents, with foul smells given out from time to time. Algae and weeds have grown in the water, and rat carcasses as well as other floating garbage […]
Maynilad intensifies anti-dengue campaign
MAYNILAD Water has intensified its anti-dengue campaign by holding series of workshops in its concession areas for some 1,000 families to help curb dengue cases in Metro Manila with the use of a simple ‘Do-It-Yourself Anti-Dengue Mosquito Trap.’ Maynilad, together with the Department of Health (DOH) and Y&R Philippines, will visit 10 barangays in Muntinlupa, Parañaque and Quezon City to teach families how to prepare the anti-dengue mosquito trap. The workshops are being conducted in barangays […]
Zika virus could be tackled by transgenic mosquitoes, says Panama institute
RESEARCHERS in Panama have developed a possible strategy to combat the spread of the Zika through the release of sterile male mosquitoes to combat population numbers of the virus-carrying insect. The Gorgas Institute for Health Studies (ICGES) in Panama came across the idea last year when they were doing research on the Aedes aegypti mosquito to tackle dengue and chikungunya. According to the findings, the release of genetically-modified Aedes aegypti male mosquitoes into the female population […]
Beard bacteria could lead to new antibiotics
THE looming crisis of antibiotic resistance means diseases that were once easily treatable are becoming deadly again. The over-prescription of antibiotics for conditions that don’t require them is spurring resistant mutations leading to so-called superbugs – multi-drug-resistant infections that can evade the medicines designed to kill them. “What we’ve done as a human species is to basically coat the world in antibiotics by our overuse and inappropriate use. So, we’ve selected for these resistance mechanisms in […]