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WHO Declares MPOX a Global Health Threat. What’s Next?

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World Health Organization (WHO) he declared MPOX constitutes a public health emergency of international concern as a consequence of the increasing variety of cases within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the potential risk of further spread of the disease.

This is now prompting a coordinated international response to a unprecedented event and resource mobilizationresembling vaccines and diagnostic tests to stop the spread of this infectious disease.

But the WHO has declared mpox a pandemic. Instead, the measures it has triggered are designed to forestall it from becoming a pandemic.

What caused the most recent alert?

Mpox, once generally known as monkeypox, is a viral infection closely related to smallpox. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle pain. Then a typical rash appears, mainly on the face, hands, and feet.

The spread of MPox in some African countries has prompted the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to declare Earlier this week, mpox declared a public health emergency for mainland security. It is the primary time the organization has issued such an alert since its founding in 2017.

The situation within the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Central Africa, has been particularly worrying for over a 12 months.

There are two types or clades of mpox. Clade II, which originated in West Africa, is less serious. It has a mortality rate of as much as 1% (in other words, about one in 100 persons are expected to die from it). But clade I, originating in Central Africa, has a mortality rate of as much as 10% (up to 1 in ten people die). This is comparable to 0.7% mortality rate for the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is witnessing large outbreaks of the more deadly clade I mpox.

Mpox is endemic in parts of central and western Africa, where the virus occurs in animals and may spread to humans. Outbreaks They grewwith greater spread of disease from individual to individual since 2017

This is partly due to very low level of immunity to the mpox virus, which is said to the virus that causes smallpox. Mass vaccination against smallpox ceased worldwide greater than 40 years ago, leading to minimal population immunity to mpox.

The WHO designation announced this week refers to clade I. Not only does it have a higher mortality rate, but it surely also has recent mutations that increase human-to-human spread. These changes, and a global lack of immunity to mpox, are making the world’s population sensitive to the virus.

There are two different epidemics

In 2022, an outbreak of MPox swept through non-endemic countries, including outside Africa. It was a clade II variant originating in Nigeria, called clade IIb. It was sexually transmitted, affected mostly men who’ve sex with men, and had a low mortality rate.

The epidemic peaked in 2022 when vaccines were made available to at-risk people in high-income countries, but cases surged in 2024.

During the identical period, large clade I epidemics occurred within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but they attracted much less attention.

There were no vaccines there, even in 2023when there have been 14,626 cases and 654 deaths. The mortality rate was 4.5% and was higher in children.

In fact, most cases and deaths occur within the Democratic Republic of Congo. we were childrenThis means that almost all of the transmissions are non-sexual in nature and are It is probable that it took place through close contact or respiratory aerosols.

The virus mutates, becoming more contagious.
Dotted Yeti/Shutterstock

However, in 2023 The outbreak within the non-endemic a part of the country, South Kivu within the east, was almost definitely sexually transmitted, suggesting a couple of epidemic and different modes of transmission within the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

By mid-2024 it was already more cases more within the country than in the entire of 2023 – over 15,600 cases and 537 deaths.

Testing capability within the Democratic Republic of the Congo is restricted, most cases will not be confirmed by laboratory testing, and the info we’ve got come from a small sample of genomic sequences from the Kamituga region in South Kivu.

The clade I virus has been shown to mutate around September 2023 into a variant termed clade Ib, which is more easily contagious between people. We haven’t got much data to match these viruses with the viruses causing cases in the remainder of the country.

Mpox is expanding internationally

Last month the virus It has spread to countries that share a border with the Democratic Republic of Congo – Rwanda and Burundi. It has also spread to other East African countries resembling Kenya and Uganda. Neither of those countries has previously reported cases of mpox.

In a connected, mobile world, cases can spread to other continents, similar to mpox did in 2018. from Nigeria to UK and other countries.

Several travel-related cases that occurred in 2018–2019 could have led to a widespread, multi-country clade IIb outbreak in 2022.

We have vaccines, but not where they’re needed

Because mpoxvirus and poxviruses are related (each are orthopoxviruses), variola vaccines offer protection against mpox. These vaccines were used to manage the 2022 clade IIb epidemic.

However, a lot of the world has never been vaccinated and has no immunity to MPox.

Newer vaccine (called Jynneos in some countries and Imvamune or Imvanex in others) is effective. However, supplies are limited and vaccines are scarce within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

WHO’s declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern will help mobilize vaccines where they’re needed. The African Centers for Disease Control have already begun negotiations to secure 200,000 doses of vaccine, a fraction of what is required to manage the epidemic within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A healthcare worker wearing blue gloves draws the MPox vaccine into a syringe.
There are vaccines against MPox, but most individuals have never been vaccinated.
Jeenah Moon/AP/AAP

What will occur now?

Ultimately, a serious outbreak anywhere on this planet is a concern for all of us because it will probably spread globally through travel, as happened with the COVID pandemic.

The best approach is source control, and the most recent WHO statement will help mobilise the needed resources.

Surveillance of the spread of this more serious version of mpox can also be essential, on condition that many countries lack widespread testing capability. We will due to this fact need to depend on “suspected cases,” based on a clinical definition, to trace the epidemic.

Open source software epidemiological interview – resembling using AI to watch trends in rashes and fevers – is also used as an early warning system in countries with weak health systems or delayed reporting of cases.

An additional complication is that 20-30% of individuals with mpox may concurrently have chickenpox, an unrelated infection that also causes a rash. So a preliminary diagnosis of chickenpox (which is less complicated to check for) doesn’t rule out mpox.

Effective communication and addressing resistance to public health measures and misinformation are also key. We saw how vital this was in the course of the COVID pandemic.

Now, WHO will coordinate the worldwide response to the pandemic, with a give attention to equity in disease prevention and access to diagnostics and vaccines. It is as much as individual countries to do what they’ll to follow the International Health Regulations and protocols on how one can manage such a global emergency.


This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

How to drastically reduce the risk of dementia after 55 years of age

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About 1,000,000 Americans are expected to develop dementia a yr until 2060, about twice today, they announced on Monday.

This estimation is predicated on a brand new study, which showed a better risk of life than previously thought: after 55 years of age people have up to 4 out of 10 opportunities to develop dementia – in the event that they live long enough.

This is a sobering number, but there are steps that folks can take to reduce this risk, similar to controlling hypertension and other bad health problems. And it isn’t too late to try even in middle -aged.

“All our research suggests what you do in the middle age, it really matters,” said Dr. Josef Coresh from Nyu Langone Health, who co -author of the research in Nature Medicine.

Dementia is just not only Alzheimer

Taking more to remember the name or place where you place the keys is typical in old age. But dementia It is just not a standard part of aging – it’s a progressive loss of memory, language and other cognitive functions. The aging is just the biggest risk, and the population is getting old quickly.

Alzheimer is the commonest form, and the quiet changes of the brain that ultimately lead to it might begin 20 years before the appearance of symptoms. Other types include vascular dementia, when heart disease or small impacts impair blood flow to the brain. Many people have mixed causes, which suggests that vascular problems can exacerbate Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Measuring risk from a certain age compared to the potential remaining period of life can lead to public health and medical examinations.

“This is not a guarantee that someone will develop dementia,” warned Dr. James Galvin, a specialist in Miami Alzheimer’s University. He was not involved in a brand new study, but said that the findings match other tests.

The risk of dementia differs from age

Earlier studies were estimated that about 14% of men and 23% of women would develop a form of dementia during their lives. The Coresh team analyzed newer data from the American study, which has been following heart health and cognitive functions of about 15,000 elderly for several many years.

Importantly, they found risk changes over many years.

Only 4% of people developed dementia aged 55 to 75, which Coresh calls a key 20-year-old window to protect brain health.

In the case of individuals who experience common health threats to 75, the risk of dementia then increased – to 20% at the age of 85 and 42% from the age of 85 to 95.

In general, the risk of dementia after 55 was 35% for men and 48% for ladies, summed up scientists. Cash noticed that girls normally live longer than men, the most important reason for this difference. Black Americans had a rather higher risk, 44%than white people at 41%.

Yes, there are methods to reduce the risk of dementia

There are some risk aspects that folks cannot control, including age and whether you’ve got inherited a gene variant called Apoe4, which increases the possibilities of Alzheimer’s late life.

But people can try to avoid or no less than delay health problems that contribute to later dementia. For example, Coresh wears a helmet while cycling, because repetitive or severe brain injuries from failure or falls increase the risk of dementia later in life.

Particularly essential: “What is good for your heart is good for your brain,” added Galvin with Miami. He calls people to exercise, avoid obesity and control blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.

13 influential women Delta Sigma Theta Borority, Inc., which inspired us all

For example, hypertension can disturb the blood flow to the brain, the risk not only in the case of vascular dementia, but additionally related to some of the Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly high levels of blood sugar, poorly controlled diabetes, is related to a cognitive decline and destruction of inflammation in the brain.

Galvin also said that be socially and cognitively energetic. He calls people to try hearing aids if age brings hearing loss, which might stimulate social insulation.

“There are things that we control over, and those things that in my opinion would be very important to build a better brain as aging,” he said.

___

The Associated Press Department of Health and Science receives support from the Science and Educational Group of the Medical Institute Howard Hughes and the (*55*) Wood Johnson Foundation. AP bears the sole responsibility for all content.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Health and Wellness

Jury awarded $310 million to parents of teenager who died after falling on a ride at Florida amusement park – Essence

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Sun Sentinel/Getty Images

The family of Tire Sampson, the 14-yr-old who tragically died on an amusement park ride in Orlando, Florida, in 2022, has been awarded $310 million in a civil lawsuit.

Tire, who was visiting ICON Park along with his family on March 24, 2022, fell from the FreeFall drop tower. Although he was taken to a nearby hospital, he didn’t survive his injuries.

Now, greater than two years later, a jury has held the vehicle manufacturer, Austria-based Funtime Handels, responsible for the accident and awarded the Tire family $310 million. According to reports from local news stations WFTV AND KSDKthe jury reached its verdict after about an hour of deliberation.

Tyre’s parents will each receive $155 million, according to attorney spokesman Michael Haggard.

Attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson, who represented Tyre’s family, shared their thoughts on this landmark decision via X (formerly Twitter). “This ruling is a step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products,” they said in a statement.

Lawyers stressed that Tyre’s death was attributable to “gross negligence and a failure to put safety before profits.” They added that the ride’s manufacturer had “neglected its duty to protect passengers” and that the substantial award ensured it could “face the consequences of its decisions.”

Crump and Jackson said they hope the result will encourage change throughout the theme park industry. “We hope this will spur the entire industry to enforce more stringent safety measures,” they said. “Tire heritage will provide a safer future for drivers around the world.”

An investigation previously found that Tyre’s harness was locked through the descent, but he dislodged from his seat through the 430-foot fall when the magnets engaged. Tire’s death was ruled the result of “multiple injuries and trauma.”

ICON Park said at the time that it could “fully cooperate” with the authorities.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Tireless HIV/AIDS advocate A. Cornelius Baker dies

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HIV/AIDS Advocate, A. Cornelius Baker


A. Cornelius Baker, a tireless advocate of HIV and AIDS testing, research and vaccination, died Nov. 8 at his home in Washington, D.C., of hypertensive, atherosclerotic heart problems, in response to his partner, Gregory Nevins.

As previously reported, Baker was an early supporter for people living with HIV and AIDS within the Nineteen Eighties, when misinformation and fear-mongering in regards to the disease were rampant.

According to Douglas M. Brooks, director of the Office of National AIDS Policy under President Obama, it was Baker’s Christian faith that guided him toward compassion for others.

“He was very kind, very warm and inclusive – his circles, both professional and personal, were the most diverse I have ever seen, and he was guided by his Christian values,” Brooks told the outlet. “His ferocity was on display when people were marginalized, rejected or forgotten.”

In 1995, when he was executive director of the National AIDS Association, Baker pushed for June 27 to be designated National HIV Testing Day.

In 2012, he later wrote on the web site of the Global Health Advisor for which he was a technical advisor that: “These efforts were intended to help reduce the stigma associated with HIV testing and normalize it as part of regular screening.”

https://twitter.com/NBJContheMove/status/1856725113967632663?s=19

Baker also feared that men like himself, black gay men, and other men from marginalized communities were disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS.

Baker pressured the Clinton administration to incorporate black and Latino people in clinical drug trials, and in 1994 he pointedly told the Clinton administration that he was bored with hearing guarantees but seeing no motion.

According to Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings, yes that daring attitude that defines Baker’s legacy in the world of ​​HIV/AIDS promotion.

“Cornelius was a legendary leader in the fight for equality for LGBTQ+ people and all people living with HIV,” Jennings said in a press release. “In the more than twenty years that I knew him, I was continually impressed not only by how effective he was as a leader, but also by how he managed to strike the balance between being fierce and kind at the same time. His loss is devastating.”

Jennings continued: “Cornelius’ leadership can’t be overstated. For many years, he was one in all the nation’s leading HIV/AIDS warriors, working locally, nationally and internationally. No matter where he went, he proudly supported the HIV/AIDS community from the Nineteen Eighties until his death, serving in various positions including the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Association of Persons with Disabilities AIDS, and the Whitman-Walker Clinic . Jennings explained.

Jennings concluded: “His career also included several honors, including being the first recipient of the American Foundation for AIDS Research Foundation’s organization-building Courage Award. Our communities have lost a pillar in Cornelius, and as we mourn his death, we will be forever grateful for his decades of service to the community.”

Kaye Hayes, deputy assistant secretary for communicable diseases and director of the Office of Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS Policy, in her comment about his legacy, she called Baker “the North Star.”.

“It is difficult to overstate the impact his loss had on public health, the HIV/AIDS community or the place he held in my heart personally,” Hayes told Hiv.gov. “He was pushing us, charging us, pulling us, pushing us. With his unwavering commitment to the HIV movement, he represented the north star, constructing coalitions across sectors and dealing with leaders across the political spectrum to deal with health disparities and advocate for access to HIV treatment and look after all. He said, “The work isn’t done, the charge is still there, move on – you know what you have to do.” It’s in my ear and in my heart in the case of this job.

Hayes added: “His death is a significant loss to the public health community and to the many others who benefited from Cornelius’ vigilance. His legacy will continue to inspire and motivate us all.”

Baker is survived by his mother, Shirley Baker; his partner Nevins, who can be senior counsel at Lambda Legal; his sisters Chandrika Baker, Nadine Wallace and Yavodka Bishop; in addition to his two brothers, Kareem and Roosevelt Dowdell; along with the larger HIV/AIDS advocacy community.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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