Sweida hospitals overwhelmed amid sectarian clashes, warns WHO
'Inside of Sweida it's a grim picture with the health facilities under immense strain...Electricity and water are cut off, and essential medicine supplies are running out,' World Health Organization representative in Syria Christina Bethke told reporters in Geneva via video link. - Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
WHO Covid-19 envoy David Nabarro dies at 75
DAVID NABARRO, the World Health Organization's special envoy for Covid-19 since the early stages of the outbreak in 2020, has died at the age of 75, the WHO said on Saturday. 'David was a great champion of global health and health equity, and a wise, generous mentor to countless individuals,' World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said of the Briton in a post on X. Nabarro was also co-director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College in London. At the height of the pandemic in 2021 Nabarro called for more global cooperation and aid to poorer countries during a health crisis he said was 'nothing like anything else we've ever seen in my professional life'. In 2017, he was a candidate for WHO director general, finishing second to Tedros in the election. - Reuters
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
COVID-19 special envoy David Nabarro dies at 75
David Nabarro, World Health Organisation (WHO) Special Envoy for COVID-19 Preparedness and Response, poses after he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain, Friday March 3, 2023. Victoria Jones/Pool via REUTERS (Reuters) -David Nabarro, the World Health Organization's special envoy for COVID-19 since the early stages of the outbreak in 2020, has died at the age of 75, the WHO said on Saturday. "David was a great champion of global health and health equity, and a wise, generous mentor to countless individuals," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said of the Briton in a post on X. Nabarro was also co-director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College in London. At the height of the pandemic in 2021 Nabarro called for more global cooperation and aid to poorer countries during a health crisis he said was "nothing like anything else we've ever seen in my professional life". In 2017, he was a candidate for WHO director general, finishing second to Tedros in the election. (Reporting by Harshita Meenaktshi in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Stay alert for chikungunya fever threat, leading expert tells Hongkongers
Hongkongers should remain vigilant against chikungunya fever, leading expert Yuen Kwok-yung has said, stressing that the mosquito-borne disease could cause prolonged and severe joint pain due to weak immunity levels among the population. Yuen, chair of infectious diseases at the University of Hong Kong's department of microbiology, issued the warning on Thursday following recent outbreaks in mainland China, including 3,000 cases reported in Guangdong province's Foshan city. While the last chikungunya fever cases registered in Hong Kong were in 2019, Yuen said that any potential outbreak in the city could be on a large scale. 'Any outbreak could be major because we have no immunity, so we should not take it lightly,' he told a radio programme. 'Normally, you might only experience a fever, rash and swollen joints. Most people will be fine, but you must not forget that if you have a chronic illness, it can be very serious to those who are very old or very young. 'It can affect your brain and cause inflammation of the retina or even retinal detachment. It can also impact the heart.' Yuen pointed to the recent surge in cases in Foshan, where the number of infections had increased from 478 on July 15 to more than 2,500 just seven days later. Mainland authorities reported on Wednesday that the caseload in Foshan had jumped to 3,000, with most of them being logged in the Shunde district. The World Health Organization on Tuesday also issued an urgent call for action against chikungunya fever as the virus had been affecting other parts of the world, including Réunion Island, Madagascar, Kenya and India. Europe has also seen a growing number of imported cases and some local transmission. Chikungunya fever is spread by Aedes albopictus mosquito bites, with cases typically developing fever and joint pain that can last for a long period. Other potential symptoms include muscle pain, nausea and rashes. 'After being infected, some people mistakenly believe they'll feel better in a few days, but that's not the case. The joint inflammation and swelling can persist for more than three months in about 40 per cent of patients,' Yuen said. 'For some, these symptoms can even last for years, leading to premature joint degeneration. The name 'chikungunya' itself comes from an African language and means 'to become contorted', which describes how the intense joint pain can cause people to hunch over. This is why everyone should take the disease seriously.' He urged residents returning from affected areas to seek medical attention immediately if they developed a fever, to be tested for the chikungunya virus, and to apply mosquito repellents with Deet. Infectious disease specialist Dr Joseph Tsang Kay-yan also warned that the joint pain from chikungunya fever was not limited to the period of illness. 'Even after the fever subsides, this pain can persist for weeks, months or even years, which can be considered a long-term after-effect,' he told a separate radio show. 'Sometimes, there's a chance that long-term use of painkillers will be needed to reduce inflammation and pain.' Tsang warned that the risk was indeed higher for the elderly and stressed that complacency was not an option when it came to older people, newborns and those with chronic illnesses, as they were considered special groups who could face complications. Hong Kong last recorded cases of chikungunya fever in 2019, with the tally reaching 11 patients. The city also reported two cases in 2018, one in 2017 and eight in 2016. All cases between 2016 and 2019 were imported. Lee Ming-wai, pest control officer in-charge at the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, said authorities were monitoring the Aedes albopictus index through gravid traps. He added that the index during June's peak mosquito season was similar to that of the previous few years. 'The department will continue to monitor the situation at boundary control points using these traps, and will intensify mosquito extermination efforts if Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are detected,' Lee said. 'The department will promote a citywide mosquito eradication campaign to clear stagnant water and reduce mosquito infestation.' - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
