Latest news with #mpox
Zawya
10 hours ago
- Health
- Zawya
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Set to Launch Groundbreaking Knowledge Management Portal
A year on, the ongoing mpox outbreak now affects 26 countries across Africa, up from seven initially. Containing the outbreak remains a challenge, complicated by the disease's four clades and several sub-strains, the latest of which was only identified earlier this year. For example, Clade I is typically associated with higher mortality rates and more severe illness compared to Clade II. Clade IIB is sexually transmissible and is driving the outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Thus, timely and comprehensive knowledge is proving to be essential in identifying and mounting effective responses to the mpox outbreak. A new initiative, soon to be launched by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), is set to enhance the management of knowledge on health issues and emerging diseases like mpox. This marks a significant step in transforming the continent's public health landscape. The knowledge management initiative will ensure that health knowledge is readily available, accessible, and translated into policies and practices to prevent and control diseases and strengthen the health system in Africa. Dr Nebiyu Dereje, Head of Division, Knowledge Management, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Public Health in Africa (JPHIA), emphasised that the knowledge management system is critical to facilitating health knowledge generation and exchange among AU Member States, ensuring continental health security. He further highlighted that the knowledge management system will facilitate pandemic preparedness and response efforts among Member States. 'Knowledge generated from an outbreak response in a country will critically support the preparedness and response efforts for a similar outbreak in other countries,' said Dr Nebiyu. The much-anticipated Africa Health Knowledge Management Portal has been designed as a dynamic and collaborative platform. It will serve as a central hub for health data, knowledge, research, and policy insights. This will enable Africa CDC, its five Regional Coordinating Centres (RCCs), and African Union (AU) Member States to generate and access knowledge, and to transform resources into policy and public health action. The portal is a flagship component of Africa CDC's broader knowledge management initiative. It aims to close Africa's persistent gap in global knowledge production and usage, currently described as suboptimal, through innovative and scalable solutions. 'This portal is not just a knowledge repository site. It's a smart system built to catalyse evidence-based decision-making, empower national health systems, and boost regional knowledge exchange and cooperation,' said Dr Mosoka Papa Fallah, Acting Director of Science and Innovation at Africa CDC. The knowledge management hub will facilitate the availability of key public health resources, such as data, information, documents, and knowledge relevant to the needs of Member States. It will serve as a one-stop shop through a collaborative approach. The portal incorporates cutting-edge features, including AI-powered systems that enable multilingual translation, intelligent search tools, an interactive chatbot, and real-time document comparison. These are all designed to make public health information easier to find, understand, and act upon. Users, from national policymakers to frontline health workers, will benefit from personalised content recommendations and a mobile-friendly interface that brings knowledge to their fingertips. The portal is set to be established at three levels: continental, regional, and Member State levels. It will be hosted by Africa CDC and will enable knowledge exchange at the continental level across all 55 Member States and other relevant stakeholders. A regional knowledge management portal will be hosted by each RCC. A series of Member State knowledge management portals will be hosted by individual AU Member States. However, the system will be structured to integrate with existing national health information systems, allowing countries to either host their own portals or link directly with the continental platform. Built with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Mastercard Foundation, the portal reflects Africa CDC's vision of pivoting its RCCs towards an 'Africa CDC without walls'. This refers to a continent-wide network where knowledge flows freely across borders. Pilot implementation is already underway in some Member States. These pilots showcase how countries can customise the platform to meet local needs while contributing to continental knowledge sharing. Africa CDC will also support Member States in training dedicated knowledge managers, establishing national knowledge management teams, and building governance frameworks that ensure sustainability. What truly sets the portal apart is its commitment to fostering a culture of knowledge sharing. Through innovations such as weekly Knowledge Hours, Knowledge Cafés, and curated Communities of Practice, Africa CDC aims to foster real-time exchange among public health practitioners, policymakers, and researchers. 'The knowledge exists. The challenge has always been access, translation, and application,' said Dr Mosoka. 'With this endeavour, we are bridging that gap.' With Africa being the continent most affected by disease outbreaks and increasing demands on its health system, the knowledge management portal provides a timely and strategic response. It is grounded in digital transformation, local ownership, and collaboration. The portal will play a crucial role in supporting AU Member States as they strengthen health systems, respond to emergencies, and align with Africa CDC's New Public Health Order. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
SBS Australia
3 days ago
- Health
- SBS Australia
Second case of rare mpox strain discovered in traveller
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts . "The patient has a close family, and that family are isolating at home. He was not contagious on the return journey to Australia from Africa, and those close contacts that he has been in contact including at the emergency ward and other locations are being contact traced right now and identified." That's Queensland's Health Minister Tim Nicholls, confirming a new strain of mpox virus has been detected in a man who's just returned to the south-east of the state from a trip to Africa. He says Mpox is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus. "Mpox is not easily spread. It is only spread or it can only spread through close or intimate contact. It is particularly spread by close sexual contact and particularly for gay men and people engaging with sex is the primary cause of the contagious spread." Dr Geoffrey Playford is the head of infectious diseases at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Queensland. He says the rare Clade 1 strain of mpox has only been seen once before in Australia, also in a returned traveller. "Over the last year and a half in Queensland, we've had 135 cases in mpox clade 2 - this is the first case of clade 1 and the second time in Australia we've had clade 1. The other case was in New South Wales in May." Mr Nicholls says the public should NOT be concerned. "We think that there are 19 community contacts and 40 staff contacts that have been in contact with the patient. At the moment his symptoms are asymptomatic. They are not showing any signs of the clade 1 mpox, but they are isolating. The family involves children in high school, primary school and childcare centres and the high school, primary school and childcare centres either have been or are in the process of being identified." Dr Playford says authorities are not worried either. He says fortunately in this case the clinical presentation is relatively mild and there are no particular concerns for the patient's health. "And all of our efforts at the moment is to identify contacts using national guidelines to undertake quarantine where the very close contacts have been identified, again in line with the national guidelines." The close contacts will be offered a vaccine that is highly effective against mpox -either preventing or making the disease significantly milder and shorter. Mr Nicholls says over a year ago there were some restrictions on the availability of the vaccine. But now, Queensland has ample supplies - and the vaccine is provided free of charge through sexual health clinics and some GPs [[general practitioners]]. The Queensland government is advising anyone who suspects they may have the virus to seek medical advice from their local doctor, sexual health clinic or public health unit.
SBS Australia
4 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Negotiations underway after Tasmania's election result
In this bulletin; Negotiations underway after Tasmania's election results in a hung parliament A second case of the more severe variant of mpox recorded in Australia Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt says he is proud of the fight the team showed in the first Test against the Lions. Vote counting Tasmania's state election continues, with the final result still weeks away as postal votes are tallied. Four seats remain undecided from the state's second state election in 16 months. The result is another hung parliament, with neither major party winning enough seats to rule in majority. The Liberal Party has so far secured 14 seats to Labor's nine. The Greens have five seats and the independents three. Negotiations are now underway to decide the makeup of the government and its powersharing arrangement. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff says he is seeking to reform government, with a visit to the governor. "Tasmanians have spoken. As I always have, and will continue to do so. Now is the time for those who have had - and will have - the great honour of being elected to Parliament to work together with good will across the chamber in the best interests of all Tasmanians." (applause) Voting is underway in Japan's election for the upper house of parliament. The outcome will determine whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government will hold onto its majority in the upper house, after the bloc lost its majority in the lower house elections in October. Mr Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955. These voters told N-H-K World Japan, says cost of living is a key issue. Female voter 1: (translated into English) "Everything is just so expensive - from rice to vegetables to meat and fish." Female voter 2: (translated into English) "Prices are rising but wages are not. We can't spend as much because taxes have gone up. We haven't changed our lifestyle, but we're paying more and more. It's really bad." Polls are set to close at 8pm local time. A second case of the more severe variant of mpox virus has been detected in Australia. Queensland Health says the latest case of the clade 1 mpox variant was acquired overseas by a patient who is currently being treated in Brisbane's south. In a statement, the health department says there is a low danger of the virus spreading. Officials say contact tracing is underway and those who have been in close contact with the patient will be notified. Mpox clade 1 is believed to be more infectious and more deadly than mpox clade 2, which caused the global outbreak in 2022 and 2023. Australians are being reminded that pre-travel vaccination for mpox is free and recommended for people who may undertake sexual risk activities during travel to countries with transmission of clade 1 mpox. Traditional owners have welcomed a native title ruling that they say will allow them to continue to care for the land where their ancestors walked, hunted and held ceremonies on. The Federal Court delivered its ruling on the case that was lodged in 2015, granting three traditional owner groups native title in Victoria's north west. The ruling grants the Traditional Owner groups non-exclusive rights, including the right to access the land, use its resources, and protect sites, objects and places of cultural and spiritual significance. Native title applicant member Timothy Johnson says it is a joyous outcome for traditional owners who have been fighting since the 1990s for native title. In rugby union, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt says he is proud of the way the team fought back against the British and Irish Lions in the Test series opener. Early in the second half, the Lions led 24-5, but the Wallabies fought back to score two tries inside the final 13 minutes of the match to reduce the margin to eight points. The final score was 27-19. Schmidt says that grit in the final quarter showed the team is developing. "We will have a look in the cold light of day probably and be a little bit more analytical. But very proud of the way the player fought their way back. I just think that this time last year, I think we probably would have melted, but I love this team is developing. And we have got a very tough start to the season. We've got two more Lions' tests, two tests away in South Africa. I just think it is going to be a really fantastic period for us to demonstrate some growth; and to tighten some of the connections of the group that we've got."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Contact tracing ongoing after rare mpox strain detected
Authorities fear the number of hospital contacts could grow as they trace health staff after a rare strain of mpox was detected in an overseas traveller. Health officials in Queensland believe 19 community contacts and 40 staff at a hospital have been exposed to the man, who recently returned to Australia from Africa. The patient was diagnosed with a rare strain of Clade 1 mpox after he presented to Logan Hospital, south of Brisbane. But he was not contagious during his journey to Australia, health officials say. "Those close contacts that he has been in contact, including at the emergency ward and in other locations, are being contact traced right now and identified at this stage," Health Minister Tim Nicholls said on Sunday. "At the moment his family are asymptomatic, that is, they're not showing any signs of the Clade 1 mpox, but they are isolating." The man's family includes children at high school, primary school and child care centres and those institutions are being identified, Mr Nicholls said. Health officials do not expect the number of community contacts to increase, but the number of hospital contacts could grow. Mpox is a viral infection that typically displays mild symptoms of fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes or fatigue, followed by a skin rash or lesions. "The contagion window we define as being four days before the onset of symptoms, until after the skin lesions have crusted over," Dr Geoffrey Playford from Metro South Hospital Service said. There have been 135 cases of Clade 2 mpox in Queensland over the past year. Only once before has Clade 1 been detected in Australia, after a returning traveller tested positive for the virus in NSW in May. The disease does not easily spread between people and mostly occurs through very close or intimate contact with someone infected. Groups at higher risk of infection include sexually active gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men and their partners. People travelling to areas where the Clave 1 variant is circulating - particularly Central Africa and adjacent countries - and who are likely to have sexual contact are recommended to have a vaccine before departing. Health authorities say vaccinations for pre- and post-exposure to the disease are effective and are available for free through sexual health clinics and general practitioners. Two doses of vaccine are needed for optimal protection. The mpox outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation in August 2024. It was first detected in Australia in 2022, with the number of cases spiking to more than 1400 in 2024, according to Australia's National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Second Australian case of new mpox strain detected in south-east Queensland
The second Australian case of a new strain of mpox virus has been detected in south-east Queensland. Queensland Health confirmed yesterday a patient with the clade 1 mpox strain — known to cause more severe illness — was being treated in the Metro South Hospital and Health Service area, centred on Brisbane's south. In a statement, the department said there was a low danger of the virus spreading. "The community can be assured that exposure to members of the community has been very limited and the public should not be concerned," it said. "Mpox does not spread easily between people and is mainly spread through very close or intimate contact with someone infected." The department said the infection was acquired overseas. Mpox is a viral infection with typically mild symptoms, including fever, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a rash or lesions. It does not spread easily and is mainly acquired through close or intimate contact. High-risk groups, including all sexually active gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, and their partners, are eligible for free vaccines through sexual health clinics and general practitioners. The virus was first detected in Australia in 2022, with the first case of the clade 1 strain confirmed in New South Wales in May this year. Last year, Queensland recorded 127 cases of mpox. Anyone who suspects they may have the virus should call ahead before attending health facilities so appropriate safety measure can be put in place.
