Communicable Diseases

India reports first Mpox case: Symptoms, transmission, WHO norms and more

India's health ministry has reassured the public that the nation has robust preventive measures in place and is handling the case as per established protocols

Six children die of suspected Chandipura virus in Gujarat since July 10

Six children have died due to suspected Chandipura virus in Gujarat since July 10, with the total number of cases of the infection rising to 12, state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel has said. Samples of the 12 patients have been sent to Pune's National Institute of Virology (NIV) for confirmation, he said on Monday. Chandipura virus causes fever, with symptoms similar to flu, and acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). It is transmitted by vectors like mosquitoes, ticks and sand flies. The pathogen is a member of the Vesiculovirus genus of the family Rhabdoviridae. Patel said four of the 12 patients were from Sabarkantha district, three from Aravalli, one each from Mahisagar and Kheda in Gujarat, while two patients were from Rajasthan and one from Madhya Pradesh. They received treatment in Gujarat. "Six deaths due to suspected Chandipura virus have been reported in the state, but only after results of the samples it will be clear whether they were caused by the Chandipura

Nipah virus update: No positive cases since Sept 16, says Kerala govt

The total number of Nipah infections confirmed in the state is six, of which two persons have died, and four persons are being treated

Nipah virus: One more confirmed case in Kerala; total tally rises to 6

The administration has created containment zones in a 5 km radius of the homes of the two men who died of infection on August 30 and September 11

Lupin ties up with global agencies to support tuberculosis treatment

Drug firm Lupin on Friday said it has tied up with Unitaid, The Aurum Institute, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and other global procurement agencies to support tuberculosis prevention treatment initiative to be rolled out to 138 countries. As per the agreement, the Mumbai-based firm will introduce two new formulations, a fixed-dose combination of Rifapentine + Isoniazid and Rifapentine 300 mg standalone tablets, at an affordable price in various regions, including many low-and middle-income countries with a large burden of tuberculosis (TB). "We are committed to enhancing the global access to affordable and high-quality drugs and APIs for the treatment of tuberculosis... "Through this, we will further reinforce our long legacy to provide shorter, more patient-friendly treatment options to prevent TB," Lupin Managing Director Nilesh Gupta said in a statement. Lupin is a leading player in the cardiovascular, anti-diabetic, and respiratory segments.

Haiti reports more than 8 deaths from cholera for first time in 3 years

Haiti's government on Sunday announced that at least eight people have died from cholera, raising concerns about another potentially catastrophic epidemic like the one that broke out a decade ago and killed nearly 10,000 people. The cases-the first cholera deaths reported in three years-came in a community called Dekayet in southern Port-au-Prince and in the seaside slum of Cite de Soleil, where thousands of people live in cramped, unsanitary conditions. "Cholera is something that can spread very, very quickly," warned Laure Adrien, director general of Haiti's health ministry. Food or water contaminated with the cholera bacteria can lead to severe diarrhoea and dehydration that can be deadly. The deaths come as a lack of fuel and ongoing protests shut down the availability of basic services across Haiti, including medical care and clean water, which is key to helping fight cholera and keep patients alive. Haiti's most powerful gang continues to control the entrance to a main fuel

What do we know about the new Langya virus? Do we need to be worried?

Researchers in China first detected this new virus as part of routine surveillance in people with a fever who had reported recent contact with animals

Renew focus on communicable diseases, not Covid-19 pandemic: Experts

Public health expert Anish T S says during the pandemic, reported cases of tuberculosis and typhoid were fewer

Monkeypox virus detected in Portugal less aggressive, researcher says

Monkeypox is a rare disease, which can spread through direct contact with bodily fluids or through contact with contaminated clothes or bedsheets

Coronavirus pandemic: WHO issues warning against new variant 'XE'

According to reports, the new variant is 10 per cent more transmissible than the BA.2 subvariant, which is already the most contagious

Covid vax effectiveness declines after 6 months without boosters: Study

The study indicated that vaccines were 94 per cent effective at preventing hospitalisation 50-100 days after receiving the shot but fell to 80.4 per cent 200-250 days later

Reinfection with different subtypes of Omicron is possible: Study

While the chances are rare, reinfection with BA.2 can occur shortly after initial BA.1 infection, according to a study by Danish researchers.

Are variants leading us closer to herd immunity against Covid-19?

Herd immunity is when enough of a population is immune to a virus that it's hard for the germ to spread to those who aren't protected by vaccination or a prior infection

Omicron variant of Covid-19: Around 10% reinfection in UK, shows study

A recent study by the Imperial College London has shown that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron coronavirus variant is more than five times higher than other strains

Covid-19 airborne particles can travel about 200 feet, says US study

Scientists at the US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory estimates that droplets encased in mucus could remain moist for up to 30 minutes and travel up to about 200 feet

India's health report card before Covid-19 pandemic: explained in 6 charts

Food poisoning and diarrhea were the main disease outbreaks in India before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. A look at India's health profile in 2019 through six charts

Where is NCDC? It should have been better utilised amid Covid, say experts

National Centre for Disease Cont­rol has expertise in disease surveillance and prevention, and collaborates with global agencies

World Coronavirus Dispatch: Myanmar health workers protest coup, stop work

UK's Covid hero dies at 100, study says Sinopharm jab works against South African strain, Europe's sluggish vaccination may prolong economic slump and other pandemic-related news across the globe

Covid-19 Factoid: 'Worst-hit' Maharashtra witnesses a drop in daily cases

Pune has the most number of active cases among all districts

World Coronavirus Dispatch: Some 38 mn could sink into poverty in East Asia

Democrats present $2.2 trn stimulus plan, surprise surge in pregnancies in Phillippines, UK keeps threat of firmer London Covid as cases soar, and other pandemic-related news across the globe