Page 10 - World Health Organisation

Health ministers of WHO South-East Asia Region to discuss priority issues

WHO officials and ministers from south-east region will meet for a week-long programme starting Monday to discuss various health-related issues such as battling pandemic-like threats, universal health coverage, and addressing mental health issues through primary care. The 75th Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia, the annual governing body meeting of the World Health Organization in the region, being hosted by Bhutan this year, will be held from September 5 to 9. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia, officials from WHO headquarters, senior officials from health ministries of member countries, representatives of UN agencies, partners, donors, and members of civil society, will be participating in the meeting, a WHO statement said. The meeting will discuss progress for ending noncommunicable diseases and TB, how to accelerate elimination of cervical cancer and strengthen the health workforce education and training, said the highest decision

Monkeypox can be eliminated in Europe, says WHO as case count slows

There are encouraging signs of a sustained week-on-week decline in the onset of cases in many European countries, including France, Germany, and Britain, as well as a slowdown in some parts of the US

Monkeypox cases drop 21%, reversing month-long increase: WHO report

The number of monkeypox cases reported globally dropped by 21% in the last week, reversing a month-long trend of rising infections and a possible signal the outbreak in Europe may be starting to decline, according to a World Health Organisation report issued Thursday. The UN health agency reported 5,907 new weekly cases and said two countries, Iran and Indonesia, reported their first cases. To date, more than 45,000 cases have been reported in 98 countries since late April. Cases in the Americas accounted for 60% of cases in the past month, WHO said, while cases in Europe comprised about 38%. It said infections in the Americas showed a continuing steep rise. In early July, just weeks before the agency declared the international spread of the disease to be a global emergency, WHO's Europe director said countries in the region were responsible for 90% of all laboratory confirmed cases of monkeypox. British health authorities said last week after seeing a decline in the number of new

Covid deaths down by 15% worldwide in past week, cases fall by 9%: WHO

The number of coronavirus deaths reported worldwide fell by 15% in the past week while new infections dropped by 9%, the World Health Organisation said Wednesday. In its latest weekly assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.N. health agency said there were 5.3 million new cases and more than 14,000 deaths reported last week. WHO said the number of new infections declined in every world region except the Western Pacific. Deaths jumped by more than 183% in Africa but fell by nearly a third in Europe and by 15% in the Americas. Still, WHO warned that COVID-19 numbers are likely severely underestimated as many countries have dropped their testing and surveillance protocols to monitor the virus, meaning that there are far fewer cases being detected. WHO said the predominant COVID-19 variant worldwide is omicron subvariant BA.5, which accounts for more than 70% of virus sequences shared with the world's biggest public viral database. Omicron variants account for 99% of all sequences

Monkeypox outbreak showing signs of slowing in the UK, says health agency

British authorities also said that they bought as many as 150,000 doses of the vaccine, which was made by Bavarian Nordic, the world's only supplier

Covid-19 deaths fall overall by 9%, infections stable, says WHO

The number of coronavirus deaths fell by 9% in the last week while new cases remained relatively stable, according to the latest weekly pandemic report released by the World Health Organization

Is asymptomatic monkeypox case as infectious? Here's what experts say

The Union health ministry issued the 'Guidelines on Management of Monkeypox Disease' and stated that human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through large respiratory droplets

WHO chief advises reducing sex partners to avoid monkeypox infection

The head of the World Health Organization on Wednesday advised men at risk of catching monkeypox to consider reducing sexual partners for the moment following the alarming rate of escalating outbreaks

India considering to develop monkeypox vaccine; SII CEO says no rush

While 3 cases have been reported from Kerala, one was reported in the national capital. India has now started discussions with vaccine makers to develop a monkeypox vaccine

Experts say no need to panic as monkeypox less contagious, rarely fatal

With the WHO declaring monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern and India reporting four cases of the disease, experts on Sunday said there is no need to panic

Heatwave in Europe underscores need for action to fight climate change: WHO

As the Europe reels from the effects of a prolonged heatwave responsible for a series of ferocious wildfires regional governments have been urged by WHO to implement the Paris climate agreement

WHO reconvenes emergency committee meeting as Monkeypox cases exceed 14,000

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reconvened the Monkeypox Emergency Committee to assess the public health implications of the evolving multi-country outbreak

Huge funding announced to roll-out first malaria vaccine in Africa: WHO

WHO welcomed the announcement by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, of international support worth nearly USD 160 million for the next 3 years to facilitate increased vaccine access to children

25 million children missed out on one or more doses of DTP vaccines: UN

Data by the World Health Organisation and UNICEF recorded the largest sustained decline in global childhood vaccinations in approximately 30 years

No need to panic over monkeypox, have taken steps to curb it: Kerala govt

3,413 cases reported till June-end across the world, with only one death

Testing continues to remain a challenge for monkeypox virus, says WHO

Testing continues to be a challenge for the monkeypox virus that has infected more than 6,000 people in 58 countries, both endemic and non-endemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said

New Covid Omicron sub-variant BA.2.75 detected in countries like India: WHO

In Europe and America, BA.4 and BA.5 are driving waves. In countries like India a new sub-lineage of BA.2.75 has also been detected, which we're following: WHO

Oxford University shifts focus to health threat triggering future pandemics

Oxford said the organization will seek to learn from the response to Covid and take advantage of the university's research and global partnerships

Monkeypox cases triple in Europe: WHO; Africa calls for sharing supplies

WHO's Europe chief warned Friday that monkeypox cases in the region have tripled in the last two weeks and urged countries to do more to ensure the previously rare disease does not become entrenched

WHO considers declaring monkeypox a global health emergency

Declaring monkeypox to be a global emergency would mean the U.N. health agency considers the outbreak to be an extraordinary event and that the disease is at risk of spreading across even more borders