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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — With Planet Earth running a fever, U.N. climate talks focused Sunday on the contagious effects on human health. “Climate change doesn’t need to be on a death certificate for us to be confident that climate change is causing deaths,” Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, WHO’s head of climate and health, said. Dubai, the largest city in oil-rich United Arab Emirates, often faces higher levels of air pollution than other places on Earth due to its location — and haze is common. The Dubai government, on its web site devoted to the environment, listed its Air Quality Index level mostly at “good” on Sunday. Switzerland-based IQAir, a technology company that sells air-quality monitoring products, listed Dubai as the city with the 18th-worst air quality in the world with “moderate” air quality levels as of noon local time on Sunday.

Persons: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ”, —, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, John Kerry, ” Kerry, Vanessa, Tedros, Diarmid Campbell, ” Diarmid Campbell, Jon Gambrell, Peter Prengaman Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Health Organization, Conference, WHO, United, Associated Press, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Dubai, U.N, —, U.S, United Arab Emirates, Persian, Switzerland

☆ Little food, a beating and lice: What freed Israeli hostages are saying about being held by Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Rachel Clarke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The details below have been compiled from comments by freed hostages to their families, their carers and sometimes to reporters. Under the terms of the deal between Israel and Hamas, most of those released are women, children and foreign workers. Ruth Munder, a released Israeli hostage, walks with an Israeli soldier shortly after her arrival in Israel on November 24. Emily Hand told her father that they always had breakfast and sometimes lunch or an evening meal. Emily Hand said she was not hit and her father said he believed harsh voices were enough to make her do what was wanted.

Persons: –, It’s, Adina Moshe, Eyal Nouri, “, ” Moshe, Nouri, keener, ” Nouri, Yocheved, Emily, Thomas Hand, Hand, “ It’s, ”, Hila Rotem, Raaya Rotem, ” Hand, “ She’d, Hila, bedclothes, Ruth Munder, Eitan Yahalomi, Deborah Cohen, Omer Lubaton Granot, ” Granot, Lifshitz, Grandmother Ruth Munder, Israel’s vise, ” Munder, ” Adina Moshe, Emily Hand, she’s, Uthai Saengnuan, Eitan, Yair Rotem, it’s, Yar Rotem, ” Chumpron Jirachart, Manee Jirachart, I’ve, Elma Avraham, Hagai Levine, ” Eitan Yahalomi, Efrat Bron, Harlev, ” Bron, ” Israel, CNN’s Rachel Clarke, Joseph Ataman, Wolf Blitzer, Kate Bolduan, Bianna Golodryga, Jessie Gretener, Poppy Harlow, Jacqueline Howard, Lauren Izso, Ed Lavandera, Phil Mattingly, Kocha OIarn, Clarissa Ward Organizations: CNN, Rotem, United Nations ’ Office, Humanitarian Affairs, BFMTV, Israel’s, UN, Sourasky Medical, Israeli Defense Forces, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Atlanta

☆ WHO Says Gaza's Health System Must Be Protected as Disease Spreads
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Gabrielle Tétrault-FarberGENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday called for Gaza's vulnerable health infrastructure to be safeguarded as the war-torn enclave faces an increased risk of epidemics and challenges in detecting infectious diseases. Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said only 15 of Gaza's 36 hospitals were still functioning and were completely overwhelmed. "The remaining health system capacity must be protected, supported and expanded." "With severe overcrowding, the risks are increasing for epidemics of respiratory tract infections, acute watery diarrhoea, hepatitis, scabies, lice and other diseases," Tedros said. "Any resumption of violence could damage the health facilities and make more health facilities dysfunctional," said Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Persons: Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Tedros, Mike Ryan, Richard Peeperkorn, Linda Pasquini, Christina Fincher Organizations: Farber GENEVA, World Health Organization, WHO, WHO's, West Bank Locations: Israel, Geneva, Gaza, Palestinian Territories

☆ Disease could be bigger killer than bombs in Gaza - WHO
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mohammed Salem/ File photo Acquire Licensing RightsGENEVA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - More people could die from disease than from bombings in the Gaza Strip if its health system is not repaired, a World Health Organization spokesperson said on Tuesday. Gaza health authorities deemed reliable by the United Nations say more than 15,000 people have been confirmed killed in Israel's bombardment of Gaza, around 40% of them children, with many more dead feared to be lost under rubble. Citing a U.N. report on the living conditions of displaced residents in northern Gaza, she said: "(There are) no medicines, no vaccination activities, no access to safe water and hygiene and no food. She described the collapse of Al Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza as a "tragedy" and voiced concern about the detention of some of its medical staff by Israeli forces during a WHO evacuation convoy. They don't have access to safe water and it's crippling them," he said.

Persons: Khan Younis, Mohammed Salem, Margaret Harris, James Elder, Emma Farge, Rachel More, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Health Organization, United Nations, Al, WHO, Children's Agency, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Geneva, Al Shifa

Children and their parents wait at an outpatient area at a hospital in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: jade gao/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesThe World Health Organization said it has asked China to provide more information on an outbreak of pneumonia among children in northern parts of the country, an unusual public disclosure that revives questions about Beijing’s transparency on the spread of infectious diseases. In a statement issued Wednesday, the WHO cited reports about “clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China,” which prompted the United Nations agency to ask Beijing for “additional epidemiologic and clinical information, as well as laboratory results” related to the infections.

Organizations: Agence France, Health Organization, United Nations, Beijing Locations: Beijing, China

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says it has made an official request to China for information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children. The U.N. health agency cited unspecified media reports and a global infectious disease monitoring service as reporting clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. Political Cartoons View All 1265 ImagesWHO said media reports about a week later reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. WHO said that northern China has reported a jump in influenza-like illnesses since mid-October compared to the previous three years. It is rare for the U.N. health agency to publicly ask for more detailed information from countries, as such requests are typically made internally.

Persons: David Heymann, ” Heymann, Francois Balloux, ” Balloux, China's, ___ Cheng, Wanqing Chen Organizations: GENEVA, World Health Organization, WHO, National Health Commission, London School of Hygiene, Tropical Medicine, University College London, Beijing Children’s Hospital, China National Radio, Health Commission, Xinhua News Agency Locations: China, Beijing, London

☆ So many kids are falling sick in China that a children's hospital said it saw 13,000 cases in a single day
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Matthew Loh | Kim Schewitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Northern China is struggling with a wave of respiratory illnesses among its children. Cities like Beijing and Tianjin have been hit hard by cases of flu and pneumonia, hospitals said. Children wait on the stairs at a children hospital in Beijing on November 23, 2023, with some administered with drips. "All the children have respiratory illnesses." Children receive a drip at a children hospital in Beijing on November 23, 2023.

Persons: —, Liu Wei, Liu, imploring, JADE GAO, Mi Feng, they're, It's, JADE GAOJADE, Hu Xijin, Hu, David Heymann, Francois Balloux Organizations: Service, Beijing Aviation General, Management, drips, Getty, Changjiang, Health, Business, Global Times, Health Organization, London School of Hygiene, Tropical Medicine, UCL Genetics Institute Locations: Northern China, Cities, Beijing, Tianjin, China, Tianjian, Wuhan, Hubei, Chongqing, Weibo

☆ China says seasonal germs, rather than ‘unusual or novel pathogens,’ behind spike in pediatric respiratory illness, WHO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Some of those increases are a little earlier than usual, but WHO said they were “not unexpected.”Similar early surges in respiratory illnesses were seen in other countries after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. At Thursday’s teleconference, WHO said, the Chinese officials reported enhanced surveillance of respiratory illnesses that may be contributing to increases in reported cases of disease. Even with the spike in cases, China also said that its hospitals are not overwhelmed with patients. WHO has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems since mid-October, when it initially noted an increase in respiratory illnesses in children in northern China. WHO said it will continue to closely monitor the situation, stay in close contact with national authorities in China and provide updates when appropriate.

Persons: teleconference, ”, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Katherine Dillinger Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, WHO, Chinese Center for Disease Control, Beijing Children’s, Media, International Society for Infectious Diseases, CNN Health Locations: China, Beijing, United States

The National Climate Assessment, which comes out every four to five years, was released Tuesday with details that bring climate change's impacts down to a local level. Compared to earlier national assessments, this year’s uses far stronger language and “unequivocally” blames the burning of coal, oil and gas for climate change. In the Midwest, both extreme drought and flooding threaten crops and animal production, which can affect the global food supply. “Climate change is finally moving from an abstract future issue to a present, concrete, relevant issue. Five years ago, when the last assessment was issued, fewer people were experiencing climate change firsthand.

Persons: ”, Zeke Hausfather, Kim Cobb, “, of Colorado's Waleed Abdalati, Katharine Hayhoe, they'd, Hayhoe, there's, Colorado's Abdalati, Arati Prabhakar, Hausfather, Rob Jackson, ” ___ Borenstein, Webber, Seth Borenstein, Tammy Webber Organizations: Berkeley, midcentury, U.S ., Brown University, AP, of Colorado's, NASA, Nature Conservancy, Texas Tech University ., Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, Colorado's, Biden, White, ” Stanford University, Twitter Locations: United States, Alaska, Great, Hawaii, U.S, U.S . Caribbean, Brown, America, Kensington , Maryland, Fenton , Michigan

☆ WHO warns of 'worrying trends' in disease spread in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"As deaths and injuries in Gaza continue to rise due to intensified hostilities, intense overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems pose an added danger: the rapid spread of infectious diseases," WHO said. "Some worrying trends are already emerging." It said that the lack of fuel in the densely populated enclave had caused desalination plants to shut down, which increased the risk of bacterial infections like diarrhoea spreading. WHO said that more than 33,551 cases of diarrhoea had been reported since mid-October, the bulk of which among children under five. "Disrupted routine vaccination activities, as well as lack of medicines for treating communicable diseases, further increase the risk of accelerated disease spread," it warned.

Persons: Hassan Zain al Din, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Aurora Ellis Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Israel, Deir ., GENEVA, Gaza

Doctors across the country say it’s rare that migrants receive medical screenings or anything beyond care for medical emergencies when they arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border, and there’s no overarching national system to track the care, either. You have these little islands of shelter,” said Deliana Garcia, of the nonprofit Migrant Clinicians Network, which supported more than 1,000 migrants in need of medical care in the first 10 months of this year. The challenges of careMigrants face a lack of access to steady medical care in the U.S., as well as healthy food and stable housing. Some avoid asking for help entirely out of fear of a large bill or longstanding distrust of the medical system. The shelter system in Massachusetts is so full that the governor brought in the National Guard in August to assist.

Persons: Julio Figuera, he’d, Figuera, ”, Deliana Garcia, “, anyone’s, Craig Williams, Cook, we’ve, Steve Federico, they’re, Federico, ” Federico, Jon Ewing, Ewing, Doctors, they’ve, Garcia, Ted Long, Stephanie Lee, who'd, Lee, ” Lee, Fiona Danaher, Danaher, Brigham, Sophia Tareen, Jesse Bedayn, Shastri, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: International, Network, Border Patrol, Associated Press, Denver, New York City Health, Denver Health, New York, Penn State, National Institutes of Health, National Guard, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: Cook County, Chicago, Venezuela, United States, U.S, Mexico, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, New York City, Denver, Massachusetts, Milwaukee

The fallout was quick: Nevada, which saw a 44 percentage-point jump in congenital syphilis from 2021 to 2022, was supposed to get more than $10 million to bolster its STD program budget. In 2021, there were 77.9 cases of congenital syphilis per 100,000 live births. Doing so in a timely manner can prevent congenital syphilis. Mississippi is also seeing an uptick in congenital syphilis cases, which a recently published study showed rose tenfold between 2016 and 2022. Agency head Dr. Dan Edney said one of his top priorities now is finding money from other parts of the state's health budget.

Persons: they’d, Dawn Cribb, ”, Sam Burgess, Deneshun Graves, Lupita Thornton, Graves, Thornton, “, Dan Edney, Rebecca Scranton, ” Scranton, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Nevada Division of Public, Behavioral, Associated Press, Louisiana Department of Health, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Houston Health Department, Health, Mississippi State Department of Health, Agency, of Health Services, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: U.S, Nevada, . Mississippi, Arizona

☆ PinkPantheress’s Music Broke the Internet. Up Next? Everything Else.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Lindsay Zoladz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“A lot of albums these days are just insanely long collections of what people have been working on, shoehorned into a theme,” Mura Masa said. It traces a loose narrative of a doomed love and is held together by a thematic focus on death and the afterlife. So that song is me being like, ‘I’m not your internet girlfriend. “Sometimes I’d rather not explain what I want something to sound like, I’d rather just do it,” she said. When people are basically flaunting how much something costs, I find that those aren’t really the people that I’m drawn to working with.”

Persons: Mura Masa, “, ”, ” Pink, —, They’re, I’ve, I’m, ’ ”, Pink, “ I’m Organizations: “, ”

Ronen Zvulun/Reuters A woman mourns over a dead man at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza City on October 18. Samar Abu Elouf/The New York Times/Redux Palestinians wait to cross into Egypt at the Rafah border crossing in Gaza on October 16. Yousef Masoud/The New York Times/Redux Smoke rises after Israeli strikes on the seaport of Gaza City on Tuesday, October 10. Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times/Redux Palestinians walk amid the rubble following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 10. Erik Marmor/AP Six-month-old Sama Alwadia is rescued from the rubble in Gaza City on October 9.

Persons: uluations, –, Judith Tai Raanan, Natalie Raanan, ”, Ben Raanan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Maj, Doron Spielman, Rami Igra, Abed Khaled, Antonio Guterres, Amr Abdallah Dalsh, Ali Jadallah, Janis Laizans, Mohammed Dahman, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Khan, Yasser Qudih, Ofir Libstein, Aza, Ronen Zvulun, Belal Khaled, Abed Rahim Khatib, Leon Neal, Hod, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Ayal Margolin, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Brendan Smialowski, Biden, Netanyahu, Kenny Holston, Ariel Schalit, Mohammed Abed, Kfar Aza, Ilia Yefimovich, Mustafa Hassona, Mahmoud Khaled, Samar Abu, Fatima Shbair, Dor Reder, Violeta Santos Moura, Shir Torem, Wahaj Bani Moufleh, Antonio Macías, Macías, Francisco Seco, Mohammed Saber, Eli Albag, Liri, Mohammed Talatene, Sergey Ponomarev, Hatem Ali, Dor Kedmi, Mahmud Hams, Saher, Hatem Moussa, Abraham Cohen, Valentin Ghnassia, Ghnassia, Yuri Cortez, Yousef Masoud, Ibrahim Hams, Bashar Taleb, Baz Ratner, Jack Guez, Yahya Hassouna, Mapal Adam, Abed Zagout, Tamir Kalifa, Agha, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Reuters Itzik, Miriam Shafir, Dor Shafir, Savion Kiper, Maya Alleruzzo, Mohammed Salem, CNN Sergey Ponomarev, Eden Guez, Atef Safadi, Ohad, Mohammed Soboh, Said, Noam Elimeleh Rothenberg, Amir Cohen, Ilai Bar Sade, Erik Marmor, Oren Ziv, Majdi, Ramez Mahmoud, Roi Levy, Alleruzzo, Tali Touito, Jalaa Marey, Oded, Khan Younis, Ahmad Hasballah, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Tsafrir, Ahmad Gharabli, Ilan Rosenberg, Eyad Baba, Itai Ron, Hadas Parush, Israel –, Martin Griffiths, Tamara Alrifai Organizations: Rafah CNN, Israel, Hamas, CNN’s, Media Offices, Palestinian Ministry of Health, United, CNN, Israel Defense Forces, CNN Aid, Humanitarian Affairs, Red, United Nations, Reuters Civil, Getty, Reuters Rockets, AP Israel's, Reuters, Regional, Al, Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Israel's, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Israeli, Ben Gurion International, New York Times, Shifa, Palestinian, AP, West Bank, Aris Messinis, Haim, Mount, Mount Herzl Military, Nova, Anadolu Agency, Nova Festival, Ben Gurion, Rockets, Reuters Police, UN Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Israel, Egypt, Tel Aviv, United States, United Kingdom, France, Gaza City, El, Arish, Anadolu, Israel's, Khan Younis, Yehuda, Aqsa, Hod HaSharon, Kiryat Shmona, AFP, Al, Ahli, Sderot, Gan, Kfar, North Sinai, Samar, Samar Abu Elouf, Beit Kama, Haifa, Cyprus, Nablus, West, Lebanon, Kfar Saba, Israeli, Be'eri, Rehovot, Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, Kibbutz Be'eri, Modiin Maccabim, Kfar Aza, Ashkelon, Mount Herzel, Yassin, Palestinian, Beitar Ilit, Ramat Gan, Itai, Beit Hanun, Rishon Lezion

☆ Here’s how long you’re contagious for these common viruses
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

If so, what’s the average length of time they could transmit viruses such as the coronavirus, influenza, RSV or the common cold to others? CNN: Is there an easy way to tell if someone is still contagious after having a viral infection? For many viruses, an infected individual is contagious even before they start exhibiting symptoms. CNN: What’s the average length of time someone could transmit the virus to others if they are infected with common viruses like the coronavirus, influenza, RSV or the common cold? These vaccines, crucially, reduce the risk of severe illness, and they decrease your chance of getting infected with those specific viruses.

Persons: CNN —, Leana Wen, Wen, immunocompromise Organizations: CNN, Northern, CNN Wellness, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, :

The program, called the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Program, or PEPFAR, started in 2003 by President George W. Bush. Congress missed the Sept. 30 deadline to renew funding for PEPFAR before it expired. The policy had not been included as a part of PEPFAR funding until 2017, when the Trump administration expanded the policy to include it as a part of the program. Advocates for PEPFAR contend the program does not directly or indirectly fund abortion services. For some countries, the health benefits of the PEPFAR program go beyond its mission of reducing the spread of AIDS.

Persons: George W, Joe Biden, PEPFAR, “, ”, Chris Smith, Biden, Ronald Reagan, Trump, Bush, George Ingram, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, reauthorization, Ingram, ” Ingram, Carlos del Rio Organizations: U.S, President’s, AIDS Relief, U.S . State Department, PEPFAR, Congress, House Republicans, Biden Administration, House Global Health, Senate, Senators, Republicans, Center for Sustainable Development, Brookings Institute, Kaiser Family Foundation, Program, Emory University School of Medicine, State, Committee, Infectious Diseases Society of America Locations: U.S, New Jersey, Mexico, Washington, Africa, China, Russia

☆ Unleashing a New Weapon on the Mosquito: A Mosquito
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Stephanie Nolen | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

Anggy Aldana working at the World Mosquito Program lab in Medellín, Colombia. Researchers found, after painstaking trial and error, that they could insert the bacteria into mosquito eggs using minute needles. How mosquito eggs are injected with Wolbachia A looping video showing a thin needle injecting fluid into a row of black mosquito eggs. How Wolbachia spreads among wild mosquitoes A series of three illustrations showing the outcomes of breeding between wild mosquitoes and mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia. Mosquito eggs and a tray of chilled mosquitoes at the World Mosquito Program lab.

Persons: Eleanor Lutz, Wolbachia, Scott O’Neill, —, O’Neill’s, Steven Sinkins, Marlon Victoria, ”, Victoria, “, O’Neill, It’s, Laura Harrington, They’re, won’t, ” Mr Organizations: Mosquito Program, Mosquito, Brazil —, FRANCE Croatia United, ARGENTINA CHILE Americas, CHILE Americas, University of Glasgow, —, Medellín Health, Colombian, Cornell University Locations: Medellín, Colombia, Cali, Honduras, Australia, Australian, Vietnam, Indonesia, France, Florida and Texas, Brazil, Americas, African, Asia, Europe, FRANCE Croatia United States PORTUGAL JAPAN CHINA Texas PAKISTAN Florida EGYPT INDIA MALI MEXICO PHILIPPINES SUDAN ETHIOPIA Colombia SOMALIA INDONESIA BRAZIL ANGOLA PERU NAMIBIA AUSTRALIA, AFRICA Africa, Oceania, ARGENTINA CHILE, FRANCE Croatia United States PORTUGAL JAPAN CHINA Texas Florida EGYPT, MEXICO MALI PHILIPPINES SUDAN Colombia SOMALIA INDONESIA BRAZIL ANGOLA PERU NAMIBIA AUSTRALIA ARGENTINA Africa, CHILE, Africa, United States, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wolbachia, Siloé, West Africa, Medellin

☆ China to Manage Monkeypox in Same Class of Infectious Disease as COVID-19
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

Health News Bulletin Stay informed on the latest news on health and COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. Sign Up Sign in to manage your newsletters »Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy.

Organizations: U.S . News, U.S News

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — For decades, preventing dengue fever in Honduras has meant teaching people to fear mosquitoes and avoid their bites. Enriquez, a 52-year-old mason, had volunteered to help publicize a plan to suppress dengue by releasing millions of special mosquitoes in the Honduran capital. The Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that most commonly spread dengue have been resistant to insecticides, which have fleeting results even in the best-case scenario. SCIENTISTS SURPRISED BY BACTERIAThe Wolbachia strategy has been decades in the making. But along the way, O’Neill’s team made a surprising discovery: Mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia didn’t spread dengue — or other related diseases, including yellow fever, Zika and chikungunya.

Persons: they’ve, Hector Enriquez, Enriquez, ”, Scott O’Neill, Conor McMeniman, McMeniman, haven’t, Raman Velayudhan, Velayudhan, O’Neill, Oliver Brady, ” Brady, Bobby Reiner, “ It’s, ” Reiner, Edgard Boquín, Marlene Salazar, María Fernanda Marín, Lourdes Betancourt, Betancourt –, ” Betancourt, “, ___ Burakoff, Marko Álvarez, — Organizations: Mosquito Program, World Health Organization, Johns Hopkins University, WHO, London School of Hygiene, Mosquito, University of Washington, Workers, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduran, El, Australia, ”, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Fiji, Vietnam, Indonesia, COLOMBIA, Medellín, HONDURAS, Medellin, Northern Tegucigalpa, New York City

The updated shots are part of a push by public health officials to align the next COVID vaccines more closely with the actual circulating variant of the virus, similar to the way annual flu shots are designed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday authorized updated COVID vaccines made by Pfizer (PFE.N) and its German partner BioNTech SE (22UAy.DE) as well as by Moderna (MRNA.O). CDC Director Mandy Cohen is expected to approve the recommendations issued by the advisers, allowing Americans to get the updated vaccines. The first COVID vaccines in 2020 were monovalent, or single-target vaccines, aimed at the original strain of the virus. They were followed by bivalent COVID vaccine booster shots that targeted both the original and the Omicron strains.

Persons: Emily Elconin, BioNTech, Caitlin Rivers, Mandy Cohen, Rivers, bivalent, Daniel Kuritzkes, Eris, Kuritzkes, Novavax, Bhanvi, Julie Steenhuysen, Will Dunham, Caroline Humer Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Pfizer, Moderna, FDA, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, CDC, Omicron, Brigham, Women's Hospital, Vaccine, EG, Thomson Locations: Waterford , Michigan, U.S, United States, Baltimore, Europe, Asia, Boston, Moderna, Bengaluru, Chicago

☆ Moderna, Pfizer say updated COVID shots generate strong response vs newer variant
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Patrick Wingrove | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Moderna said its shot generated an 8.7-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies against BA.2.86 compared with an untreated natural antibody response in clinical trials in humans. Pfizer said its updated vaccine with partner BioNTech (22UAy.DE) elicited a strong antibody response against BA.2.86 in a preclinical study in mice. Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech and relative newcomer to the COVID vaccine market Novavax (NVAX.O) have created versions of their shots aimed at the XBB.1.5 subvariant, the dominant variant through most of 2023. Moderna shares were down 1.6% and Pfizer shares were off nearly 3% in afternoon trading. The Omicron offshoot carries more than 35 mutations in key portions of the virus compared with XBB.1.5, the target of the updated shots.

Persons: Moderna, Jacqueline Miller, BioNTech, Cowen, Tyler Van Buren, Dado Ruvic, Patrick Wingrove, Michael Erman, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Pfizer, World Health Organization, WHO, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, ” Moderna, Moderna, REUTERS, CDC, Omicron, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Britain's Medicines, Healthcare, Agency, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Switzerland, South Africa, Israel, Denmark, U.S, Britain, New York, New Jersey

☆ Moderna says updated COVID vaccine is effective against newer variant
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Patrick Wingrove | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A vial and sryinge are seen in front of a displayed Moderna logo in this illustration taken January 11, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 6 (Reuters) - Moderna (MRNA.O) on Wednesday said clinical trial data showed its updated COVID-19 vaccine will likely be effective against the highly-mutated BA.2.86 subvariant of the coronavirus that has raised fears of a resurgence of infections. The Omicron offshoot carries more than 35 mutations in key portions of the virus compared with XBB.1.5, the dominant variant through most of 2023 and the target of the updated shots. Moderna said it had shared the new finding on its vaccine with regulators and submitted it for peer review publication. European regulators have since backed the Pfizer/BioNTech shot, with Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approving the vaccine on Tuesday, but have yet to make any announcements on Moderna’s updated vaccine.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jacqueline Miller, Moderna, COVID, BioNTech, Patrick Wingrove, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, World Health Organization, WHO, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, ” Moderna, CDC, Omicron, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Pfizer, Moderna, Britain's Medicines, Healthcare, Agency, Reuters, Thomson Locations: The Massachusetts, Switzerland, South Africa, Israel, Denmark, U.S, Britain, New York

☆ Rich, poor countries split over costs of pandemic prevention
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

REUTERS/Bruno Kelly/StringerSince early in the COVID-19 pandemic, global health officials have sought to create a “pandemic treaty” to better prepare for future outbreaks. The governing body of the World Health Organization, or WHO, chose delegates from each of its six administrative regions worldwide to lead the negotiations. Ahead of next week’s meeting, according to officials interviewed by Reuters, the biggest sticking point remains financing for poor countries. The United States and the European Union have both said they support the inclusion of “One Health” provisions in a pandemic treaty. But as a far-reaching and sometimes abstract concept, “One Health” measures could be costly to put into practice.

Persons: ”, Chadia Wannous, zoonotic spillover, Bruno Kelly, Stringer, Lawrence Gostin, ” Gostin, –, Maria Van Kerkhove, “, Deborah J, Nelson, Ryan McNeill, Helen Reid, Sam Hart, Simon Newman, Edgar Su, Paulo Prada, Janet Roberts, Feilding Organizations: LONDON Health, World Health Organization, Organisation for Animal Health, Reuters, REUTERS, WHO, European Union, Center, National, Global Health Law, “, Pacific, Brazilian, South Locations: Geneva, France, United States, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Americas, Southeast Asia, Brazil

☆ Which arm gets the Covid-19 booster may make a difference, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —When you go to get your newly updated Covid-19 booster this fall, you might want to choose the arm the vaccine goes in carefully. The immune response may be stronger if your booster goes in the same arm as your last Covid-19 shot, according to a study published August 11 in the journal eBioMedicine. The immune response may be stronger if a Covid-19 booster goes in the same arm as your last shot, a new study suggests. Two weeks after the booster, the number of “killer T cells” was significantly higher in those who had both shots in the same arm, according to the study. This study made Schaffner think about this fall, when he will get vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, and influenza as well as a Covid-19 booster.

Persons: Martina Sester, Scott Olson, Laura Ziegler, “, ”, William Schaffner, Schaffner Organizations: CNN, of Infection, Saarland University Hospital, Saarland University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health Locations: Germany, Nashville

☆ The next Covid booster is on the horizon: Will the vaccine be covered by insurance?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Now that the national emergency is no longer in effect, many are wondering if their insurance will cover the latest booster shots. Will insurance cover the newest Covid booster? If you get your vaccines at your local pharmacy, consider asking a pharmacist at the location if your insurance covers Covid boosters, she adds. If you don't have insurance or your provider isn't covering the cost of your vaccine, booster shots should also be available for free through local public health authorities, Patel adds. What else should you know about the 'Eris' Covid variant?

Persons: Payal Patel, Patel, Sorana Segal, Maurer, Segal, you'll, who've Organizations: EG, Intermountain Health, World Health Organization, CNBC, Presbyterian Queens Locations: Salt Lake City, U.S, NewYork, Covid

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