********************************** ZIKA VIRUS************************************
U.S. Government Issues Missives against Travel of Pregnant Women
U.S. health officials on January 22, 2016 issued travel warning for pregnant women to host of Latin American and Caribbean countries because of Zika virus. Health authorities in Brazil found dozens of cases of microcephaly, a disorder with babies born with abnormally small heads, and traced them to Zika virus. Also, fear is rising over Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a nervous disorder, emerging in the patients afflicted by Zika virus. The Zika virus is creating a psychological havoc in some Latin American nations to an extent where authorities in Brazil, Colombia and El Salvador have in recent days urged women not to get pregnant for the time being.
Microcephaly Cases Soar in Brazil
In an apparent link to eruption of Zika virus, at least 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly were reported in Brazil since October 2015 as opposed to fewer than 150 in all of 2014.
WHO Calls an Emergency Session on ZIKA
WHO Secretary-General Margaret Chan on January 28, 2016 convened an emergency meeting for February 1, 2016 to discuss and decide on whether to treat the eruption of ZIKA virus as an international public health emergency. The announcement came in the wake of possible links between the virus and explosion in cases of microcephaly and Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disease associated with nervous breakdown and failure. At least 31 cases of ZIKA virus were detected in the USA since 2015 in 11 states, including Texas. All the patients have been infected in the countries where the virus is prevalent. The virus spread to more than 20 countries and territories in Latin America and Caribbean, with Brazil as the epicenter.
HISTORY OF ZIKA
* Discovered in a rhesus monkey in 1947 in the Zika forest of Uganda
* First diagnosed in humans in 1954 in Nigeria
* Zika virus (ZikV) has been confined to Central and North Africa until 2007 when the virus has been detected in Micronesia and Polynesia
Brazil Declares a War on Mosquito that Carries Zika Virus
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on January 29, 2016 declared a war on the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, that carries the Zika virus. The mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is particularly more ominous because of its presence during day time.
WHO Declares Zika Public Health Emergency
World Health Organization on February 1, 2016 , after an emergency session at Geneva, announced Zika and its suspected link to microcephaly for pregnant women as international public health emergency.
Colombia's President Sees No Significant Link between Zika and Microcephaly
Colombian President Jose Manuel Santos said on February 6, 2016 that his government didn't find yet any link between Zika virus and Microcephaly, a symptom that associates with babies being born with tiny head. President Santos said that at least 3,177 pregnant women and more than 25,600 Colombians were so far affected by Zika virus.
FDA Unveils Policy for Blood Donation
Food and Drug Administration on February 16, 2016 unveiled its first policy over blood donation with respect to a growing threat of Zika virus. Peter Marks, Director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement that "based on the best available evidence", people affected, or suspected to be affected, or intimately in touch with such people, should wait out 28 days before donating blood. In addition, blood used for transfusion in Puerto Rico, American Samoa and U.S. Virgin Islands should be procured from other parts of the U.S. Red Cross and AABB, American Association of Blood Banks, issued the identical directives.
More Headache on ZIKA as a Mosquito with Reach in North Carries the Virus
The common notion that only Aedes aegypti mosquito carries the ZIKA virus may not be totally correct as a recent discovery, reported by The Washington Post in its April 29, 2016, edition, by the Pan American Health Organization shows that another brand of mosquito that is common further in the north in the United States and Canada may also carry this virus. Unlike Aedes aegypti mosquito, Aedes albopictus is found beyond the Gulf states and warmer climate in the southern parts of the United States, bringing many millions of Americans within the reach and risk of ZIKA virus.
Second Baby in the US Born with Zika-related Birth Defect
On May 31, 2016, a second baby was born of a Zika-infected Honduran mother with related birth defect at Hackensack Medical University Hospital. The first case occurred in Hawaii when a woman infected with Zika delivered a baby with birth defect. That woman lived in Brazil. In April, 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that there was ample evidence to link microcephaly to Zika.
WHO Issues Guidelines for People Living in ZIKA-Infected Regions
World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a guideline in the first week of June 2016 advising people who live in 46 nations across Caribbean and Latin America to delay pregnancy in the light of ZIKA virus spreading through the region. The original notice didn't receive much attention, but a clarification issued by WHO on June 9, 2016 got the world's attention as it said that the advice was related to people who lived there, not to the visitors. Early on, five countries as well as Puerto Rico issued such advice, but Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refrained from any such directive.
Three Babies Born with ZIKA-related Birth Defects
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on June 16, 2016 that three babies with ZIKA-caused birth defects were born in the USA in the recent days, the first such cases reported in the continental America. At present, 234 pregnant women--visitors and residents--are diagnosed with ZIKA virus.
First Known Locally Infected ZIKA Cases Surface
The ray of hope that the mainland America may be spared from mosquito-borne ZIKA virus has disappeared on July 29, 2016 as Florida Governor Rick Scott announced four cases of ZIKA in Miami's Wynwood arts district, a trendy area with plenty of murals and artistic renderings, that might have been caused by mosquito bites. Weighing in the newfound cases of ZIKA infection, CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said that ZIKA "is now here". Before the Wynwood cases, almost all of the nearly 1,650 cases in recent months have been tied to infections while travelling to ZIKA-dominated nations or acquired from partners.
ZIKA Declared an Emergency in Puerto Rico
As 1,914 new cases of Zika virus surfaced over the past week, taking the total number of cases to about 10,690 since the first case had been reported in December 2015, the U.S. government on August 12, 2016 declared the virus an emergency in Puerto Rico.
ZIKA Found in Tourist Hotspot
Federal and state officials said on August 19, 2016 that five mosquito-borne new ZIKA cases had emerged and, to consternation of tourist officials in the midst of summer months, the dragnet of the virus had expanded to South Beach area, a famous strip of Miami Beach with night clubs, trendy restaurants, hotels and bars. With these five new cases, total number of mosquito-borne ZIKA infections reported now stands at 36, most of them have been traced to few blocks of Miami's Wynwood arts district.
Recommendation of ZIKA Screening in Blood Donation Issued
Food and Drug Administration on August 26, 2016 issued a recommendation for a costly screening of blood donation in all 50 states for ZIKA detection.
WHO Withdraws ZIKA Emergency
World Health Organization on November 18, 2016 withdrew a worldwide emergency due to ZIKA virus that had pummeled nearly 30 nations, including the most affected Brazil where at least 2,100 cases had been reported. Dr. David Heymann, who was in charge of global response of ZIKA since the emergency had been announced on February 1, 2016, clarified during the day that the virus remained "a significant and enduring public health challenge, but it no longer represents an emergency". ZIKA was first observed in 1947, but it had never struck so vehemently before.
U.S. health officials on January 22, 2016 issued travel warning for pregnant women to host of Latin American and Caribbean countries because of Zika virus. Health authorities in Brazil found dozens of cases of microcephaly, a disorder with babies born with abnormally small heads, and traced them to Zika virus. Also, fear is rising over Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a nervous disorder, emerging in the patients afflicted by Zika virus. The Zika virus is creating a psychological havoc in some Latin American nations to an extent where authorities in Brazil, Colombia and El Salvador have in recent days urged women not to get pregnant for the time being.
Microcephaly Cases Soar in Brazil
In an apparent link to eruption of Zika virus, at least 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly were reported in Brazil since October 2015 as opposed to fewer than 150 in all of 2014.
WHO Calls an Emergency Session on ZIKA
WHO Secretary-General Margaret Chan on January 28, 2016 convened an emergency meeting for February 1, 2016 to discuss and decide on whether to treat the eruption of ZIKA virus as an international public health emergency. The announcement came in the wake of possible links between the virus and explosion in cases of microcephaly and Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disease associated with nervous breakdown and failure. At least 31 cases of ZIKA virus were detected in the USA since 2015 in 11 states, including Texas. All the patients have been infected in the countries where the virus is prevalent. The virus spread to more than 20 countries and territories in Latin America and Caribbean, with Brazil as the epicenter.
HISTORY OF ZIKA
* Discovered in a rhesus monkey in 1947 in the Zika forest of Uganda
* First diagnosed in humans in 1954 in Nigeria
* Zika virus (ZikV) has been confined to Central and North Africa until 2007 when the virus has been detected in Micronesia and Polynesia
Brazil Declares a War on Mosquito that Carries Zika Virus
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on January 29, 2016 declared a war on the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, that carries the Zika virus. The mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is particularly more ominous because of its presence during day time.
WHO Declares Zika Public Health Emergency
World Health Organization on February 1, 2016 , after an emergency session at Geneva, announced Zika and its suspected link to microcephaly for pregnant women as international public health emergency.
Colombia's President Sees No Significant Link between Zika and Microcephaly
Colombian President Jose Manuel Santos said on February 6, 2016 that his government didn't find yet any link between Zika virus and Microcephaly, a symptom that associates with babies being born with tiny head. President Santos said that at least 3,177 pregnant women and more than 25,600 Colombians were so far affected by Zika virus.
FDA Unveils Policy for Blood Donation
Food and Drug Administration on February 16, 2016 unveiled its first policy over blood donation with respect to a growing threat of Zika virus. Peter Marks, Director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement that "based on the best available evidence", people affected, or suspected to be affected, or intimately in touch with such people, should wait out 28 days before donating blood. In addition, blood used for transfusion in Puerto Rico, American Samoa and U.S. Virgin Islands should be procured from other parts of the U.S. Red Cross and AABB, American Association of Blood Banks, issued the identical directives.
More Headache on ZIKA as a Mosquito with Reach in North Carries the Virus
The common notion that only Aedes aegypti mosquito carries the ZIKA virus may not be totally correct as a recent discovery, reported by The Washington Post in its April 29, 2016, edition, by the Pan American Health Organization shows that another brand of mosquito that is common further in the north in the United States and Canada may also carry this virus. Unlike Aedes aegypti mosquito, Aedes albopictus is found beyond the Gulf states and warmer climate in the southern parts of the United States, bringing many millions of Americans within the reach and risk of ZIKA virus.
Second Baby in the US Born with Zika-related Birth Defect
On May 31, 2016, a second baby was born of a Zika-infected Honduran mother with related birth defect at Hackensack Medical University Hospital. The first case occurred in Hawaii when a woman infected with Zika delivered a baby with birth defect. That woman lived in Brazil. In April, 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that there was ample evidence to link microcephaly to Zika.
WHO Issues Guidelines for People Living in ZIKA-Infected Regions
World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a guideline in the first week of June 2016 advising people who live in 46 nations across Caribbean and Latin America to delay pregnancy in the light of ZIKA virus spreading through the region. The original notice didn't receive much attention, but a clarification issued by WHO on June 9, 2016 got the world's attention as it said that the advice was related to people who lived there, not to the visitors. Early on, five countries as well as Puerto Rico issued such advice, but Centers for Disease Control and Prevention refrained from any such directive.
Three Babies Born with ZIKA-related Birth Defects
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on June 16, 2016 that three babies with ZIKA-caused birth defects were born in the USA in the recent days, the first such cases reported in the continental America. At present, 234 pregnant women--visitors and residents--are diagnosed with ZIKA virus.
First Known Locally Infected ZIKA Cases Surface
The ray of hope that the mainland America may be spared from mosquito-borne ZIKA virus has disappeared on July 29, 2016 as Florida Governor Rick Scott announced four cases of ZIKA in Miami's Wynwood arts district, a trendy area with plenty of murals and artistic renderings, that might have been caused by mosquito bites. Weighing in the newfound cases of ZIKA infection, CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said that ZIKA "is now here". Before the Wynwood cases, almost all of the nearly 1,650 cases in recent months have been tied to infections while travelling to ZIKA-dominated nations or acquired from partners.
ZIKA Declared an Emergency in Puerto Rico
As 1,914 new cases of Zika virus surfaced over the past week, taking the total number of cases to about 10,690 since the first case had been reported in December 2015, the U.S. government on August 12, 2016 declared the virus an emergency in Puerto Rico.
ZIKA Found in Tourist Hotspot
Federal and state officials said on August 19, 2016 that five mosquito-borne new ZIKA cases had emerged and, to consternation of tourist officials in the midst of summer months, the dragnet of the virus had expanded to South Beach area, a famous strip of Miami Beach with night clubs, trendy restaurants, hotels and bars. With these five new cases, total number of mosquito-borne ZIKA infections reported now stands at 36, most of them have been traced to few blocks of Miami's Wynwood arts district.
Recommendation of ZIKA Screening in Blood Donation Issued
Food and Drug Administration on August 26, 2016 issued a recommendation for a costly screening of blood donation in all 50 states for ZIKA detection.
WHO Withdraws ZIKA Emergency
World Health Organization on November 18, 2016 withdrew a worldwide emergency due to ZIKA virus that had pummeled nearly 30 nations, including the most affected Brazil where at least 2,100 cases had been reported. Dr. David Heymann, who was in charge of global response of ZIKA since the emergency had been announced on February 1, 2016, clarified during the day that the virus remained "a significant and enduring public health challenge, but it no longer represents an emergency". ZIKA was first observed in 1947, but it had never struck so vehemently before.
********************************** ZIKA VIRUS************************************
********************************** MONKEYPOX **********************************
WHO: Monkeypox not Global Emergency
World Health Organization Emergency Committee met on June 25, 2022 to discuss the state of transmission and severity of Monkeypox. The august body decided not to call Monkeypox as a "global emergency".
WHO Declares Monkeypox as Global Health Emergency
On July 23, 2022, World Health Organization declared monkeypox as a global emergency, freeing up the resources and mitigation measures to tackle a rapidly spreading virus that had sickened so far more than 16,500 people in 74 countries. Labeling the virus as "Public Health Emergency of International Concern", the highest alert label by the international organization, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that "we have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly through new modes of transmissions".
Africa Shortchanged Again on Monkeypox Vaccine
Reminiscent of allegation of inadequate supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Africa is facing another supply shortage this time: monkeypox vaccine. The head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ahmed Ogwell, said on July 28, 2022 that "let us get vaccines onto this continent" as the continent of 1.3 billion people has yet to receive a single vial of the vaccine despite being the only continent with documented deaths from the virus. The continent was discriminated too in COVID-19 vaccine supply and distribution. As of today, more than 20,000 monkeypox cases are reported in 77 nations. In Africa, at least 2100 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 11 nations, with 75 deaths.
Biden Names FEMA and CDC Officials to Coordinate the Fight against Monkeypox
President Joe Biden On August 2, 2022 named a regional administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Robert Fenton, as the national monkeypox response coordinator and Demetre Daskalakis, head of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, as deputy coordinator.
Dallas County's Monkeypox Vaccine Strategy Centers around PrEP Medication Takers
The Dallas Morning News in its August 3, 2022, front-page article touched upon Dallas County's eligibility and expansion criteria of the monkeypox vaccine, Jynneos. Last week, Dallas County received 5,000 Jynneos vaccines from the federal authorities, guaranteeing the two-dose shots only for about 2,500 people. Since the number of shots is small compared to the countywide need, Dallas County has prioritized the people based on people whose risks are very high. Dallas County has decided that the Jynneos will first be administered to men who are taking the HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis.
U.S. Declares Monkeypox Public Health Emergency
12 days after the World Health Organization declared monkeypox as the "Public Health Emergency of International Concern", U.S. on August 4, 2022 labeled the outbreak as public health emergency, freeing up resources and helping amass tools to fight the spread of the virus that has sickened more than 6,600. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra vowed to "take our response to the next level" and urged "every American to take monkeypox seriously".
U.S. Approves One-fifth of Regular Dose of Monkeypox Vaccine for at-risk Adults
As the monkeypox is spreading rapidly in the U.S. and the stockpile of the vaccine Jynneos is running low, U.S. health authorities are stretching the supply to cover more at-risk adults by cutting the size of each dose of the vaccine. On August 9, 2022, Food and Drug Administration recommended that the vaccine be administered just under the surface of the skin, or shallow injection, or intradermal injection, that would need only one-fifth of the regular dose. The regular dose is administered through subcutaneous injection. White House's monkeypox coordinator Robert Fenton said during the day that the shallow injection, or intradermal injection, model would help the country "stay ahead of the virus" as "it's safe, it's effective, and it will significantly scale the volume of vaccine doses available for the communities". The August 9, 2022, FDA plan on vaccine dose volume came after a 2015 NIH study that had shown that a shallow injection, or intradermal injection, model could boost the body immunity by 94% compared to that of 98% from the subcutaneous injection model. The FDA, though, left the vaccine dose for at-risk young people at the same traditional dose level.
WHO to Rename Monkeypox
World Health Organization announced on August 13, 2022 that it would rename the monkeypox to remove any potential stereotype or stain associated with any specific groups or regions.
Racial Disparity Reported in Monkeypox Vaccination
Reflecting the balance of disproportionate COVID-19 vaccination among various racial groups, the monkeypox vaccines are being inoculated at a much lower rate among the pre-dominant African-American communities compared to their White peers although one-third of new Monkeypox infections are happening among African-American people. According to the CDC data reported from 17 states and two cities, The Dallas Morning News reported on August 27, 2022 that only 10% of the Monkeypox vaccines were administered among the African-American people.
WHO Mulling over Declaring MPOX as International Public Health Emergency
The Dallas Morning News publish a report in its August 7, 2024, edition on the recent surge of MPOX in Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond. In about an year's timeline, the virus infected at least 12,600 people and killed at least 500 in the DRC. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the world body was mulling over calling an international panel of experts to assess that there was a need to declare the current crisis an international public health emergency. Two prime vaccine makers--Bavarian Nordic A/S and KM Biologics Company--are scrambling to send the vaccines to Africa. The variant of MPOX found in the DRC are reported to be present in cases in other nations, including Ivory Coast and Kenya.
WHO Declares MPOX as International Public Health Emergency
A day after Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared MPOX as regional public health emergency, World Health Organization on August 14, 2024 declared it as an international public health emergency. A different strain [from the last time in 2022 emergency] of the MPOX, Clade 1b, has spread in eastern parts of Democratic Republic of Congo. For the first time, the new clade was found in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. The new mutant, Clade 1b, is more severe compared to Clade 2, the strain detected last time when WHO had declared an international public health emergency in 2022, but less severe than Clade 1 that has been prevalent for long time in DRC.
There are 13,800 confirmed and suspected cases of MPOX in DRC, with 450 deaths, according to Africa CDC, and children younger than 15 accounting for 68% of the infections and 85% of the deaths. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus' August 14, 2024, declaration came after an international panel of experts was convened to discuss on the clade, rapidity and severity of the infection and recommend appropriate actions.
Sweden Reports First MPOX Case
A day after World Health Organization declared the current bout of MPOX that had been ravaging the eastern parts of Democratic Republic of Congo an international public health emergency, Swedish authorities on August 15, 2024 announced that a person had been recently tested in Stockholm for the new clade of MPOX that had been found in Congo, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.
Thailand Reports First Case of MPOX
On August 22, 2024, Thai authorities reported that an European who flew from Africa to Thailand sought treatment on August 15, 2024 and the test showed that the individual was afflicted with MPOX.
Lack of Adequate Vaccines Frustrates Healthcare Professionals
That the vaccine plays a dual role of boosting immunity to individuals as well as containing the transmission is being constantly emphasized by health organizations, including World Health Organization. The chief of the WHO's African Advisory Group on Immunization, Helen Rees, told the Bloomberg Television on August 23, 2024 that lack of timely supply of MPOX vaccines would pose a problem in containment strategy.
MPOX Detected in a New Country
Bloomberg News reported on September 6, 2024 that Burundi was the latest nation in Africa to have been hit by MPOX. Burundian Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca this week warned people against coming in close contact with each other or shaking hands, and added that gathering places such as churches should stock enough sanitizers and people should follow the best practices. World Health Organization has attributed the spread to a specific subvariant, Clade 1-b, which is highly transmissible.
According to Burundian Health Ministry, at least 331 people were diagnosed with MPOX, with 54% affecting the children ages 15 and younger. In Democratic Republic of Congo, meanwhile, at least 20,463 cases were recorded, with 635 deaths.
In Burundi, if the spread of that scale happens, it will be disastrous on the healthcare system. As the world's poorest country ranked by the World Bank data, Bujumbura allocated $118 million, or nearly 8.6%, for its healthcare in 2023-2024, according to the UNICEF.
First U.S. Case Detected in California
California Department of Public Health on November 16, 2024 reported the first MPOX case in the U.S.. The patient, who had recently returned from Africa, was treated in San Mateo County. The patient was diagnosed with the more severe strain of MPOX that had spread in Central and East Africa, killed hundreds and hospitalized thousands.
********************************** MONKEYPOX **********************************
