Tag: WHO
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Low Risk Nipah Virus Spread to Namibia Remains Small, Say Health Officials
Overview: Nipah virus and Namibia The Nipah virus, a rare but highly deadly pathogen, has dominated global health alerts in recent weeks following confirmed cases in India. Health authorities in southern Africa, including Namibia, are closely monitoring the situation. Yet official updates suggest the immediate risk of Nipah spreading to Namibia remains low. This assessment…
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Low Nipah Virus Risk in Namibia: What Travelers and Locals Should Know
Understanding Nipah Virus and Current Global Context The Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection that can spread from animals to humans and, in some outbreaks, between people. It is considered highly deadly, with limited but serious transmission routes. Recent confirmed cases in India have prompted health authorities to assess the potential risk to other regions.…
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Lyme Disease Misinformation: Why Celebrities Matter to Public Perception
Lyme Disease Misinformation Is Harming Public Understanding Lyme disease has long lived in a gray area of medical knowledge, rumor, and evolving research. In recent years, a new layer has been layered on top: celebrity voices that share personal experiences with chronic illness, sometimes without clear medical context. While openness about health can reduce stigma…
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Nipah Virus: What to Know About This Rare and Deadly Illness
Understanding Nipah Virus: A Rare, High-Fatality Disease The Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen, meaning it can spread from animals to humans. First identified in 1998 during a Nipah outbreak in Malaysia, the virus has since caused sporadic cases and outbreaks in parts of Asia. Nipah infections are rare but highly serious, with a fatality…
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UK loses measles-free status as vaccination uptake falls and deaths rise
What happened: the measles-free status is no longer assured The World Health Organization (WHO) has reclassified the United Kingdom from a measles-free country to a status that reflects ongoing transmission and rising health risks. This change follows a noticeable uptick in measles deaths in recent years and, crucially, a drop in the proportion of children…
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Measles Re-established in the UK: What Global Health Chiefs Say
UK loses its measles elimination status, according to WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that the United Kingdom is no longer considered to have eliminated measles. This judgment follows a period of renewed transmission and outbreaks that disrupt the country’s long-standing public health achievement. While elimination status is a formal recognition of very…
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Measles Re-established in the UK: What this Means for Public Health
Overview: Measles is no longer considered eliminated in the UK The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that measles transmission has been re-established in the United Kingdom, marking a significant shift in public health status. For years, the UK had held elimination status, indicating that endemic transmission of measles had been interrupted. The latest assessment…
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Measles Re-established in UK, WHO Confirms: What This Means for Public Health
Overview: Measles no longer considered eliminated in the UK The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that measles transmission is no longer considered eliminated in the United Kingdom. This marks a significant shift in global health status, with the UK now facing renewed challenges from a disease some had believed was largely under control. The…
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Kenya’s Silent Struggle: Leprosy Remains a Challenge Decades After ‘Elimination’
Introduction: A Lingering Challenge in Kenya Leprosy, a historically feared disease, is curable with early diagnosis and proper treatment. Yet in Kenya, the battle continues as new cases emerge and communities confront stigma, delayed care, and uneven access to services. While the country was once hailed for advancing toward leprosy elimination, experts warn that declared…
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Kenya’s Silent Struggle: Leprosy Resurges Despite ‘Elimination’
Overview: Leprosy’s lingering presence in Kenya Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, remains a stubborn public health challenge in Kenya, even as the country celebrated periods of decline. Globally, the World Health Organization reports that more than 120 countries are affected by leprosy, with roughly 200,000 new cases each year. In Kenya, the disease has not vanished…