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America's absurd war on 'organized retail crime'

Incidence of stroke and related deaths are rising substantially around the world, with <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword>, <keyword id="21334318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="high-temperatures" source="keywords">high temperatures</keyword> and metabolic risk factors such as high blood pressure and physical inactivity, driving these increases, according to estimates published in The Lancet Neurology journal. Researchers found that the contribution of high temperatures to poor health and early death due to stroke has increased 72% since 1990 and is likely to continue increasing in the future, thereby highlighting how environmental factors can impact growing stroke burden. Further, for the first time, particulate matter or PM air pollution was found to have the same contribution as smoking towards causing a fatal form of brain bleed, according to the researchers forming the <keyword id="20691740" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Global-Burden-of-Disease" source="keywords">Global Burden of Disease</keyword>, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) group. The GBD study, the "largest and most comprehensive effort to quantify health loss across places and over time", is coordinated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, US. Globally, the number of people experiencing a stroke for the first time rose to 119 lakh in 2021 -- up by 70% since 1990 -- while deaths related to stroke rose to 73 lakh, which was up by 44% since 1990, making the neurological condition the third leading cause of death after ischaemic heart disease (short supply of blood to heart) and COVID-19. They added that over three-fourth of those affected by strokes live in low- and middle-income countries. According to lead author Valery L. Feigin from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, the rapid growth in the number of people affected by stroke strongly suggested that <keyword id="23228151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stroke-prevention" source="keywords">stroke prevention</keyword> strategies currently used are not sufficiently effective. "New, proven effective population-wide and motivational individual prevention strategies that could be applied to all people at risk of having a stroke, regardless of the level of risk, as recommended in the recent Lancet Neurology Commission on Stroke should be implemented across the globe urgently," said Feigin. The researchers also estimated that stroke-related liabilities attributable to 23 modifiable risk factors, including air pollution, excess body weight, high blood pressure, smoking and physical inactivity, increased from 100 million years of healthy life lost in 1990 to 135 million in 2021. These risk factors are present in huge numbers in Eastern Europe, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, they said. The authors also acknowledged substantial progress made in reducing the global stroke burden from risk factors linked to poor diet, air pollution and smoking. Poor health resulting from diets high in processed meat and low in vegetables declined by 40 % and 30%, respectively, while that due to PM air pollution and smoking fell by 20 % and 13%, respectively, they found. The results suggested that strategies for reducing exposure to these risk factors over the past three decades such as clean air zones and public smoking bans have been successful, the authors said. They called for implementing and monitoring the evidence-based recommendations set out in the 2023 World Stroke Organization-Lancet Neurology Commission on stroke for drastically reducing the global burden of stroke in the years to come and improving brain health and overall well-being of millions of people around the world. The recommendations include stroke surveillance programmes that monitor indicators of stroke such as incidence, recurrence, death rates and risk factors in a country, and care and rehabilitation services for people affected by stroke.

Stroke cases increasing globally, air pollution, high temperatures driving numbers, notes Lancet Study

Sydney, Aug 15 (The Conversation): The <keyword id="19896311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Health Organization" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="World Health Organization">World Health Organization</keyword> (<keyword id="19895006" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="WHO" source="keywords">WHO</keyword>) has declared <keyword id="20965747" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mpox" source="keywords">mpox</keyword> a public health emergency of international concern, after rising cases in the <keyword id="22796094" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo" source="keywords">Democratic Republic of the Congo</keyword> and the potential for further spread. This now triggers a coordinated international response to an extraordinary event and the mobilisation of resources, such as vaccines and diagnostic testing, to curb the spread of this infectious disease. But WHO has not declared mpox a <keyword id="19913581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pandemic" source="keywords">pandemic</keyword>. Rather, the measures it has triggered are designed to prevent it from becoming one. <h2>What triggered this latest alert?</h2> Mpox, once known as monkeypox, is a viral infection closely related to <keyword id="22362924" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="smallpox" source="keywords">smallpox</keyword>. Initial symptoms include a fever, headache, swelling of the lymph nodes and muscle ache. A typical rash follows, mainly on the face, hands and feet. The spread of mpox through certain African countries led the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to declare earlier this week mpox a public health emergency of continental security. This is the first time the organisation has issued such an alert since it was established in 2017. The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa has been particularly worrying for more than a year. There are two types or clades of mpox. Clade II, which originates in west Africa, is less severe. It has a fatality rate of up to 1 per cent (in other words, roughly one in 100 are expected to die from it). But clade I, from central Africa, has a fatality rate of up to 10 per cent (up to one in ten die). This compares to a 0.7 per cent fatality rate for the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is seeing large epidemics of the more deadly clade I mpox. Mpox is endemic in some parts of central and west Africa, where the virus exists in animals and can spread to humans. Outbreaks have been increasing, with more human-to-human spread, since 2017. This is partly due to very low levels of immunity to the mpox virus, which is related to the virus that causes smallpox. Mass vaccination against smallpox ceased more than 40 years ago globally, resulting in minimal immunity in populations today against mpox. The WHO designation announced this week relates to the clade I. Not only does this have a higher fatality rate, it has new mutations that enhance spread between people. These changes, and the global lack of immunity to mpox, makes the world's population vulnerable to the virus. <h2>There are two different epidemics</h2> In 2022, an epidemic of mpox swept through non-endemic countries, including beyond Africa. This was a variant of clade II originating from Nigeria, called clade IIb. This was sexually transmitted, predominantly affecting men who have sex with men, and had a low fatality rate. That epidemic peaked in 2022, with vaccines made available to people at risk in high-income countries, but there has been an uptick in 2024. At the same time, large clade I epidemics were occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but with far less attention. Vaccines were not available there, even in 2023, when there were 14,626 cases and 654 deaths. Mortality was 4.5 per cent, and higher in children. In fact, most cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been children. This means most transmission there is non-sexual and is likely to have occurred through close contact or respiratory aerosols. However, in 2023 an <keyword id="20877025" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="outbreak" source="keywords">outbreak</keyword> in a non-endemic part of the country, South Kivu in the east, appeared to be by sexual transmission, indicating more than one epidemic and different transmission modes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. By mid-2024, there were already more cases in the country than all of 2023 - more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths. Testing capacity is low in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, most cases are not confirmed by lab testing, and the data we have are from a small sample of genomic sequences from the Kamituga region of South Kivu. This show mutations to the clade I virus around September 2023, to a variant termed clade Ib, which is more readily transmissible between people. We do not have much data to compare these viruses with the viruses causing cases in the rest of the country. <h2>Mpox is spreading internationally</h2> In the past month, the virus has spread to countries that share a border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Rwanda and Burundi. It has also spread to other east African countries, such as Kenya and Uganda. None of these countries have had mpox cases previously. In an interconnected, mobile world, cases may spread to other continents, as mpox did in 2018 from Nigeria to the United Kingdom and other countries. A few travel-related cases between 2018 and 2019 may have led to the large multi-country 2022 clade IIb epidemic. <h2>We have vaccines, but not where they are needed</h2> As the mpox virus and smallpox viruses are related (they are both orthopoxviruses), smallpox vaccines offer protection against mpox. These vaccines were used to control the 2022 clade IIb epidemic. However, most of the world has never been vaccinated, and has no immunity to mpox. The newer <keyword id="19959412" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine" source="keywords">vaccine</keyword> (called Jynneos in some countries and Imvamune or Imvanex in others) is effective. However, supplies are limited, and vaccine is scarce in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. WHO's declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern will help mobilise vaccines to where they are needed. The Africa Centres for Disease Control had already begun negotiations to secure 2,00,000 doses of vaccine, which is a fraction of what is required to control the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. <h2>What happens now?</h2> Ultimately, a serious epidemic anywhere in the world is a concern for all of us, as it can spread globally through travel, as we saw with the COVID pandemic. Controlling it at the source is the best measure, and WHO's latest declaration will help mobilise the required resources. Surveillance for spread of this more serious version of mpox is also essential, bearing in mind that many countries do not have the capacity for widespread testing. So we'll have to rely on "suspected cases", based on a clinical definition, to keep track of the epidemic. Open-source epidemic intelligence - such as using AI to monitor trends in rash and fever illness - can also be used as an early warning system in countries with weak health systems or delayed reporting of cases. A further complication is that 20-30 per cent of people with mpox may simultaneously have chickenpox, an unrelated infection that also causes a rash. So an initial diagnosis of chickenpox (which is easier to test for) does not rule out mpox. Effective communication and tackling push-back against public health measures and disinformation is also key. We saw how important this was during the COVID pandemic. Now, WHO will coordinate the global mpox response, focusing on equity in disease prevention and access to diagnostics and vaccines. It is up to individual countries to do their best to comply with the International Health Regulations, and the protocols for how such a global emergency are managed.

WHO has declared mpox a global health emergency. What happens next?

Emerging evidence suggests that <keyword id="8952494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-virus" source="Orion">Covid virus</keyword> can have lasting effects on nearly every organ and organ system of the body weeks, months and potentially years after infection, an updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (<keyword id="6379474" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cdc" source="Orion">CDC</keyword>) guidance for certifying deaths due to coronavirus disease has revealed. In the acute phase, clinical manifestations and complications of Covid-19 of varying degrees have been documented, including death. However, patients who recover from the acute phase of the infection can still suffer long-term effects, commonly referred to as "long <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword>". Now, the expanded CDC guidance suggests that documented serious post-Covid conditions include cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, renal, endocrine, haematological, and gastrointestinal complications as well as death. "For decedents, who had a previous SARSCoV-2 infection and were diagnosed with a post-Covid condition, the certifier may consider the possibility that the death was due to long-term complications of Covid-19, even if the original infection occurred months or years before death," according to the updated Vital Statistics Reporting Guidance. In some cases, survival from Covid can be complicated by pre-existing chronic conditions, especially those that result in diminished lung capacity, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma. These medical conditions do not cause Covid-19, but can increase the risk of contracting a respiratory infection and death, said the CDC guidance. Long Covid has also been associated with reduced brain oxygen levels, worse performance on cognitive tests and increased psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, according to new research from the University of Waterloo in Canada. At least 65 million people are thought to have long Covid, according to a latest review of 200 Covid-19 studies published in Nature Reviews Microbiology journal. The US-based researchers estimate that the condition is present in 10 per cent of more than 651 million Covid-19 cases that have been documented worldwide. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/noise-and-fire-boltt-entered-in-top-five-in-global-smartwatch-shipments/articleshow/98171390.cms">These two Indian brands have together sold more smartwatches than Samsung in 2022</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/four-out-of-five-wireless-earbuds-sold-in-india-in-2022-were-from-an-indian-company/articleshow/98141414.cms">Four out of five wireless earbuds sold in India in 2022 were from an Indian company</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/how-to-compare-your-tax-liability-in-old-and-new-tax-regimes/articleshow/98116217.cms">How to compare your tax liability in old and new tax regimes</a>

Covid virus can have lasting effects on nearly every organ for years: CDC

People exposed to higher levels of <keyword id="55910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="Orion">air pollution</keyword> before the pandemic are likely to have lower antibody responses to Covid-19 vaccines, suggests a study. In particular, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and blank carbon (BC) was associated with about a 10 per cent decrease in IgM and IgG antibody responses in people without prior infection, said researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), and the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) in Spain. The fact that previous infections lead to higher vaccine responses could explain why the effect of pollutants was only observed in people without a prior infection. However, the role of long-term exposure to air pollution on hybrid immunity (infection plus vaccination) deserves further investigation, the researchers warned, in the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. "Air pollution can induce chronic inflammation, which has been associated with a negative effect on vaccine efficacy," said Carlota Dobano, researcher from ISGlobal. "Our findings are consistent with evidence that persistent organic pollutants reduce vaccine responses in children," she added. Air pollutants have been shown to affect immune responses. Previously it has been linked to adverse health outcomes, including lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and diabetes. The team analysed data from 927 participants (aged 40 to 65 years), who answered questionnaires and gave blood samples in the summer of 2020 (right after the first lockdown) and in 2021 (after the start of Covid-19 vaccination). All had received one or two doses of the main Covid-19 vaccines administered in Spain (made by AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna). The research team measured IgM, IgG and IgA antibodies to five viral antigens (three of them on the Spike protein contained in the vaccine). Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) was estimated for each participant based on his or her address before the pandemic. The results show that in uninfected individuals, pre-pandemic exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and BC was associated with a 5 per cent to 10 per cent reduction in vaccine-induced Spike antibodies. The decrease in antibodies was shown both for early IgM responses and late responses measured by IgG. The IgG response after the first dose peaked later in participants exposed to higher air pollution levels, and lower IgG levels persisted for several months after vaccination. Results were similar for the three vaccines. The study did not look at whether the reduction in antibody responses led to an increased risk of breakthrough infections and their severity. However, the findings add to the growing body of evidence on the adverse effects of air pollution even at the relatively low levels observed in Western Europe, the researchers said, while calling for stricter air pollution limits. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ipl-2023-to-drive-fantasy-sports-companies-to-2900-3100-crore-revenue/articleshow/99285556.cms">IPL 2023 to drive fantasy sports companies to ₹2,900-3,100 crore revenue, fueled by Tier-2 cities and exciting prizes</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-makes-it-easier-for-users-to-delete-their-account-and-data-from-applications/articleshow/99289621.cms">Google makes it easier for users to delete their account and data from applications</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/9-out-10-tvs-sold-in-india-in-2022-were-smart-tvs-and-nearly-all-of-these-tvs-are-assembled-locally/articleshow/99262205.cms">9 out 10 TVs sold in India in 2022 were smart TVs, and nearly all of these TVs are assembled locally</a>

Air pollution can affect your Covid vaccine efficacy: Study

<keyword id="9485939" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covaxin" source="Orion">Covaxin</keyword>, India's first indigenous vaccine for Covid-19, has been found to be 77.8 per cent effective, according to the safety and efficacy analysis data from Phase III clinical trials peer reviewed and published in reputed medical journal The Lancet. Hyderabad-based <keyword id="149108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharat-biotech" source="Orion">Bharat Biotech</keyword> said the Lancet peer-review confirms the efficacy analysis which demonstrates Covaxin to be effective against Covid-19. The vaccine maker Covaxin is the only Covid-19 vaccine to have demonstrated efficacy data from phase III clinical trials against the Delta variant at 65.2 per cent. A"The efficacy analysis demonstrates Covaxin to be 77.8 per cent effective against symptomatic Covid-19, through evaluation of 130 confirmed cases, with 24 observed in the vaccine group versus 106 in the placebo group," the company said. The efficacy analysis also demonstrates Covaxin to be 93.4 per cent effective against severe symptomatic Covid-19 "Safety analysis demonstrates adverse events reported were similar to placebo, with 12 per cent of subjects experiencing commonly known side effects and less than 0.5 per cent of subjects experiencing serious adverse events," it said The efficacy data also shows 63.6 per cent protection against asymptomatic Covid-19, 65.2 per cent protection against the SARS-CoV-2, B.1.617.2 Delta and 70.8 per cent protection against all variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Covaxin was developed under a partnership with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the <keyword id="6375751" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-institute-of-virology" source="Orion">National Institute of Virology</keyword>, with Bharat Biotech receiving the SARS-COV-2 strains through this collaboration. Bharat Biotech had established an ongoing collaboration with ViroVax since 2019, through the Indo-US Vaccine Action Program, to develop and evaluate IMDG (Alhydroxiquim-II), a novel TLR7/8 agonist molecule, which is formulated as part of the adjuvant in Covaxin. The Adjuvant Program of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has supported ViroVax since 2009. "The peer-review of Covaxin phase III clinical trial data in The Lancet, an authoritative voice in global medicine validates our commitment to data transparency and meeting the stringent peer-review standards of world leading medical journals," said Krishna Ella, CMD of Bharat Biotech. He said the data from their product development and clinical trials have been published in 10 peer-reviewed journals, making Covaxin one of the most highly published Covid-19 vaccines in the world. The phase 3 trial Efficacy and Safety Study involving 25,800 volunteers across 25 sites in India is India's largest ever clinical trial conducted for a Covid-19 vaccine. "I am delighted to see that the phase III efficacy data has also been published in The Lancet, one of the most reputed journals worldwide. This itself speaks high about the strong position of Covaxin amongst other global front-runners Covid-19 vaccines.A The bench to bedside journey of Covaxin in less than 10 months showcases the immense strength of Atmanirbhar Bharat along with the Indian academia and industry in fighting against the odds and carving a niche in the global community," said Balram Bhargava, Director General of the ICMR. Recently, the <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> granted emergency use listing to Covaxin enabling countries to expedite their regulatory approval to import and administer doses. It has also received emergency use authorizations in several countries with applications in process in more than 50 countries worldwide. Bharat Biotech has partnered with Ocugen to obtain approvals for Covaxin in the US and Canada. With more than 150 million doses manufactured, supplied, and with an excellent safety and efficacy profile, Covaxin is a major contributor to the global fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The vaccine is currently being evaluated in controlled clinical trials in children 2-18 years of age, with results expected during Q4 2021. Bharat Biotech said it was poised to achieve its goal of an annualized capacity of Aabout 1 billion doses of Covaxin by the end of 2021. 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India's Covaxin 77.8% effective for COVID-19, says Lancet Report

The <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> has again urged <keyword id="1334" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="china" source="Orion">China</keyword> to regularly share specific and real-time data on the COVID-19 situation in the country, amid a surge in coronavirus cases after Beijing relaxed its strict "zero-COVID" policy. The global health agency has asked Chinese health officials to share data on genetic sequencing, hospitalisations, deaths and vaccinations. A high-level meeting took place between officials from WHO and China on the current surge in COVID-19 cases to seek further information on the situation, and to offer WHO's expertise and further support, a WHO statement said on Friday. "WHO again asked for regular sharing of specific and real-time data on the epidemiological situation - including more genetic sequencing data, data on disease impact including hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths -and data on vaccinations delivered and vaccination status, especially in vulnerable people and those over 60 years old," it added. WHO reiterated the importance of vaccination and booster doses to protect against severe disease and death for people at higher risk. The statement said that high-level officials from China's National Health Commission and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration briefed WHO on China's evolving strategy and actions in the areas of epidemiology, monitoring of variants, vaccination, clinical care, communication and R&amp;D. WHO called on China to strengthen viral sequencing, clinical management, and impact assessment, and expressed willingness to provide support on these areas, as well as on risk communications on vaccination to counter hesitancy. "Chinese scientists are invited to engage more closely in WHO-led COVID-19 expert networks including the COVID-19 clinical management network," the WHO statement said. It said that the WHO has invited Chinese scientists to present detailed data on viral sequencing at a meeting of the <keyword id="341563" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="technical-advisory-group" source="Orion">Technical Advisory Group</keyword> on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution on January 3. "WHO stressed the importance of monitoring and the timely publication of data to help China and the global community to formulate accurate risk assessments and to inform effective responses," it said. Millions of Chinese have been infected in the current surge of <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> variants in the country, causing an alarm over the world. China's health officials on Friday discussed with the WHO experts the current surge of the COVID-19 cases in the country after the organisation's chief <keyword id="3685849" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tedros-adhanom-ghebreyesus" source="Orion">Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus</keyword> asked Beijing to share more information. The WHO tweeted on Thursday: "As I said at our most recent press conference -- in order to make a comprehensive risk assessment of the COVID-19 situation on the ground in China, @WHO needs more detailed information." He also defended various countries, including India, to take protective measures against people arriving from China to prevent the virus from spreading. "In the absence of comprehensive information from China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations," he said. India has joined the United States, Japan, Italy and Taiwan in imposing mandatory COVID tests for travellers from China, amid a COVID-19 surge there after authorities relaxed strict "zero-COVID" rules. "We continue to call on China to share data and all hypotheses about this pandemic remain on the table," the WHO chief said, referring to the origin of the coronavirus which was first reported in Wuhan city of China in late 2019. His remarks came against the backdrop of China criticising the countermeasures taken by various countries including the US, Japan and India requiring travellers from China to undergo the required tests. Official COVID-19 figures from China have become unreliable as less testing is being done across the country following the recent easing of the "zero-COVID" policy. Beijing's decision to lift all travel restrictions, including scrapping of quarantine for inbound travellers from January 8 ahead of Chinese New Year, has caused alarm around the world. Millions of Chinese are expected to travel to various parts of the world for holiday during this period. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/december-auto-sales-could-skid-sequentially-on-production-constraints-purchase-deferrals-due-to-inauspicious-period/articleshow/96617021.cms">December auto sales could skid sequentially on production constraints, purchase deferrals due to ‘inauspicious’ period</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/gautam-adani-man-of-the-year/articleshow/96610248.cms">Gautam Adani: Man of the year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/fpis-return-to-indian-equities-in-the-second-half-of-2022-but-bond-flows-are-still-in-the-red/articleshow/96563652.cms">FPIs return to Indian equities in the second half of 2022, but bond flows are still in the red</a>

WHO asks China to regularly share data on Covid-19 situation

<ul><li>The WHO chief on Friday said that the curbs on travellers from <keyword id="1334" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="china" source="Orion">China</keyword> are "understandable" in the absence of comprehensive information from the ground.</li><li>He had said last week that the WHO is "very concerned over the evolving situation in China" and appealed for specific <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> data.</li><li>China's National Health Commission (<keyword id="320997" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nhc" source="Orion">NHC</keyword>) has stopped publishing daily Covid-19 case data, handing over the charge to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</li></ul>The <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> (WHO) chief on Friday said that the curbs on travellers from China by various countries are "understandable" in the absence of comprehensive information from the ground. WHO Director-General <keyword id="3685849" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tedros-adhanom-ghebreyesus" source="Orion">Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus</keyword> made the remark as several countries from the US to South Korea put restrictions on air travellers from China which is seeing a massive Covid surge but not revealing data. "In the absence of comprehensive information from #China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations," the WHO chief said in a tweet. He said that the world body remains concerned about the evolving situation. "We continue encouraging China to track the #COVID19 virus and vaccinate the highest risk people. We continue to offer our support for clinical care and protecting its health system," Ghebreyesus added. He had said last week that the WHO is "very concerned over the evolving situation in China" and appealed for specific data on disease severity, hospital admissions and intensive care requirements. China's National Health Commission (NHC) has stopped publishing daily Covid-19 case data, handing over the charge to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as nations including India ask the country to share actual Covid data on an urgent basis. China's NHC began to release the daily new tally on January 21, 2020, when epidemic experts identified that the virus could spread between humans. However, it will still take days for the CDC to activate the epidemic monitor reporting system and allow the organisation to collect and report infection data effectively. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/from-egypt-to-belarus-countries-that-are-covid-free-amid-a-global-rise-in-cases/slidelist/96591191.cms">From Egypt to Belarus: Countries that are Covid free amid a global rise in cases</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/urgent-need-to-develop-antibiotics-for-newborns-say-global-experts/articleshow/96592721.cms">Urgent need to develop antibiotics for newborns say global experts</a>

Curbs on travellers from China 'understandable' in absence of Covid data: WHO chief

Reduced working hours and more flexible working time arrangements, such as those used during the Covid-19 crisis, can bring benefits for economies, businesses and workers, such as greater productivity and improved work-life balance, a new report released by the <keyword id="240184" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="international-labour-organization" source="Orion">International Labour Organization</keyword> (<keyword id="6456249" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ilo" source="Orion">ILO</keyword>) released. The report, titled '<keyword id="15995305" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="working-time-and-work-life-balance-around" source="Orion">Working Time and Work-Life Balance Around</keyword> the World', is the first of its kind. It provides a comprehensive review of both main aspects of working time -- working hours and working time arrangements -- and their effects on workers' work-life balance, reports Xinhua news agency. According to the report, a substantial portion of the global workforce is now working either long or short hours when compared to a standard eight-hour day or 40-hour working week. More than one-third of all workers are regularly working more than 48 hours per week, while a fifth of the global workforce is working short hours of less than 35 hours per week. The Covid-19 crisis measures yielded powerful new evidence that giving workers more flexibility in how, where and when they work can be positive both for them and for business, for example by improving productivity, the report said. Inclusive short-time work schemes with the highest possible allowances not only maintain employment but also sustain purchasing power and create the possibility of cushioning the effects of economic crises, the report emphasized, adding that public policy responses are needed to promote reductions in hours of work in many countries to promote both a healthy work-life balance and improved productivity. "There is a substantial amount of evidence that work-life balance policies provide significant benefits to enterprises, supporting the argument that such policies are a 'win-win' for both employers and employees," the report stated. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/air-india-issues-show-cause-notices-de-rosters-4-cabin-crew-1-pilot/articleshow/96812818.cms">Air India issues show cause notices, de-rosters 4 cabin crew, 1 pilot</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/this-startup-is-using-abandoned-gas-pipelines-from-1800s-to-ease-telecom-traffic-via-network-as-a-service/articleshow/96809621.cms">This startup is using abandoned gas pipelines from 1800s to ease telecom traffic via network as a service</a>

Flexible working hours can benefit productivity, work-life balance: ILO

A drug used to treat high blood pressure was found to be ineffective in treating even mild COVID-19 cases, according to a study based on 'real world' data from <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. Scientists, from the London School of Hygiene, University of Oxford and TPP House, UK, have provided 'real world' evidence on the effectiveness of COVID-19 treatments, through two studies, helping shed more light on whether the drugs used to treat covid cases can prevent people from becoming seriously ill. One of the studies, which is published in the British Medical Journal, is based on data from India and involves angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), or drugs widely used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease, including telmisartan. The study is a randomised controlled trial involving 787 patients, 778 from India and nine from <keyword id="6355478" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="australia" source="Orion">Australia</keyword>, with an average age of 49 years, admitted to the hospital from May 2020 to November 2021. Included patients who had predominantly mild disease, although the researchers aimed to recruit patients at risk of severe covid, the study said. Half of the participants received ARBs and the other half, or controls, received a placebo for 28 days. A standard dose of the ARB drug telmisartan, starting dose 40 mg/d, was used only in India while the type and dose of ARB were at the discretion of the treating physicians in Australia. These particular drugs were chosen because they work by regulating the same angiotensin protein which the coronavirus uses to enter the body, and in the laboratory have shown potential protectivity against the severe effects of coronaviruses, the study said. However, after 14 days of treatment, the researchers found no meaningful difference in illness severity between the two groups. These findings should help to inform clinical practice. The lack of effect provides reassurance that it is safe to use these protective agents in people indicated, with or without covid-19. The other study is an observational one carried out in <keyword id="6355981" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="england" source="Orion">England</keyword> between December 2021 and February 2022. Researchers used hospital records and death certificates for high-risk adults with covid-19, with an average age of 52, to compare the effectiveness of the antibody treatment sotrovimab with the antiviral drug molnupiravir. The researchers found that those who received sotrovimab were at a substantially lower (46 per cent) risk of severe covid-19 outcomes than those receiving molnupiravir, within 28 days of treatment. The researchers say that their "real-world findings within a time period when both drugs were frequently prescribed and when new variants of covid-19 were circulating provide evidence of current effectiveness of sotrovimab over molnupiravir", according to the study. Their analysis also "supports the conclusion that sotrovimab remains beneficial in fully vaccinated patients, which now represent the majority of the covid-19 patient population in many settings", the study said. Both studies have some important limitations. For instance, in the observational study, some misclassification about the cause of death or hospital admission may have occurred, and the researchers cannot rule out the possibility that differences in the initial severity of covid-19 or other unmeasured factors between treatment groups may have influenced their results, the study said. In the randomised controlled trial, the researchers were unable to source a placebo in Australia, meaning participants and treating clinicians knew they were taking an active drug. Participants were also treated with a relatively low drug dose, so the effect of higher doses remains unknown, the study said. Nevertheless, key strengths included the scale, level of detail and completeness of the underlying data in the observational study, good adherence to study treatment and an adaptive design that allowed the study question to be answered most quickly in the randomised trial, the study said. Results were consistent when restricted to fully vaccinated people and also after further analysis of patients treated between February and May 2022 when the BA.2 omicron variant of covid-19 was dominant in England, suggesting that they are relevant to current clinical care, the study said. There is currently ongoing discussion about the effectiveness of different antibody and antiviral treatments for covid-19 with recent <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> guidance recommending against the use of sotrovimab. However, both drugs are currently available for use in England, the study said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/stillbirths-are-a-hidden-tragedy-says-icmr-as-it-seeks-research-funding/articleshow/95582779.cms">Stillbirths are a hidden tragedy says ICMR as it seeks research funding</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/genetics-says-mating-is-random-but-in-reality-it-takes-shared-interests-to-pair-up-say-researchers/articleshow/95597434.cms">Genetics says mating is random, but in reality it takes shared interests to pair up, say researchers</a>

Blood pressure drug ineffective in treating even mild Covid-19 cases, as per 'real world' data from India

New York, Pfizer-BioNtech's Covid-19 vaccine offers at least 97 per cent effectiveness in symptomatic Covid-19 cases, according to real world data published by the pharma company. The analysis, based on real world data gathered by the Israel Ministry of Health, also found the vaccine's effectiveness at 94 per cent against asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections. "We are extremely encouraged that the real-world effectiveness data coming from Israel are confirming the high efficacy demonstrated in our Phase 3 clinical trial and showing the significant impact of the vaccine in preventing severe disease and deaths due to Covid-19," Luis Jodar, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword> Vaccines, said in a statement. The latest data analysis finds unvaccinated individuals were 44 times more likely to develop symptomatic Covid-19 and 29 times more likely to die from this virus-borne disease. This comprehensive real-world evidence can be of importance to countries around the world as they advance their own vaccination campaigns one year after the <keyword id="43588" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization">World Health Organization</keyword> (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic, the statement said. In January, Pfizer and the Israel MoH entered into a collaboration agreement to monitor the real-world impact of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. The findings from the analysis were derived from de-identified aggregate Israel MoH surveillance data collected between January 17 and March 6, 2021. For all outcomes, vaccine effectiveness was measured from two weeks after the second dose.

Pfizer vaccine 97% effective in symptomatic Covid 19 cases: Study

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is "nowhere near over" as the number of new cases worldwide has risen by 30 per cent in the last two weeks, the <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> (WHO) has said. "I am concerned that cases of Covid-19 continue to rise -- putting further pressure on stretched health systems and health workers. I am also concerned about the increasing trend of deaths," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists here on Tuesday, reports <keyword id="106387" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="xinhua-news-agency" source="Orion">Xinhua news agency</keyword>. According to Michael Ryan, executive director of the <keyword id="13297989" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="who-health-emergencies-program" source="Orion">WHO Health Emergencies Program</keyword>, the recent increase in the number of newly reported Covid-19 cases has been largely driven by <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, and by the lifting of public health and social measures. Recent changes in testing policies have also been hindering the detection of new cases and the monitoring of the evolution of the virus, he said. Last Friday, the WHO's Emergency Committee concluded that the virus remains a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and warned of several interlinked challenges. For instance, though Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 continue to drive the new waves of infections, hospitalizations and deaths around the world, surveillance - including testing and sequencing -- has dropped significantly, making it increasingly difficult to assess the impact of variants on transmission and the effectiveness of countermeasures. "New waves of the virus demonstrate again that Covid-19 is nowhere near over, and the virus is running freely and countries are not effectively managing the disease burden based on their capacity," Tedros said. He urged governments to deploy tried and tested measures like masking, improved ventilation and test and treat protocols, while regularly reviewing and adjusting Covid-19 response plans based on the current epidemiology and also the potential for new variants to appear. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/heres-how-indias-top-10-richest-people-wealth-and-rank-in-the-world-as-per-forbes-list/slidelist/92828191.cms">Adani’s wealth grew by $9.5 billion today – here are India’s top 10 richest and where they stand in the world</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/mba-chai-wala-is-now-looking-to-hire-500-people-for-100-new-stores/articleshow/92828283.cms">From a small thela to 100 stores — MBA Chai Wala is now looking to hire 500 people for 100 more</a>

Covid-19 cases rise by 30% world and the pandemic is 'nowhere near over', says WHO

<keyword id="1333" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Beijing">Beijing</keyword>, A Chinese inactivated <keyword id="24209" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine">vaccine</keyword> shows 79.34 percent efficacy against COVID-19, according to the interim results of the phase-3 clinical trials unveiled by its developer on Wednesday. The inactivated vaccine has been developed by the Beijing Biological Products Institute Co., Ltd. under the <keyword id="8779112" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="china-national-biotec-group">China National Biotec Group</keyword> (CNBG), which is affiliated to Sinopharm, Xinhua news agency reported. After a two-dose inoculation procedure, the vaccine receivers all produced high titers of <keyword id="102007" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Antibodies">antibodies</keyword>, and the seroconversion rate of neutralising antibodies reached 99.52 percent. The results meet the requirements of <keyword id="1002981" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="technical-standards">technical standards</keyword> of the <keyword id="43588" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization">World Health Organization</keyword> and the standards stipulated by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The company has submitted an application to the Chinese regulator for conditional market approval. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-sbi-hdfc-bank-wipro-ril-future-retail-tcs-jindal-stainless-upl-irctc-and-others/articleshow/80019871.cms">Top stocks to watch — SBI, HDFC Bank, Wipro, RIL, Future Retail, TCS, Jindal Stainless, UPL, IRCTC, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-detects-14-new-cases-of-uk-covid-19-strain-putting-the-tally-at-20/articleshow/80020163.cms">India detects 14 new cases of UK COVID-19 strain, putting the tally at 20India detects 14 new cases of UK COVID-19 strain, putting the tally at 20</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/2021-could-finally-be-the-year-of-indias-tech-ipos-as-startups-like-zomato-delhivery-policybazaar-head-for-the-public-markets/slidelist/80019978.cms">2021 could finally be the year of India’s tech IPOs as startups like Zomato, Delhivery, Policybazaar head for the public markets</a>

You Searched For "covid organ effect" and got 13 results

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Curbs on travellers from China 'understandable' in absence of Covid data: WHO chief

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Flexible working hours can benefit productivity, work-life balance: ILO

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Blood pressure drug ineffective in treating even mild Covid-19 cases, as per 'real world' data from India

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Pfizer vaccine 97% effective in symptomatic Covid 19 cases: Study

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Covid-19 cases rise by 30% world and the pandemic is 'nowhere near over', says WHO

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Chinese vaccine for COVID-19 shows 79.34% effectiveness in late stage trial

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