China tackles chikungunya virus outbreak as thousands fall ill
Chikungunya is spread by mosquitoes and causes fever and joint pain, similar to dengue fever, with the young, older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions most at risk.
Authorities in the country are taking preventive measures, from mosquito nets and clouds of disinfectant, threatening fines for people who fail to disperse standing water and even deploying drones to hunt down insect breeding grounds.
Numbers of new cases appear to be dropping slowly, according to authorities.
Chinese state television has shown workers spraying clouds of disinfectant around city streets, residential areas, construction sites and other areas where people may come into contact with virus-bearing mosquitos that are born in standing water.
Workers sprayed some places before entering office buildings, a throwback to China's controversial hardline tactics used to battle the COVID-19 virus.
People who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other outdoor receptacles can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and have their electricity cut off.
The U.S. has issued a travel advisory telling citizens not to visit China's Guangdong province, the location of Donguan and several other business hubs, along with countries such as Bolivia and island nations in the Indian Ocean. Brazil is among the othe rcountries hit hard by the virus.
Heavy rains and high temperatures have worsened the crisis in China, which is generally common in tropical areas but came on unusually strong this year.
China has become adept at coercive measures that many nations consider over-the-top since the deadly 2003 SARS outbreak. This time, patients are being forced to stay in hospital in Foshan for a minimum of one week and authorities briefly enforced a two-week home quarantine, which was dropped since the disease cannot be transmitted between people.
Reports also have emerged of attempts to stop the virus spread with fish that eat mosquito larvae and even larger mosquitos to eat the insects carrying the virus.
Meetings have been held and protocols adopted at the national level in a sign of China's determination to eliminate the outbreak and avoid public and international criticism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
A Furious MAGA Voter's Post Breaking Down The "Ridiculous" Cost Of Their Diabetes Medicine Due To Donald Trump's Tariffs Is Going Viral
A Facebook post written by a self-proclaimed MAGA voter who says she and her partner can no longer afford their imported medications due to Donald Trump's tariffs is going viral. At the start of the post, the MAGA voter expressed her anger with President Trump and his ongoing tariff war that has increased the prices of imported goods in the US. She said, "He should take his tariffs and shove them up his ass!" She then broke down the cost of her and her partner's medications in the US, which amounts to over $500 for each of them with Medicare. She said they'd been buying their medications from Canada or the UK to save money.... But that changed when the Canadian company purportedly increased its prices by $80-100 per month to offset Trump's tariffs. "I voted for Trump, I truly wish I had not making America Great Again, but he sure is making it more expensive," she wrote. In response to the posts, people had a range of opinions, with some defending President Trump... "You can't blame the president for the high drug pricing," one person commented on the original post. "It is not Trumps fault you cannot figure this out," another wrote. While others blamed the original poster for her voting decisions... "If you cannot afford your medications, why would you vote for any Republican ever??? The Democratic platform has been lowered costs for healthcare FOR DECADES," one user questioned. "I wish I had more sympathy. That went away in Nov. They are getting exactly what they voted told them this time was different," another person wrote. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.
Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
Gates Foundation's new world-first contraceptive for African women: what it means for Africa
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is set to launch a new long-acting contraceptive in Africa, beginning with Kenya later this year, as part of a US$2.5 billion commitment to accelerate research and expand services for the health of African women. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is launching a new affordable long-term contraceptive in Africa, starting with Kenya. The contraceptives, including a hormonal IUD effective for up to eight years and a contraceptive patch, aim to address obstacles such as cost and accessibility. While receiving praise, concerns were raised about the ethical implications of externally funded family planning initiatives in Africa. This innovation by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation follows research showing poor health outcomes for African women, particularly those in underserved communities, and limited R&D funding for women's health conditions beyond cancer. ' Today, women's health issues are still too often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or ignored. Although women generally live longer than men, they spend 25% more of their lives in poor health. ' Ru-fong Joanne Cheng, Director, Women's Health Innovations, Gates Foundation noted. The new contraceptive: an affordable hormonal intrauterine device (IUD)—is designed to be effective for up to eight years, and will provide a discreet option for women in low-income households. ' A new hormonal IUD designed for affordability and a user-centered experience is being launched in Kenya, Nigeria, and possibly India, ' Dr Anita Zaidi, head of the Gender Equality Division at the Gates Foundation noted. The device is inserted into the uterus, where it releases progestin, a synthetic hormone that thickens cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching and fertilising an egg. Ru-fong described the revolutionary contraceptive patch, saying, 'I magine getting six months of contraceptive protection by pressing a small patch onto your skin. Discreet and self-administered.' She further explained that the patch is embedded with microneedles containing progestin, which delivers protection over several months. The foundation emphasized that the new programme will 'ensure that women and girls in low and middle-income countries can access the contraceptives and family planning information they want and thus exercise their right to decide whether to have children and, if so, when and how many.' Dr. Anita also noted that the programme builds on the foundation's 25-year work in maternal and child health, aimed at ending preventable deaths, eliminating deadly infectious diseases, and lifting millions out of poverty by 2045. 'Many women in these communities want to have control over their reproductive health but do not use existing contraceptive methods because of male interference, concerns about side effects, or lack of access to options that meet their specific needs. As a result, nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide—about 45%—are unplanned ' the Foundation said With the help of regional partners and government, the Gates foundation will expand access to the self-injectable contraceptive DMPA-SC to at least 35 countries, including Uganda, Senegal, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other funded innovations include rapid testing for sexually transmitted infections, AI-enabled ultrasound devices, and vaginal health therapies. Why Africa is the Focus According to the Foundation, Sub-Saharan Africa has some of the highest rates of unmet need for family planning globally, with barriers ranging from cost and distance to health facilities to cultural opposition. Many countries also face high rates of adolescent pregnancies, maternal mortality, and limited reproductive health infrastructure. By targeting Africa, the initiative seeks to provide longer-lasting, affordable options in regions where demand for family planning remains largely unmet. As Melinda French Gates emphasized, ' Contraceptives are one of the most powerful tools we have. It puts the power in the hands of young girls and women to plan their families, and quite honestly, to plan their futures.' Potential Implications However, some critics raise concerns that contraceptive programs in Africa may be perceived as externally imposed population control. This notion further suggests that the continent is being used as a testing ground for global health innovations, noting that similar large-scale rollouts are less visible in wealthier nations. Considering concerns from billionaires like Elon Musk and western pro-life activists about declining populations in their own countries, which highlight contrasting demographic priorities, critics argue that the new program not only focuses on population control but also risks taking away one of Africa's major advantages: its growing population.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Final trailer for Alien: Earth drops another xenomorph tease, but I'm far more interested in the horror show's other unsettling creatures
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The final trailer for FX's Alien: Earth has been released It'll premiere on Hulu and Disney+ in mid-August The sci-fi horror franchise's iconic Xenomorph won't be the show's most interesting monster There's less than a month to go (at the time of publication) until Alien: Earth crash-lands on our screens. So, what better way is there to celebrate than the release of one final, terror-fuelled trailer? With the sci-fi horror show set to launch on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally) in mid-August, FX Networks has decided to release one more teaser to further whet our appetite for its release. And, if you thought the Alien franchise's iconic xenomorph would be the most frightening monster that'll show up, you'd better think again. Sure, the fan-favorite biological weapon will appear in the Alien franchise's first-ever TV show. That much has been made clear ever since Alien: Earth's underwhelming first teaser dropped in September 2024. It's the show's other skin-crawling creatures, though, that have piqued my interest since FX birthed another teaser for Alien: Earth in late April. Indeed, we caught glimpses of the other extraterrestrial beings that'll show up in the series in Alien: Earth's first proper trailer in June. Now, we have confirmation of not only how many we'll actually see, but the threat they'll pose to the human and android characters who populate the show. "This ship collected specimens – five new lifeforms – from distant planets," Babou Ceesay's Morrow can he heard saying in the latest round of footage. "[They're] monsters." You can say that again. From the carnivorous venus flytrap-like creature – D. Plumricarl – seen dangling from a ceiling (see the image above) to the eye-based lifeform – T. Ocellus – that's bonded to an unsuspecting sheep (see the image below), Sydney Chandler's Wendy, Morrow, and company won't want to mess around with these life-threatening species from other worlds. For those of you who missed it first time around, here's the story brief for Alien: Earth, courtesy of FX: "In the year 2120, the Earth is governed by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold. "In this Corporate Era, cyborgs – humans with both biological and artificial parts – and synthetics – humanoid robots with artificial intelligence – exist alongside humans. But, the game is changed when the wunderkind Founder and CEO of Prodigy Corporation unlocks a new technological advancement: hybrids, humanoid robots infused with human consciousness." "The first hybrid prototype named 'Wendy' (Chandler) marks a new dawn in the race for immortality. After Weyland-Yutani's spaceship collides into Prodigy City, 'Wendy' and the other hybrids encounter mysterious life forms more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined." Joining Chandler and Ceesay on the show's cast roster are Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Essie Davis, Kit Young, David Rysdahl, Lily Newmark, and Sandra Yi Sencindiver, among others. You can read more about the show's extensive cast, plot details, and its future in our ultimate guide to Alien: Earth. As we revealed in mid-May, Alien: Earth will be released on August 12. Well, in the US, plus other North American countries, and South America. In Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, it'll arrive on August 13. You might also like First trailer for Predator: Badlands drops two huge clues that it could be a new Alien Vs Predator movie in all but name See if you agree with our ranking of the best Alien movies Read our best Hulu movies guide to find out if any Alien movies appear on it Solve the daily Crossword
