What is behind the global spread of new Covid strain NB.1.8.1?
A new Covid variant, NB.1.8.1, derived from Omicron, is spreading globally, with a surge of cases reported in India and detections in Asian countries, the UK, the US, and Australia.
The WHO has classified NB.1.8.1 as a 'variant under monitoring' due to its potential impact on virus behaviour; by late April, it comprised 10.7 per cent of global sequences, up from 2.5 per cent a month prior.
Dr Naveed Asif, GP at The London General Practice, said the WHO assessed the additional risk to the global public as currently low.
Existing Covid-19 vaccines are considered effective in preventing severe disease, though it appears more transmissible than previous variants.
Common symptoms of the NB.1.8.1 variant include a severe sore throat, fatigue, mild cough, fever, muscle aches, and congestion; some patients have also reported gastrointestinal symptoms.
Why has there been a global surge of new Covid variant NB.1.8.1?
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Monash IVF chief executive resigns after company's second embryo transplant bungle
Monash IVF boss Michael Knaap has resigned in the wake of the reproductive healthcare company's second embryo transplant bungle. In a statement to the ASX, Monash IVF said the board had accepted Knaap's resignation as chief executive officer and managing director. This week, Monash IVF admitted to a second bungled embryo implant. In April, Monash IVF revealed a woman had given birth to the child of an unrelated woman after a separate incorrect embryo transplant in Queensland. Monash IVF said in the statement on Thursday that it 'acknowledges and respects [Knaap's] decision'. 'Since his appointment in 2019, Michael has led the organisation through a period of significant growth and transformation, and we thank him for his years of dedicated service,' the statement said. Malik Jainudeen, Monash IVF chief financial officer and company secretary, will serve as acting chief executive. Experts are now calling for national regulation of the sector, something that the health minister, Mark Butler, said would be discussed on Friday when health ministers meet in Melbourne. Currently, IVF is regulated by state and territory laws, but a more consistent, federal approach is being urged. Clinics must be licensed by the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC), a subcommittee of the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ). That's the unit that carries out audits, including on some assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics internationally. Clinics must also follow ethical guidelines from the National Health and Medical Research Council. FSANZ said in a statement about the latest Monash IVF incident that Australia's fertility care system was 'among the safest, most transparent, and tightly regulated in the world'. FSANZ president Dr Petra Wale said errors were 'exceedingly rare' although 'deeply difficult for those affected'. FSANZ has called for a nationally consistent framework for ART, and an independent statutory authority to 'strengthen oversight and trust'. It said that while the clinical standards in IVF clinics are nationally consistent, each state and territory has its own legislation. Transitioning the RTAC to an independent statutory authority would strengthen the accreditation scheme with 'the regulatory clarity and operational flexibility needed to uphold rigorous standards and respond swiftly to emerging risks', it said, while a national approach to ART would 'strengthen transparency, streamline governance, and enhance patient care across the country'. The latest audit of Australian ART facilities found 172 non-conformance reports (NCRs), but only one was 'major'. Other countries audited, including New Zealand, had higher rates of NCRs. Professor Jeremy Thompson, from the University of Adelaide, is the cofounder and chief scientific officer at Fertilis Pty Ltd. Sign up to Afternoon Update Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion He said there is a global shortage of well-trained and experienced embryologists, so 'levels of training and experience can vary', and that it was a stressful job where 'skill and time management are critical for the best outcome'. But he said that 'Australia's reputation as a leader in embryology training and technique auditing is beyond question'. University of NSW associate professor Kuldip Sidhu, co-founder and director of CK Cell Technologies, said more rigorous compliance was needed in the industry. Embryologists are not currently registered under a national scheme, and doing this would 'help in adding another layer of responsibility to check such mishappenings in the IVF industry', he said. Dr Evie Kendal, a senior lecturer in health promotion at Swinburne University of Technology, said that with more human intervention in reproduction there was an increased potential for human error. 'Previous safeguards are clearly not up to the challenge of protecting clients against such incidents, and urgent ethical and policy guidance is needed to prevent such mistakes from occurring again,' she said. On Tuesday, Monash IVF told the ASX it would extend the review into the Queensland incident and start a new investigation into the Victorian one. Victorian health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, confirmed the Victorian health regulator was also investigating. She said Monash IVF's 'clinical governance standards are not where they should be'. Monash IVF said on Tuesday that as well as the investigations it would put extra verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards in place 'over and above normal practice and electronic witness systems, to ensure patients and clinicians have every confidence in its processes'.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie experts put 20 popular sunscreens to the test - 16 FAILED to meet the SPF claims on their labels. Read the full list here
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The Independent
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- The Independent
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