Another child dies from dengue fever as Samoa reports 2,200 cases since January
In its latest update, for the week of 21-27 July, the Ministry of Health reported there were 1,350 dengue-like illness cases reported, 521 of which were laboratory-confirmed to be dengue fever.
Local media are reporting a third dengue death from the country — a five-year-old who died at Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital.
The child's mother told the Samoa Observer: "She had a fever, was vomiting, and she kept saying her head and tummy hurt. We took her to the hospital on Sunday, and by Tuesday at 8am, she passed away. I miss her every moment."
Dengue fever cases surge in the Pacific
There is also an unconfirmed report of a fourth death — another child.
The Health Ministry said that, of lab-confirmed cases, 71 per cent of those affected are aged under 15.
It is reiterating its messages for people to clean up and remove stagnant water sources which are potential breeding sites for mosquitoes and to wear suitable clothing and use mosquito nets and repellents.
The Oceania Football Confederation said it is monitoring the outbreak with the under-16 women's championship scheduled to begin on Friday.
Last week, the World Health Organisation's Pacific technical support director Dr Mark Jacobs told Pacific Waves that July regional data showed the number of suspected dengue cases at 18,766 — the highest since 2016.
A breakdown of the WHO July data showed spread of the disease had been highest in Fiji, which had 13,702 suspected cases, followed by Tonga (2,087) and French Polynesia or Mā'ohi Nui (1,079).
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News.com.au
10 hours ago
- News.com.au
Revealing report shows how Aussies are glorifying gambling, as losses for one state skyrocket into the billions
A slew of trending videos showing punters bragging about their big wins on the pokies is slowly making its way across social media. Whether it's a video of a cocky professional poker player getting rolled after going all-in, or a humble punter down at the pub who's just made his year's rent in a lucky hit on Where's The Gold, clips promoting big money wins are pretty enticing. But some others are pretty grim. One video shows a man nonchalantly punching the 'confirm' button for a $50,000 deposit on the pokies. Another charming example shows a group of young blokes performing a … 'sex act' on a machine in an attempt to 'convince' it to play nice and pay up. The clips appear to everywhere, depending on your algorithm of course. But what might appear to be lighthearted fun on the surface is costing Victoria far more than it earns, according to a sombre new report from the nation's most prestigious body of doctors. It might not come as a surprise that Australia has a chronic gambling problem, but the numbers are still eye-watering. In the 2022-23 financial year, gambling losses in Victoria hit $7.4 billion, with the Victorian Government pocketing $2.47 billion of that in taxes. But the real price of the state's addiction comes in at an estimated $14.1 billion, according to the report commissioned by the state government. It goes without saying, but the damage inflicted by gambling losses goes far beyond mere financials. The social wreckage left in the wake of poker machines, online wagering apps, and an increasingly unregulated influencer ecosystem are creating serious headaches for legislators and anti-gambling lobbies. The report, titled The social costs of gambling to Victoria, adopts a public health lens, evaluating everything from direct financial losses to the psychological ripple effects of gambling addiction. 'People who gamble bear the greatest burden of total cost at around $7.3 billion (51.7 per cent), followed by affected others at $3.8 billion (26.6 per cent),' the report states. Governments addicted to the sugar hit Reform advocates say that state governments need to be doing more when it comes to assessing harm. But because it is such a massive cash cow for the government's coffers, gambling is given a wide berth. 'It's really fascinating that Victoria's the only state that does it,' says Martin Thomas, CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform. 'The other thing that's fascinating is in Victoria they lose about $7 billion a year to largely poker machines. And the government takes in about $2.4 billion.' It's get a bit more complex when you factor in the butterfly effect of a society-wide addiction problem. 'The losses caused by (gambling), when you think of the cost to the government through bankruptcies, the cost to the community of divorces, of people going to hospital because of domestic violence … even the governments are deluding themselves. 'If they're propping up their budgets with $2 billion, but the outgoings of that social impact that they have to pay for – hospitals and police among other things – is $14 billion. '(NSW has) a short-term approach that means they don't want to commission this research, because they don't want to know there's a problem. Because it would create a short-term black hole in their budgets.' $4.84bn in missed dinners It's not just the 'problem gamblers' dragging down the balance sheet. According to the researchers from CQUniversity Australia, a staggering 78.5 per cent of Victoria's losses come from low-to-high-risk gamblers combined — with problem gamblers alone responsible for just over half (53 per cent) of the total. The opportunity cost of excessive spending (the money that could have gone toward rent, food or savings) is estimated at $4.84 billion. Another $3.27 billion is attributed to emotional and psychological damage, and $2.53 billion to broken relationships and family harm. The modelling uses GDP per capita to place a monetary value on the lost years and quality of life, coming in at $97,435 per year, per person. Along with sports wagering, the pokies account for four-fifths of all gambling losses in Victoria. The situation has spiralled to a point where the state is now spending more on managing gambling harm than it is earning from it. The total cost has skyrocketed by 35 per cent since 2014–15, even after adjusting for inflation and population growth. The rise can be partly attributed to the rapidly evolving digital landscape we all exist in, where influencers livestream their pokies sessions or flex six-figure wins without showing the cratered bank accounts that follow. The report doesn't explicitly cover social media, but its findings come at a time when Instagram reels and TikToks of pokie wins are going viral. Some influencers reportedly pledge to keep playing until they gain a certain number of followers. Others boast about turning $5 into a house deposit. Because it is content posted by individuals, they are void of the obligatory 'gambling causes harm' messages that are required by law in gambling advertisements across traditional media. What can be done? The report models potential solutions borrowing from global case studies. Finland's reforms, including mandatory ID and loss limits, could save Victoria $2.87 billion, according to the report. Norway's restrictions, such as removing note acceptors and limiting operating hours, could slash costs by $3.46 billion. Western Australia's approach, limiting EGMs to a single casino, could result in $4.34 billion in savings, which translates to a whopping 65.9 per cent reduction. Tasmania's proposed precommitment scheme (a $5,000 annual limit on EGMs) would nearly wipe out the state's excess gambling spend, with $4.25 billion in projected savings. But no matter which way you slice it, there will always be a way to lose money gambling, especially for those stuck in an addiction cycle. How online punting took over Data released last year projected Australia to generate a staggering $15.16 billion in online gambling revenue in 2024. This positions Australia as the third-highest earner globally in a ranking of 61 countries, even among countries with significantly larger populations – meaning proportionally, we are by far the biggest gambling spenders. The research, conducted by Japanese Online Casino Guide and sourced from Statista, paints a vivid picture of the global online gambling landscape. The United States, with a population of 330 million, leads the pack with a projected revenue of $34 billion in 2024, representing a 20.3 per cent year-over-year increase. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, population 66 million, holds the second spot with $20.79 billion, despite experiencing a relatively modest growth rate of 7.4 per cent. Australia's projected $15.16 billion in revenue marks a massive 10.5 per cent increase from the previous year, with growth projected to continue at an annual rate of 5.12 per cent until 2028. Even more startling is the fact 21 per cent of Australia's 21.3 million adults say they participate in online gambling despite the fact we are smack in the middle of one of the tightest economic periods in recent memory. 'Permanent' damage done The surge in online gambling revenue across multiple nations can be attributed to several factors. Analysts say the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with major technological leaps, contributed to the surge. With traditional betting avenues closed overnight throughout the lockdown periods, many turned to online platforms where they could flutter away cash with a quick tap on their phones. That shift that appears to have become 'permanent', according to Editor-in-Chief of the Japanese Online Casino Guide Emiko Matsuda. The global online gambling industry is now being tipped to triple by 2032, according to research from Statista. Japan ranks fourth on the list, with an anticipated $6.19 billion in online gambling revenue for 2024, reflecting a 12.7 per cent year-over-year growth. Germany, Canada, and France follow, with revenues of $5.65 billion, $4.19 billion, and $4.12 billion respectively. Canada boasts the highest percentage of online gamblers, with 48.6 per cent of its population expected to engage in online gambling in 2024. As Australia and other nations continue to see significant revenue from this sector, it will be crucial to monitor how governments and regulators respond to this growth. In 2023, the federal government introduced a bill to ban the use of credits cards in online gambling, with massive fines for betting companies that fail to implement the new restrictions.
SBS Australia
19 hours ago
- SBS Australia
The effects of scrolling social media on your brain
Scrolling social media is a guilty pleasure ... that can quickly spiral into distraction and people are certainly becoming more aware of it. "Definitely scroll on Instagram way too frequently, way more than I need to, yeah it's in the back of my mind but I'm not super conscious about it." "You just lose focus for even a second - you just go in there - it's like a doom scroll, you start doom scrolling for an hour or something, so you're just unproductive after that, that's it." It's a new age challenge - with an impact that's yet to be fully understood . Dr Alexandra Gaillard of Swinburne University says her new research sought to explore the effects of screen time on the brain. "The main takeaways that our research really showed that time spent on social media may be a waste of resources for the brain can lead to decreased focus and increase in stress." The research has found 18 to 25 year olds exposed to phone screens for just three minutes, experienced changes in mood, energy, tension, focus and happiness. The pilot study of 27 people compared responses to gaming, television and social media on these devices. Dr Gaillard said this tracked brain activity by using small electrodes that track oxygen levels. "With social media there was the biggest increase in blood flow to those regions, but it doesn't actually get used - compared to something like gaming where a lot of blood goes to the region but it's actually used up, people engaging there's problem solving, they're doing things with that oxygen and that brain area." The findings indicate even short periods of screen time can have measurable effects. But Professor Michael Dezuanni of Queensland University of Technology says the full impact on young people is a nuanced and evolving field of research. "We need to think about how social media can have negative impacts on young people, but when it comes to learning - we can't just have a kind of generalised view." From December the 10th, a federal government ban on under 16s accessing social media takes Professor Suzanne Schweizer of UNSW Sydney says it's important efforts continue to better understand the impact of social media. "Because young people spend so much time interacting online - we need to know does it actually influence their brain development and if so again how so those are reasons why it's important that we invest more in experimental research."
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Quest for agelessness drives longevity boom — and $2.5 trillion global industry
It's a characteristically chilly Melbourne winter morning and tech boss Tristan Sternson is starting the day by plunging into an ice bath. Just how icy? A bone-chilling 3 degrees Celsius — for 4 minutes. Next follows a "strict routine" of exercise, supplements, IV infusions and various treatments like saunas, cryotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy … all in his quest to feel better and live longer. "Things like cryotherapy, which is minus 165C in a cryotherapy chamber for three and a half minutes, which is quite extreme," he tells The Business from the longevity clinic he co-founded and where he partakes in many of the treatments. "I do red light in a full body machine where you lie down. Kind of like a cocoon. "Red light [is also good] for your hair to make sure your hair doesn't thin as you get older." Mr Sternson admits his wellness club, Super Young, is more of a passion project than anything. "My wife will call it an obsession," he said. Mr Sternson is 45 but says he has a "biological age" of 34 — a metric used by those in the longevity space based on a series of tests. He tracks 65 different markers via blood tests and completes a range of what he calls more "extreme" treatments every few months, some of which he flies to the US for as they are not available in Australia: Super Young is one of many health and wellness businesses vying for a slice of what consulting firm McKinsey says is a $2.5 trillion global consumer wellness industry. It's driven by a growing demand from (often wealthy) individuals to measure and optimise personal health — and a willingness to pay big bucks to do so. The "preventative wellness" or longevity movement's signature alternative health practices have been popularised by US figures including biohackers Bryan Johnson, Peter Attia and even socialite Paris Hilton. It grew in the wellness heartland of Los Angeles and has since spread to Australia. The growing popularity of ice baths and infrared saunas Down Under has made them a more common sight in gyms and spas in the wealthier enclaves of many cities. The explosion of an industry full of alternative health practices has been met with scepticism by some in mainstream medical fields. "I think the evidence base for a lot of them is minimal and, where there is evidence, it's often for particular parts of the population and not for the general population," the president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Michael Wright, tells The Business. For those who want to dip their toes in the longevity pool, Dr Wright advises a healthy dose of scepticism and careful thought before doing extra tests or investigations clinics might offer. "I often talk to patients when they are talking about these tests and ask them, 'What's the cost of this?' and, 'Who is most likely to benefit? Is it you or is it the person who is selling the test?'" He notes the principle in medicine of "first, do no harm" and questions whether the extensive blood work and diagnostic tests often associated with longevity screening and measurement fit that bill. "Potentially, if you're investigating unnecessarily, you're putting people through stress and also economic impacts if the tests are unnecessary and that's something we should try and avoid," he said. But Mr Sternson says the treatments at his wellness hub are backed by evidence and there is strong demand from consumers willing to pay for detailed analysis of their health and personalised programs. "Each machine or each protocol that we have, every supplement that we offer, will have some research back behind it," he argues. But he does acknowledge the difficulty of establishing evidence given "you haven't had anyone live to 150 that's gone through these sorts of protocols". Another Australian company riding the trillion-dollar wellness wave is high-profile startup Eucalyptus, which launched a longevity app for men last year. They pulled the pin soon after, with the pricey subscription fee a major factor, but are hoping to relaunch in Australia next year at a lower cost with more automation. "What we learnt was that patients really had a curiosity about their own diagnostics, were really keen to make behavioural change," Eucalyptus chief executive and co-founder Tim Doyle explains in an interview with ABC News. The company, which is backed by Woolworths and Blackbird, runs a suite of health platforms and has grown rapidly — largely thanks to the rise of its weight-loss service, which enables users to access drugs like Ozempic via a telehealth app. Mr Doyle says Eucalyptus's digital platform made the experience of prescribing the drugs to patients seamless. "People are seeking convenience, quality of care, in a way that suits their lifestyle and so I think what we've been able to tap into is the evolving trends there," he said. Ozempic and similar prescription weight-loss drugs shot to prominence over the past few years and Eucalyptus has become a major player in the weight-loss market thanks to its provision of those drugs. "I think we're an evolution of where health care will definitely go," Mr Doyle said. Mr Doyle said more than 100,000 customers globally had accessed the weight-loss drugs through the company. "I think ultimately these medications are going to change the world for the better," he asserts. "We provide a set of services that give you the best chance of hitting your weight-loss goal and maintaining weight loss and I think the reality is that for most patients that are suffering with obesity, there are serious health considerations for that." However, medical bodies have been critical of the app's online prescription model for pharmaceuticals. "We do have to be really careful of other providers who are potentially fragmenting care, because it's important that whoever else you see in the health system that they confirm and share information with your usual GP," the RACGP's Dr Wright said. "There's no substitute for the quality of care that you get from a GP who knows you and your history. So although these other services are available, they don't replace what you should get and what you can get from your GP. "I think that's a fair criticism," Mr Doyle acknowledges, though he notes that "a lot of patients don't have a regular relationship with a standard GP that they live their whole lives with. Like Eucalyptus, Super Young's co-founder said they were not trying to compete with established medicine but offer something different, without adding an extra burden or cost to publicly funded healthcare. "We're kind of an adjunct. We help out and we can kind of take the strain off it a little bit, because you can help people prevent certain illnesses," Mr Sternson says. "I don't think we're disrupting the current healthcare system … the current healthcare system is really, really good when you're sick. He says the industry can cater for well individuals willing to pay money for testing privately to optimise their health, rather than go through Medicare. "Our medical system can't support every single person that comes through and says, 'Hey, I'm feeling 100 per cent well, can you test all my blood markers so I make sure I don't drop off to 90 per cent next week?" he says. "Doctors just don't have the capacity and time for that locally in Australia and fair enough — that's probably an area where longevity has really come into it."
