Latest news with #Lassa
The Star
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Death toll of Lassa fever rises to 138 in Nigeria
ABUJA, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, has risen to 138 since the beginning of this year, public health authorities said Thursday. In a statement posted to its website, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said that 717 confirmed cases have been recorded so far. At least 18 out of the 36 states in the country have been affected by the viral hemorrhagic disease so far this year, with the southern states of Ondo and the northern states of Bauchi and Taraba the worst-hit, accounting for more than 71 percent of the total confirmed cases, the NCDC said. This development, according to the public health agency, has "signalled persistent hotspots despite nationwide interventions." With the latest death toll, the case fatality rate has risen to 19.2 percent, the NCDC said, noting that overall, this rise in the casualties figure remained alarming. The public health agency said young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 are the most affected, with the median age of infection reported at 30 years. It noted that more males than females had been affected, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8. The NCDC identified poor health-seeking behavior, high treatment costs in some areas, and limited awareness in high-burden communities as major challenges. It has so far activated a multi-sectoral incident management system to coordinate nationwide response efforts. In 2024, Nigeria reported 214 deaths from Lassa fever, according to the NCDC. Lassa fever is primarily spread through food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or feces. Human transmission occurs through direct contact with rat saliva, urine, or excrement.
The Courier
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Courier
Pictures show Dundee nurses keeping city in good health over the years
These pictures show some of the nurses and midwives who have looked after people in Dundee in their time of need. The uniforms may have changed. And some of the buildings have disappeared. But a constant throughout has been the dedication of the staff. Nurses' status as the lifeblood of our healthcare is beyond dispute. The DC Thomson archives team has looked out a varied and interesting selection of photographs of nursing and hospital staff for this memory-jogging tour. Enjoy having another browse back through the ages courtesy of The Dundonian, which appears in the Evening Telegraph every Wednesday. Some of these photographs have not been seen for years. Do these awaken any memories for you? Dundee Royal Infirmary opened in 1855 with accommodation for 300 patients. Over the next century and a half the new site would greatly expand. The maternity section was extended and completed at DRI in May 1962. The £75,000 extension included labour suite and delivery rooms, special nursing unit, ante-natal unit, laboratories, administration and nurses' facilities. It was said to be the foremost of its kind in Europe. A nurse standing in the new casualty department at DRI in December 1963. However, it was clear that Dundee's population was getting too big for its facilities and plans were drawn up to build a new hospital at Ninewells. A nurse in the maternity unit at Maryfield Hospital in December 1965. She was placing babies' bottles in a sterilising chamber. Student nurse Edith Doig attends to a new arrival at Maryfield Hospital in 1968. There were 48 beds in the maternity department. Maryfield Hospital closed in 1974. The aprons and caps were gone when a new uniform appeared in 1968. Third-year student nurses at DRI Sheila Nicoll and Linda Sydie paraded them before members of the board of management for the Dundee General Hospitals. Work began on Ninewells Hospital in 1964 with completion scheduled for 1971. It came at a final cost of £25m. The medical and surgical wards opened first in January 1974. The Evening Telegraph said the patients would 'probably think they are in a five-star hotel, rather than a hospital, such is the quality of the accommodation'. Most of the wards provided a panoramic view over the River Tay. The running costs in 1974 included rates of £380,000 per year with the cost of keeping each patient between £130-150 per week. Mary Stewart from Kirriemuir was shown around Ninewells Hospital in January 1974. The 97-year-old was a former hospital matron. Ninewells Hospital opened with 15 operating theatres. It was officially opened by the Queen Mother on October 23 1974. A nurse in protective clothing at Kings Cross Hospital in April 1977. A patient from Glasgow arrived back from the Ivory Coast suspected of having Lassa fever. He was cleared of having the disease. Patients and staff at DRI following a train crash at Invergowrie in October 1979. Five people died and 51 were taken by ambulance to DRI. The 1979 accident had a profound and lasting effect on the local community. Nurses joined staff at Ninewells Hospital in a demonstration in July 1980. They were protesting at NHS cuts under the Thatcher government. 'Don't put the clock back' was the message on one banner. New upgraded premises opened for occupational therapy at DRI in April 1982. The Evening Telegraph said: 'Just a year ago, the department consisted of just one small workshop and an office. 'Now the new unit consists of three interrelated workshops and an assessment unit consisting of a bathroom, kitchen and bedroom.' Blood donors at Ninewells Hospital in December 1987. The Christmas decorations were taking people's minds off the task in hand. Ninewells Hospital was the venue for Dundee's first blood donors session of 1990. Many people decided to give up an afternoon of their holiday to make a contribution. Only an hour into the session, more than 50 people had donated. DRI senior charge nurse Vivien MacPhail in October 1993. Vivien and DRI staff nurse Liz Kay offered help when a woman collapsed at the front of the plane when they were travelling from the Algarve to Edinburgh. The woman was given CPR and made a full recovery. Dr Alison Leech having her blood pressure taken by senior house officer Suzy Gibson at the Ward 20 open day at DRI in June 1996. They were watched by clinical nurse manager Judith McMurray. Ward 20 at DRI was inundated with visitors. More than 300 people attended. Staff at Dundee Royal Infirmary held a farewell party in November 1998 before they moved to the new building at Ninewells. Many happy memories were shared and a few tears were shed. A 1970s disco, organised by staff of the biochemical laboratory, raised £442 for the chemotherapy day room at Ninewells Hospital. Andy Bell handed over the cheque to chemotherapy charge nurse Debbie Forbes. Up next is the youngest nurse in our gallery – almost. Television presenter Lorraine Kelly visited Ninewells Hospital in December 2001. She gave blood with daughter Rosie showing off her beside manner. Senior charge nurse Margaret Park at work in Ward 14 at Ninewells in 2004. Few of those admitted to her care in the busy ward knew she had her own life saved by surgery after diabetes destroyed her organs. She returned to the busy ward in January 2004 after a kidney and pancreas transplant. It's the final image in our nursing gallery. Did our pictorial trip back in time jog any memories for you? Did you spot anyone you know? Let us know.
United News of India
10-05-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Mpox death toll in Africa surpasses 1,750 since 2024: Africa CDC
Addis Ababa, May 10 (UNI) The death toll from Africa's ongoing mpox outbreak has surpassed 1,750, as the number of cases reported since the beginning of 2024 approaches 130,000, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). During an online media briefing on Thursday evening, Ngashi Ngongo, chief of staff and head of the Executive Office at the Africa CDC, said that 24 mpox-affected African countries have reported 129,711 mpox cases since the start of last year. Of these, 29,609 were confirmed and about 1,751 related deaths were recorded. Data from the African Union (AU)'s specialized healthcare agency showed that last week alone, the continent reported 3,553 new cases, including 758 confirmed ones and 12 new related deaths. Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda contributed to 93.3 percent of all confirmed cases reported during the past week. The Africa CDC further warned over the continued surge in mpox cases, as the total number of cases reported so far this year constitutes about two thirds of last year's total. The continent has recorded 52,082 mpox cases since the beginning of this year, it noted. Meanwhile, the Africa CDC has raised the alarm regarding the increasing trend of public health emergencies occurring throughout the continent. "In 2024, we had, in total, 117 moderate and high risk public health events. This year, we are already at 120. We have had 34 high risk, and 86 moderate risk events this year. This shows that the situation is not reducing," Ngongo said, adding that the top disease outbreaks reported by AU members so far in 2025 include mpox, cholera, dengue, and Lassa fever. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is a rare viral disease typically transmitted through body fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials. The infection often causes fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. In August last year, the Africa CDC declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of continental security. Shortly afterward, the World Health Organization designated the viral disease as a public health emergency of international concern. UNI XINHUA GNK
Forbes
04-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
NIH Lab Studying Deadly Pathogens Goes Offline Over Safety Issues. Is The Public At Risk?
On April 29, 2025, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases within the NIH put the brakes on research at its high containment lab (known as the Integrated Research Facility) at Fort Detrick, Maryland for a safety stand-down. The lab studies high consequence pathogens, such as Ebola virus and SARS-CoV-2. In a report from WIRED magazine, Bradley Moss, communication director for NIH's office of research services noted 'This decision follows identification and documentation of personnel issues involving contract staff that compromised the facility's safety culture, prompting this research pause.' The IRF's director, Dr. Connie Schmaljohn, an experienced scientist and expert on hantaviruses, was also placed on administrative leave. No further information on the cause of the safety stand-down has been reported by the NIH; however, Fox News subsequently cited an anonymous source, who stated the cause was a 'lover's spat' between facility researchers, where one individual poked holes in another's protective equipment. 'That individual has since been fired, the official indicated.' The NIH public affairs office did not respond to a query for more information. High consequence pathogens are 'serious and deadly agents that pose a substantial threat to domestic and global security.' Many are difficult to treat and frequently do not have a preventive vaccine. Consequently, they require specialized containment facilities to study them safely, because they are known to infect laboratorians. Some additional examples include Marburg and Lassa viruses and anthrax bacteria. These are some of the deadliest infectious pathogens on the planet, with death rates that can range from approximately 25 to 90%. Laboratories that work with human or animal samples are categorized at different 'biosafety levels,' from BSL-1 to BSL-4, with each increase in level corresponding to increasingly dangerous pathogens and concomitant increases in required safety measures. Most hospital microbiology labs work at the BSL-2 level, where deadly organisms can be worked on, such as staphylococcus, streptococcus, or even HIV, but those disease can be handled safely by working under a microbiology safety cabinet (or 'hood') with HEPA filtration, wearing gloves and a lab coat and washing your hands when you leave the lab. The biggest risk to the laboratorians would be through a splash or penetration of the skin with a sharp instrument or needle. At the BSL-3 level, we cross into a level where 'containment' measures are needed to protect the laboratorians. Pathogens at this level are known to infect through the air and therefore require specialized air handling and personal protective equipment, such as a respirator and gowns as well as decontamination measures upon exiting the lab. Organisms worked on at the BSL-3 level, although potentially deadly, such as plague or tularemia, usually have a specific vaccine or treatment. When we move into BSL-4, we are at maximum containment. At BSL-4, we separate the person from the pathogen by either a fully encapsulated 'space' suit or by working with the organism inside a glove box. Pathogens at this level are usually highly deadly and generally have limited or no vaccines or treatments. Viruses like Ebola, Lassa and Marburg are handled under BSL-4 precautions. There are many reasons to study these pathogens. Some are considered possible biological weapons threats. Others cause disease in endemic regions around the world, particularly in less-developed regions, such as Africa and South America. These pathogens are deadly and can cause outbreaks, so there has been a concerted effort in the military, at the NIH and academic institutions to 1) understand the ecology of where they exist in nature, 2) determine how they spread and cause disease and 3) develop countermeasures, including ways to diagnose, treat and prevent them. Whether the public is at risk largely depends on what the problem is. I've written previously that there are four basic ways a pathogen can 'escape' a lab: through the air, human exposure, hitching a ride on an animal or inanimate object and through deliberate release. The most likely is through human exposure from a lab accident, where a laboratorian becomes infected in the lab with something contagious and once they become ill, they can spread it to others. In this situation, the idea that a laboratorian would intentionally compromise a colleague's protective suit, thus putting them at potential risk of infection with a deadly agent is unconscionable and incredibly serious. Having said that, unless the individual whose protective suit was breached became infected, there is no risk to the public from a pathogen. In my own personal experience working in a containment laboratory and managing laboratory safety stand-downs, these can be mandated after a specific safety breach has been identified, a general attitude or 'culture' of the institution has been lax regarding safety procedures or even in response to a specific political issue or new safety mandate. Usually, the first thing that happens is an assessment of what the problem is and if anyone is at risk. If there are specific issues identified, either with safety protocols or how the workers are following them, then re-training of the individuals or the entire institute is undertaken. If there are mechanical problems with the facility, such as with the air handling systems, decontamination machinery, such as autoclaves or other methods to decontaminate instruments or other equipment, then those need to be fixed. Once any urgent issues are handled, it is in the best interest of the institute to provide more information on what led to the stand-down. Absent that, it is difficult to make a true assessment of public risk and also to reduce speculation as to the actual cause. A stand-down can cause significant disruption to ongoing experiments, especially if they include work with animals that have received a vaccine or that have been infected with a specific pathogen. The longer a stand-down lasts, the more damaging the disruption can be. Therefore, the key is to get to the root of the problem, fix it, restore the public trust and resume the important work as soon as feasible.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Local officials concerned about economic, public health impacts of Fort Detrick lab shutdown
Elected officials from Frederick County and the city of Frederick on Friday released two separate statements expressing concerns about the abrupt shutdown of a Fort Detrick research facility earlier this week. Work at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease's Integrated Research Facility was halted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an agency official confirmed on Thursday. But information about what led HHS to pause IRF-Frederick's research, which includes studying pathogens that cause 'high-consequence' disease, was not shared with local officials or with The Frederick News-Post upon request. Allen Etzler, a spokesperson for the city of Frederick, said on Thursday that the federal government did not make city officials aware of the work stoppage at IRF-Frederick. Frederick County spokesperson Vivian Laxton said she checked with heads of multiple county divisions and departments that would likely have been made aware of issues at the lab, but none of them had received information from the federal government either. Representatives of HHS and the National Institutes of Health, which oversees NIAID, declined on Thursday to answer a detailed list of questions about the work stoppage at IRF-Frederick and instead deferred to a Fox News article. NIH spokesperson Bradley Moss on Friday afternoon said he was still not authorized to release additional information to the News-Post. In a joint statement on Friday, Frederick Mayor Michael O'Connor and the Frederick City Council said they were 'deeply troubled by the sudden cessation of operations' at the facility, which they called 'a vital asset in global infectious disease research and a cornerstone of our local economy.' Due to the work stoppage, the city officials wrote, the livelihoods of 168 people who work at IRF-Frederick 'are now uncertain.' Their statement continued: 'Halting research on high-consequence pathogens like Ebola and Lassa fever undermines decades of scientific progress and preparedness. This facility is one of the few in the world equipped to safely study these threats, and its closure represents a setback for both national and global public health. 'Equally troubling is the absence of communication with local leadership and stakeholders from the federal government. Unilateral decisions of this magnitude erode trust and hinder our ability to support our constituents effectively during times of uncertainty. 'We are coordinating with our federal delegation members and urge federal authorities to immediately engage with local and state partners to collaboratively develop a path forward that protects both the critical public health mission of NIAID's IRF and the economic stability of the City of Frederick and Frederick County. We stand ready to be part of that solution.' Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater, County Council President Brad Young and Council Member Jerry Donald also released a joint statement on Friday about the work stoppage at IRF-Frederick. 'The recent decision to halt research at the NIAID's Integrated Research Facility (IRF) at Fort Detrick is deeply concerning for Frederick County,' the county officials said. 'This facility has been at the forefront of studying deadly infectious diseases, including Ebola, and its work is crucial for public health and safety. The indefinite pause in its operations not only jeopardizes ongoing research but also undermines our preparedness for future outbreaks.' The statement continued: 'Frederick County has long been a hub for scientific innovation and research. The IRF's contributions have not only advanced our understanding of infectious diseases but have also brought significant economic benefits to our community. The closure of this lab threatens to disrupt our local economy, potentially leading to job losses and a decline in scientific collaboration. 'We urge the federal government to reconsider this decision and recognize the vital role that the IRF plays in safeguarding public health and supporting our local economy. The work conducted at this facility is too important to be halted indefinitely.' As of Friday, it was still not clear how long IRF-Frederick would remain shut down.
