Latest news with #PublicHealthFrance
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Chikungunya in China: What you need to know
Symptoms include fever and joint pain, which may persist for some time but are rarely fatal. 16 Aug 2025 08:00pm Photo for illustration purpose only. - (Photo by EVARISTO SA / AFP) BEIJING - Cases of chikungunya fever are rising in southern China, prompting local authorities to take measures to curb its spread. Here is what you need to know about the disease: A laboratory technician makes screening test during the chikungunya epidemic at the biology centre of the University Hospital Centre in Saint-Denis, France's overseas Indian ocean island of La Reunion, on April 10, 2025. The chikungunya epidemic in the Reunion island is "widespread and major" and "continues to progress", highlighted Public Health France on April 9, 2025, reporting nearly 6,300 new cases in the last week of March. (Photo by Richard BOUHET / AFP) What is chikungunya? Chikungunya is caused by a virus that can be passed to humans by infected mosquitoes, with most cases occurring in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Symptoms include fever and joint pain, which may persist for some time but are rarely fatal. Because the symptoms of chikungunya resemble other mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and Zika, it can sometimes be hard to determine the extent of an outbreak. Two vaccines for chikungunya have been approved in some countries but are not yet widely used. Infected people are typically given medicines like paracetamol to ease their symptoms. How serious is China's outbreak? More than 7,700 people in the southern province of Guangdong have been infected in recent weeks, according to an article by the China Association for Science and Technology that was widely carried by state media. Most cases have occurred in the industrial centre of Foshan, where 2,770 people fell ill between July 27 and August 2, the provincial disease control office said recently. Dozens of infections have also been detected in neighbouring Guangzhou, while semiautonomous Hong Kong reported its first case on Saturday. Chief expert Kang Min said "the rapid rise of the epidemic has been preliminarily curbed" in Guangdong, according to a statement from the province's disease control office. But Kang warned that officials still faced "complex and severe challenges" due to the high risk of imported cases in the international trade hub as well as rain and typhoons that help mosquitoes to thrive. What are authorities doing? Top officials in Guangdong agreed at a meeting recently to "go all out to win the... war of annihilation against the epidemic", according to an official statement. They stressed the need to "mobilise the public" to eliminate the conditions in which mosquitoes breed, for example, by removing pots and cans, unblocking ditches and clearing pools of stagnant water. Footage by state news agency Xinhua showed doctors at a hospital in Foshan's Shunde district tending to a ward of chikungunya patients lying on beds surrounded by mosquito nets. Other interventions seemed more dramatic. The New York Times reported that some infected people in Foshan were "given no choice" but to go to hospital, while others had workers enter their homes without consent in search of stagnant water. State media and local governments have published images of workers in helmets and face masks spraying insecticide in parks, gardens and overgrown buildings, where mosquitoes can linger. Law enforcement officers have threatened fines of up to 1,000 yuan (US$140) for businesses that do not take adequate steps to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, according to the provincial disease control office. And one subdistrict in Foshan cut power to the homes of some residents who failed to comply with disease controls, according to an online statement from a local government committee. Should people be worried? The United States has issued a travel advisory urging increased caution when going to affected areas in China. Some of China's measures evoke its pandemic strategy, when Beijing wielded city-wide lockdowns, lengthy quarantines and travel bans to curb the spread of Covid-19. But comparisons to the pandemic are overblown. Unlike Covid, chikungunya is caused by a known pathogen, is not transmitted via human contact and very rarely proves fatal. Chinese authorities have stressed that the disease is "preventable, controllable and treatable" and the World Health Organisation has not issued any special guidance on China's outbreak. - AFP More Like This
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
France registers a record 480 excess deaths during early summer heatwave
The early summer heatwave that affected 60 French departments between 19 June and 6 July led to a record 480 excess deaths, a rise of 5.5 percent compared to normal mortality levels, the country's public health agency has announced. People aged 75 and over accounted for almost all the excess deaths during the heatwave – 410 of those recorded in the affected areas, Public Health France said. It added that the "notably long and unusually early heatwave" had impacted nearly three-quarters of the population. This initial count will later be supplemented by an estimate of deaths specifically attributable to heat, to be included in a broader report due after 15 September, the agency noted. The calculation of excess mortality is based on all-cause death data collected from civil registry offices and transmitted by France's national statistics bureau Insee, compared with the expected number of deaths based on figures from the previous six years. What does 50C feel like? Touring 'heat chamber' allows French people to find out The region with the highest number of excess deaths was Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA), which covers the south east of the country. It saw at least 140 additional fatalities (representing a rise of 9.2 percent). Public Health France published a map of excess deaths by department but cautioned during a press briefing that a significant percentage increase in areas with small populations – and thus small absolute numbers – may not always be statistically meaningful. Three regions – Corsica, Hauts-de-France in the north of the country and Île-de-France, the region surrounding Paris – recorded no excess deaths during the heatwave period. The agency said that the figures underscore "the importance of implementing preventative measures to reduce the impact of heat, not only during heatwaves but throughout the summer". It stressed 'the need for a reinforced climate adaptation strategy at both national and local levels'. The agency also added that, according to its 2014-2023 data, 70 percent of heat-related deaths during the summer occurred outside officially declared heatwave days. Climate change pushed temperatures in latest European heatwave up by 4C (with AFP)
Euronews
15-03-2025
- Health
- Euronews
France urges meningitis vaccination amid 'high' number of cases
France is facing a "particularly high" number of meningococcal infections this year, with the country's public health agency urging infants, adolescents, and young adults to get vaccinated to prevent the serious and sometimes deadly illness. Meningococcal infections are caused by bacteria and can lead to meningitis – an infection of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord – and to sepsis. There were 95 cases of the disease in January and 89 cases in February, Public Health France said, adding that this was "well above" what had been observed in previous years. The agency noted there were two clusters of meningococcal group B bacteria, which is the most common, among students at a university in Lyon and among a family and students in Rennes. Vaccination campaigns have been recommended and carried out, particularly among young people, the public health agency said. Last year, there were 615 cases of meningococcal infections in France, the largest amount since 2010. The infections may be linked to the severe flu season, as influenza can increase the risk of getting meningitis, the agency added. Vaccination of infants against meningitis B and against serogroups A, C, W, and Y has been mandatory since the beginning of the year in France. The vaccine for the ACWY serogroups is also recommended for adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14, with a booster up to the age of 24, Public Health France said. Meningitis can cause symptoms such as fever, headache, and a stiff neck, while meningococcal sepsis may lead to a fever, rash, and septic shock, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The ECDC said the disease has a rapid progression and a case fatality rate of between 8 to 15 per cent. Outbreaks are rare but often occur on university campuses or among groups of people. Vaccines are the primary way of preventing infection and antibiotics can be used for treatment, the ECDC added. The European Commission unveiled this week one of its most significant health proposals, the Critical Medicines Act, which aims to enhance the security of supply and availability of essential medicines across the EU. While ambitious in some areas, such as a proposed "Buy European" mechanism and new class of 'common interest' medicines, in other respects it was unspectacular, particularly in coordinating contingency stock. Funding, as so often on health matters, remains a key concern. Euronews highlights the main open questions that still need to be addressed. One of the most talked-about aspects of the proposal is the 'Buy European' principle, which prioritises security of supply over cost in public procurement. Under this new proposed rule, EU contracting authorities will apply procurement requirements favouring suppliers that manufacture a significant portion of critical medicines within the EU. 'This fits perfectly within the limits of what we have already in the EU. This is, after all, an overriding reason of public health because we have a problem with the security of supply,' said EU health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. This new approach could expose the EU to international trade discontent. After all, it is not far from Beijing's 'Buy China' policy on medical devices recently openly challenged by the EU as it restricts foreign suppliers, including those from the EU, from government contracts. Earlier this year, the EU executive released a report providing evidence of China's unfair restrictions, arguing that market openness should be reciprocal. If implemented, "Buy European" could put the EU in a similar position—risking retaliation from trade partners and reduced market access abroad. To reduce dependence on non-EU countries, the proposal promotes increased European production of critical medicines as well as the new category of medicines of common interest. But do these drugs need to be manufactured on European soil? According to the new proposal, not really. The Commission plans to strengthen bilateral cooperation and establish new strategic partnerships to ensure diverse sources of supply. 'I very much rely on the candidate countries and countries in our closest neighbourhood who should be in pole position to help us to bring back production in the EU or closer to the EU," said Várhelyi. EU officials have also mentioned potential collaboration with other broader European third countries like the UK and Switzerland, given their strong trade links and proximity. A major shortcoming of the proposal is its limited funding. The indicative budget of €83 million for 2026-2027, primarily from the EU4Health program, is relatively modest. This funding will likely only cover the coordination efforts of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Commission, rather than supporting large-scale production shifts. While strategic projects could receive additional funding from EU programs like Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme, it's uncertain whether these resources will be enough. Ahead of the proposal's presentation, 11 EU health ministers called for expanding the scope of EU defence funding to include critical medicines. However, Várhelyi dismissed this idea, emphasising reliance on state aid instead. To facilitate this, the Commission has loosened restrictions on state aid definitions in some new guidelines, encouraging member states to invest their national budgets in this initiative. The proposal includes enhanced mechanisms for joint procurement, with the Commission taking on a stronger role. Traditionally, joint procurement allows the Commission and at least nine Member States to negotiate as a single purchasing bloc, leveraging collective demand for better terms. The new proposal formalises and expands this mechanism, enabling the Commission to act as a central buyer when requested by at least nine member states. Additionally, a Commission-facilitated cross-border procurement model is introduced, where the EU executive provides logistical and administrative support to member states managing their own procurement. This formalisation builds on past Commission-led procurement efforts, such as the purchasing of vaccines for mpox and influenza. One key recommendation from the Critical Medicine Alliance—a stakeholder body analysing supply chain vulnerabilities—was the establishment of a harmonised EU framework for contingency stockpiling. However, this aspect was entirely omitted from the proposal. A European-wide stockpiling approach would ensure that member states do not compete against each other for supplies and could rely on EU solidarity during shortages. Without coordination, stockpiling efforts risk being fragmented, leading to inefficiencies and potential inequities. 'It cannot happen again that larger states stockpile medicines without sharing them with smaller countries in need,' stressed Croatian MEP Tomislav Sokol from centre-right European People's Party. With the proposal now moving to the legislative process, MEPs are expected to introduce amendments pushing for coordinated stockpiling measures
Euronews
07-03-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Just 1 in 9 people in France has optimal heart health, study finds
The study also found there were wide disparities depending on gender and socioeconomic background. ADVERTISEMENT Only 11 per cent of the French population has optimal cardiovascular health, a new study by the country's public health agency has found. The data also revealed that there were stark disparities across the population, with the rate falling to 4 per cent among people with a secondary education while 21 per cent of people with a high education level were in good health. 'This important work confirms the major public health burden of [cardiovascular and neurovascular disease] on healthcare in France,' Dr Caroline Semaille, the director general of Public Health France, said in a statement. Cardiovascular and neurovascular diseases were the second leading cause of death in the country in 2022. Gender differences 'Two points stand out for me: inequalities are still high, and women's health is deteriorating at a worrying rate,' she added. Women are increasingly adopting behaviors that are detrimental to their health, such as smoking, which was more prevalent among women between the ages of 45 and 64. They also tended to be more sedentary, with 47 per cent of them not meeting the physical activity recommendations compared to 29 per cent of men. The epidemiological briefing, published this week, also noted that women are less often hospitalised in intensive care and suffer more acute complications, with higher early mortality. The cardiovascular health was calculated based on the Life's Simple 7 score developed by the American Heart Association. 'Adopting healthier behaviours, early diagnosis, managing modifiable risk factors and preventing complications are all essential actions to reduce the impact of these largely preventable diseases,' Semaille said. The seven metrics are smoking status, body weight (usually measured by Body Mass Index), physical activity, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose. The association recently added sleep as an eighth metric. To mitigate the risks of cardiovascular disease, experts recommend exercising for at least 150 minutes per week (only 75 minutes per week if the activity is intense), maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco, and monitoring cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Euronews
06-03-2025
- Health
- Euronews
Just 1 in 9 people in France has good heart health, government agency says
Only 11 per cent of the French population has optimal cardiovascular health, a new study by the country's public health agency has found. The data also revealed that there were stark disparities across the population, with the rate falling to 4 per cent among people with a secondary education while 21 per cent of people with a high education level were in good health. 'This important work confirms the major public health burden of [cardiovascular and neurovascular disease] on healthcare in France,' Dr Caroline Semaille, the director general of Public Health France, said in a statement. Cardiovascular and neurovascular diseases were the second leading cause of death in the country in 2022. Gender differences 'Two points stand out for me: inequalities are still high, and women's health is deteriorating at a worrying rate,' she added. Women are increasingly adopting behaviors that are detrimental to their health, such as smoking, which was more prevalent among women between the ages of 45 and 64. They also tended to be more sedentary, with 47 per cent of them not meeting the physical activity recommendations compared to 29 per cent of men. The epidemiological briefing, published this week, also noted that women are less often hospitalised in intensive care and suffer more acute complications, with higher early mortality. The cardiovascular health was calculated based on the Life's Simple 7 score developed by the American Heart Association. 'Adopting healthier behaviours, early diagnosis, managing modifiable risk factors and preventing complications are all essential actions to reduce the impact of these largely preventable diseases,' Semaille said. The seven metrics are smoking status, body weight (usually measured by Body Mass Index), physical activity, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose. The association recently added sleep as an eighth metric. To mitigate the risks of cardiovascular disease, experts recommend exercising for at least 150 minutes per week (only 75 minutes per week if the activity is intense), maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco, and monitoring cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
