Latest news with #health authorities
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Alarm in China that efforts to control Chikungunya virus are infringing on rights
There is growing alarm in China that official efforts to control the spread of Chikungunya virus, a non-fatal mosquito-borne disease that has been spreading in the south of the country, are infringing on people's personal rights. A single mother living in Zhanjiang, a port city in Guangdong province, posted a video on social media this week showing a group of people, including a uniformed police officer, entering her children's bedroom in the middle of the night and taking blood samples from the boy and the girl, without their mother's presence or consent. The mother had been working a night shift so was not at home. According to Chinese media, a local pharmacy had reported the family to the health authorities after the son had presented with a fever. A hashtag related to the incident has been viewed nearly 90m times on Weibo, with many users expressing alarm about the behaviour of the authorities. Health authorities in Guangdong are on high alert because of an outbreak of Chikungunya that started about a month ago in Foshan, a city 260km from Zhanjiang. There have been about 8,000 reported cases so far, and at least one imported case in Hong Kong, a city that borders Guangdong. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease that can only be spread by being bitten by an insect with the virus. Symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea and a rash. In rare cases, symptoms can last for months or even years. But it is rarely fatal. Babies, elderly people and people with underlying health conditions are most at risk. There are regular Chikungunya outbreaks in Asia, Africa and the Americas, but this is the first time that there has been a major occurrence in China. China's Covid-19 prevention measures were among the strictest in the world, and there is a well-oiled machine to control the spread of disease that can be activated at short notice. On 2 August, Wang Weizhong, Guangdong's governor, said that China would 'strive to win the battle against the Chikungunya fever epidemic' and ordered a range of measures. These include eradicating mosquito breeding grounds such as pools of stagnant water, mobilising the public to empty out pots and pans that might be collecting water, encouraging the use of mosquito coils and nets and using mosquito repellent. But the authorities have also been resurrecting surveillance and reporting measures which hark back to the zero-Covid era, in which people's daily lives were strictly monitored and controlled. On 4 August, the Foshan local authorities announced that all pharmacies would have to report the sale of certain drugs used for treating fevers. This appears to be how the children in Zhanjiang were identified. Chinese media quoted a local official who said that attempts had been made to contact the mother. After the outcry, the local health authorities said they were investigating the case. Additional research by Lillian Yang
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Alarm in China that efforts to control Chikungunya virus are infringing on rights
There is growing alarm in China that official efforts to control the spread of Chikungunya virus, a non-fatal mosquito-borne disease that has been spreading in the south of the country, are infringing on people's personal rights. A single mother living in Zhanjiang, a port city in Guangdong province, posted a video on social media this week showing a group of people, including a uniformed police officer, entering her children's bedroom in the middle of the night and taking blood samples from the boy and the girl, without their mother's presence or consent. The mother had been working a night shift so was not at home. According to Chinese media, a local pharmacy had reported the family to the health authorities after the son had presented with a fever. A hashtag related to the incident has been viewed nearly 90m times on Weibo, with many users expressing alarm about the behaviour of the authorities. Health authorities in Guangdong are on high alert because of an outbreak of Chikungunya that started about a month ago in Foshan, a city 260km from Zhanjiang. There have been about 8,000 reported cases so far, and at least one imported case in Hong Kong, a city that borders Guangdong. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease that can only be spread by being bitten by an insect with the virus. Symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea and a rash. In rare cases, symptoms can last for months or even years. But it is rarely fatal. Babies, elderly people and people with underlying health conditions are most at risk. There are regular Chikungunya outbreaks in Asia, Africa and the Americas, but this is the first time that there has been a major occurrence in China. China's Covid-19 prevention measures were among the strictest in the world, and there is a well-oiled machine to control the spread of disease that can be activated at short notice. On 2 August, Wang Weizhong, Guangdong's governor, said that China would 'strive to win the battle against the Chikungunya fever epidemic' and ordered a range of measures. These include eradicating mosquito breeding grounds such as pools of stagnant water, mobilising the public to empty out pots and pans that might be collecting water, encouraging the use of mosquito coils and nets and using mosquito repellent. But the authorities have also been resurrecting surveillance and reporting measures which hark back to the zero-Covid era, in which people's daily lives were strictly monitored and controlled. On 4 August, the Foshan local authorities announced that all pharmacies would have to report the sale of certain drugs used for treating fevers. This appears to be how the children in Zhanjiang were identified. Chinese media quoted a local official who said that attempts had been made to contact the mother. After the outcry, the local health authorities said they were investigating the case. Additional research by Lillian Yang
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hongkongers aged 18 to 49 with chronic illnesses can soon receive subsidised flu jabs
Hong Kong residents aged 18 to 49 who have chronic illnesses can receive a subsidised flu jab later this year under health authorities' plan to expand the city's vaccination programme, the Post has learned. The new move would help to identify the city's hidden population with chronic illnesses and provide them with stronger community healthcare support services, according to a government source on Friday. 'Apart from encouraging more people to get vaccinated against the flu, the expansion will also help authorities to identify more residents with chronic illnesses when they make declarations [of their condition], so that they can be better supported with electronic health information and district health centres,' the source said. Details of the plan are expected to be announced later. Currently, the government provides free or subsidised seasonal influenza vaccination to residents aged 6 months to 18 years, and those aged 50 or older. Those aged 18 to 49 are only eligible if they are disabled or if they are social security recipients with chronic illnesses. High-risk groups, such as residents of care homes, healthcare workers and those who work in the poultry and animal slaughter industries, are also eligible.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
China reports 7,000 cases of mosquito-borne chikungunya virus
More than 7,000 cases of a mosquito-borne virus have been reported across China's southern Guangdong province since July 2025. Hong Kong has also reported several imported cases of the virus.
Arab News
6 days ago
- Health
- Arab News
Sindh to deploy first female bike ambulance squad to reach patients in congested areas
KARACHI: Pakistan's southern Sindh province will deploy its first cohort of female bike ambulance responders by the end of the current quarter, health authorities said on Wednesday, adding the women will be part of a gender-inclusive emergency response team and operate motorbikes to reach patients in hard-to-access areas. The initiative, launched by Sindh Integrated Emergency and Health Services (SIEHS-1122), aims to improve access to pre-hospital care in congested urban neighborhoods where conventional ambulances are often delayed. It also marks a move toward greater gender representation in emergency services, with female and male responders working in integrated teams across Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. 'By the end of this quarter, 50 trained female responders will be deployed across Sindh — each stationed at designated take-off points to deliver swift care,' SIEHS said in a statement. 'They'll be riding 150cc bikes, not the usual 70cc — purpose-built vehicles fitted with essential life-saving equipment, communication devices, and emergency drugs.' According to SIEHS, the responders underwent four weeks of field-based training in simulated emergency conditions, including drills and navigation under heat stress, to prepare them for rapid medical intervention in densely populated localities. Each bike is equipped to function as a mobile unit for stabilizing patients prior to transport, and the service is expected to complement existing ambulance fleets already operating in the province under the 1122 emergency network. The statement said the initiative will help Sindh join a growing list of jurisdictions worldwide adopting bike-based emergency models to shorten response times and expand coverage in urban and peri-urban areas. SIEHS said the program builds on earlier initiatives, including the deployment of female ambulance drivers in Sanghar, and reflects ongoing efforts to improve community-level access to emergency care while promoting gender inclusion in public service roles.
