Latest news with #healthofficials
CBC
17 hours ago
- Health
- CBC
More hot days mean more health risks, say P.E.I. medical officials
As warm weather continues this summer, health officials are reminding Islanders to be aware of the warning signs of heat-related illnesses. For some people, including those with disabilities, the risks can be heightened. CBC's Gwyneth Egan reports.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Health
- Arab News
Pakistan reports three fresh polio cases, taking 2025 tally to 17
KARACHI: Pakistani authorities on Sunday reported three new polio cases across the country, taking the 2025 tally to 17 amid Islamabad's efforts to eliminate the disease. Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects young children and can cause permanent paralysis. There is no cure, but it can be prevented through multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and a complete routine immunization schedule, experts say. Pakistan, one of only two countries in the world where polio remains endemic, the other being neighboring Afghanistan, has made significant gains in recent decades. Annual cases have fallen dramatically from an estimated 20,000 in the early 1990s to single digits by 2018. However, the country has witnessed a worrying resurgence recently. Pakistan reported 74 cases in 2024, raising alarms among health officials and global partners supporting the eradication campaign. In contrast, only six cases were recorded in 2023 and just one in 2021. 'The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, has confirmed three new polio cases— two from the districts of Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan in South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one from District Umerkot in Sindh,' Pakistan's National Emergencies Operation Center said. The new cases include a 15-month-old girl from District Lakki Marwat, a six-month-old girl from North Waziristan district and a 60-month-old boy from District Umerkot, the statement said. Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has reported the highest number of polio cases this year, 10, followed by five from Sindh and one each from Punjab and northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. The NEOC noted that despite 'substantial progress' in polio eradication efforts, the new polio cases underscore the persistent risk to children, especially in areas where vaccine acceptance remains low. 'It is crucial for communities to understand that poliovirus can resurface wherever immunity gaps exist,' it said. 'Every unvaccinated child is at risk and can also pose a risk to others.' The NEOC said an anti-polio vaccination campaign is currently underway, which was launched from July21-27 in Pakistan's union councils bordering Afghanistan. It added that a polio vaccination campaign using doses of the IPV (Inactivated Polio Vaccine) and OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine) was started in southwestern Balochistan's Chaman District on July 21, adding that the same campaign will expand to six more districts in the province starting from July 28. The NEOC urged parents to cooperate with frontline polio workers in getting children vaccinated. 'Communities can protect themselves by actively supporting vaccination efforts, addressing misinformation, and encouraging others to vaccinate their children,' it added. Despite decades of effort, Pakistan's polio eradication drive has faced persistent challenges, including misinformation about vaccines and resistance from conservative religious and militant groups who view immunization campaigns with suspicion. Some clerics have claimed the vaccines are a Western conspiracy to sterilize Muslim children or part of intelligence operations. Vaccination teams and police providing security have also been targeted in militant attacks, particularly in remote and conflict-affected areas of KP and Balochistan. These threats have at times forced the suspension of campaigns and restricted access to vulnerable populations.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Legionnaires' disease cluster in Central Harlem under investigation, health officials say
New York City health officials say they're investigating a cluster of Legionnaires' disease in Central Harlem and bordering areas. Five people have been diagnosed with the disease since Friday, and others have been tested and are waiting on results. No deaths have been reported. City health officials say they're sampling and testing water from all cooling tower systems in the following ZIP codes: 10027, 10030, 10035 and 10037. Adults who have been in the affected area and have flu-like symptoms or difficulty breathing are being urged to contact their health care provider. Legionnaires' is a type of pneumonia and has similar symptoms, including fever, chills, muscle aches and cough. It is spread by breathing in water vapor that contains Legionella bacteria, which grows in warm water, and is not contagious. When caught early, Legionnaires' disease can be treated with antibiotics. Health officials urge anyone at higher risk — such as smokers, people with chronic lung conditions and anyone over age 50 — to seek care as soon as symptoms begin.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Manitoba warns of measles exposure in Portage la Prairie restaurant
Manitoba health officials are warning people might have been exposed to measles at a restaurant in Portage la Prairie last weekend. Anyone who was at Tornado's Restaurant and Lounge, located at 1107 Saskatchewan Ave. W. in the southern Manitoba city, on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. is asked to monitor for measles symptoms until Aug. 11, the province said in a Friday notice. The province is also asking those who were in the restaurant during that time on Sunday to check for their immunization records and ensure they are up to date with their measles vaccines. Symptoms of measles generally appear seven to 21 days after exposure, and may include a fever, runny nose, drowsiness and red eyes, Manitoba Health says. Small white spots can also appear on the inside of the mouth or throat. The highly infectious disease spreads through droplets formed in the air when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. Even a few minutes in the same space as a sick person poses infection risks, as the virus can linger on surfaces for two hours after an infected person leaves. The province says immunization is the only way to protect people from contracting measles. A two-dose vaccine program for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox) is routinely provided for kids at least one year old and again at age four to six in Manitoba. If a child is exposed to measles, the province said a second dose can be given earlier. As of July 19 — the most recent data available from Manitoba Health — there have been 158 confirmed measles cases in the province this year. A list with detailed information on the locations, times and days where the public might have been exposed to measles is available on the province's website.
CBC
4 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Manitoba warns of measles exposure in Portage la Prairie restaurant
Manitoba health officials are warning people might have been exposed to measles at a restaurant in Portage la Prairie last weekend. Anyone who was at Tornado's Restaurant and Lounge, located at 1107 Saskatchewan Ave. W. in the southern Manitoba city, on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. is asked to monitor for measles symptoms until Aug. 11, the province said in a Friday notice. The province is also asking those who were in the restaurant during that time on Sunday to check for their immunization records and ensure they are up to date with their measles vaccines. Symptoms of measles generally appear seven to 21 days after exposure, and may include a fever, runny nose, drowsiness and red eyes, Manitoba Health says. Small white spots can also appear on the inside of the mouth or throat. The highly infectious disease spreads through droplets formed in the air when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. Even a few minutes in the same space as a sick person poses infection risks, as the virus can linger on surfaces for two hours after an infected person leaves. The province says immunization is the only way to protect people from contracting measles. A two-dose vaccine program for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox) is routinely provided for kids at least one year old and again at age four to six in Manitoba. If a child is exposed to measles, the province said a second dose can be given earlier. As of July 19 — the — there have been 158 confirmed measles cases in the province this year.
