Latest news with #infectiousdiseases
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Vigilance, not luck, helping NZ avoid widespread measles outbreak
A paediatrician specialising in infectious diseases says the increase in measles cases in the lower North Island is an unfortunate example of just how infectious it is. The current outbreak in Wairarapa and Manawatū reached eight cases on Thursday. Health NZ says the cases stemmed from overseas travel. Dr Emma Best from the Immunisation Advisory Centre said measles "seeks out" people and young children who were not immunised. "If you're not immune to measles, and you are in the space of somebody who has measles or doesn't know they're getting measles, there's a very, very high chance that you will get measles," she said. "The spread, the fact that the close contacts of the returned traveller sequentially... we're getting more cases, is unfortunately expected." With outbreaks in Canada, Australia, parts of the United States and southeast Asia, Best said it was important overseas travellers were vaccinated against measles. Auckland also saw a measles outbreak earlier in the winter . Best said vigilance, not luck, meant New Zealand had avoided an outbreak on the scale of other countries so far. "We've been incredibly vigilant, which is great, and really carefully managing this should there be any single cases that occur, but actually, this has got away from most other countries in the world. "We know that it's out there, so with any traveller or returned traveller from pretty much any region in the world now, there's going to be some risk. "New Zealand is working incredibly hard to keep ourselves safe from measles, and that primarily starts with making sure we vaccinate our own population really well and making sure that anyone who travels know they need to be vaccinated, including infants younger than one." In New Zealand, babies typically received their first measles vaccine (MMR) at 12 months of age and the second at 15 months, but Best said young infants travelling abroad could receive the vaccine to protect them before they go away. It was "really stressful and concerning" to see people in hospital with diseases, such as measles, that there were vaccinations for, she added. "Most people want the best for their kids, they want to get vaccinations, they want to have conversations about it. We have got poor rates of vaccinations since Covid, but we're working extra hard to get the message out there." Anyone travelling overseas with a young child needed to make sure they had all their vaccinations. "Definitely having a conversation about the measles vaccination, which we can give early in the context of travel, means we can give it to younger than one year of age to protect an infant who's going on a plane, in transit, those types of thing. "Prepare yourself for travel and stay vigilant when you return for measles-type rashes as well." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
HOOKIPA Pharma Announces Intention to Voluntarily Delist and Deregister its Common Stock
NEW YORK and VIENNA, July 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK, 'HOOKIPA'), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation immunotherapeutics for the treatment of cancer and serious infectious diseases, today announced its intention to voluntarily delist from the Nasdaq Capital Market ('Nasdaq') and to deregister its common stock under Section 12(b) and Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 'Exchange Act'), and suspend its reporting obligations under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. In connection with the consideration and evaluation of HOOKIPA's long-term prospects and strategies by HOOKIPA's board of directors, on May 21, 2025 HOOKIPA entered into an asset purchase agreement ('Asset Purchase Agreement') with Gilead Sciences, Inc. ('Gilead') pursuant to which Gilead will acquire all of HOOKIPA's assets primarily related to or necessary for the conduct of HOOKIPA's HB-400 program, currently in clinical development for the treatment of hepatitis B virus, and certain of HOOKIPA's assets related to HOOKIPA's HB-500 program, currently in clinical development for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (collectively, the 'Asset Sale'). HOOKIPA has been developing the HB-400 and HB-500 programs in collaboration with Gilead pursuant to the collaboration and license agreement with Gilead. HOOKIPA is holding a special meeting of stockholders (the 'Special Meeting') on July 29, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to seek stockholder approval of the Asset Sale and to approve the dissolution and liquidation of HOOKIPA in accordance with Delaware law. If the stockholders approve the Asset Sale and the dissolution and liquidation of HOOKIPA, HOOKIPA intends to file a Certificate of Dissolution (the 'Certificate of Dissolution') with the Delaware Secretary of State as soon as practicable following the closing of the Asset Sale and the completion of the transfer plan under the Asset Purchase Agreement. Upon HOOKIPA's filing of a Certificate of Dissolution with the Delaware Secretary of State, the winding up and liquidation of HOOKIPA will commence. In determining to voluntarily delist and deregister its common stock, HOOKIPA considered that, assuming its stockholders approve the Asset Sale and the dissolution and liquidation of HOOKIPA at the Special Meeting, following the Asset Sale and through the subsequent liquidation and dissolution of the company, HOOKIPA would have an obligation to continue to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, even though compliance with these reporting requirements would be economically burdensome in light of the Asset Sale and HOOKIPA's announced intent to dissolve and liquidate. Further, the expenses incurred by HOOKIPA in complying with the applicable reporting requirements would reduce the assets available for ultimate distribution to stockholders. On July 18, 2025, HOOKIPA notified Nasdaq of its intent to voluntarily delist its common stock from Nasdaq. HOOKIPA currently anticipates that it will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') a Form 25 relating to the delisting and deregistration of its common stock on or about July 29, 2025, and anticipates that the delisting and deregistration under Section 12(b) of its common stock will then become effective on or about August 8, 2025. Following the delisting, any trading in HOOKIPA's common stock would only occur in privately negotiated sales and potentially on an over-the-counter market; however, there is no guarantee that a broker will make a market in the common stock and that trading of the common stock will continue on an over-the-counter market or otherwise. Following the delisting of its common stock from Nasdaq, HOOKIPA intends to file a Form 15 with the SEC to deregister its common stock under Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and suspend its reporting obligations under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As a result of the filing of the Form 15, HOOKIPA's obligation to file certain Exchange Act reports and forms with the SEC, including certain Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, will cease. HOOKIPA will generally be relieved of all reporting obligations under the Exchange Act upon the effectiveness of the Form 15. The Company expects that the deregistration of its common stock will become effective 90 days after the filing of the Form 15 with the SEC. About HOOKIPAHOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOK) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next generation immunotherapeutics based on its proprietary arenavirus platform. The company's product candidates are designed to induce specific, robust and durable CD8+ T cells and antibodies to eliminate cancers and serious infectious diseases. HOOKIPA's pipeline includes biological therapies for oncology, targeting human papillomavirus type 16-positive (HPV16+) cancers, KRAS mutated cancers, and other targets. In addition, HOOKIPA has partnered with Gilead Sciences, Inc. to develop therapies that are intended to provide functional cures for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). Find out more about HOOKIPA online at Forward Looking StatementsCertain statements set forth in this press release constitute 'forward-looking' statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as 'anticipates,' 'believes,' 'expects,' 'plans,' 'potential,' 'will,' 'would' or similar expressions and the negative of those terms. Forward-looking statements in this press release include HOOKIPA's statements regarding its plans and its ability to successfully delist from Nasdaq and to deregister its common stock as well as the anticipated benefits thereof, the potential for a trading market in HOOKIPA's common stock following the delisting, and HOOKIPA's expectations to close the Asset Sale and to dissolve and liquidate. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the uncertainty of stockholder approval of the Asset Sale and the dissolution and liquidation of HOOKIPA, the timing and ability of HOOKIPA to close the Asset Sale, the timing and effectiveness of HOOKIPA's delisting and deregistration of the common stock, and the sufficiency of existing cash to fund operations. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of HOOKIPA in general, see HOOKIPA's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in HOOKIPA's subsequent filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at and HOOKIPA's website at All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and HOOKIPA undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law. Availability of Other Information About HOOKIPAInvestors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website, SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels, as well as social media, to communicate with our investors and the public about our company, and other issues. It is possible that the information we post on social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the social media channels listed on our investor relations website. For further information, please contact: InvestorsChuck PadalaChuck@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
15-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Alberta now has more confirmed measles cases than entire U.S.
Alberta has now confirmed more measles cases than the entire United States has reported this year. Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist, says 'it's a very real risk.' As of Monday, total case counts in the province have reached 1,314.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alberta now has more confirmed measles cases than entire U.S.
Alberta has now confirmed more measles cases than the entire United States has reported this year. Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist, says 'it's a very real risk.' As of Monday, total case counts in the province have reached 1,314.
Times of Oman
11-07-2025
- Health
- Times of Oman
WHO warns of rising spread of infectious diseases among deported Afghan migrants
Kabul: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning regarding the rising spread of infectious diseases among Afghan migrants deported from neighbouring nations amid poor sanitary conditions, Khaama Press reported. The WHO emphasised the need to enhance medical resources and staff capacity to address the increasing health risks. WHO has reported a rise in respiratory infections, skin conditions like scabies, diarrhoea and suspected COVID-19 cases among those deported from neighbouring nations. The ground assessments carried out at key border points, especially Islam Qala in Herat Province, reveal that upper respiratory infections are the most common diseases spread, followed by diarrhoea and dehydration, particularly among children and the elderly. Suspected cases of scabies and COVID-19 have also been reported among deported Afghan migrants. In response to the spread of diseases, the WHO has launched emergency health screenings and mass vaccination campaigns in collaboration with local health authorities at Islam Qala and Spin Boldak border crossings. These initiatives have been launched to stop further outbreaks and provide critical care to vulnerable people. According to the WHO, more than 8,700 children received oral polio vaccines, and over 8,300 individuals received injectable polio vaccines at the Islam Qala crossing. Thousands of deported children have been vaccinated against measles in high-risk border areas, Khaama Press reported. Nearly 29,000 people have been screened or vaccinated at major border points, including Spin Boldak, Torkham, and Islam Qala. WHO mobile health teams have been deployed at reception centres and zero-point borders and are conducting daily health checks on hundreds of returnees. WHO has identified over 840 people showing symptoms of infectious disease, all of whom received immediate medical care. It emphasised the need to increase medical resources and staff capacity to address the growing health risks, according to Khaama Press reported. As the number of Afghan migrants being deported by neighbouring nations continues to increase, the WHO called for expanded funding and coordinated efforts required to prevent large-scale disease outbreaks and provide adequate care for returnees in crisis.
