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New Langya virus infects 35 people in China

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(Last Updated On: August 10, 2022)

A new virus, which can be transmitted to humans from animals, has infected 35 people in Shandong and Henan provinces, according to a study by scientists from China, Singapore and Australia published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

So far, there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission.

The Henipavirus (also called Langya henipavirus or LayV) was first detected in late 2018 but was only formally identified by scientists last week, the Guardian reported.

It was discovered  thanks to an early detection system for feverish people with a recent history of exposure to animals, Bloomberg reported.

The virus was found after throat swabs were taken from the patients who were mostly farmers.

The virus is entirely novel, meaning it has not infected humans before.

But two viruses from the same family had been identified previously – the Hendra virus and Nipah virus. Both can cause severe and sometimes fatal illnesses. There are no vaccines or treatments, The Sun reported.

So far, the cases have not been fatal or very serious, so there is no need for panic, said Professor Wang Linfa from the Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore who was involved in the study.

He added that it is still a cause for alarm as many viruses that exist in nature have unpredictable results when they infect humans.

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Ebad addresses gathering of health sector supporting organizations in Doha

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(Last Updated On: February 29, 2024)

The Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Qalandar Ebad on Thursday attended a meeting of health sector-supporting organizations in Doha, Qatar and spoke about the need to focus on certain areas of healthcare in the country.

In his speech, Ebad spoke of work needed to reform the health system, joint supervision, self-sufficiency of the health sector, standardization of health services at village and district level and provision of all-round health services.

He asked international colleagues in the field of health to work more on reducing administrative costs and delivering aid in a proper and correct manner.

Ebad said that if excessive administrative expenses are prevented, it will have a positive effect on the expenses in the field of health services.

He also emphasized that the release of the country’s frozen assets would be beneficial for the health sector especially for mothers and children.

It is a big and positive step for the independence of Afghanistan’s health system, development and standardization of health services, which should be taken by the international community, he said.

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Polio vaccination campaign underway in Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: February 26, 2024)

The Ministry of Public Health, in cooperation with international institutions, on Monday launched the second sub-national polio vaccination campaign for 2024.

The campaign runs in different parts of the country from 26 to 29 February 2024, and aims to reach 7.6 million children below the age of five.

“We are committed to eradicating polio in Afghanistan with the cooperation of our partners. We are working day and night and continue supplementary polio vaccination campaigns and health care services in order to reach the goal of completely eradicating polio throughout the country,” Acting Public Health Minister Qalandar Ebad said.

“The support of all Afghans, especially elders and religious scholars, is important in polio eradication activities. It is necessary for them to participate in the fight against polio and keep their children healthy,” he added.

Polio is a viral disease that cannot be cured and can only be prevented and eradicated by vaccination.

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Over 286,000 afflicted with respiratory diseases since winter across Afghanistan: WHO

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(Last Updated On: February 24, 2024)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that since the beginning of 2024, more than 286,000 individuals have been afflicted with respiratory diseases across Afghanistan, among whom 668 have lost their lives.

On Saturday, the organization reported hundreds of deaths and infections due to respiratory illnesses across the country, coinciding with the onset of winter.

According to WHO, the increase in the number of individuals afflicted with respiratory diseases is due to cold weather conditions, affecting mostly children.

Based on the organization’s report, over 63 percent of the patients are children under five years old, with nearly 50 percent of them being women.

Earlier, WHO emphasized in a report that the average recorded statistics of respiratory illnesses in the country have increased compared to the same period in the years 2020 to 2022.

With the arrival of the cold season and increased air pollution, concerns regarding the spread of respiratory illnesses in the country have intensified.

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