HEALTH - The African Mirror

Aug

06

2020

Antibiotic resistance: cheap diagnostic test could be a saviour

HEALTH

LARA MARKS, Visiting Research Fellow, History of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cambridge ANKUR MUTRJA, Group Leader, Global Health (Infectious Diseases), University of Cambridge WITH the world’s attention focused on combating COVID-19, it is easy to forget the other significant threat to public health and the global economy – the rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Yet the problem has not disappeared. Indeed, the pandemic is probably accelerating it. Predicted to cause 10 million deaths a year by 2050 if left unchecked, AMR occurs where microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs (such as antibiotics,…

Aug

06

2020

By The African Mirror

Hair scavenged from Nairobi dump ends up in salon amid COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19

THOMAS MUKOYA STYLIST Julia Wanja picks her way delicately through piles of food waste, discarded masks, rubber gloves and other rubbish at Nairobi's Dandora dumpsite, looking for used hair extensions she can clean and resell to customers. The pandemic means fewer clients with less money and she is cutting down on costs by cleaning and reselling hair from the dumpsite. Officials direct trucks to dump their loads depending on where the waste has come from. Domestic and commercial waste - which includes bags of hair extensions discarded by other salons - goes to different sections. Medical waste is usually incinerated.…

Aug

06

2020

By The African Mirror

COVID-19 cases slow in South African hotspot provinces, minister says

COVID-19

THREE South African provinces considered coronavirus hotspots have seen new infections slow in recent weeks, though it is too early to say whether the country's peak has passed, the health minister said on Wednesday. South Africa has the world's fifth highest number of infections, with cases passing 500,000 over the weekend, despite a strict lockdown since late March. On Wednesday the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it was sending a "surge team" of 43 experts to the country to help the Health Ministry with "surveillance and streamlining of epidemiological systems and WHO global COVID-19 response guidelines". Financial hub Gauteng, tourist…

Aug

06

2020

By The African Mirror

What Africa, approaching a million cases, is doing to fight coronavirus

COVID-19

THE World Health Organization has warned the coronavirus pandemic could overwhelm strained public health systems in Africa. On Wednesday, the continent was approaching a million infections and around 21,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally. Here are measures some countries are taking to curb the virus. SOUTH AFRICA With more cases than any other country on the continent, South Africa imposed a strict lockdown on March 27, closing borders and requiring most people to stay at home except for essential trips. The government also banned the sale of alcohol and cigarettes. The government in May allowed the re-opening of many…

Aug

06

2020

By The African Mirror

Gambia coronavirus cases surge 60% in a week

COVID-19

COVID-19 cases in Gambia, mainland Africa's smallest country, have surged over 60% in the last seven days to nearly 800 cases, health ministry data showed on Wednesday. Authorities attributed the rise to people relaxing their guard on protective measures that had so far kept Gambia's case total the lowest in Africa. Testing has also increased in the country, where the number of deaths is 16. "There is increased enforcement of mask-wearing and other measures across the country," government spokesman Ebrima Sankareh said. Gambia will increase police, paramilitary, marine and immigration presence on its border as scores of Senegalese return from…

Aug

04

2020

By The African Mirror

There may never be a ‘silver bullet’ for COVID-19, WHO warns

COVID-19

MICHAEL SHIELDS and EMMA FARGE THE World Health Organization warned on Monday that, despite strong hopes for a vaccine, there might never be a "silver bullet" for COVID-19, and the road to normality would be long. More than 18.14 million people around the world are reported to have been infected with the disease and 688,080 have died, according to a Reuters tally, with some nations that thought they were over the worst experiencing a resurgence. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO emergencies head Mike Ryan exhorted all nations to rigorously enforce health measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, hand-washing…

Aug

04

2020

By The African Mirror

Three Gambian ministers test positive for COVID-19

COVID-19

THREE cabinet ministers in Gambia have tested positive for COVID-19, the presidency said, in a further sign the virus is ripping though the corridors of power after the nation's vice president tested positive last week. President Adama Barrow is in self-isolation for the next two weeks, the presidency said last week after Vice President Isatou Touray tested positive. Now, finance minister Mambureh Njie, energy minister Fafa Sanyang and agriculture minister Amie Fabureh have also been infected by the virus, the presidency said in a statement late on Sunday. The statement gave no detail on the state of the ministers' health.…

Aug

02

2020

By The African Mirror

‘Ebola business’ concerns resurface as new Congo outbreak spreads

HEALTH

PHILIP KLEINFELD and ETIENNE MASANGO AS an outbreak of Ebola ratchets up in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s densely forested northwestern province of Équateur, warning signs are growing that corruption problems that dogged the last epidemic, in the conflict-torn east, risk being repeated. Eight weeks into the latest outbreak – which has infected 67 people and left 31 dead – several senior humanitarian officials involved in the response told The New Humanitarian that government officials have been trying to profit from relief funds, following a precedent set during the previous outbreak, which cost more than 2,200 lives between August 2018 and…

Aug

01

2020

By The African Mirror

Namibia to close schools, limit public gatherings as COVID-19

COVID-19

NAMIBIAN schools will be suspended for the second time in four months next week, while limits on public gatherings will be tightened further to 100 from 250 amid surging cases, President Hage Geingob said. In a televised speech on Friday, Geingob said the decision to suspend schools from Aug. 4 for 28 days came after considering the risks associated with the spread of the virus. The measure affects early childhood development, pre-primary, primary and the first two grades of high school. Namibia has 2,129 confirmed cases and 10 deaths with the country's rate of daily new cases now the fourth…

Aug

12

2020

By The African Mirror

Germany says Russian COVID-19 vaccine has not been sufficiently tested

COVID-19

GERMAN Health Minister Jens Spahn says Russia's COVID-19 vaccine had not been sufficiently tested, adding the aim was to have a safe product rather than just being first to start vaccinating people. President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday that Russia had become the first country to grant regulatory approval to a COVID-19 vaccine after less than two months of human testing. Moscow's decision to grant approval before final trials have been completed has raised concerns among some experts. "It can be dangerous to start vaccinating millions, if not billions, of people too early because it could pretty much kill the…