Health
As outbreak worsens, COVID-19 cases in eastern Europe near 20 million
|
Coronavirus cases in eastern Europe will soon surpass 20 million, according to a Reuters tally on Sunday, as the region grapples with its worst outbreak since the pandemic started and inoculation efforts lag.
Countries in the region have the lowest vaccination rates https://tmsnrt.rs/3tUM8ta in Europe, with less than half of the population having received a single dose.
Hungary tops the region’s vaccination rates with 62% of its population having gotten at least one shot, whereas Ukraine has given just 19% of its residents a single dose, according to Our World in Data.
New infections in the region have steadily risen and now average over 83,700 new cases per day, the highest level since November last year, Reuters data through Friday showed. Although it has just 4% of the world’s population, eastern Europe accounts for roughly 20% of all new cases reported globally https://tmsnrt.rs/34pvUyi.
According to a Reuters analysis, three of the top five countries reporting the most deaths in the world are in eastern Europe – Russia, Ukraine and Romania.
More social gathering indoors after the lifting of restrictions just as winter sets in is driving a rise in COVID-19 infections in many countries across Europe, the World Health Organization‘s emergency director Mike Ryan said on Thursday.
As the wave of infections intensifies, many people in eastern Europe are torn between defiance and regret https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/regret-defiance-europes-vaccine-shy-east-covid-19-rages-2021-10-21 over not getting vaccinated.
Hundreds have protested in Sofia and other cities against mandatory certificates that came into force on Thursday, limiting access to many indoor public spaces to those who have been vaccinated.
A European Commission poll, the Eurobarometer, has shown that at least one person in three in most countries in the European Union’s east does not trust the healthcare system, compared to a bloc average of 18%.
More than 40% of all new cases reported in eastern Europe were in Russia, with 120 people testing positive every five minutes, according to a Reuters analysis. The country’s healthcare system is operating under great strain, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on Wednesday. The nation on Friday reported record COVID fatalities for the fourth straight day.
So far, Russia has vaccinated about 36% of its population with one vaccine shot.
Moscow, the country’s most populous city and capital, will next week shutdown all businesses except essential stores such as supermarkets and pharmacies to stem the spread of the disease.
Slovakia reported 3,480 new COVID-19 cases on Oct. 19, its highest daily tally since March, health ministry data showed Wednesday. The country has one of the lower vaccination rates in the EU, with just over half the adult population fully inoculated in the country of 5.5 million. This has contributed to a faster rise in infections than in some neighboring countries.
In Romania, hospitals are stretched to breaking point, with emergency beds fully occupied across the country. Morgues were also running at full capacity. The country reported record numbers of daily coronavirus fatalities and infections on Tuesday. The virus was killing one person every five minutes on average this month in a country where the inoculation rate is low.
Ukraine registered a record daily high of new coronavirus infections and related deaths for the second consecutive day on Friday. It also extended a state of emergency that allows authorities to impose curbs until year-end to rein in infections.
(Reporting by Roshan Abraham, Shaina Ahluwalia and Rittik Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Edwina Gibbs)
Health
Quebec successfully pushes back against rise in measles cases – CBC.ca
Quebec appears to be winning its battle against the rising tide of measles after 45 cases were confirmed province-wide this year.
“We’ve had no locally transmitted measles cases since March 25, so that’s good news,” said Dr. Paul Le Guerrier, responsible for immunization for Montreal Public Health.
There are 17 patients with measles in Quebec currently, and the most recent case is somebody who was infected while abroad, he said.
But it was no small task to get to this point.
Le Guerrier said once local transmission was detected, news was spread fast among health centres to ensure proper protocols were followed — such as not letting potentially infected people sit in waiting rooms for hours on end.
Then about 90 staffers were put to work, tracking down those who were in contact with positive cases and are not properly vaccinated. They were given post-exposure prophylaxis, which prevents disease, said Le Guerrier.
From there, a vaccination campaign was launched, especially in daycares, schools and neighbourhoods with low inoculation rates. There was an effort to convince parents to get their children vaccinated.
Vaccination in schools boosted
Some schools, mostly in Montreal, had vaccination rates as low as 30 or 40 per cent.
“Vaccination was well accepted and parents responded well,” said Le Guerrier. “Some schools went from very low to as high as 85 to 90 per cent vaccination coverage.”
But it’s not only children who aren’t properly vaccinated. Le Guerrier said people need two doses after age one to be fully inoculated, and he encouraged people to check their status.
There are all kinds of reasons why people aren’t vaccinated, but it’s only about five per cent who are against immunization, he said. So far, some 10,000 people have been vaccinated against measles province-wide during this campaign, Le Guerrier said.
The next step is to continue pushing for further vaccination, but he said, small outbreaks are likely in the future as measles is spreading abroad and travellers are likely to bring it back with them.
Need to improve vaccination rate, expert says
Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious diseases specialist from the McGill University Health Centre, said it’s not time to rest on our laurels, but this is a good indication that public health is able to take action quickly and that people are willing to listen to health recommendations.
“We are not seeing new cases or at least the new cases are not exceeding the number of cases that we can handle,” said Vinh.
“So these are all reassuring signs, but I don’t think it’s a sign that we need to become complacent.”
Vinh said there are also signs that the public is lagging in vaccine coverage and it’s important to respond to this with improved education and access. Otherwise, microbes capitalize on our weaknesses, he said.
Getting vaccination coverage up to an adequate level is necessary, Vinh said, or more small outbreaks like this will continue to happen.
“And it’s very possible that we may not be able to get one under control if we don’t react quickly enough,” he said.
Health
Pregnant women in the Black Country urged to get whooping cough vaccine – BBC.com
Pregnant women urged to get whooping cough vaccine
Pregnant women in the Black Country are being urged to get vaccinated against whooping cough after a rise in cases.
The bacterial infection of the lungs spreads very easily and can cause serious problems, especially in babies and young children.
The Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) is advising pregnant women between 16 and 32 weeks to contact their GP to get the vaccine so their baby has protection from birth.
The UK Health Security Agency warned earlier this year of a steady decline in uptake of the vaccine in pregnant women and children.
Symptoms of the infection, also known as “100-day cough”, are similar to a cold, with a runny nose and sore throat.
Sally Roberts, chief nursing officer for the ICB, which covers Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell, said anyone could catch it, but it was more serious for young children and babies.
“Getting vaccinated while you’re pregnant is highly effective in protecting your baby from developing whooping cough in the first few weeks of their life – ideally from 16 weeks up to 32 weeks of pregnancy,” she said.
“If for any reason you miss having the vaccine, you can still have it up until you go into labour.”
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk
Health
Measles cases stabilize in Montreal – CityNews Montreal
The number of measles cases has stabilized, according to the Montreal Public Health.
Since March 25, there have been no contaminations reported within the community.
“Our teams have identified all contact cases of measles,” said media relations advisor Geneviève Paradis. “It’s a laborious task: each measles case produces hundreds of contacts.”
All community transmission cases since February 2024 have been caused by returning travelers who were either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
Currently, there are 18 measles cases in Montreal – with 46 total in Quebec. This according to the April 18 figures from the provincial government.
“With the summer vacations approaching, if you’re travelling, it is essential to check if you are protected against measles,” explained Paradis.
According to Montreal Public Health, a person needs to have received two doses after the age of 12 months to be immunized against the virus.
They’ve launched a vaccination campaign throughout the region, and currently, 11,341 people have been vaccinated against measles in Montreal between March 19 and April 15.
Vaccination is also being provided in schools and at local service points.
“The vaccination operation is under the responsibility of the five CIUSSS of the territory,” concluded Paradis.
-
Tech20 hours ago
Cytiva Showcases Single-Use Mixing System at INTERPHEX 2024 – BioPharm International
-
News22 hours ago
Tim Hortons says 'technical errors' falsely told people they won $55K boat in Roll Up To Win promo – CBC.ca
-
Health16 hours ago
Supervised consumption sites urgently needed, says study – Sudbury.com
-
Tech22 hours ago
Aaron Sluchinski adds Kyle Doering to lineup for next season – Sportsnet.ca
-
Politics23 hours ago
Trump faces political risks as trial begins – NBC News
-
Tech21 hours ago
Nintendo Indie World Showcase April 2024 – Every Announcement, Game Reveal & Trailer – Nintendo Life
-
News15 hours ago
2024 federal budget's key takeaways: Housing and carbon rebates, students and sin taxes – CBC News
-
News16 hours ago
Canada's 2024 budget announces 'halal mortgages'. Here's what to know – National Post