US reports over 17,000 monkeypox cases

People are seen at a monkeypox vaccination site in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Aug. 11, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]

The United States has confirmed over 17,000 monkeypox cases, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A total of 17,432 known monkeypox cases had been reported nationwide as of Friday, CDC data showed.

New York had the most cases, with 3,124, followed by California with 3,291 and Florida with 1,739, according to CDC data.

So far, the United States has the world's highest tally of monkeypox cases.

Although monkeypox cases are still increasing nationally, the speed of the outbreak appears to be slowing, said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

U.S. officials said additional monkeypox vaccines could be made available to the public as soon as September, according to a report of CBS News.

The Biden administration has been facing criticism in its response to the monkeypox outbreak, including failure to order enough vaccines, speed treatments and make tests available to head off the outbreak.

"We should have been able to contain monkeypox -- it was detected early and already had tests, a safe vaccine and an effective treatment. But a chronically underfunded public health system, often lacking even basic supplies like testing swabs and syringes and depleted by two-plus years of the COVID-19 pandemic, failed this most basic test," said a report of The Hill. Source: China.org.cn

Read More........ → August 30, 2022

Now virus hits Modi’s family, aunt Narmadaben dies of Covid-19

Now Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s family has been affected by the pandemic coronavirus. Modi’s aunt Narmadaben, 80, died of Covid-19 at a hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Tuesday evening. She lived with his family in the New Runip area of Ahmedabad.

Modi’s younger brother Prahlad Modi said Aunt Narmadaben’s condition deteriorated after she was infected with Covid-19. She was admitted to a government hospital 10 days ago. He died there on Tuesday evening.

He added that Modi’s uncle Jagjivandas had died many years ago. He was a few years younger than the Prime Minister’s father. However, Modi has not yet said anything about the death of the family member.

Covid-19 has taken a terrible turn in India since the beginning of March. Infection is on the rise. Concerns about well-being are also increasing. The people of the country are wailing for oxygen shortage. Many are blaming the “lack of foresight” of the Center for such a situation.More than 315,000 people were infected with the Covid-19 within 24 hours from Monday morning to Tuesday morning in India only. At the same time, another 2,812 people died. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com

Read More........ → May 08, 2021

Sputnik vaccines reliable as AK-47 rifle: Putin

President Vladimir Putin has heralded Russia's COVID-19 vaccine offering as reliable as the country's world-renowned Kalashnikov (AK-47) assault rifle.

During a video conference on Thursday with Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, he said, "Our medications are based on technologies and platforms that have been used literally for decades. They are also very modern and up-to-date, and undoubtedly, they are the most reliable and the safest."

"They are as reliable as an AK-47. By the way, it wasn't us who said that, this was said by a European specialist. And I think that he is certainly right," TASS quoted Putin as saying.

The comment came as the country's health officials registered a single-dose version of the Sputnik V vaccine on Thursday, dubbed Sputnik Light.

Putin's comparison referenced the Soviet Union-era weapon that remains popular and widely used still today.

He was quoting a comment originally made by an Austrian doctor earlier this year about the jab's efficacy.

The Sputnik V vaccine works in a similar way to others developed by Oxford/AstraZeneca and Janssen/Johnson & Johnson. It uses a cold-type virus, engineered to be harmless, as a carrier to deliver a small fragment of the coronavirus to the body.

Critics of the Putin administration were sceptical when the vaccine was given speedy regulatory approval in Moscow last year, but late-stage trials have found it offers high levels of protection against Covid-19.

The two-dose version of the jab has now been authorised in dozens of other countries around the world.

Sputnik Light, a single-use version where recipients only get the first jab, was officially authorised in Russia on Thursday.

In a press release, its makers said a single dose had demonstrated 79.4% efficacy during the country's vaccine roll-out.

"The single-dose regiment allows for immunisation of a larger number of people in a shorter time frame, furthering the fight against the pandemic during the acute phase," the statement said.The authorisation comes amid an ongoing international row over whether patents should be waived on vaccine technology to boost production. - BBC Sourcer: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com

Read More........ → May 08, 2021