Author: Claudinne Miller

What Socioeconomic Consequences Has COVID-19 Misinformation Had in Canada?

(MedScape) Health and science misinformation has had serious socioeconomic consequences in Canada, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the Council of Canadian Academies. In 2021 alone, misinformation that promoted vaccine hesitancy resulted in higher numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths — and approximately $300 million in additional healthcare costs.

Feb 7, 2023

White House opposes bill to lift foreign air visitor vaccination rule

(Reuters) The White House said Tuesday it opposes legislation before Congress that would end a requirement that most foreign air travelers be vaccinated against COVID-19. The House of Representatives is set to vote on the bill on Wednesday. The Biden administration in June dropped its requirement that people arriving in the country by air must test negative for COVID […]

Feb 7, 2023

The WHO fungal priority pathogens list as a game-changer

(Nature) Invasive fungal diseases are on the increase globally. The World Health Organization fungal priority pathogens list highlights fungi of critical or high importance to human health and provides pathways for action. The report calls for improved surveillance (diagnostics and antifungal resistance monitoring), research and innovation (implementation research) and public-health interventions. In late 2022, the […]

Feb 7, 2023

2022 was a breakthrough year for understanding rare diseases. 2023 needs to be better

(STAT) Major advances in the study and treatment of rare diseases occurred in 2022, from a better understanding of just how many of these diseases exist to the start of new clinical trials that may lead to new therapies. For the last decade or so, the number of accepted rare diseases has stood between 7,000 […]

Feb 7, 2023

First molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus in cockroaches

Biologia Coronavirus is one of the main pathogens that primarily targets the human respiratory system. There are several ways to transmit this virus, such as direct contact or droplets spread by coughing or sneezing, and direct contact with fomites and surfaces is another way. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Shiraz, southern Iran, in 2021. […]

Feb 7, 2023

Bird flu is spreading among mammals. How worried should we be?

(Sydney Morning Herald) In Spain, bird flu appears to have spread from mink to mink for the first time. This is a troubling situation that warrants close attention. “These are exactly the kind of situations we’re really worried about,” Associate Professor Paul Horwood tells me. Dr Michelle Wille says she and “many of my colleagues […]

Feb 7, 2023

Here’s Why Experts Are Concerned About Bird Flu

(MedPageToday) What appears to be mammal-to-mammal transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) on a mink farm in Spain has caught the attention of infectious disease epidemiologists around the world. A paper published in Eurosurveillance last monthopens in a new tab or window detailed an H5N1 outbreak among farmed minks in the Galicia region of Spain in October […]

Feb 7, 2023

Bird flu cases spill over to mammals in Oregon, across the U.S.

(Oregon News) Oregon wildlife officials said they have diagnosed a handful of wild mammals with highly pathogenic avian flu – but they do not consider it an outbreak. The disease, commonly known as bird flu, is usually associated with wild birds and backyard flocks. It has killed thousands of birds throughout the state in recent months and […]

Feb 7, 2023

Peru confirms H5N1 avian influenza detected in 3 sea lions, 1 dolphin

(Outbreak News Today) The National Agrarian Health Service of Peru, or SENASA in Lima reported yesterday that H5N1 avian influenza has been confirmed in three sea lions and one dolphin in a official communication published on Twitter (Computer translated):

Feb 7, 2023

Why scientists are worried about bird flu

(Yahoo News) Revelations about the spread of avian flu at a Spanish mink farm in October are raising alarm. The mink were infected with an H5N1 variant known as 2.3.4.4b, which was discovered in 2020 and has since made its way around the world. While it is not uncommon for mammals to catch avian flu after […]

Feb 7, 2023