Friday, February 21
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Author: GHealth News

Is obesity a disease? Sometimes but not always, experts decide

Is obesity a disease? Sometimes but not always, experts decide

NCDs
Paris (AFP) – Do people with obesity have an illness? A panel of global health experts looking at this controversial question announced Wednesday that the definition of obesity should be split into two categories -- and diagnosed using more accurate measurements. The recommendations hoped to move past the blame and discrimination that often revolve around obesity, which is estimated to affect more than a billion people worldwide. "The idea of obesity as a disease is at the centre of one of the most controversial and polarising debates in modern medicine," said a paper by the 56-expert commission in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal. On one hand, obesity is known to lead to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and other health problems. Th...
France identifies first case of new mpox variant, AFP reports

France identifies first case of new mpox variant, AFP reports

Communicable Diseases
GHealth News - France has confirmed its first case of a new variant of mpox, as reported by the AFP news agency on Monday, citing a statement from the French Ministry of Health. The patient, who had not traveled to Central Africa—the origin of the new virus strain—had been in contact with two individuals who had recently returned from the region. Authorities are currently investigating the source of the infection and tracing all potential contacts. The patient, a woman, was diagnosed in Rennes, located in the northwestern Brittany region, as reported by the French regional newspaper Ouest France. The new variant, known as the clade 1b variant, is associated with the global health emergency declared by the World Health Organization in August. Germany and Britain also reported their first...
Former WHO Chief Scientist Assures HMPV Is Not a Cause for Panic, Shares Precautionary Measures

Former WHO Chief Scientist Assures HMPV Is Not a Cause for Panic, Shares Precautionary Measures

Communicable Diseases
GHealth News - Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is not a cause for panic, according to Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization. In a post on X, Dr. Swaminathan stated, "It's a known virus that causes respiratory infections, mostly mild." She emphasized the importance of following standard precautions for cold symptoms, such as wearing a mask, washing hands, and avoiding crowded places. "Rather than reacting to the detection of every pathogen, we should all take basic precautions when we have a cold: wear a mask, wash hands, avoid crowds, and consult a doctor if symptoms are severe," she advised. #HMPvirus is nothing to panic about. It’s a known virus that causes respiratory infections, mostly mild. Rather than jump at detection of every pathogen...
China Reports Increase in HMPV Infections, but It’s Not a New Virus

China Reports Increase in HMPV Infections, but It’s Not a New Virus

Communicable Diseases
GHealth News - Since mid-December 2024, China has experienced a rise in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections, sparking public concern about the emergence of a novel virus. However, health experts and officials have assured the public that HMPV is a well-established respiratory illness, often under-recognized but not new. Domestic media have highlighted the increase in HMPV cases, with some patients reporting "flu-like" symptoms, including dizziness, which has fueled speculation about an unfamiliar pathogen. This trend follows a similar surge in HMPV cases in the U.S. around April 2024, when the virus was described as "little-known" in media coverage. HMPV: A Familiar Virus Chinese experts emphasize that HMPV is not a new threat. Zheng Lishu, a virologist at the Chinese Cente...
France Confirms Bird Flu Outbreaks, Loses Disease-Free Status

France Confirms Bird Flu Outbreaks, Loses Disease-Free Status

Communicable Diseases
GHealth News - France has reported bird flu outbreaks on two poultry farms in Normandy on December 27 and 28, shortly after regaining HPAI-free status on December 15. This status, which requires no outbreaks for at least a month, has now been lost, potentially affecting trade restrictions. The outbreaks led to the culling of entire flocks, totaling 25,540 birds. While France credits its year-old vaccination program, particularly for farm ducks, for reducing the virus's spread compared to past seasons, the country remains vigilant due to risks from migrating birds. Meanwhile, Germany also reported a bird flu outbreak on a Bavarian farm with 16,000 birds culled. (Reuters)
Bird Flu Virus Likely Mutated Within Louisiana Patient, CDC Reports

Bird Flu Virus Likely Mutated Within Louisiana Patient, CDC Reports

Communicable Diseases
GHealth News - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed that the bird flu virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient, who represents the nation’s first severe case of the illness. These mutations may enhance the virus's ability to bind to receptors in human upper airways, a development that scientists find concerning but not immediately alarming. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert, likened the mutation to a "key" that fits a "lock" on human cells but emphasized that it doesn’t yet “open the door” for human-to-human transmission. The patient, over 65 and with underlying health conditions, was hospitalized in critical condition after exposure to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. The CDC confirmed no evidence of virus transmission to other...
The Top Global Health Stories From 2024

The Top Global Health Stories From 2024

Global Health
By: Shyam Bishen Health was a major focus in 2024, shaping global news and driving key discussions at the World Economic Forum. From climate change health impacts to the rise of antimicrobial resistance and improving health equity for women, here are 6 top health stories of the year. 1. The impact of climate change on health Our 2024 report Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Human Health, in association with Oliver Wyman, explored how climate change will reshape global health over the next two decades. Failing to mitigate and adapt to climate change will pose our greatest global risk, according to the report, with shifting climate and weather patterns already causing alarming trends. These include rising pathogens, increased pollution, worsening extreme ...
WHO sends experts to help Congo diagnose mystery disease

WHO sends experts to help Congo diagnose mystery disease

Global Health
GHealth News - The World Health Organization said on Friday it is deploying experts to support health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate an as-yet undiagnosed disease linked to multiple deaths in a remote area of the country. The WHO experts are on their way to Panzi, a locality in the southwestern Kwango province, where they will deliver essential medicines and diagnostic kits to help analyse the cause of the illness. Laboratory tests are being conducted to determine the cause, the WHO said, adding that it would share more information as soon as it was available. "Our priority is to provide effective support to the affected families and communities," said Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa. "All efforts are underway to identify...
Developing Nations Criticize $300B Deal at COP29 Climate Summit

Developing Nations Criticize $300B Deal at COP29 Climate Summit

Climate Change
The world approved a bitterly negotiated climate deal Sunday but poorer nations most at the mercy of worsening disasters dismissed a $300 billion a year pledge from wealthy historic polluters as insultingly low. After two exhausting weeks of chaotic bargaining and sleepless nights, nearly 200 nations banged through the contentious finance pact in the early hours in a sports stadium in Azerbaijan. But the applause had barely subsided when India delivered a full-throated rejection of the “abysmally poor” dollar-figure just agreed. “It’s a paltry sum,” thundered India’s delegate Chandni Raina. “This document is little more than an optical illusion. This, in our opinion, will not address the enormity of the challenge we all face.” Sierra Leone’s climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, w...
Jeddah Conference Ends with Global Pledges on Antimicrobial Resistance

Jeddah Conference Ends with Global Pledges on Antimicrobial Resistance

AMR
Immediately following the adoption of the commitments in the Saudi coastal city, the host country’s Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel said the conference outcome provides “critical building blocks” for member states and international bodies to significantly act against antimicrobial resistance, and that it builds on the Political Declaration on AMR adopted at a High-Level UN General Assembly meeting a few weeks ago in New York. The commitments highlight the role of the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR, which is comprised of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). They also call for the creation of a new ‘biotech bridge’ a...