Pandemic Latest News

Featured

Zero-COVID policy continues to cause chaos in China

Lockdowns and travel restrictions are continuing to cause chaos across China in the run-up to a crucial political meeting next week as the government holds fast to hard-line zero-COVID policies. As thousands of Communist party delegates prepare to descend on Beijing for the twice-a-decade Congress meeting, where Xi Jinping is expected to start his third …

Zero-COVID policy continues to cause chaos in China Read More »

Will COVID-19 resurge in Europe this winter?

A new COVID-19 wave appears to be brewing in Europe as cooler weather arrives, with public health experts warning that vaccine fatigue and confusion over types of available vaccines will likely limit booster uptake. www.medscape.com/viewarticle/981965?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=398271FG&impID=4728508&faf=1 Omicron subvariants BA.4/5 that dominated this summer are still behind the majority of infections, but newer Omicron subvariants are gaining …

Will COVID-19 resurge in Europe this winter? Read More »

Uganda struggles with immunisation resistant Ebola strain

Uganda is racing to contain an Ebola outbreak driven by a strain of the virus that is resistant to existing immunization shots. A celebrated vaccine that was effective in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 2018-22 outbreak has proved unsuccessful against the Sudanese strain of the virus that is currently driving cases up.Two vaccine candidates could …

Uganda struggles with immunisation resistant Ebola strain Read More »

How COVID-19 is able to evade our immune systems

While COVID-19 has fallen from the spotlight of media attention, the pandemic is far from over. Through a process referred to as immune evasion – or antibody escape – the virus has endured and continues to spread throughout the globe. With winter fast approaching, we could soon expect another wave. The hallmark waves of the …

How COVID-19 is able to evade our immune systems Read More »

Monoclonal antibody marks first approved Alzheimer’s treatment in nearly twenty years

Earlier this week, the pharmaceutical companies Biogen and Eisai announced encouraging results from a clinical trial for patients with Alzheimer’s disease: a monoclonal antibody treatment, called lecanemab, reduced cognitive decline by 27% in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s compared with those on a placebo after a year and a half. Outside observers say the trial could …

Monoclonal antibody marks first approved Alzheimer’s treatment in nearly twenty years Read More »

Trials of experimental Ebola vaccine begin

A multipronged international effort has begun to launch trials of experimental Ebola vaccines in Uganda, which declared an outbreak of the deadly disease on 20 September. According to the most recent WHO update, Uganda has had 18 confirmed and 18 suspected cases of Ebola, including 23 deaths—an unusually high case fatality rate of 64%. A …

Trials of experimental Ebola vaccine begin Read More »

New COVID-19 strains threaten winter surge

Nearly 3 years into the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 seems to be still up to the challenge of finding new ways around the immunity humans have built up through vaccines and countless infections. Several new and highly immune-evasive strains of the virus have caught scientists’ attention in recent weeks; one or more may well cause big, new …

New COVID-19 strains threaten winter surge Read More »

Indovac vaccine approved “as a primary vaccine for adults”

The Indovac vaccine, developed by Indonesia’s state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma and the Texas Children’s Hospital Centre for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine, has been approved “as a primary vaccine for adults,” according to CNN Indonesia. www.medscape.com/viewarticle/981547?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=398271FG&impID=4700521&faf=1 Bio Farma says it will produce 20 million doses of the vaccine in 2022 and 100 …

Indovac vaccine approved “as a primary vaccine for adults” Read More »

Global Fund receives $14.25 billion pledge to help reverse setbacks caused by COVID-19

High- and low-income countries alike last week joined in pledging $14.25 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, in the largest single fundraising push for global health. www.science.org/content/article/news-glance-earth-science-satellites-global-fund-s-haul-and-neptune-s-rings? Supporters said the sum was necessary to help reverse setbacks in combating those diseases caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, although the amount fell …

Global Fund receives $14.25 billion pledge to help reverse setbacks caused by COVID-19 Read More »

BRAIN research to map cells of human brain

www.science.org/content/article/nihs-brain-initiative-puts-dollar500-million-creating-detailed-ever-human-brain-atlas The Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, the 9-year-old, multibillion-dollar US neuroscience effort, has announced its most ambitious challenge yet: compiling the world’s most comprehensive map of cells in the human brain. Scientists say the BRAIN Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN), funded with $500 million over 5 years, will help them understand …

BRAIN research to map cells of human brain Read More »