Recent News

By Region: Africa

Revised Estimate Increases Global H1N1 Mortality Figures by Factor of 15

(Center for Biosecurity of UPMC) The previously reported number of deaths due to laboratory-confirmed H1N1 (18,500) during the 16 months of the 2009-2010 pandemic (April 2009-August 2010)1 is widely acknowledged to be a gross underestimate because most flu patients were not tested. Evidence of this lack of data is that less than 12% of laboratory-confirmed Read More »

July 11, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
Share

First it was smallpox, now tropical infection poised to become second human disease ever eradicated

(Daily Mail) Scientists are on the verge of killing off a parasite that had plagued the human race since ancient times. Cases of Guinea worm disease have fallen by 99 per cent from 3.5million cases in 1986 to 1,060 in 2011. The disease has affected the poorest communities in Africa and is now found in Read More »

July 11, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Europe, South Asia, and Public Health
Share

Foot-and-mouth disease stalks Egypt

(New Scientist) A new strain of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Egypt could aggravate discontent among the rural poor and prolong the country’s political turmoil. As Egypt struggles to make vaccine, agriculture experts fear a vicious circle has begun: political disarray helps spread animal disease, which deepens poverty and discontent – and breeds more political disarray. Read More »

July 6, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Middle East, Agriculture, and Public Health
Share

Revised Estimate Increases Global H1N1 Mortality Figures by Factor of 15

July 5, 2012
| Filed under Africa, South Asia, Policy & Initiatives, Public Health, and Research
Share

African biosafety ‘still neglected’

(SciDev.Net) [JOHANNESBURG] The implementation of biosafety practices is being hampered by inadequate laboratory equipment and training across Africa, a conference has heard. African countries need to develop this area so they can reap the benefits derived from biotechnology while avoiding the potential risks associated with it, according to Paul Okemo, chief executive officer of the Read More »