BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said 12 Thai hostages kidnapped by Palestinian militants during Hamas’ Oct 7 raids into Israel were released on Friday (Nov 24), hours after a truce in the Israel-Hamas war began. “It has been confirmed by the security side and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thatContinue Reading
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday (Nov 22) officially requested that China provide detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children.
Chinese authorities from the National Health Commission held a press conference on Nov 13 to report an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases in the country, the WHO said in a statement.
The global health agency said Chinese authorities attributed the increase to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the circulation of known pathogens such as influenza, mycoplasma pneumoniae (a common bacterial infection which typically affects younger children), respiratory syncytial virus, as well as the virus that causes COVID-19.
Chinese authorities stressed the need for enhanced disease surveillance in healthcare facilities and community settings, as well as strengthening the capacity of the health system to manage patients.
Both China and the WHO have faced questions about the transparency of reporting on the earliest COVID-19 cases which emerged in the city of Wuhan in late 2019 and early 2020.
On Wednesday, WHO said groups including the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. WHO said it is unclear if these are associated with the overall increase in respiratory infections previously reported by Chinese authorities, or separate events.
The health agency said it has requested additional epidemiologic and clinical information, as well as laboratory results from these reported outbreaks among children, through the International Health Regulations mechanism.
It has also asked China for further information about trends in the circulation of known pathogens and the current burden on healthcare systems. WHO said it is in contact with clinicians and scientists through its existing technical partnerships and networks in China.
Since mid-October, WHO said northern China has reported an increase in influenza-like illness compared with the same period in the previous three years.
It said the country has systems in place to capture information on trends in illness incidence and to report that data to platforms such as the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System.
WHO said that while it seeks additional information, it recommends that people in China follow measures to reduce the risk of respiratory illness, including vaccination; keeping their distance from people who are ill; staying home when ill; getting tested and medical care as needed; wearing masks as appropriate; ensuring good ventilation; and regular hand-washing.
LONDON: Global progress in policies to reduce tobacco use slowed for the first time in 12 years following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to analysis published on Wednesday (Nov 22) by the Global Tobacco Control Progress Hub, which warned millions of people worldwide likely continued to smoke asContinue Reading
Hours earlier, a warplane struck the vehicle of Iranian-backed fighters after they had fired a short-range ballistic missile at US and allied personnel, the Pentagon said. It was the first time the United States has announced a strike on Iran-backed forces in Iraq since they launched a flurry of attacksContinue Reading
WASHINGTON: United States authorities thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the US and issued a warning to India over concerns the government in New Delhi was involved, a senior Biden administration official said. The U.S. is treating the plot with utmost seriousness and has raised the issue withContinue Reading
WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: The United States is treating a reported plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil with utmost seriousness and has raised the issue with the Indian government “at the senior-most levels”, the White House said on Wednesday (Nov 22). The Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources, thatContinue Reading
NEW DELHI: US authorities thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States and issued a warning to India over concerns the government in New Delhi was involved, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday (Nov 22), citing unnamed sources. There was no immediate response from India’s foreignContinue Reading
SAN FRANCISCO: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday (Nov 17) that he had invited China’s Premier Li Qiang to visit, as a long-stormy relationship improves. Albanese, who visited Beijing in early November, saw Chinese leader Xi Jinping for the second time this month at a Pacific Rim summit inContinue Reading
SAN FRANCISCO: The United States and China plan further talks on commercial issues next year, the US Commerce Department said Friday (Nov 17) in a commitment to continue high-level engagement despite tensions. The announcement came after the US and Chinese presidents, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, held a summit onContinue Reading
SAN FRANCISCO: President Joe Biden highlighted strong US ties to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum economies on Thursday (Nov 16) and called on CEOs there to treat workers fairly, even as a regional trade deal stumbled over workers’ rights. Before a working lunch and speech to heads ofContinue Reading