Posts in category: Uncategorized

You have probably heard of food-borne botulism illness in adults, but there is a very rare version of botulism that occurs in infants as well. This illness poses different risks in infants than it does in adults, so it’s important to be aware of the causes, signs and symptoms.

University of Pittsburgh researchers have shown for the first time how Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV), which causes an aggressive skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma, initiates DNA replication in host cells.

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU

GOVERNMENT has projected that Zambia’s growth rate will next year reach 4.8 percent, as it publishes the 2024-2026 Medium Term Budget Plan (MTBP) that spells out the county’s broad macroeconomic and fiscal policies for the medium term.

A team of researchers from the University of Maryland School of Maryland’s (UMSOM) Institute of Human Virology (IHV), a Center of Excellence of the Global Virus Network (GVN), published new findings that emphasize the crucial role of the urinary and genital tract microbiota in adverse pregnancy outcomes and genomic instability that originate in the womb during fetal development.

HEALTH Minister Sylvia Masebo has done well to remind Zambians about the danger from Covid-19, that they still need to play their part in ensuring that it does not escalate.

It is common knowledge that Covid-19 has literally disappeared from everyday conversation compared to a year ago.

Yet, there have been a few cases of Covid-19 that have been reported around the country, highlighting the need for caution.

Ms Masebo said Zambia had continued to report cases of Covid-19 and have so far recorded 348, 798 cases, 4, 069 total deaths to date.

The nation has seen an increase of Covid-19 cases and in the last twenty-four hours, 13 new cases were reported, Ms. Masebo said in a speech read by Kalangwa Kalangwa, the assistant director health promotions, at the Covid-19 media re-orientation and research dissemination workshop in Lusaka at the weekend.

The workshop was a brainchild of Dziwa Science and Technology (DSAT), a not-for-profit organisation that Ms Masebo commended for coming up with the initiative to re-orient selected journalists countrywide post Covid-19. 

“One new admission with four on oxygen and one being critical. It is with this scenario that I urge the nation to continue with all measures pertaining to prevention of Covid-19,” she said.

But against a sceptic public, we feel it is the Ministry of Health that should take the initiative and resume public health awareness programmes.

The public need to be reminded that vaccines are still available and that the five basic rules on Covid-19 should still be maintained.

The public cannot be blamed for throwing the Covid-19 prevention guidelines to the winds when the authorities have taken a back-row seat.

When the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that Covid-19 no longer represents a “global health emergency,” its head, Dr Tedros Adhanon warned that the removal of the highest level of alert did not mean the danger was over and said the emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changed.

“The worst thing any country can do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry about,” he said.

The WHO first declared Covid-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020.

That prompted the Zambian government to acquire and introduce a robust vaccination programme throughout the country against HIV infection which was largely a success.

We are glad that Ms Masebo has reiterated that the new dawn administration remains committed to supporting initiatives that are aimed towards the promotion of public health among others, bridging the information gap in Covid-19.

While such workshops should be encouraged, they must not just end up as mere talk-shows, but should come up with programmes that will trickle down to the communities where there is so much ignorance.

The catchword Covid-19 is real must be part of everyday vocabulary for the threat is still here.

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In 2021, 1.1 million deaths would have been averted in the United States if the US had mortality rates similar to other wealthy nations, according to a new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher.

Maintaining a balance of physiological responses at all times is important for humans to function optimally in daily life. This involves processing and integrating signals from both internal and external sources. Interoception is the ability to the process and integrate signals coming from within, including heartbeat and breathing patterns.

Technology is designed to make life easier and more efficient. People can autopay their bills, order food and download movies right on their phones or tablets. They can even ask a virtual assistant to do it all for them.

We all know exercise is good for us, but when times are tough, a fitness membership is often out of the question. Now, new research from the University of South Australia aims to boost community use of outdoor fitness equipment in a move to increase community activity and well-being.

If the goal of sports medicine is to promote sports participation, the state of an injured athlete’s musculoskeletal system is part of a larger puzzle. In fact, a growing body of research suggests that psychological factors also play a significant part in how athletes recover and if they return to sports.