Giedre Peseckyte
Countries urged to focus on monkeypox diagnostics, contact tracing as cases increase
Health authorities have been urged to be alert, expand surveillance, and facilitate contact tracing as cases of monkeypox continue to appear in countries that are not used to seeing the virus.
Mysterious monkeypox reported in 7 EU countries, raising health concerns in the bloc
Cases of the monkeypox virus, first reported in the UK on 7 May, have been spreading: as of Friday (20 May), 60 diagnoses in Europe across seven EU countries have been confirmed.
Commission aligning EU’s position ahead of world health assembly
In the run-up to the Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly starting on Sunday (22 May), the European Commission aims to align member state positions and ensure the EU-wide agreements are translated into WHO policies.
Cholera outbreak: A new health concern in war-torn Ukraine
The areas in Ukraine suffering from water and sanitation infrastructure damage are at risk of a potential cholera outbreak, the World Health Organisation warned on Tuesday (17 May), adding it was already deploying cholera kits on the ground.
UK worried monkeypox might be spreading among men who have sex with men
Four additional cases of monkeypox were detected in the UK among men who have sex with men leading to concerns about the virus spreading in the community.
EU may terminate vaccine purchase agreement with French drugmaker Valneva
A manufacturer of one of the four COVID-19 vaccines currently under rolling review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) received notice from the European Commission that the advance purchase agreement of over 24 million doses might be terminated.
Nearly one billion disabled people cannot access assistive technology
Almost one billion children and adults with disabilities, as well as older persons, do not have access to the assistive technology they need, warned a new report by the World Health Organisation, whose chief urged all the countries to make this issue a priority.
Half of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in China still have symptoms after two years
A follow-up study found that two years after being hospitalised with COVID-19 in China, over half still have at least one symptom.
Adenovirus, COVID-19 examined as possible cause for mysterious hepatitis
As acute hepatitis cases of unknown origin continue to grow across the globe, the investigation into its origin is ongoing. While the leading hypothesis is adenovirus, the link to COVID-19 is also being looked at.
ECDC and EASA scrap mandatory mask-wearing on flights
Two EU agencies governing aviation safety and disease control have on Wednesday (11 May) announced that mandatory medical mask-wearing on flights is no longer recommended but that rules will be left to the discretion of each airline.
Obesity community on a quest of becoming ‘louder’
Obesity is a complex multifactorial disease that affects almost 60% of adults and one in three children in Europe. The obesity community has to become louder and change the harmful narrative of 'eat less, move more', Jacqueline Bowman-Busato told EURACTIV in an interview.
WHO verified over 200 attacks on healthcare in Ukraine
Over 200 healthcare facilities in Ukraine have been attacked since Russia's invasion, according to data verified by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Obesity causes 1.2m deaths in Europe each year, says WHO
A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that obesity causes 1.2 million European deaths every year, while not a single EU country is on track to reach the target of reducing obesity rates by 2025.
How to avoid reverting to pandemic day one amid vaccination fatigue
Living with the COVID-19 pandemic for over two years, Europeans are falling into "pandemic and vaccination fatigue", but health organisations worldwide are concerned about how new variants could set the world back to day one, as low-income countries reached only 15% of vaccination coverage.
Ukrainians face rape, trafficking risk while those in Poland cannot access abortion
Ukrainian women fleeing the war are at risk of sexual violence, rape, and trafficking and those who are pregnant as a result cannot get an abortion in Poland due to one of Europe's strictest anti-abortion laws.
Severe challenges persist with access to healthcare and aid in Ukraine
As the war in Ukraine nears the end of its second month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported continued challenges in accessing healthcare and delivering emergency aid to some of the hardest-hit areas of the conflict, issues that were also discussed by MEPs this week.
WHO ‘strongly’ recommends Paxlovid to fight non-severe COVID-19
The World Health Organisation (WHO) called Paxlovid, a Pfizer’s therapeutic, the best therapeutic choice for high-risk COVID-19 patients to date but the “strong recommendation” raises concerns that it may be out of reach for low- and middle-income countries.
Health Brief: Back on vaccination track
Although routine immunisation rates appear to be recovering, the refugee influx from Ukraine into neighbouring countries has presented a further challenge.
Cases of unknown hepatitis strain reported among children in EU
Cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin were reported among children in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK, the European Centre for Disease Control said on Tuesday (19 April).
EU is urged to ensure high standards of HIV treatment for Ukrainian refugees
European countries have been asked to ensure "high standards" of HIV prevention, treatment and care for Ukrainians fleeing the war as the situation for HIV patients in Ukraine remains "desperate".
Tuberculosis patients in Ukraine at risk, some refugee groups to be tested
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put tuberculosis (TB) patients inside the country at high risk due to the lack of access to treatment, while countries receiving refugees have been advised to screen and test certain groups.
Ferrero factory in Belgium suspends all activities following salmonella outbreak
A salmonella outbreak, linked to multiple Kinder products made at a Ferrero factory in Belgium, continues to spread in Europe. All production has been suspended at the site, and products manufactured between June and the present date have been recalled.
Russian oil should be included in sixth EU sanction package says Zelenskyy
With the ink on the fifth package of sanctions against Russia barely dry, the EU must include oil in the sixth package, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said while addressing Lithuanian lawmakers on Tuesday (12 April).