WHO: Ahead of us lies a future free of TB
Statement on World TB Day by WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge
HOT: » Assessing the Legacy of Bulgaria's "Denkov" Cabinet: Achievements, Failures, and What Comes Next
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the coronavirus variant first found in India last year as a "variant of global concern".
It said preliminary studies show the B.1.617 mutation spreads more easily than other variants and requires further study.
The variant has already spread to more than 30 countries, the WHO says.
Three other variants from the UK, South Africa and Brazil have been given the same designation.
A mutation is elevated from a "variant of interest" to a "variant of concern" (VOC) when it shows evidence of fulfilling at least one of several criteria, including easy transmission, more severe illness, reduced neutralisation by antibodies or reduced effectiveness of treatment and vaccines.
The variant is being studied to establish whether it is responsible for a deadly surge in India, which is currently overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums.
Surging cases have meant that oxygen shortages continue to be a problem and have spread beyond the capital, Delhi.
Local media in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh reported that 11 Covid patients died overnight in the city of Tirupati after an oxygen tanker supplying the hospital was delayed.
The Indian government says there is evidence of a link between the variant and India's deadly second wave, but that the correlation is not yet "fully established".
Several states have imposed localised lockdowns, curfews and curbs on movement over the last month.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is coming under increasing pressure to announce a nationwide lockdown and stop the spread of the virus.
Shortages are further disrupting a lagging vaccination programme, with just over 34.8 million, or about 2.5% of the population receiving both doses of a vaccine so far.
The WHO says current vaccines will continue to be effective against the Indian variant, although the WHO's technical lead did say there may be some evidence of "reduced neutralization," at a press conference on Monday.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Bulgaria is grappling with a staggering burden of cardiovascular diseases, with more than 6 million new cases and over 1.8 million deaths reported annually
Japanese health authorities have issued a warning as the nation grapples with a significant uptick in potentially fatal strep throat infections, particularly in Tokyo
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe today released the second volume of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, which focuses on patterns of bullying and peer violence among adolescents across 44 countries and
Statement on World TB Day by WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge
The Ministry of Finance has disclosed its affirmative stance on allocating resources for covering the entire cost of 56 drugs targeting cardiovascular diseases, such as those addressing hypertension, arrhythmia, and other frequently occurring chronic ailm
During World Sleep Day week, data from recent studies conducted by the Pragmatica Agency and iSleep show that more than 70% of Bulgarians struggle to initiate sleep and experience nighttime awakenings
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022