Browsing: covid

HMPV, a respiratory virus rising globally, has similarities to COVID-19. Could it spark the next global health crisis? Here’s what you need to know.

Indonesia is on high alert as new COVID-19 variants KP.1 and KP.2 have been found in Singapore and pose a looming threat. The persistent COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a significant global health challenge, with new variants emerging and spreading worldwide. In particular, Singapore has recently experienced a notable surge in cases attributed to the KP.1 and KP.2 variants, which has raised considerable concerns about their potential spread to neighbouring countries, including Indonesia. Due to the high frequency of travel between the two nations, these variants are likely to enter Indonesia. 

Meta-description The Malaysian Medical Association calls for accountability regarding 104 faulty ventilators bought from China via Pharmaniaga without proper documentation.

Scientists from the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder have crafted an innovative breathalyser test powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that can detect COVID-19 swiftly and accurately. 

This article discusses the XBB1.16 subvariant of COVID-19, which has been linked to conjunctivitis in children. A new COVID-19 subvariant called XBB1.16, also known as Arcturus has been detected globally and recently gained more attention globally as it has just arrived in North America and Europe. It is also potentially linked to conjunctivitis in children.

This week’s Asian medical news bulletin covers updates from the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Topics include face mask wearing, a new eye health center, a sugar consumption campaign, healthcare worker strikes, and a foodborne botulism outbreak. The bulletin also includes a warning about the Marburg virus disease from the Indonesian government.

The government of Hong Kong announced that Hongkongers can finally remove their face masks when going out. The mask mandate that lasted nearly 1,000 days has been lifted. It ends the mask-wearing requirement indoors, outdoors, and on public transport. The mandate has been a global relic, and Hong Kong was one of the last places to enforce it, with violators facing hefty fines.

On 7 Feb 2023, The Philippines officially detected its first ever XBB.1.5 (coded Kraken) Omicron subvariant of COVID-19.

This week, we look at China’s relaxing of COVID measures, the 2nd Vaccine Cooperation Forum, and the future of public health in Asia.

Home quarantine for people with mild and no symptoms and freer to travel around the country are among the new relaxed COVID controls in China.