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WHO Warns Over Surging Whooping Cough Cases Globally

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Whooping Cough Health Warning: WHO

Whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory infection also known as ‘pertussis’, is making an alarming reappearance around the world. It is more common in young children and infants and can possibly be fatal.

The bacteria bordetella pertussis in the Whooping cough causes the infection, which spreads primarily through respiratory droplets.

Numerous nations have reported outbreaks, including China, the Philippines, Thailand, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

China recorded a more than 20-fold increase in whooping cough cases in January and February compared to the same time last year.

After confirming 32,380 cases and 13 deaths, Chinese authorities cautioned that it is a leading cause of death among newborns and young children worldwide. However, whooping cough can afflict people of all ages as their immunity deteriorates. The rising number of infections has been attributed to a deterioration in the vaccine’s long-term effectiveness in China.

According to researchers, another possible explanation for the rise in pertussis cases during the previous two decades is the influence of outdoor air pollution in China.

It may start like a regular cold, but the coughing might linger weeks or months. The disease has a cyclical rise every three to five years, but cases have been increasing for more than two decades.

The bacteria that causes whooping cough appears to have changed, especially in Australia. The country is experiencing its most severe outbreak since 2013, with 2,799 cases reported in the first three months of 2024.

Similarly, Spain had an epidemic of 8,200 cases by March 2024, and the Czech Republic reported the highest number of infections in over 70 years, with over 6,300 this year.

WHO Warns Over Whopping Cough

Children should receive the DTP vaccination, which is a family of combination immunizations that protect against three infectious diseases: diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus. Adults can receive the Tdap vaccine.

According to the World Health Organisation Pertussis, sometimes known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the respiratory tract. It mainly affects newborns and young children. It spreads easily from person to person, primarily by droplets.

In 2022, there were over 62 500 cases of pertussis worldwide, with approximately 39 000 cases reported in the Western Pacific region. Immunization can help prevent pertussis. In 2022, the Western Pacific Region had 93% coverage with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine.

Symptoms

Bordetella pertussis is the bacteria that causes pertussis. Pertussis spreads easily between people, primarily by droplets produced by coughing or sneezing. The disease is especially hazardous in infants, and it is a leading cause of illness and mortality in this age range.

The earliest symptoms come 7-10 days after infection and include a minor fever, runny nose, and cough, which usually progresses to a paroxysmal cough followed by a whooping noise. Pneumonia is a somewhat common consequence, but convulsions and brain illness are rare.

People with pertussis are most contagious for about 3 weeks after the cough starts, and many children who get pertussis have coughing fits that last 4 to 8 weeks. Antibiotics are used to treat infections.

Prevention

Immunization is the most effective strategy to avoid pertussis. The three-dose primary series diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) immunizations lower the risk of severe pertussis in infants. By 2022, 93% of the target population in the Western Pacific Region had received the recommended three doses of the DTP-containing vaccination during infancy.

WHO recommends giving the first dosage as early as 6 weeks of age, with following doses given 4-8 weeks apart at ages 10-14 weeks and 14-18 weeks. A booster dose is advised, ideally in the second year of life. Based on local epidemiology, more booster doses may be required later in life.

Vaccination of pregnant women is useful in preventing disease in infants who are too young to receive vaccination. In countries or situations with high or increasing newborn morbidity/mortality from pertussis, national programmes may consider immunizing pregnant women with a pertussis-containing vaccine in addition to standard primary infant pertussis vaccinations.

 

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Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

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Pfizer

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

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New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

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New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

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Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke
If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

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Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

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Breast Cancer

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP

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