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It has been five years since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020 a decision that fundamentally altered the course of history.
An unvaccinated child in Texas has died from measles, marking the first US fatality from the disease in nearly a decade, as health officials warn of a growing outbreak linked to declining vaccination rates.
People are contagious from one day before the rash appears and up to 21 days after symptoms start. Once the scabs fall off, they are no longer contagious, according to the CDC.
Office environments are filled with flu hot spots like elevators, stair railings, bathroom doors, printers, kettles and fridges.
According to the World Health Organization, flu-related causes result in 290,000 to 650,000 deaths worldwide each year. In South Africa, around 11,000 people die from the flu annually, as reported by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
Swine flu, also known as H1N1, is a viral infection resembling the respiratory infection pigs get. In 2009, an H1N1 pandemic affected millions globally.
In South Africa, flu and pneumonia are the second biggest cause of death in children under five, coming after intestinal infectious diseases. This situation is troubling, especially since vaccines are available for children in both public and private healthcare sectors.
One prevalent myth surrounding the flu is that it's no more severe than a common cold. In reality, influenza can lead to serious complications like pneumonia.
Protecting yourself and others from respiratory illnesses requires a combination of personal hygiene, health practices and awareness.
This week is all about celebrating how vaccines save and improve lives by fighting off diseases.
In South Africa, flu kills approximately 11,500 people annually and causes 20,000 hospitalisations.
Children have the highest rates of seasonal flu infection, which can lead to increased transmission within communities, say experts.
Scientists hypothesised that the man’s immune response would be similar to that of persons with persistent diseases like HIV or hepatitis B. But, they were wrong.
A recent peer-reviewed study has revealed rare occurrences of heart, brain, and blood disorders associated with Covid vaccines from companies such as Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.
A new variant has been blamed for an upsurge in Covid-19 cases in the US.
The World Health Organization added Disease X in 2017 to a short list of pathogens deemed a top priority for research, alongside known killers like SARS and Ebola.
As Covid-19 continues to spread, giving rise to new variants, South Africans are still disseminating misinformation and expressing doubts about the Covid-19 vaccine.
The court decision gives the government 10 days to disclose Covid-19 vaccine negotiation contracts, meeting notes, and correspondence with any vaccine manufacturer or licensee, including with Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Aspen Pharmacare, Sinovac, and the Serum Institute of India.
The human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). Many people with HPV do not develop any symptoms but can still infect others through sexual contact.
Due to the gap in the immunisation of children during the global pandemic, diseases that lay dormant for decades are now re-emerging.
This is African Vaccination Week, and the NICD said it was never too late for parents to take their children to the nearest clinic and get vaccinated.
The sales pitch that sperm from uninoculated men will be in high demand, and therefore fetch top dollar, stems from the widely debunked conspiracy theory that Covid-19 jabs cause mass infertility.
A recent visit and talk by a British anti-vaxxer and campaigner Dr Aseem Malhotra, at the Western Cape legislature had ruffled a few feathers, once word spread.
A controversial British cardiologist who delivered a talk in the Western Cape legislature’s auditorium this week, has tongues wagging.
To date a total of 60 confirmed measles cases had been reported to authorities, 40 from Ekurhuleni, six from Joburg, 10 from Tshwane, four from West Rand District, and none reported from the Sedibeng district.