World

EU approves Danish vaccine to treat Monkeypox

Published

6 months ago

July 26, 2022

A Danish company has been given the green light by the EU to market its vaccine as an effective treatment for Monkeypox

Danish company “Bavarian Nordic” says the European Commission has given it permission to market its vaccine as an effective Monkeypox treatment.

The USA and Canada had already granted permission for it to be used.

The European Union had – until now – only allowed the Imvantex vaccine to be officially allowed to be marketed as a smallpox treatment.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the most recent cases were being detected among gay and bisexual men and men who have sex with men.

The vaccine had already been supplied to several European countries for official “off-label” use.

The World Health Organisation announced in recent days that Monkeypox was a global health emergency and raised it to the WHO’s highest level of alert over the weekend.

But he also cautioned against stigma,

Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Over 2200 monkeypox cases have already been identified in the United Kingdom.

The UK has already begun rolling out pop up vaccine centres in several locations to populations most at risk.

The NHS is contacting people at the highest risk of exposure to monkeypox to come forward for vaccination.

This includes some gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men, some frontline staff and those who have been in close contact with a confirmed case. https://t.co/605YS4r43e pic.twitter.com/LySc4TEcib
— NHS London (@NHSEnglandLDN) July 25, 2022

Around 98 per cent of identified cases in the UK are among gay and bisexual men, as well as men who have sex with men.

It is being distributed via sexual health clinics.

It is important to recognise that just one or two genital or anal lesions, or lesions in the mouth, can be signs of monkeypox, especially if you have had a new sexual partner.
UK Health Security Agency

Monkeypox is not strictly a sexually transmitted disease – requiring only physical contact or prolonged close proximity.

According to one recent study by researches at the Queen Mary University in London, sexual transmission is the largest factor.

But it can be transmitted via touch, droplets, or even coming into contact with surfaces that an infected person has touched.

World

Pink-coloured pigeon rescued in New York

Published

11 hours ago

February 1, 2023

ticker NEWS

Pigeons come in a whole range of colours, but it seems pink isn’t one of them

That’s exactly what happened in New York though, where a bright-coloured bird was rescued.

Wildlife groups believe the pigeon was dyed as part of a gender reveal ceremony.

The feathery friend was suffering from malnutrition when it was found in Madison Square Park.

In a statement, the Wild Bird Fund says they should never be dyed because of risks like starvation and even death.

It went on to say the “poor bird has it bad enough unable to find food in the wild, fly well or escape predators.”

“But being a bright, unusual colour makes him even more of a target.”

World

Iranian couple jailed for online dancing video

Published

11 hours ago

February 1, 2023

ticker NEWS

An Iranian couple have been given jail sentences totalling 10 years after posting a video online.

The two individuals, both in their 20s, were charged for supposedly promoting corruption, prostitution and propaganda.

Authorities have been cracking down on public disobedience.

It follows the death of a woman who was detained by the country’s infamous morality police.

Mahsa Amini died in police custody in September last year, arrested for violating the rule requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf.

Anti-government protests swept across the country after the incident.

The two individuals in the dancing video were reportedly detained after posting the clip to their social media accounts – which have a combined following of more than two million people.

World

Donald Trump claims deposition as “biggest witch hunt”

Published

12 hours ago

February 1, 2023

ticker NEWS

Donald Trump has described the investigation into his company as the “biggest witch hunt” in the history of the United States during a formal deposition.

In September 2022, the New York Attorney General Letitia James, announced she would be looking into the Trump organisation’s business practices.

James alleges the former president “falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system”.

The lawsuit also takes aim at some of Trump’s children, and executives of his business.

During the deposition tape, Trump can be seen reading a lengthy statement.

During this, the former president asserts his constitutional right to not answer questions, while accusing James of investigating him out of political spite.