Amid a surge in new coronavirus cases in the country, the Ministry of Health and Population is preparing to roll out a Covid vaccine across the seven provinces.
Officials said that elderly people, those with compromised immunity, and children between five and 11 years will be jabbed with the monovalent coronavirus vaccine supplied by the COVAX facility last month.
Most of the provincial health offices have already placed demands for the vaccine, said Dr Abhiyan Gautam, chief of the Immunisation Section at the Family Welfare Division under the Department of Health Services. We will start supplying vaccine doses to provinces within a week.
The monovalent or single component vaccine is designed for the Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.5 of SARS-CoV-2.
Lately, Nepal has witnessed a rise in coronavirus cases.
The World Health Organisations report on integrated influenza and other respiratory virus surveillance for week 31 of 2024 shows a SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate of 13.68 percent in Nepal.
Also, the latest data from the National Public Health Laboratory indicates a sharp increase in cases. Of the 5,373 tests conducted since January, 341 came out positive for Covid. The test positivity rate is 6.3 percent, which is concerning, according to experts.
Doctors say that the number of people suffering from fever, sore throat, body aches, and common cold has risen.
The COVAX facility, the United Nations-backed international vaccine-sharing scheme, supplied Nepal with 1.6 million monovalent vaccine doses in the first week of July.
Officials said that around 100,000 children with underlying conditionscancer, HIV, and others will be administered the vaccine.
Along with these children, pregnant women, people with compromised immunity, those with chronic diseases, and people over the age of 55 have been designated as vulnerable groups, officials said.
Since the end of the second wave of Covid in 2021, health authorities across Nepal have stopped active case finding, including contact tracing and free testing. Hospitals now only conduct tests for those seeking polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for travel abroad or for seriously ill patients with respiratory conditions.
Multiple doctors the Post spoke with said that the circulation of coronavirus has never stopped and is unlikely to stop in the near future.
Infectious disease experts and virologists urge the public to take precautions to protect the elderly and people with comorbidities from the deadly virus.
They warn that even if most people may not show severe symptoms from Covid infection, the elderly and people with underlying conditions remain at high risk.
We saw elderly people requiring intensive care during the previous surge in April, said Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the Clinical Research Unit at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital. Its time to return to the basicswashing hands, wearing face masks, avoiding crowdsto save at-risk groups like the elderly and those with underlying conditions.
Over 12,000 people died, and hundreds of thousands were infected in the first, second and third waves of the Covid pandemic.
Meanwhile, the National Public Health Laboratory said that an Omicron sub-variant of the coronavirus is responsible for the surge in new infections of late. According to the latest update issued by the laboratory, the Omicron variant has been found in all 42 swab samples in the whole genome sequencing.
Whole-genome sequencing is a comprehensive method of analysing the entire DNA sequence of an organisms genes. Researchers believe this approach could be instrumental in tracking the viruss severity and properties.
This time, however, the laboratory has not provided information about the specific Omicron sub-variant.
New York National Guard / Flickr cc
A new study in JAMA Network Open shows that state COVID-19 vaccine mandates for healthcare workers (HCWs) issued in 17 states in 2021 were associated with increased vaccine uptake.
The authors found that states with vaccines mandates had a nearly 4% increase in vaccination rates compared with non-mandate states, with even bigger gains in states with no test-out options.
The study included 31,142 HCWs sampled across 45 states, including 16 states with vaccine mandates issued in mid-2021. The outcomes measured were increases in the proportions of vaccinated HCWs and those who completed or intended to complete the vaccination series 2 weeks after mandate announcement relative to baseline proportions of 88% and 86% vaccinated HCWs, respectively.
The authors found a mandate-associated 3.46 percentage point (pp) (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29 to 6.63 pp) increase in the proportion of HCWs ever vaccinated against COVID-19 and a 3.64 pp (95% CI, 0.72 to 6.57 pp) increase in the proportion that completed or intended to complete the primary vaccination series 2 weeks after a mandate announcement in states with mandates.
A stratified analysis showed that, in states with a no test-out option and among HCWs aged 25 to 49 years, vaccination increased 3.32% to 7.09% compared to baseline proportions. There were no significant uptake increases in states that offered both vaccine mandates and a test-out option.
In an editorial on the study, John B. Lynch, MD, PhD, of the University of Washington in Seattle, said vaccine mandates are often unpopular and can be politicized, so understanding just how much benefit they yield is important for policy makers.
Researchers are gaining more information on the specific tools that can be used for employer vaccine mandate policies, including not having a test-out option.
"Importantly, researchers are gaining more information on the specific tools that can be used for employer vaccine mandate policies, including not having a test-out option," he said.
Patients keep asking Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, the same question: Is it time to get another Covid shot?
The virus is circulating at high levels across the country. That might suggest its prime time for another dose of protection. But updated vaccines that target newer variants of the virus are expected to arrive this fall.
Experts said the right time for your next Covid shot will depend on your health status and what youre hoping to get from the vaccines.
Doctors say that many people may want to wait for the updated vaccines, which have been retooled to better protect against the current dominant strains of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that everyone ages 6 months or older receive an updated shot when they become available.
An upcoming vaccine from the biotechnology company Novavax will target JN.1, a coronavirus variant that accounted for the bulk of cases in the United States this winter. The Pfizer and Moderna shots coming this fall will target KP.2, a newer offshoot of JN.1 thats been circulating this summer. The variants responsible for the largest share of cases in the United States right now, KP.3 and KP.3.1.1, are closely related to KP.2 and JN.1.
The vaccines that are currently available, by contrast, target older Omicron variants that fizzled out as JN.1 took hold this past winter.
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Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
2 hours wey don pass
Di European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control don advise travellers make dem consider to take mpox vaccine if dem dey plan to visit kontris for Africa wia di disease dey worry.
World Health Organization say East Africa kontris like DR Congo, wia di disease bin first come from, and odas like Burundi, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda wey bin never get di disease before, all of dem don recently report new cases, although di numbers dey go down.
Di European centre for disease control update im recommendation sake of dis latest WHO announcement say dem don discover new strain of di virus.
WHO say di risk of di virus spreading dey low, even as dem just declare mpox wey dem bin sabi before as monkeypox as global emergency.
Mpox na disease wey pesin fit catch wen e get contact wit who get di disease, including through sex.
WHO Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) don recommend two dose of Mpox vaccines wey WHO-listed regulatory authorities also don approve.
Di virus wey dey cause mpox, na di same virus dey also cause small pox. Diafore, di JYNNEOS two dose vaccine, wey dem develop, dey protect against both mpox and small pox.
According to di US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, pipo need to take di two dose of JYNNEOS, wey pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic dey manufacture.
To get di best di best protection, dem must to take di second dose four weeks afta dem take di first one.
So far, di Nigeria goment never officially announce any special healthcare facilities wia pesin fit go collect di mpox vaccine, but pipo fit discuss wit dia doctors for advise on wia to go.
Like every oda vaccines, di mpox vaccine fit make some pipo get some side effects wen dem collect di vaccine.
Some of di common side effects wey pesin fit get from collecting di JYNNEOS vaccine na:
You fit manage any one of dis side effects if e happun to you.
But, if you collect di vaccine, come dey feel like say you get allergic reactions like say you no fit breath, you wan collapse, or you dey breath up up, make you dey waka go hospital kia kia.
Oda symptoms wey be say if you notice any of dem you need to go hospital sharpaly na, chest pain, irregular breathing, pressure or discomfort or you dey notice new or unexpected side effects.
Additionally, the current price of the MVA-BN vaccine is out of reach for most low- and middle-income countries where mpox is endemic or is currently spreading. Therefore, the company that makes it, Bavarian Nordic, must review its pricing policy, and urgently seek partnership with one of the emerging vaccine manufacturers in Africa for a full and timely tech transfer so a vaccine protecting against a disease that is endemic to Africa can also be produced on the African continent in the future.
All relevant parties must also find a legal arrangement for any compensation that stems from the use of the MVA-BN vaccine in children and adolescents during this outbreak, such as a no-fault compensation fund. The pediatric use of MVA-BN was recommended by the United States CDC during the 2022 mpox outbreak and by the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization among children with increased risk of contracting mpox.
With the mpox outbreak in DRC continuing to evolve rapidly, the situation is urgent, Dr. Eyong said. Every necessary step must be taken to get mpox vaccines to the adults and children who need them now.
MSF is also calling for the WHO to accelerate the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) Procedure of the two mpox vaccines already approved by WHO-listed national regulatory authorities. EUL will encourage manufacturers to increase their production of the mpox vaccines, and allow Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF to procure these vaccines for distribution.
MSF has been mobilizing emergency teams over the last couple months to respond to the mpox epidemic across DRC. They are on the ground in South Kivu, North Kivu, Equateur, and South Ubangi provinces to support the local health authorities. More than 1,159 patients have been treated since June 17.
UK health chiefs say they are making plans in case a new type of mpox virus is detected in the country - but they emphasise the risk is low.
It comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Wednesday that outbreaks in west and central Africa constitute a global health emergency.
Mpox, previously known as monkey pox, is a contagious virus that can cause painful skin lesions.
Plans are under way to ensure UK healthcare workers are aware of the key signs to look out for and have rapid tests available.
A case of mpox has also been detected in Sweden after a person became infected during a stay in an area of Africa where the disease is spreading.
One of the main reasons the WHO called for global action against mpox is the emergence of a new type of the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), known as Clade 1b.
This type of mpox has been detected in a growing number of African countries in the past year and there are concerns that it can sometimes cause severe disease and death.
Mpox has killed at least 450 people in the DRC.
Currently, there are no cases of Clade 1b mpox confirmed in the UK but experts say cases can spread if international action is not taken.
Dr Meera Chand, deputy director at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: The risk to the UK population is currently considered low.
"However, planning is under way to prepare for any cases that we might see in the UK.
"This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware and able to recognise cases promptly, that rapid testing is available and that protocols are developed for the safe clinical care of people who have the infection, and the prevention of onward transmission.''
The disease - formally known as monkeypox - can be passed on by close contact with anyone with the infection or with infected bedding and surfaces, for example.
Common symptoms often include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last two to four weeks, fever, headache and muscle aches.
Symptoms often clear up in two weeks but it can be fatal, particularly for people with weakened immune systems.
Children and pregnant women may also be at greater risk.
In 2022, the WHO declared a separate outbreak of Clade 2 mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern.
This was lifted in May 2023 after cases declined.
It spread to nearly 100 countries which do not normally see the virus, including some in Europe and Asia.
There was a large outbreak in the UK in May 2022, mostly affecting men who have sex with men.
A vaccination campaign helped to cut its spread.
UKHSA figures suggest there were 3,732 confirmed and highly probable cases reported in the UK up to the end of 2022.
Some 239 cases have been reported up to July this year.
Of these, 225 were in England, with 98 patients presumed to have caught the virus in the UK and 74 outside the country. Testing is ongoing.
Overview
This is the 35th situation report for the multi-country outbreak of mpox, which provides details on the latest epidemiological trends, including an update on the geographic expansion of mpox in the WHO African Region from July August 2024.
The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is ramping up response efforts over the surge of mpox cases across Africa. It has triggered WHO and Africa CDC to declare the epidemic a public health emergency of international and continental concern over the past three days.
With more than 17,000 suspected or confirmed cases and a devastating death toll of 500 deaths in at least 12 countries, the epidemic has surpassed the scale of previous years. The case fatality rate is at 3.2%. The situation is alarming with the rapid spread among newly at-risk populations, and international spread to areas that have never experienced mpox.
Mohammed Omer Mukhier, IFRC Regional Director says:
The sharp increase in mpox cases in Africa is deeply concerning and a serious public health concern. This isnt just a local issue; its a continental threat that demands immediate and coordinated action. In DRC, since last year, together with DRC Red Cross teams, we have been supporting affected communities but more needs to be done, in close liaison with mobilised Ministries of Health, as the situation evolves and expands rapidly across Africa.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has experienced 92% of cases in this growing epidemic, but rapid spread in other countries is putting new communities at risk. A new Clade 1b variant, about which we are still learning, has emerged in the DRC and is now spreading to neighbouring countries including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Other African nations are reporting suspected cases along with resurgence of previous mpox outbreaks. Unlike the previous outbreaks, epidemics associated both with new and pre-existing types of the mpox virus are growing, affecting new communities. The new variant, while linked with sexual contact, is affecting people of all ages and backgrounds.
Bronwyn Nichol, IFRC, Senior Officer, Public Health in Emergencies says:
The mpox epidemic is a stark reminder that viruses know no borders. Shortages in testing, treatment, and vaccines demand a coordinated global response, including increased access to vaccine stocks in Africa. A unified effort is essential to protect vulnerable populations and prevent needless suffering and death.
In the DRC, the DRC Red Cross has been supporting the government response by sharing trusted and accurate health information with communities, conducting community-based surveillance to detect and report suspected cases, providing psychosocial support to affected people, and supporting with community-based hygiene promotion measures. A community-based approach will support victims against stigma. Those showing signs and symptoms are supported early before further transmission.
Grgoire Mateso, President DRC Red Cross, says:
The past year has been difficult. The emergence of a new and potentially more transmissible variant of mpox like Clade 1b gravely affects containment. We have seen firsthand how a shortage of testing, vaccines and treatment kits can hamper efforts to contain the disease. There is also need for more public awareness to manage stigma, early detection and isolation of cases.
The DRC Red Cross is expanding its response to the mpox outbreak, leveraging many years of community-based epidemic preparedness work. Through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3) and the Programmatic Partnership the DRC Red Cross, with technical support from IFRC and French Red Cross, has been building health resilience in communities across the country, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to quickly detect, prevent and respond to disease outbreaks.
Red Cross societies in neighbouring countries that are responding to their first cases of mpox are rapidly scaling support to communities, to help detect and respond to new cases to reduce illness and deaths and limit the spread of the virus. Burundi Red Cross is supporting their Ministry of Health to respond to the rapid increase in mpox cases with support from the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF).
The IFRC is at the forefront of the response to the mpox outbreak in Africa, with extensive experience managing previous disease outbreaks, such as Ebola and COVID-19. With a vast network of more than 4 million volunteers and 14,000 staff across the continent, the IFRC network is providing critical support to governments, including community-based surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, and mental health services.
As the mpox epidemic continues to spread, the IFRC calls for increased global support to contain the crisis through increased access to testing, treatment, and vaccines for at-risk populations across the continent, along with sustained community-based action, which improves the effectiveness of epidemic response actions.
Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67
Andrew Thomas: +41 76 367 65 87
Susan Nzisa Mbalu: +254 733 827 654
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