News

Teeth Reveal Where Black Death BeganLondon, 16 Jun (ONA) --- Researchers believe they have discovered the origins of the Black Death, more than 600 years after it killed tens of millions in Europe, Asia and north Africa. The mid-14th Century health catastrophe is one of the most significant disease episodes in human history. But despite years of research, scientists had been unable to pinpoint where the bubonic plague began. Now analysis suggests it was in Kyrgyzstan, central Asia, in the 1330s. A research team from the University of Stirling in Scotland and Germany's ...

Geneva, 16 Jun (ONA) --- After five weeks of declining coronavirus deaths, the number of fatalities reported globally increased by 4% last week, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In its weekly assessment of the pandemic issued on today, the UN health agency said there were 8,700 COVID-19 deaths last week, with a 21% jump in the Americas and a 17% increase in the Western Pacific. WHO said coronavirus cases continued to fall, with about 3.2 million new cases reported last week, extending a decline in COVID-19 infections since the peak in January. Still, there were ...

Beijing, 6 Jun (ONA) --- Diners today returned to restaurants in most of Beijing for the first time in more than a month as local authorities further eased pandemic-related restrictions after largely eradicating a small COVID-19 outbreak in the capital under China’s strict “zero-COVID” approach. Museums, cinemas and gyms were allowed to operate at up to 75% of capacity and delivery drivers could once again bring packages to a customer’s door, rather than leave them to be picked up at the entrances to apartment compounds. The return to near-normal applied everywhere in ...

London, 22 May (ONA) --- Scientists have reported a two- to fourfold increase in the prevalence of dream-enactment disorder – whereby people physically act out their dreams – during the pandemic, with those who have been infected with Covid the most likely to experience it. Given that the phenomenon can be an early indicator of Parkinson’s disease, it is possible the virus has triggered brain changes that could increase people’s risk of developing the condition. The researchers, however, stressed that it could also be the result of pandemic-induced stress and that further ...

London, 19 May (ONA) —- Cases of suspected and confirmed Monkeypox are being investigated in the US, Canada, Spain, Portugal and the UK, according to health authorities and local media reports.Most recently one case was confirmed in the US and 13 suspected cases are being investigated in Canada.Five infections have also been confirmed in Portugal as well as seven in Spain, health authorities say.Monkeypox is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa.Cases of the disease outside of the region are often linked to travel to the area.Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which is ...

Geneva, 19 May (ONA) —— A child in north-eastern Mozambique has polio, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today, amid fears of a regional outbreak after cases were recently reported in neighbouring Malawi.The case in the Tete province is Mozambique's first since 1992, the WHO said.A case was detected in February in Malawi, where officials launched a major vaccination campaign for 2.9 million children. Malawi had been free of polio since 2005."Laboratory analysis shows that the strain detected in Malawi is linked to the one that has been circulating in Sindh Province in Pakistan," ...

New York, 18 May (ONA) --- New findings from researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York published in the journal Nature Communications report today the results of using a comprehensive sequencing approach on 114 pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with solid tumors.The researchers found that their approach identified at least one additional cancer-associated oncogenic variant in 54% of patients (62 out of 114), compared with the current standard genetic sequencing test MSK-IMPACT. Of these, 33 patients had one or more findings that were of ...

London, 18 May (ONA) --- Researchers at Cambridge University have now developed ultra-powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners that can aid in determining where new drug regimens can be used for symptoms of Parkinson's disease and other similar neuronal conditions, that were previously considered untreatable, a university press release said.Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that usually starts with a slight tremor in one hand. The damage has already begun inside the brain as neurons - brain cells- have begun to gradually degrade and die. ...

London, 18 May (ONA) --- A new study blames pollution of all types for 9 million deaths a year globally, with the death toll attributed to dirty air from cars, trucks and industry rising 55% since 2000. That increase is offset by fewer pollution deaths from primitive indoor stoves and water contaminated with human and animal waste, so overall pollution deaths in 2019 are about the same as 2015. The United States is the only fully industrialized country in the top 10 nations for total pollution deaths, ranking 7th with 142,883 deaths blamed on pollution in 2019, sandwiched between ...

London, 16 May (ONA) --- Activity levels among children fell below national guidelines after Covid-19 restrictions eased, a study finds.A university of Bristol study found by the end of 2021, less than a third were meeting the recommended guidelines of 60 minutes of physical activity daily.The findings showed children in England aged between 10 and 11 were doing eight minutes less activity than before 2021.Researchers said it "highlights a greater need" to work with families, and schools to get children active.Nearly 400 children and their parents from 23 schools in Bristol were recruited for ...

Canberra, 15 May (ONA) --- Katherine Hatch, from the School of Medicine at The University of Western Australia, is coordinating the study titled “STRATA” or “SerTRaline for AnxieTy in adults with Autism”. The study aims to find out whether the medication sertraline reduces symptoms of anxiety, enhances quality of life, and is effective in the longer term as a treatment for adults with autism. “The study also aims to understand side effects of the treatment, what people think about being invited to the study, and their experiences of taking part,” ...

Berlin, 11 May (ONA) —- The European Union (EU) will no longer require masks to be worn at airports and on planes starting next week amid the easing of coronavirus restrictions across the bloc, authorities said today.The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it hoped the joint decision, made with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, would mark “a big step forward in the normalization of air travel” for passengers and crews.The new guideline “takes account of the latest developments in the pandemic, in particular the levels of vaccination and naturally acquired ...

Taipei, Taiwan, 28 Apr (ONA) --- Taiwan, which had been living mostly free of COVID-19, is now facing its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic with over 11,000 new cases reported today. Cases have been on the upswing since late March 2022. In April, the island’s central authorities announced that they would no longer maintain a “zero-COVID” policy like the Chinese government’s in which they would centrally quarantine positive cases. Instead, the government is asking people to quarantine at home if they test positive, unless they show moderate to severe ...

Beijing, 28 Apr (ONA) --- Beijing today shifted more classes online in a further tightening of COVID-19 restrictions, as China’s capital seeks to prevent a wider outbreak. The city of 21 million has already ordered three rounds of mass testing this week for the virus, with the third due to take place tomorrow (Friday), and closed down some communities where cases were found. Beijing announced 50 new cases today, two of them asymptomatic, bringing its total in the latest wave of infections to around 150. Students make up more than 30% of total cases. At least three other ...

Beijing, 26 Apr (ONA) --- China’s capital Beijing is enforcing mass testing and closing down access to neighborhoods as it seeks to contain a new COVID-19 outbreak. Announcement of the testing had sparked panic buying in the city of 21 million, but the situation appeared to calm today with public transport largely keeping to normal schedules and roads packed with commuters. Fears of total lockdown have been fed by disruptions in the supply of food, medicine and daily necessities in the southern business hub of Shanghai, where 25 million residents have only gradually been ...

Washington, 21 Apr (ONA) --- Maladaptive daydreaming (MD), also called daydreaming disorder, occurs in people who experience intense daydreams on a regular basis. These daydreams can become so vivid that the individual cannot distinguish between reality and fantasy. While undergoing a daydream, an MDer can become extraordinarily distracted and unable to function normally or engage with others.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder characterized by difficulty paying attention and impaired impulse control. Typical symptoms of ADHD include ...

Connecticut, US, 21 Apr (ONA) --- Portable MRI machines, an emerging technology that makes medical imaging accessible even in remote locations, detected ischemic strokes, or strokes caused by clotting, in 90% of patients scanned, according to a study led by Yale and Harvard researchers.Previous studies have shown that portable MRI devices can also detect strokes caused by bleeding in the brain, which are distinct from strokes caused by brain clots. The ability of portable MRI machines to differentiate the two types of stroke will help clinicians make crucial life-saving ...

Geneva, 21 Apr (ONA) —- The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the number of reported new COVID-19 cases worldwide decreased by nearly a quarter last week, continuing a decline since the end of March 2022.The Geneva-based UN health agency said in a weekly report that nearly 5.59 million cases were reported between 11 and 17 April, 24% fewer than in the previous week.The number of newly reported deaths dropped 21% to 18,215.WHO said new cases declined in every region, though only by 2% in the Americas.The countries with the highest reported case numbers last week were South Korea with ...

Madrid, 20 Apr (ONA) --- Spain today took another step toward a sense of normality amid the COVID-19 pandemic by partially ending the near two-year-long obligatory use of masks indoors. The government decree keeps masks mandatory for visitors and staff in medical centers and nursing homes, although patients won’t always be obliged to wear them. Masks will also be mandatory on all forms of public transportation, but not in stations or airports. In turn, they are recommended, but not obligatory, in multitudinous gatherings, in packed areas or in the presence of vulnerable ...

London, 19 Apr (ONA) --- Health officials said they have detected more cases of a mysterious liver disease in children that was first identified in Britain, with new infections spreading to Europe and the US. Last week, British officials reported 74 cases of hepatitis, or liver inflammation, found in children since January. The usual viruses that cause infectious hepatitis were not seen in the cases, and scientists and doctors are considering other possible sources, including COVID-19, other viruses and environmental factors. In a statement today, the European Centre for Disease ...

    Washington, 18 Apr (ONA) --- In a recent study published in Reviews in Medical Virology, researchers reviewed the mechanisms of muscle tissue injury, aggravating conditions, and associated sequelae in long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). In long COVID‐19, musculoskeletal system involvement secondary to the hyper inflammatory state is characterized by the persistence of clinical symptoms such as myalgia, fatigue, muscle weakness, and decline in functional and physical performance, even after four weeks of symptom onset. In addition, mitochondrial damage, ...

Hong Kong, 14 Apr (ONA) --- Hong Kong will ease some social distancing measures later this month, allowing people to dine in at restaurants in the evening and lifting restrictions on private gatherings, as the number of COVID-19 infections declined in recent weeks. From 21 April 2022, restaurants will be able to operate until 10 p.m. with a maximum of four people per table, local officials said today. Other businesses that were ordered to temporarily close due to Hong Kong’s fifth wave of infections, will also be allowed to re-open, although capacity will be limited to ...

Washington, 13 Apr (ONA) --- Jonathan Silverberg, MD, associate professor of dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC, highlighted a 6-week study on a multi-disciplinary, digital therapeutic approach to help with education, treatment adherence, lifestyle changes, and overall self-efficacy for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). This was presented at the 4th annual Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis (RAD) conference held from April 9 to 11 in Baltimore, Maryland. The goal of this study was to investigate the ...

Geneva, 13 Apr (ONA) --- The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) fell for a third consecutive week, a trend likely helped by the dismantling of testing and surveillance programs. In its latest weekly report on the pandemic, issued late Tuesday, the UN health agency said the more than 7 million new cases reported represented a 24% decline from a week earlier. The weekly worldwide number of COVID-19 deaths, was down 18%, at over 22,000. WHO said the decreases “should be interpreted with caution” as numerous countries ...

Oslo, Norway, 12 Apr (ONA) --- For some, a headache means you may need to pop an aspirin. But many among us are affected by more persistent and serious head pain; a new study has now estimated the extent of this disorder worldwide, and the data are staggering.A team led by epidemiologists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology summarized epidemiological headache studies from 1961 to the end of 2020; the data included general headaches, migraines, and tension-type headaches, revealing that 52 percent of us suffer from some form of headache disorder each year.The ...

Atlanta, US, 12 Apr (ONA) --- Having a history of Asthma or allergies may increase the risk of developing high blood pressure and coronary heart diseases, a new research found.Adults between the ages of 18 and 57 who have suffered from an allergic disorder had a higher risk of high blood pressure, according to the research, while the highest risk for high blood pressure was found among people with asthma, researchers said.High blood pressure and cholesterol, along with a lack of exercise, obesity, diabetes, smoking and a family history of cardiovascular issues, are all key ...

Beijing, 11 Apr (ONA) --- The manufacturing hub of Guangzhou closed itself to most arrivals today as China battles a major COVID-19 surge in its big eastern cities. Shanghai has taken the brunt of the surge, with another 26,087 cases announced today, only 914 of which showed symptoms. The city of 26 million is under a tight lockdown, with many residents confined to their homes for up to three weeks. No such lockdown has yet been announced for Guangzhou, a metropolis of 18 million northwest of Hong Kong that is home to many top companies and China’s busiest ...

New Delhi, 10 Apr (ONA) --- India today began offering booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine to all adults but limited free shots at government centers to front-line workers and people over age 60. The doses, which India is calling a “precautionary” shot instead of a booster, are available to people nine months after they receive their second jab, the Indian Health Ministry said in a statement. India has so far vaccinated about 96% of those aged 15 years and older with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, while about 83% have received both shots, according to local official ...

Geneva, 6 Apr (ONA) --- The number of coronavirus cases reported globally has dropped for a second consecutive week and confirmed COVID-19 deaths also fell last week, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report issued today. In its latest pandemic report, WHO said 9 million cases were reported, a 16% weekly decline, and more than 26,000 new deaths from COVID-19. The UN health agency said confirmed coronavirus infections were down in all regions of the world. However, it warned that the reported numbers carry considerable uncertainty because many countries have stopped ...

California, 6 Apr (ONA) --- Researchers from a consortium led by the University of Southern California (USC) have discovered 15 “hot spots” in the genome that either speed up brain aging or slow it down; a finding that could provide new drug targets to resist developmental delays, Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative brain disorders.“The big game-changer here is discovering locations on the chromosome that speed up or slow down brain aging in worldwide populations. These can quickly become new drug targets,” said Paul Thompson of USC, a lead author on the study and ...