4, November 2021
Europe could see ‘another half million Covid-19 deaths’ by February, WHO warns 0
The rising number of cases of Covid-19 in Europe is of “grave concern” and the region could see another half a million deaths by early next year, the World Health Organization warned on Thursday.
With 78 million cases in the WHO’s European region—which spans 53 countries and territories and includes several nations in Central Asia—the cumulative toll now exceeded that of South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean region, the Western Pacific, and Africa combined, the organisation said.
“We are, once again, at the epicentre,” WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a press conference.
Kluge noted that the “current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European Region is of grave concern”.
According to “one reliable projection” the current trajectory would mean “another half a million Covid-19 deaths” by February, Kluge added.
The increases were observed “across all age groups”, he said.
Kluge blamed the soaring caseload on “insufficient vaccination coverage” and “the relaxation of public health and social measures”.
Hospital admission rates were higher in countries with lower vaccination rates, he said.
Measures like testing, tracing, physical distancing and the use of face masks were still part of the “arsenal” in fighting the virus.
“We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of Covid-19, to preventing them from happening in the first place,” Kluge said.
The number of new cases per day has been rising for nearly six consecutive weeks in Europe and the number of new deaths per day has been rising for just over seven consecutive weeks, with about 250,000 cases and 3,600 deaths per day, according to official country data compiled by AFP.
Over the past seven days, Russia has led the rise with 8,162 deaths, followed by Ukraine with 3,819 deaths and Romania with 3,100 deaths, according to the data.
Source: AFP
7, November 2021
Researcher in Cameroon develops plant-based leukemia treatment 0
Hundreds of thousands of people suffer from leukemia in all parts of the world, and many ultimately lose their fight against the disease. While there is currently no cure for leukemia, it is possible to treat the cancer to prevent it from coming back.
A biochemistry researcher at the University of Yaounde Medical School in Cameroon’s capital said she developed a plant-based solution to fight leukemia.
“My solution is to make xenografts by administering an aqueous extract of plant bark powder to mice capable of developing tumors,” Francine Tankeu told Anadolu Agency (AA). “We make them leukemic beforehand and then we follow their evolution.”
The next step is to arrange the remedy in a final physical aspect of the drug as it will be used in a patient and according to its compatibility.
“This other step includes several aspects such as toxicological studies to ensure its safety before moving to the human stage (of trials),” said Tankeu.
She noted results on animals show a significant regression of tumor volume after 30 days.
“The survival rate is good, but the test has not yet been performed on a human patient. The steps to be taken before clinical testing, like human trials, are not complete and I don’t have enough funds,” she said.
The idea to use plants came from her daily life, where she noticed a majority of the population uses traditional plant-based medicine for diseases.
“The beneficial effects of Syzygium Guineense, the plant I use, are not negligible because its activity is anti-leukemic. Beyond being used as a spice for local dishes, it is also used for the treatment of certain cancers,” she said.
‘Improved traditional medicine’
She figured if she could establish a scientific basis for the traditional use and formulate an improved traditional medicine, it would be “very useful.”
The methodology is “in tune with African socio-cultural realities” she said.
Tankeu wants to formulate “an improved traditional medicine” and to study the effects of the leafy forest plant when it is administered in conjunction with anti-cancer drugs to see if there would be a synergistic effect or a reduction in side effects from chemotherapy.
She received the Young Talent Award In 2020 from the For Women in Science in Sub-Saharan Africa program at the L’Oreal Foundation and UNESCO.
This prize allowed her to realize her work is “an effective contribution to the problem of cancer,” she said.
But the fight remains “vast, long and far from being won in view of the growing number of patients in the world as well as the obstacles to scientific research,” said Tankeu.
It is “very complicated in my country” for several reasons she told the Turkish news agency.
Notably, the lack of financial avenues, absence of technical platforms and prejudice against female scientists.
She noted that teachers prefer to work with male researchers because of perceptions that family responsibilities of women present obstacles.
In addition, “many children die before they are even put on treatment because the standard of living of the inhabitants is lower than the cost of examinations for an accurate diagnosis,” she said.
The number of cancer cases is increasing annually in Cameroon and diagnosis times are long – more than 60% of patients arrive at an advanced stage and treatment is expensive – according to the Health Ministry.
Tankeu also lamented about erroneous beliefs and perceptions
“It is a real barrier,” she said.
Despite the situation, the young biochemist said she views the future of her solution with “a lot of optimism, especially given the previous results.”
Source: Daily Sabah