Month: January 2021

#TalkingCOVIDWithDr Grant: Covid-19 And Well-Being

Dr Grant Murewanhema
Dr Grant Murewanhema

THE month of January has been particularly challenging for Zimbabwe as far as the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned. We reported the highest number of cases as well as the highest number of fatalities since March 2020 when the pandemic hit the country. News of high-profile people including cabinet ministers, church bishops, medical professional and many other succumbing to the disease sent waves of fear and desperation across the population. By Dr Grant Murewanhema Zimbabwe is a peculiar country where access to quality medical care is a luxury to many. We…

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Johnson & Johnson Announces Single-Shot Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Met Primary Endpoints in Interim Analysis of its Phase 3 ENSEMBLE Trial

Healthtimes

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) (the Company) today announced topline efficacy and safety data from the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE clinical trial, demonstrating that the investigational single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in development at its Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies met all primary and key secondary endpoints. The topline safety and efficacy data are based on 43,783 participants accruing 468 symptomatic cases of COVID-19. The Phase 3 ENSEMBLE study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine candidate in protecting moderate to severe COVID-19, with co-primary endpoints of 14 days…

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Seven things to know about COVID-19 variants in Africa

Healthtimes

New COVID-19 variants have emerged in Africa as the continent records anew peak in infections. While virus mutations are not unusual, those that are more infectious are worrisome.Professor Francisca Mutapi, Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity, University of Edinburgh,explains the implications of SARS-CoV-2 variants and what African countries can do to respond. Why do viruses mutate, and should we be worried about SARS-CoV-2 variants? Viruses mutate as they replicate. Replication requires that the virus’s genetic information is copied. But this copying is not accurate. It produces mistakes such as…

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#JUSTIN: Lockdown Extended By Another Two Weeks

Michael Gwarisa

ACTING President, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has announced an extension to the country’s lockdown which was supposed to end on February 5 by another two weeks in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus. By Michael Gwarisa He said the move has been necessitated by the presence of new strains to the virus which spread faster and are more lethal than the first strain which was recorded in Wuhan, China. The level 4 lockdown that came into force on January 5, 2020 has stabilized our situation. In relative…

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New COVID-19 Variants Fuelling Africa’s Second Wave

Healthtimes

COVID-19 cases and deaths are surging in Africa as new, more contagious variants of the virus spread to additional countries. Staff Reporter Over 175 000 new COVID-19 cases and more than 6200 deaths were reported in Africa in the last week while infections rose by 50% on the continent between 29 December 2020 and 25 January 2021 when compared with the previous four weeks. In the past week, there has been a small dip in cases in South Africa, but 22 countries continue to see their case numbers surge. Deaths…

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Hepatitis C Diagnostics and Treatment Boost For Low & Middle-Income Countries

Michael Gwarisa

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted progress in accelerating access to hepatitis C diagnostics and treatment in low- and middle-income countries at the back of reduced cost for treatment and improved diagnostics systems. By Staff Reporter Many low- and middle-income countries have reduced suffering from hepatitis C owing  to increased access to testing and treatment. According to WHO, some achieved a 20-fold increase in the number of people treated with safe and effective direct-acting retroviral drugs between 2015 and 2018, according to the Global progress report on accelerating access…

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#JUSTINE: ZRP Enforces Tighter Lockdown Measures

Healthtimes

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have announced more stricter lockdown measures following reports that certain individuals and businesses were now  operating  in  violation  of  Statutory  Instrument 10  of 2021 which  barred  all non  essential  service providers  to operate during the current Level (IV) of National Lockdown. HealthTimes According to a Memorundum  under the subject Tightening Of Enforcements And Issuance Of Business Confirmation And Exemption Letters addressed to addressed to all Officers Commanding Police Districts, Harare, there has been increasing cases of lockdown rules violations by companies and individuals. “Some companies…

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#BREAKING: Zimbabwe Government Allows Importation & Investigation Of Human Formulation “IVERMECTIN” To Treat COVID-19

Michael Gwarisa

MINISTRY of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) acting Permanent Secretary, Dr Robert Mudyiradima has written to the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) giving pharmaceutical companies the green light to import Ivermectin, Nano Silver and  other alternative medications for investigations for possible treatment of COVID-19. By Michael Gwarisa In a communique to Mr Richard Rukwata the MCAZ Acting Director, Dr Mudyiradima said the green light had been granted to allow importation of the medicines and use of the drugs will be permitted under strict supervision and guidance. In these difficult…

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WHO recommends the dapivirine vaginal ring as a new choice for HIV prevention for women at substantial risk of HIV infection

Michael Gwarisa

WHO today recommended that the dapivirine vaginal ring (DPV-VR) may be offered as an additional prevention choice for women at substantial risk[1] of HIV infection as part of combination prevention approaches. The DPV-VR is a female-initiated option to reduce the risk of HIV infection. To properly use the ring, it must be worn inside the vagina for a period of 28 days, after which it should be replaced by a new ring. The ring is made of silicone and is easy to bend and insert. The ring works by releasing…

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#JUTSIN: UK Announces Support To Zimbabwe And Other Countries To Identify New COVID-19 Variants

Healthtimes

HEALTH Secretary Matt Hancock  has announced the United Kingdom’s (UK) support with genomics expertise to help other countries identify new COVID-19 variants comes as researchers at the Quadram Institute outline their work supporting scientists in Zimbabwe. Today’s UK government announcement of the New Variant Assessment Platform will see other countries offered UK laboratory capacity and advice to analyse new strains of coronavirus. In common with many other countries facing the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Zimbabwe recorded its first recorded case of the SARS-CoV-2 in March 2020. Extensive public health…

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