CNN reports that on July 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the West African country has confirmed two cases of the deadly disease.
Two patients from the southern Ashanti region
who tested positive for the virus have died.
Their symptoms included diarrhea,
nausea, vomiting and fever.
According to the WHO, over 90 contacts
are currently being monitored.
Marburg is in the same family as the
Ebola virus, with a fatality ratio of up to 88%.
It is transmitted to people from fruit bats,
at which point human-to-human transmission
is possible via contact with bodily fluids.
The WHO said containment measures are already underway because "without immediate and decisive action, Marburg can easily get out of hand.".
There are no vaccines or
antiviral treatments for the virus.
Global Chocolate
Supply Impacted, By Cacao Tree-Killing Virus.
'Newsweek' reports that the price of chocolate
may be increasing after a virus ravaged cacao
trees in western Africa - significantly in Ghana.
'Newsweek' reports that the price of chocolate
may be increasing after a virus ravaged cacao
trees in western Africa - significantly in Ghana.
According to a new study published in the journal
'PLoS ONE,' between 15% and 50% of the harvest
of cocoa trees in Ghana has been lost due to
cacao swollen shoot virus disease (CSSSVD). .
Small insects called mealybugs are responsible for
spreading the virus between trees, causing a number of problems including leaf discoloration and distorted growth.
Small insects called mealybugs are responsible for
spreading the virus between trees, causing a number of problems including leaf discoloration and distorted growth.
So far, over 250 million cacao trees
have already been killed by the virus. .
This virus is a real threat
to the global supply
of chocolate, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of
mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that the virus has proven to be
hard to prevent since mealybug vectors are
extremely hard to control by conventional means.
'Newsweek' reports that the virus has proven to be
hard to prevent since mealybug vectors are
extremely hard to control by conventional means.
Pesticides don't work well against
mealybugs, leaving farmers to try
to prevent the spread of the disease
by cutting out infected trees and
breeding resistant trees. But despite
these efforts, Ghana has lost more than
254 million cacao trees in recent years, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of
mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'.
Pesticides don't work well against
mealybugs, leaving farmers to try
to prevent the spread of the disease
by cutting out infected trees and
breeding resistant trees. But despite
these efforts, Ghana has lost more than
254 million cacao trees in recent years, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of
mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'.
Researchers believe that the distance
between trees could prevent the mealybugs
from spreading the disease from tree to tree. .
Researchers believe that the distance
between trees could prevent the mealybugs
from spreading the disease from tree to tree. .
Mealybugs have several ways of
movement, including moving from
canopy to canopy, being carried
by ants or blown by the wind, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of
mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'.
What we needed to do was create a model
for cacao growers so they could know how
far away they could safely plant vaccinated
trees from unvaccinated trees in order to
prevent the spread of the virus while keeping
costs manageable for these small farmers, Benito Chen-Charpentier, Study co-author and a professor of
mathematics at The University of Texas at Arlington, via 'Newsweek'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Global Increase of , Neurological Disorders , 'Very Concerning,' Researchers Say.
'Newsweek' reports that a new study
warns that neurological disorders have
become more common worldwide.
According to a team of international researchers,
the number of people with such conditions has
risen "substantially" over the past thirty years.
These conditions include Alzheimer's disease,
as well as other forms of dementia,
meningitis and stroke. .
In 2021, the team found that 3.4 billion people had
one of these neurological conditions, accounting for
approximately 43% of the world's total population.
Researchers attribute the alarming
statistic to a rapidly aging population and
increases in lifestyle risk factors.
Researchers attribute the alarming
statistic to a rapidly aging population and
increases in lifestyle risk factors.
Over a 31-year period, researchers found
an 18% increase in disability, illness and
premature death related to these conditions.
'Newsweek' reports that the team's findings highlight the
need for more research into these neurological conditions,
which have proven to be extremely difficult to treat.
'Newsweek' reports that the team's findings highlight the
need for more research into these neurological conditions,
which have proven to be extremely difficult to treat.
Because many neurological conditions
lack cures, and access to medical care
is often limited, understanding
modifiable risk factors and the
potentially avoidable neurological
condition burden is essential to
help curb this global health crisis, Katrin Seeher, study co-lead author and mental health
specialist at WHO's Brain Health Unit, via 'Newsweek'.
Because many neurological conditions
lack cures, and access to medical care
is often limited, understanding
modifiable risk factors and the
potentially avoidable neurological
condition burden is essential to
help curb this global health crisis, Katrin Seeher, study co-lead author and mental health
specialist at WHO's Brain Health Unit, via 'Newsweek'.
The team's findings were detailed in a study
published in the journal 'The Lancet Neurology.'.
Neuroscience research is now
progressing rapidly offering
hope through new treatments
for diseases like dementias and
through better understanding
of lifestyle modifications
to best care for our brains, Tara Spires-Jones, president of the British Neuroscience
Association and group leader in the U.K. Dementia Research
Institute at the University of Edinburgh, via Newsweek
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Delhi Is the ‘Most Polluted’ , Capital City in the World.
The capital of India was found to be the
world's most polluted capital city in 2023,
according to air-quality monitoring group IQAir.
India was also ranked as the
third-most polluted country after
Bangladesh and Pakistan, BBC reports.
In 2022, India was the
eighth most polluted country. .
According to the report, the average level
of fine particulate matter PM2.5 in India's
air was 54.4 micrograms per cubic meter. .
Delhi's air quality had a PM2.5 reading
of 92.7 micrograms per cubic meter.
Air that is considered safe to breathe
typically has 12 to 15 micrograms per
cubic meter of PM2.5, BBC reports. .
Levels higher than 35 micrograms per
cubic meter are thought to be unhealthy. .
Only seven countries were within
the World Health Organization's yearly
PM2.5 guideline, an "average of 5 micrograms per cubic meter or less," BBC reports. .
Those countries are Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand.
Those countries are Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand.
In 2023 air pollution remained a global health
catastrophe, IQAir’s global data set provides
an important reminder of the resulting
injustices and the need to implement the
many solutions that exist to this problem. , Aidan Farrow, senior air quality scientist at
Greenpeace International, via 'The Guardian'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Cost of Easter Eggs Rises , As Climate Change Affects Crops.
Most of the cocoa that is used to make chocolate
is grown in West Africa where a heat wave has damaged crops and cut yields, BBC reports.
This has caused the cost of some
Easter eggs to increase by 50% or more.
According to the World Weather Attribution group, the high temperatures in West Africa "were made 10 times more likely" by human-induced climate change.
According to the World Weather Attribution group, the high temperatures in West Africa "were made 10 times more likely" by human-induced climate change.
The group's study determined that West Africa will experience severe heat waves close to every two years if action is not taken. .
El Niño was also found to have played a role, although "global warming is exacerbating those changes," BBC reports. .
Increasingly, climate change driven
by fossil fuel use is multiplying this natural
challenge in many regions. It fuels more
extreme conditions, devastates harvests,
and makes food costs higher for all. , Ben Clarke, an expert on extreme weather at the
Grantham Institute at Imperial College, via BBC.
Intense rains have also plagued West Africa,
leading to a fungal infection that rots cocoa beans. .
Intense rains have also plagued West Africa,
leading to a fungal infection that rots cocoa beans. .
The cost of chocolate is starting
to be affected in shops. .
Lots of players who have already
announced price increases.
We are also part of that group, Martin Hug, of chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli, via BBC
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
The Eastern African country provides accommodation and a plot of land to people fleeing wars in neighbouring countries, but the gap between needs and resources is increasing.
Credit: euronews (in English) Duration: 03:02Published
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