New Delhi: A total of 162 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country, with Kerala reporting the highest number of 83, followed by Gujarat 34, according to the INSACOGs data updated on Friday (December 29).The INSACOGs data showed 145 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 17 such cases were detected in November.
India has logged 797 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday (December 29), the highest since May. The country had recorded 865 new cases on May 19. The number of active cases of the infections have been recorded at 4,091, the health ministry said. Five new fatalities due to Covid have been reported the past 24 hours: two from Kerala and one each from Maharashtra, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, according to the ministrys data updated at 8 am.
Several states have been reporting an uptick in the number of Covid cases over the last few weeks and nine states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are Kerala (83), Gujarat (34), Goa (18), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). Heres a look at the cases reported from several states.
Karnataka
Karnataka on Friday (December 29) reported 173 fresh cases of Covid-19 and two coronavirus related deaths in the last 24 hours. This takes the total number of active cases in the state to 702, the health bulletin said. With this, the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the state after the recent spike in cases is more than 10, they said.
According to the bulletin issued by the health department, in the last 24 hours, 37 patients have been discharged, total 8,349 tests have been conducted including 6,400 RTPCR and 1,949 Rapid Antigen tests. Positivity rate stands at 2.07 per cent while case fatality rate was 1.15 per cent.
Maximum number of tests were conducted in Bengaluru. Out of the 2,616 tests conducted, 82 have been found positive for the virus, which is the highest as compared to other districts of the state.
As on Friday (December 29), the total active cases reported in the state stands at 702. Out of these, 649 people are in home isolation while the remaining 53 are hospitalised, it added.
Amid a spike in cases and detection of JN.1 infections in the state, the Karnataka governments cabinet sub-committee on coronavirus advised people to wear masks, not send children with symptoms to schools, adhere to COVID appropriate behaviour like social distancing, seven days home isolation and leave for infected patients.
It has also decided to administer precautionary vaccine for the aged and those with comorbidities and to get 30,000 doses of Corbevax vaccine from the Centre for this purpose.
Kerala
The highest number of JN.1 variant cases have been reported from Kerala. The state reported 41 cases of the JN.1 subvariant, the majority of which were home isolated, official sources said. Official sources told ANI,
A total of 145 cases of JN.1 variant have been reported till December 28. These samples were collected between November 21 and December 18, 2023.
Delhi
As Delhi gears up to ring in the New Year amid fear of the new Covid sub-variant JN.1, experts advised people with comorbidities and the elderly to avoid crowded places and wear masks while asserting there was no need to put in place public health measures right now. According to the Union Health Ministry data, there are 45 active Covid cases in Delhi. So far, the national capital has reported one case of the JN.1 variant. Amid the rise in cases, experts advised people not to panic and stressed that viral respiratory illnesses usually see a spike during winter months and the pollution season. Dr Sumit Ray, medical director and critical care head at Holy Family Hospital, said,
We are seeing more influenza cases and H1N1 patients where there is serious lung involvement. The Covid cases that we have seen at our hospital are those where the finding of the infection has been incidental.Those who were admitted with Covid infection were primarily those who had chronic lung or kidney disease.
The hospital has had 11 Covid patients in December but no fatalities have been reported at the facility.
Dr Jugal Kishore, Director, Professor and Head of the Department of Community Medicine, Safdarjung Hospital, said that JN.1 is a sub-variant of Omicron.
In comorbid people, any infection is an igniting factor for existing problems. Those people who have comorbidities should wear masks when they step out of the house. But for healthy people, I would not advise it. Forceful respiration if you do not have any underlying health issues can lead to severe problems. Those who have respiratory infection should wear masks to avoid spreading it.
LNJP Hospitals Medical Director Dr Suresh Kumar also said there was no reason to panic. He said,
This (JN.1) is a sub-variant of Omicron. The symptoms are mild and rarely do people get a severe infection. However, those who have diabetes, a liver-related disease or are on dialysis should get themselves tested if they show symptoms. If you are immunocompromised, you should wear a mask while visiting crowded places or hospitals. Opt for a balanced diet, including fruits.
The national capital reported two new cases of coronavirus on Thursday (December 28) and reports of both the infected patients were sent for genome sequencing to confirm whether they were instances of sub-variant, JN.1.
Dr Sanjeev Lalwani, Medical Superintendent of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) told ANI that adequate arrangements have been made in case any kind of emergency arises. Dr Lalwani said,
Yesterday, we had two Covid-19 patients. We have made adequate arrangements in case of an emergency. We have all testing facilities. Under my department of Microbiology, we have started a screening facility and emergency simultaneously and we have arranged for 12 beds in a new private ward.
Dr Lalwani said,
As the number of positive cases is increasing, we will scale up the facilities including the number of beds. We have asked all the departments, particularly the clinical departments, that in case someone with Covid-related symptoms is coming to their wards, they will be treated in isolation within the same ward itself.
He said,
We have also made adequate arrangements for medications, PPE Kits and other items which are required to manage the COVID patients. We are keeping a watch on the situation daily. As of now, we have a very limited number of cases. We will be strengthening our system as soon as more cases are reported. But as of now, the situation is not alarming. We will instruct our employees to follow the guidelines properly.
Also Read: COVID-19 Updates:157 Cases Of Sub-variant JN.1 Detected In India; Highest From Kerala, Gujarat: INSACOG
Amid the rise in COVID-19 cases due to the JN.1 sub-variant in various states, after AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi, has also reserved beds for patients and made other arrangements including oxygen and testing.
The hospital administration has reserved 50 beds for isolations, and 9 ICU beds. Apart from this, complete arrangements have also been made in the hospital regarding oxygen, PPE kits, and COVID testing.
Senior pulmonologist and former Safdarjung Hospital HOD, Dr Neeraj Gupta, said,
JN.1 is a variant of Omicron. It is a very mild virus. The only advantage this virus has because of this mutation is that it crosses our immune barriers and is able to infect us with a normal infection. Like any viral infection, this is also mild; it is not of a very severe nature, and we are not expecting any admissions or higher admission rates.
He further said that normally, patients with comorbidities or any severe condition that decreases the immune system are going to have more morbidity, which may lead to mortality. Dr Gupta said,
We had one patient of Covid, which was rapid antigen positive when the patient got admitted, and now the patient is negative, so we dont really know whether its genuine or not, but we are testing all the patients who are suspected of Covid-like symptoms, and still now we have not detected any.
He said they have not detected any positive case till now, but are ready with all the kits, and have all the arrangements for treatment of any COVID patients, including isolation beds. He added,
We have about 50 beds for isolation and 9 ICU beds, which are ready for all the deployments. There are also adequate PPE kits or medicines available, including oxygen. And if any eventuality comes in, we are ready for it but I do not really anticipate any such rush because, in time, Omicron also did not get so many admissions.
He further said,
I will want people to beware. Take all the precautions, including avoiding any exposure to excessive cold. Try to remain healthy and exercise when the Sun comes out. Take a nutritious diet and exercise all Covid-appropriate behaviour, like wearing masks in public, and this will also prevent them from many pollution-related issues.
Also Read: COVID-19 Updates: States Report Rise In Cases; Delhi Reports First Case Of JN.1
Meanwhile, Delhis Health Minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, visited Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital on Thursday (December 28) to assess the preparedness for COVID-19. The hospital has reserved 20 beds for COVID-19 patients, but there hasnt been a confirmed case in the hospital yet. Separate help desks have been set up for COVID-19 patients, along with a dedicated testing centre in the hospital. Immediate treatment will be given upon confirmation of Covid. Directives have been issued to maintain readiness in all Delhi government hospitals. The Delhi Health Minister is continuously monitoring the situation. Mr Saurabh Bharadwaj said,
Currently, the entire ward is empty as there have not been any confirmed case of a COVID patient in the hospital yet. However, continuous screening of patients with COVID-related symptoms is ongoing. As soon as any COVID-related patient is confirmed, they will be immediately admitted, and treatment will commence. Almost all preparations in the hospital have been completed, and further preparations will be made as per the evolving situation.
The Health Minister, during his briefing, mentioned that directives have been issued to all hospitals under the Delhi government to maintain all preparations for dealing with COVID-19. He added,
Although there isnt any situation causing panic in Delhi presently, it doesnt mean that hospital administrations should be lax. All hospitals must remain prepared to deal with COVID.
Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu has recorded its first COVID-19 case in a long time and the patient, who has mild symptoms, has been kept in home isolation, a senior doctor in Jammu and Kashmir said on Thursday (December 28). However, he asserted that there is no need to panic as measures are in place to meet any challenge.
Government Medical College Hospital (Jammu) Principal Ashutosh Gupta said this was the first case detected in the city after a long time and the patients sample has been sent for genome sequencing to determine if it was caused by the new JN.1 sub-variant. He said the patient has no history of travel but came in contact with someone who had returned from abroad a few days ago. Dr Gupta said,
He is being kept in home isolation and is doing fine. There is no need to panic as adequate measures are already in place to meet any challenge.
Officials said the Health Department has already begun a drive to trace the patients contacts.
West Bengal
West Bengal on Thursday (December 28) registered the death of a COVID-positive patient after over nine months, a health official said. The patient, who had tested positive for the coronavirus, had multiple comorbidities, he said. The official told PTI,
This person was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata. He died after suffering a cardiac arrest.
The state had recorded the last COVID death on March 26.
Also Read: Tamil Nadus DMDK Partys Captain Vijayakanth Loses Battle With COVID-19
As per directions of the Union Health Ministry, representatives of the state health department collected the swab samples of the person and sent those for genome sequencing, he said.
The total number of active cases in the state stood at 11, while three people were discharged from hospitals after they recovered from the disease.
Odisha
Five persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha in the past 24 hours taking the total number of cases in the state reported this month so far to 13, a health department official said on Friday (December 29). About 500 samples were tested out of which five were found to be positive since Thursday (December 28). All the patients have reported mild symptoms and are in home isolation, state public heath director Niranjan Mishra said, adding
We have not imposed any restrictions on the people. However, the people, especially the elderly and those having comorbidities should be cautious and take precautionary measures like wearing masks and use sanitisers while stepping out of their homes.
Mr Mishra also advised the people who have cold and cough to isolate themselves at their homes and wear masks.
Manipur
Manipur reported a fresh case of COVID-19 after a prolonged period without new infections. The infected individual, who hails from Paomata in Senapati district, had travelled from Delhi to Dimapur by air and subsequently from Dimapur to Senapati by road. The exact virus variant remains undetermined, as samples have been sent for genome sequencing to ascertain more details.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any potential spread of the virus.
NDTV Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyones health in India especially vulnerable communities the LGBTQ population,indigenous people, Indias different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world postCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival climate change. It has now been described as a code red for humanity. The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
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The City of Chicago spent more than it planned to care for asylum seekers and had to dip into federal COVID-19 funds. With just a few days left in the year, Mayor Brandon Johnson also said the city is running out of room to house people. CBS 2's Sabrina Franza had the latest on Chicago's response to the migrant crisis.
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COVID-19 hospitalizations up in Western PA, 17% in Allegheny County, 60% in Mercer
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 30,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States in a week's time, and 1,300 of those cases were from Pennsylvania.
Updated: 6:23 PM EST Dec 29, 2023
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 30,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States in a week's time, and 1,300 of those cases were from Pennsylvania. In Allegheny County, the CDC reports that cases for the week ending Dec. 23 were up 17%, and in Mercer County, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased 60%."It is still making people very sick, especially, and this is anecdotal, but I found that people who have never have somehow so far missed getting COVID and they get this one, they may not be hospitalization level of illness, but they still feel pretty bad. And so it can still, you know, knock you out for a couple of for several days," Allegheny Health Network's Dr. Amy Crawford Faucher said.Faucher said she expects the numbers to rise after New Year's Eve gatherings.Track CDC COVID-19 cases by county
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists 30,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States in a week's time, and 1,300 of those cases were from Pennsylvania.
In Allegheny County, the CDC reports that cases for the week ending Dec. 23 were up 17%, and in Mercer County, COVID-19 hospitalizations increased 60%.
"It is still making people very sick, especially, and this is anecdotal, but I found that people who have never have somehow so far missed getting COVID and they get this one, they may not be hospitalization level of illness, but they still feel pretty bad. And so it can still, you know, knock you out for a couple of for several days," Allegheny Health Network's Dr. Amy Crawford Faucher said.
Faucher said she expects the numbers to rise after New Year's Eve gatherings.
Track CDC COVID-19 cases by county
Feds recover $1.5 million of alleged $43 million COVID-19 Medicare fraud case
12 News Investigates has learned the Department of Justice and FBI are closing in on companies accused of billing Medicare for COVID-19 test kits that people never wanted and usually never received
Updated: 6:32 PM CST Dec 29, 2023
It started with one phone call, from one person, to 12 News Investigates in August."I've never met anyone from these labs, I've never requested anything from these labs, I've never used these labs," Sylvia told WISN 12 News. Sylvia did not want to use her last name, still worried about her Medicare number getting used without her permission. She was concerned Medicare paid for COVID-19 tests on her behalf that she never asked for and never received.WISN 12 News Investigates has been reporting on the issue for months. The issue has now drawn scrutiny from lawmakers calling on Congress to investigate. 12 News Investigates has learned more than 160 Wisconsinites have been caught in the middle. Now, 12 News Investigates has learned the Department of Justice and FBI are closing in on companies accused of ordering and sometimes shipping those test kits.A federal warrant shows the DOJ and FBI have recovered a little more than $1.5 million from a bank account for the Chicago-based company SK Diagnostics Inc. The feds say, in a 9-week period between March and June, the company was paid $43,305,656 by Medicare and billed the government on behalf of roughly 465,000 people and 471 others who had died.Marilyn Manger was one of them. She spoke with our sister station, WBAL TV, in Baltimore."It's easy money," she said. "It's all about let's make money without having to do the work and do it on the backs of those of us who worked our whole lives."Documents show the owner of SK Diagnostics bought a plane ticket to India and left Chicago the same day he was interviewed by the feds in June. Earlier this month, Baqar Hussain Razv Syed was charged in federal court in Chicago. He is accused of defrauding the government of more than $31 million in a similar scheme using his company, Luna Labs LLC."You can talk to my attorney for now," Syed told 12 News after he pleaded not guilty. A trial date for Syed is Set for October 2024. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
It started with one phone call, from one person, to 12 News Investigates in August.
"I've never met anyone from these labs, I've never requested anything from these labs, I've never used these labs," Sylvia told WISN 12 News. Sylvia did not want to use her last name, still worried about her Medicare number getting used without her permission. She was concerned Medicare paid for COVID-19 tests on her behalf that she never asked for and never received.
WISN 12 News Investigates has been reporting on the issue for months. The issue has now drawn scrutiny from lawmakers calling on Congress to investigate. 12 News Investigates has learned more than 160 Wisconsinites have been caught in the middle.
Now, 12 News Investigates has learned the Department of Justice and FBI are closing in on companies accused of ordering and sometimes shipping those test kits.
A federal warrant shows the DOJ and FBI have recovered a little more than $1.5 million from a bank account for the Chicago-based company SK Diagnostics Inc. The feds say, in a 9-week period between March and June, the company was paid $43,305,656 by Medicare and billed the government on behalf of roughly 465,000 people and 471 others who had died.
Marilyn Manger was one of them. She spoke with our sister station, WBAL TV, in Baltimore.
"It's easy money," she said. "It's all about let's make money without having to do the work and do it on the backs of those of us who worked our whole lives."
Documents show the owner of SK Diagnostics bought a plane ticket to India and left Chicago the same day he was interviewed by the feds in June.
Earlier this month, Baqar Hussain Razv Syed was charged in federal court in Chicago. He is accused of defrauding the government of more than $31 million in a similar scheme using his company, Luna Labs LLC.
"You can talk to my attorney for now," Syed told 12 News after he pleaded not guilty.
A trial date for Syed is Set for October 2024. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
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Voted Spains number one expat newspaper and second in the world, by 27,000 people polled by UK marketing group Tesca. Also dubbed The best English newspaper in Spain, according to the UKs Rough Guide. The Olive Press is the English language newspaper for Spain. Local news, in particular, from the Costa del Sol, Andalucia, Alicante, Murcia and Mallorca, plus national news from around Spain. A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press launched in 2006 and represents the huge and growing expatriate community in Spain with over 100,000 printed copies monthly, 50,000 visitors a day online we have an estimated readership of more than 500,000 people a month.
Mpox (formerly known as Monkey Pox) cases continue to be reported as we move into the new year and the potential for exposure and future outbreaks are still of serious concern. For your best health status, its important to get both of the now available two-part vaccine doses, check yourself and partners for symptoms; and get screened for STIs.
In a letter dated December 20 to medical colleagues throughout the country, Assistant Surgeon General Jonathan Mermin addressed his concerns about future outbreaks.
I am writing to you today with a reminder that Mpox continues to circulate in the United States. Although case counts are lower than they were last year, severe manifestations, including deaths, continue to occur. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices now recommends persons with potential risk of exposure receive two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine. Despite this, only one in four of the approximately two million people eligible to receive the vaccine in the United States have received both doses.
Although reported cases have significantly declined since the height of the outbreak in 2022, small clusters are still occurring in the United States. Within the past two months, some health departments have reported an increase in cases among men who report having sexual contact with men. Vaccination remains an important, but underutilized, tool in stopping the spread of [Mpox]. If vaccine coverage in the United States does not increase, we may experience large outbreaks in the future.
It cant be stressed enough, to be fully vaccinated and have the most protection against MPOX, it is imperative you get both doses of the vaccine. The second dose is given four weeks after the first dose, and your protection will be highest two weeks after your second dose.
If it has been more than four weeks since the first dose, the second dose can be administered as soon as possible, and the series does not need to be restarted. If you have received your second dose, there is no need for a third dose at this time.
Healthcare professionals remain on high alert for a new strain of the Mpox virus known as Clade I, which is far more infectious and deadly than Clade II (by ten percent), which manifested in the gay male community at a high rate in 2022). The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently experiencing its highest ever outbreak of Mpox as a result of the Clade I variant.
The virus variant is known to be more virulent. If it adapts better to human to human transmission, that presents a risk, said Rosamund Lewis, the chief advisor on Mpox for the World Health Organization (WHO) in an interview with Reuters news service. Lewis also said WHO is very worried the outbreak could spread further potentially beyond the DRC.
Immunization Clinics in the Charlotte area are available to help individuals stay up to date with their vaccines by providing the routinely recommended vaccines for all age groups, as well as specific vaccines for high-risk groups. Mpox immunizations can protect our community from a dangerous infection that can spread quickly.
Among the sites for treatment in the Charlotte area are: the Huntersville Mecklenburg County of Health Department at 2845 Beatties Ford Rd.; the Charlotte Mecklenburg County of Health Department at 249 Billingsley Rd.; the Valerie C. Woodard Community Resource Center at 3205 Freedom Drive; and the Ella B. Scarborough Community Resource Center at 430 Stitt Rd.
For information on making an appointment at any of these locations call 704-336-6500. Hours of availability are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. 5 p.m. and Wednesday, 10 a.m. 7 p.m.
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Monkey pox, dengue fever and the scourge of covid could all devastate the vulnerable in 2024 according to Dr Maria Van Kerkhove from the World Health Organisation
The World Health Organisation has warned that climate change and sexual transmission could be behind two health threats in the coming year.
Looking ahead to 2024 monkey pox, dengue fever and the scourge of covid could all devastating impacts for the vulnerable. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, an expert on infectious diseases, who leads the WHO's Department for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention has spoken about the trio of threats.
Speaking to Sky News Dr Van Kerkhove has said the uptake for coronavirus vaccines around the world has been "abysmal" and it is therefore no surprise to her that cases are on the rise once again. She says that targeted vaccine programmes for the elderly and vulnerable around the world, like there is for flu would make a marked difference.
"The vaccination coverage in all countries of the at-risk groups is abysmalfor me, this is the biggest frustration. Covid-19 actually has solutions, influenza has solutions, that can prevent severe disease and death. Why aren't we using them?"
Mosquitoes carrying diseases such as Dengue Fever, which is an infection currently rare in the UK, could be on the move towards the country. According to the the NHS Dengue Fever symptoms include:
Dr Van Kerkhove has warned that by 2040 it could be common in the UK as climate change means mosquitoes are migrating further and further north as our climate gets warmer.
She told Sky: "It really illustrates the challenges because you have the mosquitoes going further north and further south. Countries like Italy are seeing dengue transmission within their borders that they've never experienced before. This is not a theoretical risk into the future. It's happening now and it has to be addressed now."
Mpox is a rare infection most commonly found in west or central Africa. There has recently been an increase in cases in the UK, but the risk of catching it is low, according to the NHS. But Dr Van Kerkhove has warned that the disease is passed on through sexual contact, and is already in "sexual networks".
She said: "We have a huge outbreak which is now in sexual networks. Once this virus gets into sexual networks it can transmit quite efficiently between people."
According to the NHS anyone can get mpox, currently most cases have been in men who are gay, bisexual or have sex with other men, so it's particularly important to be aware of the symptoms if you're in these groups. If you get infected with mpox, it usually takes between 5 and 21 days for the first symptoms to appear.
The first symptoms of mpox include:
A rash usually appears 1 to 5 days after the first symptoms. The rash often begins on the face, then spreads to other parts of the body. This can include the mouth, genitals and anus. You may also have anal pain or bleeding from your bottom.
The rash is sometimes confused with chickenpox. It starts as raised spots, which turn into small blisters filled with fluid. These blisters eventually form scabs which later fall off. The symptoms usually clear up in a few weeks. While you have symptoms, you can pass mpox on to other people.
FILE PHOTO: Vials of the JYNNEOS smallpox and monkeypox vaccine are placed on a table during a clinic offered by the Pima County Department of Public Health at Abrams Public Health Center in Tucson, Arizona, U.S., Aug. 20, 2022. File photo by Rebecca Noble/Reuters
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) As Congo copes with its biggest outbreak of mpox, scientists warn discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make it worse.
In November, the World Health Organization reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, was being spread via sex in Congo for the first time. That is a significant departure from previous flare-ups, where the virus mainly sickened people in contact with diseased animals.
WATCH: Central African health workers fighting mpox face lack of vaccines and medication
Mpox has been in parts of central and west Africa for decades, but it was not until 2022 that it was documented to spread via sex; most of the 91,00 people infected in approximately 100 countries that year were gay or bisexual men.
In Africa, unwillingness to report symptoms could drive the outbreak underground, said Dimie Ogoina, an infectious diseases specialist at the Niger Delta University in Nigeria.
"It could be that because homosexuality is prohibited by law in most parts of Africa, many people do not come forward if they think they have been infected with mpox," Ogoina said.
WHO officials said they identified the first sexually transmitted cases of the more severe type of mpox in Congo last spring, shortly after a resident of Belgium who "identified himself as a man who has sexual relations with other men" arrived in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital. The U.N. health agency said five other people who had sexual contact with the man later became infected with mpox.
"We have been underestimating the potential of sexual transmission of mpox in Africa for years," said Ogoina, who with his colleagues, first reported in 2019 that mpox might be spreading via sex.
Gaps in monitoring make it a challenge to estimate how many mpox cases are linked to sex, he said. Still, most cases of mpox in Nigeria involve people with no known contact with animals, he noted.
In Congo, there have been about 13,350 suspected cases of mpox, including 607 deaths through the end of November with only about 10% of cases confirmed by laboratories. But how many infections were spread through sex isn't clear. WHO said about 70% of cases are in children under 15.
During a recent trip to Congo to assess the outbreak, WHO officials found there was "no awareness" among health workers that mpox could be spread sexually, resulting in missed cases.
WHO said health authorities had confirmed sexual transmission of mpox "between male partners and simultaneously through heterosexual transmission" in different parts of the country.
Mpox typically causes symptoms including a fever, skin rash, lesions and muscle soreness for up to one month. It is spread via close contact and most people recover without needing medical treatment.
During the 2022 major international outbreak, mass vaccination programs were undertaken in some countries, including Canada, Britain and the U.S., and targeted those at highest risk gay and bisexual men. But experts say that's not likely to work in Africa for several reasons, including the stigma against gay communities.
"I don't think we'll see the same clamoring for vaccines in Africa that we saw in the West last year," said Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an assistant professor of medicine in infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
She said that the gay and bisexual men most at risk of mpox might be fearful of coming forward in a broad immunization program. Countries should work on ways to give the shots if available in a way that wouldn't stigmatize them, she said.
Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyemba, general director of Congo's National Institute of Biomedical Research, said two provinces in Congo had reported clusters of mpox spread through sex, a concerning development.
There's no licensed vaccine in Congo, and it would be hard to get enough shots for any large-scale program, Muyemba said. The country is trying to get a Japanese mpox vaccine, but regulatory issues are complicating the situation, he said.
READ MORE: WHO selects 'mpox' as replacement for monkeypox, citing concerns of racism
Globally, only one vaccine has been authorized against mpox, made by Denmark's Bavarian Nordic. Supplies are very limited and even if they were available, they would have to be approved by the African countries using them or by WHO. To date, the vaccine has only been available in Congo through research.
Oyewale Tomori, a Nigerian virus expert who sits on several WHO advisory boards, said African governments probably have too many competing priorities to ask the U.N. health agency or donors for help securing vaccines.
"In Africa, mpox is most likely considered a low-priority nuisance," Tomori said.
He said stronger monitoring, laboratory networks and better availability of diagnostic supplies would be more helpful to the continent than vaccines.
Without greater efforts to stop the outbreaks in Africa, Ogoina predicted that mpox would continue to infect new populations, warning that the disease could also spark outbreaks in other countries, similar to the global emergency WHO declared last year.
"When the HIV pandemic started, it was among gay and bisexual men in the global north, and Africa thought it was not our problem," he said. "Before we knew it, it came to Africa, but we still thought heterosexual populations would be protected."
Women of reproductive age now account for more than 60% of new HIV infections in Africa.
"I worry the same thing will now happen with mpox," he said. "Unless we address these outbreaks in Africa, this virus will keep coming back."
Cheng reported from Toronto.
The amount of people in high-risk groups getting the COVID-19 vaccine globally is "abysmal", the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned, in a blunt message about global health threats in 2024.
From the emergence of the new JN.1 coronavirus strain, to concerns over monkeypox in central Africa, to the spread of mosquito-carried disease in new countries thanks to climate change, health looks set to hit the headlines once again next year.
As we close out 2023, we look at what the next 12 months could bring.
Sky News spoke to Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, an expert on infectious diseases, who leads the WHO's Department for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention.
"I don't understand why it's a surprise," she tells Sky News, when asked about rising COVID-19 cases.
"Certainly we haven't really seen a seasonality with COVID yet. But for all of the other respiratory diseases we see an increase in the autumn and winter months in temperate regions. So it shouldn't be seen as a surprise."
This is why vaccination campaigns start early for things like influenza and COVID-19, targeting the most vulnerable, she says.
She adds: "But the vaccination coverage in all countries of the at-risk groups is abysmal
"For me, this is the biggest frustration COVID-19 actually has solutions, influenza has solutions, that can prevent severe disease and death. Why aren't we using them?"
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Climate change and spread of Dengue fever
And it's not just coronavirus that could find itself in the spotlight over the coming year.
As global leaders gathered in Dubai to discuss the fight against climate change earlier this month, global warming was already having an effect on the spread of infectious disease, Dr Van Kerkhove says.
Dengue fever, a virus transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, is a good example.
"It really illustrates the challenges because you have the mosquitoes going further north and further south," she says.
"Countries like Italy are seeing dengue transmission within their borders that they've never experienced before."
It's thought that mosquitoes carrying dengue fever could be common in England by the 2040s.
Climate change, she says, is having an impact now.
"This is not a theoretical risk into the future. It's happening now and it has to be addressed now."
Monkeypox outbreak
Dr Van Kerkhove also pointed to an outbreak of the monkeypox virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in central Africa.
"We have a huge outbreak which is now in sexual networks," she says. "Once this virus gets into sexual networks it can transmit quite efficiently between people."
Monkeypox is a disease caused by infection with the mpox virus. There are two types of the mpox virus: Clade I and Clade II.
Clade I has a higher mortality, with a fatality rate of around 10%. Clade II is generally milder, and it was this type that was circulating in Europe, Dr Van Kerkhove said.
"So we are worried about Clade I expanding to other countries, and there's very little attention on mpox right now," she explains.
She said these kinds of things don't need to be in the news every day, as long as governments themselves don't lose focus on infectious threats.
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Infectious disease in war zones
The world goes into 2024 with two conflicts - Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas - dominating the spotlight, as well as a host of other underreported wars worldwide.
For medical professionals, the desperate conditions in war zones and the destruction of people's homes raise the risk of the spread of infectious diseases.
"It makes it that much harder," Dr Van Kerkhove says. "In addition to the infectious threats that they face, people are hungry, they're malnourished, they don't have access to clean water and waste systems and they're cold.
"People who are scared and threatened will suffer more when infectious diseases are around."
Read more: COVID strain classified 'variant of interest' Baroness Mone admits she stands to benefit from PPE contract
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Are we prepared for another pandemic?
The pandemic felt like it came out of nowhere.
Governments were left reeling as cases soared - with their people locked down or unable to visit suffering loved ones.
So four years later, is the world better prepared?
Yes and no, Dr Van Kerkhove says.
On the one hand, she says, she looks at capacities around the world for things like surveillance, testing and sequencing of new threats, as well as advancements in areas like infection prevention and the efforts of community health workers.
"The work in those areas put us in a much better position for the next one," she says.
But there are things that make Dr Van Kerkhove less sure about how prepared we are to tackle a new pandemic.
She explains: "I look at declining trust in the world. I look at the attacks on science and on scientists, the politicisation of every aspect of COVID."
She also argued that countries may be less willing to report a new pathogen because of financial and political incentives.
"So on my less optimistic side, I'm really concerned that in some aspects we're worse off than we were even four years ago," she adds.
