Category: Top Story
EXCLUSIVE: Are doctors oblivious to mental health illness?
Depression, a mental health disorder, is a leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It is a common illness, which has affected millions globally, and the numbers continue to rise. While there have been known and available treatments for mental disorders, access to mental health care is lacking and inadequate […]
Japanese researchers find COVID-19 patients with no symptoms “unlikely” to develop them later on
A recent study by Japanese researchers found that most COVID-19 patients with no symptoms (asymptomatic) will stay that way – researchers from Fujita Health University Okazaki Medical Center in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, studied some 128 asymptomatic coronavirus patients who were aboard the much-talked-about Diamond Princess cruise ship; these included 96 passengers who tested positive for […]
WHO official reveals coronavirus spread by asymptomatic people ‘appears to be rare’
A health official from the World Health Organization (WHO) has claimed the spread of COVID-19 by asymptomatic individuals “appears to be rare” but can still happen. WHO’s coronavirus response team have yet to find significant secondary transmission of the novel coronavirus from asymptomatic cases, even after looking at data from countries who are currently doing […]
Face mask usage imperative to reduce risk of transmission of COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is known to be spread by asymptomatic people via infectious aerosols. This incidence “deeply underscores the ongoing importance of regular widespread testing, wearing masks and physical distancing to reduce the spread of the virus,” according to an excerpt by experts at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), […]
Covid-19: Children more susceptible than previously assumed
By Mohani Niza Despite affecting more adults than children in general, new studies are showing that children are more susceptible to the novel coronavirus than previously thought. One study for example, titled ‘Characteristics and Outcomes of Children With Novel coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Infection Admitted to US and Canadian Pediatric Intensive Care Units’, published in […]
New COVID-19 test kit developed by Singapore can detect virus infection in just an hour
Singapore-based Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) has developed a new COVID-19 test kit, cPass that takes just an hour to detect if someone has been infected before, instead of the usual several days. Besides checking what proportion of the population has already been infected and maintaining contact tracing, a critical measure employed by Singapore, the new […]
COVID-19 drug trial: three-drug combo may treat mild-to-moderate cases
A combination of three antiviral drugs — interferon beta-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir, and ribavirin – and standard care has been found to shorten the duration of viral shedding associated with COVID-19. This relates to the dangerous period when the virus is detectable in a person’s body and potentially transmissible to others. Researchers at the University of Hong […]
Malaria infection found to be “blocked” by gut microbe of mosquitoes
A Kenya-UK team of researchers have announced the discovery of a microbe that seems to protect mosquitoes from being infected with malaria, something that has “enormous potential” to control the disease – more than 400,000 people are killed by malaria each year, most of them children under the age of five. Malaria is spread by […]
Covid-19: Navigating cancer during the pandemic
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, cancer patients may feel worried about how the virus might affect them. It is only natural to feel that way as they are at a higher risk of infection due to their weakened immune system[1]. Below is advise given by Dr. John Low, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Pantai Hospital […]
Covid-19: Pandemic has huge impact on mental and emotional health
By Mohani Niza The Covid-19 pandemic is having a huge impact on many areas of society. One particular area is the mental and emotional health of everyday people, regardless whether they have pre-existing mental health issues before or otherwise. Academicians from various universities, including those in England and Sweden, in their paper ‘Multidisciplinary research priorities […]
