Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Inside the super-secure Swiss lab trying to stop the next pandemic
The setting is straight from a spy thriller: Crystal waters below, snow-capped Swiss Alps above and in between, a super-secure facility researching the world’s deadliest pathogens. Spiez Laboratory, known for its detective work on chemical, biological and nuclear threats since World War Two, was tasked last year by the World Health Organization to be the first in a global network of high-security laboratories that will grow, store and share newly discovered microbes that could unleash the next pandemic.
Austria mourns suicide of doctor targetted by anti-vaccine campaigners
Austrian leaders appealed for national unity after a doctor who faced death threats from anti-vaccination activists and coronavirus pandemic conspiracy theorists took her own life.
“Let’s put an end to this intimidation and fear mongering. Hate and intolerance have no place in our Austria,” President Alexander Van der Bellen said, hailing Lisa-Maria Kellermayr as a doctor who stood for healing people, protecting them from disease and taking a cautious approach to the pandemic.
If you are high risk, do not wait for updated COVID vaccines, experts say
People at high risk of severe disease who have yet to get a second COVID-19 booster should not wait for next-generation, Omicron-targeted vaccines expected in the fall, five vaccine experts told Reuters. In many countries, including the United States, the BA.5 Omicron subvariant of the virus is surging, but current vaccines continue to offer protection against hospitalization for severe disease and death.
NY Gov. Hochul declares state emergency over monkeypox
The governor of the State of New York Kathy Hochul late on Friday declared an emergency in the state over the continued spread of monkeypox. “I am declaring a State Disaster Emergency to strengthen our ongoing efforts to confront the monkeypox outbreak,” Hochul tweeted. https://bit.ly/3oFYEMB
Spain reports second monkeypox-related death in Europe
Spain reported its second monkeypox-related death on Saturday, in what is thought to be Europe’s second death from the disease and only the third outside of Africa in the current outbreak. Spain had reported its first death as recently as Friday, shortly after Brazil reported the first monkeypox-related death outside the African continent in the current wave of the disease.
(With inputs from agencies.)
