November 04, 2022
Africa: Malaria in Africa - Why Most Countries Haven't Beaten It Yet
Malaria remains one of the most devastating parasitic diseases affecting humans. In 2020 there were around 241 million cases and 672,000 malaria-related deaths. This is a sharp… Read more »
November 03, 2022
Africa: Understanding How News Works Can Short-Circuit the Connection Between Social Media Use and Vaccine Hesitancy
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. Read more »
Africa: Climate Change - the Effects of Extreme Heat On Health in Africa - 4 Essential Reads
Scientists are sounding the alarm about the extreme increases in the Earth's temperature. A new report by UNICEF warns that 2022 could be the "coldest year of the rest of our… Read more »
November 02, 2022
Africa: Lockdowns Had a Huge Impact in the Mental Health of the Elderly
In Spain we suffered one of the strictest lockdowns in the world in response to the COVID pandemic. For a time, we were only allowed to go to the supermarket, the bank and the… Read more »
Africa: From Centaurus to Xbb - Your Handy Guide to the Latest Covid Subvariants (And Why Some Are More Worrying Than Others)
The Omicron variant of concern has splintered into multiple subvariants. So we've had to get our heads around these mutated forms of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,… Read more »
Uganda: Ebola - Lessons From Covid Show That Heavy-Handed Lockdowns May Be a Bad Idea
Since the first case of the current Ebola outbreak in Uganda was confirmed in mid-September, the number of cases has topped 127 across seven districts, including 17 in the capital… Read more »
November 01, 2022
Africa: Pancreatic Cancer Could Be Diagnosed Up to Three Years Earlier - New Study
Every year, more than 10,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, for most of those people, the disease is diagnosed too late to be cured. Less… Read more »
Ghana: Ghana's Illegal Mining Continues Because the Rules and Reality Are Disconnected
Artisanal and small-scale mining - a low-tech, indigenous mining subsector - is taking on increasing economic importance in many developing countries. Over 150 million people… Read more »
October 31, 2022
Africa: Who Sees What You Flush? Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Is On the Rise, but a New Survey Reveals People Are Still Unaware
Flush and forget? Not if you have a toilet that flushes to one of over 3,000 sites around the world where researchers are using wastewater to track SARS-CoV-2, the virus that… Read more »
Africa: Omicron BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 - An Expert Answers Three Key Questions About These New Covid Variants
Two new omicron subvariants, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, are quickly gaining traction in the US, collectively accounting for 27% of infections as of October 29. Both are descendants of BA.5,… Read more »
October 27, 2022
Africa: Fermented Foods and Fibre May Lower Stress Levels - New Study
When it comes to dealing with stress, we're often told the best things we can do are exercise, make time for our favourite activities or try meditation or mindfulness. Read more »
October 30, 2022
Africa: How Covid-19 Damages Lungs - Virus Attacks Mitochondria, Continuing an Ancient Battle
Viruses and bacteria have a very long history. Because viruses can't reproduce without a host, they've been attacking bacteria for millions of years. Some of those bacteria… Read more »
South Africa: Emergency Services in South Africa Are Overwhelmed - How One Community Created Its Own
In a medical emergency, the time it takes emergency services to respond could be the difference between survival or death. Ambulance response time is a global benchmark of… Read more »
Africa: Vaccines Could Be a Game-Changer in the Fight Against Malaria in Africa
The development of an effective vaccine for malaria has proved to be far more challenging than developing a vaccine to protect people from COVID-19. Several different COVID-19… Read more »
October 27, 2022
Africa: Covid Vaccines Don't Just Benefit Physical Health - They Improve Mental Health Too
The considerable physical health benefits of COVID vaccines, in particular, the significantly reduced risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and death from the virus, are well… Read more »
Africa: Long Covid - How Lost Connections Between Nerve Cells in the Brain May Explain Cognitive Symptoms
For a portion of people who get COVID, symptoms continue for months or even years after the initial infection. This is commonly referred to as "long COVID". Read more »
Africa: The Unusual Ways Viruses and Parasites Use Their Cell Membranes to Spread - and How Scientists Are Fighting Back
Cell membranes make up the exterior of all cells and are a basic structure found in most living organisms. But they can also help parasites survive in the human body, play an… Read more »
October 26, 2022
Kenya: Kenya Has Lifted Its Ban On Genetically Modified Crops - the Risks and Opportunities
Kenya recently lifted a ban on the cultivation and importation of genetically modified crops amid the worst drought in 40 years and soaring food prices. This includes white maize,… Read more »
Africa: RSV - a Pediatric Disease Expert Answers 5 Questions About the Surging Outbreak of Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Respiratory syncytial virus, more commonly known as RSV, sends thousands of children to the hospital every year in the U.S. But during September and October 2022, health… Read more »
Kenya: Covid and Health Workers' Strike - How Kenya's Health Services Coped in Times of Crisis
When epidemics break out and public health emergencies are declared, people shy away from seeking care for other conditions. This may seem counter-intuitive at first glance. But it… Read more »
South Africa: Legal Sex Work in South Africa Won't Create New Problems, Just Help Solve Old Ones
South Africa's post apartheid government has been toying with the idea of decriminalising sex work for almost two decades. But it has hesitated to act with the necessary courage to… Read more »
South Africa: Crime, Covid and Climate Change - South African Tourism Faces Many Threats, but It's Resilient
South Africa's tourism industry has been rocked by the murder of a German visitor during an attempted robbery. The development resulted in negative media publicity, with a… Read more »
October 25, 2022
South Africa: Covid Is a 'Smart Virus' That Can Affect DNA - but That Doesn't Mean You Can Pass It On to Your Kids
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) has changed the world as we know it. Although new vaccines and antiviral treatments have brought hope, the pesky virus has… Read more »
Africa: Four Ways to Support a Friend or Loved One With Long Covid
An estimated 2.3 million people in the UK are currently living with long COVID. The condition is most commonly reported by people aged 35-69, but it can affect people of any age.… Read more »
October 24, 2022
Africa: What Is - and What Isn't - 'Brain Fog'?
The COVID pandemic has introduced many scientific and medical terms into our everyday language. Many of us are now fluent in conversations about viral strains, PCR tests and… Read more »