Timothy Ray Brown, First Patient Cured Of HIV, Dies Of Leukemia

TOPLINE

 

Timothy Ray Brown, initially introduced to the world as “the Berlin patient” and the first known person whose HIV was cured, died at his California home at age 54 of cancer.

Timothy Ray Brown at the launch of the Timothy Ray[+]

GETTY IMAGES

KEY FACTS

Brown died Tuesday with his friends by his side after battling leukemia for the past five months, his partner Tim Hoeffgen posted on Brown’s Facebook page.

It was Brown’s first bout with cancer in 2007 that inadvertently led to his HIV being cured—he received a bone marrow transplant from a donor that carried the CCR5 gene, a rare genetic mutation that is believed to provide resistance to HIV as part of his leukemia treatment.

After two transplants, doctors found that besides curing his cancer, the treatment appeared to have also eliminated detectable traces of HIV in Brown’s blood, and could stop taking medication that suppressed the virus.

The success of Brown’s treatment was first released to the public in 2008 but kept his identity hidden in line with his wishes, and he was often referred to in media reports as “the Berlin patient.”

In 2010, Brown decided to “come out” as the first person to be cured of the virus to raise awareness for HIV and support the development of new treatments, and became an activist.

While Brown’s HIV never appeared to come back, he was once again diagnosed with cancer this year.

CRUCIAL QUOTE

“I did not want to be the only person in the world cured of HIV; I wanted other HIV+ patients to join my club. I want to dedicate my life to supporting research to search for a cure or cures for HIV,” Brown wrote in 2015.

KEY BACKGROUND

Brown was an American expat living in Berlin when he was first diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. While another man named Adam Castillejo in London was reported to have been cured of his HIV in 2018 with a similar treatment to Brown’s, transplants are typically considered to be too high-risk as an HIV treatment, and donors with the rare genes needed are limited in number. According to U.S. government statistics, an estimated 38 million people were living with HIV or AIDS in 2019. A diagnosis once considered to be a death sentence, medical breakthroughs in new medications and treatments means many people infected with HIV can live healthy lives with virtually no chance of passing on the virus to sexual partners. 

What Is Tear Gas, And What Should You Do If You Come Into Contact With It?

 A civilian runs during a protest against the death of George Floyd in Indianapolis, USA. Chris Owens/Shutterstock

During the current wave of protests against systemic racism, police brutality, and the murder of George Floyd taking place in the United States, thousands of people have had encounters with the burning, stinging, and choking sensation of tear gas. But what exactly is this stuff? Why is it so dangerous? And what should you do if you come into contact with it?

Tear gas was first used by the French Army during World War I (1914-1918) as a means to drive the enemy out of trenches. But as of 1997, it's now illegal to use tear gas in international conflict and war.

Under the global Chemical Weapons Convention, it states: "Each State Party undertakes not to use riot control agents as a method of warfare,” defining a riot control agent as "Any chemical not listed in a Schedule, which can produce rapidly in humans sensory irritation or disabling physical effects, which disappear within a short time following termination of exposure.” However, the convention does not cover domestic use against civilians, so use against protestors as "riot control" is fair game in the eyes of international law.

Tear gas is a loose term for a chemical agent that temporarily makes people unable to function by causing irritation to the eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, and skin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most commonly used compounds are chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (sometimes referred to as CS gas) and chloroacetophenone (CN). Another common form of tear gas is pepper spray, which contains capsaicin, the irritant that gives chili peppers their heat.

CS gas causes discomfort by targeting a specific receptor found on cells called TRPA1, which sparks the perception of pain in the nervous system. Once the agent comes into contact with the body, the immune system identifies the foreign substance and attempts to flood out the irritant with body fluids, like tears and mucus, which can cause further discomfort.

Miami Downtown, FL, USA - MAY 31, 2020:  Crowds of people at a demonstration against racism and police brutality. Tverdokhlib/Shutterstock

In theory, tear gas causes sore eyes, blurred vision, coughing, and a runny nose for up to 30 minutes, but its effect can be much harsher if there’s prolonged or intense exposure. A 2016 medical review on the effects of tear gas found it can be responsible for skin burns, blistering, choking, vomiting, and bleeding. It's especially nasty if the agent comes into close contact with the eyes, where it can cause tearing, bleeding, cornea burning, and even ocular nerve damage. Deaths are rare, but not unheard of.

The effect of tear gas on the respiratory system has also raised concerns that excessive use of the chemical agent by police on protesters during the current US protests could increase the spread of Covid-19, a disease that has hit a staggeringly high proportion of Black people in the US. In an online petition, infectious disease experts in the US warned that tear gas could “increase risk for Covid-19 by making the respiratory tract more susceptible to infection, exacerbating existing inflammation, and inducing coughing.”

If you’ve been exposed to tear gas, there are a number of things you should do. 

First things first, get far away from the gas cloud if possible. As soon as you're able, thoroughly rinse your eyes with clean water or saline solution, as well as wash exposed skin with lots of soap and water. Some activists suggest using milk or mixing water with antacid indigestion tablets, although there’s little scientific evidence to back this up. It’s also important to remove any clothing that may have the chemical agent on it as this could cause further irritation. Take a long shower as soon as possible, until you can't smell the gas anymore, to ensure it is thoroughly rinsed off. This can take as long as 30 minutes.

If your symptoms don’t pass within 30 minutes, then you should consider seeking medical attention.

If you are planning on protesting, there are also things you can do to minimize risk. Glasses and goggles can provide some physical protection, although it’s highly recommended protestors do not wear contact lenses as this can lead to further irritation to the eyes. Wearing make up creates a surface that allows tear gas to stick to your face. Face masks — which are also a good idea to protect against the spread of Covid-19 — will also provide some protection, as will long-sleeved tops and trousers to minimize risk of skin contact. 

Atletico Forward Correa Suffers Muscle Injury In Training

Atletico Madrid forward Angel Correa has undergone an an MRI scan after injuring a leg muscle in training, the La Liga club said in a statement .

The Argentine, 25, is the second Atletico player to be injured in training this week after record signing Joao Felix sprained the medial ligament in his left knee on Monday.

Atletico were sixth when play was halted in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic with 11 rounds of matches remaining and are due to visit Athletic Bilbao next when the season restarts.

The Spanish government has approved the top two divisions resuming action without spectators from June 8, although La Liga president Javier Tebas has said the league hopes to restart from June 11.

Joao Felix Huge Doubt For Atletico Madrid’s LaLiga Restart After Suffering Knee Ligament Injury In Training

JOAO FELIX is a huge doubt for Atletico Madrid's LaLiga restart after suffering a knee ligament injury in training.

The Portuguese star, 20, could be forced to sit out around a month after the frustrating training injury.

Joao Felix could miss the LaLiga restart through injury

Felix - a £112million signing last summer - was due to get back to action away to Athletic Bilbao in just under three weeks, according to the latest restart plans in Spain.

But that could now be in jeopardy after spraining ligaments in his left knee.

A statement from Atletico Madrid read: "Joao Felix has suffered a low grade medial collateral ligament left knee sprain, as confirmed by tests he underwent at the Clinica Universidad de Navarra."

It is just the latest in an infuriating debut season in Spain for the youngster - who starred at Benfica last year.

Felix has struggled to rediscover his top form in Spain and is now dealing with his THIRD injury since heading to the Wanda Metropolitano.

He has also been forced to deal with a sprained ankle and muscular injury this term, limiting him to 28 games in all competitions.

Felix has scored just six times in those games - far cry from his 18-goal haul a year ago.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has confirmed LaLiga will return on June 8.

The league's president Javier Tebas has been desperate to follow the Bundesliga's lead and resume the 2019-20 season.

And with LaLiga clubs stepping up their training last week - now able to do so in groups of up to ten - Sanchez has officially given the green light to get back underway.

League organisers have drawn up a highly detailed plan to ensure safety is paramount.

That involve having a maximum of 197 people inside the stadium on matchday with players and officials tested 24 hours before their fixture.

Atlético Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey scores with ridiculous long range effort vs Athletic Bilbao

4 Common leaves That cures Malaria and Typhoid In 3 Days

Most common trees and plants around us has health benefits, some people do not know this and those who knows about the health benefits of these leaves don't like taking them simply because it was gotten locally. 

Malaria and typhoid are two sickness which affects most Nigerians, it is mostly caused by unclean environment and untreated waters we drink in this part of the world, the unclean environment gives room for mosquitoes that transmittes malaria to operate in. Both sickness can attack someone at the same time, they have similar symptoms and kills faster as well. 

As a parent it is advisable to know some of these common leaves that cures malaria and typhoid faster and how to make use of them naturally to cure malaria or typhoid diseases in your family. Here is how to set it up:

* Paw paw leaves 

* 10 pieces of lime

* Mango leaves 

* 5 Lipton tea.

Now wash all the leaves and lime, put them in a big pot and add 10 liters of water and boil for at least 1 hour.

Dosage: Drink one glass cup of it, morning afternoon and night for 3 days and you can bath with the water.

Note: make sure that you warm it each time you want to make use of it. Within 3 days, malaria and typhoid will disappear from your body and you will be sound and healthy.

Cannabis can reduce coronavirus infection by more than 70 percent and may even treat it, says research

Scientists looking into cannabis as a possible cure and treatment for Covid-19 have said that they believe the plant could have the potential to reduce infection by as much as 70 percent.

In a study conducted by researchers from the University of Lethbridge in Canada, it was found that at least 13 strains of cannabis were high in Cannabidiol (CBD) — an essential component of medical marijuana that has been used to treat anxiety and insomnia — that affects the ACE2 pathways that the SARS-CoV-2 virus uses to access the body of its host.

The results, which were obtained after parsing through 400 different strains, were published in online journal Preprints and indicated that hemp extracts high in CBD might help block proteins that provide a "gateway" for the coronavirus to enter the cells.

"The virus has the capacity to bind to [ACE2] and pull it into the cell, almost like a doorway," Olga Kovalchuk, one of the researchers involved in the study, explained to CTV News, adding that other key receptors then allow the virus to enter other cells more easily and multiply rapidly.

Igor Kovalchuk, her husband, said cannabis could reduce the virus' entry points significantly. "Imagine a cell being a large building," he said. "Cannabinoids decrease the number of doors in the building by, say, 70 percent, so it means the level of entry will be restricted. So, therefore, you have more chance to fight it."

"A number of them have reduced the number of these (virus) receptors by 73 percent, the chance of it getting in is much lower," he similarly told the Calgary Herald. "If they can reduce the number of receptors, there’s much less chance of getting infected."

Igor has been studying cannabis alongside Olga since 2015, and they said they started to examine the special proteins or receptors, that the virus hijacks to enter the body after looking at how the plant had proven effective against so many other ailments.

"We were totally stunned at first, and then we were really happy," Olga said of their results.

However, Igor cautioned that the effective balance between CBD and THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, in blocking the coronavirus was still unclear. "It will take a long time to find what the active ingredient is — there may be many," he said.

The study was carried out in partnership with Pathway Rx, a cannabis therapy research company, and Swysh Inc., a cannabinoid-based research company, and if successful, could find practical medical use in the form of mouthwash, gargle, inhalants or gel caps.

Both Igor and Olga said their data is based on human tissue models and said the next step would be to conduct clinical trials. They are now seeking funding to continue their efforts to support scientific initiatives to address Covid-19.

"While our most effective extracts require further large-scale validation, our study is crucial for the future analysis of the effects of medical cannabis on Covid-19," they said. "Given the current dire and rapidly evolving epidemiological situation, every possible therapeutic opportunity and avenue must be considered."

UK arrivals to pay £1,000 Fines for Breaking Coronavirus Quarantine law

Passengers arriving in the U.K. will be forced into quarantine for two weeks and face fines of 1,000 pounds ($1,217) if they break the rules, under measures set to be announced on Friday.

The plan is designed to stop travelers re-introducing coronavirus to the country after becoming infected overseas and is likely to have a major impact on the aviation industry’s attempts to recover after the lockdown.

Home Secretary Priti Patel will set out the details of the new quarantine system at the daily government press conference at 5 p.m. on Friday. Her Cabinet colleague, Brandon Lewis, said the measures will be reviewed every three weeks, along with the rest of the government’s coronavirus response.

“We are going to introduce a quarantine system,” Lewis, the Northern Ireland secretary, told BBC Radio on Friday morning. “We will have 14-day quarantine for people coming into the U.K.”

He didn’t say if individual countries will be able to apply for exemptions. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Monday that ministers are considering “air bridges” to allow quarantine-free travel to and from countries where virus infection rates are low. Freight drivers are also likely to be exempt, the government has said.

Although the list of exceptions will be limited, it could include North Sea oil workers and health officials, an official said. Those who break the quarantine rules are likely to face fines of as much as 1,000 pounds.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

31 Coronavirus patients on the run in Gombe

At least, 31 people who tested positive for Coronavirus in Gombe State are on the run, the state’s Taskforce on COVID-19 said on Wednesday.

According to the task force, the 31 people have refused to show up once they knew they were positive.

Chairman of the task force, Prof. Idris Mohammed, who spoke while giving update of Coronavirus in the State, said the 31 positive individuals who were yet to be identified and evacuated.

The 31 positive cases were among people intercepted at the state entry points, whose samples were taken for tests after being isolated.

However, by the time their results came out, which tested positive, they had found their ways back into their communities, refusing to be evacuated to the isolation centres.

Mohammed, however, appealed to them to cooperate with the task force team by submitting themselves willingly to curtail community transmission.

He said the task force would rather persuade the people to cooperate with them than to use force.

According to him, the public should understand that COVID-19 is not a death sentence and that it is advisable to start treatment as soon as it is detected.

The Task Force Chairman also said Gombe has discharged a total number of 91 persons from its isolation centres after testing negative twice.

According to him, the state only has 11 active cases on admission at its isolation centres, NAN reports

A survivor of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos State has asked the government to pay more attention to the welfare of coronavirus patients

A survivor of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos State has asked the government to pay more attention to the welfare of coronavirus patients being isolated at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba.
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The female survivor, who asked to be identified simply as Bimbo, said after the admission of patients, many of them were left to cater for themselves, adding that in the process, some patients fell into depression.
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She noted that the doctors and nurses complained that they ran out of personal protective equipment and hence could not endanger their lives. The PUNCH learnt that Bimbo’s father had died a day after testing positive for the coronavirus.
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Health workers were said to have conducted tests on members of his family, as 26-year-old Bimbo and her sister tested positive. The graduate told our correspondent that she was then admitted to the IDH, where she spent over two weeks.
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“When I first got there, the nurses were coming to take our vitals, temperatures and all. But suddenly, they stopped and said they did not have PPE. Since I got there, it was just once they shared nose masks. No nose mask for anyone. Also, our drugs sometimes, they would just drop them and we would have to share ourselves. There was a point the doctors also stopped coming to see us.
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“Whenever we had emergencies, we would scream out for help and there would be no one to attend to the patient. If such an emergency happened at night, you might not get help until the following morning,” she added.
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Bimbo lamented that whenever the doctors came around to talk to the patients, they did not respond to questions on their health conditions.

Coronavirus: What Chinese experts came to do in Nigeria – Minister

The Nigerian government has said the 15 member team of Chinese medical personnel came into the country to assist in building and equipping isolation centres.

The minister of interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said this while responding to questions at the daily Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday.

The Chinese team arrived in Nigeria on April 8 ”to share their experiences in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic,” the minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, had earlier said.

Although some Nigerians and medical associations kicked against the decision to invite the medical experts, the government went ahead as planned.
However, the whereabouts of these experts recently sparked controversy when Mr Ehanire requested reporters not to bother his ministry about them.

An exasperated Mr Ehanire said the medical personnel “are not guests of the Federal Government but CCECC, a construction company.” Target

Mr Aregbesola said the doctors are in Nigeria on the bill of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), a Chinese company working in Nigeria. ”Indeed 15 Chinese nationals came into Nigeria on April 8,” he said. “From everything we have heard and said, they were here on the bill of CCECC, a Chinese company working in Nigeria, doing some work for us in several places.” ”And in conjunction with some Nigerian companies, they agreed to support us with efforts to respond to the pandemic. “At Idu, they participated in retrofitting and equipping the isolation centre there. ”They equally worked on the dome project that was handled by the NNPC consortium in conjunction with THISDAY. Those are the location in which they came to work,” he explained.

Visa expiration

Meanwhile, Mr Aregbesola explained that the Chinese have been unable to return their country due to the restriction placed on air travels globally.

He said the team members were issued a 30-day visa in Beijing, China. “Fifteen of them came in on April 8. They came on a 30-day visa issued in Beijing but they are still here,” he added. “They are still here not because they have not completed their job.

Pastor that laid hand to covid 19 patients dies with corona virus

A Pastor, Frankline Ndifor, 39, who laid his hands on dozens of confirmed and suspected coronavirus sufferers is dead, according to Dailymail.co.uk
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Dr Gaelle Nnanga, who was called to treat Ndifor after he started suffering severe respiratory difficulties a week after falling ill with the virus, said the pastor died ten minutes after treatment.
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Ndifor, a candidate in Cameroon’s presidential election in 2018, claimed to cure COVID-19.
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In previous weeks, sufferers had flocked to the Kingship International Ministries Church, founded by Ndifor, where he laid his hands on them and prayed for their healing.
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His supporters called him a ‘prophet’ and blocked the entrance to his home in the capital city of Douala for eight hours as medical workers tried to retrieve Ndifor’s body on Saturday morning.
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The Governor of the coastal region said a police force had to be deployed when supporters blocked the entrance to his home and claimed the pastor was on a spiritual retreat with God so he could not be buried.
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They sang and prayed for his resurrection throughout the weekend. He was buried in front of the house on the day of his death. Dozens of people knelt down on the ground outside Ndifor’s house in Cameroon as they prayed over the loss of a man who called himself a ‘prophet’.
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Ndifor also donated buckets and soap to people in need and his last public outing was on April 20, when he went out to distribute facemasks. Ndifor came seventh out of nine candidates in the 2018 presidential election with 23,687 votes.
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There have been 3,529 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 140 deaths so far in the central African state.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has advised pregnant and breastfeeding women

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has advised pregnant and breastfeeding women to take routine preventative actions to avoid the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.⁣
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Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General of NCDC, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.⁣
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Ihekweazu said that the preventive measures were recommended in alignment with the Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH).⁣
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He listed the measures to include diligent hand-washing, avoiding close contact with people exhibiting symptoms of infection, and covering sneezes and coughs.⁣
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He said that it was not currently known if pregnant women were more susceptible to COVID-19 than the general public nor whether they were more likely to have the illness as a result.⁣
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This is about how to solve various problems on line and off line.Is about those gadget that can help solve those problem

Madagascar’s President Promotes Unproven Herbal Cure For COVID-19

Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, unveiled an unproven cure for COVID-19 that is derived from a plant, Artemisia annua.

His comments at a launch of the herbal remedy on April 20 suggested that the remedy, called COVID-ORGANICS, would act both as a cure and a vaccine.

No evidence from any clinical trials was shared to back up the claims.

The World Health Organization did not respond to Mongabay’s questions about COVID-ORGANICS, but the agency has warned against the spread of misinformation and purported miracle cures.

The president of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, on April 20 appeared to promote an unproven treatment for COVID-19.  The remedy, named COVID-ORGANICS, is effective against the virus, Rajoelina said, speaking in Malagasy at the launch of the product in the capital Antananarivo. The product strengthens the body’s immune system, he added.

The president’s office did not respond to Mongabay’s request for information supporting the claim that the product helps cure COVID-19. Rajoelina shared images of the product on his social media page: bottles of a dark amber liquid with the label COVID-ORGANICS and Tisane Bio. The word tisane refers to herbal teas.

The principal ingredient in the concoction is derived from Artemisia annua or sweet wormwood, a green leafy plant that emits a striking odor. Dried leaves from the plant are considered  to have medicinal properties in Madagascar. But there is no evidence to show it actually works against COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has claimed more than 165,000 lives and infected almost 2.5 million people across the world.

Herbal remedies made from A. Annua leaves are often touted as a cure for malaria. But its use against malaria is controversial. “WHO does not recommend the use of A. Annua plant material, in any form, including tea, for the treatment or the prevention of malaria,” a 2012 position paper from the World Health Organization said. The WHO’s office for Traditional and Complementary Medicine had not responded to questions about its use for COVID-19 by the time this article was published.  However, artemisinin, a compound isolated from the A. Annua plant is used in combination with other drugs as a treatment for malaria.

“There is as far as I know no evidence that the artemisinins can treat COVID-19,” Arjen M. Dondorp, a professor of tropical medicine at the University of Oxford told Mongabay in an email. “There are anecdotal reports that artesunate was tried in China when the outbreak was rampant there, and that the drug had no clear clinical benefit.  As far as I know, no official clinical trials with artesunate to evaluate whether artemisinins are beneficial in COVID-19 have been registered.” Artesunate is derived from artemisinin.

The product also bears the stamp of the Malagasy Institute for Applied Research (IMRA), where the purported cure was developed.

Madagascar has a low number of confirmed COVID-19 cases — just 121 out of a population of 26 million — and no reported deaths as of April 20. The country declared a national emergency after the first confirmed cases emerged on March 20, and placed the major cities of Antananarivo, Fianarantsoa and Toamasina under lockdown. But on April 20 some restrictions were eased in these cities.

It was not clear if the preparation the president unveiled is supposed to act as a cure or a vaccine. Rajoelina suggested not just that patients of COVID-19 were treated with it but that students would have to drink it in order to return to school, implying that it would prevent them from getting the disease.

He also said the product will be made available for free to the poor.

The raging spread of the disease and the global economic fallout from measures to contain it have created a cavernous demand for a cure. However, no proven cure has emerged yet. The WHO has specifically warned against the spread of misinformation and miracle cures.

Banner image of a screenshot showing bottles of the purported cure, COVID-ORGANICS, on the Facebook page of Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina.

Malavika Vyawahare is a staff writer for Mongabay. Find her on Twitter: @MalavikaVy

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COVID-19: Atiku's Son Moves To ICU

Mohammed Atiku-Abubakar, a son of Nigeria’s former vice-president, has being moved to Intensive care unit were he is battling for survival as his case for coronavirus worsen on Wednesday, Ebonyitvnews learnt.

Mr Atiku-Abubakar who is 31, tested positive for the virus on March 19. He was subsequently moved to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, where most COVID-19 cases around the Nigerian capital are treated.

After undergoing all the necessary medication, including antiretroviral and immune-boosting vitamins, he has continued to test positive 35 days on which is quiet very strange.

Medical experts knowledgeable with COVID-19 cases have said the virus can last for 37 days. But Mr Atiku’s son at 35 days, is now the longest carriers of the virus so far in Africa.

Victory at last: Vaccine to be ready for global distribution, Bill Gates warns it isn't from him

opera.com

Apr 14, 2020 8:49 AM

The much awaited cure for the deadly virus (covid19) seem to be coming in pretty sooner than we all thought. This which was confirmed by a report issued in by "Times of Israel"

According to the filed report a vaccine had been gotten and confirmed by a British vaccinologist who's currently spearheading advanced efforts in the search of immunization.

The report which further included that Dr. Sarah Gilbert, a professor of vaccinology had gotten a vaccine built by her team, and was close to a 100% sure of it's potency.

In her words she said" there’s a high chance that it will work based on the results gotten from several researchs carried out with it” Dr. Gilbert told The Times of Israel

It should be ready for distribution in about 5months she added.

According to the Israeli scientist; we would not fold our arms and watch millions of people die from the virus. The virus would be ready soon but might take a little time for distribution.

comment below? Should these scientist be relied upon even after bill gates claims he has nothing to do with it?

Nigerians with less than ₦5000 in their account balance will benefit from Buhari's cash transfer - Minister

Nigerians with less than ₦5000 in their account balance will benefit from Buhari's cash transfer - Minister

Poor Nigerians with an account balance of ₦5,000 or less will be among the beneficiaries of the Federal Government Conditional Cash Transfer scheme.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouk, made this known on Tuesday.

Nigerians who regularly top their mobile phones with between ₦100 and ₦200 will also benefit.

The third category of beneficiaries are the daily wage earners as well as people living with disabilities.

The minister, who had earlier updated the president on the activities of her ministry, revealed that those saddled with the responsibility of carrying out president’s directive on expansion of the social register would focus more on the urban poor. “You are also aware that Mr President in his broadcast yesterday has directed that we expand the beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer by one million. “In this regard, we are going to focus more on the urban poor. “These are people who depend on informal sector to earn their livelihood – They are daily wage earners and these are people we are really going to focus more on as well as people living with disabilities,’’ she said.

The minister further explained that apart from the National Social Register, the Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and previous record of purchase of recharge card by mobile phone owners would form parts of criteria in identifying the beneficiaries of the cash transfer “We are also using the mobile network, people that top up their phones with maybe N100, N200. These are the people we consider to be poor and vulnerable,’’ she added.

She stated that the prospective beneficiaries would be part of the additional one million households approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to boost the nation’s social register.

President Buhari had on Monday in a broadcast directed that the current social register be expanded from 2.6 million households to 3.6 million households in the next two weeks.

Why patients are overcoming Coronavirus infection, by UCH CMD

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, has revealed why patients people are overcoming Coronavirus infection within days.

Stressing that the development should not be a surprise to people, Otegbayo said a combination of factors including having underlying diseases, immunity level and viral load determines who can survive within days of confirmation of Coronavirus infection.

He disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The Nation on his experience in self-isolation while infected. The CMD tested negative last week, less than eight days after testing positive to the virus.

The CMD explained that the virus thrives better and wreak havoc more in persons who have underlying diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc, adding that those with weak immunity will most easily fall prey to the deadly virus.

He said: “Result coming back negative within days is largely a function of the status of immunity and viral load. Some immunity status may be weak or strong depending on individuals. For instance, if somebody is having a common cold and he is sneezing, some people will interact with them and nothing will happen. Whereas some people will pass by them and start sneezing within hours. Two, those who have underlying diseases are likely to have symptoms and high level of viruses or low immunity. If someone has cancer, heart disease, diabetes etc they will most likely have weak immunity.”

Otegbayo, however, said it is wrong for people who just test negative to immediately return to work and interacting with others, pointing out that it is against National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines. “For those who are returning to work after testing negative, their action is not in tandem with the NCDC guidelines. After the second test, you are supposed to stay at home for seven days before going to work. So, those doing that are flouting regulations.”

Scientists find drug that kills COVID-19 in 48 hours

Scientists in Australia have found an already existing drug that kills COVID-19 in the laboratory within 48 hours.

The drug, Ivermectin, is used to treat head lice and is available all over the world. Researchers at Monash University found that a single dose of Ivermectin stops the SARS-CoV-2 virus growing in cell culture.

But the research is in its early stages and Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug, has not yet been tested on persons infected with COVID-19. According to British tabloid Daily Mail, the next step is for scientists to determine the correct human dosage, to make sure the level used in vitro is safe for humans.

The scientists warned that it could take at least a month before human trials start. ‘We found that even a single dose could essentially remove all viral RNA (effectively removed all genetic material of the virus) by 48 hours and that even at 24 hours there was a really significant reduction in it,’ Daily Mail quotes Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute’s Dr Kylie Wagstaff as saying last Friday.

He added: “In times when we’re having a global pandemic and there isn’t an approved treatment, if we had a compound that was already available around the world then that might help people sooner. “Realistically it’s going to be a while before a vaccine is broadly available.’

The study is the work of Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity.

Ivermectin was discovered in 1975 and came into medical use in 1981.

It is on the World Health Organization (WHO’s) List of Essential Medicines, the safest and most effective medicines needed in a health system.

The wholesale cost in the developing world for the tablets is about US$0.12 for a course of treatment.
Ivermectin is available around the world in its trade names Stromectol and Soolantra cream.

It has been used since the 1980s to treat and prevent diseases related to parasites in humans, pets and livestock, and works by paralysing invertebrate parasites.

Ivermectin is also a second-line treatment for scabies.

The pharmaceutical company that makes Ivermectin, MSD, has also been donating the drug to developing countries to treat the parasitic diseases river blindness and elephantiasis for the past 30 years.

When used at the recommended dose, Ivermectin is generally well tolerated. Some of the common side effects include diarrhoea, nausea, dizziness and drowsiness.

Good—and Bad—News About A Coronavirus Vaccine

Perhaps you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of people turning to the fastest-growing subreddit in the last weeks, r/coronavirus, where new and veteran Reddit users are going for the latest on the novel coronavirus outbreak. Currently topping the list at r/worldnews for comments and upvotes is a linked article that hints at a fast-tracking coronavirus vaccine in development in Saskatchewan, Canada.

The lab in this hopeful scenario is the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac) at the University of Saskatchewan. According to a university news release, research teams there have coaxed the virus to grow in cells and have moved on to testing a new vaccine in animals. The researchers say that they hope for hints by April of whether or not the vaccine might work.

In fact, Volker Gerdts, CEO and director of VIDO-InterVac, told Narcity that he is “positive” that the vaccine will work.

That tone of hopefulness is likely what grabbed the attention of redditors. But Paul Offit, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Philadelphia and developer of a rotavirus vaccine, offers a sobering note.

“There’s a long way from animal model testing to testing in humans,” he says. “If you’re going to make a vaccine right, make sure it’s safe and effective, you need to proceed slowly.”

Offit notes that the people at most risk from COVID-19 disease are older or may have existing vulnerabilities. “So you have to make sure that you hold it to a very high standard of safety,” he says.

If a vaccine is developed, says Offit, there’s another reason to hold it to a high safety standard: many people who might be vaccinated would have had only mild disease with the new coronavirus. “They will add to benefit from the herd,” he says, referencing the critical mass of immune people who can protect others who are vulnerable. But that effect, he adds, is why “you have to make sure that they are not taking an unnecessary risk to benefit the herd.”

So any expectations of a near-future vaccine against the novel coronavirus might be a little premature, and we’re still facing a bit of a haul. The University of Saskatchewan says it could take 6 months after their team confirms effectiveness in animals to roll out a candidate for testing people. Months after that, if a vaccine passes clinical trials, it might become available for public use.

The first hurdle will be finding the right animal for testing. The animal must contract the virus and show signs of disease similar to those that people develop. Options on the table include mice, hamsters, and ferrets. The Saskatchewan researchers are leaning ferret on this one, given previous experience with other coronaviruses.

None of this work is being done in a vacuum. The Saskatchewan team is working with other teams from all over Canada and globally, with plans to share useful materials with other research groups working on a vaccine