News at a glance - Science Magazine

News at a glance - Science Magazine

News at a glance - Science Magazine

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 10:45 AM PDT

Summary

In science news around the world, a commission certifies that the second of three wild virus strains that cause polio no longer circulates in humans, bringing the global vaccination push to eradicate the crippling disease closer to its goal. Geneticists announce finding a handful of rare genes that, when disabled, appear to directly contribute to schizophrenia. NASA says it plans to launch a robotic rover to the Moon's south pole in 2022 to hunt for ice. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves a triple-drug therapy for cystic fibrosis that targets its most common gene mutation in patients 12 years and older. Many Argentine scientists praise the election of lawyer Alberto Fernández as the country's president because of his support for reversing deep spending cuts to research.

WHO and partners mark World Polio Day throughout Pakistan - Pakistan - ReliefWeb

Posted: 30 Oct 2019 08:31 PM PDT

29 October 2019 – World Polio Day (24 October) was marked with a myriad of events across Pakistan, all paying tribute to the efforts of frontline health workers. Events recognized the contributions of polio workers, caregivers, civil society and donors to ending polio in Pakistan.

Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, is one of the two remaining countries in the world with ongoing wild poliovirus type 1 transmission. Despite an increase in the number of children paralysed by polio in Pakistan this year, the polio eradication programme and partners affirmed that they will not be deterred and urged all to get behind the national cause.

"The rise in cases and continued detection of polio in environmental samples this year has been disappointing. But our frontline health workforce has not let this or any of the other challenges they face in the field deter them," WHO Representative to Pakistan, Dr Palitha Mahipala said.

"They are truly the heroes of this effort, and with our continued support, they will prevail."

WHO, UNICEF and other key partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative remain committed to supporting the Government of Pakistan in the drive to eradicate all types of the poliovirus.

WHO also announced that the second strain of wild poliovirus – type 3 – has been certified as globally eradicated by an independent commission of experts. Global wild poliovirus type 3 eradication is a tremendous achievement and an important milestone on the road to eradicate all poliovirus strains.

In Pictures: World Polio Day was celebrated with zeal and zest throughout the country. Have a quick glance through these pictures and videos for a glimpse of different events taking place in Pakistan.

WHO: Two of Three Polio Viruses Eradicated in 'Historic' Step - VOA Khmer

Posted: 28 Oct 2019 06:11 AM PDT

LONDON — 

The World Health Organization welcomed an "historic step" towards a polio-free world on Thursday as an expert panel certified that the second of three types of the crippling virus has been eradicated globally.

The announcement by the Global Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication means that only wild polio virus type 1 is still circulating, after type 2 was declared eradicated in 2015, and type 3 this week.

Global polio cases have been cut by more than 99% since 1988, but type 1 polio virus is still endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where it has infected a total of 88 people this year. That is a resurgence from a record low global annual figure of 22 cases in 2017.

"The eradication of wild polio virus type 3 is a major milestone towards a polio-free world, but we cannot relax," said Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa.

Seth Berkley, chief executive of the GAVI vaccine alliance, said it was "a tremendous victory in the fight against polio."

Polio invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours. It cannot be cured, but infection can be prevented by vaccination - and a dramatic reduction in cases worldwide in recent decades has been due to intense national and regional immunization campaigns in babies and children.

In unvaccinated populations, however, polio viruses can re emerge and spread swiftly. Cases of vaccine-derived polio can also occur in places where immunity is low and sanitation is poor, as vaccinated people can excrete the virus, putting the unvaccinated at risk.

The Philippines last month said it was planning an emergency vaccination campaign after polio re-surfaced and caused the first two recorded polio cases there for 20 years.

Moeti urged governments to be vigilant: "Countries must strengthen routine immunization to protect communities, ramp up routine surveillance so that we are able to detect even the slightest risk of polio re-emerging," she said in a statement.

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