DOH: Rapid antibody tests not for screening COVID-19 cases but still useful
Medical organizations have been sounding the alarm over the use of rapid antibody testing, saying results might create a false sense of security that may have contributed to the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines......»»
Covid-19 reinfection casts doubt on virus immunity: study
Covid-19 patients may experience more severe symptoms the second time they are infected, according to research released Tuesday confirming it is possible to catch the potentially deadly disease more than once. A study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal charts the first confirmed case of Covid-19 reinfection in the United States — the country worst hit by the pandemic — and indicates that exposure to the virus may not guarantee future immunity. The patient, a 25-year-old Nevada man, was infected with two distinct variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, within a 48-day time frame. The second infection was more severe than the first, resulting in the patient being hospitalised with oxygen support. The paper noted four other cases of reinfection confirmed globally, with one patient each in Belgium, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Ecuador. Experts said the prospect of reinfection could have a profound impact on how the world battles through the pandemic. In particular, it could influence the hunt for a vaccine — the currently Holy Grail of pharmaceutical research. “The possibility of reinfections could have significant implications for our understanding of Covid-19 immunity, especially in the absence of an effective vaccine,” said Mark Pandori, for the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory and lead study author. “We need more research to understand how long immunity may last for people exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and why some of these second infections, while rare, are presenting as more severe.” Waning immunity?Vaccines work by triggering the body’s natural immune response to a certain pathogen, arming it with antibodies it to fight off future waves of infection. But it is not at all clear how long Covid-19 antibodies last. For some diseases, such as measles, infection confers lifelong immunity. For other pathogens, immunity may be fleeting at best. The authors said the US patient could have been exposed to a very high dose of the virus the second time around, triggering a more acute reaction. Alternatively, it may have been a more virulent strain of the virus. Another hypothesis is a mechanism known as antibody dependent enhancement — that is, when antibodies actually make subsequent infections worse, such as with dengue fever. The researchers pointed out that reinfection of any kind remains rare, with only a handful of confirmed cases out of tens of millions of Covid-19 infections globally. However, since many cases are asymptomatic and therefore unlikely to have tested positive initially, it may be impossible to know if a given Covid-19 case is the first or second infection. In a linked comment to The Lancet paper, Akiko Iwasaka, a professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University, said the findings could impact public health measures. “As more cases of reinfection surface, the scientific community will have the opportunity to understand better the correlates of protection and how frequently natural infections with SARS-CoV-2 induce that level of immunity,” she said. “This information is key to understanding which vaccines are capable of crossing that threshold to confer individual and herd immunity,” added Iwasaka, who was not involved in the study......»»
Concepcion: Rapid test not cause of COVID-19 surge
Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, who is spearheading the mass testing initiative Project Antibody Rapid test Kit, disagreed with some medical groups that claimed rapid antibody test could be blamed for the rising COVID-19 cases......»»
DOH: Rapid antibody tests not for screening COVID-19 cases but still useful
Medical organizations have been sounding the alarm over the use of rapid antibody testing, saying results might create a false sense of security that may have contributed to the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines......»»
COVID-19 cases in House of Representatives increase to 31
The House of Representatives now has 31 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up three cases from Saturday’s count of 28, Secretary-General Jose Luis Montales said on Sunday. Among the three new cases confirned by the House official was Deputy Speaker, Basilan lone district Rep. Mujiv Hataman. Hataman had actually revealed his condition over in his social media Saturday but it was only acknowledged Sunday afternoon by the House. Montales, in an advisory to reporters, disclosed about the other two cases: “The first is from Human Resources Management Service. He reported for work on July 22 and 23. He got tested on July 31 after experiencing cough and colds, fever, and loss of smell and taste.” The secretary-general said the remaining positive case was from the Engineering Department. “He tested positive when he underwent rapid antibody test as part of SoNA (State of the Nation Address) screening protocol. His RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) test confirmed that he is positive for COVID-19.” Also known as a swab test, the RT-PCR test is said to be far more accurate than a rapid test. Montales said contact tracing on the two House employees is ongoing. It was also during this previous week that another Deputy Speaker, Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel, tested positive for COVID-19. He also learned of his infection during the SoNA swab testing on July 26 at Batasang Pambansa Complex. Pimentel, spokesman of ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan, was initially included in the very short list of physical attendees for President Duterte’s SoNA last Monday. Like Hataman, Pimentel is currently on home quarantine. Three House employees have so far died from the disease......»»
Project ARK vows to help in Cebu COVID-19 response
The business community through the Go Negosyo Project Antibody Rapid test Kit initiative and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry have vowed to help the provincial government mitigate the increasing cases of coronavirus disease 2019 in Cebu, presidential adviser for entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said yesterday......»»
LTO-7 closes offices in Mandaue City, Cebu City for disinfection due to suspected cases
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some offices of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) in Mandaue City and Cebu City will be closed after 12 employees were found positive in a rapid antibody test. LTO-7 Director Victor Caindec announced this in a live video on Facebook on Friday morning, June 19, 2020 “Ato lang […] The post LTO-7 closes offices in Mandaue City, Cebu City for disinfection due to suspected cases appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Cavite nagdeklara ng ‘state of calamity’ dahil sa ‘pertussis outbreak’
NASA ilalim na ng “state of calamity” ang probinsya ng Cavite. Ito ay dahil dumadami na ang mga nahahawa ng pertussis o whooping cough sa probinsya. Ayon sa provincial government, nakapagtala na sila ng 26 confirmed cases at kabaling na riyan ang anim na namatay dahil sa nasabing sakit. Narito ang datos ng Cavite kaugnay.....»»
Philippines logs 40 pertussis deaths this year
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Forty children have died of whopping cough, a respiratory infection also called pertussis, since this year, the Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) has reported. The DOH said in a statement on Wednesday that cases have continued to increase since the start of this year, recording 568 cases from Jan. 1 to March 16. "The total number of cases for the same period in 2023 was.....»»
Kaspersky Shares Cybersecurity Tips for a Peaceful Getaway during the holy week
As the holiday season approaches, the urge to unwind and kick back is natural. And it’s all too common for people to let their guard down completely when connecting to the Internet too– but shouldn’t. Recently, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group shared its findings on identity theft cases in the country. Between November […].....»»
Pertussis or whooping cough: 40 child deaths so far this year – DOH
MANILA, Philippines — Assistant Health Secretary Albert Domingo reported on Wednesday that as of March 16 this year, some 40 children had died of whooping cough — a respiratory infection also called pertussis. An increase in new pertussis cases nationwide had been observed nationwide, with 28 cases reported from March 10 to 16. READ: What.....»»
DOH: Pertussis cases 20 times higher since January
The number of pertussis cases nationwide has increased 20-fold this year from 2023, according to the Department of Hea.....»»
Infants under six months most affected by pertussis — DOH
Latest data from the DOH showed there were 28 new pertussis infections, bringing this year’s total cases to 568. Of the figure, around 63% were infants below six months. .....»»
One more city in Philippines declares pertussis outbreak
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iloilo, a city in central Philippines, on Monday declared an outbreak of pertussis after it confirmed seven out of 15 reported cases, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Iloilo is the third city to declare an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, after Quezon and Pasig, two cities in the capital region, announced last week that they hav.....»»
DOH orders 5 million measles vaccine doses
The Department of Health has procured five million doses of measles vaccine as part of its renewed and intensified campaign against increasing cases of measles in the country......»»
‘Serenade of the Seas’ arrival restarts Subic cruise tourism program
The arrival here of GTS Serenade of the Seas, a 12-decker cruise liner operated by Royal Caribbean International, is expected to resurrect Subic’s cruise tourism program, which had gained momentum before being halted by the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago......»»
Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu report pertussis cases
Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu report pertussis cases.....»»
Masking, lockdown not needed for rising pertussis cases – DOH
Despite the alarming increase in pertussis cases in the country, an official of the Department of Health said there is no need for a lockdown or mandatory wearing of face masks......»»
Decline in exploitation cases; advocacy efforts strengthened
AN OFFICIAL from the Police Regional Office-Davao Region (PRO-Davao) reported two cases of online exploitation of women and children in the region in 2022......»»
One more city in Philippines declares pertussis outbreak
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iloilo, a city in central Philippines, on Monday declared an outbreak of pertussis after it confirmed seven out of 15 reported cases, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Iloilo is the third city to declare an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, after Quezon and Pasig, two cities in the capital region, announced last week that they hav.....»»
Princess Kate praised for ‘extraordinary dignity’ after cancer diagnosis
LONDON – Kate, Britain’s Princess of Wales, and her husband Prince William have been “enormously touched” by the messages of support received since she announced her cancer diagnosis, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said on Saturday. Kate said on Friday she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy after tests done following her major abdominal surgery in January revealed cancer had.....»»