Aug 4 (Reuters) – The United States has declared monkeypox a public health emergency, the health secretary said on Thursday, a move expected to free up additional funding and tools to fight the disease.
The US tally topped 6,600 on Wednesday, almost all of the cases among men who have sex with men.
“We’re prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said at a briefing.
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The declaration will improve the availability of data on monkeypox infections that is needed for the response, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said, speaking alongside Bacerra.
The US government has come under pressure for its handling of the outbreak.
The disease began spreading in Europe before moving to the United States, which now has the most cases in the world. Vaccines and treatments have been in short supply and the disease often left for historically underfunded sexual health clinics to manage. read more
The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a “public health emergency of international concern,” its highest alert level. The WHO declaration last month sought to trigger a coordinated international response and unlock funding to collaborate on vaccines and treatments. read more
Governments are deploying vaccines and treatments that were first approved for smallpox but also work for monkeypox.
The US government has distributed 600,000 doses of Bavarian Nordic’s (BAVA.CO) Jynneos vaccine and deployed 14,000 of Siga Technologies’ (SIGA.O) TPOXX treatment, officials said, though they did not disclose how many have been administered.
Walensky said the government aims to vaccinate more than 1.6 million high-risk individuals.
US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf said the agency was considering freeing up more Jynneos vaccine doses by allowing doctors to draw 5 doses of vaccine from each vial instead of the current 1 dose by using a different subcutaneous method of inoculation.
US President Joe Biden this month appointed two federal officials to coordinate his administration’s response to monkeypox, following declarations of emergencies by California, Illinois and New York. read more
First identified in monkeys in 1958, the disease has mild symptoms including fever, aches and pus-filled skin lesions, and people tend to recover from it within two to four weeks, the WHO says. It spreads through close physical contact and is rarely fatal.
Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, told Reuters on Thursday that it was critical to engage leaders from the gay community as part of efforts to rein in the outbreak, but cautioned against stigmatizing the lifestyle.
“Engagement of the community has always come to be successful,” Fauci said.
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Reporting by Manas Mishra and Amruta Khandekar in Bengaluru, Ismail Shakil in Ottawa, Caroline Humer and Leela de Kretser, Editing by Anil D’Silva, Deepa Babington and Howard Goller
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
While PCR tests are still available and remain the “gold standard” for testing, many have turned to rapid antigen tests (RATs) out of convenience or as part of a requirement to return to work or school.
They can provide results within minutes, don’t require a healthcare worker or lab to process, and help to catch COVID-19 cases that otherwise would have gone undetected.
But with these benefits comes a range of limitations – the biggest one being that they can provide false negative or false positive results.
Recently, some doctors have warned people against relying on a negative RAT result.
Meanwhile, the makers of RATs have hit back, blaming false negatives on a lack of education about how and when to properly use the tests.
So is there any evidence that indicates the effectiveness of RATs has been impacted? And does it have to do with people using them incorrectly?
Australia faces ‘an education gap’ that was ‘never filled’ after RATs went on the market
Pathology Technology Australia, the peak body for test manufacturers and suppliers, defended the performance of rapid tests against new variants of Omicron, accusing critics of “fearmongering”.
“Nothing has changed, we’re yet to see any evidence that clearly indicates performance has been impacted by the subvariants,” chief executive and clinical biochemist Dean Whiting said in a statement.
“There is an education gap in Australia that was never filled after RATs became available.”
“I think a lot of the false negative results are due to incorrectly collecting the sample,” Mr Whiting said.
Here are the essentials to taking a RAT.
Store the test at 2C-30C
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) warns that tests “may not work properly” if they have been exposed to excessive light or heat, or if the packaging is damaged.
The instructions for a RAT specifically say to store it in a cool, dry place at 2 degrees Celsius up to 30C.
Do not freeze the kit and do not store it in direct sunlight.
Check the expiration date
According to the TGA, RATs can be stored for 12 months from the date of manufacture.
Do not use the test after its expiration date.
Blow your nose
David Speers, a clinical microbiologist and head of the microbiology department at PathWest, told ABC Radio Perth this will clear any excess mucous so that it won’t interfere with the results.
“What you want to do is sample the lining of the nose — you’re not sampling the secretions as such,” he said.
Only open the kit right before use
If you open the kit components, don’t suddenly delay taking the test and leave it out until you decide to.
When you open the kit, take the test straight away.
Don’t contaminate the test
Whether it’s with your fingers or your kitchen tiles after dropping it (there’s no five-second rule here), the tip of the swab should not touch anything.
So make sure it doesn’t come into contact with any other surfaces.
Swabbing at the wrong angle and depth
You’ve made it to the hardest part.
It’s easy for many to get the angle or depth wrong when it comes to swabbing.
Mr Whiting said he has seen many people wave the swab around the inside of their nostrils when taking a RAT.
“This is not the way the manufacturer intended for you to use the test,” he said.
“The manufacturer intended you to put the swab at least 1.5cm up your nose and swish it around five times, then do the other side.”
A guide published by the Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN) and the Department of Health says to insert the swab tip 2cm to 3cm into each nostril.
The key is to insert the swab all the way up your nostril until you feel it rub against the back of your nose.
Watery eyes and the urge to sneeze indicate you’re taking the test correctly. (Supplied: John Hopkins Medicine)
Rather than going directly upwards with the swab, make sure the swab passes horizontally.
Then rotate the swab gently against the walls of the nasal passage five times, for 15 seconds in each nostril.
“You will know when you’re doing this correctly because it’s slightly uncomfortable,” Mr Whiting said.
“If your eyes aren’t watering or you’re not resisting the urge to sneeze, then you’re not taking the sample correctly.”
Swirl the swab in the tube for 10 seconds
Hold the solution tube firmly with one hand.
Once you’ve inserted the swab into the tube, swirl it around in the fluid for 10 seconds.
Then pinch the swab tip through the tube to remove any remaining fluid.
For some testing kits, you will need to snap the end of the swab. The swab will indicate where to do this.
Don’t add too many drops to the device
Remove the test device from its protective package and place it on a well-lit, flat surface.
Keep the tube vertical with the cap pointed down.
Squeeze three drops of liquid from the tube into the well on the device.
Some tests say two drops, while others may say four. Make sure you follow the instructions of the manufacturer of your test.
Adding too many drops or too few will affect the timeline and the test will be inaccurate.
Follow the no earlier than 15, no later than 20 rule
Keep the test device on a flat surface.
Read the result at 15 minutes.
Do not read it earlier than this, or after 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, the result might become inaccurate.
Misreading the result
Two lines mean you have tested positive for COVID
A line at C only means you have tested negative for COVID
A line at T but not C means your test is faulty
No means lines your test is faulty
Your RAT result will look like one of these.(Supplied: Antibodies.com)
Dispose of the kit correctly
Make sure you place the swab, tube and test device into the plastic bag provided and seal everything in there.
Then you can dispose of it in the rubbish bin.
As more variants emerge and evolve over the pandemic, many are wondering whether we’re likely to get a variant that can elude testing.
Epidemiologist and biostatistician from the University of South Australia Adrian Esterman said at some point in time, we would likely get a variant that was much harder to detect with existing tests.
But because of Australia’s diverse population and geographical spread, Mr Whiting believes RATs are going to remain highly useful, especially in rural and remote areas.
People await the start of a product launch event at Apple’s new campus in Cupertino, California, US September 12, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Lam
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Aug 1 (Reuters) – Apple Inc is dropping its mask mandate for corporate employees at most locations, the Verge reported on Monday, citing an internal memo. (https://bit.ly/3oJ3EQN)
This comes even as COVID-19 infections in the United States have been on the rise with the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the Omicron variant accounting for more than 90% of infections, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
These subvariants have significant mutations from the earliest versions of Omicron and protection from vaccines wanes over time.
“Don’t hesitate to continue wearing a face mask if you feel more comfortable doing so,” the report quoted Apple as saying in the internal email. “Also, please respect every individual’s decision to wear a mask or not.”
Apple did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment outside regular business hours.
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Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu
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The managers of a Melbourne aged care home where 50 people died in a COVID-19 outbreak will be compelled to give evidence at a coronial inquiry.
Key points:
Kon Kontis and Vicky Kos last year refused to give evidence at a coronial inquest, causing delays in proceedings
The Supreme Court found the coroner acted lawfully in ordering them to appear
Family members of residents who died have welcomed the ruling, saying it will help provide answers
Kon Kontis and Vicky Kos were in charge of the St Basil’s Aged Care Home in Fawkner when the virus swept through the facility in July and August 2020.
They were initially called to give evidence at a coronial inquest last year but refused on the grounds they might incriminate themselves.
State Coroner John Cain then made a ruling compelling them to appear, but Mr Kontis and Ms Kos took the matter to the Supreme Court.
Today Justice Stephen O’Meara ruled against the pair, finding the coroner had acted lawfully.
A COVID outbreak claimed the lives of 50 residents of the St Basil’s aged care facility.(ABC News: Danielle Bonica )
Klery Loutas, who lost her 77-year-old mother Filia Xynidakis in the disaster, has welcomed the decision.
“They [Mr Kontis and Ms Kos] have got vital pieces of the puzzle that they need to share with us so we know exactly what happened, how it happened, so governments and legislators can take action so that it doesn’t happen again,” Ms Loutas said.
Ms Loutas said the delay caused by the Supreme Court action had been difficult for families.
“We’ve all been very anxious, we all want to get through this and survive the stress and the torment and the anguish and the trauma we have faced having gone through this and the process being delayed, it just adds stress to our lives, she said.
“We’ve buried our loved ones, but we haven’t laid them to rest and until we find out exactly what happened to them and why it happened none of us will be at peace, none of us will ever be at ease or start to properly mourn and grieve.”
The inquest last year heard care for residents dropped off dramatically when the virus took hold in mid-July 2020.
After Victoria’s Chief Health Officer ruled that all staff had to be considered close contacts, the federal government struggled to find a replacement workforce.
The inquest heard residents were left malnourished and dehydrated and within six weeks, 50 had died.
The inquest was added while Mr Kontis and Ms Kos’ battle to stay silent continued.
It is unclear when the hearing will resume.
St Basil’s operators facing charges
Today’s Supreme Court decision comes as the operators of the nursing home also appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court where they are accused of breaching the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
WorkSafe alleges the nursing home operator did not make sure workers wore protective equipment.(ABC News: Joseph Dunstan)
St Basil’s is facing nine charges which include failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment, failing to provide information and supervision, and failing to make sure that people other than staff members were not exposed to health and safety risks.
WorkSafe investigators allege the nursing home operator did not make sure workers wore protective equipment and did not train workers in how to use it.
They also allege St Basil’s failed to tell workers when protective equipment should be used, failed to supervise them using the equipment or verify that they were able to competently don and doff the gear.
If convicted, the nursing home provider is facing ends of just under $1.49 million.
St Basil’s will return to court in December for an administrative hearing.
