COVID-19 vaccines lower risk of infection with delta variant, but infection can still be passed on in household settings

Study of 621 people in the UK with mild COVID-19 infections found that people who received two vaccine doses could still pass the infection on to vaccinated and unvaccinated household members. The analysis found that 25% of vaccinated household contacts tested positive for COVID-19 compared with 38% of unvaccinated household contacts. The infectiousness of vaccinated…

Canada donates nearly 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Uganda

Uganda on 13 November received 1,904,140 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the Canadian Government and shipped via the COVAX facility, —the world’s facility for universal access to COVID-19 vaccines. The arrival marks an important step towards the goal to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally. Uganda is targeting the vaccination of…

Africa’s death rates from COVID-19 infections are significantly higher in patients with diabetes

Africa’s sharp increase in diabetes is clashing with the COVID-19 pandemic and poor access to vaccines says the World Health Organsiation. Africa’s death rates from COVID-19 infections are significantly higher in patients with diabetes, according to a preliminary analysis which the World Health Organization (WHO) presented in advance of the World Diabetes Day on 14…

Uganda Launches Third Edition of the National Guidelines for Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response

BY WHO Uganda Team Uganda launched the Third Edition of the National Guidelines for Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response (IDSR) at Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala. The third edition highlights new methods of disease detection, reporting, and provision of real-time surveillance data using new technologies and platforms. The platforms include event-based disease surveillance, community-based surveillance,…

Progress on Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies, Injectable PrEP, and Other New HIV Prevention Strategies Announced at HIV Research for Prevention Conference

26 January 2021 – Important advances in HIV prevention research were announced today at the 4th HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P // Virtual), convened by IAS – the International AIDS Society. Highlights included findings from a pair of trials evaluating whether infusions with a broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb) can prevent HIV acquisition and positive…

Bill and Melinda Gates Release 2021 Annual Letter: “The Year Global Health Went Local”

SEATTLE – January 27, 2021 – Today, Bill and Melinda Gates share their 2021 Annual Letter, “The Year Global Health Went Local.” In this year’s letter, Bill and Melinda reflect on the worldwide impact of COVID-19 and the global collaboration and scientific innovation fueling one of the largest public health efforts in history. They share…

Africa’s largest COVID-19 treatment clinical trial launched in 13 countries

Thirteen African countries and an international network of research institutions have joined forces to launch the largest COVID-19 clinical trial in mild-to-moderate outpatients in Africa. The ANTICOV clinical trial aims to respond to the urgent need to identify treatments that can be used to treat mild and moderate cases of COVID-19 early and prevent spikes…

A Landmark trial in East and Southern Africa finds injectable PrEP safe and effective for cisgender women

Regulatory review and introduction plans must be accelerated New York City, November 9, 2020— AVAC enthusiastically welcomes the news that another trial of the long-acting, injectable antiretroviral cabotegravir (CAB-LA) for HIV prevention for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has demonstrated safety and efficacy, this time among cisgender women. Today’s announcement from ViiV, the US National Institute of Allergy and…