Connect with us
Monday,02-June-2025
Breaking News

General

Monkeypox may not be limited to gay, bisexual men, can spread to others: WHO

Published

on

 Monkeypox infections may not be limited among men who have sex with men, as seen currently, but may spread beyond the community, a World Health Organization (WHO) official has warned.

Men who have sex with men are currently deemed at highest risk of infection. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine last week, which looked at infections across 16 countries between April and June, found that 98 per cent of cases were in gay or bisexual men.

According to Dr. Catherine Smallwood, senior emergency officer at the WHO, there is little evidence to suggest that the disease will remain confined to gay and bisexual communities, NBC reported.

More severe cases could become apparent if the virus spreads to more immunologically vulnerable groups like young children, pregnant women and the immunocompromised, Smallwood was quoted as saying.

She cautioned against complacency in the rapidly escalating monkeypox outbreak, which has so far caused more than 16,000 cases in about 75 countries and five deaths in Africa.

“At the moment, cases continue to be reported among men who have sex with men for the most part, but we should not expect that to remain as such,” Smallwood said.

“If it does spread to other groups, particularly to people who are vulnerable to severe monkeypox disease, which we know there are certain groups that are more prone to severe illness, then we might see increased public health impact,” she added.

It is not uncommon for a virus outbreak to start in one particular group or setting before spreading more widely in the general population, Smallwood said, noting that health authorities could take cues from the early findings.

“This really might be the canary in the mine that’s alerting us to a new disease threat that could spread to other groups,” she continued.

While several countries have already stepped up vaccination programmes for people most at risk, the vaccines are designed primarily for treating smallpox, said Smallwood adding more information is needed to determine their efficacy as the monkeypox virus continues to spread.

“We don’t have full information on how effective and how efficacious these vaccines are against monkeypox,” she said.

The WHO has activated its highest alert level for the escalating outbreak, declaring the virus a public health emergency of international concern.

This would now draw more attention to the outbreak and, as a consequence, research on vaccines and other modes of treatment, Smallwood said.

Maharashtra

Visit to Deonar Bakra Mandi on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, important meeting led by Mumbai Congress President Prof. Varshatai Gaikwad

Published

on

Mumbai: On the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, a delegation led by Lok Sabha MP and Mumbai Congress President Smt. Prof. Varshatai Gaikwad saheb visited Deonar Bakra Mandi (Slaughterhouse).

On this occasion, she had a special meeting with the General Manager of Deonar Slaughterhouse, Mr. Kaleem Pasha Pathan and discussed in detail the problems faced by the public and traders present in the mandi.

The main points of the discussion were as follows:

Problems faced by traders
Care and maintenance of animals
Cleanliness situation in the mandi
Traffic problems and their solutions
Difficulties faced by common citizens

Professor Gaikwad saheb gave necessary instructions to the concerned authorities for the early resolution of all these problems and assured that Mumbai Congress stands with the people.

Honorable MLA Mr. Aslam Sheikh Sahib, Honorable MLA Mr. Amin Patel Sahib, MLA Dr. Jyoti Tai Gaikwad Sahib, former Corporator and former Chairman of Mumbai Congress Minority Wing Haji Babbu Khan Sahib and other senior leaders and office bearers of Mumbai Congress were also present in this important visit.

The visit was a positive effort for mutual discussions, identification of problems and effective steps to resolve them, which makes an auspicious occasion like Eid more meaningful.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

ATS crackdown on 22 members including suspected member of Padgha Daesh Saqib Nachan, ATS conducted midnight operation on relatives

Published

on

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has claimed to have seized several important documents and items during raids at the homes of Saqib Nachan, a former member of ISIS and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), and 22 of his close associates and relatives. The ATS had received information that important documents and other items were hidden at the homes of Saqib Nachan and his close associates, after which the ATS launched the raids at 2 am last night and the operation continued till 4 am, after which the ATS team left for Mumbai. During this operation, the ATS team also cordoned off the entire area. In Borivali Pargham, ATS has conducted raids on Abid Ashraf Mulla, Moaz Mulla, Aqib Saqib Nachan, Abdul Latif Shadab Kaskar, Urmesh Irfan Mulla, Hashim Nadvi, Farooq Mulla, Nabeel Malik Khot, Qais Arif Khot, Kaif Nachan, Sahil Munyar, Adnan Mulla, Shero Deokar, Sharjeel Nachan, Sajid Nachan, Zeeshan Mulla, Atif Mulla, Shams Khot, Asjad Mulla, Raif Khot, Abid Khot. During this time, some of them were on Hajj trips, so they were not present at home.

In this case, ATS conducted raids and did not arrest anyone during house searches. Zubair Mulla, a resident of a small mosque who deals in land, was on a Hajj trip. Zubair Mulla was convicted in the 2002 and 2003 bomb blasts and was also sentenced. Now he is lodged in Delhi jail along with Saqib Nachan in the case of ISIS connection in Delhi. Abdul Latif Kaskar is employed in Godam and is also a friend of Farhan Sousa in the Delhi ISIS case. Shams Khot, Rais Khot, Abid Ashraf Mulla, Moaz Ashraf Mulla, Qais Asif Khot were not present at the house during the search, while a raid was conducted at Kalyan’s house in Sahil Munyar and he was also not present here.

ATS had found Saqib Nachan active in terrorist activities again since 2017. During this time, ATS had kept an eye on him and a case was also registered against him, but in this case, NIA had arrested Saqib Nachan in the ISIS case. First, his son Aqib Nachan was arrested and then Saqib will also be arrested. ATS has also claimed to have seized several important documents during the operation, which will be investigated and then the action will progress accordingly. Maharashtra ATS has conducted raids at 15 places including Mumbai police station Bhiwandi Kalyan and during this, action has also been taken against suspected members of ISIS. In this operation, ATS is expected to find many important documents and evidence. The ATS has taken action in this case against those accused of being involved in anti-national and illegal activities. ATS is taking further action in this case, while no arrest has been made so far after searching anyone.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Mumbai Ghatkopar dispute over Qurbani, police security increased, situation tense after objections to Qurbani, police monitoring

Published

on

Mumbai: A controversy has arisen over the Qurbani in Damodar Society in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area. So far, the BMC has not granted permission for a temporary slaughterhouse in the society. Society member Bharatiya has alleged that before the sacrifice, goats are brought into the society and spread dirt and an atmosphere of fear is created here during the sacrifice because Hindus are migrating from this society while the sacrifice process has been going on in the society for the past twenty-five years. Society member Ishtiaq said that all festivals are celebrated in the society but only two women have objection and they are spoiling the atmosphere here because they have a personal issue with the society and therefore this issue is being given a Hindu-Muslim color.

He said that for the sacrifice, a canopy is prepared in the ground and the sacrifice is performed and cleanliness is also taken care of. Along with this, the meat is taken covered. He said that after the announcement of the mischief of Kirit Somaiya and the announcement of not allowing the sacrifice in the society, these two women have also complained here while the BMC society has contacted and if the society does not get permission, it will approach the court because the court has allowed the sacrifice before too. Muslims say that these two women are spoiling the atmosphere here due to the sacrifice issue. While there is peace and order and Hindu-Muslim unity here, only these two women have objections to the sacrifice. We will also knock on the door of the court to perform the sacrifice legally. After this controversy, the Vikhroli Park Site Police have tightened security arrangements.

Continue Reading

Trending