分类： health

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Public health officials in Trinidad and Tobag have launched a targeted response to a cluster of suspected and probable chickenpox (varicella) cases impacting healthcare staff at the Sangre Grande Hospital Campus, located in the northeastern region of Trinidad. The Ministry of Health confirmed this week that teams are actively managing the outbreak cluster, with robust contact tracing operations already underway to identify and evaluate all employees who may have been exposed across affected hospital departments. As part of the intervention strategy, officials have rolled out a targeted varicella vaccination campaign for at-risk exposed staff. As of the latest update, all core healthcare services at the facility continue to operate without major disruption. Crucially, health investigators have not found any evidence linking the hospital cluster to widespread community transmission across the country, and the situation is being monitored 24/7 by both public health surveillance teams and hospital infection control specialists. Varicella, more commonly known as chickenpox, is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads primarily through respiratory droplets expelled when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through direct contact with fluid from the characteristic blister-like skin lesions caused by the virus. While the illness typically presents as a mild, self-limiting condition in young children, the Ministry of Health has issued a clear warning that the virus can cause severe, life-threatening complications for specific high-risk groups. These vulnerable populations include pregnant people, newborn infants, individuals with compromised immune systems, and adults who have never contracted the virus nor received the varicella vaccine. To limit further transmission both within the hospital and across the broader community, the Ministry of Health is urging all citizens to adopt evidence-based preventative hygiene practices. Top recommendations include frequent handwashing with soap and clean running water, or the regular use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers when handwashing facilities are not available. Officials also advise the public to avoid close physical contact with any individual showing visible symptoms of varicella, which include high fever, an itchy rash, and fluid-filled blister lesions across the skin. The ministry further emphasizes that any child or adult showing suspected signs of chickenpox should self-isolate at home immediately, and avoid all public settings including schools, workplaces, and large public gatherings until every skin lesion has fully dried and crusted over, eliminating the risk of transmission. For high-risk individuals who believe they have been exposed to the virus – specifically pregnant women and immunocompromised people – health officials are urging immediate contact with a licensed healthcare provider to access early evaluation and any necessary intervention. The Ministry of Health concluded its statement by noting that it will continue close, ongoing surveillance of the situation, and will issue timely public updates if any changes in the risk profile occur. Officials reminded Trinidad and Tobago residents that calm, consistent adherence to public health guidance and responsible individual infection prevention practices remain the most effective tools for limiting the spread of varicella and other contagious viral illnesses.

A new public health alliance has launched to advance critical health equity goals across the Americas and the Caribbean, as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has formalized a technical cooperation agreement with Spain-based Mundo Sano Foundation to accelerate progress on eliminating mother-to-child disease transmission and strengthening regional cervical cancer prevention.

The official signing ceremony took place at the Mundo Sano Foundation’s Madrid headquarters, where PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa and foundation President Silvia Gold put their signatures to the collaborative framework.

In remarks following the signing, Dr. Barbosa emphasized that the partnership grows out of a shared core belief: the most intractable public health challenges of our time can only be overcome through long-term strategic planning and a holistic, community-centered approach that centers the needs of people.

The collaboration will center its early work on the development and cross-sharing of specialized technical knowledge tied to integrated health service delivery, aligned with PAHO’s flagship EMTCT Plus+ regional initiative. This effort targets the complete elimination of vertical (mother-to-child) transmission of four major pathogens: HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B, and Chagas disease. Beyond this core focus, the new agreement lays out a flexible framework to gradually expand and test new strategies for strengthening cervical cancer prevention access across the region.

Under the terms of the partnership, Fundación Mundo Sano will contribute its specialized technical expertise on vertical disease transmission, while also supporting efforts to weave cervical cancer prevention actions into existing maternal and public health programs. For its part, PAHO will coordinate structured spaces for cross-regional technical exchange, share its established regional and global clinical guidance, and lead work to analyze and broadly disseminate evidence and lessons generated through the collaboration.

Dr. Barbosa noted that the inaugural phase of work marks the start of what both organizations hope will become a far broader long-term collaboration. “We hope this first phase of work will be the beginning of an even broader collaboration capable of generating evidence, inspiring new solutions and contributing to our shared goal of building a healthier and more equitable Americas for all,” he said.

PAHO’s EMTCT Plus+ initiative, launched to coordinate regional action, works across all 35 nations of the Americas to eliminate vertical transmission of the four targeted diseases while simultaneously strengthening core maternal and child health systems. The initiative prioritizes integrated, people-centered service models to expand equitable access to prevention, diagnostic testing, treatment, and ongoing care for at-risk populations.

Cervical cancer continues to rank as one of the most pressing unmet public health priorities in the region. Current regional elimination strategies center on expanding broad access to life-saving HPV vaccination, routine screening, early detection protocols, and timely treatment—all core components of the global goal to eliminate cervical cancer as a major public health threat within the coming decades.

GENEVA, Switzerland – In a small but notable breakthrough amid a growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the World Health Organization announced Friday the first laboratory-confirmed recovery of an infected patient who has now been discharged from care.

WHO viral haemorrhagic fever technical officer Anais Legand confirmed to reporters that the recovered patient, who tested negative twice for the virus following treatment, was released from hospital and returned to their community on May 27. While this marks the first confirmed recovery among officially validated cases, Legand noted that additional unconfirmed recoveries are likely among individuals whose test results have not yet been processed by laboratories.

As of the WHO’s latest update, the outbreak, which was formally declared on May 15, has been linked to 17 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected fatalities across the DRC. Out of 125 confirmed infections and more than 900 suspected cases recorded, 16 of the confirmed cases have been among frontline healthcare workers – a group uniquely vulnerable to the virus, which spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, symptomatic patients, and the remains of people who have died from Ebola.

“It is a terrible disease,” Legand commented, adding that healthcare workers often contract the virus while stepping in to care for infected community members. Responding to the outbreak is further complicated by the cultural and emotional challenges of asking communities to avoid close contact with sick loved ones, a critical measure to stop transmission from spreading.

The outbreak has also spilled over into neighboring Uganda, where seven cases have been confirmed – one of which has ended in death. Three of the Ugandan cases were imported directly from the DRC, and all remaining confirmed cases are linked to those initial imports. At present, WHO officials have found no evidence of sustained community transmission within Uganda’s borders.

This current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a variant for which no targeted vaccine or specific antiviral treatment currently exists. The strain can carry a case fatality rate as high as 50%, though the current outbreak’s recorded fatality rate sits below 25% as of latest data, a figure that continues to evolve as more cases are confirmed.

Over the past half-century, Ebola outbreaks across Africa have claimed more than 15,000 lives. This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak the DRC has faced; the deadliest of the country’s previous outbreaks, recorded between 2018 and 2020, killed nearly 2,300 people out of 3,500 confirmed cases.

Despite the grim context of the outbreak, Legand emphasized that there is significant room to reduce mortality. Expanding access to optimized intensive care, supporting communities to identify early symptoms and pursue rapid diagnostic testing, and connecting patients to appropriate care early in their infection can drastically improve survival odds. “The most important thing is that we can support them to get early access to care,” Legand said. “Access to care can help save life.”

Alongside early care access, WHO officials note that robust infection prevention protocols and safe burial practices for Ebola victims are critical to halting transmission, given the high infectiousness of deceased patients’ remains.

On the global front, the agency has not called for any international travel or trade restrictions targeting the DRC or Uganda. The organization does recommend that infected individuals and close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases from affected areas avoid travel, and both the DRC and Uganda are required under International Health Regulations to implement exit screening for people leaving affected regions. But based on current epidemiological data, Legand confirmed that “WHO does not recommend any restriction on travel or trade with the Democratic Republic of the Congo or with Uganda.”

ST JAMES, Jamaica — On a bright Friday at Harmony Beach Park, hundreds of senior residents gathered to mark the official launch of the Park Walker Initiative for Older Adults, a new public health programme spearheaded by Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness.

The island-wide scheme kicked off with a leisurely group stroll around the park’s scenic pathways, built around a core mission to motivate older Jamaicans to integrate regular physical activity into their daily routines and embrace long-term healthy lifestyle habits.

Dr Simone Spence, director of the ministry’s Health Promotion and Protection Branch, used the launch event to reframe popular narratives around growing older, shifting focus away from common stereotypes of ageing as a period of only decline and challenge.

“For far too long, society has fixated only on the difficulties that come with getting older, but today is all about highlighting the opportunities this stage of life brings,” Spence told attendees. “This is a chance to stay active, to build new friendships, to share joy and laughter together, and most importantly, to put our health at the top of our priority list right now.”

Spence emphasized that the programme was intentionally designed around inclusivity, not competition, to welcome seniors of all mobility levels. “This initiative is not about racing or clocking fast walking times – it’s simply about moving our bodies, staying active, and building a connected, supportive community around shared wellness goals,” she explained.

She added that taking that first step to join a group activity is often the biggest barrier for many older adults, whether out of habit or uncertainty. But when seniors walk together, they create a system of mutual encouragement that keeps everyone connected, making the journey toward better health both easier and far more enjoyable.

Addressing common health and social challenges faced by Jamaica’s older population, Spence noted that many seniors struggle with chronic conditions including high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as widespread issues of loneliness and chronic stress. The Park Walker Initiative addresses all these needs by providing dedicated, safe, and welcoming public spaces for regular exercise and social connection.

Beyond the opening group walk, the launch day featured a full schedule of wellness-focused activities, including energetic dance aerobics sessions, an educational presentation on diabetes prevention and management, free on-site health screenings, informational booths sharing public health resources, and multiple talks focused on supporting long-term wellness for older adults. Organizers expect participation from senior groups across every parish in Jamaica in the coming months as the programme rolls out island-wide.