Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
How The World Is Faring
AP: UN Says New Polio Outbreak In Sudan Caused By Oral Vaccine
The World Health Organization says a new polio outbreak in Sudan is linked to an ongoing vaccine-sparked epidemic in Chad — a week after the U.N. health agency declared the African continent free of the wild polio virus. In a statement this week, WHO said two children in Sudan — one from South Darfur state and the other from Gedarif state, close to the border with Ethiopia and Eritrea — were paralyzed in March and April. Both had been recently vaccinated against polio. WHO said initial outbreak investigations show the cases are linked to an ongoing vaccine-derived outbreak in Chad that was first detected last year and is now spreading in Chad and Cameroon. (Cheng, 9/2)
CNN: Canada: 30 Covid-19 Cases Have Been Linked To A Karaoke Bar
A Canadian karaoke bar could face fines after 30 cases of Covid-19 were linked to the establishment. The confirmed cases are all connected to Bar Le Kirouac in Quebec City, the Regional Public Health Department of Quebec's capital region (CIUSSS) announced Tuesday. "We are in the process of figuring out with public security whether this is a criminal matter," Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé said during a press conference Tuesday, noting that Quebec is considering fines in the case. (Newton, Riess and Silverman, 9/2)
ABC News: Australia's Outbound Travel Ban Is One Of The Strictest Coronavirus Public Health Responses In The World
Australia is one of the only democracies in the world that has banned its citizens from leaving the country as a public health measure during the coronavirus pandemic. An Australian citizen or permanent resident is not permitted to travel outbound unless they apply online to Border Force and meet a set of strict exemption criteria. (8/31)
The Guardian: 'Hot, Sweaty … Just Very Unpleasant': Parisians Adjust To Covid Mask Law
It had not – really not – been a pleasant experience. Queuing for their banh mi and bibimbap, sushi or Thai salad outside the fast-food takeaways of the Rue Saint-Lazare, young office workers in central Paris spoke with one voice.“I thought I wasn’t going to last an hour, it was so uncomfortable,” said Egé, gesturing at her blue surgical mask. “Hot, sweaty, the smell of your own breath … Just very unpleasant. But you get used to it. In any case, we have no choice.” The new French law requiring almost all employees to wear face masks in the workplace was reportedly so difficult to draft that it was finally published just before 9 pm on Monday night, less than 12 hours before it came into force. (9/1)
