Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Marburg Can Easily Get Out Of Hand': Ebola-Like Virus Spreads In West Africa
Reuters: Ghana Confirms Its First Outbreak Of Highly Infectious Marburg Virus
Ghana has officially confirmed two cases of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease similar to Ebola, its health service said on Sunday, after two people who later died tested positive for the virus earlier this month. (7/18)
Bloomberg: Marburg Virus: Ghana Declares First Disease Outbreak
Ghana announced the country’s first outbreak of Marburg virus disease after a World Health Organization laboratory confirmed earlier test results. (Kew, 7/18)
The U.K. is hit with record heat —
Reuters: Britain On Course For Hottest Day On Record
Britain was on course for its hottest day on record on Monday with temperatures forecast to hit 40C for the first time, forcing train companies to cancel services, schools to close early and ministers to urge the public to stay at home. (Holton and Muvija M, 7/18)
Meanwhile, covid is still hitting countries around the globe —
AP: UK To Offer 4th COVID-19 Vaccine Shot To All 50 And Over
The British government said Friday that everyone 50 or over will be offered a fourth dose of coronavirus vaccine in the fall, lowering the age threshold from the previously announced 65. The Department of Health said it had accepted advice from the U.K.’s independent vaccines adviser about the autumn booster program. (7/15)
Reuters: Shanghai Enforces New COVID Testing, Some Areas In China Extend Lockdowns
Several large Chinese cities including Shanghai are rolling out new mass testing or extending lockdowns on millions of residents to counter new clusters of COVID-19 infections, with some measures being criticised on the internet. (7/18)
Reuters: India's COVID Vaccinations Hit 2 Billion, New Cases At Four-Month High
The Indian government's COVID-19 vaccinations hit 2 billion on Sunday, with booster doses underway for all adults, as daily infections hit four-month high, official data showed. (7/17)
Reuters: Japan Daily COVID Infections Exceed 110,000 To Hit Record -Jiji
Japan's daily COVID-19 infections hit a record of more than 110,000, Jiji news agency reported on Saturday. (7/16)
NPR: As Wealthy Nations Push 4th COVID Booster Shots, Africa Is Being Left Behind
Institutional racism, greed, and a broken global health system are all working against African nations to ensure that people are dying from COVID in silence, according to a scathing assessment from the co-chair of the African Union's African Vaccine Delivery Alliance, Dr. Ayoade Alakija. (Valentine and Shapiro, 7/17)
