Tagged With "Bird Flu"

Health officials in China are investigating the cause of a pneumonia outbreak in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province that has sickened 27 people and seems to be linked to a seafood market. Government officials in Hong Kong and Taiwan detailed what's known from mainland sources, and infectious disease news reporting sites such as FluTrackers, Avian Flu Diary, and ProMED Mail have been tracking official and media reports. In a statement today, Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP),...

April 2020 by Elleen Xue As a teenager who has grown up exposed to both Eastern and Western hemispheres, I’m usually caught in betwixt and in between the predominant sentiments expressed therein, and most recently found myself at odds with my family over the issue of the coronavirus. But more than just finding myself at odds with my them, I found myself at odds with China. Paying attention, of course, to the early days of the pandemic, one could not help but notice the extent to which China...

June 2020 By Elleen Xue The terror of this year’s novel coronavirus was something the world has never seen in that the last serious worldwide epidemic, unlike localized ones such as SARs and Ebola, played out on social media and television. This, combined with instantaneous communication and air travel, meant the virus was the first truly global pandemic to play out like a horror show. Most people sat glued to their television sets watching ominous death tolls mount as chyrons blared even...

Chinese authorities have launched an investigation into a mysterious viral pneumonia which has infected dozens of people in the central city of Wuhan. A total of 44 cases have been confirmed so far, 11 of which are considered "severe", officials said on Friday. The outbreak has prompted Singapore and Hong Kong to bring in screening processes for travellers from the city. It comes amid online fears the virus could be linked to Sars, or severe acute respiratory syndrome. The potentially...

What is Pneumonia? Pneumonia is an infection in one's lungs caused by bacteria, virus, or fungi. Pneumonia causes one's lung tissue to swell and causes fluid or pus in one's lungs. It will cause difficulties with breathing and can cause a fever and cough with yellow, green, or bloody mucus. Pneumonia can affect both lungs, which is called bilateral or double Pneumonia. Symptoms of Pneumonia There are different symptoms of Pneumonia depending on the cause of it and the age of the patient. The...

AIDS, the last stage of a chronic immune system disease caused by the human immune deficiency virus (HIV), interferes human bodies’ ability to resist infections and disease. Transmission route Common ways of spreading the HIV include sexual transmission, blood transmission, and mother-to-child transmission. Mosquito bites or hugging will not spread HIV. Four Stages of AIDS Stage 1: Acute HIV Infection [lasted for 2-8 weeks] The infectivity of HIV is quite strong during Acute Infection. Some...

Introduction: Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes, the lungs. Despite significant advancements in medical science and healthcare, influenza remains a major public health concern worldwide due to its ability to rapidly spread and mutate. This research paper delves into the causes, impacts, and potential treatments for influenza, aiming to provide comprehensive insight into this...

HIV is not a death sentence, and people can still live with it as long as they stick to their HIV treatment. HIV is not the same thing as AIDS, but it can develop into aids. HIV can cause inflammation and damage inside the body, leading to a weaker immune system. A weaker immune system then can lead to AIDs (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Viral load is the amount of HIV in the blood of a patient who has HIV. Viral load is highest during the acute phase of HIV. Taking HIV medicines can...

In my advanced biology class, my teacher annually shows the movie Contagion (2011) . Now that I have seen its IMDb profile, I am surprised its rating is 6.8/10–lower than I thought. It is a movie with many plot lines, all centering around a novel virus that is incredibly pathogenic with an estimated 20% lethality rate. Although I concede this movie is imperfect with certain plot lines that haven’t aged well and inaccurate pacing, Contagion is surprisingly insightful (especially given its...