Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Latin America and Caribbean see COVID-19 progress, but WHO official calls for caution
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 10 - 2021

More than half the population of Latin America and the Caribbean has not been vaccinated against COVID-19, a senior official with the regional arm of UN health agency WHO said on Wednesday.
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Assistant Director at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), was speaking during the agency's regular media briefing on the pandemic.
He said nearly 44 percent of the region's people have been fully immunized, mainly with doses donated bilaterally or through the COVAX solidarity initiative.
"Today, twice as many people in Latin America and the Caribbean are fully vaccinated against COVID than in August of this year," he said.
Meanwhile, infections and deaths have also reached their lowest levels in more than a year, with 800,000 new cases and 18,000 deaths reported over the last week.
Although there is reason to be optimistic, Dr. Barbosa urged countries to remain vigilant and continue public health measures, such as mask wearing, physical distancing and avoiding large gatherings.
"While our region has done a great job at accelerating immunization coverage over just a few months, more than half of people in Latin America and the Caribbean remain unprotected," he told journalists.
"In Guatemala, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Haiti, less than 20 per cent of people have been fully vaccinated."
Dr. Barbosa also pointed to "good news", as more than three million vaccine doses are expected in the region this week through COVAX. Deliveries are also set to increase over the remaining months of the year.
With the COP26 UN climate change conference opening this Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Barbosa also addressed the link between planetary and human health.
He was encouraged that health is "taking centre stage" at the conference, and for the first time ever.
Climate change is "the biggest long-term threat to our public health", he said, and more than 12 million deaths annually are associated with environmental risk factors.
Extreme weather and rising temperatures have altered ecosystems, displacing people and animals. Humans forced to move have infringed on natural habitats, and animals have sought more hospitable conditions, which has led to a rise in vector-borne diseases such as Zika, Chagas and Dengue.
Ahead of the conference, PAHO has launched an Agenda for the Americas on Health, Environment and Climate Change, which emphasizes, collaboration, investment and resilience.
But health must also be part of the solution to the climate emergency, he added, as the sector is a large contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Estimates indicate it could be responsible for up to 10 per cent of carbon emissions worldwide.
"We can improve by lowering carbon emissions from energy, heating, and cooling operations of health care facilities, and we can adapt our health systems by building greener facilities and by lowering emissions at every stage of our supply chains from production to transportation," he said.
While extreme weather is just one of the risks of climate change, Dr. Barbosa stressed that scientists have long warned of how the environment, food systems and living conditions will be affected, all of which will have potentially devastating impacts on health.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has offered a snapshot of how unprepared we are for such a disruptive event," he said.
"But today, we have an opportunity to build on the lessons from the COVID pandemic to prevent future crises and to strengthen our ability to respond to them when they arrive. We hope our leaders will seize the moment." — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.