KINSHASA, Congo – Congo is battling to contain its largest mpox outbreak, and scientists believe a new strain of the disease discovered in a mining town could spread more easily among people.

Congo has reported over 4,500 probable mpox cases and over 300 deaths since January, substantially double from the same period last year, according to the World Health Organization. Congo recently declared the outbreak a national health emergency.

An analysis of patients hospitalized between October and January in Kamituga, eastern Congo, suggests that recent mpox genetic mutations are the result of the disease’s continued transmission in humans; this is occurring in a town where people have little contact with the wild animals thought to naturally carry the disease.

A New Form Of Mpox That May Spread More Easily Found In Congo’s Biggest Outbreak

“We’re in a new phase of mpox,” said Dr. Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, the study’s principal researcher, who added that it would soon be submitted to a journal for publication. Mbala-Kingebeni is the head of a lab at Congo’s National Institute of Biomedical Research that researches disease genetics.

Mbala-Kingebeni stated that the majority of patients’ lesions are milder and located in the genitals, making the disease more difficult to identify. In earlier African outbreaks, lesions were usually found on the chest, hands, and feet. He also noted that the new type seemed to have a decreased fatality rate.

In a report on the worldwide mpox situation published this week, WHO stated that the new strain of the disease may necessitate a new testing technique to detect mutations.

With specialists pointing out that fewer than half of Congo’s mpox patients are tested, Mbala-Kingebeni stated: “The risk is that unless patients themselves come forward, we will have a silent transmission of the disease and nobody will know.”

A New Form Of Mpox That May Spread More Easily Found In Congo’s Biggest Outbreak

According to Mbala-Kingebeni, the majority of people become infected through intercourse, with sex workers accounting for almost one-third of all mpox cases. It wasn’t until the 2022 worldwide mpox emergency that scientists discovered the disease was transmitted through sex, with the majority of cases affecting gay or bisexual men. WHO confirmed the first sexual transmission of mpox in Congo in November.

Mpox is classified into two types, or clades, related to smallpox and found in central and western Africa. Clade 1 is more severe, killing up to 10% of those afflicted. Clade 2 sparked the 2022 outbreak, and more than 99% of those afflicted survived.

Mbala-Kingebeni and colleagues stated they discovered a novel type of clade 1 that could be responsible for over 240 cases and at least three deaths in Kamituga, a location with a large transitory population going throughout Africa and beyond.

Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University who was not involved in the study, expressed alarm about the new mutations.

“This suggests the virus is adapting to spread efficiently in humans and could cause some pretty consequential outbreaks,” she went on to say.

Vaccines and treatments were used to control mpox epidemics in the West, but few were accessible in Congo. Congo’s minister of health has authorized the deployment of vaccines in high-risk provinces, according to Cris Kacita Osako, coordinator of Congo’s Monkeypox Response Committee. He added officials are in talks with donor countries such as Japan to help pay for the doses.

“Once a sufficient quantity of vaccines is available … vaccination will be implemented as part of the response,” Kacita Osako, the minister of health, stated.

Dr. Dimie Ogoina, an mpox expert at Niger Delta University, believes the new findings are a frightening reminder of a previous — but distinct — outbreak.

A New Form Of Mpox That May Spread More Easily Found In Congo’s Biggest Outbreak

“The notable spread among sex workers is reminiscent of the early stages of HIV,” he said, adding that biases about treating sexually transmitted infections and persons with mpox’s unwillingness to speak up were concerning.

Dr. Michael Ryan, WHO’s emergency chief, stated last week that, despite the continuous spread of mpox in Africa and elsewhere, “there has not been a single donor dollar invested.”

SOURCE – (AP)

On Tuesday, Walmart, the biggest retailer in the United States, announced that it would shut down all 51 healthcare centers in six states and terminate its virtual healthcare services.

In the past several years, Walmart has significantly expanded its presence in the healthcare industry. The company has opened clinics adjacent to its superstores in several states, including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, and Texas.

These clinics provide a wide range of medical services, such as basic and urgent care, laboratory testing, X-rays, behavioral health services, and dental treatments. Walmart was confident that it could utilize its extensive financial resources and network of stores to provide convenient and affordable services to people in rural and underserved regions where access to primary healthcare was limited.

Walmart Will Close All Of Its Health Care Clinics

However, this statement signifies a sudden change in Walmart’s approach, which could result in a lack of access to healthcare, especially for economically disadvantaged individuals without insurance who depend on these clinics. Additionally, Walmart announced its decision to discontinue virtual healthcare services.

One distinctive aspect was their emphasis on stores situated in underprivileged communities. Ateev Mehrotra, a professor of health care policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School who studies retail health clinics, expressed disappointment that Walmart was unable to succeed in providing care for individuals who have few options.

Walmart stated that its decision to discontinue its healthcare initiative was based on the lack of profitability due to the difficult reimbursement environment and increasing operating costs.

The organization stated that it has concluded that there is no viable and enduring business model for it to proceed with.

Mehrotra stated that Walmart’s closures indicate the difficulties faced by primary care professionals in the United States. The Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a potential deficit of up to 55,000 primary care physicians in the coming decade.

Walmart Will Close All Of Its Health Care Clinics

“This experience underscores the financial challenges that primary care faces as a whole.” “It truly reflects the challenges that primary clinics are encountering,” he stated.

Walmart has announced its intention to maintain the operation of its 4,600 pharmacies and over 3,000 optical facilities nationwide.

Walmart established clinics to address the needs of its customers who lack health insurance and those who have insurance plans with substantial deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.

In 2020, Walmart CEO Doug McMillion indicated that the healthcare care field appeared to be a significant prospect shortly after the initial clinics were established.

High expenses and limited availability of primary healthcare services remain ongoing obstacles, particularly in rural regions. Walmart selected certain locations based on their higher prevalence of chronic diseases and lower number of primary care providers compared to the average towns in the United States.

In 2020, Marcus Osborne, the former vice president of health and wellness transformation at Walmart, informed CNN that those who frequently visited the clinics had not received medical attention from a primary care physician for two to three years or dental care for five years.

Walmart Will Close All Of Its Health Care Clinics

According to Robert Field, a professor of health administration and policy at Drexel University, Walmart encountered various difficulties with its health clinics, such as a scarcity of medical personnel.

According to him, the closures of Walmart demonstrate that success in the retail industry does not necessarily indicate success in the healthcare sector.

“Selling services is distinct from selling products such as toothpaste and breakfast cereal, and necessitates distinct expertise and management,” Field stated.

SOURCE – (CNN)

ZYN is a product that I would like to know more about.

Zyn is an oral pouch consisting of powdered nicotine and several flavorings such as mint, coffee, and citrus. Pouches represent the most rapidly expanding sector within the tobacco business, which has faced challenges for many years in trying to compensate for declining cigarette sales.

Philip Morris International promotes Zyn specifically to adult individuals who use tobacco. Despite the absence of tobacco, U.S. regulations classify it as a tobacco product.

Rival companies offer comparable merchandise. For example, Altria offers its own branded flavored pouches called On.

Users place them in the space between their lips and gums, allowing for a gradual delivery of nicotine that is taken into circulation at a low rate. Due to the absence of tobacco in pouches, spitting was unnecessary, which was common with traditional products such as chew and snuff.

According to Philip Morris executives, including solely nicotine in Zyn’s composition is one factor that makes it attractive.

“Individuals may hesitate to transition to an oral tobacco product if they perceive it to be comparable to conventional chewing tobacco,” stated Corey Henry, the company’s spokesperson. “Zyn places significant importance on consumer acceptability.”

Is Zyn considered to be a healthier alternative to other tobacco products?

Tobacco products entail significant health hazards. Cigarettes are universally recognized as the most detrimental, heightening the probability of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory issues. Chewing tobacco is associated with the development of oral cancer, periodontal disease, and dental attrition.

However, during the past ten years, experts and health regulators have started recognizing varying degrees of risk associated with different tobacco products.

In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration declared that snus, an alternative oral tobacco product, contains fewer carcinogenic substances compared to cigarettes. This makes it a potentially advantageous option for smokers who choose to transition.

Snus and nicotine pouches, such as Zyn, share similarities, but the key difference is that Snus contains fermented tobacco. Research conducted in Sweden and other countries where smokeless tobacco is widely used has demonstrated a decreased incidence of lung cancer and related illnesses in comparison to European nations with higher rates of smoking.

Limited information is available regarding the long-term impacts of nicotine pouches, but many researchers anticipate that these pouches will exhibit comparably low levels of carcinogens and other harmful substances.

However, they are still secure. A recent investigation discovered that Zyn and comparable products contain minimal amounts of toxic chemicals, such as ammonia and formaldehyde.

Will the FDA grant authorization for the use of ZYN among adult smokers?

Currently, FDA regulators are allowing Zyn to remain on the market while evaluating Philip Morris’ marketing application, which was filed in 2020.

To obtain FDA approval, corporations typically need to demonstrate that their products effectively decrease disease rates among adult tobacco consumers while also avoiding any appeal to teenagers and adolescents.

Contrary to the most recent official data. Last year, when polled, only 1.5% of high school and middle school students reported utilizing nicotine pouches. That figure is significantly lower than the approximately 10% of those who utilized electronic cigarettes.

However, anti-tobacco proponents highlight concerning indications: videos depicting young individuals consuming the pouches have accumulated millions of views on social media in recent months. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a notable increase in online engagement that preceded the emergence of Juul, a stylish e-cigarette that has been severely criticized for contributing to a significant increase in teenage smoking.

The issue of Zyn becoming viral has ignited a contentious discussion among health professionals, parents, and even politicians.

The FDA is actively monitoring the usage of Zyn and other pouches among underage individuals and will intervene if deemed appropriate.

Only a limited number of items have received FDA approval to aid in smoking cessation. These include medicines, nicotine gums, and patches. According to several studies, Zyn functions similarly to those products by gradually administering nicotine, which helps to decrease cravings.

However, a preliminary study indicates that Zyn and other pouches may not be sufficient in aiding smokers to quit.

According to a recent study by researchers at Ohio State University, it takes smokers between 30 and 60 minutes to take in enough nicotine via Zyn to satisfy their cravings. Smokers were able to attain equivalent levels of nicotine and relief for five minutes by using cigarettes.

Philip Morris is only concerned with acquiring FDA approval to continue selling its products. In the future, the company intends to pursue a designation that recognizes its products as having a lower risk, comparable to snus. However, it is worth noting that no tobacco corporation, including Philip Morris, has ever made a formal request to the FDA for the approval of their products as aids to facilitate complete cessation of smoking.

SOURCE – (AP)