ABSTRACT
The paper documents environmental health conditions and healthcare access challenges faced by internally displaced people (IDPs) from Borno State living in informal settlements in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study with 32 IDPs suggests a high vulnerability to COVID-19. Their accommodation often lacked basic sanitation including water and toilet facilities;overcrowding and high population density restricted ability to adhere to social distancing;and IDPs experienced serious consequences from lockdown, as the majority depended on daily wages, and did not receive food packages or other support from the State. Finally, there were obstacles to accessing healthcare. We highlight the importance of an integrated approach, consolidating the efforts of communities, non-governmental organisations, environmental and public health, and international organisations to address the health and well-being issues of IDPs in urban informal settlements.
ABSTRACT
The results of numerical modeling of air pollution using CHIMERE and COSMO-ART chemical transport models are presented. The modeling was performed according to the scenarios of the 50–60% reduction of emissions from anthropogenic sources in the Moscow region during the period of March–July 2020. Scenario calculations of pollutant concentrations were compared with baseline simulations using regionally adapted inventory of anthropogenic pollutant emissions to the atmosphere. The most significant decrease in the concentrations of NO2 and CO was reproduced by the models when emissions from two sectoral sources (vehicles and nonindustrial plants) were reduced. The PM10 drop was mostly influenced by the reduction of emissions from industrial combustion. With the total reduction of emissions from anthropogenic sources as compared to the baseline calculations, the pollutant concentration decreased by 44–54% for NO2, by 38–44% for CO, and by 26–39% for PM10. This generally coincides with the quantitative estimates of the pollution level drop obtained by other authors. The greatest effect of reducing pollutant emissions into the atmosphere was found during the episodes of adverse weather conditions for air purification, when the simulated and observed pollution level increases by 3–5 times as compared to the conditions of intense pollutant dispersion.
ABSTRACT
We present information on ozone concentration in the surface air layer in the second half of 2020. Data were obtained at 13 stations located in different regions of Russia. We estimated the excess over hygienic standards of the Russian Federation, both in the second half of the year and throughout 2020. It is shown that the daily average maximum permissible concentration of ozone is regularly exceeded at all stations. There are cases of exceeding the one-time maximum permissible concentration.
ABSTRACT
The mobile complexes of the specialized anti-epidemic teams (SAET) of the Rospotrebnadzor (mounted on the platform of auto chassis) have been actively involved in implementation of operational measures to counter COVID-19 in the Russian Federation, aimed at management and conducting of diagnostic studies. Analysis of the activities of mobile SAET in Moscow and Makhachkala made it possible to formulate the basic principles of organizing their work in the most difficult period of negative development of the situation, increasing incidence and insufficient readiness of laboratory bases for mass research: tactics of advance actions, flexibility in using the potential of SAET mobile complexes, monitoring over the implementation of anti-contamination measures at all stages of PCR analysis and the development of a consultative and methodological (training) aspects of activities of the team specialists. The use of mobile SAETs of the Rospotrebnadzor once again demonstrated their significance as a universal tool to counter epidemics of infectious diseases. © 2020 Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
To date, descriptive results of a clinical and morphological study of novel coronavirus COVID-19 infection, mainly of the lungs, have appeared. However, in other organs, primarily in the cardiovascular system, there are substantial structural changes that lead to multiple organ dysfunction and contribute to death. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the thanatogenetic significance of novel coronavirus COVID-19 infection in different age and gender groups and to describe the main morphopathological manifestations in various organs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The investigators carried out a comprehensive analysis of 700 autopsies of people disease from the novel coronavirus COVID-19 infection, which included an examination of gross changes reflected in the autopsy protocols and forensic medical examination reports, as well as that of microscopic changes detected during histological examination of organs. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) using mouse or rabbit antibodies to CD34, CD68, EMA, Ki67, caspase-3, and VEGF was employed in some observations. RESULTS: The novel coronavirus COVID-19 infection was the primary cause of death. Acute respiratory and pulmonary heart failure and multiple organ dysfunction became the leading thanatogenetic mechanisms in COVID-19. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and obesity were the most common diseases in patients with COVID-19. The most pronounced lung changes in COVID-19 were determined with a predominance of multiple total bilateral lesions of the lower lobes of the lungs, which was manifested by virus-induced changes in the parenchyma and stroma, as well as by microcirculation disorders. Acute dyscirculatory and ischemic changes in the parenchymal organs dominated in tissue damage caused by the virus. CONCLUSION: The changes in different organs of those who have died from the new coronavirus COVID-19 infection are stereotyped and include the manifestations of virus-induced action and a systemic inflammatory response with mainly microvasculature alteration, which leads to the development of coagulopathies and, accordingly, to total hypoxia.