Measles outbreak in Ethiopia amid COVID-19: an effect of war-induced hampering of vaccination and pandemic.

Measles, a highly infectious viral disease, is a leading cause of death among young children in many developing countries, including Ethiopia. Despite Ethiopia being the first large country to conduct a mass immunization campaign for measles in 2020 following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, in which over 14.5 million children in the country were vaccinated, there was another outbreak of measles in the country in the year 2022, especially in the eastern parts of the country. According to the WHO, a total of 9850 measles cases were suspected, out of which 5806 cases were confirmed, with 56 deaths (CFR=0.6%) in Ethiopia from January to 30 September 2022. The total number of cases crossed 10 000 cases by the end of October 2022. Amid COVID-19 and war times in Ethiopia posed serious challenges for the under-5 children to get access to vaccination against measles. We, therefore, urge the Ethiopian government to reach an amicable and diplomatic agreement with the civilians causing internal and intraethnic wars in the country as soon as possible, as this would prevent further hampering of measles vaccination for the Ethiopian people, most especially the children.

Year-round dengue fever in Pakistan, highlighting the surge amidst ongoing flood havoc and the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive review.

Dengue fever (DF) is an arthropod-borne viral infection caused by four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV 1-4) transmitted to the host by the vector mosquito Aedes, which causes fever, vomiting, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, and a distinctive itching and skin rash, ultimately leading to dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. The first case of DF in Pakistan was documented in 1994, but outbreak patterns began in 2005. As of 20 August 2022, Pakistan has 875 confirmed cases, raising alarming concerns. Misdiagnosis due to mutual symptoms, lack of an effective vaccine, the weakened and overburdened health system of Pakistan, irrational urbanization, climate change in Pakistan, insufficient waste management system, and a lack of awareness are the significant challenges Pakistan faces and result in recurrent dengue outbreaks every year. The recent flood in Pakistan has caused massive destruction, and stagnant dirty water has facilitated mosquito breeding. Sanitization and spraying, proper waste management, an adequate and advanced diagnostic system, control of population size, public awareness, and promotion of medical research and global collaboration, especially amidst flood devastation, are recommended to combat this deadly infection in Pakistan. This article aims to comprehensively review the year-round DF in Pakistan, highlighting the surge amidst ongoing flood havoc and the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Increased rhinovirus/enterovirus infections including Ev-D68 in the United States, a challenge for healthcare providers amidst influenza virus infection and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March 2020, WHO declared SARS-CoV-2 a global pandemic and lockdowns were enforced in most of the United States. Self-protective measures and travel restrictions were implemented, and schools/universities initiated online learning. Consequently, the global incidence and hospitalization rates of seasonal respiratory infections decreased significantly up to early 2021. Despite the decrease in hospitalization rates due to respiratory illnesses other than Covid-19, hospitals and healthcare providers faced huge stressors regarding workload dueto the pandemic. Furthermore, higher vaccination rates across the United States decreased non pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) implementation increasing the risk of major seasonal viral outbreaks. This editorial discusses the increased Rhinovirus/Enterovirus infections in the United States, challenges faced by healthcare providers and provides recommendations to address the issue.

Rise of syphilis surge amidst COVID-19 pandemic in the USA: A neglected concern.

Introduction: Syphilis is a treatable but highly contagious sexually transmitted disease (STI) that has a long history of infecting millions of people from diverse ethnicities and is mainly considered promiscuity. An uprise in syphilis cases is noted in the Coronavirus pandemic. This short communication discerns salient factors precipitating the syphilis upsurge, implications, current efforts, and recommendations. Discussion: A decrease in funds and investments for public health clinics during COVID-19 because the funds have been diverted for treating COVID-19 has resulted in a dramatic rise in syphilis. The main determinants of the increased spread of syphilis during the COVID-19 pandemic include unsafe sexual activities, reduced STI screening, lack of sufficient staff during the pandemic, and abandoning of STI programs and services. Recommendations: We recommend high-risk screening clinics and effective telehealth programs to combat against rising STI burden in the US.