Association Between ABO Blood Group System and COVID-19 Severity.

OBJECTIVES: A possible association between blood group systems (ABO and Rh) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity has recently been investigated by various studies with conflicting results. However, due to variations in the prevalence of the ABO and Rh blood groups in different populations, their association with COVID-19 might be varied as well. Therefore, we conducted this study on Libyan participants to further investigate this association and make population-based data available to the worldwide scientific community. METHODS: In this case-control study, ABO and Rh blood groups in 419 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Zawia, Libya, and 271 healthy controls were compared using descriptive statistics and χ 2 tests. RESULTS: Blood group A was significantly more prevalent in patients with severe COVID-19 (64/125; 51.2%) than in patients with nonsevere COVID-19 (108/294, 36.7%) (P < .034), whereas the O blood group prevalence was higher in nonsevere COVID-19 cases (131/294, 44.5%) compared with severe cases (43/125, 34.4%) (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The results showed a significant association between blood group A and the severity of COVID-19, whereas patients with blood group O showed a low risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection. No significant association was found between Rh and susceptibility/severity of the disease.

The Differential Effects of Oil Prices on the Development of Renewable Energy in Oil-Importing and Oil-Exporting Countries in Africa

The shift to renewable sources of energy has become a critical economic priority in African countries due to energy challenges. However, investors in the development of renewable energy face problems with decision making due to the existence of multiple criteria, such as oil prices and the associated macroeconomic performance. This study aims to analyze the differential effects of international oil prices and other macroeconomic factors on the development of renewable energy in both oil-importing and oil-exporting countries in Africa. The study uses a panel vector error correction model (P-VECM) to analyze data from five net oil exporters (Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Libya and Nigeria) and five net oil importers (Kenya, Ethiopia, Congo, Mozambique and South Africa). The study finds that higher oil prices positively affect the development of renewable energy in oil-importing countries by making renewable energy more economically competitive. Economic growth is also identified as a major driver of the development of renewable energy. While high-interest rates negatively affect the development of renewable energy in oil-importing countries, it has positive effects in oil-exporting countries. Exchange rates play a crucial role in the development of renewable energy in both types of countries with a negative effect in oil-exporting countries and a positive effect in oil-importing countries. The findings of this study suggest that policymakers should take a holistic approach to the development of renewable energy that considers the complex interplay of factors, such as oil prices, economic growth, interest rates, and exchange rates.

The Effect of Combining the COVID-19 Vaccine with the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine on Reducing COVID-19 Vaccine Rejection Among Libyans.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine coverage remains low in Libya compared to other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This study aimed to evaluate the willingness of the general public in Libya to receive COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines. Additionally, the study aimed to investigate the potential effect of combining the two vaccines to reduce COVID-19 vaccine rejection. METHODS: An anonymous nationwide online cross-sectional survey was carried out from 1st September to 16th October 2022. Libyans aged 18 years or older were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling approaches. The participants were surveyed for sociodemographic information, health status, and vaccination attitude towards COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines. RESULTS: A total of 2484 participants formed the final study sample: 68.7% were females, 39.4% were aged 18-25 years, 50.4% were single, 32.5% had previous COVID-19 infection, and 47.2% experienced COVID-19 death among relatives. Three-fourths of the respondents showed COVID-19 vaccine rejection: 57.3% did not receive COVID-19 vaccination, 10.1% would not complete the primary vaccination series, and 7.8% refused booster doses. About 55.0% rejected seasonal influenza vaccination, while 1.9% reported influenza vaccine uptake and 21.2% were willing to get the influenza vaccine for the first time. Additionally, 18.8% had already received influenza vaccination in the last year and intended to get the vaccine this season, while 3.3% were unwilling to get influenza vaccination this year despite receiving it in the last influenza season. Age, sex, and occupation were significantly associated with COVID-19 and influenza vaccine rejection. Rejection of COVID-19 vaccination decreased if its combination with influenza vaccine as a single dose was suggested, with 28.2% of the COVID-19 vaccine rejector group accepting the combined vaccine as it would be safer (50.9%), needing fewer injections (24.0%), would be more effective (19.1%), and would be less expensive (3%). Approximately 73.0% of the COVID-19 vaccine rejector group refused this combination due to fear of side effects (48.7%), absence of published studies on this combination (29.8%), and considering this combination as useless (11.2%). CONCLUSION: In Libya, the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine rejection was high, while the rejection of seasonal influenza vaccination was relatively lower. If influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are administered simultaneously as a single injection, this may reduce the rejection of the COVID-19 vaccine due to better-perceived vaccine safety and efficacy besides being more convenient in terms of the number of injections and cost.

A Preliminary Study on the Frequency of Influenza Infections during the Early 2022 Amid COVID-19 Epidemic in Libya

Background At the time of conducting this study, we were at the peak of the influenza season, and influenza vaccinations were not readily accessible throughout the country. Thus, predisposing many high-risk individuals to influenza infections in a time when coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was also highly circulating, and the emerging Omicron variant of concern was peaking in many countries worldwide.Methods We conducted a brief survey to prospectively estimate the frequency of influenza A and B and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) in samples received at our laboratories at Libyan Biotechnology Research Center, Tripoli, Libya, between December 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022, for patients complaining of respiratory symptoms using a multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-COV-2, influenza A and B, and RSV.Results We analyzed nasopharyngeal swabs in viral transport media from 2,186 samples. About 27% (589/2186) of study patients tested positive for SARS-COV-2, 2.8% (61/2186) were positive for influenza A virus, 0.18% (4/2186) for influenza B virus, and 1.4% (31/2186) tested positive for RSV.Conclusions These results revealed that along with COVID-19, influenza infections were also rising. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the most significant concern is the development of an influenza outbreak in the upcoming months. Therefore, continuing annual influenza vaccination is critical to increasing population immunity. National influenza surveillance and testing should also be conducted. Furthermore, sequencing and antigenic characterization should be performed regularly. There is a need for continuous monitoring in national laboratories to detect any zoonotic cases and substantial viral evolution.

Isolation of Carbapenem and Colistin Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria Colonizing Immunocompromised SARS-CoV-2 Patients Admitted to Some Libyan Hospitals.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a devastating effect, globally. We describe, for the first time, the occurrence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria colonizing SARS-CoV-2 patients who developed hospital-associated infections with carbapenemase-producing, Gram-negative bacteria at some isolation centers of SARS-CoV-2 in the eastern part of Libya. In total, at first, 109 samples were collected from 43 patients, with the samples being recovered from oral (n = 35), nasal (n = 45), and rectal (n = 29) cavities. Strain identification was performed via matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out on Mueller-Hinton agar, using the standard disk diffusion method. MIC determination was confirmed via E-TEST and microdilution standard methods. A molecular study was carried out to characterize the carbapenem and colistin resistance in Gram-negative bacterial strains. All of the positive results were confirmed via sequencing. Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 32), Citrobacter freundii (n = 21), Escherichia coli (n = 7), and Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 21) were the predominant isolated bacteria. Gram-negative isolates were multidrug-resistant and carried different carbapenem resistance-associated genes, including NDM-1 (56/119; 47.05%), OXA-48 (15/119; 12.60%), OXA-23 (19/119; 15.96%), VIM (10/119; 8.40%), and the colistin resistance mobile gene mcr-1 (4/119; 3.36%). The overuse of antimicrobials, particularly carbapenem antibiotics, during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, mainly K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, and colistin-resistant E. coli strains. Increased surveillance as well as the rational use of carbapenem antibiotics and, recently, colistin are required to reduce the propagation of multidrug-resistant strains and to optimally maintain the efficacy of these antibiotics. IMPORTANCE In this work, we describe, for the first time, the occurrence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria colonizing COVID-19 patients who developed hospital-associated infections with carbapenemase-producing, Gram-negative bacteria at some isolation centers of COVID-19 in the eastern part of Libya. Our results confirmed that the overuse of antimicrobials, such as carbapenem antibiotics, during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, mainly K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii, as well as colistin resistance.

Telepsychiatry in the Arab world: A viewpoint before and during COVID-19

Purpose: Telepsychiatry, a subset of telemedicine, has been increasingly studied to meet the growing demands for psychiatric care. The utility of telepsychiatry is relevant now more than ever as the world endures the COVID-19 global pandemic. This paper describes the prior state and the changes that the COVID-19 outbreak brought to telepsychiatry in a selected group of Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Patients and Methods: We invited twelve early-career psychiatrists from different Arab nations to share information related to telepsychiatry in their respective countries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The information was collected using a semi-structured guide. This was complemented by a search for relevant articles in five search engines using terms such as "COVID-19," "telepsychiatry," and "Arab world". Results: Before the pandemic, digital mental health services were provided in several Arab countries, mainly through hotlines and messaging services. The COVID-19 pandemic has marked a major shift in digital psychiatric services in the Arab MENA world, through the transformation of many clinics and some hospitals into digital mental health systems. Many non-governmental organizations also started remote initiatives for psychological support and psychiatric counseling. Three main barriers of patient-related, healthcare-related, and system-related hurdles of using telepsychiatry emanated from the analysis. Conclusion: The use of digital mental health services varies between different Arab countries. Even though some nations have laws that regulate the provision of such services, most struggle with multifactorial barriers. As affordable and attainable solutions cannot only rely on training and recruiting more psychiatrists, telepsychiatry would help meet the exceeding demands in the Arab world, particularly after the COVID-19 outbreak. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Genomic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of sars-cov-2 in libya

The COVID-19 epidemic started in Libya in March 2020 and rapidly spread. To shed some light on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains circulating in Libya, viruses isolated from 10 patients in this country were sequenced, characterized at the genomic level, and compared to genomes isolated in other parts of the world. As nine genomes out of 10 belonged to the SS1 cluster and one to SS4, three datasets were built. One included only African strains and the other two contained internationally representative SS1 and SS4 genomes. Genomic analysis showed that the Libyan strains have some peculiar features in addition to those reported in other world regions. Considering the countries in which the strains are genetically more similar to the Libyan strains, SARS-CoV-2 could have entered Libya from a North African country (possibly Egypt), sub-Saharan Africa (e.g., Ghana, Mali, Nigeria), the Middle East (e.g., Saudi Arabia), or Asia (India, Bangladesh).Copyright © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

What are tourism's growth drivers and challenges in the Middle East?

PurposeTourism in the Middle East is distinct and diverse, as are its associated challenges. The purpose of this paper is to examine the various opportunities and constraints facing the Middle East region in developing and promoting its tourism.Design/methodology/approachContent analysis of the current literature was conducted, and industry white papers and government portals were consulted to identify the historical relevance, current proceedings and future scope of tourism in the Middle East.FindingsGiven the diverse attractions, history, heritage and cuisine, the scope and potential to develop tourism in the Middle East region is enormous. However, political turmoil in the past and its stereotypical image emerged as the major constraints. Acknowledging the significance of the tourism sector, the governments of the region are trying hard to improve international arrivals and revenues.Originality/valueDespite a steep growth in international arrivals, tourism in the Middle East has not been adequately addressed in academia. This paper highlights the region's tourism-related background, issues and constraints, thus, addressing a critical gap in the literature.

The assessment and improvement of the value chains and added value of agricultural commodities in the south of Libya: with a special emphasis on women's livelihoods

This report first describes the context of the agriculture sector in Libya and in the south of the country, the impact of the ongoing conflict in the country since 2011 and of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the specific configuration of the sectors in the south of the country. Secondly, it describes the main challenges in the value chains and added value of selected major crops cultivated in the south of Libya, providing an analysis and assessment of the cooperatives and associations in the region with significant involvement and participation of women. The value chains and added value have been evaluated and characterized for four crops (tomatoes, watermelons, mangos and dates). The study found the value chains of the assessed crops to be highly deficient, with almost no proper postharvest handling practices, and there is an almost total lack of added value. Surveys, interviews and studies in the region have identified three types of involvement of women in food and/or agriculture: (1) very few women are members of classical agricultural cooperatives;(2) some women are members of civil society organizations (CSOs) involved in agricultural and/or food activities;and (3) many individual women not associated with groups, associations and cooperatives perform some agricultural and/or food activities.

Clinical Characteristics of the First 100 Patients of COVID-19 in Tobruk, Libya: A Brief Report From Low-Resource Settings.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to report the clinical features of a cohort of patients with suspected coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from Tobruk, Libya, and reflect upon the diagnosis challenge in low-resource settings. METHODS: A descriptive report of the first 100 patients with suspected COVID-19 who have visited the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and COVID-19 screening clinic at the National Centre for Disease Control in Tobruk, Libya. RESULTS: The most common presenting symptoms were fever (90%), cough (89%), dyspnea (85%), sore throat (79%), fatigue (78%), headache (64%), loss of smell (52%), loss of taste (53%), loss of appetite (43%), nausea and vomiting (26%), diarrhea (22%), and rhinorrhea (16%); 51% of the patients had lymphocytopenia, whereas 13% had thrombocytopenia. Bilateral infiltrates were the most common radiologic finding on chest X-ray (76%), and COVID-19 IgM and/or IgG antibodies were detected in 80% of the patients, whereas only 37% of the patients were tested positive by the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). CONCLUSIONS: The disease continued its spread across the region. Fever, cough, and dyspnea were the main symptoms; 21% of the patients did not have any chest X-ray abnormalities. Initial negative results for either antibody testing or RT-PCR-testing for COVID-19 do not rule out the infection.

AI and the Automation of Warfare

Packer and Reeves also collaborated on the forthcoming co-authored book Prison House of the Circuit: Politics of Control from Analog to Digital (Packer, Nuñez de Villavicencio, Monea, Oswald, Maddalena, & Reeves, in press). [...]just two or three weeks ago, the U.N. released a report explaining that it's likely that the first instance of autonomous drones making their own decision to kill soldiers occurred in a skirmish in Libya in March 2020 (United Nations Security Council, 2021). [...]I think there's a general recognition by folks in the military, by journalists writing about this issue, by intellectuals, that there has been a shift in the past half century, 75 years, to a different kind of warfare. In terms of a paradigm, too, I'm also just interested because the American military, post-Vietnam, has described itself as subscribing to the idea of information warfare-using embedded journalists, managing the flows of information surrounding conflicts. Media doot only manipulate soldiers to fight better and citizens to support various military efforts but rather, the scale of warfare has reached a level of complication that without a vast logistical apparatus, war is going to be lost-that logistical terrain of war is going to be lost-and the "logistically dominant" force, nation, (or) group of allies will prevail.

Understanding the Foremost Challenges in the Transition to Online Teaching and Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review

The study aims to understand the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopts the PRISMA approach to screening the selection of journal articles and review papers according to the research aims and the inclusion criteria. The journal articles and review papers were extracted and stored in Microsoft Excel and Google Scholar, Academic. Microsoft, Semantic Scholar, Elsevier, and Emerald Insight databases searched relevant documents using formulated keywords. A statistical technique was applied using the M.S. Excel analysis tool (PivotTable and an independent t-Test) to analyze data and determine the differences between teachers and students. The review revealed the evidence that the majority of the studies were primarily focused on the individual developing countries and results from other developing countries were not considered. In addition, the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic were inadequate skills and training, inadequate Internet/Infrastructure, lack of supporting resources and lack of online student engagement and feedback. Finally, the independent t-test reveals there is no statistically significant difference in challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both teachers and students encounter similar challenges. The systematic review raised concerns that higher learning needs to effectively implement long term strategies and support teachers and students in getting into online teaching and learning.

A Preliminary Study on the Frequency of Influenza Infections during the Early 2022 Amid COVID-19 Epidemic in Libya

Background At the time of conducting this study, we were at the peak of the influenza season, and influenza vaccinations were not readily accessible throughout the country. Thus, predisposing many high-risk individuals to influenza infections in a time when coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was also highly circulating, and the emerging Omicron variant of concern was peaking in many countries worldwide.Methods We conducted a brief survey to prospectively estimate the frequency of influenza A and B and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) in samples received at our laboratories at Libyan Biotechnology Research Center, Tripoli, Libya, between December 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022, for patients complaining of respiratory symptoms using a multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-COV-2, influenza A and B, and RSV.Results We analyzed nasopharyngeal swabs in viral transport media from 2,186 samples. About 27% (589/2186) of study patients tested positive for SARS-COV-2, 2.8% (61/2186) were positive for influenza A virus, 0.18% (4/2186) for influenza B virus, and 1.4% (31/2186) tested positive for RSV.Conclusions These results revealed that along with COVID-19, influenza infections were also rising. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the most significant concern is the development of an influenza outbreak in the upcoming months. Therefore, continuing annual influenza vaccination is critical to increasing population immunity. National influenza surveillance and testing should also be conducted. Furthermore, sequencing and antigenic characterization should be performed regularly. There is a need for continuous monitoring in national laboratories to detect any zoonotic cases and substantial viral evolution.

Telemedicine interventions in six conflict-affected countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has escalated the use of telemedicine in both high and low resource settings however its use has preceded this, particularly in conflict-affected settings. Several countries in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean (EMR) region are affected by complex, protracted crises. Though telemedicine has been used in such settings, there has been no comprehensive assessment of what interventions are used, their efficacy, barriers, or current research gaps. MAIN BODY: A systematic search of ten academic databases and 3 grey literature sources from January 1st 2000 to December 31st 2020 was completed, identifying telemedicine interventions in select EMR conflict-affected settings and relevant enablers and barriers to their implementation. Included articles reported on telemedicine use in six conflict-affected EMR countries (or territories) graded as WHO Health Emergencies: Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen. Data were extracted and narratively synthesised due to heterogeneity in study design and outcomes. Of 3419 articles identified, twenty-one peer-reviewed and three grey literature sources met the inclusion criteria. We analysed these by context, intervention, and evaluation. CONTEXT: eight related to Afghanistan, eight to Syria and seven to Iraq with one each in Yemen and Gaza. Most were implemented by humanitarian or academic organisations with projects mostly initiated in the United States or Europe and mostly by physicians. The in-country links were mostly health professionals rather than patients seeking specialist inputs for specialities not locally available. INTERVENTIONS: these included both SAF (store and forward) and RT (real-time) with a range of specialities represented including radiology, histopathology, dermatology, mental health, and intensive care. EVALUATION: most papers were observational or descriptive with few describing quality measures of interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine interventions are feasible in conflict-affected settings in EMR using low-cost, accessible technologies. However, few implemented interventions reported on evaluation strategies or had these built in. The ad hoc nature of some of the interventions, which relied on volunteers without sustained financial or academic investment, could pose challenges to quality and sustainability. There was little exploration of confidentiality, ethical standards, data storage or local healthcare worker and patient acceptability.

The diagnostic performance of chest computed tomography scanning in the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 compared to polymerase chain reaction: A retrospective study of 1240 cases from Tripoli University Hospital, Libya

OBJECTIVE: The increasing prevalence of suspected cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presenting to emergency departments (EDs) requires a rapid and reliable triaging tool. The diagnostic performance of chest computed tomography (CT) has yet to be validated for triaging cases in the ED. We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of chest CT compared to GeneXpert Xpress Xpert severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test in rapidly diagnosing COVID-19 among patients with respiratory symptoms presenting to the ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-center study at Tripoli University Hospital including cases with respiratory symptoms who underwent chest CT as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for suspected COVID-19 between May 18 and August 18, 2020. RESULTS: A total of 1240 cases were included, among whom 570 had radiologically evident COVID-19 on chest CT (46%). Five hundred and sixty-five cases had positive PCR results (45.6%), of whom 557 had radiologically evident COVID-19 on chest CT (97.7%). The calculated accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 98%, 98.5%, 98%, 97.7%, and 98.8%, respectively, in relation to the PCR results. CONCLUSION: During the current pandemic, chest CT is a quick and reliable diagnostic tool for COVID-19 in the ED.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes among patients with COVID-19: A single-center retrospective observational study from Marj, Libya.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical characteristics and the contributing factors potentially associated with the poorer outcome in Libyan COVID-19 ICU patients. METHODS: The present work is a retrospective, single-center study, which included 94 COVID-19 patients admitted to the Isolation Department at Marj Hospital from August 21st, 2020 till April 30th, 2021. The patients' data, including their medical history, clinical manifestations, radiological imaging, and laboratory findings, were obtained from the hospital records. RESULTS: A higher proportion of the admitted patients were males. The patients' mean age was 68.29 ± 13.64. The patients came with varying symptoms, but most commonly they were affected by dyspnea, fever, cough, and fatigue. Diabetes was the most common underlying comorbidity; nonetheless, other chronic diseases like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, and lung diseases individually affected a significant proportion of patients. Although there was no effect of gender on patients' outcomes, age had a significant influence on the disease consequences. CONCLUSION: There was a strong effect of age on ICU admission and patients' surviving the illness. Diabetes was the most common underlying comorbid disease in COVID-19 patients. On admission time, inflammatory markers such as CRP, D-dimer, serum ferritin, and LDH, in common, were the most important indicators of poorer prognosis. Male gender, comorbidity, and symptomology adversely affected the rate of admission but not the patient survival.

Expanding Non-Patient COVID-19 Data: Towards the FAIRification of Migrants’ Data in Tunisia, Libya and Niger

This article describes the FAIRification process (which involves making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable – or FAIR – for both machines and humans) for data related to the impact of COVID-19 on migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Tunisia, Libya and Niger, according to the scheme adopted by GO FAIR. This process was divided into three phases: pre-FAIRification, FAIRification and post-FAIRification. Each phase consisted of seven steps. In the first phase, 118 in-depth interviews and 565 press articles and research reports were collected by students and researchers at the University of Sousse in Tunisia and researchers in Niger. These interviews, articles and reports constitute the dataset for this research. In the second phase, the data were sorted and converted into a machine actionable format and published on a FAIR Data Point hosted at the University of Sousse. In the third phase, an assessment of the implementation of the FAIR Guidelines was undertaken. Certain barriers and challenges were faced in this process and solutions were found. For FAIR data curation, certain changes need to be made to the technical process. People need to be convinced to make these changes and that the implementation of FAIR will generate a long-term return on investment. Although the implementation of FAIR Guidelines is not straightforward, making our resources FAIR is essential to achieving better science together. © 2022 Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

Variant-specific RT-qPCR for rapid screening of B.1.617 mutations in SARS-CoV-2.

The continuous emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants required rapid and reliable diagnostic methods for early detection and monitoring of the spread of the virus, especially in low-resource countries where whole genome sequencing is not available. We aimed to evaluate and compare the performance of two different RT-qPCR screening assays for the detection of B.1.617 lineage mutations. A total of 85 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples were collected between 9th August and 10 September 2021 and screened by two mutation-specific RT-qPCR assays for simultaneous detection of B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2 lineage mutations. VIASURE Variant II PCR assay identified 2 Delta variant-specific mutations (L452R, and P681 R) in 80% of tested samples, while the PKamp™ Variant Detect™ assay was only able to detect one Delta variant specific mutation (L452R) in 75% of tested samples. This is the first report to show the Delta variant as the cause of the third wave in Libya. The use of multiplex RT-qPCR assays has allowed the identification of new variants for rapid screening. However, RT-qPCR results should be confirmed by whole genome sequencing of SARS-COV-2.

Q&A: Israel-Gaza conflict halts vaccine rollout

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), conflicts in the region have left around 17 million refugees. How could the WHO approve the vaccine when clinical trials didn’t target a significant number of people and when, according to a document published by Reuters, some WHO experts were sceptical? There have also been some trials on people above 60 years old but on a smaller number, so it is hard to measure the efficacy for this group. [...]WHO recommends that countries using the vaccine should monitor its safety and efficacy.

The Sahel: Challenges and opportunities

Since 2015, over 2000 people have been killed and 1.5 million displaced due to violence attributed to extremist groups in Burkina Faso. In the first half of 2021 alone, over 540 conflict-related civilian casualties were reported in Niger.9 The armed conflict has had a devastating impact on children in Niger: of the 3.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid in Niger, 2.1 million are children and 1.6 million children suffer from malnutrition.10 More than eighty children between the ages of 15 and 17 years living in towns on the Niger–Burkina Faso border have reportedly been recruited as child soldiers.11 Over sixty children were killed in conflict-related violence in Niger in 2021 alone.12 Chad has also witnessed its fair share of violence and intercommunal tensions. In their efforts to coerce the Sahelian people and government decision-makers for ransom or political concessions, these groups have employed various terrorist activities, including launching deadly attacks against civilians and military targets alike, attacking public and private property, kidnapping individuals, and more.18 Weak State institutions around the inter-State borders have enabled such groups to flourish in the peripheries and border towns, targeting people in multiple countries at once. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger saw over 4000 casualties of terrorist attacks in 2019;19 these attacks led, in turn, to the displacement of over half a million people.20 The growing presence of “terrorist” groups in the Sahel has also intensified organized crime and criminal networks that have served as routes for lucrative criminal activities such as drugs, arms trade, human trafficking and the kidnapping of persons for ransom.