Explainer: How concerned should we be about monkeypox? - CNA

NEW YORK: Global health officials have sounded the alarm over rising cases in Europe and elsewhere of monkeypox, a type of viral infection more common to west and central Africa.

As of Saturday (May 21), 92 confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported from 12 member states that are not endemic for the virus, the UN agency said.

The following is what is known about the current outbreak and relative risk of monkeypox:

HOW DANGEROUS IS IT?

The risk to the general public is low at this time, a US public health official told reporters at a briefing on Friday.

Monkeypox is a virus that can cause symptoms including fever, aches and presents with a distinctive bumpy rash.

It is related to smallpox, but is usually milder, particularly the West African strain of the virus that was identified in a US case, which has a fatality rate of around 1 per cent. Most people fully recover in two to four weeks, the official said.

The virus is not as easily transmitted as the SARS-CoV-2 virus that spurred the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Experts believe the current monkeypox outbreak is being spread through close, intimate skin on skin contact with someone who has an active rash. That should make its spread easier to contain once infections are identified, experts said.

"COVID-19 is spread by the respiratory route and is highly infectious. This doesn't appear to be the case with the monkeypox," said Dr Martin Hirsch of Massachusetts General Hospital.

Many - but not all - of the people who have been diagnosed in the current monkeypox outbreak are men who have sex with men, including cases in Spain linked to a sauna in the Madrid region.

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2022-05-22 03:20:00Z
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Vietnam sacks head of the country's main stock exchange over 'wrongdoing' - CNA

HANOI: Vietnam has fired general director of its main Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the government said on Saturday (May 21), as the country intensifies a long-running crackdown on officials it accuses of graft.

Le Hai Tra, 47, was dismissed for "having committed serious violations and wrongdoings", the government said in a statement, without elaborating. He was also expelled from the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Tra, who holds a double master's degree in Finance and Administration from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Vietnamese authorities in March called for the anti-corruption drive to be stepped up in the Southeast Asian country, with a focus on financial markets.

A series of high-profile corporate arrests on accusations of market manipulation triggered a US$40 billion wipeout for Vietnamese stocks and rattled investor confidence in the fast-growing economy.

Tra will be replaced by Tran Anh Dao, the deputy chief of HoSE, the government said.

Vietnam on Friday fired the chairman of its State Securities Commission, Tran Van Dung, over the same accusations as Tra's.

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2022-05-21 04:41:54Z
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Explainer: Why is monkeypox spreading around the world and should Singapore be concerned? - TODAY

SINGAPORE — Cases of monkeypox have been on the rise across the world, with a handful appearing in the United Kingdom over the last month, and new cases being reported in Australia, France, Italy and Sweden.

The United States also confirmed its first case on Wednesday (May 18) and there are 13 suspected cases in Canada.

This has caused alarm worldwide because the disease, which causes a distinctive bumpy rash among other symptoms, mainly occurs in west and central Africa and does not usually spread elsewhere in the world. 

However, infectious disease experts in Singapore told TODAY that the virus causing monkeypox is not a cause of concern here for now, and that the chances of widespread transmission is far lower than that of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus behind Covid-19. 

News agency BBC reported that since the first case of monkeypox was detected in the UK on May 7 from a patient who had travelled to Nigeria, there have been a total of 20 confirmed cases in the UK this month. 

There was one confirmed case in Sweden and one in Italy on Thursday, and on Friday, Australia reported its first case from a patient who had returned from Europe. 

Just what is this illness, why is it spreading farther now, and with the resumption of international travel during the Covid-19 pandemic, what should Singapore do to prevent an outbreak? TODAY speaks to several experts to find out more. 

WHAT IS MONKEYPOX? 

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the monkeypox virus is typically transmitted from animals to humans, from animal hosts such as rodents and monkeys.

It was first identified in the late 1950s in monkeys, then found in humans in the 1970s in the Democratic Republic of Congo, WHO’s website stated.

An infected person may have symptoms that include fever, headaches, swellings, back pain, aching muscles and a general fatigue.

Once the fever stops, a bumpy rash may develop, often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body, most commonly the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

The rash can be extremely itchy and it goes through different stages before finally forming a scab, which later falls off, but can cause scarring.

The infection usually clears up on its own with symptoms lasting between two and four weeks. 

Animal-to-human transmission of the virus can occur from direct contact such as through blood, bodily fluids or lesions of infected animals. 

Human-to-human transmission can happen from close contact with respiratory secretions such as mucus, skin lesions of an infected person or recently contaminated objects, WHO said. 

For transmissions via droplets from respiratory particles, there usually has to be prolonged face-to-face contact, and this puts health workers, household members and other close contacts of active cases at greater risk.

Outbreaks of human cases of monkeypox have been reported in 11 African countries since 1970. However, outbreaks have also occurred in various other countries, be they among animals or humans.

In 2003, there was a monkeypox outbreak in the US involving infected pet dogs.

In the late 2010s, the virus has also been detected in travellers who went from Nigeria to other countries — including Singapore in May 2019. 

The death rate for infected persons used to be 0 to 11 per cent, but in recent times, it has been around 3 to 6 per cent. 

Associate Professor Alex Cook said that this is higher than the death rate of Covid-19, but more developed countries such as Singapore should not be too concerned. 

The vice-dean of research at Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health added: "We would hope it should be lower in high-income countries with more healthcare resources."

WHY IS MONKEYPOX SPREADING TO MORE PLACES NOW?

Experts told TODAY that the spread of the virus has caught the world by surprise because it is not commonly spread among people.

However, new evidence does suggest that the virus is transmitted sexually between men who have consensual sex and this may explain why cases are spreading. 

Professor Dale Fisher, senior consultant at National University Hospital's division of infectious diseases, said that transmission of the virus is traditionally through animal-to-human contact, and that "human-to-human transmission is known to occur but is not common".

However, Dr Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said there is evidence that the disease is "no longer confined to animal-to-human transmission or to travellers", although the sample size has been small in these studies.

Based on the evidence so far, "there is a significant amount of human-to-human transmission in Europe also apparently among men who have sex with men", Dr Tambyah added.

This is the first time that the monkeypox virus has been associated with possible sexual transmission. 

Prof Fisher said that even though several monkeypox cases are being identified in this "male demographic", there could be a bias since sexual health clinics may be on higher alert than other settings based on the initial real-life counts.

"You are more likely to get diagnosed because doctors are really on the lookout for it," he said. "It’s a bias to consider when analysing figures." 

WHO stated on its website that close physical contact is a well-known risk factor for disease spread, but it is unclear at this time if the monkeypox virus can be passed specifically through sexual contact and that more studies are needed to better understand this risk.

Prof Fisher pointed out that there is also another aspect of the disease spread that is not understood yet: Infected persons who may not have severe symptoms and are still able to go about their lives, interacting with others and potentially spreading the virus further. 

Assoc Prof Cook said that measures to prevent disease spread will hinge closely on what is understood about how the virus is transmitted. 

"It is as yet unclear what the implications of that will be for infection control, though as more information is gathered, we get a better idea of what measures to take to prevent spread," he added. 

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2022-05-20 15:44:00Z
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WHO calls emergency meeting as monkeypox cases cross 100 in Europe - CNA

LONDON: The World Health Organization was due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday (May 20) to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common to west and central Africa, after more than 100 cases were confirmed or suspected in Europe.

In what Germany described as the largest-ever outbreak in Europe, cases have now been confirmed in at least five countries - the United Kingdom, Spain Portugal, Germany and Italy - as well as the United States, Canada and Australia.

First identified in monkeys, the disease typically spreads through close contact and has rarely spread outside Africa, so this series of cases has triggered concern.

However, scientists do not expect the outbreak to evolve into a pandemic like COVID-19, given the virus does not spread as easily as SARS-COV-2.

Monkeypox is usually a mild viral illness, characterised by symptoms of fever as well as a distinctive bumpy rash.

"With several confirmed cases in the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal, this is the largest and most widespread outbreak of monkeypox ever seen in Europe," said Germany's armed forces' medical service, which detected its first case in the country on Friday.

Fabian Leendertz, from the Robert Koch Institute, described the outbreak as an epidemic.

"However it is very unlikely that this epidemic will last long. The cases can be well isolated via contact tracing and there are also drugs and effective vaccines that can be used if necessary," he said.

There isn't a specific vaccine for monkeypox, but data shows that vaccines that were used to eradicate smallpox are up to 85 per cent effective against monkeypox, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

British authorities on Thursday said they had offered a smallpox vaccine to some healthcare workers and others who may have been exposed to monkeypox.

The WHO committee due to meet is the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Hazards with Pandemic and Epidemic Potential (STAG-IH), which advises WHO on infection risks that could pose a threat to global health.

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2022-05-20 13:15:00Z
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How Huawei landed at the centre of global tech tussle - CNA

China’s biggest tech firm, Huawei Technologies, has risen to global prominence as a leader in 5G, the much ballyhooed, next-generation wireless technology. It has also become a major target for the US, which has been trying to convince its allies to ban Huawei equipment from their national networks on spying concerns.

In May 2022, Canada became the latest country to sign on to the American effort. Underlying the wrangling is the question of which country will take the lead in the nascent, "everything-connected" era, and who gets left behind.

WHY DOES THE US HAVE AN ISSUE WITH HUAWEI? 

US government officials say Huawei is dangerous in part because it could use its growing share of the telecom equipment market to spy for the Chinese government.

Already in 2012, a report by the US House Intelligence Committee tagged Huawei and ZTE as potential security threats; the Federal Communications Commission in 2020 designated the companies as such and ordered US carriers to remove equipment made by them from their networks.

Concerns about Huawei drove the 2018 decision by then-President Donald Trump to block a hostile takeover bid from Broadcom, based at the time in Singapore, for the US chipmaker Communal. The deal could have curtailed American investments in chip and wireless technologies and handed global leadership to Huawei.

Such concerns have grown as carriers spend billions of dollars on new 5G networks, which will collect data and enable services on an unparalleled scale.

HOW IMPORTANT IS HUAWEI?

In just more than three decades it has grown from an electronics reseller into one of the world’s biggest private companies, with leading positions in telecommunications gear, smartphones, cloud computing and cybersecurity, and substantial operations in Asia, Europe and Africa.

Huawei generated 850 billion yuan (US$130 billion) in sales in 2019 - more than Boeing. It has plowed billions of dollars into 5G and broke into the top 10 recipients of US patents last year. It has helped build 5G networks in more than 10 countries and was set to do the same in another 20 in 2020.

US sanctions spooked some Huawei customers and suppliers globally, while Chinese consumers and carriers rallied to its side.

WHY IS ITS EQUIPMENT A SECURITY ISSUE?

The US government — like the Chinese and others — is wary of employing foreign technology in vital communications for fear that manufacturers could install hidden “backdoors” for spies to access sensitive data, or that the companies themselves would hand it over to their home governments.

The 5G networks are of particular concern because they will go beyond making smartphone downloads faster. They also will enable new technologies like self-driving cars and the Internet of Things.

UK-based carrier Vodafone Group was said to have found and fixed backdoors on Huawei equipment used in its Italian business in 2011 and 2012. While it is hard to know if those vulnerabilities were nefarious or accidental, the revelation dealt a blow to Huawei’s reputation.

WHO'S USING HUAWEI AND WHO'S NOT?

Japan and Australia joined the US boycott early. The UK prohibited its telecom operators from buying Huawei equipment starting in 2021, and equipment already installed must be removed by 2027.

Sweden banned Huawei and ZTE from its 5G network in October 2020. Countries such as India and Vietnam are considered unlikely to use Huawei. But the company has won 5G customers in Russia, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including the Philippines and Thailand.

Its equipment tends to be less expensive than alternatives from Nokia and Ericsson and is often higher quality.

In Malaysia, the prime minister has said his country will use "as much as possible". South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has also defended using Huawei equipment.

"We cannot afford to have our economy to be held back because of this fight," he said in 2019.

WHAT'S GOING ON ELSEWHERE? 

Norway decided against a ban, leaving the choice to individual companies; so far two have gone with Ericsson.

Huawei lost two big contracts in Singapore in 2020 but still has a foothold in the market. Brazil has said it is not excluding anyone from bidding.

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2022-05-20 03:28:00Z
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Rare monkeypox outbreaks detected in North America, Europe - CNA

MONTREAL: Health authorities in North America and Europe have detected dozens of suspected or confirmed cases of monkeypox since early May, sparking concern the disease endemic in parts of Africa is spreading.

Canada was the latest country to report it was investigating more than a dozen suspected cases of monkeypox, after Spain and Portugal detected more than 40 possible and verified cases.

Britain has confirmed nine cases since May 6, and the United States verified its first on Wednesday (May 18), saying a man in the eastern state of Massachusetts had tested positive for the virus after visiting Canada.

Monkeypox, which mostly occurs in west and central Africa, is a viral infection similar to human smallpox, though milder. It was first recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1970s. 

The illness, from which most people recover within several weeks and has only been fatal in rare cases, has infected thousands of people in parts of Central and Western Africa in recent years but is rare in Europe and North Africa.

The illness often starts with flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle ache and swollen lymph nodes before causing a chickenpox-like rash on the face and body.

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2022-05-18 22:49:00Z
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UK inflation jumps to 40-year peak - CNA

LONDON: Britain's annual inflation rate surged to a 40-year high last month on rocketing energy costs, official data showed Wednesday (May 18), sparking opposition calls for the government to announce an emergency budget to combat a cost-of-living crisis.

Consumer prices index inflation hit 9 per cent in April from 7 per cent in March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.

The ONS estimated that April was the highest level since 1982, and the fastest rate since the current data series began in 1989.

Nations across the world are plagued by decades-high inflation as the Ukraine conflict pushes up energy and food prices, in turn forcing the Bank of England, the US Federal Reserve and others to ramp up interest rates.

The squeeze on UK household budgets tightened further in April due to tax hikes, while wages are failing to keep pace with inflation.

"GLOBAL CHALLENGES"

"Countries around the world are dealing with rising inflation," said British finance minister Rishi Sunak.

"Today's inflation numbers are driven by the energy price cap rise in April, which in turn is driven by higher global energy prices.

"We cannot protect people completely from these global challenges but are providing significant support where we can, and stand ready to take further action."

The main opposition Labour party, however, wants an emergency budget to help Britons cope with the cost-of-living crunch.

Labour finance spokeswoman Rachel Reeves described the inflation data as "a huge worry for families already stretched".

"Today, Labour force a vote for an emergency budget and for a plan for growth."

Labour is also calling for a windfall tax on the energy sector, which has been boosted as gas and oil prices rocketed on supply worries following key producer Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"APOCALYPTIC"

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey on Monday warned of an "apocalyptic" situation surrounding runaway food costs - which he said were fuelled by major wheat and cooking oil producer Ukraine finding itself unable to export its goods.

Addressing British MPs, Bailey spoke also of a "very real income shock" coming from surging energy and food prices.

Britain risks falling into recession with inflation expected to top 10 per cent by the end of the year, the Bank of England warned earlier this month.

It came as the central bank hiked its main interest rate by a quarter-point to one percent to tackle inflation.

That was the fourth straight increase by the bank, while its key rate now stands at the highest level since 2009.

ENERGY CAP

UK consumer prices leapt in April after a cap on domestic gas and electricity was hiked due to spiking wholesale energy costs.

"Inflation rose steeply in April, driven by the sharp climb in electricity and gas prices as the higher price cap came into effect," added ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner.

"Around three-quarters of the increase in the annual rate this month came from utility bills."

Official data showed Tuesday that Britain's unemployment rate has fallen further to a near five-decade low, but the value of wages continues to erode as inflation soars.

The economy shrank in March on fallout from soaring consumer prices, data showed last week, increasing the prospect of the country falling into recession.

Raised rates have lifted borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, further impacting spending.

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2022-05-18 07:57:11Z
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