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COVID-19: Europe resumes AstraZeneca jabs

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Several European countries were resuming AstraZeneca vaccinations Friday after an all-clear from EU regulators.

Days of commotion around AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, over fears it may cause blood clots, saw countries from Venezuela to Indonesia pause its use in a major setback for the drive to vaccinate populations against a virus that has killed nearly 2.7 million people.

France, Germany, and Italy — all countries attempting to fight off a third wave of the coronavirus — announced they were using the jab again as of Friday after the European Medicines Agency said it was “safe and effective”.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex is due to get the AstraZeneca jab Friday in a bid to reassure citizens that it is safe as his country fights an infection surge.

Millions across France were preparing to enter a new month-long, limited lockdown from Saturday after the country recorded its highest new caseload in nearly four months.

Non-essential businesses will close in Paris and other areas hit by the new restrictions, mainly in northern France, although schools will stay open.

Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain are also ending their suspension of the vaccine.

In Germany, the AstraZeneca jabs were resuming just as health authorities warned that Europe’s top economy is again suffering an exponential rise in infections.

Lars Schaade, vice president of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases, told reporters there were grim signs of a return to a situation of “many severe cases and deaths, and hospitals that are overwhelmed”.

In Asia, Indonesia aimed to follow suit as its food and drugs agency said the benefits of the vaccine “still outweigh the risks”.

– ‘Time for optimism’ –

There was brighter news in the United States, however, as it prepared Friday to administer its 100 millionth vaccine dose.

With infection rates falling, there is hope that the country with the highest Covid-19 death toll is headed for a powerful rebound.

“It is a time for optimism,” Biden said in a White House speech. But he also cautioned: “It’s not a time for relaxation.”

Unlike France and other European countries, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are holding out on resuming AstraZenica inoculations, pending further review.

The World Health Organization is due to publish the conclusions of its own assessment of the safety of the jab on Friday, after repeatedly encouraging countries to continue using it.

AstraZeneca’s shot, among the cheapest available and easier to store and transport than some of its rivals, has been billed as the vaccine of choice for poorer nations.

It is a vital part of Covax, a global drive to ensure that poor countries do not miss out in the race to vaccinate their populations.

Papua New Guinea is among the countries in desperate need of vaccines as it battles a “rapidly escalating” Covid-19 crisis, with authorities approving the use of mass graves and nearly 50 percent of tests coming back positive in some areas.

Some 8,000 AstraZeneca vaccines are being delivered from Australia, but Medecins Sans Frontieres Australia director Jennifer Tierney warned it might be too little, too late.

“What’s needed is a bigger response, now, before the situation gets out of control,” she said. “Papua New Guinea needed these vaccines yesterday.”

– International boost for Sputnik V –
The developer of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine said Friday its shot had been approved for emergency use in the Philippines, making it the 52nd country to give the green light to the Russian jab.

While some Western countries have been wary of Sputnik V over concerns the Kremlin could use it to advance its interests, its developers have been ramping up international agreements to boost its production, including in some European countries.

Indian drugmaker Stelis Biopharma is the latest to sign on, with a deal announced Friday to produce 200 million doses of Sputnik V.

On the warm sands of Florida’s Miami Beach, meanwhile, the 2021 season is off to a banging start, fuelled by “Roaring Twenties” anticipation of post-pandemic life.

The shore is once again packed with revellers — a sight that Americans view either as a proof of long-awaited progress against COVID-19 or of a recklessness that could set back the nation’s recovery.

For James Mitchell, 45, newly-arrived from freezing Chicago, the haters need to lighten up.

“We just got to start back living, man,” he told AFP. “For real.”

 

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Health

Trump cleared for office, doctor orders weight loss ahead of 80th birthday

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United States President Donald Trump has been declared medically fit to continue in office, with his physician describing him as being in “excellent health” while recommending weight loss and increased physical activity weeks before his 80th birthday.

The White House disclosed on Friday that Trump underwent his annual medical and dental examination on Tuesday at Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington, amid growing scrutiny over his health and fitness for office.

In a three-page medical memo released by the White House, Trump’s physician, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, said the president demonstrated strong overall physical and mental capacity.

“President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,” Barbabella stated, adding that the president was “fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”

However, the physician advised Trump to adopt healthier lifestyle measures, including dietary adjustments, increased physical activity, continued weight loss and low-dose aspirin therapy for cardiovascular prevention.

According to the report, Trump, who will turn 80 on June 14, stands at 6ft 3in tall and weighs 238 pounds (108 kilograms), about 14 pounds more than he weighed during his last full annual medical check-up in April last year.

Despite concerns surrounding his age, the report noted that Trump’s cardiac health reflected an estimated age roughly 14 years younger than his chronological age.

The president also reportedly scored a perfect “30 out of 30” in a cognitive assessment, a result Trump has repeatedly cited in public while contrasting himself with his Democratic predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

The medical report further addressed concerns over bruising frequently seen on Trump’s right hand, attributing it to “minor soft tissue irritation” caused by repeated handshaking and aspirin use.

The memo also referenced scarring on Trump’s right ear linked to the assassination attempt against him during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024, when a gunman opened fire, killing a supporter and slightly wounding the president.

Trump’s latest health evaluation comes amid public concerns after he was occasionally seen appearing drowsy during White House meetings and events. He had also previously been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that affects blood circulation in the veins and can lead to swelling in the legs.

Reacting shortly after Tuesday’s examination, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the medical exercise had gone “PERFECTLY,” while the White House later shared his photograph online with the caption, “PERFECT BILL OF HEALTH!”

The release of the report also sparked debate in the United States after the White House initially delayed making the medical details public, breaking with the traditional practice of releasing presidential health summaries shortly after such examinations.

Trump has long faced criticism over transparency regarding his health records, with questions also raised over the scheduling and description of his medical evaluations since returning to office.

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Oyo confirms Lassa fever death in Ibadan, activates emergency response, traces contacts

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The Oyo State Government has confirmed a Lassa fever case at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where a 44-year-old woman died, prompting the activation of emergency response measures and immediate contact tracing to contain the disease.

The state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying, “The patient died on April 11, 2026, while receiving treatment, while laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever was received on April 13.”

She added that the Ministry of Health had swiftly activated its emergency response system, including the establishment of an Incident Management System to coordinate response activities across the state.

According to her, “All identified contacts of the deceased are being closely monitored, while necessary measures have been taken to ensure a safe and dignified burial in line with public health protocols.”

Ajetunmobi urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, chest pain or difficulty breathing.

She stressed, “Early presentation at health facilities significantly improves the chances of survival.”

The commissioner explained that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces of infected rodents.

“It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids, especially in healthcare settings where infection prevention measures are not strictly observed,” she said.

She advised residents to maintain strict environmental hygiene, including proper waste disposal, safe storage of food in rodent-proof containers and avoiding drying food items on bare ground or roadsides.

Ajetunmobi also urged households to seal holes and entry points to prevent rodent access, while emphasising regular handwashing and good personal hygiene.

Residents, she said, should report suspected cases through designated emergency lines, while health workers must strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the commissioner said surveillance had been intensified across the state, with all health facilities placed on alert.

“There is no cause for panic. The situation is under control, and Lassa fever is both preventable and treatable when detected early,” she assured.

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Rep Oseni Backs Ajimobi Widow’s Cancer Fight, Vows More Health Projects

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The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.

Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.

Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.

The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.

Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.

“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.

He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.

Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.

In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”

The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.

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