WHO targets 50% reduction in deaths and disabilities due to snake bite

WHO has released further details of its strategy to prevent and control snakebite envenoming, a neglected tropical disease that affects 1.8–2.7 million people each year, claiming 81,000–138,000 lives and causing 400,000 cases of permanent disability. The strategy titled “Snakebite envenoming: a strategy for prevention and control” will be launched at a meeting hosted by the governments of the Republic of Costa Rica and the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 23 May 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The aim of the strategy is to halve the numbers of deaths and cases of disability due to snakebite envenoming over the next 12 years through a programme that targets affected communities and their health systems, and by ensuring access to safe, effective treatment through increased cooperation, collaboration and partnership at all levels … (WHO, May 6, 2019)

8 zoonotic diseases of most concern in the US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its US government partners have released the first federal collaborative report listing the top zoonotic diseases of national concern for the United States. These are:

1.Zoonotic influenza

2.Salmonellosis

3.West Nile virus

4.Plague

5.Emerging coronaviruses (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome)

6.Rabies

7.Brucellosis

8.Lyme disease

The public health authorities in India should also create a similar list of zoonotic diseases in the country.

Active ingredients in sunscreen may be absorbed in circulation after just one day of use

In randomized clinical trial of 24 healthy participants published in JAMA online May 6, 2019, all 4 sunscreen active ingredients in commercially available sunscreen formulations tested resulted in systemic concentrations that were greater than 0.5 ng/mL after four applications on day 1. The four chemicals studied were avobenzone, oxybenzone, ecamsule and octocrylene. The maximum plasma concentrations (geometric mean [COEFFICIENT OF VARIATION]) for the active ingredient avobenzone were 4.0 (60.9%), 3.4 (77.3%), 4.3 (46.1%), and 1.8 (32.1%) ng/mL for 2 different sprays, a lotion, and a cream, respectively.

According to the study, the clinical effect of plasma concentrations exceeding 0.5 ng/mL is unknown, necessitating further research. The study was conducted by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, an arm of the US Food and Drug Administration (JAMA, CNN)

Current Temperature Status and Warning for next five days

Heat Wave and Temperature Observed Yesterday (Past 24 hours from 0830 hrs IST of 05 May to 0830 hrs IST 06 May, 2019)

Heat Wave: 

Yesterday, heat wave conditions were observed in some parts over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and in isolated pockets over Telangana (Annexure 1 & 2).

Maximum Temperature 

Maximum temperatures were markedly above normal (5.1°c and more) at a few places over coastal Andhra Pradesh; appreciably above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) at a few places over Bihar and at isolated places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Tamilnadu & Puducherry; above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) at many places over Telangana; at a few places over Coastal Karnataka and Kerala and at isolated places over Konkan & Goa. Yesterday, the highest maximum temperature of 45.2°C was recorded at Khammam (Telangana) (Annexure 1 & 2).

Temperatures Recorded at 1430 Hours IST of Today, the 06 th May, 2019

• Ganganagar (West Rajasthan) recorded the maximum temperature of 44.2°C (Annexure 3).

• Temperatures recorded at 1430 hours IST of today have risen by 3-5°C at many parts of Gangetic West Bengal; at few parts of Assam & Meghalaya and at one or two pockets of East Uttar Pradesh Madhya Maharashtra, Odish
• a and East Madhya Pradesh and risen by 1-3°C at most places over Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Marathwada, Madhya Maharasthra, Gangetic West Bengal and interior Odisha; at many parts of Gujarat region and Rayalaseema; at few pats of Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Chhatisgarh and at one or two pockets of Jammu & Kashmir,Saurasshtra & Kutch, Telengana, Vidarbha, Kerala, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu & Puducherry (Annexure 4).