Outbreaks of dengue fever have been recorded across the world since the start of the year, prompting the World Health Organisation to issue a warning that cases of the disease could rise to record highs this year.
Rising global temperatures and extreme weather events are set to contribute to more dengue cases, the WHO said.
Since the start of the year, outbreaks of the disease, which is transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti or yellow fever mosquito, have been recorded in Asia and Latin America, as well as in Africa and the Arab world.
“About half of the world's population is at risk of dengue, and dengue affects approximately 129 countries,” said Dr Raman Velayudhan, the WHO’s head of the global programme on control of neglected tropical diseases, at a press briefing on the disease’s spread last week.
"In 2000, we had about half a million cases and in 2022 we recorded over 4.2 million, which really shows an eight-fold increase," he said.
Asia remains the continent with the highest number of dengue cases, accounting for about 70 per cent of the worldwide total, the WHO said.
Dengue is typically endemic to countries with hot, humid climates because they provide the best conditions for mosquitoes to breed, but increasingly, cases have been found in the Middle East despite the arid conditions.
An outbreak of dengue fever was reported this month in Egypt’s southern Qena province after an undisclosed number of people tested positive, the country’s Health Ministry said in a statement.
No deaths were reported and most of the patients received treatment at home. Municipal authorities sprayed insecticides in Qena to kill mosquitoes in the area.
The outbreak came after health officials in Sudan announced the country’s first recorded case of dengue fever in February.
But the regional numbers still pale in comparison to the scale of outbreaks in Asia.
This year, Bangladesh recorded its highest number of cases in five years, more than 22,000, with 114 deaths, 24 of whom were children.
Thailand also recorded 36,000 cases this year, four times the number in 2022.
An increase in cases has also been recorded in Malaysia, a 149 per cent rise compared to last year and for Cambodia this year, double last year's figures.
Though they don’t typically record as many cases of dengue as Asia and Latin America, European countries have been on alert since 2010 when more outbreaks of diseases caused by the Aedes mosquito emerged.
The disease is not typically endemic to the Arab world because climate conditions are unfavourable, but still 81 outbreaks have taken place in the Middle East since 1945, according to a research paper from the University of Heidelberg in 2016.
Sudan has been identified by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention as a high-risk country for the disease regionally but Saudi Arabia has also been affected by outbreaks in recent years.
Large immigrant workforces from dengue-endemic countries in addition to the yearly arrival of pilgrims for Hajj are most likely why the disease has broken out in Saudi Arabia despite the unfavourable environment.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health advises that people "coming for Umrah, Hajj, seasonal work or any other purpose in the Hajj areas are advised to take the necessary measures and precautions including trying to avoid mosquito bites, use protective clothing, covering as much of the body as possible and using insect repellent".
Globally, there has been a 30-fold increase in dengue fever cases over the past 50 years, the WHO said on Friday, warning that half the world’s population is at risk of infection.
Though the WHO has said global warming is the main driving force behind the worldwide increase, it added that other factors, such as the increased movement of people and goods, urbanisation and pressure on water and sanitation, have also played a role.
Those infected are usually given medication for pain and fever relief.
There is currently one vaccine for the disease, according to Dr Velayudhan, but “it has certain limitations”.
Two medicines have entered clinical trials, as have two new vaccine candidates. Dengue fever has a death rate of about 1 per cent.
The biog
Fast facts on Neil Armstrong’s personal life:
- Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio
- He earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16 – he could fly before he could drive
- There was tragedy in his married life: Neil and Janet Armstrong’s daughter Karen died at the age of two in 1962 after suffering a brain tumour. She was the couple’s only daughter. Their two sons, Rick and Mark, consulted on the film
- After Armstrong departed Nasa, he bought a farm in the town of Lebanon, Ohio, in 1971 – its airstrip allowed him to tap back into his love of flying
- In 1994, Janet divorced Neil after 38 years of marriage. Two years earlier, Neil met Carol Knight, who became his second wife in 1994
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) US$175,000 1,000m
7.05pm: Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions (Dirt) $100,000 1,900m
7.40pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (T) $250,000 1,800m
8.15pm: Handicap (D) $135,000 2,000m
8.50pm: Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (T) $250,000 1,400m
9.25pm: Handicap (T) $135,000 2,410m.
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- Margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars
- Energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- Infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes
- Many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
25-MAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu
Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alexander Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze
On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai, Bryan Idowu, Ikouwem Utin, Mikel Agu, Junior Ajayi, Valentine Ozornwafor
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Company%20Profile
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The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T
Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000
Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic
Power: 509hp @ 6,000rpm; 601hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 695Nm @ 2,000rpm; 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.9L / 100km; 11.6L / 100km
