WHO

WHO chief says staff came under attack in Ukraine

A World Health Organization team came under attack while accompanying a United Nations convoy in Ukraine on Tuesday, but managed to deliver medical supplies to the city of Bilozerka, Director-General…

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Extreme heat is a growing public health emergency, experts warn

Extreme weather events are not only a climate crisis but also a public health one, straining health systems, economies and the lives of those most at risk, the Pan-European Commission…

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Gaza facing yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets: starvation

Gaza is suffering man-made mass starvation caused by a blockade on aid into the Palestinian enclave, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. He spoke following an appeal by…

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Countries adopt WHO pandemic agreement

Countries have adopted a new agreement Tuesday to protect the world from future pandemics at the World Health Organization’s annual assembly in Geneva. WHO member countries adopted the agreement by…

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UN warns of rise in vaccine-preventable diseases

The WHO, UNICEF and Gavi vaccine alliance this week warned that there has been a global uptick in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, meningitis and yellow fever. The…

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WHO says member states reach agreement to tackle future pandemics

Members of the World Health Organization reached an agreement to prepare the world for future pandemics after more than three years of negotiations, the organisation said early on Wednesday. The…

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WHO freezes hiring, restricts travel after US withdrawal

The World Health Organization is freezing recruitment and slashing travel in response to the withdrawal of the U.S., its biggest funder, according to an internal email seen by POLITICO. “As…

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League files bill for Italy to leave WHO

Lawmakers for Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's right-wing League party said Thursday that they have presented a bill in the Senate for Italy to leave the World Health…

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US exit from the World Health Organization hits hard

The United States will leave the World Health Organization, President Donald Trump said on Monday, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.…

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Suspected outbreak of Marburg virus kills eight in Tanzania, WHO says

A suspected outbreak of the Marburg virus in northwest Tanzania has infected nine people, killing eight of them, the World Health Organization has said, weeks after an outbreak of the…

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China in contact with WHO on respiratory diseases

The Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday that it had maintained close communication with the World Health Organization (WHO) on respiratory diseases, when asked about the rising cases of the…

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Share Covid data, World Health Organization tells China

The World Health Organization has urged China to share data on the origins of the Covid pandemic, five years on from its start in the city of Wuhan. "This is…

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Trump plans immediate WHO withdrawal

Members of Donald Trump's presidential transition team are laying the groundwork for the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization on the first day of his second term,…

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EU outlines €1.3m initiative to make nursing more attractive

The EU executive has unveiled a new initiative aimed at making the nursing profession more attractive to counter an ongoing nurse shortage across Europe. The initiative is a joint effort…

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Polio cases ‘very likely’ in Gaza population, WHO says

It is very likely that polio has infected people in the Gaza Strip, in what would be a setback for global efforts to eradicate the disease, a World Health Organization…

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UK refuses to sign global vaccine treaty

Britain is refusing to sign the World Health Organization's (WHO) pandemic accord because the country says it would have to give away a fifth of its vaccines, the Telegraph reported.…

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Risk of bird flu spreading to cows outside US, says WHO

A World Health Organization official said on Tuesday there was a risk of H5N1 bird flu virus spreading to cows in other countries beyond the United States through migratory birds.…

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Alcohol policies need sharper focus on gender, WHO says

LONDON, March 8 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization on Friday urged governments to consider gender when developing their alcohol policies, warning that industry marketing increasingly targeted women who face…

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More than a billion people worldwide are obese, WHO study finds

By Jennifer Rigby LONDON, (Reuters) - More than a billion people globally are now considered obese, a condition linked to an increased risk of numerous serious health problems, according to…

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WHO head concerned at attacks on Gaza’s Rafah

DUBAI, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday reiterated calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and expressed particular concern at Israeli attacks on…

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WHO chief worried about missing deadline for pandemic accord

GENEVA, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Countries risk missing a May deadline for agreeing a legally binding treaty on fighting pandemics and this would be a big blow for future generations,…

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WHO says JN.1 COVID strain poses low risk

By Sriparna Roy (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on classified the JN.1 coronavirus strain as a "variant of interest" and said current evidence shows risk to public health…

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Ban flavoured vapes, WHO says, urging tobacco-style controls

LONDON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday urged governments to treat e-cigarettes similarly to tobacco and ban all flavours, threatening cigarette companies' bets on smoking…

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China’s respiratory illness surge not as high as pre-pandemic- WHO official

By Andrew Silver SHANGHAI, Nov 27 (Reuters) - The spike in respiratory illnesses that China is currently going through is not as high as before the COVID-19 pandemic, a World…

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UPDATED: China grapples with respiratory illness spike; WHO says no unusual pathogen found

By Andrew Silver and Nicoco Chan SHANGHAI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - China called for vigilance on Friday as a surge of respiratory illness hit schools and hospitals and the World…

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UPDATED: WHO asks China for details on outbreaks of respiratory illness

Nov 23 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has asked China for details on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children, which its China…

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Measles deaths jumped by over 40% in 2022 globally: WHO

Measles deaths globally spiked by more than 40% last year and cases rose after vaccination levels dramatically dropped during the pandemic, leading health agencies said. The highly infectious disease triggered…

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WHO voices concern over spread of disease in Gaza; Warning that starvation imminent

GENEVA, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization said on Friday it was very concerned about the spread of disease of Gaza as weeks of Israeli bombardments have caused…

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Dengue will ‘take off’ in southern Europe, US, Africa this decade, WHO scientist warns

By Jennifer Rigby LONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Dengue fever will become a major threat in the southern United States, southern Europe and new parts of Africa this decade, the…

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WHO warns of dengue risk as global warming pushes cases near historic highs

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization warned that cases of dengue fever could reach close to record highs this year, partly due to global warming benefiting mosquitoes that spread…

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Does artificial sweetener aspartame really cause cancer? What the WHO listing means for your diet soft drink habit

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organization, has today declared aspartame may be a possible carcinogenic hazard to…

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What is aspartame and what do the new WHO rulings on cancer and consumption mean?

(Reuters) - Aspartame, a popular artificial sweetener found in Diet Coke, chewing gum, yoghurt and other food products, is a "possible carcinogen" but it remains safe to consume at the…

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WHO cancer arm deems aspartame ‘possible carcinogen’; consumption limits unchanged

By Jennifer Rigby LONDON (Reuters) - The sweetener aspartame is a "possible carcinogen" but it remains safe to consume at already-agreed levels, two groups linked to the World Health Organization…

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WHO’s cancer research agency to say aspartame sweetener a possible carcinogen

By Jennifer Rigby, Richa Naidu LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - One of the world's most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a…

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WHO says toxic syrup risk ‘ongoing’, more countries hit

By Jennifer Rigby LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - There is an ongoing global threat posed by toxic cough syrups, the World Health Organization (WHO) told Reuters, saying it was now…

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Taiwan excluded from WHO annual assembly following Chinese opposition

GENEVA, May 22 (Reuters) - Taiwan failed in its efforts to gain an invitation to the World Health Organization's annual assembly despite the island's claims that support was growing for…

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Don’t delay reforms to prepare for next pandemic – WHO chief

GENEVA, May 22 (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organization on Monday urged countries to carry out the reforms needed to prepare for the next pandemic and honour…

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UPDATED: WHO declares end to COVID global health emergency

By Jennifer Rigby and Bhanvi Satija LONDON, May 5 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization ended the global emergency status for COVID-19 on Friday more than three years after its…

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WHO dismisses lead COVID origins investigator for sexual misconduct

By Emma Farge GENEVA, (Reuters) - The World Health Organization announced that it has dismissed a senior scientist, known for his role as the head of an international mission to…

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WHO issues alert over another India-made cough syrup

The World Health Organization has said that a batch of contaminated India-made cough syrup has been found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. The WHO said that the tested samples…

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Vaccine-derived poliovirus detected in Burundi, Congo

JOHANNESBURG/LONDON, (Reuters) - Health officials in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have detected cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus, the World Health Organization and Global Polio Eradication Initiative said.…

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Finding COVID-19’s origins is a moral imperative – WHO’s Tedros

GENEVA (Reuters) - Discovering the origins of COVID-19 is a moral imperative and all hypotheses must be explored, the head of the World Health Organization said, in the clearest indication…

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Don’t assume bird flu risk to humans will remain low, WHO warns

The risk of bird flu spreading in humans is low at the moment - but it doesn't mean it will necessarily stay that way, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has…

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WHO recommends use of masks in crowded areas

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended to continue face mask-wearing in specific situations, regardless of any local epidemiological situation, given current spread of Covid-19 worldwide. WHO detailed face covering should…

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WHO urges travellers to wear masks as new COVID variant spreads

LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Countries should consider recommending that passengers wear masks on long-haul flights, given the rapid spread of the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 in the United States, World…

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Update – China media plays down COVID severity as WHO seeks detail on variants

BEIJING/HONG KONG/GENEVA, Jan 3 (Reuters) - State media in China played down the severity of a surge of COVID-19 infections ahead of a briefing on Tuesday by its scientists to the World…

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WHO urges China to share specific data regularly on COVID situation

(Reuters) - The World Health Organization once again urged China's health officials to regularly share specific and real-time information on the COVID-19 situation in the country, as it continues to…

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World Health Organization needs more information on China COVID situation – Tedros

ZURICH (Reuters) - The World Health Organization needs more information to assess the latest surge in infections in China, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. COVID infections have risen across…

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WHO says China may be struggling to keep a tally of COVID cases

By Manas Mishra and Nandhini Srinivasan (Reuters) - China may be struggling to keep a tally of COVID-19 infections as the country experiences a big spike in cases, a senior…

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WHO runs out of cholera vaccines as disease surges

GENEVA (Reuters) - The global stockpile of cholera vaccines the World Health Organization helps manage is "currently empty or extremely low", a WHO official said amid a resurgence of the…

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Vaccine alliance CEO says ‘tough’ time to end COVID-19 emergency

GENEVA, Dec 12 (Reuters) - The head of the GAVI global vaccine alliance suggested on Monday it was too early to call an end to the COVID-19 emergency, saying the pandemic could…

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WHO, ECDC urge caution against severe strep A infections in Europe

(Reuters) - Europe should be vigilant against severe infections caused by a bacteria called group A Streptococcus in children below 10 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Centre…

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Bacteria behind certain bloodstream infections grew highly drug-resistant in 2020 – WHO

By Natalie Grover LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - High levels of drug resistance in bacteria that often cause bloodstream infections in hospitals emerged in the first year of the pandemic,…

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UPDATED: WHO to use ‘mpox’ for monkeypox to fight stigma

GENEVA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization said on Monday it would start using a new preferred term, 'mpox', as a synonym for monkeypox and urged others to…

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Tuberculosis deaths rose during pandemic, reversing years of decline, WHO says

(Reuters) - Global deaths from tuberculosis are estimated to have increased between 2019 and 2021, reversing years of decline as the COVID-19 pandemic severely derailed efforts to tackle the disease,…

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WHO says COVID-19 is still a global health emergency

(Reuters) - The World Health Organization said that COVID-19 remains a global emergency, nearly three years after it was first declared as one. The WHO's emergency committee first made the…

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Rash of child deaths in Gambia linked to cough syrups made in India -WHO

(Reuters) - The deaths of dozens of young children in Gambia from acute kidney injuries may be linked to contaminated cough and cold syrups made by an Indian drug manufacturer,…

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