Pandemics

Bulgaria has recorded 17 cases of flu out of 157 tested samples over the past week, representing about 11%, according to Chief Health Inspector Assoc. Prof. Angel Kunchev. Speaking on BNT, he predicted that after the holiday season, the percentage of positive flu samples is likely to rise by 20% to 30%, as the flu virus tends to dominate and trigger a seasonal epidemic during this time.

As the WHO European Region enters its fifth winter since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, emphasized that while the world is now better equipped with tools and knowledge, caution remains essential.

The dream of owning a home is becoming increasingly out of reach for many Europeans as rising property prices, coupled with a cost-of-living crisis, weigh heavily on city residents and low-income households, according to reports from German media.

As travel restrictions eased following the COVID-19 pandemic, people from Bulgaria and beyond eagerly resumed their journeys. This surge in travel led to issues at airports, exacerbated by a workforce shortage in the tourism sector. Some countries introduced tourist fees or limited bookings during peak seasons to manage the influx.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its list of pathogens that could potentially spark a new pandemic, now identifying over 30 viruses of concern, including influenza A, dengue, and monkeypox.

Next-generation Covid-19 vaccines targeting the virus’s entry points, such as the nose and mouth, may achieve what traditional vaccines cannot: limit the spread of respiratory infections by preventing their transmission.

The National System to combat COVID-19 and the Unified Information Portal, coronavirus.bg, will cease operations starting July 1. Information about COVID-19 cases in Bulgaria will now be published weekly in the epidemic situation reports of the Ministry of Health and the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases.

The two defendants deny the charge against them and appear to claim that they had implemented all necessary measures to prevent and limit the spread of the virus

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning regarding a new mutation of the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, known as the FLiRT variants. These variants have emerged from the analysis of sewage samples, indicating a shift in the virus's genetic makeup.

The United Nations voiced concern on Wednesday after dozens of cases of cholera were reported in Kenya which has been hit by weeks of destructive rains and floods.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said 44 cases of the disease have been reported in Tana River County in eastern Kenya, one of the areas hardest hit by widespread flooding.