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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, August 18th 2025 - 07:09 UTC

Health & Science

  • Monday, July 28th 2025 - 19:58 UTC

    Brazil out of FAO's Hunger Map

    Brazil had returned to the FAO's Hunger Map in the 2018-2020 period

    Brazil was not included in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' (FAO/UN) State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 (SOFI 2025) presented Monday (28) during the 2nd United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS+4) in Ethiopia.

  • Monday, July 28th 2025 - 19:28 UTC

    Honduras: Teleworking and mask mandates extended

    The measures came into effect last Thursday on a temporary basis

    Honduras has extended teleworking for public institutions and virtual classes until Aug. due to a surge in respiratory illnesses, including the detection of highly contagious Omicron XFG Covid-19 variants. The government has also made mask-wearing mandatory in various enclosed public spaces such as hospitals, airports, shopping centers, and public transport.

  • Monday, July 28th 2025 - 10:02 UTC

    Oropouche fever expanding beyond Amazonia

    Five people have died so far this year from the disease

    Once a malady associated with Amazonia, Oropouche has spread onto various other Brazilian States, so much so that Espírito Santo, almost 3,000 km away, became the record holder with 6,318 cases.

  • Saturday, July 26th 2025 - 10:38 UTC

    Chile to build first pier in Antarctica

    “Antarctica is strategic for the future of the world, and Chile is its gateway,” Boric said

    Chile is set to begin the construction on its first pier in Antarctica by the end of 2025, a strategic project with an investment exceeding US$52 million. This initiative aims to bolster Chile's infrastructure on the continent and reaffirm its Antarctic territorial claims.

  • Friday, July 25th 2025 - 19:52 UTC

    Honduras decrees contingency measures as Covid-19 cases soar

    The Stratus (or Frankenstein) variant is believed to account for 36% of recent infections

    Honduras is re-implementing several public health measures as cases of Covid-19 have been reported to be on the surge. The Omicron subvariant XFG - also known as Stratus or Frankenstein - is believed to account for 36% of recent infections.

  • Tuesday, July 22nd 2025 - 10:03 UTC

    Pharmaceutical industry crisis deepens Bolivia's plight with measles

    Outdated reference prices is also affecting Bolivia's pharmaceutical industry

    Bolivia, currently grappling with a measles outbreak, has reported a pharmaceutical industry crisis exacerbated by a dollar shortage. Additionally, the country is also dealing with low influenza vaccination rates among vulnerable groups.

  • Tuesday, July 22nd 2025 - 10:00 UTC

    Brazilian scientists launch mosquito factory to fight dengue

    Scientists breed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia strains, resulting in a kind less able to spread diseases to humans after mating with the regular population

    Brazilian researchers launched the world's largest mosquito biofactory to target the kind that spreads dengue fever and other maladies. The Paraná Institute of Molecular Biology (IBMP) and the World Mosquito Program (WMP) inaugurated Wolbito do Brasil in breeding Aedes aegypti mosquitoes inoculated with Wolbachia bacteria, which prevents the development of viruses that cause diseases.

  • Monday, July 21st 2025 - 10:13 UTC

    Bolivia stepping up efforts to tackle measles

    The exercise simulated the arrival of a flight from abroad with suspected measles cases

    Bolivia is stepping up its efforts to combat a potential measles outbreak, with the Health Ministry conducting an international health emergency drill at El Alto International Airport and the Education Ministry implementing mandatory vaccination checks for students.

  • Monday, July 21st 2025 - 09:28 UTC

    Chickenpox cases in Uruguay up 71.5%

    Chickenpox, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, is highly contagious

    Chickenpox cases in Uruguay nearly doubled this year, with 327 detections reported by July 5 (up from 187 in 2024), a 71.5% increase. The incidence rate rose from 5.23 to 9.11 per 100,000 inhabitants. The 20-29 age group saw the largest spike (20-24: 15 to 56 cases; 25-29: 10 to 49 cases), followed by those aged 10-19 and under 5.

  • Saturday, July 19th 2025 - 10:51 UTC

    New Covid-19 variant detected in Brazil

    Frankenstein has been classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a “variant under monitoring”

    A new Covid-19 variant, Stratus (XFG or XFG.3), also known as “Frankenstein” due to its recombinant nature, has been identified in Brazil and is under international surveillance by the World Health Organization (WHO).