A new variant of the novel coronavirus does not appear to cause more severe illness than other variants, according to a matched study by Public Health England. Scientists say the new variant can spread more rapidity It was found in England in mid-December and led to other countries imposing travel restrictions to the United Kingdom. Several other countries have reported the variant.
Health officials in the United Kingdom have reported a progressive increase in cases of the deadly bacterium, Meningitis W (MenW), prompting calls for university students to get vaccinated. Cases of MenW have been increasing year-on-year, from 22 cases in 2009 to over 200 cases in the past 12 months, according to Public Health England.
British public health officials say they are grappling with an escalating number of cases of the debilitating chikungunya virus, as holidaymakers return from Caribbean countries.
The United Kingdom has issued a new health advisory for Britons travelling to the Caribbean following a surge in the incidence of dengue fever in England. The steep rise in British cases of the mosquito-borne disease has forced the health agency Public Health England (PHE) to warn travelers to be on the alert for signs of the illness after visiting the Caribbean.