Medical Testing

Over 2,700 suspected new mpox cases in one week in Africa A total of 2,729 new suspected cases of the disease mpox have been reported in Africa over the period of one week, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dpa Medical Xpress

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Of these, 1,001 have been confirmed through tests, said Ngashi Ngongo, the head of the mpox team at the Africa CDC.

He added that this number, however, does not provide reassurance regarding the other cases, as it is due to limited testing and laboratory capacities in the affected countries.

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US FDA pauses Novavax's trial of combo COVID-flu shot on safety concerns The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has put Novavax's trial of an experimental COVID-flu vaccine combination on hold after one person who received the shot reported nerve damage, the company said on Wednesday. Reuters Reuters

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FDA authorizes sale of first home COVID/flu combo test outside of emergency use The test joins other over-the-counter COVID-19/flu tests already available under emergency use authorization. CIDRAP

As the country heads into the respiratory illness season, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday its marketing authorization of the first over-the-counter (OTC) rapid-antigen COVID-19/flu combination test outside of emergency use authorization.

Mpox in Africa: WHO approves first mpox test for quick diagnosis Lack of testing and delays in getting the results have made curbing the virus's spread harder. BBC News

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first diagnostic test for mpox where the results can be immediately known, saying it could prove pivotal in helping to stop the rising global cases of the deadly virus.

The new PCR test enables the detection of the mpox DNA taken from skin lesion swabs.

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