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• Sharp unveils new anti-bird flu air purifier

  - 2008-08-27

  TOKYO AFP — Japan's Sharp Corp. said Wednesday that it has developed an air purifier that eliminates 99.9 percent of the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu within 10 minutes. The system has been improved from an earlier version which was shown in 2005 to have eliminated 99 percent...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, SECURITY, Sharp Corp., virus, World Health Organization

• Asia faces trillion dollar TB-fighting bill

  - 2007-12-15

  WASHINGTON AFP — Eleven Asian nations facing the biggest threat from tuberculosis risk being saddled with a whopping trillion dollar economic burden over the next 10 years if they do not beef up their anti-TB strategy, a landmark study shows. Led by China and India, the countries are already...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Benefits, China, FINANCE, India, Strategy, Washington, World Bank, World Health Organization

• Conference to examine world obesity epidemic

  - 2007-10-19

  WASHINGTON AFP — Some 1,800 researchers will gather in New Orleans this weekend to discuss efforts to treat and contain the worldwide obesity epidemic. More than 300 studies will be presented during the annual conference, organized by the Obesity Society, a US scientific association created 25 years ago to...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Benefits, conference, epidemic, HEALTHCARE, OECD, SOFTWARE, U.S., World Health Organization

• Inadequate handwashing fuels infectious disease transmission

  - 2007-09-18

  CHICAGO AFP — Insufficient handwashing, the simple soap-and-water solution to avoid transmission of infectious diseases that can be deadly, remains a major problem among the general public and medical staff even in wealthy countries, public health officials warn. "Many cases of colds, flu, and foodborne illness are spread by...

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• TB-infected US man defends travel, apologizes

  - 2007-06-01

  WASHINGTON AFP — A contrite American pleaded for forgiveness Friday, after sparking an international health alert by criss-crossing the Atlantic while infected with a rare, drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis. "I'm very sorry for any grief or pain that I have caused anyone," 31-year-old attorney Andrew Speaker told ABC television...

  Tags: ABC Inc., Agence France-Presse, Benefits, Denver, HEALTHCARE, patient, SOFTWARE, World Health Organization

• Global vaccination tops UN bird flu summit agenda

  - 2007-03-16

  ROME AFP — A United Nations bird flu conference will take place this month in Italy charged with implementing a global strategy for the vaccination of threatened species, organisers said Friday. The Verona summit will allow experts to exchange information on the fight against the virus and look at...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, World Health Organization

• Sierra Leone launches vaccination campaign

  - 2006-11-20

  FREETOWN AFP — Sierra Leone, the country with the world's highest infant mortality rate, launched a week-long vaccination program targeting some 800,000 children, the health ministry said. "The launching is specifically designed to reduce measles, malaria and worms," deputy health minister Ibrahim Sesay told AFP. The campaign, carried out by...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, Benefits, HEALTHCARE, malaria, SOFTWARE, World Health Organization

• Indonesian woman tests positive for bird flu

  - 2006-09-29

  JAKARTA AFP — An Indonesian woman has tested positive for the bird flu virus, officials said, bringing the total number of cases in the world's worst-hit country to 69. The 21-year-old is the elder sister of an 11-year-old boy who died on September 18 after being infected with the H5N1...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, chicken, poultry, SECURITY, virus, World Health Organization

• China will not be hit hard by bird flu this fall

  - 2006-09-05

  BEIJING AFP — China does not expect to be hit hard by deadly bird flu in coming months, a top agricultural official said Tuesday, but a WHO expert warned there could be more outbreaks as temperatures fall. The government was stepping up vaccinations and strengthening surveillance of poultry, Li Jinxiang...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, China, outbreak, poultry, World Health Organization

• More than half of teens exposed to second-hand smoke: WHO

  - 2006-07-13

  WASHINGTON AFP — Some 56 percent of teens between 13 and 15 are exposed to second-hand smoke in the developing world, a study conducted in 131 countries since 2000 said. The World Health Organization study, compiled with the help of US and Canadian public health groups, sought to highlight...

  Tags: Agence France-Presse, HEALTHCARE, smoke, World Health Organization