'Africa on its own': Little help in epidemics, says official KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Africa must plan to respond effectively to disease outbreaks without international help, a top public health official said Wednesday, warning that the continent of 1.3 billion people is “on its own” during pandemics. AP NEWS

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Opinion | Covid is making us ungovernable Pandemics fuel pre-existing prejudices, deepen social divisions and increase political tensions. NBC News

By Brian Michael Jenkins, senior adviser to the president of RAND

AstraZeneca's COVID vaccine suffers a setback in nasal spray trial Attempts by Oxford University researchers and AstraZeneca Plc to create a nasal-spray version of their jointly developed COVID-19 shot suffered a setback on Tuesday as initial testing on humans did not yield the desired protection. Reuters Reuters

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Medium COVID Could Be the Most Dangerous COVID After you’re infected, the first few months may pose the greatest risks. Benjamin Mazer The Atlantic

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Monkeypox: A dangerous variant circulating in the DRC could go global | New Scientist There have been 120 suspected deaths from monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo this year, and the virulent Clade I virus may be to blame. There are fears it could follow the milder Clade II and go global #author.fullName} New Scientist

ALSO SEE: Outbreak Brief 11: Monkeypox in Africa Union Member States

China steps up anti-COVID measures in megacities as infections mount Shanghai and other big Chinese cities, including Shenzhen, have ramped up testing for COVID-19 as infections rise, with some local authorities hastily closing schools, entertainment venues and tourist spots. Ryan Woo,Casey Hall Reuters

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More than 40% of Americans lied about COVID-19 risk during pandemic, study shows At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 40% of Americans were untruthful about whether they had the virus or were ignoring safety precautions, a nationwide survey shows. UPI

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How bad will flu and Covid be this winter? Hospitals brace for rough season. How bad will flu and Covid be this winter? Hospitals are already busy and facing staffing shortages. YahooNews

Hospitals nationwide are preparing for a third winter with Covid — the first one that's also expected to include high levels of influenza and other respiratory illnesses that have simmered quietly in the background for the past two years.

This Is Now The Most Common Covid Symptom

Rising COVID levels in Europe especially affect seniors COVID-19 cases are up 14% compared to the previous week in Europeans ages 65 and older. CIDRAP

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The ECDC said the rise in cases is likely due to changes in population mixing following the summer break, with no indication that the rise is linked to changes in circulating SAR-CoV-2 variants.