Spread Of Communicable Diseases Research Articles

Complaints and Advices of Alternative Medicine among Pilgrimages Visitors in Vivahpanchami at Janakpurdham, Nepal

Background & Objectives: Potential health related risks and spread of communicable disease is one of the challenges of religious mass gatherings. With the rise of globalization, parts of Ayurveda are now popularized as a form of alternative medicine. In Nepal, Ayurveda medicine faces lots of challenges, and is under threat due to inadequate funding, ignorance of modern diagnostic technologies, and insufficient quality research. It is vitally important to continually monitor and promote Ayurveda in the modern era of allopathic medicine. Thus, this study aimed to identify the main complaints and advices on Ayurvedic medicine among pilgrims visiting Vivahpanchmi in Janakpurdham, Madhesh Province, Nepal. Materials and Methods: The information was gathered from the registration book of pilgrims who attended an Ayurveda health camp at Rangbhumi Maidan (Barahbigha) in December 2023, organized by the Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine center, Janakpurdham Sub Metropolitan office, Dhanusha, Madhesh Province. The extracted data were imported into MS Excel and SPSS 20 was used for analysis. Data were expressed in frequencies and percentage. Results: Of the 707 pilgrims, 97.7% were from India and 2.3% were from Nepal; 68.9% of the visitors were women and 31.1% were men. Out of all visitors, less than 10% were over 60, and more than half were between the ages of 41 and 60. Gastritis accounted for the highest percentage (45.9%), followed by joint pain, weakness, back pain (31.3%), and coughing (17.1%). Only 4.4% of people reported being constipated. Conclusion: The most common complaints from Pilgrims were related to gastritis (Amlapitta), which was followed by joint discomfort, weakness, and back pain (Vata). The possible ayurvedic advices and medications were provided and distributed among the pilgrims during Vivahpanchmi.

Perceived Environmental Health Effects of Clinical Waste Disposal in Ahoada Local Government Area of Rivers State Nigeria

The study examined the perceived health effects of clinical waste disposal in Adoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria on people. Purposive and random sampling techniques were employed for the collection of the data set comprising a sample size of 184 respondents selected from health/medical personnel, cleaners in health facilities, waste handlers, nurses, midwives, and doctors through structured questionnaires including basic statistical techniques using a criterion of 2.50 on the 4-point Likert scale. The result of the various analyses conducted revealed that the major types of waste generated from hospitals and medical facilities are needles, syringes scalpels, blades, and lancets, including placentas and other human tissues as well as papers, plastics, and glasses. The analysis from the returned questionnaires further indicates that the main methods of clinical waste disposal and treatment of used medical instruments/tools (autoclaving) include open burning of clinical wastes such as paper, plastic, cans, etc. The implications of the observed poor and inappropriate disposal of clinical waste in the study area include a high risk of infection among health/medical personnel and the spread of communicable diseases in the neighborhood. Given the depth of the analysis and the results generated, the study recommends the deployment of more qualified medical and para-medical personnel to the local government health facilities and the provision of modern equipment to tackle the rising cases of infectious diseases and community health associated with improper clinical waste disposal in the study area.

Use of Digital COVID-19 Exposure Notifications at a Large Gathering: Survey Analysis of Public Health Conference Attendees.

WA Notify was Washington State's smartphone-based COVID-19 digital exposure notification (EN) tool, which was used to help limit the spread of COVID-19 between November 30, 2020, and May 11, 2023. Following the 2022 Washington State Public Health Association Annual Conference, attendees who had WA Notify activated began receiving ENs alerting them to a possible COVID-19 exposure during the conference. A survey was emailed to all conference attendees to measure WA Notify adoption, mechanisms through which attendees received ENs, and self-reported engagement in protective behaviors postexposure. This study aimed to learn more about the experiences of WA Notify adopters and nonadopters who may have been exposed to COVID-19 at a large group gathering. A web-based survey administered through REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture; Vanderbilt University) was sent to all attendees of the Washington State Public Health Association conference. Self-reported demographic information and characteristics of respondents were summarized. Regression models were used to estimate relative risks to compare WA Notify adoption and testing behaviors between groups. Of the 464 total registered attendees who were sent the survey, 205 (44%) responses were received; 201 eligible attendees were included in this analysis. Of those, 149 (74%) respondents reported having WA Notify activated on their phones at the time of the conference. Among respondents with WA Notify activated, 54% (n=77) reported learning of their potential exposure from a WA Notify EN. Respondents who reported that they did not have WA Notify activated and learned of their potential exposure via the event-wide email from conference organizers were 39% less likely to test for COVID-19 compared to respondents with WA Notify activated who learned of their potential exposure from the email (relative risk 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.93; P=.02), and this gap was even larger when compared to respondents who learned of their exposure from a WA Notify EN. The most commonly cited reason for not having WA Notify activated was privacy concerns (n=17, 35%), followed by not wanting to receive ENs (n=6, 12%) and being unaware of WA Notify (n=5, 10%). Digital EN systems are an important tool to directly and anonymously notify close contacts of potential exposures and provide guidance on the next steps in a timely manner. Given the privacy concerns, there is still a need for increasing transparency surrounding EN technology to increase uptake by the public if this technology were to be used in the future to slow the spread of communicable diseases.

Pattern of E. histolytica infection and its correlates among patients in a general practice clinic: A four-year retrospective evaluation

Background: Overcrowding, poor hygiene and scarcity of portable water are common features of population growth in a resource poor nation especially with rising cost of living from inflation. This is the often the state of many underdeveloped nations such as Nigeria. Such environments encourage the spread of communicable diseases. This study assess the pattern, trend, and at-risk population of Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica), implicated in intestinal Amoebiasis in South-South Nigeria. Method: This retrospective study was conducted using hospital data obtained from the laboratory department of a general hospital clinic in Warri and covered a period of four years from January 2015 - December 2018. The record of 4,169 laboratory results of stool samples examined by direct smear and concentration technique, were recovered from a designed computer database. Trend of infection over the period as well as variations in distribution patterns between sex, age and seasons were determined using appropriate statistical tools. Results: Out of the 4,169 stool samples 365 (8.8%) had E. histolytica with decreasing trend of infection from 2015 – 2018 as 135 of 1210 (11%); 118 of 1114 (10.6%); 57 of 792 (7.2%); 55 of 1053 (5.2%) respectively. Prevalence of infections was higher in females, 57.5% (95CI%, 51.7-59.7, n= 210) than males (n=155, 42.5%, 95%CI, 40.3-48.6). The prevalence of infections was highest among Age brackets 1-5years, 6-15 years and 35+ years; but lowest in the 26-35 years with peak season of infections at first and last quarters of each year. Conclusions: Children are more vulnerable to E. histolytica infestation and the dry seasons of the year place them at risk. This information underscores the need for local surveillance to evaluate the effectiveness of control and preventive health measures with a view of reducing the prevalence and morbidity of parasitic infections in our locality.

Beyond the “single story” of vaccine hesitancy: “studying up” a public health response to vaccine-associated polio in South Africa

Vaccine hesitancy is a widely noted challenge in the struggle against communicable diseases. This was clearly demonstrated in the Covid-19 vaccine drives in South Africa and the world over. While social responses to vaccines are well documented, the literature tells the story of vaccine hesitancy through a singular focus on individuals who, motivated by various reasons, oppose a public health intervention. Such a one-sided exploration perpetuates the “single story” of vaccine hesitancy and overlooks the role of other actors and processes that may have an influence on how people perceive vaccines. My research looks beyond this “single story” of vaccine hesitancy by adding the dimension of an ethnographic exploration of a wide range of public health professionals — epidemiologists, virologist, pathologists, nurses and registrars — who are tasked with safeguarding the population in Gauteng province against the spread of communicable diseases.

Higher Frequency of Healthcare Professionals is Associated With a Low Incidence of COVID-19-Related Death.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 200 countries with varying levels of infection and mortality rates. To understand the impact of healthcare resources and cultural factors, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 76 countries. The study used K-means clustering to identify 2 distinct clusters and performed a Welch's test to compare different parameters. The countries were then plotted on the Inglehart-Welzel global cultural map. By incorporating this framework, researchers can systematically scrutinize the intricate interplay of cultural factors. This will provide valuable context for understanding individuals' behaviors, preferences, and decision-making as they pertain to the challenges posed by COVID-19 and its mitigation strategies. The results showed that countries with higher levels of healthcare professionals had a lower death rate, even with a relatively high rate of infection. These countries also had higher levels of individual self-expression. The study highlights the importance of adhering to recommended protocols, as neglect can result from a lack of self-expression, leading to an increase in the spread of communicable diseases. It also emphasizes crucial role of healthcare professionals in managing crisis related to the pandemic.

Population mobility, well-mixed clustering and disease spread: a look at COVID-19 Spread in the United States and preventive policy insights

<abstract><p>The epidemiology of pandemics is classically viewed using geographical and political borders; however, these artificial divisions can result in a misunderstanding of the current epidemiological state within a given region. To improve upon current methods, we propose a clustering algorithm which is capable of recasting regions into well-mixed clusters such that they have a high level of interconnection while minimizing the external flow of the population towards other clusters. Moreover, we analyze and identify so-called <italic>core clusters</italic>, clusters that retain their features over time (temporally stable) and independent of the presence or absence of policy measures. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of this algorithm, we use USA county-level cellular mobility data to divide the country into such clusters. Herein, we show a more granular spread of SARS-CoV-2 throughout the first weeks of the pandemic. Moreover, we are able to identify areas (groups of counties) that were experiencing above average levels of transmission within a state, as well as pan-state areas (clusters overlapping more than one state) with very similar disease spread. Therefore, our method enables policymakers to make more informed decisions on the use of public health interventions within their jurisdiction, as well as guide collaboration with surrounding regions to benefit the general population in controlling the spread of communicable diseases.</p></abstract>

Prison Overcrowding and Harsh Conditions: Health and Human Rights Concerns to Persons in Custody, Staff, and the Community

The article explored overcrowding in Ghana prisons and sought to understand its impact on the health and well-being of persons in custody and prison officers. Qualitative data from 38 participants who were serving terms or working in three prison facilities in Ghana revealed three themes, including (a) fear over the spread of communicable diseases, (b) limited access to basic resources, and (c) psychological and emotional burden, attributing them to overcrowding in the prisons. We discussed the findings from human rights and prison and public security perspectives and concluded that addressing overcrowding in prisons would ensure a healthy prison environment, which may have implications for the well-being and human rights of persons in custody, as well as public safety and the health of prison officers and the community. To achieve a healthy prison, policies should target prison depopulation and commitment from stakeholders to implement local and international prison rules and conventions.

An agent-based nested model integrating within-host and between-host mechanisms to predict an epidemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has remarkably heightened concerns regarding the prediction of communicable disease spread. This study introduces an innovative agent-based modeling approach. In this model, the quantification of human-to-human transmission aligns with the dynamic variations in the viral load within an individual, termed “within-host” and adheres to the susceptible–infected–recovered (SIR) process, referred to as “between-host.” Variations in the viral load over time affect the infectivity between individual agents. This model diverges from the traditional SIR model, which employs a constant transmission probability, by incorporating a dynamic, time-dependent transmission probability influenced by the viral load in a host agent. The proposed model retains the time-integrated transmission probability characteristic of the conventional SIR model. As observed in this model, the overall epidemic size remains consistent with the predictions of the standard SIR model. Nonetheless, compared to predictions based on the classical SIR process, notable differences existed in the peak number of the infected individuals and the timing of this peak. These nontrivial differences are induced by the direct correlation between the time-evolving transmission probability and the viral load within a host agent. The developed model can inform targeted intervention strategies and public health policies by providing detailed insights into disease spread dynamics, crucial for effectively managing epidemics.

The impact of socioeconomic vulnerability on the incidence of COVID-19 in school students

Abstract Inequalities have been observed in the spread of COVID-19 due to higher incidence rates in environments with greater socioeconomic deprivation. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between socioeconomic level and the incidence of COVID-19 in students of schools in the city of Barcelona, in different epidemic waves. Cross-sectional ecological study on compulsory education students (N = 176,390). Unit of analysis: the 780 schools in the city. Study period: second (autumn 2020), third (winter 2020-21) and sixth epidemic waves (winter 2021-22). Dependent variable: Cumulative Incidence (CI) of COVID-19 among school students. Independent variables: complexity and ownership of the school, indexes in quartiles (being Q4 the most disadvantaged) of vulnerable students of the school and the Available Family Income (AFI) of the neighbourhood of the school. Stratified by sex and educational stage (Primary/Secondary). A bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed using Poisson regression to calculate crude Relative Risks and adjusted (aRR). As an impact measure, the Population Attributable Risk was calculated. In the second wave, 41% of the CI in primary boys was attributed to the vulnerability of the school (Q4: aRR=1.96 [1.10-3.50]), and 36% to a lower AFI in the neighbourhood of the school in secondary boys (Q4: aRR=3.18 [1.25-8.13]). Instead, in the sixth wave, taking Q4 as a reference, 35% of the CI in primary girls was attributed to lower vulnerability indices of the school (Q1: aRR=1.82 [1.52-2.20]), and 38% higher AFI from the neighbourhood of the school in secondary girls (Q1: aRR=1.99 [1.33-2.98]). In the third wave, the results are mixed and less significant in the models. The results obtained show that there was an inversion of the impact of social inequalities in the CI of COVID-19 in the second wave compared to the sixth. This reflects the need to delve into the contextual factors that favour the spread of communicable diseases. Key messages • The socioeconomic vulnerability of school students has been associated with a higher Cumulative Incidence of COVID-19 in the second wave, but this pattern has been reversed in the sixth wave. • Between 18 and 41% - depending on gender, educational level and epidemic wave- of the Cumulative Incidence of COVID-19 in Barcelona schools can be attributed to factors of socioeconomic deprivation.

초등학교 통학거리 내 근린생활시설에서의 감염병 확산 분석 모델에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study is to propose a model that analyze the architectural characteristics of neighborhood-convenience facilities around schools, which are vulnerable to infections, and their relevance to the spread of communicable diseases. This model aims to provide a foundation for making decisions on concentrating sanitation resources to prevent the inflow of communicable diseases and the occurrence of group infections in the vicinity of elementary schools.
 In order to understand the impact of neighborhood-convenience facilities located within a 1,500m commuting distance from elementary schools on the spread of communicable diseases, this study analyzes the architectural characteristics of local facilities and their relevance to the spread of communicable diseases. It proposes a communicable disease spread analysis model that utilizes GIS (Geographic Information System) and correlation analysis to identify vulnerable architectural characteristics and spatial scope related to infections.
 The results of applying the analysis model proposed in this study to analyze the correlation between neighborhood-convenience facilities around elementary schools and the spread of communicable diseases showed a positive correlation between the number of buildings, building area, total floor area, land area, height, building coverage ratio, and floor area ratio of neighborhood-convenience facilities within the Elementary-school Commuting Zone in the target administrative district. However, the spatial scope and trends of the maximum correlation coefficient for each administrative district varied, indicating differences in patterns among the target districts.
 The results of this study are as follows: First, the study proposed a correlation analysis model between the architectural characteristics of neighborhood-convenience facilities within the commuting distance of elementary schools and the spread of communicable diseases. Second, the results of applying the analysis model showed a positive correlation between the architectural characteristic variables of neighborhood-convenience facilities and the spread of communicable diseases. Third, there were differences in the spatial scope and trends of the maximum correlation coefficient among the analyzed administrative districts. The analysis model presented in this study provides a foundation for selecting architectural characteristics and spatial scope in each administrative district to concentrate sanitation resources.

Attitude and Factors Affecting Intention of Childbearing in COVID 19 Pandemic in Married Women of Reproductive Age Referred to Comprehensive Health Centers in Yazd City in Year 2022

Introduction: One of the serious challenges that societies all over the world are facing is the tendency of couples to have fewer children and to delay it. It is possible thatcovid-19 pandemic, in addition to the previous reasons, attitudes and factors affecting childbearing, may make couples physically and psychologically hesitant to accept the role of parents. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the attitude and intention to childbearing age during Covid-19 pandemic in married women of reproductive age in Yazd City in year 2022.
 Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2022 to June 2022 on 225 married women aged 15-40 covered by comprehensive health centers in Yazd-Iran.
 The data were collected by completing the demographic information questionnaire, the Persian Version of Attitudes toward Fertility and Childbearing Scale that was approved in 2014 by Baezt et al.; obtaining a higher score indicated a more favorable attitude By answering to the open-ended questions, by self-reporting and electronically, the information related to the factors affecting the intention to have children was collected. The data were analyzed with SPSS16 software.
 Results: The results showed that the attitude towards having children in the research community was not favorable (66.96 ± 10.55). Economic problems (n=184, 81.1%), Covid 19 pandemic (n=129, 56.4%) and the importance to comfort and convenience of parents (n=70, 30.8%) was considered as one of the most important factors affecting couples intention to childbearing.
 Conclusion: Although the spread of communicable diseases and epidemics can affect the desire of couples to childbearing, but the economic problems and the economic consequences of the pandemic, had undeniable and greater effects on the desire of families childbearing.

Role of Geographers in the Analysis and Modeling of the Spread of Communicable Diseases (Malaria & COVID-19) in Ambon City: A Spatial Approach for Epidemiological Analysis

This study explores the role of geographers in analyzing the distribution of infectious diseases (malaria and COVID-19) in Ambon City with a spatial approach in epidemiological analysis. The method used in this review is a comparative descriptive study with a qualitative approach using secondary data from relevant sources. This research will review the role of geographers in analyzing and modeling the distribution of infectious diseases (malaria & COVID-19) in Ambon City from previous research. This research integrates geographic and health data to understand the pattern of spread and environmental factors that influence disease. Through case mapping, environmental factor analysis, and modeling of future trends, this research illustrates the important contribution of geographers in infectious disease control and prevention efforts at the local level. Interdisciplinary collaboration plays a key role in this approach, which ultimately supports more informed and effective decision-making in addressing these health challenges.

A review of neurological health disparities in Peru.

Peru is a historically unique and culturally diverse Latin American country. As a low-to-middle-income country (LMIC), Peru faces health implications from the spread of communicable diseases as well as a growing rate of noncommunicable diseases, both of which have been worsened by the recent COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the national health system. Over the past two decades, the country has aimed to improve health access for its population through various efforts described in this review. Despite this, there are notable neurological health disparities that exist today. This narrative review investigates such disparities through the leading neurological contributors to the national burden of disease in the country, including migraine headaches, cerebrovascular disease, and dementia. Public health disparities that contribute to other major neurological diseases in the country, including epilepsy, neurocysticercosis, Chagas disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries are also investigated. We also explore potential solutions for overcoming the various neurological health disparities covered in this review that may be applied through public policies, as well as in similar LMICs in Latin America. By overcoming such disparities, the country may be able to successfully address the major contributors of neurological disease burden and create a healthcare environment that can sustainably and equitably improve health outcomes for Peruvian people.

A little help from my friends: Lack of social interaction predicts greater boredom during the COVID‐19 pandemic

AbstractWere people bored during the pandemic, and if so why? One possibility is lack of social interaction due to restrictions on social activity intended to slow the spread of communicable disease. In a 3‐week daily diary study (n = 438; international community sample) social interaction predicted boredom and its consequences. People felt more bored on days when they engaged in less social interaction than usual (in‐person or virtually), largely driven by a lack of meaning. In turn, boredom predicted lower well‐being concurrently, and more virtual interaction the next day; people dispositionally higher in trait boredom also reported more solitary (but not partnered) sexual activity. In conclusion, this study suggests that maintaining social connections, even during a pandemic, may be important to mitigate boredom and improve overall well‐being.

Climate change curricula in physician associate and physician associate-comparable professional clinical programs

PurposeClimate change has several known impacts on health, from increasing the spread of communicable disease, exacerbating the impacts of health disparities, disrupting food supplies, and detrimentally impacting mental health. Both the Lancet and the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) argue for the inclusion of climate and health competencies in health professional training programs. While these impacts on health are increasingly well documented, little is known about whether, and to what extent, physician associate/physician associate-comparable (PA/PA-comparable) professions around the world are trained on the health impacts of climate change. With this study, we aimed to assess whether a global sample of international PA/PA-comparable programs incorporated information about climate change and its impacts on health into their curricula. MethodsA survey developed by PA faculty members and an environmental epidemiologist was distributed to over 350 educational programs over a six-month period. Of these programs, 67 completed the survey, and these responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results53.7% of programs do not currently incorporate climate change and health topics into their overall education plan. Main barriers include time constraints and coverage of a large amount of material. While most respondents felt only slightly knowledgeable in teaching related content, most felt a pre-made climate change curriculum would help facilitate inclusion of this content in their programs. ConclusionWhile climate change has well-documented and widespread health impacts, these were not addressed in the majority of curricula of a global convenience sample of PA/PA comparable programs.

Assessment of rapid wastewater surveillance for determination of communicable disease spread in municipalities

Wastewater surveillance (WS) helps to improve the understanding of the spread of communicable diseases in communities. WS can assist public health decision-makers in the design and implementation of timely mitigation measures. There is an increased need to use reliable, cost-effective, simple, and rapid WS systems, given traditional analytical (or ‘gold-standard’) programs are instrument/time-intensive, and dependent on highly skilled personnel. This study investigated the application of the portable GeneXpert platform for WS of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A virus (IAV), influenza B virus (IBV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The GeneXpert system with the Xpert Xpress-SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV test kit uses reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to analyze wastewater samples. From September 2022 through January 2023, wastewater samples were collected from the influents of municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTPs) of Saskatoon, Prince Albert, and North Battleford in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Both raw and concentrated wastewater samples were subjected to the GeneXpert analysis. Results showed that the Saskatoon wastewater viral loads were significantly correlated to Saskatchewan's influenza and COVID-19 clinical cases, with a lead time of 10 days for IAV and a lag time of 4 days for SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, the GeneXpert analysis of the three cities' wastewater samples showed that the raw WS could capture the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 and IAV due to their correlation with concentrated WS. Interestingly, IBV loads were not detected in any wastewater samples, while the Saskatoon and Prince Albert wastewater samples collected following the 2023 holiday season (end of December and beginning of January) were positive for RSV. This study indicates that the GeneXpert has excellent potential for use in the development of an early warning system for transmissible disease in municipalities and limited-resource communities while simultaneously providing stakeholders with an efficient WS methodology.

COVID-19 prevention intentions of pre-science science teachers from South African and Indonesian universities

Science teachers could play a vital role in promoting health literacy and safe behaviors to limit the spread of communicable diseases. However, there is limited research concerning their attitudes and behavioral intentions toward diseases, such as COVID-19. Using the theory of planned behavior as a framework, we employed a non-experimental survey to compare the behavioral intentions towards adopting COVID-19 preventative measures among pre-service science teachers from South African (n=87) and Indonesian (n=93) universities. Data were collect data using a closed-ended questionnaire. Results show that the behavioral intentions toward COVID-19 between South African and Indonesian pre-service science teachers are similar. Safe attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, behavioral, and normative beliefs that support safe behavioral intentions toward COVID-19 were reported, even though vaccine hesitancy may occur. We extrapolate that interventions should be implemented to enhance pre-service teachers’ behavioral intentions and enhance their role in health education.

Monsoon Floods: A Challenge To Pakistan's Already Fragile Healthcare Infrastructure.

Madam, This monsoon season's floods from mid-July 2022 onwards have proven to be the most catastrophic climate disaster in Pakistan's history, flooding a third of the country, killing more than 1290 people, and forcing a staggering 634,000 people to take refuge in relief camps [1]. Furthermore, of greater concern is the implications of the floods on already fragile healthcare infrastructure in a country with a weak economy and limited fund allocation for Health Services. In this regard, the World Health Organization has reported damage to 1460 health facilities; 432 are inoperable and 1,028 were partially destroyed [1]. Considering the deficit of healthcare centres, and medical professionals and the availability of medications in low-lying, agricultural, and rural setups of the major provinces, the transmission of infectious diseases is inevitable. Subsequently, there is a significant concern surrounding the feasibility of relief camps set up, where overcrowding of displaced individuals, lack of proper sanitation and sewage systems, and inadequate hygienic food further stimulate communicable disease spread. Notably, the stagnant water surface remaining after flood water recedes serves as an ideal reservoir for mosquito vector growth and hence transmission of infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue affecting vulnerable populations, primarily the refugees in congested camps lacking basic sanitation and insecticidal net beds to sleep under. Moreover, overcrowding and destruction of sewage systems causing water contamination could lead to the oral-faecal transfer of gastrointestinal pathogens, causative agents of diarrheal diseases [2]. Cholera is the most prevalent infectious disease outcome of the floods as evidenced by reports of 115 922 cases of acute diarrhoea in KPK in the aftermath of the summer 2010 floods [2]. In addition, one of the major concerns identified among the displaced population is the alarming number of pregnant women in dire need of proper medical and residential facilities to facilitate their infants. In this context, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), released a startling estimate of 650,000 pregnant women affected by floods of which over 73,000 are expected to deliver within a month [3]. UNFPA has set a precedent by providing 8,311 dignity kits, 7,411 newborn baby kits, and 6,412 clean delivery kits. However, this would not be enough considering the magnitude of mass displacement [3]. ---Continue

Corona destroyer based ultra violet sanitizing robot

Every country in the globe has been profoundly affected by the coronavirus epidemic, and these countries are struggling with how to clean the affected areas quickly and effectively. This project aims to contribute to the fight against the spread of the coronavirus by quickly, safely, and effectively cleaning medical clinics. Regular cleaning and disinfection might reassure people and increase their confidence in the lessened risk of the spread of communicable diseases. Robots that use ultraviolet C (UVC) sanitizers can quickly and effectively clean the clinic rooms. In addition to cleaning patient seating areas, clinical equipment, restrooms, and above controls. The use of UVC technology effectively eliminates airborne germs in medical clinics. The results of UVC disinfection performance indicated a 92% reduction in the total bacterial count (TBC) at 0.5 metres from the robot after 8 minutes of UVC irradiation.