Switzerland

Switzerland: WHO to reconvene monkeypox emergency panel on July 21

GENEVA, July 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization said it would reconvene its expert monkeypox committee on July 21 to decide whether the outbreak constitutes a global health emergency.

A second meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee on monkeypox will be held, with the UN health agency now aware of 9,200 cases in 63 countries at the last update issued Tuesday.

A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May outside the West and Central African countries where the disease has long been endemic.

Mystery child hepatitis outbreak passes 1,000 recorded cases, 22 child dead, says WHO

GENEVA, July 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — In addition to tackling COVID and the monkeypox outbreak, the UN health agency has also been keeping a close eye on the puzzling spread of hepatitis in previously healthy children, which has left dozens needing lifesaving liver transplants.

According to a new update on Wednesday from the World Health Organization (WHO), 35 countries in five regions of the world have now reported more than 1,010 probable cases of unexplained severe acute hepatitis, or liver inflammation, in youngsters, since the outbreak was first detected on April 5.

Switzerland: WHO issues snapshot of monkeypox cases

GENEVA, July 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization issued its first situation report on the spread of monkeypox on Thursday, detailing the typical profile of those affected by the outbreak so far.

According to available statistics, almost all patients affected thus far are male, with a median age of 37, with three-fifths identifying as men who have sex with men, the WHO said.

A surge in monkeypox infections has been reported since early May outside the West and Central African countries where the disease has long been endemic.

Global hunger figures rose to as many as 828m in 2021: UN

06 July 2022; MEMO: The number of people affected by hunger globally grew to as many as 828 million in 2021, swelling by about 46 million from 2020 and 150 million from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a United Nations report said Wednesday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The UN report shows the world is moving further away from its goal of ending hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030.

Russia-Ukraine conflict: UN condemns ‘senseless war’ in Ukraine

GENEVA, July  6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UN rights chief on Tuesday condemned Russia’s “senseless war” in Ukraine as she demanded an end to the “unbearable” civilian suffering unleashed by the invasion.

Michelle Bachelet called for an immediate end to hostilities and redress for the war’s victims, in her final appearance before the UN Human Rights Council.

“As we enter the fifth month of hostilities, the unbearable toll of the conflict in Ukraine continues to mount,” the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said.

Swiss give cool reply to Ukraine call for seizing Russian assets

LUGANO, Switzerland, July 5 (Reuters) - Switzerland has given a cool response to calls from Ukraine's prime minister to use frozen assets of ultra-wealthy Russians to help fund his country's $750 billion reconstruction project.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal told a conference in Lugano that $300-500 billion of Russian assets had been frozen by the United States, European Union and Britain, money he said could help rebuild wrecked schools, hospitals and homes. 

Switzerland: WHO drops endemic country distinction for monkeypox

GENEVA, June 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization says it has removed the distinction between endemic and non-endemic countries in its data on monkeypox to better unify the response to the virus.

Until the past few months, monkeypox had generally been confined to Western and Central Africa but is now present in several continents.

“We are removing the distinction between endemic and non-endemic countries, reporting on countries together where possible, to reflect the unified response that is needed,” the WHO said in its outbreak situation update.

Switzerland: WTO strikes global trade deals after 'roller coaster' talks

GENEVA, June 17 (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization agreed on the first change to global trading rules in years on Friday as well as a deal to boost the supply of COVID-19 vaccines in a series of pledges that were heavy on compromise.

The deals were forged in the early hours of the sixth day of a conference of more than 100 trade ministers that was seen as a test of the ability of nations to strike multilateral trade deals amid geopolitical tensions heightened by the Ukraine war.

Pakistan urges UN Human Rights Council to take ‘credible steps’ to uphold Kashmiri people’s rights

GENEVA, Jun 16 (APP): Pakistan has called on the UN Human Rights Council to take “credible steps” to uphold Kashmiri people’s fundamental rights, and to hold India accountable for its illegal colonization and rights abuses in the disputed territory.

“Today, Pakistan echoes this call for action to address the growing human rights crisis in occupied Kashmir,” Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN in Geneva, told the 47-member council.

WHO: COVID-19 deaths rise, reversing a 5-week decline

GENEVA (AP) — After five weeks of declining coronavirus deaths, the number of fatalities reported globally increased by 4% last week, according to the World Health Organization.

In its weekly assessment of the pandemic issued on Thursday, the U.N. health agency said there were 8,700 COVID-19 deaths last week, with a 21% jump in the Americas and a 17% increase in the Western Pacific.

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