Tag: covid 19

  • YouTube to remove any ‘totka’ cancer remedies that can be harmful and ineffective

    YouTube to remove any ‘totka’ cancer remedies that can be harmful and ineffective

    YouTube is set to remove content that promotes ineffective or harmful cancer treatments and discourages professional medical care-seeking. The decision is part of YouTube’s effort to refine its medical moderation guidelines, following experiences combating misinformation on subjects like COVID-19, vaccines, and reproductive health.

    In the future, Google’s video platform will apply medical misinformation policies when addressing high public health risks, relying on established health authority guidance, and countering potential misinformation-prone topics. This approach aims to cover a broad range of medical subjects while maintaining a balance between harm reduction and open debate.

    YouTube clarified its stance in a recent blog post, emphasising action against both harmful treatments and unproven alternatives presented as substitutes for established options. Notably, promoting vitamin C supplements as a replacement for radiation therapy would be prohibited.

    These policy updates come over three years after YouTube collaborated with major tech platforms to combat COVID-19 misinformation. While the platform previously acted against vaccine misinformation, it intensified efforts during the pandemic, eventually banning all vaccine misinformation by late 2021.

    YouTube also took steps against other videos violating its medical misinformation policy, including those endorsing “unsafe abortion methods” or spreading “false claims about abortion safety.”

    Divergence among major tech platforms’ approaches to COVID-19 misinformation emerged after their initial united front in early 2020. Twitter stopped enforcing its COVID misinformation policy in late 2022 due to an acquisition by Elon Musk. Meta also recently relaxed its moderation approach, particularly in countries like the US, where COVID-19 is no longer a national emergency.

  • About 830,000 Pakistanis left the country in 2022 in search of better jobs

    About 830,000 Pakistanis left the country in 2022 in search of better jobs

    The Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment (BE&OE) has reported a historic surge in emigrants seeking overseas employment in 2022, with a staggering 829,549 individuals registering for job opportunities abroad. Syed Agha Rafiullah, Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD), presented this data to the National Assembly on Wednesday, shedding light on the nation’s growing interest in international job markets.

    Rafiullah went on to explain that although 12.45 million Pakistani workers had registered for overseas employment opportunities since 1971, the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly impacted emigration numbers in 2020 and 2021. Only 224,705 and 286,648 Pakistani emigrants had been recorded in those years, respectively.

    To combat this decline, the government is actively pursuing a diversification strategy, seeking new international employment markets for its workforce. In this regard, the government has already established statements of intent on migration and mobility with Greece and the United Kingdom, and is hopeful of signing a similar agreement with Germany soon.

    Moreover, the ministry is currently in talks with 12 nations, including Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Iran, Lebanon, Kuwait, Libya, Romania, Portugal, and Uzbekistan, to sign memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on personnel export. In addition, 24 social welfare attachés have been deployed to 16 countries to explore new opportunities for Pakistani labor.

    The government is committed to providing Pakistani emigrants with the necessary training in line with the host country’s labor market requirements, as determined by the host country’s Labour Market Analysis (LMA). These measures reflect the government’s proactive approach in promoting overseas employment and ensuring its workforce’s sustainable livelihood.

  • National Institute of Health urges citizens to wear masks amid rise in Covid-19

    As Covid-19 cases has begun rising in Pakistan once more, the National Institute of Health (NIC) tweeted yesterday that according the guidelines sent by the National Command And Operation Center (NCOC) citizens are advised to take safety precautions like wearing masks to keep themselves safe from the disease.

    Amid the current COVID-19 disease trends across the country, NCOC recommended following guidelines for the period up to 30 April 2023. “Mask wearing is recommended at crowded tightly enclosed spaces including healthcare facilities”

    The alert has arrived after the countrywide Covid-19 positivity rate rose to 2.7%, with positive patients adding up to 133 in total, and at least 15 under critical care, as per the tweet released by NIH.

  • Toyota IMC records worst sales in three years, selling less than 2,000 cars in February

    Toyota IMC records worst sales in three years, selling less than 2,000 cars in February

    Toyota Indus Motor Company (IMC), a leading automaker renowned for offering the country’s best-selling sedan, has reported a significant decline in sales in February 2023, marking the worst sales month since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Having previously sold over 7,100 units in March 2022, the company’s sales have now plummeted to a meager 1,803 vehicles in February 2023, according to Autojournal.

    It is pertinent to note that this represents the lowest sales figures for Toyota in the past three years, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

    Toyota is not the only company experiencing this phenomenon, as Pak Suzuki Motor Company has also reported a massive decline in sales, selling only 544 units in February 2023, despite having sold over 6,000 units of Suzuki Alto in a single month previously.

    Pakistan’s auto industry is currently facing significant challenges due to production halts, resulting from a lack of availability of auto parts and restrictions on imports.

    As a result, car manufacturers are facing difficulties in meeting consumer demands, leading to decreased sales figures for many companies, including Toyota and Suzuki.

  • Most infectious XBB.1.5 Covid subvariant detected in Pakistan through genome sequencing: AKU

    Most infectious XBB.1.5 Covid subvariant detected in Pakistan through genome sequencing: AKU

    The most contagious COVID subvariant, XBB.1.5, has been found in Pakistan through genome sequencing, according to the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), The News has reported.

    “Yes, we have found the XBB.1.5 sub-variant of Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) through genome sequencing of the virus from an infected patient”, The News has stated while quoting an expert associated with AKU.

    A very small number of COVID-19 cases were reported from the country, the expert, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed. The expert also believed that the majority of those infected with the new sub-variant of the Coronavirus were not getting themselves tested despite having upper respiratory tract infections.

    Infectious diseases expert Dr Rana Jawad Asghar while talking to The News said that genome sequencing of only 0.5 per cent of COVID-19 positive cases was being carried out in Pakistan, which is a relatively small and adhoc proportion when compared to the rest of the globe.

  • Saudi Arabia will host pre-pandemic numbers of Hajj pilgrims in 2023

    The number of people participating in this year’s Hajj will return to pre-pandemic levels, Saudi Arabia’s ministry of Hajj has announced in a tweet

    About 2.5 million pilgrims participated in the religious journey in 2019. To stop the spread of COVID-19 , numbers were significantly reduced for the following two years.

    Prior to reopening its doors to one million international pilgrims in 2022, the kingdom only permitted small numbers of its citizens to perform Hajj in 2020 and 2021.

    In 2022, nearly 900,000 pilgrims, including some 780,000 from abroad, were welcomed in the Kingdom.

  • NIH confirms presence of XBB variant of Covid-19 in Pakistan

    NIH confirms presence of XBB variant of Covid-19 in Pakistan

    The National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad and the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) on Tuesday confirmed the presence of the XBB variant of Covid-19 in Pakistan, confirmed through genome sequencing of samples.

    A review meeting was held on the Corona situation in the country under the chairmanship of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif.
    The Premier commended the efforts put in by all the relevant officials and NCOC to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

    The meeting was informed in detail about the current situation of Covid in the world including the region and in Pakistan, new variants of the pandemic, measures taken to prevent them and status of vaccinations.

    Attendants at the meeting were informed that there is no apparent threat to Pakistan from the new variant of Covid-19.

    The same variant, BF.7, has recently been identified as the dominant one spreading in China’s capital Beijing, contributing to a wider surge of COVID infections in the country.

  • PM Shehbaz tests positive for Covid-19 for the third time

    PM Shehbaz tests positive for Covid-19 for the third time

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has tested positive for the coronavirus for the third time, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed on Tuesday.

    In a tweet, the minister said that the Premier was feeling unwell for the past two days and took a Covid-19 test today as per the doctor’s advice.

    She appealed to the nation and to PML-N workers to pray for Shehbaz Sharif’s speedy recovery.

    This is the third time the prime minister has tested positive for the virus. He had previously contracted Covid-19 earlier this year in January and once before in June 2020.

    Shehbaz Sharif landed back in Pakistan on Monday after a brief but busy trip to London. However, he had reportedly not been feeling well. It was also reported that while the Prime Minister was in London, he felt unwell and delayed his departure to Pakistan by a day.

  • Naseem Shah tests positive for Covid-19

    Naseem Shah tests positive for Covid-19

    Before the crucial seven-match T20I series against England at home, fast bowler Naseem Shah has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Geo Super.

    The bowler is presently receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, and will not be available for the final two Twenty20 internationals against England.

    Shah was recently admitted to a hospital for treatment after experiencing a high fever, where his dengue test was also done, but it was later discovered that he has a chest infection, which has led to further problems.

    Yesterday, it was reported that the right-arm pacer was diagnosed with pneumonia, and he may miss the remainder of the ongoing series, while also casting doubts on his participation in the forthcoming tri-nation series in New Zealand and the T20 World Cup in Australia.

    “Naseem Shah’s participation in the upcoming matches and departure to New Zealand with the squad will be decided after seeing his medical reports,” a cricket board official said in a statement.

    The management decided that Naseem should recuperate ahead of the tri-nation series in New Zealand and the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, therefore he has only participated in one of the four games.

    In the just-finished Asia Cup 2022 in the UAE, Naseem Shah made his T20I debut. There, he put up an amazing bowling performance, capturing seven wickets in five games with an economy rate of 7.66.

  • Covid Vaccination of children aged 5-12 begins

    Covid Vaccination of children aged 5-12 begins

    The Covid-19 vaccination programme for childern aged 5 to 12 has begun.

    The vaccination drive will continue through September 24 to immunise kids between the ages of 5 and 12 against Covid-19, according to health officials.

    In its letter to parents, the NIH stated that Covid-19 immunisation protects kids against contracting the virus.

    Data entries for the vaccination will be made from the B-form of a child.

    Covid vaccines for children aged 5 to 12 now available

    The Ministry of Health has decided to provide COVID-19 inoculation to children aged five years to 12 years. However, parental approval is required for the inoculation.

    According to the health ministry, the immunisation program will begin on September 19 across Sindh, Punjab, and Islamabad.

    “Children will also be able to receive COVID-19 jabs in schools and they will be vaccinated after the consent of their parents,” said the ministry.

    “Children’s registration in National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is mandatory for the vaccination and entry will be made through B-form,” said District Health Officer Rawalpindi, Ahsan Ghani while talking to Geo News.