Britain announced plans on Tuesday to use rapid DNA tests on patients to detect bugs that could cause the next pandemic.
An early warning system will be set up at 30 hospitals using new technology that can produce results of DNA testing in six hours. The patient data will be passed to a UK health security agency set up after the Covid-19 pandemic.
During a pilot in London, the tests were carried out routinely on patients in intensive care, prompting alerts to public health chiefs for about three in every 100 pathogens. The same tests led to many patients having their antibiotics changed on the basis of the results.
The method of sequencing DNA has been developed by a company called Oxford Nanopore, which said the surveillance project will start in 2025. The Department of Health said it would be used to cut the time between new pathogens emerging and action being taken.
The tests use a method called long-read sequencing to examine strands of DNA in one go, without breaking them up into smaller fragments. The aim is to diagnose respiratory problems while at the same time checking for dangerous bugs.
Britain's Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has made technology a priority in his plans to reform the state-run National Health Service, said the move would "ensure our world-leading scientists have the latest information on emerging threats at their fingertips".
"If we fail to prepare, we should prepare to fail," he said. "Our NHS was already on its knees when the pandemic struck and it was hit harder than any other comparable healthcare system. We cannot let history repeat itself."
More than 200,000 people died due to Covid-19 in the UK, which was one of Europe's hardest-hit countries despite its leading role in genome sequencing and vaccine development. An inquiry reported in July that Britain's emergency plans had been designed for a flu pandemic, not a coronavirus outbreak.
It called for a new pandemic strategy to be developed and tested every three years in crisis response exercises. Britain is also part of negotiations on a new pandemic treaty that has been delayed over fears of ceding power to the World Health Organisation.
Data from Britain's new monitoring system will form part of an initiative called the 100 Days Mission to develop vaccines and treatment within 100 days of a future pandemic breaking out, said Susan Hopkins, the health security agency's chief medical adviser.
"The UK already has a wealth of expertise in genomic surveillance and this programme will build on that expertise and enable us to bring our resources and capability to tackle developing threats at greater speed," she said.
The new arrangement between the NHS, Oxford Nanopore, Genomics England and the UK Biobank will also monitor for signs of antimicrobial resistance, the government said. The chief executive of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, where the tests were piloted, said there had been a clear benefit to patients.
"It’s a momentous day now that we can ensure other hospitals, and more patients, can also benefit from faster and more accurate treatment for severe respiratory conditions thanks to new genomic technology," Prof Ian Abbs.
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGrowdash%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESean%20Trevaskis%20and%20Enver%20Sorkun%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERestaurant%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Plus%20VC%2C%20Judah%20VC%2C%20TPN%20Investments%20and%20angel%20investors%2C%20including%20former%20Talabat%20chief%20executive%20Abdulhamid%20Alomar%2C%20and%20entrepreneur%20Zeid%20Husban%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The%20specs
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
