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pandemic

The Big Question

Moderna CEO: ‘I worry deeply about bioterrorism’

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Europe Today

Expert says hantavirus poses no risk 'as long as we contain it'

Professor Luke O'Neill, from Trinity College Dublin, acknowledges the virus situation is "a bit scary" given the mortality rate. But he asks authorities to "reassure" people about its low danger, as it is a known strain of hantavirus, the Andes variant, and it has "not changed".

Health news

What we know about the man believed to be hantavirus patient zero

A Dutch ornithologist is suspected of being the “patient zero” in the hantavirus outbreak that has spread among passengers aboard a cruise ship. But how and where did he come into contact with the virus?

Health news

What hantavirus does to survivors long after infection

Surviving the illness does not mean people fully recover. Many patients continue to suffer long-term physical and mental health problems.

Health news

Experts warn open data may help AI design dangerous pathogens

More than 100 researchers call for safeguards on high-risk biological datasets to prevent AI misuse, which could create deadly pathogens.

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Health news

AI could help make bioweapons that spark pandemics, tech experts warn

Existing and emerging AI tools could technically be used to create a bioweapon capable of starting a pandemic, experts said.

Economy

Remote and hybrid work can boost employment, says UK parliament report

Parents, carers, and people with disabilities stand to benefit most from more flexible work options, according to a new UK parliament report, as unemployment is rising in the UK.

Health news

Bird flu strain has potential to spark pandemic warns WHO virologist

"In principle, the H5N1 virus has everything it takes to trigger a pandemic," says virologist Klaus Stöhr in a report. Bird flu is currently spreading in Germany.

EuroVerify

Misleading claims about EU COVID vaccine approval persist online

The approval of COVID-19 vaccines may have been fast-tracked, but these medicines were still subject to rigorous checks carried out by regulatory authorities.

Health news

Ancient DNA solves mystery behind world's first pandemic

Scientists have confirmed that Yersinia pestis, the bacterium behind later plagues like the Black Death, caused the Justinian Plague - the world’s first recorded pandemic 1,500 years ago.

Cinema

Film of the Week: 'Eddington' - Get ready to be polarised

Imperfect and overlong, Ari Aster's fourth feature still ends up as a neat snapshot of the COVID years, as well as a sly missile aimed at a lie we’ve all been sold...

Health news

Prepared, not panicked: EU arms itself for the next big health crisis

The European Commission has launched a new strategy to build its health crisis arsenal and shield citizens from the next pandemic and future health threats.

Health news

Former French officials cleared of accusations of pandemic mishandling

The decision, announced by one of the former officials on X, comes five years after a top court in France opened an investigation.

Health news

We may never know for sure how COVID-19 began, WHO says

An expert group from the World Health Organization failed to find a definitive answer to the COVID-19 pandemic’s origins in its final report.

Cinema

Film of the Week: '28 Years Later' - Bold, brilliant and Brexity

Skipping ‘Months’, Danny Boyle returns to the series he started in 2002 with '28 Days Later' – supported by returning screenwriter Alex Garland and armed with a clear desire to avoid repeating himself. The result is a bold, brilliant and very surprising revival.

Health news

Is Europe doing enough to prepare for bird flu risks to humans?

Public health risks remain low, but experts in Europe are calling for more surveillance given the virus is so widespread among birds.

Health news

Countries sign off on global pandemic treaty at WHO meeting

The agreement will be legally binding, but it won’t enter into force right away.