Canada's&nbsp;Ontario&nbsp;province Friday declared a&nbsp;state&nbsp;of&nbsp;emergency&nbsp;over&nbsp;trucker-led protests paralyzing the capital and disrupting trade with the United States, as Premier Doug Ford vowed to do whatever it takes to end the blockades.

The capital Ottawa has been clogged with hundreds of big rigs for two weeks, while three border crossings have been shut down by truckers demanding an end to all Covid health restrictions.

"We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the border is reopened," Ford told a news conference, threatening steep fines of up to Can$100,000 ($80,000) and jail unless protesters end their "illegal&nbsp;occupation."

"To the people of Ottawa under siege, I say we will ensure you're able to resume life and business as soon as possible."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/morning-news-brief-canada-court-order-us-warning-to-americans-and-more-452541">Morning news brief: Canada court order, US warning to Americans, and more</a>

The vital Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor,&nbsp;Ontario&nbsp;and the US city of Detroit, is used daily by more than 40,000 commuters and tourists, along with trucks carrying $323 million worth of goods each day on average -- about one-quarter of all&nbsp;Canada-US trade.

The days-long border obstructions have already have major impact, with several automakers forced to cut back production as a result, triggering fears it could impact&nbsp;Canada's economic recovery from the &nbsp;pandemic.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under mounting pressure to get the situation under control, with Washington calling on its northern neighbor to use federal powers to end the blockades.

Ford, who faces elections in June, has likewise been under fire for several days&nbsp;over&nbsp;his inaction to bring an end to the&nbsp;trucker-led disruptions.

Watch |&nbsp;'Time to go home,' Canadian PM Justin Trudeau warns demonstrators

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/time-to-go-home-canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-warns-demonstrators-452550/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The snowballing&nbsp;trucker&nbsp;movement has morphed&nbsp;over&nbsp;the past weeks into a broader&nbsp;protest&nbsp;against Covid-19 health restrictions and Trudeau's government -- and sparked solidarity rallies across the nation and abroad.

Canada's Ontario province Friday declared a state of emergency over trucker-led protests paralyzing the capital and disrupting trade with the United States, as Premier Doug Ford vowed to do whatever it takes to end the blockades.

Canada's Ontario province Friday declared a state of emergency over trucker-led protests paralyzing the capital and disrupting trade with the United States, as Premier Doug Ford vowed to do whatever it takes to end the blockades. The capital Ottawa has been clogged with hundreds of big rigs for two weeks, while three border crossings have been shut down by truckers demanding an end to all Covid health restrictions. "We will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the border is reopened," Ford told a news conference, threatening steep fines of up to Can$100,000 ($80,000) and jail unless protesters end their "illegal occupation." "To the people of Ottawa under siege, I say we will ensure you're able to resume life and business as soon as possible." Also read | Morning news brief: Canada court order, US warning to Americans, and more The vital Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario and the US city of Detroit, is used daily by more than 40,000 commuters and tourists, along with trucks carrying $323 million worth of goods each day on average -- about one-quarter of all Canada-US trade. The days-long border obstructions have already have major impact, with several automakers forced to cut back production as a result, triggering fears it could impact Canada's economic recovery from the pandemic. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under mounting pressure to get the situation under control, with Washington calling on its northern neighbor to use federal powers to end the blockades. Ford, who faces elections in June, has likewise been under fire for several days over his inaction to bring an end to the trucker-led disruptions. Watch | 'Time to go home,' Canadian PM Justin Trudeau warns demonstrators The snowballing trucker movement has morphed over the past weeks into a broader protest against Covid-19 health restrictions and Trudeau's government -- and sparked solidarity rallies across the nation and abroad.

State of emergency in Canada's Ontario over 'illegal' trucker protest

A raging&nbsp;measles&nbsp;outbreak in&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;infected tens of thousands and killed more than 150 people last month alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday, warning of more&nbsp;deaths.

The UN health agency said the outbreak was particularly concerning since&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;is facing massive food insecurity and malnutrition, leaving children far more vulnerable to the highly contagious disease.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-6-womens-rights-activists-still-missing-un-human-rights-office-expresses-concern-451313">Afghanistan: 6 women’s rights activists still missing; UN human rights office expresses concern</a>

"Measles&nbsp;cases&nbsp;have been increasing in all provinces since the end of July 2021,"&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva.

He said&nbsp;cases&nbsp;had surged recently, ballooning by 18 per cent in the week of January 24 and by 40 per cent in the last week of the month.

In all, 35,319 suspected&nbsp;measles&nbsp;cases&nbsp;were reported in January, including 3,000 that were laboratory confirmed, and 156&nbsp;deaths.&nbsp;Ninety-one per cent of the&nbsp;cases&nbsp;and 97 per cent of the&nbsp;deaths&nbsp;were children under the age of five.

Lindmeier stressed that the&nbsp;measles-related&nbsp;deaths&nbsp;were likely underreported and the numbers were expected to swell.

"The rapid rise in&nbsp;cases&nbsp;in January suggests that the number of&nbsp;deaths&nbsp;due to&nbsp;measles&nbsp;is likely to increase sharply in the coming weeks," Lindmeier said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/prolonged-humanitarian-crisis-forces-starving-afghans-to-sell-kidneys-says-report-448781">Prolonged humanitarian crisis forces starving Afghans to sell kidneys, says report</a>

Measles&nbsp;is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks mainly children. The most serious complications include blindness, brain swelling, diarrhoea, and severe respiratory infections.

The latest surge in&nbsp;cases&nbsp;comes as&nbsp;Afghanistan&nbsp;is in the grip of a humanitarian disaster, worsened by the Taliban takeover in August -- when Western countries froze international aid and access to assets held abroad.

The United Nations has warned that half the country is threatened with food shortages.

"Malnutrition weakens immunity, making people more vulnerable to illness and&nbsp;deaths&nbsp;diseases like&nbsp;measles, especially children," Lindmeier said.

The best protection against&nbsp;measles&nbsp;is broad vaccination, with the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;recommending that countries ensure at least 95-per cent vaccination coverage -- a difficult goal in the Afghan context.

Watch |&nbsp;Women's activism grows in Afghanistan with Taliban in power

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/womens-activism-grows-in-afghanistan-with-taliban-in-power-451919/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

Lindmeier said the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;and its partners had been working to scale up their&nbsp;measles&nbsp;surveillance capacities and provide support for things like lab testing and immunisation campaigns.

Last December, a vaccination campaign in the hardest-hit areas reached 1.5 million children, he said.

They have also been providing Vitamin A supplements, which are important to help reduce sickness and death from&nbsp;measles, reaching 8.5 million children in a nationwide campaign last November.

The&nbsp;WHO, Lindmeier said, was now working towards a larger&nbsp;measles&nbsp;vaccination drive starting in May, aimed at reaching more than three million children.

A raging measles outbreak in Afghanistan infected tens of thousands and killed more than 150 people last month alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday, warning of more deaths.

A raging measles outbreak in Afghanistan infected tens of thousands and killed more than 150 people last month alone, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday, warning of more deaths. The UN health agency said the outbreak was particularly concerning since Afghanistan is facing massive food insecurity and malnutrition, leaving children far more vulnerable to the highly contagious disease. Also read | Afghanistan: 6 women’s rights activists still missing; UN human rights office expresses concern "Measles cases have been increasing in all provinces since the end of July 2021," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva. He said cases had surged recently, ballooning by 18 per cent in the week of January 24 and by 40 per cent in the last week of the month. In all, 35,319 suspected measles cases were reported in January, including 3,000 that were laboratory confirmed, and 156 deaths. Ninety-one per cent of the cases and 97 per cent of the deaths were children under the age of five. Lindmeier stressed that the measles-related deaths were likely underreported and the numbers were expected to swell. "The rapid rise in cases in January suggests that the number of deaths due to measles is likely to increase sharply in the coming weeks," Lindmeier said. Also read | Prolonged humanitarian crisis forces starving Afghans to sell kidneys, says report Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks mainly children. The most serious complications include blindness, brain swelling, diarrhoea, and severe respiratory infections. The latest surge in cases comes as Afghanistan is in the grip of a humanitarian disaster, worsened by the Taliban takeover in August -- when Western countries froze international aid and access to assets held abroad. The United Nations has warned that half the country is threatened with food shortages. "Malnutrition weakens immunity, making people more vulnerable to illness and deaths diseases like measles, especially children," Lindmeier said. The best protection against measles is broad vaccination, with the WHO recommending that countries ensure at least 95-per cent vaccination coverage -- a difficult goal in the Afghan context. Watch | Women's activism grows in Afghanistan with Taliban in power Lindmeier said the WHO and its partners had been working to scale up their measles surveillance capacities and provide support for things like lab testing and immunisation campaigns. Last December, a vaccination campaign in the hardest-hit areas reached 1.5 million children, he said. They have also been providing Vitamin A supplements, which are important to help reduce sickness and death from measles, reaching 8.5 million children in a nationwide campaign last November. The WHO, Lindmeier said, was now working towards a larger measles vaccination drive starting in May, aimed at reaching more than three million children.

Measles cases, deaths surging in Afghanistan, tens of thousands infected: WHO

Paris&nbsp;police said Thursday they would ban so-called "freedom convoys" inspired by a truckers' protest against coronavirus restrictions that has paralysed the Canadian capital Ottawa.

Convoys of vehicles from across France are expected to converge on the French capital on Friday, risking a possible standoff with the police similar to the violent "yellow vest" protests that rocked the country in 2018.

A repeat of the "yellow vests" -- a nationwide movement against social inequality -- would be unwelcome for President Emmanuel Macron as he prepares for April 2022 elections he remains favourite to win.

"There will be a special deployment... to prevent blockages of major roads, issue tickets and arrest those who infringe on this protest ban," the&nbsp;Paris&nbsp;police force said in a statement.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trudeau-slams-canada-trucker-protests-police-threaten-arrests-451963">&nbsp;Trudeau slams Canada trucker protests, police threaten arrests</a>

The city's ban order will remain in force from Friday to Monday, while police recalled that people blocking roads faced up to two years in prison, a fine of 4,500 euros ($5,140) and a three-year exclusion from driving.

Thousands of people opposed to France's vaccine pass, which restricts access to much of public life to those with the Covid-19 jab, have said on social media that they would rally in&nbsp;Paris.

Some plan to continue on to European Union capital Brussels on Monday.

&nbsp;'An aberration'&nbsp;

The movement is "far from having a solid structure" but "this especially media-friendly new form of action could give new momentum to different protest groups," a police report seen by broadcaster RTL and newspaper Le Parisien said earlier this week.

A&nbsp;number of convoys of cars, vans and motorbikes set off from around France on Wednesday, inspired by the two-week blockade of central Ottawa by truckers angry at testing and vaccine requirements for crossing the border with the US.

Eyhande Abeberry, 52, a participant at the send-off in the southern French city of Bayonne, told AFP that the vaccine pass was "an aberration".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-to-buy-french-warplanes-as-paris-boosts-asia-alliances-452033">Indonesia to buy French warplanes as Paris boosts Asia alliances</a>

But as in Canada, where the protest has broadened from the issues that first triggered it, others including purchasing power and energy costs have motivated some French participants.

Those were also at the root of the "yellow vests" demonstrations.

With an election first round coming on April 10, Macron's government has already mobilised billions of euros to limit the impact on households of surging gas and petrol prices.

Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said that she "understood" the protesters' goals, saying that it was "another form of the yellow vests" demonstrations.

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said he recognised the public's "weariness" with infection control measures, but insisted that France had been among the European countries with "the fewest restrictions that infringe on citizens' freedom".

In a nod to public impatience ahead of the elections with France's tough Covid rules, Attal also indicated that the country may be in a position to drop its obligatory vaccine pass in late March or early April as cases fall.

&nbsp;

Paris police said Thursday they would ban so-called "freedom convoys" inspired by a truckers' protest against coronavirus restrictions that has paralysed the Canadian capital Ottawa.

Paris police said Thursday they would ban so-called "freedom convoys" inspired by a truckers' protest against coronavirus restrictions that has paralysed the Canadian capital Ottawa. Convoys of vehicles from across France are expected to converge on the French capital on Friday, risking a possible standoff with the police similar to the violent "yellow vest" protests that rocked the country in 2018. A repeat of the "yellow vests" -- a nationwide movement against social inequality -- would be unwelcome for President Emmanuel Macron as he prepares for April 2022 elections he remains favourite to win. "There will be a special deployment... to prevent blockages of major roads, issue tickets and arrest those who infringe on this protest ban," the Paris police force said in a statement. Also read | Trudeau slams Canada trucker protests, police threaten arrests The city's ban order will remain in force from Friday to Monday, while police recalled that people blocking roads faced up to two years in prison, a fine of 4,500 euros ($5,140) and a three-year exclusion from driving. Thousands of people opposed to France's vaccine pass, which restricts access to much of public life to those with the Covid-19 jab, have said on social media that they would rally in Paris. Some plan to continue on to European Union capital Brussels on Monday. 'An aberration' The movement is "far from having a solid structure" but "this especially media-friendly new form of action could give new momentum to different protest groups," a police report seen by broadcaster RTL and newspaper Le Parisien said earlier this week. A number of convoys of cars, vans and motorbikes set off from around France on Wednesday, inspired by the two-week blockade of central Ottawa by truckers angry at testing and vaccine requirements for crossing the border with the US. Eyhande Abeberry, 52, a participant at the send-off in the southern French city of Bayonne, told AFP that the vaccine pass was "an aberration". Also read | Indonesia to buy French warplanes as Paris boosts Asia alliances But as in Canada, where the protest has broadened from the issues that first triggered it, others including purchasing power and energy costs have motivated some French participants. Those were also at the root of the "yellow vests" demonstrations. With an election first round coming on April 10, Macron's government has already mobilised billions of euros to limit the impact on households of surging gas and petrol prices. Far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said that she "understood" the protesters' goals, saying that it was "another form of the yellow vests" demonstrations. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said he recognised the public's "weariness" with infection control measures, but insisted that France had been among the European countries with "the fewest restrictions that infringe on citizens' freedom". In a nod to public impatience ahead of the elections with France's tough Covid rules, Attal also indicated that the country may be in a position to drop its obligatory vaccine pass in late March or early April as cases fall.

Paris bans Canada-style Covid 'freedom convoys'

Police and anti-vaccine protesters clashed on the grounds of&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand's parliament Thursday, with more than 120 arrested after demonstrators who camped outside the legislature for three days were ordered to move on.

Activists chanted the Maori haka and yelled "hold the line", as they scuffled with a phalanx of officers moving to clear a makeshift settlement on the lawns of parliament.

Officers used pepper spray on a number of protesters who dragged two of their colleagues into the crowd, but only minor injuries were reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/canadian-anti-vax-trucker-protest-fires-up-copycat-protests-451654">Canadian anti-vax trucker protest fires up copycat protests</a>

Police moved in early Thursday after taking a hands-off approach to the first two days of protests, warning the crowd to leave or face arrest.

They were punched and kicked amid cries of "this is not democracy", "shame on you" and "drop the mandate".

The protest began Tuesday as a copycat of a "Freedom Convoy" action by Canadian truckers, with hundreds of semi-trailers and campervans jamming streets in central Wellington.

Many of the vehicles left after 24 hours but a hard core of several hundred activists remained, vowing to stay "as long as it takes".

Wellington City Council, which also took a low-key approach in the protest's early stages, said its parking officers had started issuing tickets to convoy vehicles blocking city streets.

Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said patience had worn thin among Wellington residents at the disruption, urging police to act.

"Roads are blocked in the city, businesses have had to shut, people felt threatened and intimidated by some of the protesters," he told Radio&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;prior to the police operation.

&nbsp;Police 'disappointed'&nbsp;

Wellington police commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said more than 150 extra officers were brought in from outside the capital to clear the protest.

"It is disappointing that despite the grounds being officially closed to the public earlier today, a number of protesters are refusing repeated requests to leave the precinct," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-protests-echo-globally-with-a-copycat-demonstration-planned-in-france-451793">Canadian protests echo globally, with a copycat demonstration planned in France</a>&nbsp;

In a rare move, authorities closed the parliamentary precinct to the public to prevent reinforcements from joining the protest. &nbsp;

The police edged forward across the parliament grounds but pulled back behind barricades late in the afternoon as demonstrators cheered and claimed victory.

Parnell said it could take days to disperse the crowd, accusing some activists of using children as human shields to frustrate police.

"This was never going to be a short task," he told reporters when the tactics were questioned.

One woman, who refused to give her name, accused police of provoking the crowd.

"This has been a peaceful protest, what they've done is a disgrace," she said.

Watch |&nbsp;Two weeks of Canada truckers protest, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls it unacceptable

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/two-weeks-of-canada-truckers-protest-canadian-pm-justin-trudeau-calls-it-unacceptable-451922/embed" width="560"></iframe>

"I never thought I'd see this in&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand."

But locals in the capital have complained about being abused for wearing masks and several businesses near parliament have closed after staff were harassed for enforcing vaccine mandates.

New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;requires mandatory Covid vaccinations for people working in sectors such as health, law enforcement, education and defence, with those who refuse the jab facing the sack.

Proof of vaccination must also be shown to enter restaurants, sports events and religious services.

The "Freedom Convoy" of truckers in Canada has gridlocked the capital, Ottawa since late last month, prompting city authorities to declare a state of emergency.

Police and anti-vaccine protesters clashed on the grounds of New Zealand's parliament Thursday, with more than 120 arrested after demonstrators who camped outside the legislature for three days were ordered to move on.

Police and anti-vaccine protesters clashed on the grounds of New Zealand's parliament Thursday, with more than 120 arrested after demonstrators who camped outside the legislature for three days were ordered to move on. Activists chanted the Maori haka and yelled "hold the line", as they scuffled with a phalanx of officers moving to clear a makeshift settlement on the lawns of parliament. Officers used pepper spray on a number of protesters who dragged two of their colleagues into the crowd, but only minor injuries were reported. Also read | Canadian anti-vax trucker protest fires up copycat protests Police moved in early Thursday after taking a hands-off approach to the first two days of protests, warning the crowd to leave or face arrest. They were punched and kicked amid cries of "this is not democracy", "shame on you" and "drop the mandate". The protest began Tuesday as a copycat of a "Freedom Convoy" action by Canadian truckers, with hundreds of semi-trailers and campervans jamming streets in central Wellington. Many of the vehicles left after 24 hours but a hard core of several hundred activists remained, vowing to stay "as long as it takes". Wellington City Council, which also took a low-key approach in the protest's early stages, said its parking officers had started issuing tickets to convoy vehicles blocking city streets. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said patience had worn thin among Wellington residents at the disruption, urging police to act. "Roads are blocked in the city, businesses have had to shut, people felt threatened and intimidated by some of the protesters," he told Radio New Zealand prior to the police operation. Police 'disappointed' Wellington police commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said more than 150 extra officers were brought in from outside the capital to clear the protest. "It is disappointing that despite the grounds being officially closed to the public earlier today, a number of protesters are refusing repeated requests to leave the precinct," he said. Also read | Canadian protests echo globally, with a copycat demonstration planned in France In a rare move, authorities closed the parliamentary precinct to the public to prevent reinforcements from joining the protest. The police edged forward across the parliament grounds but pulled back behind barricades late in the afternoon as demonstrators cheered and claimed victory. Parnell said it could take days to disperse the crowd, accusing some activists of using children as human shields to frustrate police. "This was never going to be a short task," he told reporters when the tactics were questioned. One woman, who refused to give her name, accused police of provoking the crowd. "This has been a peaceful protest, what they've done is a disgrace," she said. Watch | Two weeks of Canada truckers protest, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau calls it unacceptable "I never thought I'd see this in New Zealand." But locals in the capital have complained about being abused for wearing masks and several businesses near parliament have closed after staff were harassed for enforcing vaccine mandates. New Zealand requires mandatory Covid vaccinations for people working in sectors such as health, law enforcement, education and defence, with those who refuse the jab facing the sack. Proof of vaccination must also be shown to enter restaurants, sports events and religious services. The "Freedom Convoy" of truckers in Canada has gridlocked the capital, Ottawa since late last month, prompting city authorities to declare a state of emergency.

Police and covid protestors clash at New Zealand parliament

The Omicron variant coronavirus entered&nbsp;Tonga&nbsp;for the first time in the wake of last month's volcanic eruption, officials confirmed Thursday, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the kingdom almost doubled to 64.

Health Minister Saia Piukala said 31 new cases had been detected in the previous 24 hours, a record for the island nation which was virus-free until last month's blast.

Piukala said samples sent to Australia confirmed the variant of the virus spreading in&nbsp;Tonga&nbsp;was the highly transmissible Omicron strain.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-surpasses-400-million-known-coronavirus-cases-and-confronts-how-to-live-with-covid-451660">World surpasses 400 million known coronavirus cases and confronts how to live with COVID</a>

The source of the coronavirus infection remains unknown, but suspicion has fallen on ships delivering aid from countries including Australia, China, France, Japan and New Zealand despite strict quarantine rules on the handling of goods.

Australian defence chiefs have denied it came from the Covid-hit warship HMAS Adelaide, saying the vessel did not unload its humanitarian supplies at the wharf in Nuku'alofa, where the virus was first detected.

The nation of about 100,000 remains in lockdown, with stay-at-home orders meaning all businesses and schools are closed and only essential services are allowed to operate.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-tragic-who-reports-130-million-cases-and-500000-deaths-linked-to-omicron-451604" hreflang="en">'Beyond tragic': WHO reports 130 million cases and 500,000 deaths linked to Omicron</a>

The restrictions are hampering disaster relief efforts after the Hunga&nbsp;Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted with a force scientists said was more powerful than a nuclear bomb.

The blast generated massive tsunami waves and blanketed the island nation in toxic ash, claiming three lives.

Some 87 percent of eligible Tongans have received two vaccine doses, according to UN data.

Watch |&nbsp;Tonga: A tale of two disasters

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tonga-a-tale-of-two-disasters-450608/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Communications remain a problem in the kingdom after the eruption cut the undersea cable linking&nbsp;Tonga&nbsp;to the rest of the world.

Tonga&nbsp;Cable Limited said this week that a cable repair ship had found the broken ends of the link but the damage was worse than expected, meaning it was unlikely to be fixed before February 20.

In the meantime, backup satellite links are being used but bandwidth is limited and international communications remain difficult for most Tongans.

The Omicron variant coronavirus entered Tonga for the first time in the wake of last month's volcanic eruption, officials confirmed Thursday, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the kingdom almost doubled to 64.

The Omicron variant coronavirus entered Tonga for the first time in the wake of last month's volcanic eruption, officials confirmed Thursday, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the kingdom almost doubled to 64. Health Minister Saia Piukala said 31 new cases had been detected in the previous 24 hours, a record for the island nation which was virus-free until last month's blast. Piukala said samples sent to Australia confirmed the variant of the virus spreading in Tonga was the highly transmissible Omicron strain. Also read | World surpasses 400 million known coronavirus cases and confronts how to live with COVID The source of the coronavirus infection remains unknown, but suspicion has fallen on ships delivering aid from countries including Australia, China, France, Japan and New Zealand despite strict quarantine rules on the handling of goods. Australian defence chiefs have denied it came from the Covid-hit warship HMAS Adelaide, saying the vessel did not unload its humanitarian supplies at the wharf in Nuku'alofa, where the virus was first detected. The nation of about 100,000 remains in lockdown, with stay-at-home orders meaning all businesses and schools are closed and only essential services are allowed to operate. Also read | 'Beyond tragic': WHO reports 130 million cases and 500,000 deaths linked to Omicron The restrictions are hampering disaster relief efforts after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted with a force scientists said was more powerful than a nuclear bomb. The blast generated massive tsunami waves and blanketed the island nation in toxic ash, claiming three lives. Some 87 percent of eligible Tongans have received two vaccine doses, according to UN data. Watch | Tonga: A tale of two disasters Communications remain a problem in the kingdom after the eruption cut the undersea cable linking Tonga to the rest of the world. Tonga Cable Limited said this week that a cable repair ship had found the broken ends of the link but the damage was worse than expected, meaning it was unlikely to be fixed before February 20. In the meantime, backup satellite links are being used but bandwidth is limited and international communications remain difficult for most Tongans.

Tonga virus cases surge in wake of volcano eruption

We have all been through this. Uncertainty in life, relationship issues, job woes and many other things bring us down. All seems lost and irreparable. Past seems beautiful and the future represents a dark and dreary period with no hope whatsoever. Your boss seems like a demon. You want to break things.&nbsp;

And all these thoughts vanish after a simple snack. You were 'hangry' (angry because hungry).

Being hangry is a thing and by now we all probably know about it enough to take preventive steps. But do you know about 'hangxiety'? Read on.

A study published in Oxford Academic says that alcohol hangover can be a major cause of anxiety (Hangxiety). The study says that as body recovers from hangover it experiences physiological stress. Such stress is usually generated when the body is injured or ill. In other words, hangover creates symptoms similar to when the body is ill or injred.

This increases our cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone. This causes changes in blood pressure and heart rate. These changes are similar to when we are anxious. In other words, hangover induces symptoms of anxiety in us.

Brain activity changes too during hangover. Brain activity involving dopamine is lowered during hangover. Dopamine normally plays important role in fighting anxiety.

So next time you feel like drinking to drown your sorrows, think again. Because the hangover may make you more anxious. Be responsible.

We have all been through this. Uncertainty in life, relationship issues, job woes and many other things bring us down. All seems lost and irreparable. Past seems beautiful and the future represents a dark and dreary period with no hope whatsoever.

We have all been through this. Uncertainty in life, relationship issues, job woes and many other things bring us down. All seems lost and irreparable. Past seems beautiful and the future represents a dark and dreary period with no hope whatsoever. Your boss seems like a demon. You want to break things. And all these thoughts vanish after a simple snack. You were 'hangry' (angry because hungry). Being hangry is a thing and by now we all probably know about it enough to take preventive steps. But do you know about 'hangxiety'? Read on. A study published in Oxford Academic says that alcohol hangover can be a major cause of anxiety (Hangxiety). The study says that as body recovers from hangover it experiences physiological stress. Such stress is usually generated when the body is injured or ill. In other words, hangover creates symptoms similar to when the body is ill or injred. This increases our cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone. This causes changes in blood pressure and heart rate. These changes are similar to when we are anxious. In other words, hangover induces symptoms of anxiety in us. Brain activity changes too during hangover. Brain activity involving dopamine is lowered during hangover. Dopamine normally plays important role in fighting anxiety. So next time you feel like drinking to drown your sorrows, think again. Because the hangover may make you more anxious. Be responsible.

'Hangry' is passe, 'hangxiety' is the new thing

India's one of the most iconic singers, Lata Mangeshkar has died due to COVID-19 complications. She was admitted to a hospital for around a month.

India: Tributes pour in for late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar

Indian singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya remembers late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar

Indian actor Manoj Joshi pays tribute to late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar

India: Veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar passes away due to COVID-19 complications

India mourns the loss of veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar

India: Musician AR Rahman pays tribute to late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar

Indian PM Narendra Modi remembers late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar

Indian film actress Sharmila Tagore pays tribute to veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar

Indian musician Shankar Mahadevan remembers late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar

Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar, who was admitted to a Mumbai hospital last month after testing positive for coronavirus has now been put on ventilator support.

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Is wine bad for you? For decades, we have been told that wine is good for our heart. Experts disagree. They say wine, just like every other alcohol, can kill you. Molly Gambhir brings you a report.

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The Latin American nation of Brazil is currently witnessing an alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 infections. The massive spike, which has been fueled by the fast-spreading omicron variant of the Coronavirus has pushed the country's health infrastructure virtually to its edge now.

Health infrastructure under pressure in Brazil amid a massive spike in COVID cases fueled by Omicron

To promote river health and restore fish stocks, a dam blocking the Tromsa River in Norway was blown using dynamite. This comes in as an attempt to remove barriers that litter Europe’s water bodies.

The dam was blown after a small team drilled five holes deep into the dam and then packed 20 kg of dynamite into each one.&nbsp;

The destruction of the dam was a part of the Open Rivers Programme, which is a €42.5 million project. This project aims at providing grants to support the removal of small dams and restore the river flow all across Europe.&nbsp;

Tore Solbakken of Norwegian angling club Gudbrandsdal Sportsfiskeforening deemed the destruction of the dam as "a big step."

He has campaigned for 5 years to have the dam removed. “I’m very happy. It’s all about restoring healthy rivers and fish populations," he said in a report by The Guardian.&nbsp;

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The dam was built nearly 100 years ago and has not been used in the last 50 years. As per campaigners, removing the dam will help fish in the area.&nbsp;

Elaborating on the same, Solbakken said, "Fish barriers, hydropower dams, roadbuilding and the way we secure rivers against flooding are all big problems for big brown trout and other fish. It is important to take care of all the small rivers. If we do that, we can have a positive future for our area.”

As per estimates, there are at least 1.2 million instream barriers in Europe. These have become a prominent factor for the dip in the number of migratory freshwater fish across the continent.&nbsp;

Herman Wanningen, founder of the World Fish Migration Foundation and Dam Removal Europe said, "Some fish species, such as Atlantic salmon, eels and sturgeon, travel thousands of kilometres to complete their lifecycle. Dams also impede important sediment and nutrient transport, and drastically change the natural flow of rivers. Breeding places are lost.”

(With inputs from agencies)

To promote river health and restore fish stocks, a dam blocking the Tromsa River in Norway was blown using dynamite. This comes in as an attempt to remove barriers that litter Europe’s water bodies.

To promote river health and restore fish stocks, a dam blocking the Tromsa River in Norway was blown using dynamite. This comes in as an attempt to remove barriers that litter Europe’s water bodies. The dam was blown after a small team drilled five holes deep into the dam and then packed 20 kg of dynamite into each one. The destruction of the dam was a part of the Open Rivers Programme, which is a €42.5 million project. This project aims at providing grants to support the removal of small dams and restore the river flow all across Europe. Tore Solbakken of Norwegian angling club Gudbrandsdal Sportsfiskeforening deemed the destruction of the dam as "a big step." He has campaigned for 5 years to have the dam removed. “I’m very happy. It’s all about restoring healthy rivers and fish populations," he said in a report by The Guardian. Also read | In one of the priciest real estate sales, New York apartment sells for $190 million The dam was built nearly 100 years ago and has not been used in the last 50 years. As per campaigners, removing the dam will help fish in the area. Elaborating on the same, Solbakken said, "Fish barriers, hydropower dams, roadbuilding and the way we secure rivers against flooding are all big problems for big brown trout and other fish. It is important to take care of all the small rivers. If we do that, we can have a positive future for our area.” As per estimates, there are at least 1.2 million instream barriers in Europe. These have become a prominent factor for the dip in the number of migratory freshwater fish across the continent. Herman Wanningen, founder of the World Fish Migration Foundation and Dam Removal Europe said, "Some fish species, such as Atlantic salmon, eels and sturgeon, travel thousands of kilometres to complete their lifecycle. Dams also impede important sediment and nutrient transport, and drastically change the natural flow of rivers. Breeding places are lost.” (With inputs from agencies)

Norway blows 100 years-old dam which was hampering river health and fish stocks

Omicron variant continues to rage across UK. UK PM has given a message urging people to get vaccinated.

UK PM asks citizens to get vaccinated against Coronavirus to stop surge of Omicron cases

Delta variant continues to wreak havoc across USA. Top health experts have also warned of a looming Omicron wave that could sweep across the US.

Omicron variant continues to wreak havoc across US

Top health experts warn of looming Omicron wave in United States

CDC warns of looming Omicron wave in US

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers, led by Dr Katy Borodkin of the Department of Communication Disorders at the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine of Tel Aviv University, observed 33 Israeli mothers and their 16 toddlers, all boys aged 24-36 months for a certain period of time.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers reportedly invited participants saying they would examine the common interests between mothers and children. The mothers were asked to browse a specific Facebook page and 'like' content that interests them, read printed magazines and mark interesting articles and play with their child while the phone and magazine were in another room. 
 
Borodkin revealed that the activity was intended to observe mothers while they took care of their children and also devote some of their attention to her smartphone.&nbsp; 
 
"The mothers were unaware of the purpose of the experiment, so they behaved naturally by splitting their interest between the toddlers and the smartphone and magazines. We videotaped all the interactions between the mothers and the toddlers and later scanned the recordings frame by frame in an attempt to quantify the mother-child interaction," said Borodkin in her research.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers defined three aspects of the interaction between a mother and her child: Maternal linguistic input - the "linguistic content that the mother conveys to the child"; conversational turns - the level of interactivity of a mother-child verbal exchange; and maternal responsiveness - the timeliness and specificity of a mother's response to a particular "bid" from her child. 
 
According to the research, a decrease in maternal linguistic input leads to reduced vocabulary in a child, even when they become adults.&nbsp; 
 
Similarly how interactive a particular conversation was - affect a child's linguistic and social development as "the child learns that he or she has some time to contribute to the interaction as well as the basic social norms of social interactions."&nbsp; 
 
Maternal responsiveness is critical for child development, including linguistic, cognitive emotional and social development.&nbsp; 
 
"For example, when the child says 'look, a truck', there is no comparison between a response such as 'yes, that’s great' and a response such as 'correct, this is a red truck, like the one we saw yesterday", said the researchers.&nbsp; 
According to the research the three components of mother-child interaction were two to four times lower when the mother was using her smartphone or reading a magazine.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;"Moreover, they exchanged fewer conversational turns with the toddler, provided less immediate and content-tailored responses, and more often ignored explicit child bids," TAU stated. 
 
The team stated that using a smartphone and reading was equally distracting. TAU though was careful to add that there is currently no evidence that smartphones directly impact child development because smartphones are a recent phenomenon- although finding suggest "an adverse impact on the foundation of child development." 
 
The research may also be relevant to father-child interaction as the use of smartphones by both women and men is comparable. 
 
"In our current research we focused on the mothers, but we believe that our findings characterize communication interferences between fathers and their toddlers as well, since the smartphone usage patterns are similar between men and women, thus allowing us to estimate with high probability that the research findings are applicable to fathers and to mothers”, Borodkin further said.&nbsp;

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development.

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development. The researchers, led by Dr Katy Borodkin of the Department of Communication Disorders at the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine of Tel Aviv University, observed 33 Israeli mothers and their 16 toddlers, all boys aged 24-36 months for a certain period of time. The researchers reportedly invited participants saying they would examine the common interests between mothers and children. The mothers were asked to browse a specific Facebook page and 'like' content that interests them, read printed magazines and mark interesting articles and play with their child while the phone and magazine were in another room. Borodkin revealed that the activity was intended to observe mothers while they took care of their children and also devote some of their attention to her smartphone. "The mothers were unaware of the purpose of the experiment, so they behaved naturally by splitting their interest between the toddlers and the smartphone and magazines. We videotaped all the interactions between the mothers and the toddlers and later scanned the recordings frame by frame in an attempt to quantify the mother-child interaction," said Borodkin in her research. The researchers defined three aspects of the interaction between a mother and her child: Maternal linguistic input - the "linguistic content that the mother conveys to the child"; conversational turns - the level of interactivity of a mother-child verbal exchange; and maternal responsiveness - the timeliness and specificity of a mother's response to a particular "bid" from her child. According to the research, a decrease in maternal linguistic input leads to reduced vocabulary in a child, even when they become adults. Similarly how interactive a particular conversation was - affect a child's linguistic and social development as "the child learns that he or she has some time to contribute to the interaction as well as the basic social norms of social interactions." Maternal responsiveness is critical for child development, including linguistic, cognitive emotional and social development. "For example, when the child says 'look, a truck', there is no comparison between a response such as 'yes, that’s great' and a response such as 'correct, this is a red truck, like the one we saw yesterday", said the researchers. According to the research the three components of mother-child interaction were two to four times lower when the mother was using her smartphone or reading a magazine. "Moreover, they exchanged fewer conversational turns with the toddler, provided less immediate and content-tailored responses, and more often ignored explicit child bids," TAU stated. The team stated that using a smartphone and reading was equally distracting. TAU though was careful to add that there is currently no evidence that smartphones directly impact child development because smartphones are a recent phenomenon- although finding suggest "an adverse impact on the foundation of child development." The research may also be relevant to father-child interaction as the use of smartphones by both women and men is comparable. "In our current research we focused on the mothers, but we believe that our findings characterize communication interferences between fathers and their toddlers as well, since the smartphone usage patterns are similar between men and women, thus allowing us to estimate with high probability that the research findings are applicable to fathers and to mothers”, Borodkin further said.

Are you addicted to smartphone? It may affect your child's development, claims new study

The world is still grappling with various symptoms that crop up during and post COVID-19 infection. While post-COVID-19 problems like gastritis, hair loss is common for most people, a new rather bizarre disease seem to have cropped up called Parosmia.&nbsp; 
 
Those who suffer from this symptom typically lose their sense of smell and taste weeks after recovering from COVID-19. Instead, many complained that the food they eat or smell can be compared to the smell of sewage, garbage or even gasoline. 
 
The loss of smell and taste has long been associated with COVID-19 for a long time. It was one of the earliest symptoms associated with the virus that differentiated it from the usual cough, cold and fever.&nbsp; 
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a change in taste and smell is on the list of potential long haul COVID symptoms. As per the CDC, the symptom can occur in even those who have had mild illnesses.&nbsp; 
 
While CDC does list it as a post -COVID-19 symptom, it has so far been reported far less than the symptom of loss of taste and smell. The condition, however, can lead to major health issues including paranoia around food and malnutrition. 
 
The symptom, though, in recent months has been widely discussed on social media. An American University student, Natalia Cano got teary eyed on TikTok as she discussed her parosmia symptoms which, she says, have been around for nearly 10 months.&nbsp; 
 
Her original video received more than 13 million views. Cano has since made others to shed light on her symptoms.

Cano has given details of her symptoms in the video. She says water never tastes clean. Nearly all food and beverages make her nauseous. Cano says she forces herself to eat two energy Bars a day- not because they don't taste terrible but because they're quick to scarf down. 
 
Cano tested positive for COVID-19 at the beginning of 2021 while working at a bakery.&nbsp; 
 
While she recovered from the virus itself, she began experiencing serious gastrointestinal issues, alongside a particularly unusual symptom: a change in her taste and smell.&nbsp; 
 
The GI issues have since been resolved, but Cano is still living with parosmia, which she says is affecting not only her eating habits but also her mental health.&nbsp; 
 
"Things taste like garbage. Like sewage," Cano tells Yahoo in an interview after her video went viral. "But it's not like it actually tastes like garbage or sewage, that's just the only way I can compare it to people. It's like I've been given this bad taste. It's the same amount of bad as rotting meat, garbage, sewage, but it doesn't taste like that." 
 
Cano says that when she shared the video, she had thought that only five or six people suffered from similar symptoms but she later realised there were many like her, struggling with parosmia.&nbsp; 
 
Like Jessica Cox, a 27-year-old producer who after watching Cano's video realised she had a similar condition post her COVID-19 bout. 
&nbsp; 
"Everything tasted like one rotten thing — I don't know what that rotten thing is, but it’s a nasty taste and smell," Cox told Yahoo. "I would just be walking and I would smell that nasty smell, and I didn't know where it was coming from."

It was only recently that Cox said she's been able to taste and smell more normally. However, things aren't how they were before COVID.

“I'll eat a blueberry, and it just doesn’t taste exactly like how I remember it," Cox says. "It doesn't taste rotten, but it doesn't taste exactly like a blueberry" used to. She also revealed that she had recovered from parosmia but now has got an eating disorder.&nbsp; 
 
Considering Cano's video went viral with many realising they were going through similar symptoms, it is still something that is not being widely discussed. Perhaps those who have the symptom are yet to realise the severity of the situation or haven't yet made the connection with COVID-19.&nbsp; 
 
Nevertheless, it is important to share the symptoms on social media with correct details so that research or a cure of the symptom can be initiated.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The world is still grappling with various symptoms that crop up during and post COVID-19 infection. While post-COVID-19 problems like gastritis, hair loss is common for most people, a new rather bizarre disease seem to have cropped up called Parosmia.

The world is still grappling with various symptoms that crop up during and post COVID-19 infection. While post-COVID-19 problems like gastritis, hair loss is common for most people, a new rather bizarre disease seem to have cropped up called Parosmia. Those who suffer from this symptom typically lose their sense of smell and taste weeks after recovering from COVID-19. Instead, many complained that the food they eat or smell can be compared to the smell of sewage, garbage or even gasoline. The loss of smell and taste has long been associated with COVID-19 for a long time. It was one of the earliest symptoms associated with the virus that differentiated it from the usual cough, cold and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a change in taste and smell is on the list of potential long haul COVID symptoms. As per the CDC, the symptom can occur in even those who have had mild illnesses. While CDC does list it as a post -COVID-19 symptom, it has so far been reported far less than the symptom of loss of taste and smell. The condition, however, can lead to major health issues including paranoia around food and malnutrition. The symptom, though, in recent months has been widely discussed on social media. An American University student, Natalia Cano got teary eyed on TikTok as she discussed her parosmia symptoms which, she says, have been around for nearly 10 months. Her original video received more than 13 million views. Cano has since made others to shed light on her symptoms. Cano has given details of her symptoms in the video. She says water never tastes clean. Nearly all food and beverages make her nauseous. Cano says she forces herself to eat two energy Bars a day- not because they don't taste terrible but because they're quick to scarf down. Cano tested positive for COVID-19 at the beginning of 2021 while working at a bakery. While she recovered from the virus itself, she began experiencing serious gastrointestinal issues, alongside a particularly unusual symptom: a change in her taste and smell. The GI issues have since been resolved, but Cano is still living with parosmia, which she says is affecting not only her eating habits but also her mental health. "Things taste like garbage. Like sewage," Cano tells Yahoo in an interview after her video went viral. "But it's not like it actually tastes like garbage or sewage, that's just the only way I can compare it to people. It's like I've been given this bad taste. It's the same amount of bad as rotting meat, garbage, sewage, but it doesn't taste like that." Cano says that when she shared the video, she had thought that only five or six people suffered from similar symptoms but she later realised there were many like her, struggling with parosmia. Like Jessica Cox, a 27-year-old producer who after watching Cano's video realised she had a similar condition post her COVID-19 bout. "Everything tasted like one rotten thing — I don't know what that rotten thing is, but it’s a nasty taste and smell," Cox told Yahoo. "I would just be walking and I would smell that nasty smell, and I didn't know where it was coming from." It was only recently that Cox said she's been able to taste and smell more normally. However, things aren't how they were before COVID. “I'll eat a blueberry, and it just doesn’t taste exactly like how I remember it," Cox says. "It doesn't taste rotten, but it doesn't taste exactly like a blueberry" used to. She also revealed that she had recovered from parosmia but now has got an eating disorder. Considering Cano's video went viral with many realising they were going through similar symptoms, it is still something that is not being widely discussed. Perhaps those who have the symptom are yet to realise the severity of the situation or haven't yet made the connection with COVID-19. Nevertheless, it is important to share the symptoms on social media with correct details so that research or a cure of the symptom can be initiated.

Food smelling like 'garbage' post COVID-19 recovery? You may be suffering from parosmia

A global study co-led by NUI Galway into causes of stroke has found that one in 11 survivors experienced a period of anger or upset in the one hour leading up to it. The research published in the European Heart Journal found that one in 20 patients had engaged in heavy physical exertion. 
 
The suspected triggers have been identified as part of the global INTERSTROKE study -- the largest research project of its kind, which analysed 13,462 cases of acute stroke, involving patients with a range of ethnic backgrounds in 32 countries, including Ireland. Stroke is a leading global cause of death or disability.&nbsp; 
 
Each year, approximately 7,500 Irish people have a stroke and around 2,000 of these people die. An estimated 30,000 people are living in Ireland with disabilities as a result of a stroke. Professor Andrew Smyth, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at NUI Galway, Director of the HRB-Clinical Research Facility Galway and a Consultant Nephrologist at Galway University Hospitals, was one of the lead researchers. 
 
He said, "Stroke prevention is a priority for physicians, and despite advances, it remains difficult to predict when a stroke will occur. Many studies have focused on medium to long-term exposures, such as hypertension, obesity or smoking. Our study aimed to look at acute exposures that may act as triggers." 
 
The research analyzed patterns in patients who suffered an ischemic stroke -- the most common type of stroke, which occurs when a blood clot blocks or narrows an artery leading to the brain, and also intracerebral haemorrhage -- which is less common and involves bleeding within the brain tissue itself. 
 
Professor Smyth added, "We looked at two separate triggers. Our research found that anger or emotional upset was linked to an approximately 30 per cent increase in the risk of stroke during one hour after an episode -- with a greater increase if the patient did not have a history of depression. The odds were also greater for those with a lower level of education. 
 
"We also found that heavy physical exertion was linked to an approximately 60 per cent increase in risk is of intracerebral haemorrhage during the one hour after the episode of heavy exertion. There was a greater increase for women and less risk for those with a normal BMI," he said. 
 
The study also concluded that there was no increase with exposure to both triggers of anger and heavy physical exertion. Co-author of the paper, Dr Michelle Canavan, Consultant Stroke Physician at Galway University Hospitals, said "Our message is for people to practice mental and physical wellness at all ages. But it is also important for some people to avoid heavy physical exertion, particularly if they are high-risk of cardiovascular, while also adopting a healthy lifestyle of regular exercise. 
 
"The global INTERSTROKE study was co-led by Professor Martin O'Donnell, Professor of Neurovascular Medicine at NUI Galway, and Consultant Stroke Physician at Galway University Hospitals, in collaboration with Prof Salim Yusuf of the Population Health Research Institute of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, Canada." 
 
Some of the best ways to prevent stroke are to maintain a healthy lifestyle, treat high blood pressure and not smoke, but our research also shows other events such as an episode of anger or upset or a period of heavy physical exertion independently increase the short-term risk" Prof O'Donnell said. 
 
"We would emphasize that a brief episode of heavy physical exertion is different to getting regular physical activity, which reduces the long-term risk of stroke," Prof O'Donnell concluded.

A global study co-led by NUI Galway into causes of stroke has found that one in 11 survivors experienced a period of anger or upset in the one hour leading up to it.

A global study co-led by NUI Galway into causes of stroke has found that one in 11 survivors experienced a period of anger or upset in the one hour leading up to it. The research published in the European Heart Journal found that one in 20 patients had engaged in heavy physical exertion. The suspected triggers have been identified as part of the global INTERSTROKE study -- the largest research project of its kind, which analysed 13,462 cases of acute stroke, involving patients with a range of ethnic backgrounds in 32 countries, including Ireland. Stroke is a leading global cause of death or disability. Each year, approximately 7,500 Irish people have a stroke and around 2,000 of these people die. An estimated 30,000 people are living in Ireland with disabilities as a result of a stroke. Professor Andrew Smyth, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at NUI Galway, Director of the HRB-Clinical Research Facility Galway and a Consultant Nephrologist at Galway University Hospitals, was one of the lead researchers. He said, "Stroke prevention is a priority for physicians, and despite advances, it remains difficult to predict when a stroke will occur. Many studies have focused on medium to long-term exposures, such as hypertension, obesity or smoking. Our study aimed to look at acute exposures that may act as triggers." The research analyzed patterns in patients who suffered an ischemic stroke -- the most common type of stroke, which occurs when a blood clot blocks or narrows an artery leading to the brain, and also intracerebral haemorrhage -- which is less common and involves bleeding within the brain tissue itself. Professor Smyth added, "We looked at two separate triggers. Our research found that anger or emotional upset was linked to an approximately 30 per cent increase in the risk of stroke during one hour after an episode -- with a greater increase if the patient did not have a history of depression. The odds were also greater for those with a lower level of education. "We also found that heavy physical exertion was linked to an approximately 60 per cent increase in risk is of intracerebral haemorrhage during the one hour after the episode of heavy exertion. There was a greater increase for women and less risk for those with a normal BMI," he said. The study also concluded that there was no increase with exposure to both triggers of anger and heavy physical exertion. Co-author of the paper, Dr Michelle Canavan, Consultant Stroke Physician at Galway University Hospitals, said "Our message is for people to practice mental and physical wellness at all ages. But it is also important for some people to avoid heavy physical exertion, particularly if they are high-risk of cardiovascular, while also adopting a healthy lifestyle of regular exercise. "The global INTERSTROKE study was co-led by Professor Martin O'Donnell, Professor of Neurovascular Medicine at NUI Galway, and Consultant Stroke Physician at Galway University Hospitals, in collaboration with Prof Salim Yusuf of the Population Health Research Institute of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, Canada." Some of the best ways to prevent stroke are to maintain a healthy lifestyle, treat high blood pressure and not smoke, but our research also shows other events such as an episode of anger or upset or a period of heavy physical exertion independently increase the short-term risk" Prof O'Donnell said. "We would emphasize that a brief episode of heavy physical exertion is different to getting regular physical activity, which reduces the long-term risk of stroke," Prof O'Donnell concluded.

Stroke may be triggered by anger, emotional upset, heavy physical exertion: Study

Adopting a plant-based diet that is rich in dark green leafy vegetables, could relieve symptoms of chronic migraine, according to a recent study. This study was published online in the 'BMJ Case Reports Journal'. 
 
The recommendation comes after they treated a man who had endured severe migraine headaches without aura for more than 12 years. He had tried prescribed medicines (Zolmitriptan and Topiramate); cutting out potential 'trigger' foods, including chocolate, cheese, nuts, caffeine, and dried fruit; and yoga and meditation in a bid to blunt the severity and frequency of his headaches. Nothing had worked. 
 
Over one billion people worldwide have migraines, characterized as one-sided, pulsating headaches lasting 4-72 hours, and often accompanied by sensitivity to noise and light and sometimes prodromal auras. Migraines are either episodic (fewer than 15 days a month) or chronic (15 or more migraine days a month plus migraine features on at least 8 days of the month). Successful migraine treatment is defined as a halving in the frequency and length of attacks, or as an improvement in symptoms. 
 
While drugs can help prevent and treat the condition, a growing body of evidence suggested that diet may also offer an effective alternative without any of the side effects associated with some medicines, said the report authors. 
Six months before his clinic referral, the man's migraines had become chronic, occurring on 18-24 days of every month.He described the pain as starting suddenly and intensely in the forehead and temple on the left side of his head.&nbsp; 
 
The pain was throbbing in nature and usually lasted 72 hours.His headaches were accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting. On a scale of 0-10, he scored the pain severity as 10-12 out of 10.Blood tests revealed that he didn't have high levels of systemic inflammation and that he had a normal level of beta-carotene (53 ug/dl).This was likely derived from his daily consumption of sweet potatoes, which, although high in beta-carotene, are relatively low in the nutrients responsible for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of carotenoids, pointed out the report authors. 
 
These are instead found in dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and watercress. Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress are implicated in migraine.The report authors advised the man to adopt the Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday (LIFE) diet, a nutrient-dense, whole-food, plant-based diet. 
 
The LIFE diet included eating at least five ounces by weight of raw or cooked dark green leafy vegetables every day, drinking one 32-ounce daily green LIFE smoothie, and limiting the intake of whole grains, starchy vegetables, oils, and animal protein, particularly dairy and red meat.After two months on the LIFE diet, the man said that the frequency of his migraine attacks had fallen to just one day a month; the length and severity of the attacks had also lessened. Blood tests showed a substantial rise in beta-carotene levels, from 53 ug/dl to 92 ug/dl.He had stopped taking all his migraine meds.&nbsp; 
 
Even when he tried certain 'challenge' foods, such as egg whites, salmon, or iced tea, which triggered headache attacks, these were much less painful and much shorter in duration than before.After three months, his migraines stopped completely and they haven`t returned in 7.5 years. 
 
The man was allergic, and previously published research suggests that better control of allergies may lead to fewer migraine headaches. In this case, the man`s allergy symptoms improved to the point that he no longer needed to use seasonal medication.He was also HIV positive, and HIV has been linked to a heightened risk of migraines, so it is certainly possible that the man's HIV status and antiretroviral drugs had contributed to his symptoms, said the authors of the report. 
 
But it wasn't possible to study this further without stopping the antiretroviral treatment, which is a limitation of the study, they acknowledged. 
 
However, they concluded, "This report suggests that a whole food plant-based diet may offer a safe, effective and permanent treatment for reversing chronic migraine." 
 
"While this report describes one very adherent patient who had a remarkable response, the LIFE diet has reduced migraine frequency within three months in several additional patients (personal communication)."&nbsp;

Adopting a plant-based diet that is rich in dark green leafy vegetables, could relieve symptoms of chronic migraine, according to a recent study. This study was published online in the 'BMJ Case Reports Journal'.

Adopting a plant-based diet that is rich in dark green leafy vegetables, could relieve symptoms of chronic migraine, according to a recent study. This study was published online in the 'BMJ Case Reports Journal'. The recommendation comes after they treated a man who had endured severe migraine headaches without aura for more than 12 years. He had tried prescribed medicines (Zolmitriptan and Topiramate); cutting out potential 'trigger' foods, including chocolate, cheese, nuts, caffeine, and dried fruit; and yoga and meditation in a bid to blunt the severity and frequency of his headaches. Nothing had worked. Over one billion people worldwide have migraines, characterized as one-sided, pulsating headaches lasting 4-72 hours, and often accompanied by sensitivity to noise and light and sometimes prodromal auras. Migraines are either episodic (fewer than 15 days a month) or chronic (15 or more migraine days a month plus migraine features on at least 8 days of the month). Successful migraine treatment is defined as a halving in the frequency and length of attacks, or as an improvement in symptoms. While drugs can help prevent and treat the condition, a growing body of evidence suggested that diet may also offer an effective alternative without any of the side effects associated with some medicines, said the report authors. Six months before his clinic referral, the man's migraines had become chronic, occurring on 18-24 days of every month.He described the pain as starting suddenly and intensely in the forehead and temple on the left side of his head. The pain was throbbing in nature and usually lasted 72 hours.His headaches were accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting. On a scale of 0-10, he scored the pain severity as 10-12 out of 10.Blood tests revealed that he didn't have high levels of systemic inflammation and that he had a normal level of beta-carotene (53 ug/dl).This was likely derived from his daily consumption of sweet potatoes, which, although high in beta-carotene, are relatively low in the nutrients responsible for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of carotenoids, pointed out the report authors. These are instead found in dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and watercress. Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress are implicated in migraine.The report authors advised the man to adopt the Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday (LIFE) diet, a nutrient-dense, whole-food, plant-based diet. The LIFE diet included eating at least five ounces by weight of raw or cooked dark green leafy vegetables every day, drinking one 32-ounce daily green LIFE smoothie, and limiting the intake of whole grains, starchy vegetables, oils, and animal protein, particularly dairy and red meat.After two months on the LIFE diet, the man said that the frequency of his migraine attacks had fallen to just one day a month; the length and severity of the attacks had also lessened. Blood tests showed a substantial rise in beta-carotene levels, from 53 ug/dl to 92 ug/dl.He had stopped taking all his migraine meds. Even when he tried certain 'challenge' foods, such as egg whites, salmon, or iced tea, which triggered headache attacks, these were much less painful and much shorter in duration than before.After three months, his migraines stopped completely and they haven`t returned in 7.5 years. The man was allergic, and previously published research suggests that better control of allergies may lead to fewer migraine headaches. In this case, the man`s allergy symptoms improved to the point that he no longer needed to use seasonal medication.He was also HIV positive, and HIV has been linked to a heightened risk of migraines, so it is certainly possible that the man's HIV status and antiretroviral drugs had contributed to his symptoms, said the authors of the report. But it wasn't possible to study this further without stopping the antiretroviral treatment, which is a limitation of the study, they acknowledged. However, they concluded, "This report suggests that a whole food plant-based diet may offer a safe, effective and permanent treatment for reversing chronic migraine." "While this report describes one very adherent patient who had a remarkable response, the LIFE diet has reduced migraine frequency within three months in several additional patients (personal communication)."

Adopting plant-based diet relieves migraine symptoms: Study

To stay healthy in old age, household chores can help adults in a big way. It may seem a bit rash, but researchers suggest that tasks at home like scrubbing floors, dusting, etc may help in staying fit. &nbsp;

The study has been published in the journal ‘BMJ Open’. A Singapore-based team of researchers said that regular physical activity “improves physical and mental health, mitigates the risks and effects of chronic diseases, and reduces falls, immobility, dependency and mortality among older adults”. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/drinking-tea-coffee-lowers-risk-of-stroke-and-dementia-study-430110" hreflang="en">Drinking tea, coffee lowers risk of stroke and dementia: Study</a>

In the study, the team recruited adults from Yishun town in Singapore. The participants were asked about their levels of physical activity, including the amount of light housework and heavy housework they did and were assessed for their risk of having a fall based on measures like knee extension strength. &nbsp;

It involved 249 participants in the age group of 21 to 64 years and 240 participants belonging to the age group of 65 to 90 years. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/scientists-discover-lie-detector-that-uses-artificial-intelligence-to-detect-micro-expressions-431030" hreflang="en">Scientists discover lie detector that uses artificial intelligence to detect micro-expressions</a>

The team found cognitive scores and attention scores were 8% and 14% higher respectively for adults, which did high amount of heavy housework compared to low levels. &nbsp;

Dr Shiou-Liang Wee, co-author of the research, said, “Housework is a purposeful activity performed by many older adults. Independent of recreation, (commuting) and other work-related physical activity, heavy housework is linked to sharper memory and better falls protection in older adults.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

To stay healthy in old age, household chores can help adults in a big way. It may seem a bit rash, but researchers suggest that tasks at home like scrubbing floors, dusting, etc may help in staying fit.

To stay healthy in old age, household chores can help adults in a big way. It may seem a bit rash, but researchers suggest that tasks at home like scrubbing floors, dusting, etc may help in staying fit. The study has been published in the journal ‘BMJ Open’. A Singapore-based team of researchers said that regular physical activity “improves physical and mental health, mitigates the risks and effects of chronic diseases, and reduces falls, immobility, dependency and mortality among older adults”. Also Read | Drinking tea, coffee lowers risk of stroke and dementia: Study In the study, the team recruited adults from Yishun town in Singapore. The participants were asked about their levels of physical activity, including the amount of light housework and heavy housework they did and were assessed for their risk of having a fall based on measures like knee extension strength. It involved 249 participants in the age group of 21 to 64 years and 240 participants belonging to the age group of 65 to 90 years. Also Read: Scientists discover lie detector that uses artificial intelligence to detect micro-expressions The team found cognitive scores and attention scores were 8% and 14% higher respectively for adults, which did high amount of heavy housework compared to low levels. Dr Shiou-Liang Wee, co-author of the research, said, “Housework is a purposeful activity performed by many older adults. Independent of recreation, (commuting) and other work-related physical activity, heavy housework is linked to sharper memory and better falls protection in older adults.” (With inputs from agencies)

In old age, household chores can boost health, says study

A new nationally representative study, in the US, found that one in four adults aged 20-39 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had a generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). 
 
The study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Those with ADHD were four times more likely to have GAD at some point in their life when compared to those without ADHD.&nbsp; 
 
Even after controlling for other relevant factors, including sociodemographics, adverse childhood experiences, and a lifetime history of substance use disorders and major depressive disorders, those with ADHD still had more than double the odds of GAD." These findings underline how vulnerable adults with ADHD are too generalized anxiety disorders," says lead author Esme Fuller-Thomson, professor at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and Director of the Institute for Life Course and Aging. 
 
"There are many studies linking adult ADHD to depression and suicidality, but less attention has been paid to generalized activity disorders and other adverse outcomes across the life course." 
 
The study identified several factors that were associated with GAD among those with ADHD. Female respondents with ADHD had nearly five times higher odds of GAD, even after controlling for other covariates." 
 
ADHD has been severely underdiagnosed and undertreated in girls and women," says co-author Andie MacNeil, a recent Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate from the University of Toronto.&nbsp; 
 
"These findings suggest that women with ADHD may also be more susceptible to experiencing anxiety, emphasizing the need for greater support for women with ADHD." 
 
Adults who had experienced adverse childhood experiences such as childhood sexual or physical abuse or chronic parental domestic violence were three times more likely to have a generalized anxiety disorder. Sixty per cent of those with ADHD who had anxiety disorders had experienced at least one of these adverse childhood experiences. 
Other factors associated with GAD among adults with ADHD include having an income below USD 40,000, having fewer close relationships, and having a lifetime history of major depressive disorder.&nbsp; 
 
The odds of GAD among those with ADHD were six-fold for those with a lifetime history of major depressive disorder."These results highlight the importance of screening for mental illness and addressing depressive symptoms when providing support to those with ADHD," said Lauren Carrique, a recent graduate of the University of Toronto`s MSW program who is a social worker at Toronto General Hospital. "Individuals experiencing ADHD, GAD, and depression is a particularly vulnerable subgroup that may need targeted outreach by health professionals." 
 
Investigators examined a nationally representative sample of 6,898 respondents from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health aged 20-39, of whom 272 had ADHD and 682 had GAD. Unfortunately, the researchers did not have access to information on what treatments, if any, respondents with ADHD were receiving to address their anxiety.&nbsp; 
 
One particularly promising talk-based therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, also called CBT, has been shown to be very effective for improving anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms." 
 
It is crucial that those with ADHD who are struggling with mental health issues reach out for help from their family doctor or other mental health professionals including social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists. Effective treatments, such as CBT, are available and these can dramatically improve one`s quality of life", said Fuller-Thomson

A new nationally representative study, in the US, found that one in four adults aged 20-39 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had a generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).

A new nationally representative study, in the US, found that one in four adults aged 20-39 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had a generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). The study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Those with ADHD were four times more likely to have GAD at some point in their life when compared to those without ADHD. Even after controlling for other relevant factors, including sociodemographics, adverse childhood experiences, and a lifetime history of substance use disorders and major depressive disorders, those with ADHD still had more than double the odds of GAD." These findings underline how vulnerable adults with ADHD are too generalized anxiety disorders," says lead author Esme Fuller-Thomson, professor at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and Director of the Institute for Life Course and Aging. "There are many studies linking adult ADHD to depression and suicidality, but less attention has been paid to generalized activity disorders and other adverse outcomes across the life course." The study identified several factors that were associated with GAD among those with ADHD. Female respondents with ADHD had nearly five times higher odds of GAD, even after controlling for other covariates." ADHD has been severely underdiagnosed and undertreated in girls and women," says co-author Andie MacNeil, a recent Master of Social Work (MSW) graduate from the University of Toronto. "These findings suggest that women with ADHD may also be more susceptible to experiencing anxiety, emphasizing the need for greater support for women with ADHD." Adults who had experienced adverse childhood experiences such as childhood sexual or physical abuse or chronic parental domestic violence were three times more likely to have a generalized anxiety disorder. Sixty per cent of those with ADHD who had anxiety disorders had experienced at least one of these adverse childhood experiences. Other factors associated with GAD among adults with ADHD include having an income below USD 40,000, having fewer close relationships, and having a lifetime history of major depressive disorder. The odds of GAD among those with ADHD were six-fold for those with a lifetime history of major depressive disorder."These results highlight the importance of screening for mental illness and addressing depressive symptoms when providing support to those with ADHD," said Lauren Carrique, a recent graduate of the University of Toronto`s MSW program who is a social worker at Toronto General Hospital. "Individuals experiencing ADHD, GAD, and depression is a particularly vulnerable subgroup that may need targeted outreach by health professionals." Investigators examined a nationally representative sample of 6,898 respondents from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health aged 20-39, of whom 272 had ADHD and 682 had GAD. Unfortunately, the researchers did not have access to information on what treatments, if any, respondents with ADHD were receiving to address their anxiety. One particularly promising talk-based therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, also called CBT, has been shown to be very effective for improving anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms." It is crucial that those with ADHD who are struggling with mental health issues reach out for help from their family doctor or other mental health professionals including social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists. Effective treatments, such as CBT, are available and these can dramatically improve one`s quality of life", said Fuller-Thomson

Adults with ADHD four times more likely to have generalised anxiety disorder: Study

A group of US states have announced a joint probe into Meta Platforms, for promoting its social media app Instagram to children despite knowing the harm it can cause to their mental health. "Facebook, now Meta, has failed to protect young people on its platforms and instead chose to ignore or, in some cases, double down on known manipulations that pose a real threat to physical and mental health, exploiting children in the interest of profit," Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement.

The investigation involves nine states - New York, Colorado, California, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It aims at examining whether the company has violated consumer protection laws, putting the young generation at risk.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has said that the investigation will be targeting Meta's techniques for increasing the duration of engagement by young users.&nbsp;

The statement read that this investigation comes after "reports revealing that Meta's own internal research shows that using Instagram is associated with increased risks of physical and mental health harms on young people, including depression, eating disorders, and even suicide."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-asks-staff-to-preserve-records-dating-back-to-2016-amid-inquiries-424794">Also read |&nbsp;Facebook asks staff to preserve records dating back to 2016 amid inquiries</a>

As a response, Meta has issued a statement saying that the accusations are false and "demonstrate a deep misunderstanding of the facts."

"We continue to build new features to help people who might be dealing with negative social comparisons or body image issues, including our new 'Take a Break' feature and ways to nudge them towards other types of content," it added.&nbsp;

The probe comes at a time when Facebook is already under scrutiny after Frances Haugen, who is a Facebook data scientist turned whistleblower, appeared before a UK Parliamentary committee and said that Facebook will fuel more violent unrest around the world.&nbsp;

This is because of the way its algorithms are designed to promote divisive content.

"The events we're seeing around the world, things like Myanmar and Ethiopia, those are the opening chapters because engagement-based ranking does two things: one, it prioritises and amplifies divisive and polarising extreme content and two it concentrates it," she said.

With inputs from agencies&nbsp;

A group of US states have announced a joint probe into Meta Platforms, for promoting its social media app Instagram to children despite knowing the harm it can cause to their mental health.

A group of US states have announced a joint probe into Meta Platforms, for promoting its social media app Instagram to children despite knowing the harm it can cause to their mental health. "Facebook, now Meta, has failed to protect young people on its platforms and instead chose to ignore or, in some cases, double down on known manipulations that pose a real threat to physical and mental health, exploiting children in the interest of profit," Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement. The investigation involves nine states - New York, Colorado, California, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It aims at examining whether the company has violated consumer protection laws, putting the young generation at risk. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has said that the investigation will be targeting Meta's techniques for increasing the duration of engagement by young users. The statement read that this investigation comes after "reports revealing that Meta's own internal research shows that using Instagram is associated with increased risks of physical and mental health harms on young people, including depression, eating disorders, and even suicide." Also read | Facebook asks staff to preserve records dating back to 2016 amid inquiries As a response, Meta has issued a statement saying that the accusations are false and "demonstrate a deep misunderstanding of the facts." "We continue to build new features to help people who might be dealing with negative social comparisons or body image issues, including our new 'Take a Break' feature and ways to nudge them towards other types of content," it added. The probe comes at a time when Facebook is already under scrutiny after Frances Haugen, who is a Facebook data scientist turned whistleblower, appeared before a UK Parliamentary committee and said that Facebook will fuel more violent unrest around the world. This is because of the way its algorithms are designed to promote divisive content. "The events we're seeing around the world, things like Myanmar and Ethiopia, those are the opening chapters because engagement-based ranking does two things: one, it prioritises and amplifies divisive and polarising extreme content and two it concentrates it," she said. With inputs from agencies

'Real threat': US investigates Instagram's impact on children's mental health

Greek&nbsp;public&nbsp;health&nbsp;sector&nbsp;workers&nbsp;protested in Athens on Monday&nbsp;as&nbsp;hospitals&nbsp;have become overwhelmed by a&nbsp;new&nbsp;surge in&nbsp;COVID-19 cases and authorities consider further restrictions.

Workers&nbsp;said they are&nbsp;underpaid, overworked and&nbsp;understaffed in the midst of the pandemic. They called for more hirings, for the government to include them on a list of hazardous professions which receive hazard pay benefits, and for private doctors to be ordered to assist, adding that a decision by the government to suspend unvaccinated&nbsp;health&nbsp;sector&nbsp;workers&nbsp;increased staff shortages.

Greece made vaccinations mandatory for nursing home staff in July and&nbsp;healthcare&nbsp;workers&nbsp;in September.

Hospitals, particularly in northern Greece, are scrambling to treat patients, as daily cases reached&nbsp;new&nbsp;record highs this month averaging over six thousand, and wards are running out of space for patients.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop26-climate-summit-nearly-300-people-tested-positive-for-covid-19-after-event-429946">Also read |&nbsp;COP26 climate summit: Nearly 300 people tested positive for COVID-19 after event</a>

"The stretchers at the&nbsp;hospitals&nbsp;on duty are increasing by the dozens,&nbsp;patients are being chosen for the intensive care units by priority, based on their ages," said president of the Public Hospital&nbsp;Workers&nbsp;Federation Michalis Giannakos. "Patients lives are in danger, and staff that have remained are like elastic bands stretched from clinic to clinic, from ward to ward."

Last week authorities announced&nbsp;new&nbsp;measures which require the unvaccinated to provide negative tests to enter cafes and restaurants, state services and banks. Employees in the public and private&nbsp;sector&nbsp;now also need to test twice a week to enter their workplace.

The government is trying to avoid another lockdown, but with only about 60 percent of the population of 11 million vaccinated, it is considering further restrictions, including possibly more mandatory vaccinations and testing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-positive-decision-new-zealand-includes-covishield-covaxin-in-list-of-recognised-vaccines-430229">Also read |&nbsp;A 'positive' decision: New Zealand includes Covishield, Covaxin in list of recognised vaccines</a>

Greek&nbsp;government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said on Monday the&nbsp;health&nbsp;system is&nbsp;under&nbsp;intense&nbsp;pressure, adding only one in ten being treated in intensive care units for coronavirus is fully vaccinated.

Eleven private clinics have volunteered to provide space for&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;patients, he said, while the government has asked for private doctors to volunteer their help, and could order them to provide their services if necessary.

Greek public health sector workers protested in Athens on Monday as hospitals have become overwhelmed by a new surge in COVID-19 cases and authorities consider further restrictions.

Greek public health sector workers protested in Athens on Monday as hospitals have become overwhelmed by a new surge in COVID-19 cases and authorities consider further restrictions. Workers said they are underpaid, overworked and understaffed in the midst of the pandemic. They called for more hirings, for the government to include them on a list of hazardous professions which receive hazard pay benefits, and for private doctors to be ordered to assist, adding that a decision by the government to suspend unvaccinated health sector workers increased staff shortages. Greece made vaccinations mandatory for nursing home staff in July and healthcare workers in September. Hospitals, particularly in northern Greece, are scrambling to treat patients, as daily cases reached new record highs this month averaging over six thousand, and wards are running out of space for patients. Also read | COP26 climate summit: Nearly 300 people tested positive for COVID-19 after event "The stretchers at the hospitals on duty are increasing by the dozens, patients are being chosen for the intensive care units by priority, based on their ages," said president of the Public Hospital Workers Federation Michalis Giannakos. "Patients lives are in danger, and staff that have remained are like elastic bands stretched from clinic to clinic, from ward to ward." Last week authorities announced new measures which require the unvaccinated to provide negative tests to enter cafes and restaurants, state services and banks. Employees in the public and private sector now also need to test twice a week to enter their workplace. The government is trying to avoid another lockdown, but with only about 60 percent of the population of 11 million vaccinated, it is considering further restrictions, including possibly more mandatory vaccinations and testing. Also read | A 'positive' decision: New Zealand includes Covishield, Covaxin in list of recognised vaccines Greek government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said on Monday the health system is under intense pressure, adding only one in ten being treated in intensive care units for coronavirus is fully vaccinated. Eleven private clinics have volunteered to provide space for COVID patients, he said, while the government has asked for private doctors to volunteer their help, and could order them to provide their services if necessary.

Greek health sector workers protest as hospitals buckle under covid pressure

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