Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on disease control, Japan, Taiwan, CCP
News (1) to (7) / Text: Colin Michie / https://theconversation.com/strep-a-cases-of-rare-fatal-infection-hit-record-levels-in-japan-heres-what-risk-these-bacteria-pose-to-global-health-226761 / Image of group A strep bacteria : Web Screenshot
News (1)
Strep A: cases of rare fatal infection hit record levels in Japan - here's what rish these bacteria pose to global health
There has been a sharp
increase in the number of people in Japan suffering with the rare but dangerous
bacterial condition, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS).
According to reports,
cases of this potentially fatal strep A illness have more than tripled in Tokyo
compared with this time last year.
While experts are not entirely certain why cases have risen so sharply to record levels, many believe it could be due to people being less vigilant about protecting themselves from infection after covid measures were dropped.
Many countries, including the UK, have seen a similar increase in illnesses caused by strep A bacteria in the post-lockdown period – highlighting the continued burden that these bacteria have on public health.
Group A streptococcal bacteria transmitted through touch, coughs, sneezes, causes scarlet fever, pneumonia, cellulitis, bone and blood infections, STSS
STSS is caused by group A streptococcal bacteria (also strep A bacteria), which are quite common. Between 5% and 20% of healthy adults have these bacteria living inside them without any symptoms. However even when they do not cause illness, group A streptococcal bacteria can still be spread to other people unknowingly through touch, coughs and sneezes.
Strep A bacteria are commonly spread through close contact with an infected person. This means that people who spend time in crowded places – such as schools or dormitories – may be at greater risk of catching these bacteria. Even people who are not ill can be colonised by them, as they are well adapted to grow in healthy human hosts.
However, strep A bacteria can shift gears from being symptom-free and harmless into the source of numerous diseases. Infection may be triggered by larger numbers of the bacteria, mutation to a more aggressive strain, or perhaps some reduction in host defences. Most often, this will cause localised, short-lived infections – such as strep throat, tonsillitis or impetigo on the skin.
However, strep A
bacteria can also ambush patients a few weeks after these milder infections,
causing severe, lifelong complications –
including rheumatic heart fever or inflammation of the kidneys. These complications are more common in
certain populations, such as those who are homeless or living in poverty, or
people with drug and alcohol use problems.
Strep A bacteria can also cause more severe illnesses, including scarlet fever, sinusitis, pneumonia, cellulitis, bone and blood infections.
In rare cases, strep A bacteria can spread from cuts and wounds deep into soft tissues and muscle, leading to necrotising fasciitis or “flesh-eating disease”. Streptococci can in some situations release immune-activating toxins that activate the immune cells in tissues, triggering STSS.
Symptoms of STSS include fevers, aches, nausea, low blood pressure, cold, rapid heart rate and breathing
STSS patients often complain initially of fevers, muscle aches and nausea, before becoming confused or drowsy. Low blood pressure follows, leading to cold hands and feet, a rapid heart rate and breathing too. Without the blood pressure they need to function, organs then begin to fail, usually 24 to 48 hours after the symptoms emerged.
News (4)
STSS has high mortality rate as high as 70% in the elderly
STSS has a high mortality rate – ranging from 5% in younger patients who have been admitted quickly to intensive care, to up to 70% in the elderly.
Treatment for suspected STSS should be delivered as rapidly as possible. Patients will require oxygen, intravenous fluids and even cardiac support, alongside antibiotics and intravenous immune antibodies to deactivate strep A toxins. Even if referral and treatment is given quickly, it may still take patients many weeks to recover from the physical effects.
News (5)
STSS more common in people with poor immune system
STSS is more common in people who have a poor immune system– including the elderly, people taking steroid medications, people recovering from a recent illness (particularly chickenpox), those with type 2 diabetes, and people with drug and alcohol problems. The elderly are a large and growing component of Japan’s population, which may explain why cases of STSS are particularly high there.
The rise in STSS cases is probably also a consequence of fewer covid restrictions in this post-lockdown period. Public health measures such as mask wearing, washing and disinfecting hands and social distancing all helped to reduce the spread of strep A bacteria. People were exposed to larger numbers of bacteria when these controls were lifted.
News (6)
Some strep A bacteria strains show resistance to penicillin
Fortunately, strep A bacteria remain responsive to penicillin, although resistance has been identified in some strains. This means that strep A – and STSS – remain treatable.
Researchers are also working on developing a protective vaccine against strep A bacteria. If successful, this would not only protect against milder illnesses caused by streptococci, but also against rheumatic fever and perhaps the more acute severe illnesses such as STSS.
Strep A bacteria are estimated to contribute to more than half a million deaths globally each year. While relatively few of these are the consequence of STSS, this number highlights a need to better monitor group A streptococci, their evolution and the diseases they cause.
News (7)
Exercise covid restrictions including avoiding crowds to avoid strep A bacteria
Protecting yourself against strep A bacteria remains relatively simple. Many of the practices we followed during the height of the pandemic – such as wearing masks, washing hands and avoiding crowds – can help us avoid strep A too.
The epidemic in China is heating up. Many people have symptoms but hospitals cannot detect them
Reporter : Luo Tingting / Editor : Zhu Xinrui / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/04/01/a103866749.html / Image : The picture shows children and their parents waiting in the outpatient area of a children's hospital in Beijing on 22 November 2023. Schematic (Jade Gao/AFP via Getty Images)
Recently, the epidemic in China has heated up again, and hospitals are full. However, the official has blocked the news, and there is almost no epidemic information in the media and hot searches. Many netizens can only communicate about the condition of themselves and their family members on social platforms, saying that symptoms have appeared but the hospital cannot detect them, and remind each other that "it has become serious again recently" and "you must be really careful during this period."
At present, "covid" has become a sensitive word on the Chinese Internet, and it is difficult to search for relevant information on Weibo and Baidu hot search lists. Officials use mycoplasma, influenza, colds, etc. to deceive the public and confuse the public.
However, many netizens have posted information on social platforms that they or their family members have been hospitalized with fever, drawing attention to the actual situation of the epidemic in China.
On 29 March 2024, a netizen posted on Xiaohongshu: "The virus this time is too scary. Nine out of ten people were infected. All I saw when I went to the hospital were adults and children coughing."
On 30 March 2024, a reporter from NTDTV used the keyword "fever" on Douyin in Mainland China to search and found that netizens from all over China said that they or their family members had symptoms such as fever and pneumonia again in recent days, and their condition was serious.
Jiangsu netizen "Jingzhu" said: "I had a fever for seven days in a row. I went to the hospital three times thinking it was influenza, but I finally found out it was Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection."
A Chongqing netizen called "Duoduo Kutei": "I am infected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae. I don't have a fever, but I cough and vomit. The doctor said I will still be coughing for 6 to 8 weeks."
Guangdong netizen "Ms. Zhuang" said: "The fever has not gone away for 4 consecutive days."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
"Thousands and thousands" of Guangxi netizens said: "We had pneumonia for four days and it was this mycoplasma. What a poisonous king."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
Shandong netizen "Luanwu Chunqiu" said: "I have had a fever for 10 days, with the lowest temperature being 38 degrees and the highest temperature being 39.8 degrees. The fever has always made my mouth feel bitter, and eating is also bitter."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
Ningxia netizen "CARINA": "Me too. I thought it was a cold at first. I went to the hospital three times. The doctor also said that it was a viral cold and mycoplasma pneumonia was negative. I felt something was wrong. I did a CT and found that it was pneumonia. .”
Jilin netizen "Xingkong": "I had a fever for 3 days and turned into lobar pneumonia. I am hospitalized."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
Guangxi netizen "You Ye" said: "I had a fever for five or six days before I went to the hospital. Once I was diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia, I was hospitalized for eight days before being discharged."
On 29 March, Hunan netizen "Supermom" posted a video on Douyin saying: "My little daughter repeatedly had a high fever of 40 degrees and couldn't get over it. She also vomited after taking medicine. At 3 o'clock in the morning, I was also infected."
She said that her daughter’s skin hurt all over her body due to the burning, and she would cry whenever she touched it. "At 3 o'clock in the morning, the crying of children in the hospital corridor never stopped."
She left a message in the comment area and said: "When I first started coughing, I thought it was a simple cold and cough. I took anti-inflammatory drugs and cough suppressants as usual. It didn't get better for about three days and the cough got worse at night. I went to the doctor to ask if it was a mycoplasma infection. The doctor said that the cough was not long and he would not consider it for now. I was delayed for another two days and then coughed all night, which was delayed for a week. I felt something was wrong and went to check for mycoplasma pneumonia. It was really infected... I took a lung x-ray and it was still there. I had some infection and started to have a fever at night when I got home. I went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with influenza A."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
The video posted by "Supermom" resonated with many netizens. Yunnan netizen "Xiaojiu" responded: "My baby was normal when he was sleeping. But two hours later, his voice suddenly became hoarse. When he went to the hospital, he was diagnosed with pneumonia. It was really nothing. No warning!"
(Screenshot of Douyin)
"Supermom" also said: "Yes, many times it cannot be detected, and it is very sudden! When I was infected myself, I obviously had symptoms, but nothing was detected on the first day ~ so it is more difficult for children .”
(Screenshot of Douyin)
Hunan netizen "Cold Little Shark" said: "There are really no signs! There were symptoms on the first day, but nothing could be found."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
Guangdong netizen "QzZ" said that not only many children have started to have fever again, but also adults: "Don't mention it, I have also been infected with Mycoplasma A and Mycoplasma in the past two days, and it is really uncomfortable that the low fever has not gone down."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
Shaanxi netizen "Guoguo Mama" is worried about the current epidemic: "This flu is so severe that even adults can't handle it. I wish my baby a speedy recovery."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
Hebei netizen "Shuo Shuo Haowu": "My son was vomiting, had a stomachache, and didn't cough. He went back and forth to be tested for influenza A, and later a X-ray was taken to detect mycoplasma."
Netizens reminded each other: "It has become serious again recently! Everyone should pay attention to your health!" "You must be really careful during this period." "Go less to crowded closed places."
(Screenshot of Douyin)
(Screenshot of Douyin)
Mr. Yue, a citizen of Anyang, Henan, said in a telephone interview with NTDTV on 29 March that the covid epidemic is prevalent in the local area, "When you go to the hospital to see a doctor, you will no longer mention covid. If you are not tested, you will be treated as a cold or fever."
Mr. Yue said: "I am also covi-positive. I have a fever and a sore throat. There are too many people in the hospital and I can't stay in the hospital. I just ask an acquaintance to prescribe medicine and take it at home. I prescribe a lot of medicine. I don't know which one." It works, but it doesn't work. I have friends who have lung nodules and have difficulty breathing. Some are hospitalized and some are raised at home."
Zhang Yong (pseudonym), a citizen of Wuhan, Hubei Province, said that all major hospitals in Wuhan are full at any time but the authorities block information and do not disclose the true situation.
News (9)
Buildings in Taiwan survived the strong earthquake, and mainland netizens praised them for their "good quality"
Reporter : Li Li / Editor : Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/04/03/a103867592.html / Image : On 3 April 2024, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan, and the 8-story Uranus Building on Xuanyuan Road in Hualien tilted. (The Epoch Times)
On 3 April 2024, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan. As of 6.30 pm, 9 people had died, 934 were injured, and 56 people were trapped in Taiwan. Among them, the 8-story Uranus Building on Xuanyuan Road in Hualien did not collapse. Mainland netizens who are accustomed to seeing "shabby projects" praised Taiwan's construction for its "good quality."
At around 8 am local time on 3 April 2024, a strong earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale and 6 on the Richter scale occurred in Taiwan. The epicenter was in Hualien, located in the eastern waters of Taiwan. This was the most serious earthquake that has occurred in Taiwan in 25 years. It was felt not only throughout Taiwan, the earthquake was also felt in many places on the mainland.
After the earthquake, Chinese netizens prayed for the safety of Taiwan compatriots. Many videos and pictures related to the earthquake were circulated on the Internet in mainland China. Among them, the image of the eight-story Uranus Building on Xuanyuan Road in Hualien tilted and collapsed, which triggered heated discussions among mainland Chinese netizens.
Netizens compared China's previous earthquakes in Wenchuan,Sichuan, and last year's Gansu earthquakes, praising the quality of Taiwan's construction. "In this earthquake in Taiwan, the damaged high-rise buildings in the city appeared toppling but did not collapse. This is a rescue bought precious time", "It poured without falling...such earthquake resistance!", "No corners were cut, and the construction was truly in accordance with earthquake standards" "This shows that Taiwan's construction industry is really conscientious", "The quality is much better ". Someone else reminded: "Aren't those who stand upright better?"
(Network screenshot)
Netizens compared the earthquake disaster in mainland China and said: "The 8-magnitude earthquake in Wenchuan was in ruins", "I am not afraid of not knowing the goods, I am afraid", "Is there some inevitable connection between the quality of products and the quality of people", "What kind of quality does this mean? "Imagine what would happen if our 30-story residential building suffered an earthquake of this intensity." "I can't imagine what would happen if this earthquake happened in mainland China."
(Network screenshot)
Compare this to the previous two days in Nanchang, Jiangxi, where many windows were blown out due to strong winds, and people were even blown off high-rise buildings to death. "The windows did not fall down after such a huge earthquake. Is it because the earthquake is not as lethal as the strong winds in our province a few days ago, or is it a quality problem?"
On 12 May 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in Wenchuan, Sichuan. According to a report by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Communist Party of China, the earthquake killed 69,227 people, injured 374,643 people, and left 17,923 people missing. According to a survey conducted by the Bashu Alliance, a non-governmental organization, the actual death toll in the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan was about 300,000, and the number of student deaths was more than 30,000. In this earthquake, the collapse of school buildings in the earthquake area was very serious.
Surveys show that approximately 216,000 houses collapsed during the earthquake, including 6,898 school buildings. Many classrooms don't even have steel bars, while government office buildings are in significantly better condition than school buildings. Many parents of the students who died questioned whether the accident was caused by man-made disasters rather than natural disasters, and filed lawsuits over the quality of school buildings. At the same time, officials have been trying their best to cover up the number of student deaths, and have also arrested private individuals who took the initiative to investigate the number of student deaths.
Image : Earthquake-affected Yingxiu Town in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, China, May 24, 2008. (Nicky Loh – Pool/Getty Images)
On April 20, 2013, another magnitude 7 earthquake occurred in Lushan County, Ya'an City, Sichuan. According to data released by the Ya'an Municipal Government of the Communist Party of China, as of 15:00 on April 21, the number of victims of the Ya'an Earthquake in Sichuan rose to 186, and 11,393 people were injured. More than 1.5 million people were affected by the disaster. Nearly 400,000 houses in the city were damaged, 12,851 houses collapsed, 34 reservoirs were damaged, 2,668 weirs and canals were damaged, and the agricultural, forestry and water economic losses were 1.43 billion yuan.
On 18 December 2023, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurred late at night in Jishishan County, Linxia Prefecture, Gansu Province, causing nearly 900 deaths and injuries. After the earthquake, through media reports, the outside world saw the local poverty situation. Many rural areas were self-built houses, and there were even many adobe houses without any earthquake resistance.
Some netizens said, “The rural areas after the earthquake can be described as devastated.” Netizen “Popular Science Architecture” said that the self-built houses that everyone lives in in the rural areas of Jishishan County “regardless of the structural form of the house or the earthquake-resistant structural measures, it’s really far from the standard.”
News (10)
Hualien, Taiwan's 7.2-magnitude earthquake hits buildings that won't collapse
Reporter : Wang Yanqiao / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/04/04/a103867776.html
As of Wednesday night, the earthquake has caused 9 deaths and nearly 1,000 injuries. The epicenter was located off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan. The magnitude was 7.2 on the Richter scale. The released energy is equivalent to the power of 32 atomic bombs. The solidity of Taiwanese buildings has also been praised by mainland netizens.
The Taiwan Meteorological Administration stated that Hualien County, which is closest to the epicenter, had a maximum magnitude of 6. The maximum magnitude measured in counties and cities in Taipei and Taichung was 5. Most of the earthquakes in Tainan were magnitude 4. The earthquake was clearly felt throughout Taiwan.
News anchor: "Including me, I can no longer stand still in front of the camera. We are about to see the earthquake. We have some equipment falling down, including the top of the studio."
After the earthquake, President Tsai Ing-wen, the Executive Yuan and the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of China sat at the Central Disaster Response Center in the morning.
President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China: "At this time when aftershocks occur frequently, the government must ensure the accuracy of information and provide immediate assistance to compatriots in need so that compatriots can feel at ease and safe."
Vice President Lai Ching-te of the Republic of China arrived in the disaster-stricken city of Hualien to inspect the damage.
Lai Ching-te, Vice President of the Republic of China, said, "At present, the most important and priority is to save people, and rescue is the top priority. Then what we must continue to check is how many people are still trapped."
Taiwan's Central Meteorological Administration also recorded an aftershock with a magnitude of 6.5.
As of 8 pm on the 4th, Taipei time, at least 9 people had died, 963 people were injured, and 152 people were trapped. In Hualien, the hardest-hit area, at least 18 houses were damaged, but they did not topple or collapse. The Uranus Building tilted at 45 degrees, and search and rescue operations continued at night.
After the earthquake, Chinese netizens compared the previous earthquakes in Wenchuan, Sichuan, Ya'an, Sichuan, and Gansu last year, praising the quality of Taiwan's construction.
Affected by the earthquake, Japan, the Philippines and mainland China have issued tsunami warnings. Experts said this was the strongest earthquake in Taiwan since the 921 earthquake in 1999, and the energy released was equivalent to the power of 32 atomic bombs.
News (11) to (15) / Editor : Li Enzhen / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2024/04/04/a103867831.html
News (11)
Li Qiang fell out of favour and wrote a self-criticism to eliminate Li Keqiang’s ineffective influence
Image : The power struggle at the top levels of the Chinese Communist Party is intensifying. The picture shows a schematic diagram. (Liu Jin/AFP via Getty Images)
Various signs show that Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the Communist Party of China, is increasingly marginalized. Sources say that Li Qiang was accused of failing to eliminate the influence of his predecessor Li Keqiang. Now he is still writing inspections and has not passed the test.
After the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Cai Qi, who was ranked fifth, took on multiple positions, and his real power clearly surpassed that of "number two" Li Qiang. After Li Qiang took office as Prime Minister of the Communist Party of China, he immediately positioned the State Council as a "political organ" and emphasized that he should be the executor of the Xi Central Committee.
News (12)
Li Qiang has aroused Xi's dissatisfaction
Li Qiang's excessive caution and low profile did not gain Xi Jinping's trust. According to sources, his ineffective policy to eliminate Li Keqiang aroused Xi's dissatisfaction.
From 11 to 12 December 2023, the annual Central Economic Work Conference of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing. After Xi Jinping delivered a speech on the first day, he led a group of senior officials to leave midway for a visit to Vietnam the next day (12 December).
As for the reason why Xi suddenly left midway, Wang Juntao, chairman of the National Committee of the China Democratic Party and a political scientist based in the United States, recently revealed the inside story to The Epoch Times. This inside story was obtained by Wang Juntao from familiar sources.
News (13)
Xi is angry with Li Keqiang's solutions, feels Li Qiang cannot control the economy situation
"Halfway through last year's economic work conference, Xi Jinping became so angry that he walked away in the middle. The reason is that all departments are complaining. There are many problems in the economy now, and the solutions are all Li Keqiang's. Li Keqiang's plan is to protect people's livelihood, employment, and basic operations, rather than to create new productivity or high-end breakthroughs," Wang Juntao recounted.
Wang Juntao said that Xi Jinping would feel that although Li Keqiang was dead, his ghost still lingered, and the entire State Council and economic departments were still using this plan to attack him. He would feel that Li Qiang did not control the situation well and that his work was somewhat out of control. Because the Central Economic Work Conference and the State Council have to do work in advance, Li Qiang may also feel that Li Keqiang is dead, so he still retains some things and lets those people report them like that.
"Of course, maybe Li Qiang himself thinks that if the economy goes down, he won't be able to survive by relying on technological innovations, and he must develop people's livelihood enterprises. It's not good for him to mention it directly to Xi Jinping and let these people express their opinions, so that meeting broke up on bad terms," Wang Juntao said.
"Just because Li Qiang may not have handled some things well, Li Qiang is still writing for inspection. He has not passed the test yet, but is writing." He quoted a source as saying that if something like this happens to the Communist Party, he must write for inspection.
Wang Juntao analyzed that Xi Jinping may have felt that Li Qiang did not do enough and was not loyal in this place, so Li Qiang has embarrassed him.
He said that economic decision-making power is originally in the hands of Xi, but there are actually several powers. For example, the Central Cybersecurity and Information Technology Commission is now handed over to Cai Qi, which shows that he is relieved of Cai Qi. However now the Central Committee for Comprehensive Deepening Reform has not handed it over to Li Qiang, which shows that it is not trustworthy about Li Qiang.
Li Keqiang has worked with Xi for ten years and is often at odds with Xi. Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang died suddenly in October last year. Public opinion generally believes that he died directly or indirectly due to infighting among the top leaders of the CCP, and pointed the finger at Xi.
During the Two Sessions of the Communist Party of China in March this year, officials announced the cancellation of Li Qiang’s press conference. At the end of March, Li Qiang was cancelled from the prime minister's symposium at the China Development Forum (CDF) held in Beijing. At the same time, party leader Xi Jinping replaced Li Qiang and met with global corporate chief executive officers (CEOs) participating in the forum.
News (14)
Li Qiang replaced by Zhao Leji at Bo'ao Forum, may be succeeded by Ding Xuexiang
The Boao Forum for Asia 2024 Annual Conference is held in Bo'ao, Hainan from 26 to 29 March 2024. The Chinese Communist Party sent Chairman of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji to attend and deliver a keynote speech. He attended the Bo'ao Forum and delivered a speech, breaking the practice of having the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China or the Premier of the State Council deliver a keynote speech in the past decade.
This is Li Qiang's absence from an important event again after the press conference of the two sessions of the Communist Party of China and the high-level speech on China's development this year.
On 27 March 2024, "The Economist" analyzed the ups and downs of China's economic management team and pointed out that when the change takes place in 2027, current Prime Minister Li Qiang may step down due to reaching the age of 68. The report believes that the real person in charge of the State Council now is He Lifeng but it is predicted that Li Qiang’s successor may be Ding Xuexiang.
News (15)
The Chinese Communist regime will overturn sooner or later
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun previously posted on the overseas X platform that the CCP has entered garbage time and any performance has lost its meaning. It simply did not even give Li Qiang a chance to perform. Chinese politics will completely enter a black box model.
Current affairs commentator and historian Zhang Tianliang analyzed in the "Dawn Hour" program that a series of Li Qiang's important activities were cancelled, which is equivalent to saying that Li Qiang has completely disconnected from the media and business community. Xi Jinping does not understand economics and has taken away all the work of the Prime Minister. China is like a car, and it will overturn sooner or later.
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