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Rat poison sales boom in Nigeria over Lassa fever fears

Sales of rat poison have taken off in Nigeria following an outbreak of Lassa fever that has left at least 76 people dead and sparked fears of contagion across the country. In the northern city of Kano, the capital of one of 17 states where the haemorrhagic virus has been recorded, there have been “unprecedented” purchases of the pest control product. The head of the city's chemicals traders, Shehu Idris Bichi, said sales have have increased four-fold since the outbreak was first announced earlier this month.

Afghanistan turns disused NATO camp into drug treatment base

By Mirwais Harooni KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan officials have opened a new drug treatment center in an abandoned NATO military base in Kabul, in the latest attempt to stamp out the country's massive problem of drug abuse. Afghanistan is one of the world's biggest sources of opium, producing around 3,300 tonnes last year, despite a drop of 48 percent in output. Camp Phoenix, a former training camp on the edges of Kabul set up by the U.S. army in 2003, will take in around 1,000 homeless drug addicts who will receive food, medical attention and treatment, said Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz.

Indonesia prepares warships to evacuate ‘haze’ refugees

Indonesia is preparing warships as a last resort to evacuate children and others suffering from smoke inhalation from slash-and-burn fires, a minister said on Friday, as the country struggles to contain fires expected to continue for weeks. Southeast Asia has suffered for years from annual “haze” caused by forest and peat clearing across Indonesia, which has come under increasing political pressure to stop the problem, but so far to no avail. Fires this year have been helped by drier weather brought by the El Nino weather phenomenon and have pushed air pollution to hazardous levels across Southeast Asia, forcing schools to close and disrupting flights.

California sets path for inmates to get sex-reassignment surgery

By Sharon Bernstein SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) – Guidelines to decide whether transgender prison inmates in California can undergo sex reassignment surgery took effect Tuesday, making it the first U.S. state to offer a regular path to such treatment. California last summer agreed to regularly provide and pay for treatments including hormones as well as surgery to alter the biological sex of its prisoners. “California has set a model for the rest of the country and ensured transgender people in prison can access life-saving care when they need it,” said Kris Hayashi, executive director of Transgender Law Center, which represents two inmates who sued the state after being denied the surgery.

Sierra Leone: Officials confirm new Ebola death

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Health officials in Sierra Leone on Sunday confirmed an Ebola death less than a week after the country’s last known patient was discharged from a hospital.

Warring sides agree on evacuation of wounded from Syrian town, villages: sources

Warring sides in Syria have agreed to facilitate an evacuation of wounded people from a town at the Lebanese border and two villages in the northwest of the country, and to extend a two-day ceasefire for another day, sources on both sides said. A ceasefire between the Syrian army and the Lebanese group Hezbollah on one hand, and Syrian insurgents on the other, came into effect in the town of Zabadani and the Lebanese border and the two villages of Kefraya and al-Foua on Thursday. Sources on both sides said the evacuation of wounded would begin on Friday.

5 Amazing Seniors Busting Every Aging Stereotype

National Senior Citizens Day has been celebrated in America since 1988, but often flies under the country's radar. The day was created by President Ronald Reagan when he put forth a presidential proclamation recognizing August 21st as a day to honor the contributions of older Americans to their communities.President Reagan's sentiment that “……

Malaysia steps up health screening for MERS at entry points

Malaysia has stepped up health screenings at all entry points into the country, after the first case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was reported in neighboring Thailand last week. The Southeast Asian nation, which shares a 650 km (400 mile) land border with Thailand, has already begun monitoring body temperatures at the airports, Deputy Health Minister Hilmi Yahaya said in a statement to state news agency Bernama. “Now, we are going further to include all entry points,” he said.

Experts expect more MERS cases, downplay chance of pandemic

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Experts from the World Health Organization and South Korea on Saturday downplayed concerns about the MERS virus spreading further within the country, which recorded its 14th death and 12 new infections, but said that it was premature to declare the outbreak over.

South Korea reports 14 more MERS cases, fifth death

South Korean health officials on Sunday reported 14 more cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, bringing the total in the country’s outbreak to 64, and said a fifth person infected with the virus had died. South Korea’s outbreak of the often-deadly MERS virus, first reported on May 20, is the largest outside the Middle East, prompting public fear and questions over the government’s initial response. The patient who died was a 75-year-old man who had been in the same Seoul hospital emergency room where a total of 17 people, including two medical staff, are believed to have been infected with MERS, South Korea’s health ministry said.