Month: November 2021

The Pacific project Researchers say leaves of the matalafi plant could also potentially be used to treat cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases Leaves from a plant which can be found “in back yards across Samoa” could be as effective as ibuprofen in lowering inflammation and could even be used to treat illnesses such as Parkinson’s and cancer, a new study has found.For centuries, the leaves of the psychotria insularum plant, known locally in Samoa as matalafi, have been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation associated with fever, body aches, swellings, elephantiasis, and respiratory infections.“I was sceptical at first, when researching” said Seeseei Molimau-Samasoni, the study’s author and the manager of the plants and postharvest technologies division at the Sci...

Several studies have shown that the pandemic took a devastating toll on people’s mental health and impacted other psychiatric conditions, but a novel study looked at things from a different direction.  The investigation, conducted by Yale School of Public Health and published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, looked at US nationwide levels of mental health to establish that those with poor mental health prior to the pandemic have a greater likelihood of developing a COVID-19 infection.  Researchers used aggregated data from a survey conducted across 2,839 counties to conclude that between 2010 and 2019, a total of 2,172 counties (77%) experienced significant increases in the average number of poor mental health days, including depression, stress, and...

Nearly 10,000 Humboldt County children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine following authorization from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Initial shipments of the pediatric doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been delivered to some local pharmacies, pediatric offices and Humboldt County Public Health. Parents seeking to vaccinate their children are encouraged to reach out to their pediatrician or a local pharmacy. Just over 7% of the county’s total reported COVID-19 cases, or 685 cases, were among the 5 to 11 age group. Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman said authorization of the vaccine for those children is another step toward ending this pandemic. “We’ve seen cases in this age group increase over the ...

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A South Valley hospital is sounding the alarm due to an explosion of COVID-positive patients taking up available beds. Kaweah Health in Visalia says it has the highest number of COVID hospitalizations in the state. On Wednesday, it called its second internal disaster, known as a Code Triage. The hospital says there are more than 50 admitted patients waiting for an open bed and 60 patients in the ER. There are a total of 368 patients being cared for in the downtown medical center and there is no bed space available. There were more than 100 patients seeking care in the emergency department. Copyright © 2021 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.