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Image copyright Getty Images In our series of letters from African writers, journalist and former Ghana government minister Elizabeth Ohene writes about how the prospect of living abroad has lost its attraction in the time of coronavirus. We used to say here in Ghana, half in jest, half in truth, that you can find a Ghanaian in every country in the world. I've heard of Ghanaians in Greenland, Iceland and Papua New Guinea. I admit, I haven't heard about a Ghanaian in the Faroe Islands, which is my idea of the most exotic and faraway place, but I wouldn't be surprised if one of us is there. From the middle of the 1970s through to the end of the 1990s, circumstances had conspired...

The Oregon Health Authority reported 340 new coronavirus cases statewide Monday, including a record-breaking 119 confirmed or presumed infections in Multnomah County. “This disease is widespread in Multnomah County,” Dr. Jennifer Vines, the county health officer, said during a news conference hours before the latest numbers were disclosed by state officials. Oregon’s most populous county expects to see increasing cases going forward, as each person with COVID-19 may infect, on average, about 1.5 others, county officials said. “My expectation is that cases will continue to increase simply based on what we know right now,” Vines said, adding that she hopes the pace of rising infections will slow eventually if residents heed physical distancing recommendations. Coronavirus cases statewide ...

First drop in positive-test rate in 2 months, despite long testing turnaround PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The state’s death toll from COVID-19 is unchanged from Sunday and remains at 289, along with 340 new cases, including 21 in Central Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority reported Monday. Oregon Health Authority reported 340 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Monday, bringing the state total to 17,088 cases, along with 365,478 negative test results. The new cases are in the following counties: Benton (2), Clackamas (7), Columbia (1), Coos (1), Crook (1), Deschutes (11), Douglas (1), Harney (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (11), Jefferson (9), Lane (8), Lincoln (1), Malheur (8), Marion (26), Morrow (4), Multnomah (119), Polk (9), Umatill...

Palm Beach County officials issue advisory of mosquito-borne illness Updated: 6:52 PM EDT Jul 27, 2020 Hide Transcript Show Transcript >> TODAY HEALTH OFFICIALS CONFIRMED A LOCALLY ACQUIRED HUMAN CASE OF WEST NILE VIRUS. >> THIS IS THE FIRST HUMAN CASE OF WEST NILE VIRUS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY SINCE 2018 WHEN THERE WERE TWO. BUT THEY WERE BROUGHT INTO THE STATE. THIS LATEST CASE WAS ACQUIRED LOCALLY AND SO OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED MORE MAY OCCUR. >> ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ABOUT 80% OF WEST NILE INFECTIONS ARE ASYMPTOMATIC. WHEN SYMPTOMS DO OCCUR THEY FORM A MILD ILLNES...

A review of 58 different changes to labels on vaccines made between 1996 and 2015 has shown very few dangers in vaccination, and changes that were made were mostly to ensure people vulnerable to side effects or allergies were protected, they found. "These data highlight the robustness of the vaccine approval and postmarketing surveillance processes and confirm population vaccination as a major public health strategy," the team at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center wrote in their report, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Vaccine experts worry about a small but vocal group of vaccine skeptics who have cast doubt on the safety of vaccines, which go through a rigorous process of testing before they are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and other global drug regulators. ...