The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has commenced a comprehensive tsetse fly surveillance, community sensitisation, and vector control campaign across livestock settlements, markets, and riverine communities in Akwa Ibom State.

The exercise is aimed at combating the spread of tsetse flies and reducing the incidence of African Animal Trypanosomiasis, commonly known as Nagana, which poses a major threat to livestock productivity.

Flagging off the operation in Uyo, the State Coordinator of the Ministry, Mrs. Ikankeabasi Ukpong, said Nigeria has identified about twelve species of tsetse flies under the Glossina genus, many of which are responsible for transmitting parasites that cause sleeping sickness in humans and trypanosomiasis in animals.

She noted that the disease results in weight loss, anaemia, reduced milk and meat production, and significant economic losses for livestock farmers.

Ukpong explained that the Glossina palpalis species is endemic in the South-South region and thrives in humid environments, particularly around rivers and wetlands.

She disclosed that the surveillance team would focus on riverine communities in Itu, Mbo, and Oron Local Government Areas, as well as cattle settlements in Itam, to assess and control the prevalence of the vector.

Speaking at the event, the Akwa Ibom State Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Teddy Essien, commended the Federal Government for prioritising the programme. He stated that the state had maintained strong collaboration with federal agricultural agencies and expressed confidence that the initiative would strengthen animal health management and contribute to economic growth in the state.

Essien assured the surveillance team of the state government’s support and called for regular feedback from field operations to aid planning and decision-making.

He stressed the importance of accurate data collection and reporting in sustaining efforts to eliminate the disease and protect livestock farmers.

Also speaking, the Team Leader, Mr. Gilbert Okoro, described the exercise as part of a nationwide intervention to combat transboundary pests and diseases affecting both humans and animals. He said that the team would deploy and monitor traps in identified hotspots before analysing findings to guide future control measures, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing the burden of tsetse fly infestation across the country.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed that more than 1,300 people have died in Europe since June 21 in connection with the record-breaking heatwave roasting much of the continent.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that tens of millions have been braving the extreme temperatures in Europe as a deadly heatwave moves eastwards, with some countries announcing rising death tolls and health services warning of saturation.

On Sunday morning, French health officials said there had been around 1,000 more deaths than expected in that country just since Wednesday.

“Heat stress is often called the ‘silent killer’ – and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures,” he said.At least 191 million people are forecast to endure temperatures of at least 35 °C on Sunday in Europe, with the heat particularly intense in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, according to AFP estimates.

Photo: Head of Romania’s Cyber-Security Directorate Dan Cimpean (L) was in charge of co-ordinating the crisis response

One after another the calls came in from hospitals; criminals were infecting computer networks in a mass hack that was putting countless lives at risk.

At Bucharest’s national cyber-security centre (DNSC) they watched helplessly as the hackers spread across Romania through a popular piece of medical software.

Cyber-chief Dan Cimpean had a tough decision to make, but it was the only option they had.

The order went out to more than 100 hospitals. Disconnect from the internet, now.

The cyber-attack on Romania’s hospitals in February 2024 is one of the worst to target healthcare systems around the world, but these incidents are becoming increasingly common.

Healthcare is now the most targeted area of critical national infrastructure, the FBI has said recently.

Cutting off 100 hospitals in Romania from the internet stopped the hackers in their tracks, buying time to work out how bad the attack was.

But it meant no connected devices, emails or web browsers.

Medical staff had to switch to pen and paper, improvising workarounds to protect patients while IT teams scrambled and the national cyber response centre tried to find out how the hackers had got in – and how they could stop them.

Their actions over four days from 10 February 2024, and those of the doctors and nurses, have been widely praised.

How they reacted and how they coped has become a test case for disaster planners internationally, as officials look for advice on responding to a mass hospital hack.

(Credit: BBC News)