Health
US Pauses Chikungunya Vaccine Over Severe Side Effects
US health authorities have suspended the license for the Ixchiq vaccine against the chikungunya virus following reports of “serious adverse events”, the drug’s French maker said Monday.
Ixchiq is one of just two vaccines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the mosquito-spread virus, which mainly occurs in tropical and subtropical regions but has recently been discovered to countries worldwide.
French company Valneva obtained US approval for the vaccine in 2023, but reports of side effects have prompted reviews in particular over its use in older patients, including by the European Medicines Agency this year.
“The suspension of the license is effective immediately,” Valneva said of the FDA order issued Friday, citing four additional cases of serious side effects, three of which involved people aged 70 to 82.
“As we determine potential next steps, and as the clear threat of chikungunya continues to escalate globally, Valneva remains fully committed to maintaining access to our vaccine as a global health tool,” chief executive Thomas Lingelbach said in a statement.
Public health experts say chikungunya could be a potential future pandemic threat as climate change pushes the mosquitoes that spread it into new regions.
The symptoms are similar to those of dengue fever and Zika virus, with high fever and severe joint pain that is often debilitating and varies in duration.
Chikungunya is rarely fatal, though there is an increased risk of death for babies and the elderly.
In July, the World Health Organization warned of the risks of a major chikungunya epidemic, calling for urgent action.
The agency said it was picking up the same early warning signs as in a major outbreak two decades ago, which swept across the Indian Ocean before spreading globally and affecting almost half a million people.
So far this year, Europe has seen 27 chikungunya outbreaks, a new record for the continent, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said this month.
AFP
Health
WHO Declares Emergency As Ebola Kills 88 In Congo
Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and sore throat, and are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash, and bleeding.
• Ebola
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the latest Ebola outbreak in the DRC and neighbouring Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern”.
The outbreak, originating in eastern DRC’s Ituri province, which has seen around 246 suspected cases, involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
The variant has no approved vaccine or treatment.
Health authorities said the outbreak poses a high regional risk because infections have already been detected in Uganda, and cases linked to the outbreak have reached Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, and killed 88 people.
The WHO, however, stopped short of declaring a pandemic, saying it did not meet the necessary criteria.
The United Nations agency advised countries against closing borders or restricting trade.
Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and sore throat, and are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash, and bleeding.
Health
National Data Repository Index Numbers of patients currently on treatment for HIV in Nigeria as at May 13, 2026
Benue: 195,305
- Akwa Ibom: 158,201
- Lagos: 135,918
- Rivers: 90,055
- Nasarawa: 65,996
- FCT: 62,627
- Kaduna: 58,576
- Cross River: 57,765
- Enugu: 55,478
- Delta: 52,475
- Taraba: 51,840
- Abia: 50,038
- Imo: 47,863
- Plateau: 46,618
- Anambra: 46,602
- Adamawa: 42,074
- Kano: 41,093
- Kogi: 37,301
- Oyo: 33,133
- Niger: 33,057
- Ogun: 31,822
- Bauchi: 29,745
- Edo: 29,256
- Gombe: 28,037
- Osun: 25,018
- Borno: 24,527
- Ondo: 22,455
- Kebbi: 20,803
- Bayelsa: 19,549
- Katsina: 18,682
- Ebonyi: 15,474
- Kwara: 14,997
- Jigawa: 14,302
- Zamfara: 13,813
- Ekiti: 12,356
- Yobe: 10,716
- Sokoto: 10,511 Total: 1.70m
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the establishment of an Agro-Industrial Business Hub and Mega Livestock Processing Facility in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, gave the assurance during a high-level strategic meeting involving the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, ABIS Group and the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) in Abuja.
The Minister stated that the Ministry would work closely with ABIS Group, LPRES and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth take-off and successful implementation of the project. He explained that the engagement followed Nigeria’s participation in an international training programme on pastoral market access and inclusive contracting models held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to the Minister, the training, organised under the auspices of the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources and the African Pastoral Market Development Platform, provided valuable insights into strengthening livestock value chains, improving market systems and promoting quality assurance mechanisms across Africa.
Leader of the ABIS delegation, Ambassador Emmanuel Usman, commended the Ministry for facilitating the group’s participation in the training programme, which brought together delegates from Somalia, Botswana, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Also speaking, LPRES National Coordinator, Sanusi Abubakar, appreciated the Minister for supporting collaboration and inclusiveness in the livestock sector.
The General Manager of ABIS Group, Mr. Kujo Reigans, highlighted key lessons from the training, including the need for a unified quality assurance system, structured outgrower schemes and improved access to funding opportunities through the Development Bank of Nigeria.
He stated that these measures would enhance efficiency, traceability and competitiveness within Nigeria’s livestock industry.
The ABIS team also raised concerns over visa bottlenecks affecting expatriates working on the Abuja Mega Livestock Processing Facility project, calling for streamlined visa processes to ease project implementation and support the timely delivery of the agro-industrial hub in the FCT.
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