University of Alcalá

A study published today analyses 185 cases of monkeypox reported in Spain up to 11 July.

A review with meta-analysis published in the journal PLoS Medicine concludes that the percentage of asymptomatic people with covid-19 is lower, and that they are less contagious than those who are pre-symptomatic or symptomatic.

"The level of alcohol consumption that does not harm health is zero," says a review of dozens of studies conducted in recent years on the effect of light drinking. The 20 or so authors of the paper, and other experts, insist that "alcohol is carcinogenic from the first drink". In their view, this message should be conveyed more clearly to the public.

A study assesses the health impacts of the 2020 closures in three European cities that implemented different measures: Barcelona, Stockholm and Vienna. The researchers took data on changes in pollution, noise and physical activity at three different points in time. Their findings suggest that, while the reduction in noise and pollution may have been positive for health, the negative consequences of the lack of physical activity were generally greater.

The weekend saw record temperatures in both the Arctic and Antarctica, up to 40°C above normal for this time of year.

The Public Health Commission has updated the Covid-19 Surveillance and Control Strategy, which will come into force on Monday 28 March. From then on, as long as indicators of healthcare utilisation are at low risk, diagnostic testing will focus on vulnerable individuals and settings and severe cases. Surveillance will focus on these groups.

The Spanish Society of Public Health and Health Administration calls for the creation of an institution "that prepares us to protect the health of our population in the face of the current pandemic, future pandemics and current health challenges".

In recent days, several countries have modified the quarantine times for close contacts and the isolation of infected people, while others are already considering it. Spain has announced that it will reduce these periods to 7 days, both for people who have tested positive in a test and for close contacts who require quarantine (in the case of our country, unvaccinated people).

The discovery of the Omicron variant has led to the cancellation of flights to several African countries, while many countries are beginning to detect cases among travellers from countries such as South Africa, but also Nigeria and Egypt. Spain has just announced the first detected case of Omicron, which corresponds to a traveller who had visited South Africa. What measures should be taken to stop the spread of this variant? Is it even possible?

European countries are implementing anti-covid strategies in the unvaccinated population. Austria will make vaccination mandatory after extending its confinement targeting the unvaccinated to the entire population. In Germany, the unimmunized have restricted access to restaurants and hotels, and must show a negative test on public transport. Slovakia has also imposed restrictions on those who have chosen not to be vaccinated. Sweden will introduce a covid passport at events of more than 100 people. What is the effect of these policies?