News Articles
Too soon to treat COVID-19 like flu
Date of Posting: 12-01-2022
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is on track to infect more than half of Europeans but it should not yet be seen as a flu-like endemic illness, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says. The continent registered more than seven million newly-reporte Read More...
Doctors set for Victorian school vax drive
Date of Posting: 11-01-2022
Doctors and pharmacists will be brought into Victorian primary schools in a COVID-19 vaccination blitz for children aged five to 11, as hospitalisations reach an all-time high. Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday announced a $4 million grants progra Read More...
Telehealth program for knee osteoarthritis proves effective
Date of Posting: 11-01-2022
An Australian study has shown that telehealth-delivered diet and physiotherapy programs help people cope with knee osteoarthritis, possibly reducing need for surgery. Osteoarthritis is a common and painful condition that affects more than 2.2 mill Read More...
Physiotherapy key to national preventive health framework
Last Updated: 11-01-2022
The National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030 has outlined critical targets to drive new investment in health prevention, and improve inequalities through a greater focus on primary health care and physical activity – and physiotherapy form Read More...
Aged care unprepared for Omicron
Date of Posting: 11-01-2022
More than four in five aged care workers believe their facility was not prepared for the Omicron variant and a "let it rip" approach to COVID-19. A new survey of 1000 aged care workers conducted by the Health Services Union found staff w Read More...
Australia passes one million COVID cases
Date of Posting: 11-01-2022
Australia has passed the major milestone of more than one million COVID-19 cases nearly two years to the day since the first case was reported in the country. More than a quarter of Australia's total cases were recorded in the last four days, Read More...
Wearable resistance: how to get stronger by simply moving, with a little help from small weights
Last Updated: 11-01-2022
It’s the time of year to make resolutions to improve fitness and strength, but this may not require a gym membership or even hard work. Strength training can be effective with small weights, provided by household items like a sm Read More...
The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials
Last Updated: 11-01-2022
Brittany Taylor is a biomedical engineer and assistant professor who studies novel ways to improve bone and tendon healing after injuries. She is exploring drug delivery systems and temporary artificial tissue replacements to promote healing Read More...
Can we unlearn pain? Helping make sense of chronic pain
Date of Posting: 11-01-2022
Outwit, outplay, outlast. Just like the motto on television show Survivor, a three-pronged approach to learning about pain could improve the lives of people experiencing chronic pain, according to new research from the University of South Australia. Read More...
PM confident of child vaccine rollout
Date of Posting: 10-01-2022
Scott Morrison is confident the vaccine rollout covering young children is being managed well and doses are widely accessible. Three million vaccines are being distributed before the start of the school year as 2.3 million children aged five to 11 Read More...
Latest on worldwide spread of coronavirus
Date of Posting: 10-01-2022
LONDON, RAW - EUROPE * Britain reported 141,472 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, down from 146,390 cases on Saturday, while the number of new deaths reported fell to 97 from 313, official figures showed. Britain has seen a surge of cases linked to Read More...
Thousands of Vic PCR test results dumped
Date of Posting: 10-01-2022
Thousands of Victorians who queued to take PCR tests over Christmas and the New Year will not receive their results because the samples are too old to be processed, as authorities scramble to improve virus figure accuracy. The state posted 44,155 Read More...
Rare disease research gets extra funding
Date of Posting: 09-01-2022
The Morrison government is providing $63.4 million in funding for research into some some of the world's rarest forms of cancer and disease. The funding is provided through 27 grants under the 2021 Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need pr Read More...
Tens of thousands in German COVID protests
Date of Posting: 09-01-2022
Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated across Germany in the latest protests against policies to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The largest event on Saturday was held in Hamburg, where some 13,700 people attended, according to police.[su Read More...
More middle-aged deaths from COVID in NSW
Date of Posting: 09-01-2022
More people aged in their 50s have died of COVID-19 in NSW, as a former prime minister joins the group of 250,000 residents currently isolating with the virus. The state reported another 45,098 cases on Saturday, including 32,000 in Sydney health Read More...
US hospital rate up in unvaxxed young kids
Date of Posting: 08-01-2022
Hospitalisations of US children under five with COVID-19 soared in recent weeks to their highest level since the pandemic began, according to government data on the only age group not yet eligible for the vaccine. The worrisome trend in children t Read More...
Omicron dents euro zone's economic rebound
Date of Posting: 08-01-2022
Euro zone economic sentiment dropped more than expected last month while inflation hit another record high, indicating the economy is under renewed stress as surging coronavirus infections force governments to tighten restrictions. With infections Read More...
NSW forges ahead with school return plan
Date of Posting: 08-01-2022
NSW is forging ahead with its plan to return children to classrooms for the start of term one, before primary school aged students can be fully vaccinated amid the escalating COVID-19 outbreak. Students, teachers and parents are hoping to leave be Read More...
More than 400 virus outbreaks in aged care
Date of Posting: 07-01-2022
Aged care staff are worried they will infect residents with COVID-19 amid rising case numbers as the sector manages hundreds of outbreaks nationwide. As of January 5 there were 411 active outbreaks in aged care facilities across Australia, accordi Read More...
UK reports human case of avian flu
Date of Posting: 07-01-2022
The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says there has been a confirmed human case of avian flu in southwest England, adding that the person had been in close contact with infected birds and there was no evidence of onward transmission. Read More...
New Vic rules for COVID-positive RAT tests
Date of Posting: 07-01-2022
Positive rapid COVID-19 tests will be counted as "probable" cases in Victoria and anyone who returns one will have to isolate for seven days and notify contacts. The new category of positive cases will be introduced from Friday, imposing Read More...
Bird flu 'higher risk of spread to humans'
Date of Posting: 06-01-2022
A wave of bird flu in Asia and Europe has a greater risk of spreading to humans because of a high number of variants, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) says. The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, h Read More...
Date of Posting: 06-01-2022
India has not added Merck's COVID-19 pill to its treatment protocol for the disease due to known safety concerns that have restricted its use elsewhere, a senior health official has told a media briefing. "We have to remember that this dr Read More...
Vic slashes surgery over hospital pressure
Date of Posting: 06-01-2022
Victoria is slashing elective surgery in hospitals across the state in response to rising numbers of patients with COVID-19. Non-urgent surgery will be reduced in public and private hospitals from Thursday as the health system comes under extreme Read More...
NSW to open vax for 5-11 year old children
Date of Posting: 05-01-2022
NSW will roll out Pfizer-produced COVID-19 vaccinations for children between five and 11 years from next week. The vaccine is a special formulation and will be delivered in doses small enough to generate an immune response that's as strong as Read More...
Virtual coach launches to help weight loss
Date of Posting: 05-01-2022
New year, new you - and now - new technology promises to assist Australians with their fitness and weight loss goals. Australia's government research organisation launched a new artificial intelligence weight loss coach on Wednesday.[subscribe Read More...
WHO sees more evidence Omicron is milder
Date of Posting: 05-01-2022
More evidence is emerging that the Omicron coronavirus variant is affecting the upper respiratory tract, causing milder symptoms than previous variants, a World Health Organisation official says. "We are seeing more and more studies pointing Read More...
Record COVID-19 hospitalisations for NSW
Last Updated: 04-01-2022
NSW has set records for COVID-19 hospitalisations and daily caseloads, as the state records 23,131 new cases. There are 1344 people in the state's hospitals, 78 more than the previous record set on September 21 when NSW was in the grips of the Read More...
Latest on worldwide spread of coronavirus
Date of Posting: 04-01-2022
WASHINGTON, D. C., RAW - EUROPE * The English Premier League said on Monday it had found 94 positive COVID-19 cases among players and staff in the last week, the first week-by-week decrease in positive results for eight weeks.[subscribe] * Fran Read More...
Panic buying' blamed for test shortage
Date of Posting: 04-01-2022
Scott Morrison has rebuffed growing calls to make rapid antigen tests free for everyone, despite shortages of the tests. As COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron variant explode across the country, state and territory testing clinics have come unde Read More...
Cruise ship and festival spark Tas concern
Date of Posting: 03-01-2022
Passengers on a cruise ship in Hobart are being held onboard and tested for COVID-19 after two confirmed cases. Public health officials are also concerned about a rising number of infections associated with a music festival at Launceston with 25 l Read More...
Most of Qld to 'get' Omicron within weeks
Date of Posting: 03-01-2022
Queensland is racing toward a peak in COVID-19 infections linked to the highly contagious Omicron variant, with most of the population likely to be exposed "within weeks". Daily COVID-19 cases surged to 4249 on Monday and a man in his la Read More...
Vic hospitals under 'extreme pressure'
Date of Posting: 03-01-2022
Three Victorian hospitals are warning people not to visit emergency departments unless "absolutely necessary" due to extreme pressure from rising COVID-19 admissions and demand for testing. Health authorities say the state will see a &qu Read More...
Rapid antigen testing boost for Victoria
Date of Posting: 02-01-2022
Victoria will soon widen access to rapid antigen tests to ease testing pressure after a heatwave forced the closure of some PCR sites. The state reported 7172 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday and another three virus-related deaths.[subscribe] Read More...
NSW COVID-19 hospital numbers pass 1000
Date of Posting: 02-01-2022
The number of people hospitalised with COVID-19 in NSW has passed 1000 as the state records two more deaths and 18,278 new infections. There are now 1066 people hospitalised with the virus with 83 in intensive care, 24 of whom require ventilation. Read More...
Two more WA backpacker-linked COVID cases
Date of Posting: 02-01-2022
Western Australia has detected two new local COVID-19 cases linked to an infected French backpacker who travelled from Queensland. The new cases are close contacts of another recent infection and are in hotel quarantine, WA Health said on Saturday Read More...
Virus dampens global New Year celebrations
Date of Posting: 01-01-2022
The Omicron coronavirus variant dampened New Year festivities around much of the world, with Paris cancelling its fireworks show, London relegating its to television, and New York City scaling down its famous ball drop celebration in Times Square. Read More...
NSW records 22,577 new COVID-19 cases
Date of Posting: 01-01-2022
NSW has recorded another 22,577 COVID cases and four deaths as the state's huge outbreak continues to surge. It is another daily case record, surpassing Friday's 21,151.[subscribe] Four deaths were recorded, while 901 people are hospita Read More...
Queensland expands indoor mask mandate
Date of Posting: 01-01-2022
Masks must be worn indoors across Queensland after COVID-19 infections in the state continued to move in an "upward trend" despite fewer cases being reported. From 1am on Sunday, masks must be worn in "virtually all indoor spaces&qu Read More...
Virus cases on remote Tasmanian islands
Date of Posting: 31-12-2021
Coronavirus cases have been recorded on remote King and Flinders Islands off Tasmania as the state registers another record daily infection tally. The state registered 137 new cases on Friday, bringing its number of active infections to 520.[subsc Read More...
