The Democratic Republic of Congo is battling a massive measles outbreak and the re-emergence of Ebola cases. And then there’s COVID-19. Yap Boum explains how the country has begun a shift in mindset. Instead of simply bouncing from one crisis to another, it has begun the arduous process of strengthening research and testing capacity, putting itself in a better position to respond to health threats.
Mozambique borders on Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and eSwatini. Four of the six countries are landlocked, depending entirely on Mozambique as a gateway to global markets. This geographic interdependency is what’s heightened concerns about the threat to regional stability from escalating violence in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. Theo Neethling unpacks what's at stake.
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A child receives a vaccine against Ebola from a nurse in Goma on August 7, 2019.
AUGUSTIN WAMENYA/AFP via Getty Images
Yap Boum, Mbarara University of Science and Technology
African governments should shift their attention to strengthening health systems so that they are better placed to respond to any pandemic.
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The Mozambican military has proven to be inept at stopping atrocities by extremist insurgents in the Cabo Delgado province.
EPA-EFE/Antonio Silva
Theo Neethling, University of the Free State
Should South Africa's military get involved, it would be venturing into a highly violent and complex landscape, requiring a counter-terrorism type of operations.
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Health + Medicine
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Monica Gandhi, University of California, San Francisco
There is a lot of confusion and concern around asymptomatic spread of SARS-C0V-2. An infectious disease expert explains how many people are asymptomatic and how they can spread the virus.
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Claire Crossan, Glasgow Caledonian University
A mutating coronavirus has implications for vaccines, treatments, tests and your future plans.
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Politics + Society
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Kaeten Mistry, University of East Anglia
The former national security adviser seems likely to be sued and could face criminal liability.
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Jean-François Thibault, Université de Moncton
Canada's recent failure to gain a seat on the UN Security Council indicates the country still has work to do but also highlights the need to reform the powerful body.
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Science + Technology
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Alberto Valenciano Vaquero, University of Cape Town; Romala Govender, University of Cape Town
The teeth and limb bones we studied help to understand the role and lifestyle of these species in extinct ecosystems.
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David Rothery, The Open University
Pluto began hot inside, study of its surface fractures suggests
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