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Introduction: Conflict-induced displacement makes affected populations more vulnerable to HIV transmission. However, this vulnerability does not always necessarily translate into more HIV infections. The extent to which conflict and displacement affect HIV transmission depends upon numerouscompeting and interacting factors such as loss of livelihoods; availability of education; the type and the length of conflict; the living arrangements and conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs), whether formal or informal settlement; the context of their new location; and access to health services, including HIV and sexual and reproductive health programs. These factors also have direct implications for HIV vulnerability. Vulnerability results from individual and societal factors that affect adversely one’s ability to exert control over one’s own health. The factors pertaining to the quality of coverage of services and programs also influence HIV vulnerability. The characteristics of the HIV epidemic, the prevalence in the local populations, the interactions with armed forces, the occurrence of sexual violence and the risk behaviours associated with the new situations conditions of IDPs directly affect the risk of HIV transmission. HIV risk is defined as the probability that a person may acquire HIV infection by, for example, unprotected sex with partners or injecting drug use with shared needles and syringes...

Background: Several guidelines to guide clinical practice among esophagogastric surgeons during the COVID-19 pandemic were produced. However, none provide reflection of current service provision. This international survey aimed to clarify the changes observed in esophageal and gastric cancer management and surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online survey covering key areas for esophagogastric cancer services, including staging investigations and oncological and surgical therapy before and during (at two separate time-points—24th March 2020 and 18th April 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic were developed. Results: A total of 234 respondents from 225 centers and 49 countries spanning six continents completed the first round of the online survey, of which 79% (n = 184) completed round 2. There was variation in the availability of staging investigations ranging from 26.5% for endoscopic ultrasound to 62.8% for spiral computed tomography scan. Definitive chemoradiotherapy was offered in 14.8% (adenocarcinoma) and 47.0% (squamous cell carcinoma) of respondents and significantly increased by almost three-fold and two-fold, respectively, in both round 1 and 2. There were uncertainty and heterogeneity surrounding prioritization of patients undergoing cancer resections. Of the surgeons symptomatic with COVID-19, only 40.2% (33/82) had routine access to COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction testing for staff. Of those who had testing available (n = 33), only 12.1% (4/33) had tested positive. Conclusions: These data highlight management challenges and several practice variations in caring for patients with esophagogastric cancers. Therefore, there is a need for clear consistent guidelines to be in place in the event of a further pandemic to ensure a standardized level of oncological care for patients with esophagogastric cancers.

On 21 January 2020, the first case of COVID-19 imported into the region of the Americas was identified in the United States of America in the state of Washington. A few days later, on 25 January, Canada reported their first confirmed case of novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Toronto, Ontario Province. Since then and to date, there have been twenty-two (22) confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the Region of the Americas – fifteen (15) in the United States of America and seven (7) in Canada. The 15 cases in the United States of America were reported from six (6) states – Arizona, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas and Washington between 21 January and 13 February 2020. Of the total cases, thirteen (13) had a history of travel to China and two (2) were among close house-hold contacts of previously confirmed cases. The latest two cases with travel history to China were among federally quarantined individuals in the states of Texas and California. In Canada, the seven (7) confirmed cases were reported from two (2) provinces – Ontario (3) and British Colombia (4). Of 7 cases, six had a travel history to China and one is currently under investigation regarding the site of transmission. Canada is the second country within the Region to report a confirmed case (following USA).

Objetivo: Establecer lineamientos de prevención y control para la atención de casos sospechosos o confirmados de infección por el virus SARS CoV-2 / COVID-19 en diferentes ámbitos de acción.

BACKGROUND Person to person spread of COIVD-19 in the UK has now been confirmed. There are limited case series reporting the impact on women affected by coronaviruses (CoV) during pregnancy. In women affected by SARS and MERS, the case fatality rate appeared higher in women affected in pregnancy compared with non-pregnant women. We conducted a rapid, review to guide management of women affected by COVID -19 during pregnancy and developed interim practice guidance with the RCOG and RCPCH to inform maternity and neonatal service planning METHODS Searches were conducted in PubMed and MedRxiv to identify primary case reports, case series, observational studies or randomised-controlled trial describing women affected by coronavirus in pregnancy and on neonates. Data was extracted from relevant papers and the review was drafted with representatives of the RCPCH and RCOG who also provided expert consensus on areas where data were lacking...

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is known to be detrimental in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) because of its involvement in driving cytokine storm. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of anti-IL-6 signaling (anti-IL6/IL-6R/JAK) agents on COVID-19 based on the current evidence. Methods: Studies were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane library, ongoing clinical trial registries (clinicaltrials.gov), and preprint servers (medRxiv, ChinaXiv) on August 10, 2020, as well as eligibility checks according to predefined selection criteria. Statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager (version 5.3) and STATA 12.0. Results: Thirty-one studies were included in the pooled analysis of mortality, and 12 studies were identified for the analysis of risk of secondary infections. For mortality analysis, 5630 COVID-19 cases including 2,132 treated patients and 3,498 controls were analyzed. Anti-IL-6 signaling agents plus standard of care (SOC) significantly decreased the mortality rate compared to SOC alone (pooled OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.45–0.84, p = 0.002). For the analysis of secondary infection risk, 1,624 patients with COVID-19 including 639 treated patients and 985 controls were included, showing that anti-IL-6 signaling agents did not increase the rate of secondary infections (pooled OR = 1.21, 95% CI 0.70–2.08, p = 0.50). By contrast, for patients with critical COVID-19 disease, anti-IL-6 signaling agents failed to reduce mortality compared to SOC alone (pooled OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.42–1.33, p = 0.33), but they tended to increase the risk of secondary infections (pooled OR = 1.85, 95% CI 0.95–3.61, p = 0.07). A blockade of IL-6 signaling failed to reduce the mechanical ventilation rate, ICU admission rate, or elevate the clinical improvement rate. Conclusion: IL-6 signaling inhibitors reduced the mortality rate without increasing secondary infections in patients with COVID-19 based on current studies. For patients with critical disease, IL-6 signaling inhibitors did not exhibit any benefit.

El Ministerio de Salud de Costa Rica establece como obligatorio la aplicación de estos lineamientos en los lugares donde se brindan funciones de atención directa e indirecta de personas, en los servicios de salud públicos y privados, así como en los tres niveles de gestión del Ministerio de Salud. Debido a que los conocimientos generales y la situación epidemiológica de este nuevo coronavirus se encuentran en una condición evolutiva y dinámica, tanto en el contexto local como internacional, estos lineamientos se revisarán de forma periódica y se publicará la versión vigente en la página web del Ministerio de Salud.

In order to address the COVID-19 pandemic, countries and health institutions must have the capacity to respond with human resources that are sufficient in quantity and possess the skills and capacities necessary to meet the needs of the population in a timely, relevant, efficient, and effective manner. Effective management of human resources will allow health systems to respond in a timely manner, improve health care outcomes, rationalize the use of resources, and reduce the stress on staff. The COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges to ensure the availability of health personnel in areas of high demand with the necessary capacities to respond adequately to increased demand and expansion of services as well as the possible reduction in available personnel due to, among other things, illness, risk situations, and personal or family issues. Planning of human resources is essential to ensure preparedness for response, enhance surge capacity, and ensure a sufficient supply of health workers that are more efficient and productive, providing them with the training, protections, rights, recognition, and tools necessary to undertake their roles.