UAE Non-Oil Business Activity Surges to Nine-Month High in December

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 The United Arab Emirates' non-oil private sector recorded its fastest expansion in nine months in December 2024, buoyed by strong domestic demand and increased business activity, according to the latest S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) report. PMI Highlights Robust Growth The seasonally adjusted UAE PMI climbed to 55.4 in December from 54.2 in November, signaling robust growth well above the 50.0 threshold that separates expansion from contraction. This marked the third consecutive monthly increase, underscoring sustained recovery in the non-oil sector. Key drivers of growth included a notable rise in new business activity. The new orders subindex rose sharply to 59.3 in December from 58.0 in the previous month, reflecting strong domestic demand. Challenges Amid the Growth While domestic demand flourished, export growth slowed, with the export orders subindex dropping to a seven-month low. Additionally, businesses faced mounting backlogs due to capacity constraints,...

Monkeypox Vaccines "Not 100% Effective", Says WHO

 

Monkeypox

Vaccines against monkeypox are not 100 per cent effective, said WHO (World Health Organisation). People must reduce their own risks of infection, WHO technical lead, Rosamund Lewis, warned on Wednesday.

The new development comes when more than 35,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported across more than 92 countries. Reportedly, 12 deaths have been attributed to the disease.

While addressing a press briefing, Lewis said that WHO is "not expecting a 100 per cent efficacy" for vaccines for the prevention of monkeypox.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that almost 7,500 cases were reported last week, a 20 per cent increase from the previous week. During the media briefing, Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the news.

Last month, Tedros announced that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency. Subsequently, WHO declared a global health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak.

According to Tedros, monkeypox cases are being reported from Europe and America, especially among men who have sex with other men. According to the WHO, monkeypox is a virus transmitted to humans from animals. Animal-to-human transmission usually takes place by bite or scratch of infected animals. Human-to-human transmission occurs through close contact. The monkeypox virus usually spreads through close physical contact, including in sexual relationships.

The monkeypox virus belongs to the same family as smallpox. The common symptoms include fever, chills, and swollen lymph nodes. According to the WHO, the monkeypox virus can be more severe in young children, pregnant women, and individuals who are immunocompromised.

People who have had contact with a known monkeypox patient or people who have particular skin conditions like eczema are usually at a higher risk. However, most people usually recover from monkeypox within a few weeks without treatment.

This week, the United States health authorities announced that monkeypox vaccines will be made available at the Gay Pride event. 

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