Erratic Sleep Habits Could Raise Heart Attack, Stroke Risk

According to findings of a new study published in the March issue of ‘The Journal of the American College of Cardiology,’ those whose sleep varied two hours or more a night were twice as likely to have heart events as those whose sleep varied by fewer than 60 minutes.

Similarly, over one year, eight of every 1,000 people with the most consistent sleep patterns had a heart event, compared with 20 in 1,000 of those with the most irregular sleep.

The lead author, Tianyi Huang, said this study suggested that healthy sleep wasn’t just about quantity but about consistency and that it could have an important effect on heart health.

 It only shows an association, rather than a cause-and-effect link, added Huang, who is  an associate epidemiologist in the Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston in the U.S.

He said: “When we talk about interventions to prevent heart attacks and stroke, we focus on diet and exercise.

“Even when we talk about sleep, we tend to focus on duration — how many hours a person sleeps each night — but not on sleep irregularity and the impact of going to bed at different times or sleeping different amounts from night to night.”

The researchers analysed data from nearly 2,000 Americans between 45 and 84 years of age who did not have heart disease.

The ‘NewsmaxHealth’ reported that participants wore a wrist device that monitored their sleep for seven days, including bedtime, sleep duration and wake time.

They were then followed for an average of nearly five years during which 111 participants had a heart attack, stroke or other heart event.

“In the future,” Huang said, “we’d like to explore whether changing one’s sleep patterns by going to bed consistently each night may reduce a person’s risk of future cardiovascular events.”

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Corona Virus: Nigeria's Second Case Tests Nagative

The second infected case of the Coronavirus disease in Nigeria has now tested negative.

This was disclosed by the Nigerian Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire while giving a live update on the Coronavirus disease in Nigeria.

The patient, an Ogun state contact of the index case, had been isolated after testing positive for the Coronavirus disease four days ago. The patient was one of the 40 staff of Lafarge Cement taken in immediately the index case was discovered.

Fielding questions from pressmen as to why no travel restriction had been placed in Nigeria, Osagie Ehanire noted that every country takes the measures that suit its current situation, but Nigeria is still safe and would not need extreme measures at the moment.

“There’s already a lot of self-restriction going on. There is a reduction in passenger movement, even without banning anybody. In our case, we have looked at the economic impact of all of these, as other countries are doing before taking decisions.


“The Federal Government has set up a committee to monitor the impact, to determine the benefits, costs and losses. As far as we are concerned, the risks we have here are very low and we are monitoring it very closely,” he said.

He noted that the ministry was keeping close contact on all the stakeholders, experts and higher authorities to keep tab on the situation. He added that there would be no need to impose any restriction as the economy has already been affected by the outbreak, and any travel restriction would only serve to worsen the situation.

The minister assured Nigerians that the government had equipped 5 laboratories for this purpose, but only two had been used in conducting the 41 tests done so far.

“As far as the tests are concerned, we are ready, and we will increase it as the need demands,” he assured.
 
He noted that the genetic sequencing successfully carried out by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and other partner laboratories had formed the basis for ongoing research on the vaccine to neutralize the virus.


Ehanire stated further that the Sports Festival could still hold in Nigeria, as the entrants would be screened before entering the stadium. He, however, noted that it would be up to the relevant authorities to decide what to do if players and spectators were coming in from outside the country, but the Ministry of Health would be ready to offer the needed advice and support where needed.

He dismissed rumours of medical practitioners treating infected patients secretly, insisting that no medical practitioner would do that without putting himself at risk. According to him, most of the 41 tests tested so far were referrals from private hospitals.

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Why Africans Should Be worried About COVID19 - UCH Virologist

A consultant virologist at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Dr Adeola Fowotade, in this interview with WALE OYEWALE sheds light on some issues surrounding coronavirus

Coronavirus is a fast-growing menace, what must be done to curtail its spread in Nigeria?

I think the most important thing is that we need to understand the epidemiology and the pathogenesis of the virus because without understanding these two things, it would be very difficult to prevent the spread. Again, we need to have a very high level of preparedness and surveillance for us to be able to pick it at an early stage and be able to prevent a rapid spread among the community, especially among health care workers.

It is very important for the health care workers to have very high knowledge of how one can contract the virus and what to do to be able to manage the case. Again, it is very important to raise the level of awareness even at the community level so that everybody will know how to protect themselves, and if they see a case they would raise an alarm so that the case could be isolated and managed properly before it becomes a risk to other members of the community. I think if we are able to do all this, we should be able to prevent the rapid spread of the virus in Nigeria.

Our borders are so porous; in your own view, is the Federal Government doing enough to police the entry points against coronavirus incursion?

Honestly, to a large extent, I would tell you that the Nigerian government has done a lot of work between February 15th and 18th before the virus came to Nigeria. I was part of the committee that met in Abuja under the aegis of the Nigerian Society for Disease Control. Essentially, what we were doing at that time was to develop guidelines for screening people that are entering or leaving this country. It was at that meeting that we decided that it was better to have a thermal monitor rather than an infra red thermometer; the type they put on people’s forehead. So, let’s have a screen that can measure people’s temperature when they pass through the exit.

Now, if you go to the airport, you will find out that they have these cameras especially in the five cities where we have international airports such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu, they have thermal monitors there.  By the time the Italian passed through thermal thermometer, he did not have fever. Naturally because he did not have fever, you cannot quarantine the person. What you will find at this time is that at the points of entry we had people there monitoring those coming in and going out. We have thermal monitors there monitoring their temperature.

And even if you are on a flight coming into Nigeria, you fill the case investigation form while you are still on board trying to look for information about where you have been to? Do you have any symptoms and who have you had contacts with? All these are means of catching up with you if you possibly have this infection and you carry it into the country. Honestly, there is a lot going on in terms of surveillance at the points of entry. One would not know unless one passes through these entry points.

Do you think we have sufficient facilities in the country to quarantine victims of the virus?

What we have at the moment are five treatment centres. The treatment centres where the health workers go through education, awareness and training that they need for the management of coronavirus. We only have five designated centres which are the international points of entry while for all other states the only thing they have is the isolation bay. Definitely, there is need for more especially if we have the spread of COVID-19, the transmitability is very high. If there is increase there would definitely be need for more quarantine units than what we have at the moment. We definitely don’t have enough as at now.

Do you think government is doing enough in terms of awareness?

On level of awareness, if everything happens at the level of the Federal Government, then it never would go round sufficiently. I would say at the moment, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control is doing a lot. I saw a video the other day of Funke Akindele; they have gone to the extent of using artistes to convey the message because they know that a lot of people want to listen to those kinds of persons.

Every time you go online you see that they are either on Instagram or Facebook. They have a website that is dedicated to frequently asked questions with responses and a lot of updates on what happened with COVID-19 in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.

But this is what is happening at the level of the Federal Government; there is a need for a lot more awareness 

to be done at the state level. That is the only way it can reach out to more people. I expect that at this time, we are going to have billboards showing how people can protect themselves with jingles on radio and television, newspapers and we are going to have fliers and walk rallies to sensitise people on the way to protect themselves.

We will also reach out to people that do not have any contact with social media. We are supposed to be able to reach out to all these people by now so they would know that there is a threat called COVID-19. If anything is done at the state level it should trickle down to the local government councils.

During the outbreak of Ebola and Lassa fever, we were taught on the need for hand washing, but soon after the spread ended, we reverted to our old ways; in what ways does this our inconsistency make us susceptible to diseases?

Studies done showed that 95 per cent of infections are preventable by hand washing. It looks like the simplest thing that can be done and it is as basic as that. Yet, people find it difficult to comply. But, it is what we really need to do at the moment. When we are talking of hand washing, it has to be done thoroughly; you have to wash the back of your hand and the inter-digital spaces, wash the tip of your fingers up to your toes and then rinse with running water not in a bowl where five people wash in a bowl. Having washed with soap, you will then wash in running water. We wash after going to the restroom, before we eat and after eating; when our children go to play; after coming back from school, when we return from work, every time, we must wash our hands. When we received money, after coming from the ATM, we must wash our hands. The virus can survive on spaces. If we don’t have water where we are, we can use hand sanitizers which has alcohol. We can use that as a temporary means pending when we would get to where there is water.

In developing countries of the world, we rely on outcomes of researches that were embarked upon by foreign researchers; why is it very difficult for us to get solutions locally?

 One of the things is because in developed countries, research is an everyday affair. The environment makes it easy for them. There is always light. You can keep your chemicals in the fridge unlike here when there is power outage; you begin to run helter-shelter. It is not that they are more intelligent. What they have that we don’t really have is the structure and the support that can make research to thrive. But we are not doing too badly even at the moment. Researchers in Redeemers University, Ede, in collaboration with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control had been able to look at the genetic sequence of the virus of the Italian and also traced its origin and they traced its similarities with the virus that is circulating in Europe.

It is being deliberated that more money be added to the budget to tackle the virus, but the fear is would the money be appropriately channelled for the purpose it is meant?

Naturally, we are battling with corruption in Nigeria. It is something that cuts across all sectors of the economy. Naturally, one would have some fears about the implementation. But then, I think to increase the budget is the right thing to do for the possibility of having some funds to tackle the problem. This is what is happening everywhere in the world; even in the United States. It is what we should be doing in the country. We need money to build the facilities and to ensure we put all necessary logistics in place. It is a lot of money and a lot of work. One can only hope that the implementation would be full.

It is said that the heat in the temperate region is unfavourable to COVID-19. If this is true, why then are we so worried about the case of the outbreak?

The reason why we would still worry is that whatever postulation or position we take with regard to the virus is because it is a respiratory virus and looking at the nature one can say that it should not thrive for a long period in places that are hot because of the heat, but with COVID-19, there are a lot of things that we don’t know, we need to also put that window of unknown as we cannot predict 100 per cent outcome of the pattern. So, we still need to prepare for it as something that would last for a very long time so we don’t get stranded along the way.

 

Right now, there is no vaccine anywhere. Even for China, they don’t have any vaccine at the moment. There is a vaccine that everybody is looking forward to, and that is the one that is being developed in Israel which, we are hoping, should be able to get to human trial stage in another six to eight weeks. But, at the moment, there is no vaccine anywhere. The thing with China is that the number of new cases is reducing. The number of deaths has slowed down.

For us in Nigeria, even though we don’t have the capacity in terms of large scale response that China was able to deploy in the case of COVID-19, we might not have that. Maybe what works in our favour is that for China, it came suddenly but for us, I think we had the time to prepare. Even the Director General of the World Health Organisation seems quite pleased with the situation of things in Nigeria so far. If we are able to keep on thinking, I don’t think we might get overwhelmed by COVID-19.

How correct is the claim that garlic and bitter leaf can remedy the virus?

At this time, it is not unusual to see a lot of information on social media about taking chloroquine and bathing in chloroquine .water. We heard about drinking salt water.  People pour alcohol over their bodies. Garlic or bitter kola is not going to stop the virus. Other than that, we have always known that whether it is garlic or bitter kola, they are good for our health. They, probably, would help the immune system, but they are not, by themselves have any anti-viral property that has been proved against COVIC 19. One should follow the standard precautions that have been outlined for infection prevention and control.

What is the origin of COVID-19?

Coronavirus had been in existence as far back as 1970s when they were first identified and COVID-19 happens to be one of the coronaviruses but the thing with COVID-19 is that up until 31st of December, 2019, it had not surfaced as an human infection. It was first identified in China. There had been a lot of postulations about the source of COVID-19. Some linked it to bats, some pangolins while some linked it to eating of animals, some even linked it to cats. However, up till now, nobody is really sure.

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Can Aloe Help With Type 2 Diabetes?

WITH type 2 diabetes, the body can’t regulate blood sugar levels on its own, and people with the health condition must rely on diet changes, exercise, stress management, and sometimes oral medications and insulin, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Some people complement their treatment plan with natural approaches, such as aloe vera capsules.

“I’m a diabetic myself, and if I can take one fewer pill, I’m all for it,” says Shirley Winslett, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the Owatanna Hospital in Owatanna, Minnesota, who specialises in diabetes.

Aloe vera, a succulent plant commonly found in warm countries (its origin is thought to be Sudan), has been used in traditional medicine for more than 2,000 years, according to a review published January 2015 in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine.

A powerful anti-inflammatory, aloe vera has been used to treat a variety of health complaints, including constipation, colic, and high blood pressure, though you’re most likely familiar with it as a treatment for sunburns.

In fact, aloe vera was officially listed as a skin protectant in the first written collection of known formulas for common drugs in 1820 (known as the U.S. Pharmacopoeia), according to the book Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects.

There are two substances from aloe vera that are used in health products: a clear gel that’s commonly applied to the skin to relieve burns and psoriasis, and a yellow latex that can be taken by mouth as a remedy for constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The gel can also be taken by mouth in supplement form to treat other conditions, including osteoarthritis, bowel diseases, and fever, according to the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

According to Herbal Medicine, aloe vera contains more than 200 active substances, including vitamins, minerals, enzymes and polysaccharides (a natural form of carbohydrates).

“There is some data that suggests that aloe vera may help lower blood glucose levels,” says Vandana Sheth,
RDN, CDE, a national spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the author of My Indian Table.

For example, a review published in June 2016 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine cites research that suggests oral aloe vera supplements can lower fasting blood sugar by 46.6 milligrammes per decilitre (mg/dL) and A1C blood levels by 1.05 per cent.

Fasting blood sugar and A1C measurements are used to diagnose diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic, and A1C is typically used to tell how well blood sugar levels are being managed on average over a three month period, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

 Similarly, a study published in Planta Medica found that 30 participants with type 2 diabetes who took a 300 mg aloe vera gel capsule once every 12 hours for two months saw significant health improvements.

Compared with the placebo group, the aloe vera group dropped their fasting blood sugar levels by an average of 4.8, their A1C blood levels by 8.07 percent, total cholesterol by 8.35 percent, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL, also known as “bad” cholesterol) by 4.48 percent.

Why might aloe vera help treat type 2 diabetes? According to the authors of a review published in February 2016 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, aloe vera supplements may lower the absorption of sugar into the gastrointestinal tract following a meal, stimulate the breakdown of sugar, and prevent sugar production.

Unfortunately, aloe vera isn’t a risk-free solution for lowering blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. In fact, the blood-sugar-lowering effects of aloe vera can come with other consequences.

According to the NCCIH, people with type 2 diabetes who use medications to lower blood sugar should be careful about taking aloe vera orally. If you combine the two, you can send your blood sugar levels crashing (a serious condition known as hypoglycemia), notes the Mayo Clinic.

“If you’re taking any medication that lowers your blood sugar significantly, adding in aloe vera may cause hypoglycemia, which is just as bad as hyperglycemia, if not worse,” Winslett says. When blood sugar levels get too low, you may feel fatigued, shaky, and sweaty, and develop an irregular heart rhythm. When hypoglycemia worsens, you may experience confusion, blurred vision, seizures, or even loss of consciousness.

And because aloe vera has been shown to have laxative effects, it may lower the absorption — and therefore the effectiveness — of other oral medications, says the NCCIH.

If you’re interested in adding an aloe vera supplement to your diabetes treatment plan, it’s best to talk to your doctor first. But even if your doctor gives you the all-clear, proceed with caution. Monitor your blood sugar closely to avoid low blood sugar reactions, Sheth says.

What’s more, start logging your experiences when you add aloe vera to your diabetes treatment plan. “I always tell my patients, when you start something new, or if you’re going from one diet to a different one, journal the side effects,” Winslett says. Write down how you feel (for example, energetic or fatigued) each day, how much you’re taking, and what other side effects — if any — you may be experiencing.

Because the FDA doesn’t put supplements through the same rigorous vetting as conventional medication, you’ll want to look for an aloe vera gel supplement that’s been third-party tested for safety. A few top testing agencies include NSF International, ConsumerLab, and USP.

More research on the effects of aloe vera for type 2 diabetes is needed before healthcare providers can recommend exact dosages, Sheth says. Existing research may offer a clue: In the Plant Medica study, participants with type 2 diabetes who took 300 mg of aloe vera gel capsules once every 12 hours for two months saw improvements in blood sugar, A1C, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol, without side effects.

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Study Confirms Bitter Kola’s Efficacy For Malaria Treatment

 MALARIA can cause a range of symptoms and life-threatening complications, so an early and accurate diagnosis is crucial. Now, researchers have substantiated the malaria protective effect of daily consumption of bitter kola.

In animal studies, researchers found it demonstrated antimalarial activity and could be considered a readily available and cheap alternative to malaria medicines like chloroquine.

The study which investigated the antimalarial properties of ethanolic extract of bitter kola against Plasmodium berghei in infected Swiss albino mice said its continuous consumption should be for at least four days for its effectiveness.

They said extract of bitter kola seed reduced average daily malaria parasite level in infected mice in a dose-dependent manner and its dose at 400 mg/kg competing favourably with chloroquine, the standard antimalarial drug.

The researchers had made an ethanol extract of bitter kola after chopping its seeds that was peeled into smaller pieces and airdried before finally grinding it into a fine powder using a blender.

The 2020 study in the Asian Journal of Medical Principles and Clinical Practice involved Augustine I. Airaodion at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State in collaboration with John A. Ekenjoku, K. O. Ngwogu and A. C. Ngwogu.

Bitter Kola, commonly called Namiji goro in Hausa, Orogbo in Yoruba and Aku-ilu in Igbo is a masticatory used in traditional medicine, cultural and social ceremonies.

The seeds are used to prevent or relieve colic, cure head or chest colds and relieve cough. The seed also has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic and antiviral as well as antiulcer properties.

Sixty Swiss albino mice weighing between 20 and 25 grammes were randomly divided into six groups of 10 mice each. Groups two to six were inoculated with infected blood suspension containing malaria parasite (Plasmodium berghei) while those in group one were not infected and this served as the normal control group.

Animals in group two were administered normal salt solution (negative control), those in group three were administered Chloroquine diphosphate (standard antimalarial drug as positive control), and those in groups four, five and six were administered 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the ethanolic seed extract respectively.

All treatments were done 12 hourly for five consecutive days from when parasites were first seen in the infected animal blood. Four days after the treatment was stopped, the animals were weighed and sacrificed.

On each day of treatment and post-treatment, a drop of blood was collected from each mouse to determine how much of the malaria parasite was in their blood. The animals’ packed cell volume (PCV) was tested.
In the study, an extract of bitter kola was observed to have prevented body weight loss linked with increasing level of the malaria parasite.

Body weight loss, fever and anaemia are some features of malaria infection.  Anaemia results from the breakdown of red blood cells due to the infection. Therefore, a potent antimalarial plant should be able to prevent body weight loss in infected mice.

In this study, the packed cell volume (PCV) of malaria-infected mice (negative control) and infected treated with 100 mg/kg of bitter kola showed a significant decrease in PCV after four days of treatment.
This shows that malaria parasite infection significantly reduced red blood cells of animals and treatment with 100 mg/kg of Bitter kola was unable to remedy this situation.

However, treatment with 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg of bitter kola seed extract as well as those treated with 5 mg/kg chloroquine (positive control) showed a significant increase in PCV after four days of treatment.

According to the researchers,  the increase in PCV and body weight in mice treated with bitter kola at 200 and 400 mg/kg when compared with the negative control group is suggestive of the ameliorating potency of bitter kola seed extract on the low blood level (anaemia) induced by the malaria parasite in the blood.

The number of malaria parasite level is the major factor in determining malarial infection. In this study, no noticeable difference was observed in the malaria parasite level of all the infected mice after three days of treatment.

However, the difference became noticeable after four days of treatment, suggesting that using this extract for three days might not yield significant antimalarial potency.

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10 Myths And Misconceptions Of Corona Virus In Nigeria

The fear of coronavirus spreading to Africa because of the continent’s close economic ties with China, the epicentre of the deadly outbreak, has become a reality as Nigeria, the continent’s largest population, confirmed its first case a couple of weeks ago and it's second case yesterday.
Nigeria is now the third country in Africa and the 48th globally to confirm a case of the viral disease now known as Covid-19.
Since it originated from Wuhan in China last December, the virus has claimed over 3,000 lives mainly from the Asian country and affected over 80,000 people globally, spreading to six continents.
Nigeria’s first case is an Italian businessman who arrived from Milan while the second case is someone who had contact with the Italian.
He flew into Lagos through the Murtala Muhammad International Airport without his case being detected, stirring memories of six years ago when West Africa’s ebola epidemic hit the chaotic megacity of 21 million.

Back in 2014, during the Ebola epidemic that was fortunately curtailed to only seven casualties, there were a lot of misconceptions and misinformation. They include a widespread rumour that bathing with salt water can prevent Ebola.
This time, also, there has been a lot of myths and false information about coronavirus spreading mostly on social media.
The social networking site, Facebook, has pledged to partner with the Nigerian government to check the spread of fake news and disinformation in the wake of the outbreak in Lagos, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
To check misinformation and fake news about coronavirus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has exposed 10 myths about the viral disease.
1. Hand dryers are effective in killing the new coronavirus.

No, hand dryers are not effective in killing a virus. The best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Then use a hand dryer or paper towel to dry your hands.
2. Ultraviolet disinfection lamps kill COVID-19
No, ultraviolet lamps will not kill the virus and they can cause skin irritation.
3. Spraying alcohol or chlorine bleach on yourself can kill the virus.
No. They won’t kill the virus, and they will burn your skin. You can, however, use those substances to clean surfaces in your home or office that could have the virus on them.
4. It’s unsafe to open a package from China.
Yes, it is safe to open it. Coronaviruses do not survive long on objects like letters or packages.
5. I can get the coronavirus from my pet.

According to the WHO, there is no evidence that companion animals such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus.

6. The pneumonia vaccine provides protection against COVID-19.
There is no vaccine yet that protects against the coronavirus, including pneumonia viruses. Researchers have said they believe a vaccine for COVID-19 will be available in about a year.
7. Saline rinses help kill the virus.
No. There is no evidence that regularly rinsing your nostrils with saline offers any protection against the new coronavirus.
8. The coronavirus is only dangerous for older people and those who have pre-existing medical conditions.
No, the coronavirus can affect anyone. Older people and those with certain medical conditions appear more vulnerable to the virus, according to the WHO.
9. Antibiotics will help if you get the virus.
No, COVID-19 is a virus. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.
10. Medicine given after the virus can cure it.
There is no vaccine or mention to prevent coronavirus, although cases have been successfully treated.

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Corona Virus: Italy Quarantines 16 Million People

Nigerians who want to travel Italy have been advise to put their visit on hold as the outbreak of Corona Virus has taken a new dimension in that country. Italy has placed up to 16 million people under quarantine as it battles to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Anyone living in Lombardy and 14 other central and northern provinces will need special permission to travel. Milan and Venice are both affected.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also announced the closure of schools, gyms, museums, nightclubs and other venues across the whole country.

The measures, the most radical taken outside China, will last until 3 April.

Italy has seen the largest number of coronavirus infections in Europe, with the number of confirmed cases jumping by more than 1,200 to 5,883 on Saturday

The strict new quarantine measures affect a quarter of the Italian population and centre on the rich northern part of the country that powers its economy.

The death toll in Italy has passed 230, with officials reporting more than 36 deaths in 24 hours.

The health system is under immense strain in Lombardy, a northern region of 10 million people, where people are being treated in hospital corridors.

“We want to guarantee the health of our citizens. We understand that these measures will impose sacrifices, sometimes small and sometimes very big,” Prime Minister Conte said as he announced the measures in the middle of the night.

Under the new measures, people are not supposed to be able to enter or leave Lombardy, where Milan is the main city.

The same restrictions apply to 14 provinces: Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano Cusio Ossola, Vercelli, Padua, Treviso and Venice.

“There will be no movement in or out of these areas, or within them, unless for proven, work-related reasons emergencies or health reasons,” Mr Conte told reporters.

“We are facing an emergency, a national emergency. We have to limit the spread of the virus and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed.”

However, transport in and out of the regions affected continues. Flights continued to arrive at Milan’s Malpensa and Linate airports on Sunday, though some scheduled flights were cancelled.

Weddings and funerals have been suspended, as well as religious and cultural events. Cinemas, night clubs, gyms, swimming pools, museums and ski resorts have been closed.

People have been told to stay at home as much as possible, and those who break the quarantine could face three months in jail.

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Third-Hand Smoke May convey Hazardous Chemicals

Researchers from United States  have raised the alarm over the impact of third-hand smoke, saying hazardous compounds from cigarette smoke that cling to smokers’ bodies could be released into non-smoking environment, thereby exposing people nearby to the adverse effects of cigarettes.

According to the findings of a new study, published in the journal ‘Science Advances,’ third-hand smoke could travel in large quantities into indoor, non-smoking environments by way of humans.

The research suggested that even if someone is in a room where no one has smoked, that person could still be exposed to many of the hazardous chemical compounds that make up cigarette smoke, depending on who else had entered the room or previously visited it.

Third-hand smoke is described as the residual contamination from cigarette smoking that adheres to walls and other surfaces in places where smoking has previously occurred. Professor Drew Genter, a researcher in the study said, “People are substantial carriers of third-hand smoke contaminants to other environments. So, the idea that someone is protected from the potential health effects of cigarette smoke because they’re not directly exposed to second-hand smoke is not the case.” Yale’s Gentner is an associate professor of chemical & environmental engineering at the University. On his part, Roger Sheu, a Ph.D. student in Gentner’s lab and lead author of the study, said, “Despite regulations preventing people from smoking indoors, near entryways, and near air intakes, hazardous chemicals from cigarette smoke are still making their way indoors.”

The amount of these hazardous and reactive gases wasn’t trivial, the research team said. The gas emissions were equal to that of being exposed to one to 10 cigarettes of secondhand smoke in a one-hour period, they noted, the ‘Mailonline’ reported. The researchers said that the chemicals don’t remain entirely in the air, but are also adsorbed onto various surfaces and furnishings, just as it does with thirdhand smoke contamination in places where smoking has occurred. Similarly, they also found a predominance of nitrogencontaining compounds from cigarettes, which would have migrated from people to other indoor surfaces. “In particular, we noticed that nicotine was the most prominent compound by far,” said co-author Jenna Ditto, a Ph.D. student in Gentner’s lab.

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Banknotes Could Transmit Corona Virus - WHO

As public health officials around the world battle to contain the spread of coronavirus, the World Health Organization has warned that banknotes may transmit the disease. “We know that money changes hands frequently and can pick up all sorts of bacteria and viruses,” a WHO spokesman told the Telegraph. “We would advise people to wash their hands after handling banknotes, and avoid touching their face.” The spokesman also advises using contactless payment options wherever possible, to minimise the risk.

“The primary transmission route is via droplets,” says Prof Jürgen Haas, the head of infection medicine at the University of Edinburgh. “These droplets are generated by coughing, and can directly infect another person via airborne infection, or by transmission via hands or other surfaces.”

Hass explains that coronavirus can persist on inanimate surfaces for “quite a long time”, although no one knows exactly how long yet, as Covid-19 is so new.

 “The survival time of the virus depends on the surface and the conditions,” says Haas. “The lower the temperature, the longer the survival time. If the temperature is warmer, the survival time of the virus goes down.” The viability of the virus will decrease during this time, reducing the risk of transmission.

Although coronavirus can be transmitted via inanimate objects, the odds of contracting it in this way are low. “The amount of virus that is potentially on an inanimate object is usually very small,” says Dr Christine Tait-Burkard, an expert in infection and immunity at the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh. She explains that there typically wouldn’t be much coronavirus on a person’s fingertips, and it would still have to get past your respiratory system to infect you. “Your respiratory system is very good at filtering out viruses,” Tait-Burkard says.

While the risk is low, it is sensible to take precautions. Official NHS advice is to wash your hands regularly (or use hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol content, if you are not able to get to a sink), cough into your elbow and dispose of used tissues immediately. But which objects pose the greatest risk of coronavirus transmission?

Banknotes

Banknotes can carry the coronavirus. But try not to be too alarmed: the risk is small. “Unless someone is using a bank note to sneeze in,” Tait-Burkard says. Don’t worry too much about loose change. “Coins are actually very bad environments for viruses to survive,” she says.

Door handles

Touching these is often unavoidable, and a lot of different people may do so, so be mindful of where you are touching the handle and wash your hands frequently to combat this.

Office kitchens

Coffee machines or kettles will be handled by multiple people, so it’s a good idea to use hand sanitiser after doing the tea round.

ATMs or ticket machines

“If you’re withdrawing money from a machine, that’s also something that’s going to be touched by many people,” says Haas. Ditto ticket machines.

Handrails

Escalators, tube handrails, banisters – all will be touched constantly, potentially by thousands of people a day. “If you’re on public transport, there’s no way not to touch the handrails,” says Tait-Burkard. “So when you get off, disinfect your hands.”

Communal bathroom surfaces

“People often blow their noses in the bathroom,” Tait-Burkard observes.

Hospital surfaces

“Shaking hands is a frequent transmission route for disease in hospitals,” says Haas. “It’s why health personnel are supposed to regularly disinfect their hands.” If you are visiting someone in hospital, or have an appointment, wash your hands thoroughly before and after visiting.

Telephones

Less of a problem in the age of smartphones, but if you share an office phone, it is something to consider.

Airplane seats

“International travel is a risk factor for transmission,” says Tait-Burkard. So make like Naomi Campbell, and wipe down your seat pre-takeoff.

Anything in a GP surgery

“The public health advice is that you should call NHS 111, rather than go to your GP, if you fear you have coronavirus,” says Tait-Burkard. “But there will be some people who go to the GP, despite the advice. So there is a higher risk.” She points out that all GP surgeries usually provide free hand disinfectant – so take advantage of what is on offer, and apply it liberally.

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