Editorial

From Editor’s Desk….. As winter set in, health officials in several European countries noticed a steady rise in hospital admissions related to COVID-19 and influenza occurring at the same time. Older people and people with chronic illnesses remain the most at risk, but immunity at the population level continues to reduce the impact of the disease. Timely administration of updated respiratory virus vaccines and reinforcing infection-prevention protocols in hospitals and care facilities are important to manage the preventable strain in the coming months. At the same time, across parts of East Africa, repeated outbreaks of water and sanitation-related illnesses are affecting displaced and conflict-affected populations. Overcrowding, limited access to potable water, and restricted access to the healthcare system have increased the risk of large outbreaks, with pregnant women and young children facing severe consequences. Meanwhile, several countries in East Asia have documented several gastrointestinal infections, especially in schools and care facilities, indicating increased social mixing and pandemic related weakness regarding preventive behaviors. Public health instruction has now mainly focused on basic interventions, particularly hand hygiene, safe food handling, and rapid isolation during outbreaks. Continuous efforts in surveillance, enhanced access to vaccines, and public trust in health system will be essential to combat this complex global disease threats. Dr.Khalid Mohammed Alabdulwahhab Editor in Chief