Dr.Jeremiah Abera Medical and Healthy Advice

23/08/2024

There is a new threat to world pandemic emerging now a days that is called as Oropouche viral disease.
a new deaths reported from brazil and confirmed cases is reporting from south and central America.
Oropouche virus is spread to people primarily by the bite of infected biting midges(small fly) and mosquitoes.
Oropouche virus has been reported in parts of South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. In June 2024, Cuba reported its first confirmed Oropouche case.
Oropouche virus disease typically presents as an abrupt onset of fever, (38-40°C) with headache (often severe), chills, myalgia, and arthralgia.
Other signs and symptoms include photophobia, dizziness, retroorbital or eye pain, nausea and vomiting, or maculopapular rash that starts on the trunk and goes to the extremities.
Clinical presentation is commonly mistaken for other arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, and malaria.
On late 2023, Oropouche virus was identified as causing large outbreaks in endemic areas and new areas in South America. In June 2024, Cuba reported its first confirmed Oropouche .

There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat Oropouche.
Prevention relies on personal protective measures to avoid bites.
Prognosis
Persistence of weakness and malaise has been noted in some patients for up to one month following symptom onset. Patients might require hospitalization for more severe signs and symptoms. Patients typically recover without long-term sequalae, including in severe cases.
There have been very few deaths reported among people infected with Oropouche virus

31/03/2020

30/03/2020

Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus

Stay aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak, available on the WHO website and through your national and local public health authority. Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others. Take care of your health and protect others by doing the following:

Wash your hands frequently

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.

Maintain social distancing

Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth

Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.

Practice respiratory hygiene

Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early

Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.

Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider

Stay informed on the latest developments about COVID-19. Follow advice given by your healthcare provider, your national and local public health authority or your employer on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

05/05/2018

So here are my 5 golden rules about giving medical advice to
friends and family.
1. Show empathy : In most cases my friends and relatives
don’t want my advice. They just want me to listen and
show empathy. In many cases and conversations that’s
all you need to do. In other cases though, Aunt Helen
tells her story and expects some kind of “professional
reaction”. In these cases rules 2-5 apply.
2. Do not become your relative’s (or friend’s)
doctor. When I look at my aunts regime of
antihypertensives and see her blood pressure records I
instantaneously want to change things
around. Don’t. Here is why:
You don’t have all of her records and laboratory
values. You didn’t even examine her. There may be a
reason, why the doctor underwent an unusual
approach to her hypertension.
If you do, from now on, there won’t be a point for
her to go to the doctor for her hypertension. She is
just gonna call you. What’s the point in investing
time and money in a doctor’s visit, when she can just
call her nephew?
Her doctor will feel offended (I would be) and their
Doctor-patient-relationship will be damaged.
3. Never judge the doctor by saying: “That is total
nonsense” or “What an outdated therapy regimen.”If
you don’t like the doctors way of handling it, I would
say “That it is an unusual approach, but he may have
additional information that I don’t have.”There is really
no point in harming the relationship to her doctor,
because it will ruin the fundament of their relationship:
Trust. If you actually have the impression that
something can’t be right you have to go a little further:
4. Suggest her to ask him open-ended questions , e.g.
why he preferred this medication over that one. (Maybe
not because her nephew told her it is nonsense, but
maybe her neighbor takes this medication and seems to
be fine with it…) In many cases a mystery is resolved
and the doctor had good reasons to act the way he did.
5. Recommend to get a second opinion: If you still have
a terrible feeling about the doctor, and his treatment
plan suggest to get a second opinion from another
doctor that you recommend. But be aware: from this
point on you move into the driver’s seat. If things don’t
work out with the new doc you’re in trouble because
from now on you have the responsibility to handle
things further!I think in the end this is the best thing we
can do for our family: Listen to their
experiences, show empathy and make sure they
have a good physician they trust and take advice
from. Question: What’s your number one tip when it
comes to giving medical advice to your loved
ones? Please leave a comment!