Top 8 Noteworthy Global Health and Medical Events in March 2022

On March 16, the National Health Commission (NHC) of China reported 1,952 new Covid-19 cases in just 24 hours on March 15, with 1,860 of them being community transmissions. This marked the seventh consecutive day with over 1,000 new cases reported in mainland China. According to the Global Times, during a press briefing on March 15, Lei Zheng Long, the deputy director of the NHC’s Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, confirmed that from March 1 to 14, over 15,000 new cases had been recorded across 28 provinces and regions, including major cities like Beijing, Shenzhen, and Shanghai. The rapid surge in cases has forced authorities to close schools in Shanghai and impose lockdowns in several cities in northeastern China. Nearly 19 provinces are now battling outbreaks driven by the Omicron and Delta variants.

According to the South China Morning Post, an initial group of 75 healthcare workers from mainland China is expected to arrive in Hong Kong today (March 14) to assist with the city's severe fifth wave of Covid-19. An additional 300 medical staff are scheduled to arrive later this week. In a COVID-19 press briefing on March 14, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that the first group of Chinese medical workers, including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, had arrived from Guangdong Province the previous week to assess the situation and coordinate with Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority. Hong Kong is grappling with a major outbreak driven by the Omicron variant, with 32,430 new cases reported on March 13. The Hong Kong government has allocated around 11,000 beds, 50% of the total capacity in public hospitals, for the treatment of Covid patients.

A team of scientists from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has discovered a new species of bacteria capable of naturally absorbing carbon. They hope this bacteria will become a key ally in the fight against climate change. In a paper published in the journal Nature Communications on March 14, Martina Doblin, one of the study’s authors, explained that this species is entirely new and has been named Prorocentrum cf. balticum. This bacterium functions like a 'biological carbon pump,' absorbing carbon from the atmosphere through the organic matter cycle, which eventually sinks to the ocean floor and is buried for thousands of years. Based on research conducted off the coast of Sydney, the scientists estimate that this newly discovered bacteria species could absorb between 0.02 to 0.15 gigatons of carbon annually on a global scale.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), after a month of decline, Covid-19 cases have started to rise again worldwide since last week. This resurgence is attributed to several factors, including the spread of Omicron and its BA.2 subvariant, as well as the gradual easing of restrictions in many countries. 'These increases are occurring despite some countries reducing testing, which means the number of cases we are seeing is just the tip of the iceberg,' said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Additionally, low vaccination rates in certain countries, partly due to widespread misinformation, are contributing to the rise in cases. From March 7 to 13, over 11 million new infections and more than 43,000 deaths were reported, with the largest increases occurring in the Western Pacific region, including South Korea and China.

South Korea is currently the country with the highest number of Covid-19 infections in the world. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported a new daily record of 549,854 Covid-19 cases on March 16, bringing the total number of infections since the start of the pandemic to 7,629,275. In addition to the surge in cases, the country is facing a severe shortage of common medications. Many private healthcare facilities in Seoul are now out of basic medicines, including cold and cough remedies, as well as expectorant syrups. Moon Eun Hee, head of the pharmaceutical policy division at KDCA, stated that the government has urged pharmaceutical companies to ramp up production since February. South Korea has also requested weekly reports from companies on production levels, sales, and stock quantities for essential drugs.

David Bennett was the first patient to receive a genetically modified animal organ to prevent rejection by the human body. On January 7, the University of Maryland Medical Center in the U.S. successfully performed the transplant for the 57-year-old man. By mid-February, Bennett showed signs of improvement, even managing to sit up and hum along to a song during a football game. However, his health began to decline in recent days, and on March 9, the hospital announced his passing. Deborah Kotz, the hospital spokesperson, stated that the exact cause of Bennett's death has not yet been determined. 'We are deeply saddened by Mr. Bennett’s passing. He was a brave and respected patient who fought until the end. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family,' said Dr. Bartley Griffith, the lead surgeon of Bennett's heart transplant. While the surgery only extended Bennett’s life by two months, it brought hope for addressing the ongoing organ shortage for transplants in humans.

According to Thewest.au, health authorities in New South Wales, Australia, are battling the BA.2 variant of Omicron, as daily Covid-19 cases remain high and hospital admissions continue to rise. Data from the University of New South Wales suggests that the number of daily infections could double over the next 4 to 6 weeks due to the spread of the BA.2 variant. 'I urge the public to take preventive measures. If you can wear a mask, please do so, and be careful when washing your hands. Don’t go to work if you have symptoms. Get tested,' said Brad Hazzard, head of New South Wales' health agency, on March 14. Official figures from Channel News Asia indicate that only about 57% of the state's population has received their booster vaccine shot.

According to AP, on March 14, the French government lifted most of its Covid-19 restrictions, including the requirement for people to wear masks and allowing unvaccinated individuals to enter restaurants, sports venues, and other crowded places. Specifically, citizens no longer need to present proof of vaccination to access restaurants, bars, cinemas, and theaters. Masks are also no longer mandatory in schools, workplaces, or offices. The decision to ease restrictions was made based on improving conditions in hospitals and the continued decline in new infections in recent weeks. According to data from AP, 92% of the French population aged 12 and over, or over 61.6 million people, have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.