Science & Tech
First sexual transmission of Ebola virus case comes to light
New York: Using genomic analysis, researchers have found that a woman in Liberia contracted the deadly Ebola virus early this year after having sexual intercourse with a male survivor of the disease.
The work provides molecular evidence of Ebola virus (EBOV) transmission between an Ebola virus disease survivor and his female partner, the researchers said.
The findings were a result of collaboration between US Army scientists with the Liberian Institute for Biomedical Research (LIBR).
It also demonstrates the value of real-time genomic surveillance during an outbreak, according to senior author Gustavo Palacios from the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).
Scientists working at the LIBR earlier this year analysed blood samples from a female patient who tested positive for EBOV in March 2015 when there had been no new documented cases for 30 days, Suzanne Mate of USAMRIID said.
The patient was reported to have had recent sexual intercourse with a male partner who had survived EVD and had been declared EBOV negative in early October 2014.
Following the patient’s death on March 27, public health officials were able to secure the consent of the male survivor to obtain and test a semen sample from him.
“Ebola virus genomes assembled from the patient’s blood and the survivor’s semen were consistent with direct transmission,” Jason Ladner of USAMRIID said.
Ebola virus causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates with high mortality rates and continues to emerge in new geographic locations, including Western Africa, the site of the largest recorded outbreak to date.
Over 28,000 confirmed, probable and suspected cases have been reported so far in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with over 11,000 reported deaths , according to the World Health Organisation.
The study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Business
Apple is giving a huge discount on its gadgets: Details inside
If you want to buy an iPhone and were waiting for a nice offer, then we have a piece of good news for you! Amazon Summer Sale May 2022 has begun and they are offering major discounts on various smartphones, laptops, and smart TVs, among others.
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Customers can easily enjoy this summer sale and get massive discounts on iPhones. They can also compare prices on Flipkart Big Saving Days Sale 2022 before making a purchase.
Amazon Summer Sale May 2022: Discount offer on iPhone 13
Apple’s coveted phone model iPhone 13 in the 128 GB storage model will be available during the Amazon Summer Sale May 2022 for Rs 64,900. The MRP of the phone is Rs 79,900. This means that the customers will be able to enjoy a discount of up to Rs 15,000 on the purchase of the iPhone 13.
If you have an old iPhone in working condition then you will also be eligible to receive another additional discount worth up to Rs 17,000 on the iPhone 13.
Buy at Rs. 64,900 (MRP – Rs. 79,900)
Features of Apple iPhone 13
The iPhone is powered by an A15 Bionic processor with 6 core CPU. Apart from this, it has 16 core neural engines. With the iPhone 13, up to 512 GB of storage will be available. The iPhone 13 has a 6.1-inch Retina XDR display with 1000 nits brightness.
The iPhone 13 has a 12-megapixel dual rear camera setup. This time a new wide-angle camera has been given, whose aperture is f/1.6. With this, there is support for sensor optical stabilisation. Night mode has been made better than before. The second lens is also 12 megapixels ultra-wide and has an aperture of f/2.4.