The Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative (PDVI) is a product development partnership (PDP) based at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, Korea, and is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Cure from Cuba: Two Cuban epidemiologists arrived in Sri Lanka to help the government combat a dengue epidemic. Cuba has been controlling dengue with Bacillus Thuringensis Israelensis bacteria that kills the larvae of the mosquitoes that spread dengue. The epidemiologists will help set up a framework to control mosquito breeding before the government imports the bacteria from Cuba.
Cuba will airlift a stock of BTI (Bacillus Thuringenesis Israelensis) - a bacteria species, today to control the rapidly spreading dengue epidemic that has claimed 155 lives while the number of dengue cases reached a staggering 12,800 mark by yesterday, the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry said.
Sri Lanka plans to import BTI bacteria,( Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) commonly use as a bioinsecticide to destroy mosquito larvae from Cuba next week to control the fast spreading dengue epidemic in the country.
Health Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said that he has already ordered a stock of BTI bacteria from Cuba after holding a long discussion with the Cuban Ambassador in Colombo.
Two senior Ministers yesterday in Parliament called for the government to introduce the Cuban bio-control method to arrest the Dengue epidemic which had now become a global issue.
Construction and Engineering Services Minister Rajitha Senaratne and Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Tissa Vitharana made this remark at an adjournment debate on Dengue in the House.
Underwater archaeology is revealing how ancient civilisations coped with rising seas, and while their methods were basic, they still have relevance today.
? VIRUS SPREADS TO CUBA, CHINA, THAILAND AND FINLAND; STRICT TRAVEL ADVISORIES ISSUED
The swine flu virus was confirmed on Tuesday to have spread to more countries as scientists estimated the new strain could have sickened 23,000 people in Mexico alone before anyone realised it was an epidemic.
