HMPV IN CHINA THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT   After five years of COVID-19, China is now dealing with a new virus called human metapneumovirus (HMPV). This virus is spreading quickly and causing flu-like symptoms. People are worried about this outbreak because it is similar to COVID-19. This virus got a lot of attention online because many people had to go to the hospital and got very ill. Social media reports say that hospitals and crematories are very busy because more people are getting respiratory illnesses. There are unconfirmed claims that several viruses, like influenza A, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19, are spreading at the same time. But officials still have not declared any emergency. SYSTEM TO CHECK RESPIRATORY/LUNGS DISEASES: To address rising worries, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration has started a system to keep an eye on pneumonia cases that are not linked to any known cause. This move is important because more respiratory illnesses are expected in winter. The aim is to be better prepared and to create good plans for dealing with new germs, learning from the difficulties faced at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. SYMPTOMS AND TRANSMSIN OF HMPV: Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) causes symptoms similar to the flu and other breathing illnesses. These symptoms include cough, flu, high body temperature(fever), stuffy nose, and difficult breathing. In serious cases, it can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia. It usually takes three to six days for symptoms to appear, and how bad the symptoms are affects how long they last. HMPV spreads through sneezing or coughing droplets of an infected person It can also spread through close contact, like handshakes, or by touching surfaces that have the virus and then touching your face. Experts say that young children, older adults, and people with weak immune systems are at higher risk for serious problems from this virus. WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR: Doctors, including those at Cleveland Clinic, recommend that people see a doctor if they have breathing problems that don’t go away or get worse. This is especially important for those who already have health issues that could lead to more problems or if a fever lasts longer than three days. WAYS TO PREVENT INFECTION: To lower the chance of getting sick, health experts suggest keeping good hygiene. This includes washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds often. Try not to touch your face with dirty hands and keep a safe distance from people who are sick. Clean surfaces that many people touch, like doorknobs and toys, regularly to help stop the spread. If you are already feeling sick, taking care of yourself and acting responsibly is very important. Wear mask to cover your mouth and nose if you are having cough and sneeze, wash your hands often specially when go to the public places where you need to touch the door handles, lift buttons or staircase railing etc, and do not share personal items like towel, clothes or even bedsheets. If you feel unwell, it’s best to stay home and rest to keep others safe. NO TARGETED TREATMENT OR VACCINE AVAILABLE: Right now, there is no specific medicine or vaccine for HMPV. The treatment mainly helps with symptoms and prevents problems. COMPARING HMPV AND COVID-19: HMPV and COVID-19 have some similar symptoms like coughing, fever, stuffy nose, sore throat, and trouble breathing. However, they are different in some ways. HMPV usually spreads more in winter and spring, while COVID-19 can spread all year because of new variants. Some studies show that HMPV cases have increased three times in some areas after COVID-19 rules were relaxed. Experts think that because people were less exposed to germs during lockdowns, our overall immunity got weaker, leading to more respiratory infections when restrictions were lifted. It is important to stay alert and follow safety measures to help prevent the spread of HMPV and protect public health right now.  

  TRANS EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN Transgender people live in every part of Pakistan and around the world. They are from different races, cultures, beliefs and religions. They can be your classmates, coworkers, neighbors or a friend. In Pakistan, there are no official digits and figures of transgender people by census, but the estimated range is of 15,000 to hundreds of thousands, and are many more worldwide. WHAT DOES TRANSGENDER MEAN? Transgender people are those whose sense of their gender is not the same as the gender given to them when they were born. The word “trans” is often used to refer to transgender individuals. When we are born, a doctor usually tells us if we are male or female based on our bodies. Most people labeled male at birth identify as men, and most labeled female identify as women. However, some people feel differently about their gender than what was expected at birth. Many of these people call themselves transgender. A transgender woman is a person who is seen as a woman now but was viewed as a boy at birth. A transgender man is recognized as a man now but was seen as a girl when he was born. Some transgender people do not see themselves only as male or female, or they feel like they are both. There are different words that used to describe their gender, such as non-binary or genderqueer. TRANSGENDER PROTECTION OF RIGHT ACT IN PAKISTAN The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2018 in Pakistan gives legal rights and recognition to transgender people, such as: They have the right of protection from discrimination and harassment, access to identification, access to public places, access to safe house and health care and specially access to the educational facilities for the welfare of the transgender community. LITERACY RATE OF TRANSGENDERS IN PAKISTAN Many transgender people in the country cannot read or write. A United Nations study found that only 30% finished primary school, 23% finished high school, and only 7% went to college. EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS FOR TRANSGENDERS IN PAKISTAN The first school for transgender people has opened in Lahore by the Punjab School Education Department. The school will offer regular classes and programs for learning skills. Previously three such schools for transgender persons already exist in Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi khan and Lahore. It has been opened up in the separately building of Government Girls High School. Two more new schools will be built in Raiwind and Wagah. The School Education Department (SED) will give free books, school supplies, and uniforms to transgender students in all three schools. Each student will get a scholarship of Rs. 10,000. Rs. 5,000 is for books and supplies, and Rs. 5,000 is for travel. Students must have at least 80% attendance to receive this money. TAHAFFUZ DARASGAH LAHORE Tahaffuz Darsgah is a school for transgender children in Pakistan, started by Zahid Bhatti in 2024. It is located near Jallo Park in Lahore and is the first place that provides shelter and education just for transgender kids. So far, 36 transgender people have joined the school. They will have classes in two parts: one for regular education and another for learning skills. The teachers will also be from the transgender community. This helps educated members of the community get jobs and improve their community. The opening ceremony was attended by teachers, activists for trans rights, community members, and transgender people. This school will create new learning opportunities for a group that is often ignored, and being the first in Lahore could be an important step in helping this community. Everyone at the opening ceremony shared this feeling. TAHAFUZ TRAINING PROGRAMES The three-level training program at Tahaffuz Darsgah helps students get the education and skills they need to succeed in regular jobs with a well-known education. In the first stage, they receive secondary education, including O- and A-levels, as well as Matric and Intermediate. Next, they get recognized vocational qualifications in popular fields. In the third stage, they can earn recognized degrees that will help them have a fair social status in their chosen industry. LODGING FACILITIES The services provided include not only education but also housing, food, clothing, fun activities, and sports. Additionally, a special team takes care of their health, mental well-being, personal development, and allows them to express themselves freely. EXTRACURRICAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES After-school and fun activities are an important part of the training program. Students are encouraged to celebrate all festivals and participate in their favorite sports. The program believes that sticking to a boring routine can limit their thinking skills, which are important for their personal and career growth. Therefore, students are motivated to express themselves by choosing recreational activities that follow the rules and values MULTAN TRANSGENDER SCHOOL A historic Pilot project for the education of transgenders is one of the school in Multan. OBLIGATION UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, LAW AND SDGs:  Section 25 A of the Constitution obligates the State to provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years. Section 8 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 requires that there shall be no discrimination against Transgender Persons in acquiring admission in any educational institutions. Sustainable Development Goal 4 of the UN aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” PROJECT The Schooling Division, South Punjab, Administration of Punjab has chosen to take care of this up until recently significant yet overlooked issue. A pilot project, TRANSEDUCATION, is being sent off in Multan by which transsexuals would be given conventional training in night classes at state funded schools by depending on the Sped up Learning System to make up for the lost tutoring in the main stage, and to formal tutoring in the second. It could be underscored here that a definitive objective is the mainstreaming of the transsexuals; consequently whenever corrects are made for the lost classes, the transsexuals would be moved to ordinary and age-appropriates classes/schools. Understudies for