The death of Jett Travolta, third from left, brought the rare childhood condition known as Kawasaki disease to the attention of the public.
The death of Jett Travolta, third from left, brought the rare childhood condition known as Kawasaki disease to the attention of the public.
The death of Jett Travolta, third from left, brought the rare childhood condition known as Kawasaki disease to the attention of the public.
The death of Jett Travolta, third from left, brought the rare childhood condition known as Kawasaki disease to the attention of the public.

Number of UK children treated for Kawasaki disease doubles


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

Latest figures from Britain's National Health Service Blood and Transplant show the number of children treated for Kawasaki disease has doubled compared to the average of the previous five years.

The disease is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children under five in the UK, and can be fatal if not treated in time.

In 2020-2021, 706 children received treatment for Kawasaki disease — more than double the average of 336 children a year for the previous five years.

Because of the increase, the NHS is calling on more people to donate plasma.

Plasma is used to make immunoglobulin, a medicine used to treat the disease.

To meet demand, the health service is looking to increase the number of plasma donors from 5,850 to 10,200.

Health minister Neil O’Brien said donors could save someone’s life.

“More plasma donors are needed to treat Kawasaki disease and we are working closely with NHS Blood and Transplant to boost supplies so we can provide the best possible care to patients,” Mr O'Brien said.

“Thank you to existing donors who have generously come forward. If you can, please consider donating blood or plasma. It could save someone’s life.”

Sonja Krauthoefer, of the University Hospital Erlangen, checks donated blood and plasma samples. Reuters
Sonja Krauthoefer, of the University Hospital Erlangen, checks donated blood and plasma samples. Reuters

Gerry Gogarty, director of plasma for medicine at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “There is a rising need for plasma donors to help treat life-threatening immune disorders such as Kawasaki disease.

“You can help by donating plasma or blood. You have a medicine in you.”

In 2021, the government lifted a two-decade ban on donations of plasma in England for use in making medicine after accepting updated advice from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Members of the public can donate plasma in Birmingham, Reading or Twickenham. Plasma is also recovered from normal blood donations.

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Tips from the expert

Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.

  1. Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
  2. It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
  3. Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
  4. Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
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The%20Killer
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While you're here

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

Silent Hill f

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Rating: 4.5/5

AT%20A%20GLANCE
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Results

Stage seven

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s

3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s

General Classification

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s

3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Russia v Scotland, Thursday, 10.45pm (UAE)

TV: Match on BeIN Sports 

Updated: January 26, 2023, 12:53 AM