Korban akibat siklon di Brazil meningkat kepada 13 orang

SAO PAULO: Jumlah korban akibat siklon luar tropika yang melanda selatan Brazil pada hujung minggu lalu kini meningkat kepada 13 orang, dengan empat orang masih hilang, menurut agensi pertahanan awam negara itu pada Ahad.

Pada Jumaat, siklon yang mencetuskan banjir dan ribut itu telah menyebabkan kemusnahan di lebih daripada 40 bandar di Rio Grande do Sul, negeri yang bersempadan dengan Uruguay dan Argentina.

Operasi mencari mangsa yang hilang masih berjalan, lapor Xinhua.

Lebih separuh juta penduduk terputus bekalan elektrik dan 4,913 lagi terpaksa dipindahkan.

Presiden Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva berikrar untuk menyalurkan bantuan kepada kawasan yang terjejas.

-- BERNAMA

Niaga SPOTLIGHT: Costing The Silent Threat of Obesity

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia are a growing burden on the health system, with a number of associated health issues and economic costs.

The annual cost of healthcare for NCDs is estimated to be over RM 9.65 billion. Meanwhile, the cost of disability and loss of healthy life years is estimated to be around RM 100.79 billion. Absenteeism due to NCDs is estimated to cost the Malaysian economy RM 2.6 billion annually.

From the common NCDs, obesity is one of THE most significant health threats, with nearly 20% of the Malaysian population currently classified as obese.

Additionally, more than half of all adults (54%) are overweight or obese. According to the World Obesity Atlas, this figure could rise to 41% in Malaysia by 2035, if preventive action is not taken.

Niaga Spotlight focuses on immediate strategies to address this growing silent threat of Obesity, which also burdens the national healthcare system as well as national productivity levels with significant impacts and costs.