The initial omicron SARS-CoV-2 subvariants, BA.1 and BA.2 (BA.1.2), were progressively displaced by BA.5in Japan in 2022. In the BA.5-dominant period, there were significantly more healthcare staff infected by nosocomial contact with persons with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection than those infected by household contact, compared with the BA.1.2-dominant period. The staff infected via nosocomial contact included non-patient-facing staff, in the BA.5-dominant period, although they did not become infected by SARS-CoV-2 through nosocomial contact in the BA.1.2-dominant period. These data suggest the importance of infection control and care for non-patient-facing staff, in the same way as for patient-facing staff.

This study addresses the critical challenge of material scarcity within Ghana’s creative industries by pioneering the synthesis of professional-grade stage blood from indigenous, locally-sourced materials. In the context of Ghanaian theatre and film, practitioners face significant barriers due to the high cost and limited availability of imported special effects products, often resulting in the use of inadequate substitutes that compromise aesthetic realism, safety, and narrative authenticity. This paper responds by exploring the potential of cassava starch, tapioca, kenkey dough, and fufu wax. Grounded in Schumacher’s theory of Appropriate Technology, the paper reframes indigenous resources not as inferior alternatives but as technologically and contextually appropriate solutions that align with Ghana’s economic, environmental, and social realities. The study provides detailed, reproducible recipes for both flowing and clotted blood variants, validated through practical application in simulated special effects such as gunshot wounds and deep-tissue scars. These formulations meet key performance criteria: visual fidelity under theatrical and cinematic conditions, controlled viscosity, ease of application and removal, and performer safety. Beyond technical innovation, this research contributes to shifting academic and professional discourse from dependency and scarcity toward resourcefulness, sustainability, and artistic self-reliance. It offers a practical framework for reducing production costs, enhancing the quality of visual storytelling, and fostering local value chains within Ghana’s growing creative economy.

Logistic growth model and its variants have been adjudged to be the most appropriate model for forecasting human population. However, in this article, we estimated the carrying capacity of Abuja using the logistic model. Then, we presented the parameters used to ascertain that the logistic model has the best fit in modelling population growth of Abuja over time. Meanwhile, a population growth sensitivity analysis is presented for the year 1962 to 2200.The result shows that by the year 2050, Abuja population growth rate will be out of control, if nothing substantial is implemented. Similarly, from the year 2150, the results show that stability will return again. Furthermore, the result of the error analysis conducted on the logistic model shows that Abuja has a growing population and that logistic growth model with MAPE and RMSE values of 0.98% and 7,817.07 respectively is the most accurate. The study concludes that logistic growth model with R−squared value of 0.776 has the best fit for population growth projection of Abuja. With approximate growth rate at 9.3% per annum, the projected population of Abuja will hit 30,220,701 million by the year 2039 all things being equal. Therefore, we recommend that the government should invest in massive agricultural reforms to accommodate the growing population, expand Abuja by developing its suburbs, and engage in massive reorientation of the populace on the dangers of uncontrolled births and the education of the girl child.

The initial omicron (B.1.1.529) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) subvariants, BA.1 and BA.2 (BA.1/2), were progressively displaced by BA.5 in Japan, which showed not only higher transmittivity and less pathogenicity, but also differences in antibiotic use according to the difference in the clinical course of BA.5 compared with BA.1/2 infections. BA.5 patients received more antibiotics, especially ampicillin/sulbactam, although ceftriaxone and meropenem were used significantly in the BA.1/2 period. These data suggest an increased incidence of aspiration pneumonia in elderly patients in the BA.5 period, and we should consider changing the management tactics for COVID-19.