July 28: World Hepatitis Day, Day of Trade Workers of Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
On July 28, 1925, the American doctor Baruch Samuel Blumberg was born, who later discovered the hepatitis B virus and received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1976.
Today, July 28, many countries around the world are celebrating World Hepatitis Day. The event was launched by the World Health Organization in 2011, UNN reports.
The date was not chosen by chance. It was on July 28, 1925, that the American doctor Baruch Samuel Blumberg was born, who later discovered the hepatitis B virus and received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1976.
According to the WHO, more than 2 billion people worldwide have been infected with hepatitis B virus in their lifetime and about 450 million are chronic carriers of the virus. Every year, more than 2 million people die from hepatitis B and its consequences.
More than 170 million people worldwide are affected by hepatitis C virus, which is more than 3% of the world's population and 5 times higher than the number of people living with HIV. In developed countries, hepatitis C is responsible for 20% of acute hepatitis, 70% of chronic hepatitis, and 40% of uncompensated liver cirrhosis.
At the same time, only 9% of people with chronic hepatitis B virus and 20% of those infected with viral hepatitis C are aware of their diagnosis.
In Ukraine, about 1.3 million people suffer from viral hepatitis C, and almost 600 thousand from viral hepatitis B.
Vaccination is an important countermeasure against hepatitis. There is a vaccine against hepatitis A (jaundice), and the hepatitis B vaccine also protects against hepatitis D. China has developed a vaccine against hepatitis E, but it is not yet widely available. There is no vaccine against hepatitis C yet.
Today, on the last Sunday of July, all trade workers in Ukraine celebrate their professional holiday. The event was launched in 1995 by a presidential decree.
On the territory of modern Ukraine, trade began to develop actively in the times of Kyivan Rus. At the same time, foreign economic relations began to be established. In particular, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Pereiaslav, and other cities had entire districts where foreign merchants from Western Europe, Scandinavia, and the East lived. Ukrainian merchants, on the other hand, had places of permanent deployment and sales of goods in other countries.
The main export goods of Kievan Rus were wax, linen, leather, silver and bronze products. Foreign merchants brought expensive fabrics, spices, gold jewelry, precious stones, weapons, wine, and horses to our lands.
According to the church calendar, today is the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Apostles Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas.
They preached faith in the Lord in many lands, and many people were converted to Christianity. All of them were martyred at the hands of pagans.
On July 28, Prokhor, Timur, Roman, Anastasia, Antonina, and Irina celebrate their name days.
