Healthcare

Breakthrough in new drug treatments to fight Ebola in DR Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced what could be a major breakthrough in the battle against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), revealing that two out…

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Measles cases triple globally

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of 2019, compared with the same period last year. So far this year…

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Air pollution can be as damaging as a packet of cigarettes a day

Air pollution can be as damaging as a packet of cigarettes a day, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of Washington looked at how exposure to four…

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EU worried by spread of African swine fever in Bulgaria

The spread of African swine fever in Bulgaria, which threatens the Balkan country’s pig breeding industry is worrying, an EU Commission spokeswoman said on Thursday. Bulgaria has reported more than…

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Warning that Beyoncé diet plan ‘could be dangerous’

The British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine warned that a diet endorsed by US pop singer Beyoncé "could be dangerous." The warning was made during a BBC programme. Nutritionist…

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New Zealand bill seeks to allow abortions before 20 weeks

The government of New Zealand proposed a bill this week that would lift a law stipulating that abortions before 20 weeks may only be performed for medical reasons. It will…

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Philippines declares epidemic after dengue fever kills more than 600

An outbreak of dengue fever in the Philippines has been declared a national epidemic after causing hundreds of deaths this year. The country has recorded 146,062 cases of dengue from…

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Security Council gravely concerned by Ebola outbreak in DR Congo

The UN Security Council on Friday expressed grave concern about the current Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and stressed the urgency of broad cooperation…

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Fourth Ebola case found in Goma

A fourth case of Ebola has been confirmed in the eastern Congo city of Goma, the government said, as the disease spreads in a city of more than 1 million…

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Rwanda shuts border with DR Congo to stop spread of Ebola

Rwanda has closed its border with DR Congo in response to the Ebola crisis. At least two people have died from the virus in the eastern Congolese city of Goma,…

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UN working ‘intensively’ to stop Ebola in eastern DR Congo, following second case in major border town

Senior UN officials tasked with controlling the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have responded to Tuesday’s confirmation of a second case of Ebola in Goma, a…

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HIV-Related Deaths on the Rise in Russia

More people have died from HIV-related causes in Russia last year than in 2017 as the country grapples with a rise in infections, according to Health Ministry data cited by…

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Second Ebola case confirmed on border with Rwanda

A second case of Ebola has been detected on Democratic Republic of Congo's border with Rwanda, raising fears the deadly illness could spread. The case was confirmed in the city…

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WHO says e-cigarettes ‘undoubtedly harmful’

Electronic cigarettes are "undoubtedly harmful" and should be regulated, the WHO said as it warned against the use of vaping products by smokers trying to quit their deadly habit. The…

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WHO urges countries to invest in eliminating hepatitis

Ahead of World Hepatitis Day on the 28 July, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on countries to take advantage of recent reductions in the costs of diagnosing and treating…

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Pledge to end smoking in England by 2030

The British government is pledging to end smoking in England by 2030 as part of a range of measures to tackle the causes of preventable ill health. Promoting physical activity,…

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Concern as drug-resistant malaria strains spread through south east Asia

Strains of drug-resistant malaria are becoming more dominant in Vietnam, Laos and northern Thailand after spreading rapidly from Cambodia. Malaria is caused by parasites which are carried by mosquitoes and…

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Libyan Health Ministry ceases overseas treatment for its citizens

The Libya Observer reports that the Libyan Ministry of Health announced the cessation of overseas treatment completely, after the resignation of the Chairman and members of the High Consultative Committee…

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New York raises smoking age to 21

A bill designed to boost the legal age to buy tobacco and e-cigarette products in New York state was signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The legislation raises the smoking age from 18…

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WHO reports new Ebola incident in Uganda

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared today on Wednesday that a new case of Ebola has been spotted in Uganda for the second time in a row, fuelling concerns that…

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20 million children missed out on life saving vaccines in 2018

20 million children worldwide – more than 1 in 10 – missed out on lifesaving vaccines such as measles, diphtheria and tetanus in 2018, according to new data from…

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WHO/Europe studies find baby foods are high in sugar and inappropriately marketed for babies

Two new studies from WHO/Europe show that a high proportion of baby foods are incorrectly marketed as suitable for infants under the age of 6 months, and that many of…

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UPDATED: First Ebola case in Congo city of Goma detected, two aid workers killed

The first case of Ebola in the eastern Congo city of Goma was discovered on Sunday, officials said, raising concerns the virus could spread quicker in a densely populated area…

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British government to issue recommended hours of sleep

The British Department of Health will advise on how many hours people of different ages should be getting a night, according to a report in The Times. Recommendations will…

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Groundbreaking cancer-fighting drugs now included in updated UN list of essential medicines

The UN health agency, WHO, announced that dozens of new drugs have been added to the list of essential medicines that every country should have, including new cancer treatments that…

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Worldwide reduction in MERS cases and deaths since 2016

The World Health Organization and colleagues from the University of Oxford, Imperial College London and Institut Pasteur have estimated that, since 2016, 1 465 cases of Middle East Respiratory syndrome…

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Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the edge of spiralling out of control

Rory Stewart, the UK’s international development secretary, has said that the year-long Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is on the edge of spiralling out of…

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Study manages to completely remove HIV from mice

There is some optimism a cure for HIV might be in the pipeline after scientists in the US were able to completely remove HIV from a living animal using gene…

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Austrian parliament bans glyphosate weed killer

Austria is on track to be the first EU country to completely ban weed killer glyphosate, originally developed by Monsanto and marketed under the name Roundup. Members of Parliament in…

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Obesity tops smoking as main cause of cancers in the UK

According to a study that has just been released by Cancer Research UK obesity now causes more cases of four common cancers in the UK than smoking. Despite that,…

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Wales gives all NHS staff access to Microsoft 365 as part of huge tech shake-up

Every public sector health worker in Wales will be given access to Microsoft programs such as Outlook and Teams as part of a country-wide focus on digital transformation. More than…

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UNICEF warns misinformation and growing distrust on vaccines, ‘dangerous as a disease’

Vaccines save millions of lives, and yet misinformation, limited availability and inadequate access to services have left large numbers of children in jeopardy, prompting the United Nations Children’s Fund to…

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Rare bacterial infection causes death of 12 persons in Essex in the UK

Medical authorities in the UK revealed that 12 people have died of a rare bacterial infection that has spread in Essex. The NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group has confirmed…

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New report highlights greater diversity of cannabis products, increasing potency and the need for close monitoring of health effects

Cannabis products have become increasingly diverse in Europe and close monitoring of their potency and potential health effects is essential. These are among the conclusions of a new report published…

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