Latest news
Optimizing preventive healthcare for all in India
Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), chief among them being cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke), cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease cause nearly three quarters of the deaths in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Every...
How the flu virus hacks our cells
A UNIGE team has discovered how the influenza A virus hijacks the mechanism for importing iron into cells to invade its host 31-May-2023 3: by Université de Genève (University of Geneva) Newswise — Influenza epidemics, caused by influenza A or B viruses, result in...
Allergies don’t cause a fever but might make you more susceptible to a virus infection
Fever is a concern for many people who suffer from seasonal or permanent allergies. Often, they use their thermometer to check their body temperature as soon as they feel congested and ill. Allergies do not cause raised body temperatures or fevers, so people with...
New research indicates fever may play a role in multiple sclerosis
Is multiple sclerosis caused by Epstein-Barr virus? Researchers aren't sure, but new research suggests there may be a connection. A fever is one of the symptoms of Epstein-Barr infection, especially when it occurs later in life. As an autoimmune disease, MS results...
Covid Can Be the Last Pandemic
We started this series with a question: What if the next pandemic happens tomorrow. For this newsletter — the final installment in this series — we are exploring the idea of whether it’s possible for Covid to be the last pandemic. It has been a pleasure exploring and...
Explained: What Is Disease X? Why Are Top Experts Warning Of A Deadlier Pandemic?
In June last year, health experts in Britain had reportedly warned the UK government to be prepared for ‘Disease X’ amid reports of cases of poliovirus being detected in sewage samples in London, monkeypox, Lassa fever and bird flu in the recent years. Days after the...
Multiple sclerosis: new evidence for the role of glandular fever virus
Researchers are still debating exactly how a common virus called Epstein-Barr virus could cause MS in certain people Autoimmune diseases – of which MS is one – occur when the body’s immune system damages itself by mistake. An estimated 2.8 million people around the...
7 Early signs of heatstroke you need to know
Heatstroke is a serious condition that occurs when your body temperature rises to a dangerous level. It can be caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures, especially in humid environments. The early signs of heatstroke can be easy to overlook, but it's...
Febrile seizures in children: How do I know if my child is prone to this condition?
As parents, it is of utmost importance to know what to do if a child has a seizure. In children, febrile seizures, which can be caused by a rise in body temperature, are quite common and are not usually a symptom of a serious illness. However, they can be very...
Safety alert: Digital thermometers from Beaba, Beurer and Boots fail to give the right temperature
Three inaccurate digital thermometers fall short in Which? accuracy tests. Three unreliable digital thermometers from Beaba, Beurer and Boots have failed to measure temperatures accurately in our tests.All three thermometers provided readings that would lead users to...
COVID-19: Study finds Omicron variant appears more deadly than seasonal influenza
According to a recent study, it was found that there was a greater death risk among those hospitalised with the Omicron variant than among those with seasonal influenza. Although the Omicron variant is thought to be less virulent and has lower case fatality rates than...
The tenth corona wave: we’re not rid of it yet, but we’relearning to live with it
Chances are slim that new virus variants will emerge that are very deadly. Belgium in Europe is experiencing a tenth peak in terms of coronavirus infections, but fortunately the consequences are no longer so dramatic. It is becoming something like a flu virus. When...
Bathing with fever: Is this really a good idea?
Maybe it is part of your daily routine to take a bath before bedtime, or you have a little one at home who would love to go in the water every day? Basically, there's nothing against it - but if a baby or toddler is a bit under the weather and the thermometer is...
New omicron subvariant is ‘one to watch’:WHO
The World Health Organization added XBB.1.16 to its list of variants under monitoring on March 22. The omicron subvariant has been reported in 22 countries, with most cases detected in India. In India, XBB.1.16 has replaced the other variants that are...
Heatwave: 6 tips to reduce body heat and stay cool in severe summer
Amid a heatwave, reducing body heat can become quite a challenge. Here's how you can reduce body heat irrespective of the temperature outside. Sometimes it may be extremely hot weather conditions, and sometimes certain foods! The reasons behind high body heat can be...
Sick With Something That Isn’t COVID-19 or the Flu? Here’s What It Might Be
Flu season is wrapping up, and weekly COVID-19 diagnoses are declining. But if you’re currently sick with a respiratory illness, you’re not alone. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that a mixture of respiratory viruses are...
The third Anniversary
The third anniversary of those moments passed by over the past week without much fanfare. President Biden has already said the national emergency for covid-19 will end this May, and most Americans have returned to their pre pandemic lives.In this week’s newsletter, I...
How does fever indicate that your cancer has spread?
Cancer destroys every healthy cell in your body. Frequent fever or a rise in your body temperature is a sign that a tumor is invading nearby tissue and cancer is spreading fast. Also known as pyrexia, it is a common reaction to infection or illness. Read on to know...
You Ask, Experts Answer
Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, responded to reader questions about coordinating response efforts and protecting the vulnerable.Since public health is mostly funded and carried out by the states, how do we improve...
How to Prepare for ‘Disease X’
Late last year, I participated in an exercise meant to play out what might happen if the world was presented with a new disease spreading quickly, with no warning. The exercise revolved around a number of simulated emergency meetings of the World Health Organization...