Category: Health

A U.S. missionary who contracted Ebola is receiving experimental medications designed to combat the virus at a German medical facility, according to American health authorities who spoke Friday.

The rare Bundibugyo variant of Ebola currently spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo has no approved vaccines or established treatments. This outbreak has sickened nearly 750 individuals and claimed 177 lives.

Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declined to reveal the specific medications being administered to the patient, who the Serge Christian mission organization has named as Dr. Peter Stafford, citing medical privacy regulations.

The World Health Organization declared this outbreak a global health emergency and indicated Friday that an experimental antiviral medication called obeldesivir from Gilead Sciences shows potential. WHO estimates vaccine development could require six to nine months.

Thomas Geisbert, an Ebola researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston who contributed to creating Merck’s Ervebo vaccine for Zaire Ebola, has collaborated with Gilead on obeldesivir development.

Geisbert’s team evaluated the Gilead medication against Ebola Zaire and Ebola Sudan strains, along with the related Marburg virus in primate studies, though they haven’t tested it against Bundibugyo.

The medication completely prevented Ebola Sudan infection in test animals and provided 80% to 100% protection against Marburg and Ebola Zaire variants, Geisbert reported to Reuters.

No evidence exists regarding the drug’s effectiveness in patients already showing Ebola symptoms, and it hasn’t been evaluated against the current outbreak’s strain, according to Geisbert.

However, obeldesivir underwent testing in hundreds of COVID patients during advanced clinical trials and demonstrated general safety.

“I think that that’s something that potentially has some utility here,” he said.

Geisbert explained these treatments could serve as temporary measures to control outbreaks while vaccines are being developed.

Gilead representative Ashleigh Koss confirmed the company maintains communication with international and regional health officials, stating that laboratory research suggests obeldesivir should work against this Ebola strain.

An alternative treatment involves an experimental antibody combination designated MBP134, developed by Geisbert alongside Dr. James Crowe from the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center and licensed to San Diego’s Mapp Biopharmaceutical.

Mapp, creator of the ZMAPP antibody treatment used during the 2014-2016 West African Ebola crisis, is partnering with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to provide the treatment for high-risk cases, a U.S. official announced Wednesday.

This antibody mixture, derived from two antibodies found in an Ebola survivor’s blood, aims to combat various Ebola strains including Sudan, Zaire, and Bundibugyo variants.

Geisbert’s research team administered the cocktail to monkeys infected with Bundibugyo, waiting seven days until symptoms appeared before providing the antibody therapy.

“This is mimicking somebody that walks into a clinic,” he explained. “We were able to protect five or six of those from lethal disease, so that was pretty convincing,” he noted, expressing confidence in the product’s potential against Bundibugyo.

Mapp confirmed its collaboration with WHO and other agencies responding to the Congo outbreak. Company president Larry Zeitlin stated via email that he couldn’t reveal whether Americans in Europe are receiving this therapy.

A massive $7.25 billion settlement agreement intended to resolve thousands of cancer-related claims against the manufacturer of Roundup weed killer may face significant delays due to ongoing legal challenges.

Legal counsel opposing the settlement submitted documents on Friday seeking to transfer the proceedings from Missouri state court to federal jurisdiction, potentially disrupting the June 4 deadline for individuals to withdraw from the settlement agreement. This jurisdictional dispute over which court should oversee the proposed resolution may interfere with established timelines and postpone any final decision on approval.

This legal maneuvering occurs while the U.S. Supreme Court considers a separate case that might prevent thousands of state court lawsuits against Bayer, the agrochemical company that obtained Roundup through its 2018 purchase of Missouri-headquartered Monsanto. Bayer argues that state-level claims alleging inadequate cancer risk warnings should be prohibited since the company complied with federal labeling requirements that don’t mandate such warnings.

The German-based corporation also challenges claims that glyphosate, Roundup’s primary active component, causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that the substance is unlikely to cause cancer in humans when used according to instructions. However, plaintiffs reference a 2015 determination by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, which designated the chemical as “probably carcinogenic.”

The Supreme Court case represents John Durnell, who claims he developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma following more than two decades of applying Roundup in a St. Louis community garden. While Durnell isn’t included in the proposed class-action settlement, his lawyer, Ashley Keller, submitted objections withdrawing several other clients from the settlement before also filing documentation to transfer the settlement case to federal jurisdiction.

“This is a huge settlement that is extinguishing the rights of tens of thousands of cancer victims,” Keller stated on Friday. “It was rushed in to state court.”

The federal court transfer attempt will likely encounter resistance.

Christopher Seeger, the attorney designated as a potential claimants’ representative in the settlement, criticized the court transfer as “a baseless delay tactic that should be promptly denied.”

Bayer issued a statement calling the move one that “has no merit,” and indicated it would work to maintain the proceedings in state court.

The proposed nationwide settlement was submitted in February to St. Louis Circuit Court in Missouri. The agreement aims to resolve most current Roundup litigation, plus any future cases filed by individuals exposed to Roundup in coming years. However, Bayer maintains the option to withdraw from the settlement if too many claimants choose to opt out.

A settlement hearing is set for July 9 in state court. The Supreme Court is anticipated to render its decision in Durnell’s case before the end of June.

Under the proposed settlement terms, Bayer would contribute annual payments to a designated fund for up to 21 years, reaching a maximum of $7.25 billion. Individual compensation amounts would differ based on Roundup usage patterns, age at diagnosis, and the severity of their non-Hodgkin lymphoma condition.

Agricultural, industrial, or turf workers with extensive Roundup exposure would receive approximately $165,000 if diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease before age 60, based on the proposed settlement structure. However, those diagnosed at 78 years or older would receive approximately $10,000.

A pet food manufacturer has issued an expanded voluntary recall of dog food products due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Raaw Energy announced it is alerting consumers about recalled items manufactured during a period spanning from July 17, 2025 through December 23, 2025. The company is also recalling its Beef and Turkey Medley product with a batch date of March 31, 2026.

According to the company’s notice, not every product manufactured during the specified timeframe has tested positive for the harmful bacteria. However, the recall is being implemented as a precautionary measure.

The recall notice appears to be incomplete in the original FDA safety alert, cutting off mid-sentence while explaining the reasoning behind the expanded recall action.

WASHINGTON — Key staff members at the Food and Drug Administration’s tobacco division were caught off guard by new policy changes that could allow additional unauthorized vaping products and nicotine pouches into the American marketplace, according to information obtained by The Associated Press.

The new rules, published online this month prior to former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary’s departure, permit companies to introduce specific nicotine products before receiving complete regulatory approval.

Several FDA employees responsible for vaping oversight weren’t included in discussions about these modifications and discovered them only the evening before publication, two agency workers told the AP while requesting anonymity to discuss internal matters. The unexpected release created internal questions about the policy’s development and approval process, these sources indicated.

Agency leadership has recently held extensive meetings to determine how to execute the six-page directive, which departs from established FDA requirements mandating scientific proof of health advantages for smokers before introducing new products.

Creating new policies without input from implementation staff represents an uncommon practice for the FDA.

“It begs the question of whether the true subject matter experts may have actually opposed this policy and were ordered to do it anyway,” said Mitch Zeller, who retired as FDA’s tobacco director in 2022. “And that goes to the ability of the public to have trust and faith in institutions like FDA.”

The vaping policy avoided the federally mandated public comment period for revisions. The FDA instead released the completed policy following months of industry lobbyist criticism regarding Makary from groups with White House connections. He stepped down last week.

A Health and Human Services representative didn’t discuss the guidance’s development in their written response.

“This approach strengthens protections against youth nicotine addiction while supporting evidence-based alternatives for adult smokers seeking to move away from combustible tobacco products,” Andrew Nixon said in a statement.

Attempts to reach Makary for comment weren’t successful Friday.

Health experts generally acknowledge that electronic cigarettes pose significantly fewer risks than conventional cigarettes, with these products being endorsed in the United Kingdom and other European nations as smoking alternatives.

The FDA has faced challenges regulating this market for more than ten years. Five companies have received agency approval for vaping products while millions of other requests were denied, primarily because of fruit, candy and sweet flavoring considered attractive to minors. Despite this, unapproved vapes remain widely accessible.

Recent developments in Washington and nationwide indicate changing circumstances.

Teen vaping rates have dropped to their lowest point in over a decade, following pandemic disruptions and new regulatory measures at state and federal levels.

President Donald Trump assumed office last year after promising to “save” the vaping sector. Large tobacco corporations including Reynolds American and Altria have donated millions to political action committees backing Trump and administration initiatives, including Trump’s inauguration and his proposed White House ballroom.

Despite lobbying efforts, vaping matters received limited attention at FDA during Makary’s tenure. When Makary occasionally discussed e-cigarettes, he questioned data indicating reduced underage usage.

While FDA staff prepared to modify flavor policies, Makary and agency leadership stepped in.

In February, one of Makary’s deputies prevented an FDA authorization for the first fruit-flavored vapes, internal documents later revealed. FDA evaluators had concluded the products were unlikely to attract children when paired with digital age-verification systems.

The mango and blueberry-flavored items received approval during Makary’s final full week leading the FDA, just before the agency released new guidelines permitting unauthorized nicotine products.

The guidance requires FDA to create a list of e-cigarettes and pouches awaiting authorization but subject to “enforcement discretion,” allowing sales without regulatory removal efforts. Though no public product list exists, the policy is anticipated to permit new flavors previously rejected by regulators.

“What we’re seeing is a broader opening up and responsiveness to flavored products by the agency both in terms of a stronger appetite for authorization but also less appetite to take enforcement action against flavored products,” said Brian King, former FDA tobacco director now with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

While FDA’s new strategy represents a policy shift, it may minimally affect flavors currently sold at gas stations, vape retailers and convenience stores.

Unauthorized vapes containing mango, gummy bear, strawberry and numerous other flavors have saturated the American market for years.

These disposable devices replaced Juul products after the company removed its high-nicotine flavored items following their widespread presence in American schools starting around 2017. The company currently sells only FDA-approved tobacco and menthol flavored e-cigarettes.

Juul and similar companies now have opportunities to compete directly with disposable Chinese vapes, which some estimates suggest represent 80% of American sales.

“The choice we face is not whether flavored vaping products should be sold in the U.S. They already are,” said Robyn Gougelet, a Juul vice president. “The choice is whether those products should be regulated and responsibly marketed — or illegal, untested, and smuggled into the country.”

Instead of focusing on flavors, the FDA indicated its new enforcement strategy will target vapes with youth-appealing characteristics, including designs resembling children’s toys.

“The reality is they’re just deluged by illegal products coming across the border,” said Jonathan Foulds, a tobacco-addiction specialist at Penn State University. “So they’re making it clear what should be common sense: ‘We’re going to focus on the worst actors.’”

Whether the vaping industry will broadly accept FDA’s new approach remains uncertain, given the sector includes multinational tobacco companies and hundreds of smaller businesses selling imported Chinese devices.

The guidance indicates only e-cigarettes under “scientific review” will qualify for launch without FDA authorization. Few applications typically reach this stage, requiring comprehensive health data on smokers switching to new products, King observed.

“This is certainly going to benefit the larger tobacco companies, which have the resources to get far enough into the application review process and thus won’t be prioritized for enforcement,” King said.

Representatives for smaller companies say it’s premature to determine whether the policy will help or hurt their clients, though they worry about being excluded.

“The big companies would love nothing more than to see their largest swath of competitors out of the marketplace,” said Tony Abboud of the Vapor Technology Association.

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization’s top official announced Friday that Congo’s Ebola outbreak is accelerating at an alarming pace and has elevated the threat level to “very high” on a national scale.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus revealed that the U.N. health agency has increased its risk evaluation to “very high” for Congo, upgrading from the previous “high” designation. He informed reporters that regional spread risk stays at high levels while global risk remains low.

The WHO chief reported that 82 cases have been verified in the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with seven confirmed fatalities, “but we know the epidemic in DRC is much larger.”

He disclosed that nearly 750 cases are under investigation with 177 suspected fatalities. The circumstances in adjacent Uganda remain “stable” with two verified cases in individuals who had journeyed from Congo, resulting in one death.

Earlier Friday, the United Nations announced it had allocated $60 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to enhance response efforts in Congo and surrounding areas. The U.S. has committed $23 million in financial support to strengthen response activities in Congo and Uganda, and indicated it would finance the creation of up to 50 Ebola treatment facilities in the impacted areas of both countries.

Ugandan officials stated they had no knowledge of any treatment facilities being established by the U.S.

Relief workers are conducting house-to-house campaigns to fight false information about Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a deadly outbreak continues to spread, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The organization announced Friday that the current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has no approved vaccine or treatment available. The World Health Organization classified this outbreak as an emergency of international concern on Sunday.

Relief efforts are concentrated in Mongbwalu, the epicenter of the outbreak, where the IFRC is collaborating with local residents to educate them about prevention methods and appropriate medical care.

Gabriela Arenas, the Regional Operations Coordinator for the IFRC Africa Region, spoke to reporters from Nairobi via video link about the varying community responses.

“Community reactions remain mixed, for some people the outbreak is very real and they are taking information on how to protect themselves,” Arenas explained. “For others, there’s still suspicion and misinformation claiming that Ebola is fabricated.”

Local conflicts have emerged over outbreak response measures. Community members burned down patient treatment tents after Congolese officials denied their request to receive the remains of a popular local footballer who allegedly died from the disease. The deceased’s family challenged the Ebola diagnosis and wanted to conduct their own burial ceremony.

Arenas noted that this incident highlights the critical importance of establishing community trust during outbreak response efforts.

The remains of Ebola patients pose extreme infection risks after death, and improper burial practices where relatives handle bodies without adequate protection equipment represent a major source of disease spread.

“Ebola outbreaks start and end between communities, and this is why the local engagement remains so central to the response,” Arenas stated, explaining that false information develops from community fears and insufficient access to reliable sources.

GENEVA, May 22 – The World Health Organization’s Africa regional director cautioned against minimizing the threat from the current Ebola outbreak, stating in a Reuters interview on Friday that even a single case has the potential to cause the virus to spread beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

“It would be a big mistake to underestimate it, especially with a virus with this strain Bundibugyo, (for) which we don’t have the vaccine,” Mohamed Yakub Janabi said during the interview conducted at WHO headquarters in Geneva.

“So I would really encourage everyone, let’s help each other, we can bring this thing into control,” he said.

The official noted that the Congo Ebola outbreak has received comparatively less worldwide attention than this month’s hantavirus outbreak, which impacted cruise ship passengers from 23 countries including major powers.

A medical missionary from the United States who became infected with Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo is in stable condition at a German hospital, medical officials announced Friday. The man’s wife and four children have all tested negative for the deadly virus.

Charite university hospital in Berlin reported that while the patient is not in critical condition, medical staff continue to monitor him closely due to the unpredictable nature of the disease. Hospital officials stated he is receiving care in a specialized high-security isolation facility.

“Because the course of the illness can change, he remains under close observation and is receiving treatment,” Charite university hospital said in a statement. “He is being cared for in the high-security area of the specialized isolation unit.”

The man’s family members are showing no symptoms and remain in quarantine in a different section of the medical facility. According to the hospital, initial testing found no evidence of Ebola infection in any of the family members.

The patient’s wife and four children “are currently asymptomatic and quarantined in a separate part of the unit – an initial PCR test detected no Ebola virus infection.”

The Serge Christian mission organization has identified the infected individual as Dr. Peter Stafford, who became ill while providing medical care to patients during an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Stafford had been residing in the country with his family while conducting his missionary work.

According to White House officials, the decision to transport Stafford and his family to Germany rather than the United States was made because the European location is 12 hours closer to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Hospital administrators have worked to make the isolation environment as comfortable as possible for the children involved. The medical facility noted that the young patients can visit with their father by looking through protective glass barriers, and family members are able to talk using intercom systems.

The current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo involves an uncommon strain of the virus and has resulted in more than 130 deaths.

Pat Gentile faced a moment of uncertainty as her hair began returning after completing chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer. The prospect of heading to work without wearing her wig for the first time filled her with anxiety.

During this vulnerable period in 2010, an unexpected interaction with someone she had never met at a local convenience store provided the boost of confidence she desperately needed. The stranger’s kind words helped her feel both normal and acknowledged during her recovery process.

This chance encounter became a turning point for Gentile, demonstrating how a simple gesture from an unknown person can have a profound impact on someone navigating the challenges of cancer treatment and recovery.

An urgent request for assistance arrived in early May when a cruise vessel near Cape Verde found itself in crisis, carrying passengers believed to be infected with a lethal hantavirus variant that proves fatal for roughly one-third of those affected.

After the ship had visited multiple isolated islands, the World Health Organization required immediate answers. Officials wondered whether a biomedical facility in Senegal, located just one hour away by air, could assist a team gathering samples from potentially infected individuals aboard the vessel.

The aircraft touched down in Senegal during the predawn hours of May 5. Scientists at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar labored throughout the night, utilizing advanced laboratory technology and high-powered computing systems to generate results that health authorities around the globe were anxiously awaiting.

In less than a full day, researchers had created a partial genetic sequence revealing that the disease impacting the travelers — identified as cases five and six — was the Andes variant of hantavirus, recognized for its ability to transmit between people through close contact. Research facilities in South Africa and Switzerland arrived at identical conclusions on the same day.

The WHO shared these discoveries during a media briefing. The contribution of the West African laboratory had not been thoroughly documented before, demonstrating how international research partnerships can assist in controlling disease outbreaks.

“It’s crucial to have, in different parts of the world, the capacity and capabilities to detect those different pathogens,” said Dr. Moussa Moise Diagne, a virologist and head of the sequencing platform at Institut Pasteur.

“It’s really important for the clinical case management, and also for the contact tracing, which is really key.”

The Institut Pasteur, an international foundation headquartered in France, serves a vital function in addressing disease emergencies across sub-Saharan Africa.

The organization’s Senegal facility assisted approximately 20 nations throughout the COVID-19 crisis and has contributed to responses against Marburg in Guinea and Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo — including developing a quick diagnostic test for the ongoing outbreak.

For examining patients on the Cape Verde vessel, the WHO gathered materials from the laboratory and arranged charter transportation to fly a team to the island chain and return with specimens. The biological samples received triple-layer protection — placed in testing vials, wrapped in plastic, and secured within a cardboard container bearing hazard warnings.

By 3 a.m., the Dakar team was operating at full capacity, understanding that each passing hour was crucial.

The shipment was unsealed within a specialized containment laboratory and neutralized by qualified personnel, who readied samples for analysis. Liquid specimens underwent examination using sequencing equipment designed to chart the virus’s genetic structure.

The findings reached the WHO in the early hours of May 6, aligning with discoveries from South Africa and Switzerland, which had obtained samples from additional patients.

By May 8, scientists had completed the full genetic mapping. Research centers across the globe examined sequences to detect mutations that might influence viral behavior.

The speed of potential transmission represented a vital concern. The ship had docked at remote Atlantic islands and three travelers had perished, including one passing through Johannesburg. Approximately 150 individuals from 23 nations were aboard the MV Hondius, an expedition cruise vessel.

Thankfully, researchers discovered no significant genetic changes compared to the 2018–19 outbreak in Argentina.

“Sequencing is the way to understand the strength of the transmission,” Diagne said.

Health experts indicate additional cases might surface globally because of the virus’s extended incubation timeline, which can extend up to six weeks. Unanswered questions persist, including the location and timing of initial infections — information essential for preventing further spread beyond areas where the disease naturally occurs.

“The most important thing now is to know what is the window of exposure in Latin America,” Diagne said.

The hantavirus emergency, followed by a rapidly expanding Ebola crisis in central Africa, has underscored the importance of worldwide laboratory networks, many of which, including the Institut Pasteur, have recently experienced funding reductions for pandemic preparedness.

One instance involves the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s choice to terminate support for the Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases Network, a global program that encompasses a West African facility. A research project examining how hantavirus affects humans was also discontinued.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stated it continues to prioritize addressing global infectious disease challenges. Claims that the United States is retreating from international health security “do not reflect the reality of our ongoing engagement and support internationally,” a spokesperson said.

NEW YORK (AP) — Following more than ten years of preparing dough at his family’s Brooklyn pizza establishment, Salvatore Lo Duca recently learned something troubling: A crucial ingredient in their thin-crust pizzas, bromated flour, included a potential cancer-causing substance that’s already prohibited in most countries worldwide.

Working in the rear kitchen of Lo Duca Pizza, the 39-year-old started modifying the traditional recipe passed down from his parents — with surprising outcomes.

“When we started playing around with a different flour, I actually took a liking to it,” said Lo Duco, who runs the shop with his five brothers. “It’s a little more expensive, but the quality is there.”

An approaching prohibition on the chemical, potassium bromate, could soon compel thousands of pizza establishments and bagel stores throughout New York to undergo a comparable transformation.

The legislation, approved by state lawmakers and waiting for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature, has created divisions among dough-makers, sparking concerns that even a small modification to established baking methods could significantly impact the city’s most famous foods.

“This is an earth-shaking event for New York pizza,” said Scott Wiener, a pizza historian who leads tours of notable slice shops. “That ingredient is part of the identity of the slice.”

Workers at multiple establishments using bromated flour refused to provide comments for this report. However, Wiener calculated that approximately 80% of pizza and bagel businesses depend on flour containing the oxidizing substance, which shortens dough resting periods and helps create a stronger, chewier final product.

For many, the distinctive characteristics of New York bagels — their height and form, outer crispness and elastic texture — wouldn’t be achievable, or at least as widespread, without this chemical enhancement.

“You could achieve that same bagel texture, but it’s a lot more work and it’s going to be a lot more expensive,” lamented Jesse Spellman, the second-generation owner of Utopia Bagels.

In preparation for the potential prohibition, he’s also been modifying his family’s formula, testing different yeast amounts and rising periods.

“It’s going to take some time to get a product that we’re happy with,” Spellman said.

However, others view the suggested potassium bromate ban as overdue. The ingredient is currently forbidden throughout the European Union, China, India, Canada and — starting next year — California. Some researchers have suggested that its absence outside America might explain why many Americans find baked products in Europe and other places more digestible.

“From a consumer’s point of view, there’s nothing good about potassium bromate,” said Erik Millstone, a professor of science policy at the University of Sussex focused on the health impact of chemicals in food.

Dating back to the 1980s, he explained, research has demonstrated it can trigger cancer in laboratory animals, even at “perfectly reasonable” amounts.

“Most well-informed people would prioritize a long healthy life over a slightly softer and more soluble bun,” he said.

Currently, many of New York’s most acclaimed pizza restaurants, especially newer and more craft-focused establishments, promote their use of “unbromated” flour.

However, local slice shops continue to predominantly use a General Mills flour called All Trumps, a standard component since the city’s first quick-service pizza places opened almost a century ago, according to Wiener. General Mills now offers an unbromated flour for approximately the same cost, though other options are more expensive.

In Wiener’s opinion, the shift from bromated flour could eventually enhance slice quality citywide.

“Without such a fast turn around for dough production, you’re going to get more well-fermented doughs, which is going to lead to lighter pizzas that are easier to eat and leave you with less of a stomachache,” he said. “It will require more of a process. But everything will be built back better.”

Should the legislation become law, businesses will receive a one-year grace period to continue using the additive, plus extra time to finish unexpired supplies. A spokesperson for Hochul said she would review the bill.

Meanwhile, the possibility of the ban has created reactions beyond New York’s boundaries.

“Pizza in Florida is officially better than pizza in New York,” crowed Mario Mangilia, the owner of DoughBoyz in Florida in a recent Instagram post. He added that “my grandfather would haunt me” if the shop’s dough recipe were ever changed.

But after facing criticism from several prominent pizza accounts regarding the additive’s health risks, Mangilia seemed to reconsider his pro-bromate position.

“I’ll tell you what,” he replied to a Long Island-based pizza owner. “I’ll test some different flour out to check it out.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials forced an Air France flight destined for Detroit to land in Montreal instead after discovering a traveler from Congo had mistakenly gotten on the plane in Paris, violating current Ebola-related travel restrictions.

According to a spokesperson for the agency, the individual “should not have boarded” the aircraft on Wednesday because of U.S. entry limitations designed to prevent the spread of Ebola.

In an email statement, the spokesman explained that officials “took decisive action and prohibited the flight carrying that traveler from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada.”

The airline confirmed that the passenger from Congo was refused U.S. entry because of new rules requiring travelers from specific nations, including Congo, to enter only through Washington.

The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that all U.S. citizens and permanent residents who visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the past 21 days must now enter exclusively through Washington Dulles International Airport for additional health screenings.

Craig Currie, spokesman for the Public Health Agency of Canada, explained that American officials notified Canadian authorities about refusing the aircraft entry because of temporary travel limitations affecting anyone who had been to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan in the preceding 21 days.

Currie reported that a Montreal public health official examined the passenger and found them to be showing no symptoms. The individual was subsequently flown back to Paris.

“Air France flight AFR378, along with all other passengers, continued to its original destination of Detroit,” Currie stated in an email.

The World Health Organization declared the current Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday. This outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, which occurs less frequently than other strains and currently has no available vaccine or treatment.

A food manufacturer based in Lynn, Massachusetts has issued an urgent recall for soup products sold at Whole Foods Market due to potential undeclared allergens.

Kettle Cuisine is pulling 24-ounce containers of Whole Foods Market Kitchen Minestrone Soup from store shelves after discovering the product may contain shrimp that is not listed among the ingredients.

Health officials warn that individuals with allergies to crustacean shellfish face the possibility of severe or potentially fatal allergic reactions if they eat the affected soup product.

Customers who purchased this product and have shellfish allergies should not consume it and are advised to discard it immediately or return it to the store.

A food manufacturer has announced a voluntary product recall affecting pancake mix sold nationwide due to potential allergen contamination.

Hometown Food Company, working alongside Element Food Solutions, announced on May 20, 2026, that they are pulling a specific production batch of Birch Benders 12oz Sweet Potato Pancake Mix from store shelves. The Chicago-based company says the product may contain egg ingredients that are not listed on the packaging.

The recall targets only one lot code of the pancake mix product. Consumers who suffer from egg allergies or have severe reactions to egg products could face serious health consequences if they consume the affected pancake mix.

The company described the recall as limited in scope and emphasized that it was initiated voluntarily as a precautionary measure to protect consumer safety.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — While scalp and facial massages have long been enjoyable parts of salon visits, dedicated head spas are now emerging nationwide to provide intensive cranial and facial relaxation treatments.

“Usually when you receive a massage, the attention goes to your back, but I always wanted more focus on my head, particularly my face and neck,” explains Karena Kong, who regularly visits Nen Head Spa in San Francisco. “When I discovered they offer 90 minutes dedicated entirely to head, face, and shoulder massage, I realized it’s an excellent way to concentrate on the areas I really want treated.”

These head spa concepts trace back to Japan, where they developed from ancient practices blending massage techniques with herbal treatments. Contemporary versions started becoming popular in Japanese salons during the 1990s before expanding across Asia and eventually reaching America.

Standard treatments run 60 to 90 minutes and commonly start with scalp examination, then proceed through thorough cleansing, exfoliation, steam treatments, and comprehensive head, face and neck massage. Numerous establishments incorporate essential oils, treatment masks, and aromatherapy within tranquil environments featuring subdued lighting and gentle music.

“The central element involves having your hair thoroughly washed,” explained Peter Tham, who owns Nen Head Spa, where head massage services run approximately $100 per hour. “The sensation of having your head cleansed, particularly during hot, humid weather, provides tremendous relief. When you add facial, scalp, neck and shoulder massage, it addresses areas where many people, especially those working at computers daily, experience significant tension.”

Certain head spas promote health and medical benefits from their treatments, claiming they provide stress reduction or help with scalp conditions, hair loss, or even alopecia, an autoimmune condition. Medical professionals warn that individuals with skin or hair problems should consult dermatologists or other qualified physicians for proper evaluation and potential treatment.

“It’s crucial to distinguish between services performed for health purposes or relaxation versus consulting a medical professional, a dermatologist, when experiencing hair loss,” stated Zakia Rahman, a dermatology professor at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Rahman has observed the growing trend of head spas and considers them generally acceptable as supplements to actual medical care when necessary — and for those who enjoy the experience.

At Sunday Headspa in San Francisco, every appointment begins with technicians examining hair follicles using magnification tools and evaluating their health. Clients then receive intensive cleansing, explained Jolly Mac, the facility’s coordinator.

Many customers initially experienced head spa treatments while in Asia and seek comparable services, which begin around $200 hourly.

Customer Crystle Vitari first tried a head spa during a trip to South Korea and describes it as “rejuvenating” and calming.

“I consistently fall asleep and nap during sessions because it’s incredibly relaxing,” she noted.

A groundbreaking five-year clinical study has demonstrated that a dual-drug approach to treating melanoma significantly lowered the chances of the cancer spreading throughout the body by 59%, according to trial results released Thursday.

Researchers examined the effectiveness of pairing Moderna’s investigational personalized cancer vaccine, intismeran autogene, with Merck’s established immunotherapy drug Keytruda in melanoma patients who had undergone surgical treatment. The clinical trial aimed to evaluate whether this treatment combination could stop the cancer from coming back and included 157 participants enrolled between 2019 and 2021.

The five-year survival outcomes revealed striking differences between treatment approaches. Patients receiving both medications together achieved a 92.2% overall survival rate, compared to just 71.3% for those treated with Keytruda by itself.

These latest findings build upon previous research demonstrating that the dual therapy reduced the likelihood of cancer return or patient death by 49% over five years, matching earlier three-year results published in 2023.

Currently, researchers are conducting an advanced-stage clinical trial to evaluate whether intismeran could serve as a primary treatment option when paired with Keytruda for melanoma patients. Scientists are also investigating the vaccine’s effectiveness against lung cancer and other malignancies to determine its ability to prevent cancer recurrence.

The experimental vaccine intismeran autogene works by utilizing each patient’s unique tumor genetic profile to educate the immune system to identify and eliminate cancerous cells.

During the study period, seven participants in both treatment groups passed away, with most deaths attributed to cancer. Researchers noted that the safety characteristics of intismeran autogene remained unchanged from previous evaluations.

Melanoma represents the most prevalent cancer type across the United States. According to projections from the American Academy of Dermatology Association, medical professionals expect to diagnose 234,680 new melanoma cases throughout the country in 2026.

Researchers plan to share these study results at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference taking place in Chicago during the upcoming week.

Pat Gentile felt anxious about her first day back at work without wearing a wig as her hair slowly returned following cancer treatment. During this vulnerable time in her recovery journey, a chance meeting with someone she didn’t know at a local convenience store provided the encouragement she needed to feel more confident about her appearance.

Authorities in northeastern Congo deployed tear gas and fired warning shots during violent clashes over burial arrangements for a footballer suspected of dying from Ebola, according to witnesses.

The confrontation occurred in Rwampara, a community severely affected by the current Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or treatment available.

The incident underscores the challenges Congo officials face in implementing safe burial procedures for confirmed and suspected Ebola cases, which are essential for controlling the disease’s spread.

Ebola victims’ remains are extremely contagious following death, and improper burials where family members touch the body without adequate protection are a primary cause of virus transmission.

The current outbreak began when the first confirmed case died in Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri, on April 24. The infection spread after his remains were transported to the neighboring community of Mongbwalu, where funeral attendees gathered around and touched the body.

On Thursday morning, relatives of footballer Eli Munongo Wangu rejected safe burial procedures, challenged claims that the virus caused his death, and insisted on taking possession of his remains, witnesses reported.

Munongo had competed for multiple local teams and was recognized throughout his community. He had been hospitalized several days prior to his death. A medical professional confirmed to reporters that he was considered a suspected Ebola case and that the hospital had collected samples for testing.

“I believed my son had died of typhoid fever, not Ebola,” his mother stated.

Family members, friends and community residents assembled outside the medical facility demanding to retrieve his body for their own burial ceremony, violating explicit orders requiring safe burial procedures for all deceased, according to Jean-Claude Mukendi, a senior police officer overseeing security for the outbreak response in Ituri.

Military personnel initially attempted to calm tensions before police stepped in, deploying tear gas and firing warning shots to scatter the gathering, witnesses confirmed.

The crowd subsequently ignited two treatment tents equipped with eight beds operated by medical charity ALIMA, Mukendi reported, until additional army and police units arrived to restore order.

The tents were completely destroyed by fire, along with one body scheduled for burial that day. Six patients who were receiving care in the tents are now being treated at the hospital, ALIMA confirmed in an official statement.

Batakura Zamundu Mugeni, a local traditional leader who witnessed the events, said officials are collaborating with health workers to locate any patients who may have escaped and to trace their contacts.

Mukendi attributed the violence to “young people who do not grasp the reality of the disease.”

Public suspicion and false information have previously undermined Ebola response efforts in Congo. During the 2018-2020 outbreak in North Kivu province, armed groups and civilian protesters attacked hundreds of health facilities. That outbreak became the second-deadliest on record, claiming nearly 2,300 lives.

The present outbreak, officially declared by Congo’s government on Friday, has already become the third-largest recorded, with 160 suspected deaths among 670 suspected cases, based on health ministry statistics released Thursday.

Due to the outbreak, Congo’s national soccer team has canceled World Cup preparation activities in Kinshasa and will continue training in Belgium to meet U.S. travel requirements, a team spokesperson announced.

International health officials are working urgently to develop medical interventions for an ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.

The Bundibugyo variant differs from the more commonly seen Zaire strain, as no approved vaccines or treatments currently exist for this particular form of the disease.

Approximately 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths have been documented in this outbreak, according to reports. The World Health Organization has cautioned that these figures may continue to climb. The Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV) carries a mortality rate reaching up to 40%.

Researchers are evaluating a limited number of experimental vaccines and therapies, while international health officials investigate whether current Ebola medical interventions might provide protection – though this possibility is currently backed only by preliminary animal research.

The majority of potential treatments have not undergone human testing and would need emergency or compassionate-use approval for use in DRC.

VACCINES

A vaccine specifically targeting Bundibugyo, called rVSVΔG/BDBV-GP, employs the same technology found in Merck’s approved Ervebo vaccine for the Ebola Zaire strain. This vaccine demonstrated survival benefits in non-human primates during a 2023 proof-of-concept study.

A spokesperson for the University of Texas Medical Branch, whose researchers participated in the study, indicated that conversations are continuing to move the vaccine forward, though no final decisions have been made. The WHO has suggested a possible six-to-nine-month timeframe for producing an rVSV Bundibugyo vaccine.

A second potential vaccine candidate utilizing ChAdOx1 technology, the same platform used in the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, is being produced by the Serum Institute of India.

The company began production through its “emergency response framework,” working with partners Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the University of Oxford, immediately after learning of the outbreak this month, according to a spokesperson.

Vaccine doses might be available within two to three months, the WHO reported, although animal studies remain to be completed, requiring additional testing.

CEPI, which supported some initial COVID-19 vaccine development and seeks to have vaccines ready within 100 days of an outbreak, confirmed it is discussing with both vaccine candidates how to accelerate development, which would likely involve conducting pre-clinical studies simultaneously with manufacturing additional doses.

ANTIBODY-BASED THERAPIES

Privately held Mapp Biopharmaceutical is creating a pan-ebolavirus antibody treatment using a combination of two human monoclonal antibodies, designated MBP134.

Originally researched for Sudan ebolavirus, the treatment proved safe and well-tolerated in preliminary trials. The U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, known as BARDA, has supported its development.

The agency confirmed it is organizing shipments of the investigational treatment for potential use in high-risk Americans who have been exposed to the virus.

Mapp reported that MBP134 has demonstrated comparable effectiveness against all known ebolaviruses and that the company is collaborating with the World Health Organization and other authorities in responding to the Congo outbreak.

Human monoclonal antibodies taken from Bundibugyo survivors have also been investigated as possible treatments.

One potential treatment, BDBV289-N, showed effectiveness in a 2018 animal study. The research, performed by a team of scientists with backing from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, revealed the antibody provided up to 100% protection in infected monkeys, even when treatment began up to eight days following infection.

ANTIVIRAL DRUGS

Gilead Sciences’ antiviral medication, remdesivir, has demonstrated effectiveness against the Bundibugyo virus in laboratory research performed by scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Some findings suggest it may have greater effectiveness against BDBV compared to the Zaire Ebola strain.

Gilead did not respond to a request for comment.

DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

The WHO had noted that restricted testing capabilities for the Bundibugyo strain was hampering the response to the outbreak. Several tests can identify the infection.

BioFire Defense, an affiliate of French diagnostic company bioMérieux, produces an FDA-cleared test – BioFire Global Fever Special Pathogens Panel – that can identify multiple Ebola species, including Bundibugyo.

A company spokesperson confirmed it is expanding production capacity and working with public health stakeholders and international contacts to evaluate potential requirements.

Germany-based company Altona Diagnostics’ test named RealStar Filovirus Screen RT-PCR Kit 1.0 is being utilized to detect the Bundibugyo outbreak in Congo. The company has increased production to support local testing facilities in Congo.

The State Department announced Thursday that U.S. citizens who have visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past three weeks must now return to America exclusively through Washington Dulles Airport due to escalating Ebola cases in the region.

Officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with Customs and Border Protection have implemented heightened public health screening procedures at Dulles Airport in response to the ongoing Ebola crisis. The new measures came into focus Wednesday when an Air France flight traveling from Paris to Detroit was forced to divert to Montreal after a passenger from the DRC had boarded the aircraft “in error,” according to CBP officials.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained Thursday that the flight diversion was necessary to prevent Ebola from entering American territory.

“We had a flight last night headed to Detroit that was diverted because we have to protect the American people. So, objective number one is to make sure that Ebola never reaches the United States. Objective number two is do what we can to help the people of DRC and neighboring countries so it doesn’t spread.”

Earlier this week, the CDC announced it was halting entry for travelers who had been in the DRC and South Sudan within the weeks prior to their planned arrival in the United States as a measure to limit Ebola transmission risk. The travel restriction excludes Americans and lawful permanent residents.

This screening approach mirrors actions taken in 2014, when the United States mandated that travelers returning from three African nations affected by Ebola concerns could only arrive at five designated U.S. airports equipped with enhanced screening capabilities, including Dulles, New York JFK, Chicago O’Hare and Atlanta.

Health officials confirmed Thursday that an Ebola case has been detected in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province, located hundreds of kilometers away from where the outbreak initially began, according to the rebel alliance controlling that territory.

The World Health Organization reports that the current outbreak has resulted in 139 fatalities, with 600 suspected cases documented in Ituri and North Kivu provinces as of Wednesday. Additionally, two confirmed cases have been identified in neighboring Uganda.

Over the weekend, the WHO designated the outbreak of the virus’s Bundibugyo strain as a public health emergency of international concern. No vaccine exists for this particular strain.

Ugandan Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi criticized the U.S. response to Reuters, stating that America was “overreacting” by implementing travel bans affecting most travelers from Uganda, the DRC and South Sudan earlier this week.

A telehealth company announced Thursday that it has started providing Canadian patients with type 2 diabetes access to a generic alternative to a popular diabetes medication through its online platform.

Hims & Hers Health revealed it is distributing a generic form of semaglutide, the key component found in Novo Nordisk’s widely-used diabetes drug Ozempic, to Canadian customers. This represents the telehealth company’s initial venture into international generic GLP-1 medication distribution.

The generic medication comes from Apotex Inc, which the company describes as Canada’s largest globally-operating health company. This development became possible after Novo’s patent protection for semaglutide expired, creating opportunities for multiple pharmaceutical companies to introduce generic alternatives in the Canadian marketplace.

Canadian health authorities gave their approval to Apotex’s medication earlier this month. The previous week saw the company introduce its generic product, Apo-Semaglutide Injection, designed for weekly administration in adults managing type 2 diabetes.

Another pharmaceutical company, Indian drugmaker Dr Reddy’s, also secured approval last month and has introduced its own generic alternative in Canada.

The original Ozempic medication costs Canadian patients between C$200 ($145.27) and C$400 monthly, with pricing varying based on dosage strength, geographic location, and insurance coverage.

“When more affordable options enter the GLP-1 space, it becomes more dynamic, and prices fall across the board. That benefits patients everywhere, regardless of where they seek care,” stated Sandy Van, chief medical officer at Hims & Hers Canada.

The telehealth company indicated that Canadian patients can access customized treatment plans beginning at C$149 monthly.

Company representatives mentioned they remain open to establishing partnerships with additional manufacturers in Canada, though they declined to provide specific details about future collaborations.

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly announced Thursday that participants in a major clinical trial of its experimental obesity medication retatrutide achieved weight loss of more than 28% over an 18-month period, setting the stage for the company to pursue regulatory approval and potentially bring the drug to market next year.

The advanced-stage study followed weight reduction in participants diagnosed with obesity who did not have diabetes, representing another step in Lilly’s effort to capture a larger share of the rapidly expanding obesity treatment market, which includes its current injectable medication Zepbound and competitor Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.

The experimental medication retatrutide stands out as Lilly’s first obesity treatment to target three different hormone receptors simultaneously – GLP-1 for appetite suppression, GIP for improved insulin production, and glucagon for enhanced fat metabolism – which has led researchers to call it ‘triple G.’ Earlier studies have demonstrated that it produces greater weight reduction than existing medications from both Lilly and its Danish competitor.

During this advanced trial involving adults with obesity or those who were overweight with at least one related health condition, researchers discovered that participants receiving the maximum 12-milligram dose of retatrutide achieved an average weight reduction of 28.3% during the 80-week study period. Additionally, more than 45% of trial participants lost 30% or more of their body weight.

‘That’s really a threshold that’s historically been associated with bariatric surgery,’ said Kenneth Custer, Eli Lilly’s president of cardiometabolic health, said in an interview. ‘To have that available in a medicine is a pretty big deal.’

Custer indicated the company aims to bring the medication to market next year.

The trial outcomes matched analyst predictions. RBC Capital Markets researchers noted Tuesday that they anticipated 28-30% weight loss from the study.

Trial participants with appropriate body mass index who continued the medication for a complete two-year period achieved an average weight loss of slightly more than 30%, according to the company.

Study participants who received a lower 4-milligram dose experienced 19% weight reduction over the 80-week trial period, Lilly reported.

A previous study released in December showed that retatrutide helped participants with obesity and knee osteoarthritis achieve an average 28.7% weight loss over 40 weeks while also reducing knee discomfort. In March, Lilly reported that another trial demonstrated the drug’s ability to lower blood sugar and produce an average weight loss of 15.3%.

Side effects included dysesthesia, an unusual skin sensation, which affected 12.5% of patients receiving the 12-milligram dose, compared to 0.9% of those receiving placebo.

Financial analysts from J.P. Morgan have previously noted that retatrutide showed higher rates of adverse effects compared to Lilly’s other diabetes medication, Mounjaro, which somewhat diminished the drug’s benefits.

When questioned about side effects, Custer stated the medication performed comparably to other GLP-1 treatments.

The coronavirus pandemic appears to be influencing how Americans respond to news of other infectious diseases, with some people showing heightened concern about Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks.

Health officials note that while the public may be more vigilant about these diseases following the COVID-19 experience, they do not anticipate these current outbreaks will develop into another pandemic situation.

The increased awareness comes as Americans have lived through the widespread impact of COVID-19, which may be making people more sensitive to reports of other infectious disease cases.

Affordable pricing for weight-loss medications in pill form from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly is encouraging patients to move away from compounded alternatives toward branded treatments like Wegovy and Foundayo, based on conversations with nine physicians nationwide.

The starting doses of both companies’ oral medications typically cost less than their injectable counterparts and match pricing offered by pharmacies that create their own compounded alternatives by mixing ingredients themselves.

With insurance coverage becoming increasingly limited, these more affordable choices have benefited pharmaceutical manufacturers, medical professionals report.

The Danish company Novo and Indianapolis-headquartered Lilly launched their oral treatments in the United States during January and April respectively, reporting robust interest from first-time users.

However, both companies have raised concerns about compounded alternatives, which the U.S. FDA permits for customized formulations and dosing. The Food and Drug Administration has worked to impose stricter regulations after drug shortages that previously enabled compounding operations to expand have resolved.

Medical professionals and health authorities have expressed optimism that competitive pricing would encourage patients toward branded medications, which face more stringent regulatory oversight.

“I am seeing people are switching from compounds,” explained Dr. Michael Weintraub, assistant clinical professor of endocrinology at NYU Langone in New York. He noted that while he doesn’t prescribe compounded medications, he treats patients already using them.

“I have patients increasingly coming to me saying, ‘I hear it’s not as expensive to get the pharmaceutical-grade branded version, can we switch over?’”

A company representative from Lilly stated they were “encouraged by the early momentum, growing prescriber interest and intent to prescribe, and by patients choosing authentic, FDA-approved treatments like Foundayo.”

Novo reported expanding patient access to its GLP‑1 medications through its NovoCare Pharmacy and retail partnerships, designed to guide patients toward FDA‑approved options instead of compounded alternatives.

While physicians indicated some patients are transitioning to injectable GLP-1 treatments, the majority are choosing pill forms because their costs more closely match compounded versions.

Starting doses of Novo’s Wegovy pills run approximately $149 monthly, while injector pens begin at $199 monthly, based on company and White House website information.

Lilly’s Foundayo similarly begins at $149 monthly, while vials and pens of its GLP-1 weight management medication Zepbound can reach $299 or higher for patients paying directly.

Medical professionals noted that Novo’s Wegovy pill enjoys greater brand familiarity since it shares the same active ingredient and name as the injectable version. It also has proven heart-protective benefits, making patients and doctors more confident prescribing it, particularly for individuals with cardiovascular risk factors.

Physicians also mentioned patient hesitancy toward the less familiar Foundayo, as it represents a somewhat different medication type without established heart-benefit research.

“Something about saying it is new creates a little hesitation in at least a handful of patients I’ve spoken about it with,” noted Dr. Jorge Moreno, a Yale Medicine Obesity Specialist. “It’s a small sample, but they’ve opted for the Wegovy (pill).”

Oral Wegovy produced approximately 14% body weight reduction over 64 weeks, while Foundayo achieved roughly 11% reduction over 72 weeks in separate clinical trials. Patients using GLP-1 injections lost 15%-20% of body weight during studies.

Foundayo’s ease of use – requiring no empty stomach like Wegovy – and additional market time are anticipated to help Lilly close Novo’s current advantages in oral medications.

Financial analysts from Citi reported that prescribers anticipated equal distribution between Foundayo and Wegovy pills according to a survey involving 120 doctors who prescribe GLP-1 treatments.

Survey results also revealed that physicians at academic medical centers predict Foundayo will ultimately represent approximately 70% of prescriptions between both pill options. They identified Foundayo’s elimination of fasting requirements as a significant benefit.

Nevertheless, costs remain prohibitive for many patients, and all interviewed doctors confirmed that insurance approval continues presenting obstacles.

“Every day, I get a message from a patient saying ‘my insurance company didn’t approve or denied it again,’” Yale’s Moreno shared.

Frequently, physicians incorrectly code diagnoses for proper prescriptions, resulting in rejections, he explained. Insurance providers also show less willingness to cover preventive treatments compared to existing medical conditions.

Lilly’s representative mentioned that two of America’s three largest pharmacy benefit managers have started covering Foundayo, with the company pursuing broader coverage expansion.

Many physicians expressed anticipation for the U.S. government’s upcoming program providing GLP-1 coverage for Medicare recipients, scheduled to start in July and continue through 2027. They hope this government initiative will encourage commercial coverage for broader patient populations.

Some patients currently using injectable treatments are transitioning to pills, though not in large numbers, according to most interviewed doctors.

“Right now only a small percentage are switching to the pill,” said Dr. Christina Nguyen, an obesity specialist in Atlanta. “The injectables are working well and people don’t want to mess anything up.”

Physicians also confirmed what pharmaceutical executives have indicated: pill options are attracting new patients to the market.

“This is expanding the market of GLP-1,” explained Sarah Ro, medical director of the University of North Carolina Health’s weight-management program. “Patients who have been offered a GLP-1, but due to price, declined… now, they’re wanting to try.”

Pharmaceutical company Bayer announced Thursday that federal regulators have accepted the company’s supplemental New Drug Application for finerenone and provided it with priority review status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The medication, which goes by the brand name Kerendia, serves as a treatment option for chronic kidney disease that develops in patients with type 1 diabetes.

According to Bayer, clinical trial data backs the supplemental application, demonstrating that finerenone decreased the primary endpoint — specifically the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio — by approximately 25% from initial measurements over a six-month period when compared to placebo treatment in adult patients diagnosed with the condition.

WASHINGTON — Two leading physicians who headed a federal panel responsible for establishing preventive healthcare coverage requirements have been dismissed by the Trump administration.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent termination letters dated May 11 to the co-chairs of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, ending their appointments before their scheduled terms were complete.

The Department of Health and Human Services has already significantly reduced the task force’s activities, suspending planned public sessions throughout the past year and delaying anticipated updates on topics including cervical cancer screening protocols.

Established in the 1980s, the task force consists of medical experts who evaluate scientific research supporting various disease prevention measures, including depression screenings and statin medications for heart attack prevention. The group assigns letter ratings based on the strength of scientific evidence. Through provisions in the Affordable Care Act, insurance providers must offer preventive services rated “A” or “B” without patient copayments.

Kennedy’s dismissal letters did not specify reasons for removing Drs. John Wong and Esa Davis from their positions. His correspondence praised their “leadership, contributions and expertise” in advancing the task force’s mission “to improve the health of Americans” and invited them to submit new applications. Kennedy stated he was examining task force memberships “to ensure clarity, continuity and confidence” in HHS supervision.

The New York Times initially reported on these letters. An HHS representative did not answer inquiries about the dismissals.

During testimony before lawmakers last month, Kennedy described plans to reform what he called a “lackadaisical” task force, promising more frequent meetings and “for the first time, transparency.” The panel currently conducts open meetings, solicits public feedback on preliminary recommendations, and releases supporting scientific documentation.

Health policy advocates have expressed concerns that Kennedy might replace experienced panel members with less qualified political appointees, similar to changes made to an important vaccine advisory group. According to former task force chairman Dr. Michael Silverstein, a pediatrician, the panel has been prevented from publishing final cervical cancer screening updates and advancing maternal depression recommendations over the past year.

“This is a level of government intrusion into scientific processes that I’ve not experienced in my 10 years on the task force,” he said.

Aaron Carroll from the nonpartisan policy organization AcademyHealth explained that overlapping appointment terms typically allow health secretaries to gradually introduce new members and influence the task force without completely disrupting its operations.

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed the top leadership of a significant medical panel that determines which preventive healthcare services must be offered to patients without charge, according to documents obtained by Reuters.

The dismissals affected the chair and vice chair of the Preventive Services Task Force, which occurred earlier this month. Dr. John Wong, a medicine professor at Tufts University School of Medicine who served as chair, and Dr. Esa Davis, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who was vice chair, were both terminated from their positions.

The influential panel, which normally operates with 16 members, has not convened for more than a year following Kennedy’s decision to suspend its routine meetings. Additionally, five volunteer members whose terms concluded in December have not been replaced with new appointments.

A dedicated emergency medical services worker from Northampton County has earned recognition as the top provider in the state for 2025.

Charlene Bagwell has been selected to receive the NCEMS 2025 Provider of the Year award, marking a significant achievement in her emergency medical services career.

The annual recognition highlights outstanding performance and dedication among emergency medical service providers throughout the region.

The World Health Organization announced Wednesday that the current Ebola outbreak affecting Congo and Uganda carries significant risk at the national and regional level, though the threat of worldwide transmission remains minimal.

This assessment comes as the head of WHO’s team in Congo indicated the crisis, which has resulted in 134 suspected fatalities, may persist for a minimum of two additional months while relief organizations work to control transmission.

The global health agency has classified this Ebola outbreak as a public health emergency requiring international coordination. Officials expressed alarm Tuesday regarding the outbreak’s “scale and speed.”

Local residents report increasing costs for protective masks and cleaning supplies after the emergence of this uncommon Ebola strain, called the Bundibugyo virus. This variant went undetected for weeks after the initial known fatality because authorities initially tested for a more prevalent strain that returned negative results, according to health officials and humanitarian workers. Currently, no authorized treatments or vaccines exist for the Bundibugyo virus.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported Wednesday that 51 confirmed cases have been documented in Congo’s northern Ituri and North Kivu provinces, plus two additional cases in Uganda. He noted nearly 600 additional suspected cases and deaths beyond the confirmed numbers.

“We know that the scale of the epidemic is much larger,” he said. “We expect those numbers to keep increasing.”

Congo anticipates receiving experimental vaccine shipments from the United States and Britain for various Ebola strains, created by Oxford researchers, Jean-Jacques Muyembe from the National Institute of Biomedical Research informed reporters Tuesday.

“We will administer the vaccine and see who develops the disease,” he said.

Health specialists noted that delayed virus identification, significant population movement in affected regions, and existing humanitarian challenges have complicated response efforts. Armed rebel groups control portions of eastern Congo, creating obstacles for aid distribution.

Congo reported the first virus-related death occurred April 24 in Bunia, though confirmation took several weeks. The deceased was returned to the Mongbwalu health zone, a mining region with substantial population density.

“That caused the Ebola outbreak to escalate,” said Congo’s Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba.

Dr. Anne Ancia, leading WHO’s Congo team, stated officials have not yet located “patient zero.” She emphasized the lengthy response ahead, noting that funding reductions have had “a marked detrimental effect on humanitarian actors.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed reporters Tuesday that the current administration would increase Ebola response involvement, prioritizing funding for 50 emergency medical facilities in affected regions. The United States has provided $13 million thus far, with additional funding planned, according to Rubio.

In Bunia, where the first confirmed death occurred, educational institutions and religious facilities continued operating Wednesday, with some residents wearing protective masks outdoors. Citizens reported difficulty obtaining masks and noted disinfectant prices rising from 2,500 Congolese francs to 10,000 francs ($4.4).

“It’s truly sad and painful because we’ve already been through a security crisis, and now Ebola is here too,” said Justin Ndasi, a resident of Bunia. “We have to protect ourselves to avoid this epidemic.”

Trish Newport, emergency program manager from Doctors Without Borders, said her Bunia team discovered suspected cases over the weekend at Salama hospital, which lacks an isolation unit. Attempts to transfer patients to other Bunia medical facilities proved unsuccessful.

“The team called around to other health facilities to see if they had isolations,” she said. “Every health facility they called said, ‘We’re full of suspects cases. We don’t have any space.’ This gives you a vision of how crazy it is right now.”

In Mongbwalu, the community at the outbreak’s center, the Ugandan border remains accessible and gold extraction operations continue, according to local civil society leader Chérubin Kuku Ndilawa.

“There’s no panic; people are continuing their normal lives, but they’re also starting to spread the word,” said Ndilawa.

Containment efforts face challenges due to insufficient handwashing facilities in community spaces, Ndilawa reported.

Dr. Didier Pay, former director of Mongbwalu General Hospital, said his medical facility was caring for approximately 30 Ebola patients. He confirmed a student from the area’s medical technology school died Wednesday morning.

DENVER — Colorado’s highest court has directed the state’s biggest children’s hospital to reinstate gender-affirming medical services for minors, overruling the facility’s decision to halt treatments amid concerns about potential federal funding cuts.

Children’s Hospital Colorado halted medical interventions for transgender youth under 18 years old this past January following what the institution described as a federal Health and Human Services Department probe into its treatment protocols. This action came during ongoing disputes between President Donald Trump’s administration and advocacy groups regarding transgender healthcare for young people.

Hospital officials released a statement indicating they are examining Monday’s judicial decision and weighing their response options. The facility had previously indicated it would maintain mental health services for minors while continuing medical care for patients between 18 and 21 years old.

A group of four transgender girls, ages 10 through 17, filed suit against the hospital through their legal guardians, claiming the institution violated state anti-discrimination statutes by denying them care based on both their gender identity and their medical condition of gender dysphoria. Medical professionals define gender dysphoria as the psychological distress experienced when an individual’s gender expression conflicts with their birth-assigned sex.

The young plaintiffs expressed concerns about losing access to medications and medical supervision needed to prevent puberty and the development of male physical characteristics. They also documented psychological consequences including depression and thoughts of suicide.

The state’s top court supported the girls’ position in a 5-2 decision, determining that ending services for minors violated state anti-discrimination statutes. Writing for the majority, Justice William Wood III stated, “We conclude that the actual immediate and irreparable harm to petitioners outweighs the speculative harm CHC may face if the federal government further acts against it.”

In his opposing view, Justice Brian Boatright argued the hospital’s choice wasn’t motivated by patients’ gender identity. Instead, he explained, “It was a decision driven by the direct threat to the viability of the entire hospital.”

A judge in Kansas reached a similar conclusion favoring transgender minors in a decision issued last week.

The Colorado facility’s TRUE Center, which specializes in gender-affirming treatments, operates as one of the nation’s most extensive programs and serves as the sole comprehensive care facility throughout the Rocky Mountain area, court documents indicate.

Children’s Hospital Colorado stated that HHS launched its investigation following Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s declaration characterizing treatments including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgical procedures as dangerous and ineffective for children and teenagers experiencing gender dysphoria.

A federal judge based in Oregon ruled in March that Kennedy’s declaration exceeded appropriate bounds, siding with Colorado and 20 additional states in that determination.

An American physician who was exposed to an Ebola patient while in Uganda is being flown to a specialized hospital in Prague for observation, according to Czech health authorities.

The medical professional is not displaying any signs of the lethal disease and will be admitted to the facility for monitoring purposes after the United States made the request, Health Minister Adam Vojtech announced on X Wednesday.

The current Ebola crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in more than 130 fatalities, with additional cases reported in neighboring Uganda.

Prague’s Faculty Hospital Bulovka, which focuses on treating infectious diseases, announced Tuesday night that the individual was being flown in using an isolation transport unit and was scheduled to land Wednesday evening.

“The case does not pose a risk to the public in the Czech Republic, and procedures for similar situations are clearly set,” the hospital said.

On Saturday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus classified the outbreak of the uncommon Bundibugyo strain as a public health emergency of international concern, marking the first instance a WHO chief has made such a declaration without first assembling an emergency committee.

Health experts are particularly concerned about this outbreak because it managed to circulate undetected for several weeks throughout a heavily populated region affected by extensive armed conflict.

A previous outbreak in eastern Congo that lasted from 2018 to 2020 became the second most fatal on record, claiming nearly 2,300 lives.

USHUAIA, Argentina — Scientists investigating a fatal hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship last month began capturing rodents in forests near Argentina’s southernmost city on Tuesday, seeking to determine whether the deadly virus exists in a region previously considered free of the disease.

Researchers dressed in bright blue protective gloves and surgical masks examined 150 cage traps they had placed the night before, placing deceased rodents into black plastic bags before transporting them to a temporary laboratory for blood sample collection.

Tuesday’s rodent collection operation launched field research as part of Argentina’s broader probe into what caused the disease outbreak on the MV Hondius, which resulted in three deaths and multiple illnesses while triggering an international effort to locate passengers and their contacts.

The research team working through muddy terrain to collect the dead animals refused to discuss their activities with reporters. Argentina’s state-supported Malbrán Institute, the nation’s premier infectious disease research facility, indicated the team would continue this process for three additional days before transporting specimens to the institute’s primary laboratory in Buenos Aires for hantavirus testing. While testing may require up to one month, officials provided limited additional information.

“They were able to capture what was expected,” said Martín Alfaro, the spokesperson for the local health ministry of Tierra del Fuego.

The investigation began nearly two weeks after Argentina’s Health Ministry initially announced plans to deploy the Malbrán Institute team to Ushuaia. This popular tourist location where the cruise began its journey — known for being situated at the “end of the world” — functions as the primary entry point for Antarctic travel.

Hantavirus has never been documented in Ushuaia or throughout the broader Tierra del Fuego archipelago. However, provincial authorities from northern Patagonian regions where hantavirus commonly occurs maintain that the outbreak’s first known victims — a Dutch couple with a passion for birdwatching — did not travel there during the timeframe when they likely became infected.

The Dutch visitors finished an extensive road journey through Chile and Argentina in late March, spending several days birdwatching and hiking in Ushuaia before departing on the ship April 1.

Local health officials have strongly disputed the national government’s original theory that the cruise ship infection chain started when the couple visited an Ushuaia landfill. Both individuals have since passed away, making it more difficult for Argentine investigators to track their movements throughout the country to identify where they acquired the virus.

Present across southern Chile and Argentina, the Andes virus can occasionally transmit between humans in uncommon instances. Most Andes virus outbreaks, according to experts, result from contact with air polluted by waste products from the long-tailed pygmy rice rat called the “colilargo” that thrives in northern Patagonian forests.

The colilargo does not exist beyond the Strait of Magellan in Tierra del Fuego, which researchers believe is too harsh and remote for this rodent species. However, a related subspecies inhabits forests surrounding Ushuaia, and researchers have never studied whether it can carry hantavirus.

Insisting that tourism-reliant Tierra del Fuego is not responsible for the cruise ship outbreak, local health officials expressed support for a wider investigation goal: determining whether their province contains hantavirus during an era of climate change. They noted scientists were setting traps in two locations where the colilargo subspecies thrives — the national park and forested slopes above Ushuaia’s main pebble beach.

“The province has never done this kind of testing before,” Alfaro said. “It’s important that we rule out the possibility of transmission occurring here.”

Hantavirus infections have risen in recent years throughout Argentina, a pattern researchers connect to colilargos significantly expanding their territory due to climate change and human development.

OMAHA, Neb. — Federal health authorities announced Tuesday that they have placed two passengers from a hantavirus-affected cruise ship under mandatory quarantine at a Nebraska medical facility.

The quarantine directives were authorized by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a CDC statement.

These two individuals are part of a group of 18 cruise ship passengers currently under medical evaluation in a specialized unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. The remaining 16 passengers have been requested to remain at the medical facility until May 31, the CDC reported.

A quarantine involves isolating and limiting the movement of individuals who have been exposed to an infectious illness to monitor whether they develop symptoms. This measure is rarely used, and the CDC’s statement did not explain why only 2 of the 18 passengers received mandatory quarantine orders.

Last Wednesday, the World Health Organization reported that 11 hantavirus infections connected to the cruise ship have been documented, with three fatalities. Laboratory testing has verified eight of these cases.

Hantaviruses typically transmit when individuals breathe in contaminated particles from rodent waste. However, the specific strain responsible for this outbreak, known as the Andes virus, has the potential for person-to-person transmission in uncommon circumstances. Public health authorities state that the general public faces minimal risk from this cruise ship outbreak.

For Juli Skinner, a member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma who serves as senior director of the Cherokee Nation’s behavioral health center, incorporating cultural elements into addiction recovery isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential.

Through her experiences in foster care, child welfare work, and tribal behavioral health, Skinner has witnessed how traditional practices provide healthy coping mechanisms and spiritual connections.

“Culture is such a protective factor,” Skinner said. “Historical trauma has hit a lot of people — Native Americans, tribes — hard. Lost language, lost traditional ways, and we’ll never get all of that back.”

While Skinner has observed these advantages firsthand, the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma has lacked inpatient treatment facilities that integrate cultural elements—until now. The tribe, where Skinner has served for over ten years, is set to change this approach.

Next year, the Cherokee Nation will launch a residential and intensive outpatient treatment facility in Tahlequah, the tribal headquarters location. The center will weave ancient customs into the recovery process, featuring traditional stickball activities and on-site cultivation of selu, the Cherokee word for corn.

Funding for this project stems from approximately $150 million the tribe obtained through legal settlements with opioid companies. The 45,000-square-foot facility will accommodate 100 residential patients and include an outpatient center offering continued support services.

Native American tribes joined thousands of state and local jurisdictions in filing lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, distributors, pharmacies and related businesses over the past decade, seeking accountability for an opioid epidemic responsible for over 900,000 American deaths since 1999.

These corporations have agreed to settlements totaling almost $58 billion, based on data compiled by Christine Minhee, who maintains the Opioid Settlement Tracker. The majority of these funds must address the ongoing crisis, though some communities have found it challenging to determine optimal usage strategies.

Approximately $1.3 billion from the overall settlement amount will be distributed among hundreds of tribes and Alaska Native corporations over several years.

As the largest among 575 federally recognized tribes, Cherokee Nation became the first to file suit against opioid manufacturers in 2017. The tribe counts more than 450,000 citizens, with many living in Oklahoma following federal policies that displaced Cherokee people from the southeastern United States.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. explained that Cherokee leadership chose to actively participate in opioid litigation after being excluded from similar tobacco company lawsuits during the late 1990s.

“There will never be another era in which there’s some industry that does damage to the Cherokee Nation, damage to the Cherokee people, where we will be bystanders looking for state legislatures, state attorney(s) general to get us justice,” he said.

The opioid epidemic has evolved through three distinct phases: initial prescription painkiller deaths, followed by heroin, and most recently fentanyl and other synthetic substances over the past decade. Native American opioid death rates matched those of white Americans until fentanyl’s emergence. Since then, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic, Native Americans have experienced higher rates of opioid-related fatalities.

Ashley Caudle, a Cherokee Nation citizen, witnessed this crisis directly while operating her small business last year. She routinely stocked free Narcan outside her Stilwell storefront, located 20 miles east of Tahlequah.

“I had to restock that thing every week, almost daily,” Caudle said.

Within the 14 counties comprising Cherokee Nation territory, over 1,000 people died between 2020 and 2024. Hoskin Jr. noted that many fatalities occurred in rural communities where language and cultural practices remain strongest. He views behavioral health investment as preserving the tribe’s essential foundation.

“In many ways, our success here is part of an existential effort,” Hoskin Jr. said. “Whether what it means to be Cherokee is going to continue on; that’s only true if we have people that continue our lifeways and continue to speak our language and pass that down.”

Cultural elements are woven throughout the new treatment center’s entire design concept. During the planning process, the tribe conducted community listening sessions with members and elders. Cherokee language specialists are completing work on the center’s name.

The building features expansive windows overlooking rolling hills and grazing cattle. Its eastern orientation welcomes the sunrise, and it sits within a short distance of a sweat lodge. Residential patients will have access to a stickball court, traditional food gardens, fitness facilities, and meditation spaces.

According to Skinner, typically 50 to 70 tribal citizens require residential treatment connections monthly. Currently, when individuals seek substance abuse help through emergency rooms, primary care physicians, or local clinics, the tribe refers them to contracted facilities not owned by Cherokee Nation.

The upcoming center represents the first facility completely operated by Cherokee Nation, providing services at no cost to tribal citizens.

“I can hardly wait until we have our own,” Skinner said.

The Tahlequah treatment center will join two other reservation locations providing intensive outpatient services to Cherokee Nation citizens.

Skinner explained that the tribe is developing a comprehensive care system encompassing various treatment approaches beyond residential care. Returning to previous living environments where addiction was active can make maintaining sobriety particularly challenging.

Caudle, the Cherokee Nation citizen from Stilwell, personally knows individuals who could have benefited from the resources the tribe is developing. Her mother and brother both battled substance abuse, ultimately leading to their deaths.

Reflecting on how the new Tahlequah facility might have affected their lives, Caudle said, “I guess there’s a lot of ‘what ifs’ and ‘woulda, coulda, shouldas,’ and that will never change. But the opportunities that people will have with this facility and the potential is huge.”

Caudle continues pursuing her own healing journey while sharing this knowledge with her son, Elliot.

“If he messes up, it’s not ‘get out of my house. I never want to see you again,’” Caudle said. “(It’s) let’s pick yourself back up and let’s try again. Same concept I want people to embrace as a community.”

A dramatic decline in health insurance participation is expected nationwide this year, with nearly 5 million Americans potentially losing their coverage as healthcare costs continue to climb, according to fresh research from the healthcare research nonprofit KFF.

The study reveals that individuals who maintain their insurance plans are facing significantly higher expenses, with typical deductibles jumping more than $1,000 and monthly premium costs increasing by $65 on average.

“No matter how you slice it, people are paying more,” said Cynthia Cox, a vice president of KFF who co-authored the report.

This dramatic decrease in participation, which exceeds what early government statistics indicated, demonstrates how escalating healthcare expenses are compelling Americans to make difficult mid-year choices about maintaining their health insurance. The cost increases stem partly from the January 1st end of financial assistance that had previously helped most participants afford their plans.

The findings could significantly influence upcoming midterm elections, as economic pressures remain a primary concern for voters in competitive districts nationwide.

According to KFF’s analysis, which incorporated government data from federal and state sources plus research from the actuarial firm Wakely Consulting Group, participation in the program may decrease from 22.3 million Americans in 2025 to approximately 17.5 million this year.

This represents a substantial reduction for the government’s primary subsidized health insurance option targeting working-age Americans who don’t meet Medicaid requirements. The program has gained popularity recently among gig workers, farmers, ranchers, hairstylists and other professionals who don’t receive employer-provided health benefits.

Cox explained that a major factor behind this steep decline involves automatic renewals from previous year plans. Many of these plans now carry much higher price tags due to expired financial assistance and additional market pressures.

Cox noted that when individuals can no longer afford the monthly payments during the year, they forfeit their coverage.

The research found that middle-income Americans discontinued their coverage at higher rates compared to other income brackets. This demographic earns too much to qualify for remaining program subsidies designated for lower-income participants, yet insufficient income to easily afford coverage without the pandemic-era enhanced subsidies that have now ended.

KFF discovered decreases in program participation across most states, though states operating their own exchanges maintained higher enrollment percentages than those using the federal marketplace.

The current administration attributes most of this year’s enrollment decline to federal initiatives aimed at eliminating program fraud. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, whose complete 2026 enrollment figures remain unpublished, did not immediately provide comments regarding KFF’s findings.

Last year, anticipating the conclusion of pandemic-era subsidies that had increased enrollment and reduced costs for program users over four years, KFF had predicted that premium payments would more than double in 2026.

However, the latest analysis shows premium payments increased by a more moderate 58% on average. This occurred partly because many participants switched to lower-premium, higher-deductible plans that will only cost them additional money if they actually use their coverage, according to KFF’s report.

“People are trying to hang on to their health insurance coverage any way they can, even if that means they have a deductible of $7,000,” Cox said.

She added that the potentially positive development is that insurance companies appear to have anticipated and already adjusted for many of the marketplace changes currently occurring.

This could indicate that future healthcare costs may not need to increase as dramatically.

“I’m hopeful that this could be a one-time market correction and that we might not need to see such a high premium spike in the coming year,” Cox said.

During spring cleaning season, many people view household tasks as burdensome work that causes stress and should be avoided whenever possible.

However, mental health professionals and Zen monks believe that routine cleaning activities like sweeping, mopping and organizing can offer significant psychological advantages. These activities can promote mindful awareness or allow thoughts to flow freely, while creating a tangible feeling of accomplishment from completing everyday responsibilities.

A well-known Zen teaching states:

“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”

Zen apprentices, known as “unsui” monks, dedicate considerable time to cleaning and organizing.

“We sweep dust to remove worldly desires. We scrub dirt to free ourselves of attachments,” Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk living in Kyoto, Japan, wrote in his book “A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and a Clean Mind.” “The time we spend carefully cleaning out every nook and cranny of the temple grounds is extremely fulfilling.”

Holly Schiff, a clinical psychologist based in Greenwich, Connecticut, agrees that cleaning activities can provide relaxation and meditation-like benefits.

“I definitely think there is a link between mental health and the act of cleaning,” she said.

“Repetitive, physical activities like cleaning can be regulating for the nervous system because they’re predictable, structured and give a clear sense of completion,” she says. This provides individuals with feelings of control and stability.

Additionally, the immediate visual results of cleaning efforts “which can be satisfying in a way that many cognitive or emotional tasks aren’t,” she says.

For individuals who find cleaning overwhelming or unpleasant, concentrating on the activity itself rather than a checklist can be beneficial.

Some recommendations for approaching cleaning more mindfully:

“For people who tend to see cleaning as drudgery, I think the shift is less about forcing yourself to enjoy it and more about changing how you engage with it,” says Schiff.

Avoid hurrying through the work. Focus on the body movements, their pattern, or elements like water temperature.

“If you slow it down and focus on the sensory aspects of it, it can start to function more like a mindfulness exercise,” Schiff says.

For others, cleaning activities can offer a chance to let the mind wander freely.

“By gently tending to your habitat, you allow your mind to naturally settle into a peaceful, unforced clarity,” says Matsumoto.

Matsumoto describes cleaning as a method of self-care and environmental stewardship.

“In our practice, we don’t see cleaning as a chore to control the environment. Instead, we view it as ‘Habitat Care,’” he explains. “Just as our bodies maintain a dynamic equilibrium to stay healthy, cleaning is an extension of that biological process into the space we inhabit. When we clean, we are not just fixing a room; we are tending to our expanded self. It is a way of caring for the relationship between us and the world.”

Instead of seeking flawless outcomes, says Matsumoto, accept that tasks may remain unfinished without feeling worried.

“Peace is found not in the final ‘tidy state,’” he says, “but in the humble, ongoing act of emptying the space and our minds.”

Perfection doesn’t exist.

“In nature, everything is constantly changing — leaves fall the moment you finish sweeping,” he says.

Often, feelings of being overwhelmed stem not from the cleaning task but from what it symbolizes. This might include time constraints, self-criticism or other worries, according to Schiff.

“Break the task down into very small, defined actions to reduce that barrier,” she suggests. “Just choose one surface, one task or one room for starters.”

“A lot of the overwhelm comes from anticipating the entire task rather than just engaging with that first step,” she says.

“In a clean space, even if the person who cleaned it is not there, we can feel their consideration and awareness,” says Matsumoto. “This awareness creates a sense of peace and safety, similar to why sacred spaces like temples feel different from the busy streets.”

Relay Therapeutics announced Tuesday that their investigational drug demonstrated success in reducing abnormal blood vessel formations and alleviating symptoms in patients suffering from uncommon vascular conditions during a mid-stage clinical trial.

The experimental medication, called zovegalisib, decreased the size of abnormal growths by a minimum of 20% in approximately 60% of participants after 12 weeks of treatment.

According to the company, virtually every patient experienced some degree of reduction in their condition, and all continued their treatment regimen through the study’s conclusion.

Medical professionals reported symptom improvements in roughly 89% of cases, while patients themselves noted better outcomes in about 79% of instances, particularly regarding pain relief and reduced swelling after the 12-week period.

The drug demonstrated effectiveness even in patients who had previously received other medications including alpelisib and sirolimus, the company reported.

“With a mutant-selective approach, zovegalisib is able to achieve clinical activity with a much better tolerability profile,” Don Bergstrom, president of R&D, told Reuters.

The company emphasized that no participants stopped their treatment because of adverse reactions, and severe complications were minimal throughout the study period.

Researchers found that smaller doses appeared appropriate for extended treatment periods, though higher dosages were deemed unsuitable for continued development in this specific patient population.

“There have been no discontinuations on our study to date due to adverse events and currently all patients remain on therapy,” Bergstrom said.

The pharmaceutical company stated that these findings demonstrate the potential for a more precise treatment approach that could eliminate negative effects associated with earlier medications in this therapeutic category.

Moving forward, Relay Therapeutics plans to recruit additional participants at specific dosage amounts for the trial’s next phase.

The drug is simultaneously being investigated as a breast cancer treatment and earned U.S. “breakthrough therapy” designation in February when combined with fulvestrant for specific patients with advanced stages of the disease.

Vascular anomalies represent uncommon medical conditions characterized by abnormal development of blood or lymphatic vessels, resulting in pain, swelling and additional health complications.

KINSHASA, Congo — Congo’s health ministry announced Tuesday that the nation’s latest Ebola outbreak has resulted in at least 131 fatalities and more than 500 suspected infections in eastern regions, prompting the World Health Organization’s top official to voice alarm about the “scale and speed of the epidemic.”

Medical experts and humanitarian workers report the disease circulated without detection for several weeks following the initial death, and this delayed identification is now hampering containment measures.

Samuel Roger Kamba, Congo’s health minister, reported 513 suspected infections and 131 fatalities, though he noted “these are suspected deaths, and investigations are underway to determine which ones are actually linked to the disease.” These figures represent a dramatic jump from Monday’s count of 300 suspected infections and reveal the largely uncertain magnitude of the crisis.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization’s director-general, stated he is “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic” and announced the U.N. health agency will assemble its emergency committee later Tuesday.

He identified the appearance of infections in city areas, healthcare worker fatalities, substantial population movement in the region, and absence of vaccines and treatments as primary concerns “for further spread and further deaths.”

Medical authorities report this outbreak, initially verified Friday, stems from the Bundibugyo virus, an uncommon strain of Ebola disease lacking approved treatments or vaccines. The WHO designated the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday.

Confirmed infections have emerged in Bunia, North Kivu’s rebel-controlled capital of Goma, Mongbwalu, Butembo, and Nyakunde. Uganda has also documented one infection and one fatality in individuals who traveled from Congo.

Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, medical director of the country’s National Institute of Bio-Medical Research, confirmed an American physician is among the infected in Bunia, Ituri province’s capital. Dr. Peter Stafford contracted symptoms while caring for patients at a local hospital, according to a statement from Serge, his employing organization.

Three additional Serge staff members were stationed at the same medical facility — including Stafford’s spouse — but remain symptom-free.

Congo officials state the initial victim succumbed to the virus on April 24 in Bunia, with the remains transported to the Mongbwalu health zone, a mining region with substantial population density.

“That caused the Ebola outbreak to escalate,” Kamba, the health minister, explained.

Following another person’s illness on April 26, specimens were dispatched to Kinshasa for analysis, the Africa Centers for Disease Control reported.

Congolese officials said specimens from Bunia underwent initial testing for Zaire, the more prevalent Ebola strain. Dr. Richard Kitenge, the Health Ministry Incident Manager for Ebola, said the results returned negative, leading local officials to conclude it wasn’t Ebola.

On May 5, the WHO received notification of approximately 50 fatalities in Mongbwalu, including four medical workers, which triggered additional testing. Initial Ebola confirmation occurred on May 14.

Matthew M. Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy and Politics, stated that due to the incorrect negative results, “we are playing catch-up against a very dangerous pathogen.”

He condemned the Trump administration’s previous decision to exit the WHO and implement significant foreign aid reductions — “the exact surveillance system meant to catch these viruses early,” he stated.

The U.S. State Department dismissed criticism on Monday, asserting it responded immediately and has already allocated $13 million in response assistance.

Esther Sterk from the Medecins Sans Frontieres aid organization told the AP: “The situation is quite worrying and is evolving pretty quickly. It was detected quite late.” However, she noted this frequently occurs with Ebola outbreaks, which present symptoms similar to other tropical illnesses.

Ebola spreads easily through contact with bodily fluids including vomit, blood, or semen. The resulting disease is uncommon but serious and frequently deadly.

In a major Ebola outbreak more than ten years ago that claimed over 11,000 lives, many contracted the infection while cleaning bodies at community burial ceremonies.

“Ebola is very much a disease of compassion in that it impacts the people who are more likely to be taking care of sick folks,” explained Dr. Craig Spencer, an associate professor at the Brown University School of Public Health who recovered from Ebola over a decade ago after becoming infected in Guinea.

The U.S. CDC lists symptoms including fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and unexplained bleeding or bruising.

The serious nature of symptoms and climbing infection numbers are creating increasing fear in Bunia’s communities.

“I know the consequences of Ebola, I know what it’s like,” said Noëla Lumo, a Bunia resident. She previously resided in Beni, an area affected by past outbreaks. Upon learning of the current outbreak, Lumo started creating protective masks manually.

Ituri’s Mongbwalu sits in isolated eastern Congo with inadequate transportation infrastructure more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Kinshasa, the capital.

Eastern Congo has long faced humanitarian challenges and threats from armed groups that have killed dozens and forced thousands to flee in Ituri over the past year.

A Bunia-based U.N. official, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization for public statements, said U.N. personnel have been instructed to work remotely and avoid physical contact and crowded locations.

According to U.N. data, Ituri contains more than 273,000 displaced individuals from a total population of 1.9 million.

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo announced Tuesday that 26 additional suspected Ebola fatalities occurred within a 24-hour period, as the head of the World Health Organization voiced serious alarm about the outbreak’s continued expansion.

The latest deaths push the total number of fatalities linked to the outbreak in eastern DRC to 131. Health officials report 516 suspected cases and 33 confirmed infections within Congo, along with two verified cases in nearby Uganda, according to the daily health bulletin.

The WHO Director-General declared the outbreak of the uncommon Bundibugyo strain a public health emergency of international concern this past Saturday. Health experts are particularly worried because the virus managed to circulate undetected for several weeks throughout a heavily populated region of Congo.

The city of Butembo in Congo’s North Kivu province, home to hundreds of thousands of residents, reported its initial two confirmed infections on Monday, according to the director of Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB).

AMERICANS TO BE EVACUATED TO GERMANY

The Ebola virus transmits through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals or animals, producing symptoms including high fever, vomiting, and both internal and external bleeding. The WHO states that Ebola’s average death rate hovers around 50%, though it has ranged from 25% to 90% in previous outbreaks.

“I’m deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,” the WHO Director-General stated to World Health Assembly members in Geneva on Tuesday, highlighting the number of infections appearing in urban centers and among medical personnel.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that one American working in Congo tested positive for Ebola.

This person, named Dr Peter Stafford by his Christian mission organization, along with six other Americans who had exposure to the virus, are being transported to Germany for treatment and observation, the CDC reported.

The U.S. State Department announced it has allocated an initial $13 million in foreign aid for immediate response measures to combat the outbreak.

EXPERTS TRY TO DEVELOP TREATMENTS AND VACCINES

Unlike the more frequently occurring Zaire strain of Ebola, no approved virus-specific treatments or vaccines exist for the Bundibugyo strain.

The U.S. is working to create a monoclonal antibody therapy as a possible treatment option, the CDC stated Monday.

A group of experts under WHO leadership will also convene Tuesday to evaluate potential vaccine alternatives for addressing the outbreak.

The U.S. formally withdrew from the WHO in January, a decision President Donald Trump attributed to the organization’s inadequate handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A previous outbreak of the Zaire strain occurring from 2018-2020 in Ituri and North Kivu provinces ranked as the second most lethal on record, claiming nearly 2,300 lives. The international response during that period faced complications from extensive armed conflict in eastern Congo that persists currently.

One Ebola infection has been verified in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, which fell under M23 rebel control last year.

GENEVA, May 19 – The World Health Organization’s top official on Tuesday voiced alarm about how rapidly an Ebola outbreak is expanding, citing rising case numbers.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported at least 500 suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths from Ebola since this latest outbreak started.

Beyond those figures, he noted one confirmed death and one confirmed case in Kampala, Uganda, along with 30 confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s northeastern Ituri province.

Global health authorities are gathering to explore potential vaccination strategies for addressing a severe Ebola crisis unfolding in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern region.

The World Health Organization is spearheading an expert panel scheduled to convene Tuesday, focusing on identifying possible vaccine approaches to combat the ongoing health emergency.

The outbreak has claimed 131 suspected lives with 500 documented cases involving the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola, World Health Organization data shows. Both the WHO and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have classified the situation as a public health emergency.

Currently, no licensed vaccines or therapeutic treatments exist specifically for the Bundibugyo Ebola variant, which carries a mortality rate reaching 40%.

One potential option under consideration is Ervebo, a Merck-produced vaccine designed for the Ebola Zaire variant. Laboratory research involving animals has indicated this vaccine may offer some degree of protection against Bundibugyo. Officials plan to evaluate this possibility alongside other potential interventions.

“When you have an outbreak with a strain that does not have countermeasures, we are going to advise on the best approach to take,” said Dr Mosoka Fallah, acting director of the science department at Africa CDC. “We will look at what evidence we have and make a decision.”

An uncommon strain of Ebola responsible for a deadly outbreak in Congo has claimed close to 120 lives, and medical experts say the response efforts face significant challenges due to the lack of targeted vaccines or treatments for this particular variant.

“There’s nothing even close to ready for clinical trials,” said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist who treated patients in West Africa during the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic. “And so that means responders, healthcare workers and other aid workers are really back to the basics.”

The strain responsible for the current crisis is known as Bundibugyo virus, representing a less frequently encountered form of what health authorities classify as Ebola virus disease.

According to Dr. Tom Ksiazek, a University of Texas Medical Branch virologist and veterinarian, Bundibugyo has triggered two previous outbreaks, all occurring within the same Congo River basin area. Ksiazek previously led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Special Pathogens Branch, the team that originally discovered this virus in 2007.

The transmission methods mirror those of other Ebola strains: direct contact with bodily fluids from infected or deceased individuals, including sweat, blood, feces or vomit. Medical personnel and family members providing care to patients face the greatest exposure risk, according to specialists.

“So very often we see doctors and nurses among the first to be infected and to die,” said Gounder, editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News.

Based on limited outbreak data available to researchers, Bundibugyo appears somewhat less lethal compared to the Zaire virus, which represents the most frequently occurring species.

“I think a 30%-plus mortality rate is still quite scary, but it’s hard to say with a lot of precision because we don’t have a lot of experience,” Gounder said.

During the two earlier Bundibugyo episodes, health officials detected initial cases quickly, Ksiazek noted, enabling rapid public health interventions: providing healthcare workers with appropriate protective gear, locating and quarantining exposed individuals, and delivering supportive medical treatment to patients. Adequate medical attention “reduces mortality significantly,” he explained.

This supportive care includes administering substantial amounts of IV or oral fluids, Gounder explained.

Medical teams are currently focused on identifying and isolating cases, tracking their contacts, and educating communities about virus prevention. During the West African epidemic, implementing safe burial practices proved essential for halting transmission, Gounder said, as people contracted the disease while preparing deceased relatives for funeral ceremonies. Ensuring healthcare workers receive proper protective equipment remains equally vital, experts emphasized.

“Of course, it’s problematic because vaccines are some of our best tools for combating infectious diseases,” said Lina Moses, an epidemiologist and disease ecologist at Tulane University. However, other public health strategies — community education, contact tracing, rapid testing — remain effective, she added.

“It’s important to keep in mind that every single Ebola outbreak that has occurred in the (Democratic Republic of the Congo) — we’re on our 17th now — has been stopped,” she said.

A food company has announced the withdrawal of a tahina product from store shelves following concerns about bacterial contamination.

Nassar Investments issued the recall for Malazi Tahina sold in 1-kilogram bottles bearing the expiration date of December 30, 2026, and UPC number 6 224011 088244. The company cited salmonella contamination as the reason for the product withdrawal.

Health officials warn that salmonella is a dangerous bacteria that can lead to severe and potentially life-threatening infections. The risk is particularly high for young children, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems.

The recall announcement was made on May 19, 2026, from Raleigh, North Carolina. Consumers who have purchased the affected product are advised to dispose of it immediately and not consume it.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Medical authorities trace the current Ebola outbreak in Congo back several weeks before it was officially identified.

The World Health Organization has designated the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern, with fatalities now surpassing 100. Uganda has reported two cases, one resulting in death.

Below is a chronological breakdown of events as they unfolded, after health officials initially faced challenges identifying the outbreak due to an uncommon virus strain not typically linked to Congo’s previous Ebola cases:

A medical worker, representing the initial suspected case known to officials, becomes ill and passes away in Bunia, Ituri Province’s capital in northeastern Congo. According to Congo’s health minister, the individual’s remains were subsequently moved to Mongbwalu, a nearby mining community.

The health minister reports the person’s death occurred on April 24. However, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states the death happened on April 27 following severe hemorrhaging symptoms.

A person who had close contact with the initial suspected victim also dies after developing similar symptoms, the Africa CDC reports.

Laboratory tests conducted on specimens in Bunia show negative results for the standard Ebola virus strain, also called the Zaire virus, which has been the predominant type in Congo’s past Ebola outbreaks.

Multiple viruses cause Ebola disease. According to WHO, three are responsible for major outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Bundibugyo virus. Health officials require an additional two weeks to determine that the less common Bundibugyo virus is responsible for this outbreak.

The World Health Organization receives notification of what it describes as a “high-mortality” outbreak involving an unidentified disease in Mongbwalu. Medical personnel are among those who have died. Community reports indicate approximately 50 fatalities at this point.

The Congolese health minister subsequently states that officials suspect the first victim’s body, which was transported to Mongbwalu, may have initiated the outbreak in that location. Corpses of Ebola-infected individuals can remain extremely infectious.

A 59-year-old Congolese man with fever and body pain is hospitalized in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, located 700 kilometers (434 miles) from Ituri. Ugandan officials confirm he crossed the border from Congo.

A WHO emergency response team travels to Mongbwalu and the adjacent Rwampara health districts in Ituri to conduct investigations as the outbreak continues expanding.

Medical personnel analyze thirteen blood specimens from suspected Ebola patients in Rwampara at a laboratory facility in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital.

The same day, the Congolese patient dies at the Ugandan hospital. His remains are returned to Congo.

Laboratory testing in Congo identifies Bundibugyo virus in eight of the thirteen Rwampara specimens. Ugandan health officials subsequently examine a sample collected after death from the man who died in their country, which also tests positive for Bundibugyo virus. No approved treatment or vaccine exists for this strain.

Congo’s Health Ministry officially announces an Ebola outbreak, with the Africa CDC reporting 246 suspected cases and 65 fatalities. This number quickly increases to over 300 cases and more than 100 deaths within days.

Uganda confirms its outbreak remains contained to two cases, both involving individuals who had traveled from Congo.

This marks Congo’s 17th major Ebola outbreak since the disease’s initial discovery in 1976.

The WHO formally designates the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern. The U.N. health organization clarifies the outbreak doesn’t qualify as a pandemic emergency like COVID-19 and recommends against border closures.

Nevertheless, it urges countries sharing land borders with Congo or Uganda to immediately strengthen surveillance systems and ensure medical workers receive training to investigate and treat Ebola cases.

Congolese authorities report that an American physician working in Congo is among the confirmed outbreak cases.

Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, medical director of the country’s National Institute of Bio-Medical Research, confirms the doctor is among the Bunia cases. According to his employing organization, he had been providing patient care at a local hospital.

Federal health officials have pulled back a charter for an important vaccine advisory committee due to what they’re calling an administrative mistake, according to a Monday notice in the Federal Register.

The Department of Health and Human Services explained that the withdrawal happened because they failed to follow proper timing rules required under federal regulations for making such changes.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had established a new charter on April 6 for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the group that provides guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about vaccine recommendations across the United States.

This committee has been central to Kennedy’s wider push to transform how the country approaches vaccine policy. He previously dismissed and replaced all 17 independent specialists who had been serving on the committee last year.

The updated charter came after a March 16 ruling by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston, who was handling a lawsuit challenging some of Kennedy’s vaccine policy modifications. The charter broadened the committee’s responsibilities to include examining vaccine dangers, safety data, and membership qualifications.

Murphy’s decision had temporarily suspended the committee’s operations, determining that its current members didn’t meet the requirements outlined in their own charter.

Last month, the Trump administration filed an appeal against Murphy’s ruling, which had prevented significant policy shifts under Kennedy’s direction, including plans to reduce the number of standard childhood vaccine recommendations.

Federal health authorities announced new protective measures Monday designed to minimize Ebola transmission risks in America following reports of a fresh outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while emphasizing that Americans face minimal immediate danger.

According to CDC officials, travelers who have visited or departed from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan within the previous 21 days will undergo screening and monitoring procedures.

The new protocols will exempt U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawful permanent residents, the CDC stated in announcing the order, which remains active for 30 days.

“The risk of Bundibugyo virus disease introduction into the United States is heightened by the virus’s incubation period, which can extend up to 21 days, allowing infected individuals to travel internationally while asymptomatic and therefore unlikely to be detected through routine symptom-based screening measures,” the CDC said.

Federal authorities will additionally enhance contact tracing efforts, expand laboratory testing capabilities and strengthen hospital preparedness across the nation, officials added.

The CDC’s announcement follows the deployment of medical teams to combat the outbreak in eastern DRC after the World Health Organization issued a public health emergency declaration, expressing concerns about potential spread following two confirmed cases in neighboring Uganda.

Health authorities in Colorado confirmed Monday that an adult has died from hantavirus in an isolated case that has no connection to a recent outbreak on a cruise vessel in the Atlantic Ocean, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Officials noted that the particular hantavirus strain responsible for this fatality typically appears in Colorado during this season, and they are currently working to determine how the individual was exposed to the virus.

While rodents serve as the main carriers of hantavirus, the disease can occasionally spread from person to person through extended close contact, though such transmission remains uncommon. The virus can remain dormant for approximately six weeks before symptoms appear.

Meanwhile, the MV Hondius, flying under a Dutch flag, arrived at Rotterdam on Monday. The vessel had been transporting roughly 150 passengers and crew members from 23 different nations when health authorities first notified the World Health Organization about a group of serious respiratory infections on May 2.

The cruise ship has recorded three fatalities. Combined with these deaths, WHO reports eight confirmed cases and two additional probable cases among those aboard the vessel.

Pharmaceutical company Merck announced Monday that its investigational cancer treatment achieved primary endpoints in advanced clinical testing for patients battling cancer of the uterine lining.

According to the company, the experimental medication sacituzumab tirumotecan demonstrated improved survival outcomes and slowed disease advancement when compared to standard chemotherapy treatments in patients whose endometrial cancer had continued to progress after receiving conventional therapies.

The clinical study included 776 participants diagnosed with advanced or recurring endometrial cancer.

Congo’s health minister revealed plans Sunday evening to establish three Ebola treatment facilities in the eastern Ituri region during a visit to the area affected by the current disease outbreak.

Samuel Roger Kamba, the health minister, spoke while in Bunia, Ituri’s capital and most populous city, stating: “We know that the hospitals are already under stress because of the patients. But we are preparing to have treatment centers at all three sites in order to be able to expand our capabilities.”

On Sunday, the World Health Organization issued a declaration naming the Ebola disease outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, following reports of more than 300 suspected cases and 88 fatalities in Congo, along with two deaths in Uganda. While the outbreak’s center is in Ituri, cases have emerged in the capital city Kinshasa and in Goma, eastern Congo’s largest urban area.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa posted on X Sunday that a 35-member expert team from the WHO and the Congolese Ministry of Health had reached Bunia, the Ituri province capital, bringing 7 tons of emergency medical supplies and equipment.

The Ebola virus spreads easily through contact with bodily fluids including vomit, blood, or semen. While uncommon, the disease it produces is serious and frequently deadly.

The WHO’s emergency designation aims to mobilize donor organizations and nations to respond. According to WHO criteria, this classification indicates the situation is grave, poses international transmission risks, and demands coordinated global action.

Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, spoke to Sky News on Sunday, saying: “Currently I’m on panic mode because people are dying, I don’t have medicines, I don’t have vaccine to support countries. Yesterday I called for a meeting of all partners, we have some candidate vaccine, some candidate medicine, we are pursuing this route. We hope that we can have something in the next coming weeks.”

Medical officials report the present outbreak, initially confirmed Friday, stems from the Bundibugyo virus, an uncommon Ebola strain lacking approved treatments or vaccines. Despite more than 20 Ebola outbreaks occurring in Congo and Uganda, the Bundibugyo virus has been identified only twice before.

The Bundibugyo virus initially appeared in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district during a 2007-2008 outbreak affecting 149 individuals and causing 37 deaths. Its second occurrence was in 2012 during an outbreak in Isiro, Congo, resulting in 57 cases and 29 fatalities.

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — A cruise vessel affected by a fatal hantavirus outbreak is set to dock at Rotterdam’s port in the Netherlands Monday morning.

The MV Hondius completed a six-day voyage from the Canary Islands, where the final passengers were removed from the ship by staff wearing complete protective equipment and put on aircraft bound for over 20 nations for quarantine purposes.

The virus outbreak aboard the vessel has infected 11 individuals, with nine cases receiving confirmation. Three travelers have lost their lives, including a Dutch couple whom health authorities believe were initially infected with the virus during a visit to South America.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported that one of four Canadian citizens in isolation following their departure from the ship tested positive on Sunday, and they would provide details about the case to the World Health Organization.

The ship completed its voyage from Tenerife along the African and European coastlines carrying 25 crew members and two medical staff. Ship operator Oceanwide Expeditions stated that no one aboard the vessel is showing any symptoms.

Crew members unable to travel home will undergo quarantine in the Netherlands, according to the Dutch health ministry’s announcement last week. Approximately two dozen passengers and crew are currently quarantined in the Netherlands after reaching the country through multiple flights during the past two weeks.

Eighteen Americans are presently under medical supervision at specialized treatment centers in the United States equipped to handle patients with hazardous infectious illnesses.

Following the disembarkation of all individuals on board, the vessel will undergo decontamination according to Dutch public health protocols. “Personal protective measures are being taken to ensure that the cleaners do not need to quarantine after the cleaning,” the health ministry stated in correspondence to the Dutch parliament last week.

Public health authorities will examine the ship before permitting it to resume operations. The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius represents the first documented incident on a cruise vessel.

The Dutch company operating the cruise ship indicated it does not anticipate any modifications to its business operations. The company has an Arctic voyage departing from Keflavik, Iceland, scheduled for May 29.

France’s Pasteur Institute announced Saturday that it completed full genetic sequencing of the Andes virus identified in a French passenger from the MV Hondius cruise vessel and determined it corresponds with viruses previously identified in South America, showing no indication of new features that would increase transmission or severity.

The Food and Drug Administration has given the green light to a new blood pressure medication that could help millions of Americans struggling with uncontrolled hypertension, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced Monday.

The newly approved medication, called Baxfendy, represents a fresh approach for patients whose high blood pressure remains problematic even while taking current medications. Federal regulators have authorized its use alongside other blood pressure treatments.

Company officials project the medication could bring in over $5 billion in yearly revenue at its peak sales period.

Unlike traditional blood pressure medications such as water pills and ACE inhibitors, Baxfendy works by blocking the creation of aldosterone, a hormone that can elevate blood pressure and heighten the chances of heart and kidney complications. This hormonal targeting represents a departure from older treatment methods that don’t tackle these underlying hormone issues.

Researchers are also investigating whether Baxfendy could treat chronic kidney disease and heart failure conditions.

The approval gives AstraZeneca a competitive edge over U.S. biotech company Mineralys Therapeutics, which is working on a competing medication called lorundrostat. Federal regulators are currently reviewing Mineralys’ drug, with a decision anticipated in December.

According to World Health Organization statistics, approximately 1.4 billion people globally suffer from high blood pressure, making it a leading contributor to early death. Government figures show nearly half of American adults – roughly 120 million people – deal with elevated blood pressure.

Federal drug officials based their approval on results from an advanced clinical trial where the medication substantially lowered blood pressure in patients whose condition remained uncontrolled or resistant to existing treatments.

During the study, participants taking a 2 mg dose of Baxfendy along with standard care saw their systolic blood pressure drop by 9.8 millimetres of mercury from starting levels after 12 weeks, when compared to those receiving a placebo. The 1 mg dose reduced the pressure created by the heart’s pumping action by 8.7 mmHg.

AstraZeneca obtained the medication through its $1.8 billion purchase of CinCor Pharma in February 2023.

A luxury cruise vessel struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak reached Rotterdam Monday morning, where Dutch officials had arranged quarantine protocols for the 27 people still aboard the MV Hondius.

Local officials confirmed they established isolation facilities for some international crew members, though uncertainty remains about whether they will complete the full 42-day recommended quarantine period.

The Dutch-registered vessel was transporting approximately 150 passengers and crew from 23 nations when health authorities first notified the World Health Organization about a cluster of serious respiratory cases on May 2.

The outbreak has claimed three lives — a Dutch couple and a German citizen — since it began.

Oceanwide Expeditions operates the ship, which became stranded near Cape Verde this month when local authorities refused to allow passengers ashore because of the health emergency. Following WHO and EU requests, Spain coordinated an evacuation at the Canary Islands, after which the vessel headed to Rotterdam with minimal crew and two additional medical personnel.

The virus spreads mainly through rodents but can occasionally transmit between humans during extended, close contact. The incubation period can extend up to six weeks.

Crew members, passengers who previously departed the vessel, and their contacts have been placed in quarantine across multiple countries worldwide.

This outbreak involves the Andes virus strain, which has been present in Argentina and Chile for many years. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports that ship samples show no significant virus mutations.

The WHO updated its case total Friday to 10 from 11 after an uncertain U.S. case came back negative. As of May 15, there were 10 WHO-documented cases — eight confirmed and two probable — including the three fatalities.

British Columbia’s government announced Saturday that one Canadian former passenger of the Hondius had tested positive for hantavirus. The WHO stated Sunday it awaits official confirmation but noted this would bring the total to 11 cases.

Health officials indicated earlier this month that additional cases were anticipated but emphasized the situation differs completely from COVID and does not represent a pandemic threat.

Because of the extended incubation period, the search for new cases may persist for months, challenging authorities’ post-COVID communication strategies.

The WHO advises monitoring and quarantining high-risk contacts for 42 days following exposure, while recommending low-risk contacts monitor themselves and seek medical attention if symptoms appear.

Some Rotterdam residents voiced mild concerns about the MV Hondius’s arrival, worrying people might not comply with quarantine requirements, but told reporters they don’t anticipate a new pandemic.

“What is concerning to me is how well will people … stay in quarantine,” said 35-year-old Rotterdam resident Claudia Eduardo. “Because we know during the pandemic a lot of people didn’t abide to the rules.”

Eighteen-year-old Aleks Mladenovic said hearing about the hantavirus outbreak initially frightened him, but research helped calm his fears. “It’s not a new thing. We’ll probably figure something out and get on top of it again,” he said. “I am not worried at all.”

Multiple American citizens currently in the Democratic Republic of Congo are believed to have come into contact with suspected Ebola cases during the nation’s recent outbreak, according to a report published Sunday by STAT News. Several of these exposures are considered high-risk situations.

The report indicates that at least one person among this group may have shown signs of illness.

Reuters was unable to immediately confirm these details.

The World Health Organisation has designated the Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern. The outbreak has resulted in 80 suspected fatalities.

Health authorities in Canada have verified on Sunday that one passenger among four Canadians who came back from a cruise vessel experiencing a hantavirus outbreak has been confirmed to carry the virus.

The Public Health Agency of Canada validated the positive result one day following an announcement by British Columbia’s provincial public health officer that the individual had received a “presumptive positive” result, with additional testing scheduled at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg.

“One individual’s sample was confirmed positive for hantavirus,” the national agency said in a statement.

According to the statement, a second person who traveled with the confirmed case has tested negative for the virus. Both individuals, described as a couple in their 70s from the Yukon, are currently receiving care at a hospital in Victoria.

The group of four Canadian passengers arrived back in British Columbia the previous Sunday. In addition to the couple, the group included someone in their 70s from Vancouver Island and a person in their 50s from British Columbia who resides overseas.

All four individuals remain in isolation.

The outbreak aboard the cruise vessel MV Hondius has resulted in three fatalities. The Canadian case represents the tenth person from the ship to receive a positive test result.

Health authorities believe a Dutch couple, who are among the three deceased, were initially exposed to the virus during a visit to South America.

Officials with Canada’s public health agency stated they are implementing precautionary measures to safeguard citizens.

“The overall risk to the general population in Canada from the Andes hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship remains low at this time,” the statement said. “All confirmed cases to date have been passengers or crew on the MV Hondius cruise ship.”

The agency reported that it has shared details about the positive case with the World Health Organization and will continue providing information to assist the ongoing worldwide investigation into the outbreak.

The World Health Organization announced Sunday that it has classified an Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern.

According to the WHO, this outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus and while it doesn’t qualify as a pandemic emergency, nations that share borders with the DRC face elevated risk for additional spread.

Here’s what health officials know about this current Ebola outbreak and its progression:

UNDERSTANDING EBOLA

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Ebola disease represents a serious and frequently deadly virus that triggers fever, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea. The disease transmits through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals, contaminated objects, or those who have died from the illness.

This marks the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 17th outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976.

ABOUT THE BUNDIBUGYO STRAIN

Bundibugyo represents one strain of the virus. The WHO reports that this particular strain has caused two previous outbreaks.

The WHO describes this outbreak as “extraordinary” because no approved treatments or vaccines exist specifically for the Bundibugyo virus, which differs from Ebola-Zaire strains.

“Unfortunately, Bundibugyo has fewer proven countermeasures than Zaire ebolavirus, where vaccines have been highly effective in controlling outbreaks,” stated Amanda Rojek, Associate Professor of Health Emergencies at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford.

AFFECTED NATIONS

Both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda have confirmed cases through their governments, with the DRC experiencing the most severe impact from the outbreak.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced Sunday that it is working with South Sudan to monitor border activity and prevent additional international transmission.

INFECTION NUMBERS

The WHO reported Sunday that eight laboratory-confirmed cases have been documented, along with 80 suspected deaths and 246 suspected infections.

M23 rebels controlling the eastern DRC town of Goma confirmed an additional case in their Sunday statement.

Ugandan authorities also verified a second case on Sunday.

However, the WHO cautioned that “there are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time.”

In a terrifying moment following his daughter Olivia’s premature birth, Marlon White watched his wife lose consciousness as their 2-pound baby was rushed to intensive care without making any sounds. Born at just 29 weeks, Olivia required immediate medical attention while White stood helplessly in the hospital corridor.

Despite the crisis, White returned to his welding job the following day. His wife, Farra Lanzer-White, also resumed work duties two days later, managing emails and meetings from a workstation at the Denver medical facility. For the next two months, she balanced professional responsibilities while medical alarms signaled each time Olivia experienced breathing difficulties, all while preparing for her own cardiac surgery related to complications discovered during pregnancy.

This Fort Collins, Colorado family faced a difficult decision common among parents of critically ill newborns: continue working during the hospital stay to preserve any available parental leave for after discharge. Their experience reflects a broader campaign pushing for specialized NICU leave within America’s fragmented family leave system, which varies significantly across states, municipalities, and employers.

Seven months following Olivia’s arrival, Colorado made history by implementing the nation’s first paid NICU leave policy. The program provides up to 12 weeks for parents with babies in intensive care, supplementing the existing 12-week parental leave under the state’s family and medical leave system. Illinois will launch a more limited version next month, guaranteeing 10 to 20 days of unpaid leave for NICU families.

Advocacy groups are working to expand these policies while building momentum for federal legislation that would incorporate NICU leave into the Family and Medical Leave Act, the 1993 federal law providing unpaid leave for family and medical situations. Inimai Chettiar, president of A Better Balance, a nonprofit promoting paid leave and family-supportive workplace policies, sees potential for cross-party cooperation.

“We think it’s promising in terms of bipartisan support, because as we’ve approached people, it seems that they intuitively understand it,” Chettiar explained.

Colorado Democrat U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen is developing federal legislation that would provide up to 12 weeks of NICU leave beyond the standard 12 weeks of parental leave under FMLA.

While the United States lacks federal mandated paid family leave—a longstanding partisan divide—Pettersen aims to build bipartisan consensus around NICU leave and elevate it within parental leave discussions, despite FMLA excluding many workers unable to afford unpaid time off.

The legislative outcomes in Colorado and Illinois demonstrate mixed bipartisan potential. Colorado’s paid leave passed primarily along party lines, while Illinois’s shorter unpaid leave received strong bipartisan backing.

Illinois lacks an existing paid family leave framework to integrate NICU leave, according to state Rep. Laura Faver Dias, the Democratic sponsor whose twin sons were born at 27 weeks in 2014 and remained in intensive care for three months.

Multiple Republican legislators joined as co-sponsors, including state Rep. Nicole La Ha, whose daughter required 45 days of NICU care in 2017 after premature membrane rupture at nearly 30 weeks.

“Unless you have had this experience, you can’t fully understand why something like this is so meaningful,” La Ha stated. “You have an infant who is struggling to eat and breathe. The last thing you want to think about is work but unfortunately you have bills to pay.”

Although Colorado’s legislation lacked Republican support, Colorado State Sen. Jeff Bridges described “the quietest opposition you could hear,” with minimal public resistance from Republicans or business organizations. Bridges introduced the measure following his son Kit’s birth two months premature at just 2 pounds.

“I wanted to share stories that were so moving that the lobbyists would look like monsters if they opposed it,” Bridges stated.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, approximately one in ten American babies require NICU admission.

During intensive care, newborns develop essential functions including swallowing, independent breathing, and temperature regulation, explained Dr. Karen Puopolo, section chief for Newborn Medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital and chair of the Committee on Fetus and Newborns of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Parental presence offers “a multitude of advantages both ways,” Puopolo noted. Direct skin contact stabilizes the baby’s heart rate, enhances breathing patterns, and supports maternal milk production.

Several companies have recently implemented dedicated paid NICU leave, including Morgan Stanley, Pinterest, and organic baby formula manufacturer Bobbie, while others have expanded parental leave duration or added caregiving leave policies that could benefit NICU families.

However, the challenges facing NICU parents have largely been overlooked, according to Sahra Cahoon, executive director of Love for Lily, a Colorado organization supporting NICU families that championed the state’s new legislation.

Cahoon established the organization following the death of her daughter Lily, who was born at 24 weeks and five days and survived three-and-a-half months in intensive care. Operating a jewelry business at the time, Cahoon continued working while maintaining hope for her daughter’s recovery.

“It’s probably one of my biggest regrets,” Cahoon reflected, though she felt fortunate to work remotely from the hospital and couldn’t afford to lose her income. “We did not know that our story was going to end that way.”

Since Colorado’s policy launched in January, nearly 800 individuals have requested neonatal care leave, according to Tracy Marshall, director of Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance Division.

Chris and Stevie Madden were among the first recipients after their son arrived almost eight weeks early on January 11.

Stevie Madden, a mental health professional who was hospitalized due to elevated blood pressure and bleeding, felt overwhelmed about managing the emergency while handling work responsibilities, having planned to begin maternity leave much later.

A hospital nurse informed Chris Madden about the new NICU leave option, which both parents utilized.

Chris Madden, an oil field mechanic, said he couldn’t have maintained focus on his dangerous job while his son struggled for survival. He learned proper techniques for handling his baby’s sensitive skin—applying gentle pressure rather than rubbing—and developed confidence that proved crucial when Roczen stopped breathing after coming home and required emergency hospitalization.

He shared information about NICU leave with every parent he encountered at the hospital.

“It was life changing not to have to think about money and stress and just be present with your baby,” Madden said.

When Marlon White’s daughter Olivia arrived at just 29 weeks and weighing around 2 pounds, his world turned upside down. His wife collapsed after delivery, and their silent newborn was whisked away to intensive care while he stood helplessly in the corridor as medical staff worked to save both his wife and child.

Despite this traumatic beginning, White returned to his welding job the following day. His wife, Farra Lanzer-White, went back to work just two days later, managing emails and attending meetings from a Denver hospital while alarms sounded each time Olivia struggled to breathe and while she herself faced heart surgery for complications discovered during her pregnancy.

This Fort Collins, Colorado family made the same difficult decision countless NICU parents face: continue working while their baby fights for life in order to preserve any available leave for when their child finally comes home. Their experience has made them advocates in a growing campaign to establish specialized NICU leave within the nation’s complex web of family leave policies that vary dramatically across states, municipalities and employers.

Colorado made history in January by becoming the nation’s first state to provide paid NICU leave, granting up to 12 weeks for parents of intensive care newborns in addition to the existing 12 weeks of parental leave under state family and medical leave programs. Illinois will implement a smaller program next month, providing between 10 and 20 days of unpaid leave for NICU families.

Advocates are working to expand these policies to additional states while building momentum for federal legislation that would incorporate NICU leave into the Family and Medical Leave Act, the 1993 federal law providing eligible workers with unpaid leave for family and medical emergencies, according to Inimai Chettiar, president of A Better Balance, a nonprofit promoting paid leave and family-supportive workplace policies.

“We think it’s promising in terms of bipartisan support, because as we’ve approached people, it seems that they intuitively understand it,” Chettiar explained.

A Colorado Democrat in the U.S. House, Brittany Pettersen, is developing federal legislation that would provide up to 12 weeks of NICU leave beyond the 12 weeks of parental leave currently available under FMLA.

While the United States lacks any federal mandate for paid family or parental leave—a longstanding point of division between Democrats and Republicans—Pettersen believes the goal is building bipartisan consensus around NICU leave and elevating it within broader parental leave discussions, even though FMLA excludes many workers who cannot afford unpaid time off.

The legislative outcomes in Colorado and Illinois send conflicting messages about bipartisan possibilities. Colorado’s paid leave legislation passed primarily along party lines, while Illinois’s shorter, unpaid leave measure received strong bipartisan backing.

Illinois state Rep. Laura Faver Dias, a Democrat who sponsored the bill after her twin boys spent three months in intensive care following their birth at 27 weeks in 2014, noted that unlike Colorado, Illinois lacks an existing paid family leave framework to build upon.

Multiple Republican legislators signed on as co-sponsors, including state Rep. Nicole La Ha, whose daughter required 45 days of NICU care in 2017 after early labor complications at nearly 30 weeks.

“Unless you have had this experience, you can’t fully understand why something like this is so meaningful,” La Ha said. “You have an infant who is struggling to eat and breathe. The last thing you want to think about is work but unfortunately you have bills to pay.”

Although Colorado’s legislation lacked bipartisan support, Colorado State Sen. Jeff Bridges described “it was the quietest opposition you could hear,” with minimal public resistance from Republicans or business organizations. Bridges introduced the measure following his son Kit’s birth two months premature at just 2 pounds.

“I wanted to share stories that were so moving that the lobbyists would look like monsters if they opposed it,” Bridges explained.

According to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, approximately one in every 10 babies born in the United States requires NICU admission.

During their NICU stay, newborns are developing basic survival skills like swallowing, independent breathing and temperature regulation, said Dr. Karen Puopolo, section chief for Newborn Medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital and chair of the Committee on Fetus and Newborns of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Parental presence provides “multitude of advantages both ways,” Puopolo noted. Direct skin contact stabilizes the baby’s heart rate, enhances breathing patterns and supports maternal milk production.

Some companies have recently implemented dedicated paid NICU leave, including Morgan Stanley, Pinterest and organic baby formula company Bobbie, while others have expanded parental leave duration or added caregiving leave policies that could benefit NICU families.

However, the challenges facing NICU parents have largely remained overlooked, said Sahra Cahoon, executive director of Love for Lily, a Colorado-based organization supporting NICU families that championed Colorado’s new legislation.

Cahoon established the organization following the death of her daughter Lily, who was born at 24 weeks and five days and died after spending three-and-a-half months in intensive care. Cahoon, who operated a jewelry business then, continued working while believing her daughter would survive.

“It’s probably one of my biggest regrets,” Cahoon reflected, though she felt fortunate to work remotely from the hospital and couldn’t afford to lose her income at the time. “We did not know that our story was going to end that way.”

Learning about Colorado’s NICU leave law last year transported Rebecca Herrera-Moreno back to her son’s intensive care experience six years earlier, prompting her to begin advocating for similar legislation in her home state of California.

When her son Nico arrived at 32 weeks in 2020, Herrera-Moreno was already on disability leave after experiencing preterm labor weeks earlier. Her husband, Martin Moreno, qualified for six weeks of paid parental leave under California law then, but they chose to reserve that time for Nico’s homecoming, which occurred three weeks later.

She found it difficult to cherish moments with her tiny son while holding him amid machines, monitors and medical staff. She expressed love to him daily before departing while battling guilt that those feelings hadn’t fully developed yet. Weeks afterward at home, she confided in her husband, Martin Moreno, who admitted experiencing similar emotions.

Moreno, a health director for a labor union, said work consumed him during that period as his responsibilities intensified with the COVID-19 pandemic’s arrival. His clearest memory from that time isn’t of his son in the NICU, but of producing a video demonstrating proper handwashing techniques for workers.

When he finally came home, he felt unprepared to care for Nico, who required side feeding to prevent choking. He had been unaware of his wife’s emotional struggles.

“I wish I would have had more preparation with the medical staff to really feel like I had everything set. And that’s speaking to the medical piece of it — not even addressing being absent for Becky during so much of this,” Moreno said.

According to Tracy Marshall, director of Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance Division, nearly 800 people have requested neonatal care leave since Colorado’s policy launched in January.

Chris and Stevie Madden were among the first recipients when their son arrived almost eight weeks early on January 11.

Stevie Madden, a mental health professional who was hospitalized after experiencing high blood pressure and bleeding, said she panicked about managing the crisis and work responsibilities when she realized her planned maternity leave was still weeks away.

A hospital nurse informed Chris Madden about the new NICU leave option, which both parents utilized.

Madden, an oil field mechanic, said he couldn’t have maintained focus on his dangerous job while his son fought for survival. He learned proper techniques for handling his baby’s fragile skin—gentle pressure rather than rubbing—and developed confidence that proved crucial when Roczen stopped breathing after coming home and required emergency hospitalization.

He shared information about NICU leave with every parent he encountered at the hospital.

“It was life changing not to have to think about money and stress and just be present with your baby,” Madden said.

The World Health Organization has officially designated an Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern, following reports of 80 suspected fatalities and nine confirmed laboratory cases.

According to the WHO, this outbreak stems from the Bundibugyo virus and while it doesn’t qualify as a pandemic emergency, nations that share borders with the DRC face elevated risks for additional transmission.

The U.N. health agency reported on Sunday that as of Saturday, officials documented 80 suspected deaths, eight confirmed laboratory cases, and 246 suspected cases within the DRC’s Ituri province spanning multiple health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.

M23 rebels confirmed a ninth case in Goma, located in eastern Congo.

The DRC health ministry announced on Friday that 80 individuals had perished in this latest outbreak within the eastern province.

This marks the 17th outbreak in the country where Ebola was initially discovered in 1976, and the WHO suggests the actual scope could be significantly larger due to high positivity rates in initial testing and growing numbers of suspected cases.

The WHO characterized this outbreak as “extraordinary” because no approved treatments or vaccines exist specifically for the Bundibugyo virus, unlike the Ebola-Zaire strains. Nearly all previous outbreaks in the country resulted from the Zaire strain.

The agency stated that the DRC-Uganda outbreak creates public health risks for neighboring countries, with documented evidence of international transmission already occurring. The WHO recommends nations activate disaster and emergency management protocols while implementing border screenings and monitoring major internal roadways.

In Kampala, Uganda’s capital, health officials reported two unconnected laboratory-confirmed cases on Friday and Saturday, including one fatality, involving travelers from the DRC.

Additionally, the WHO confirmed a laboratory case in Kinshasa, the DRC capital, from someone returning from Ituri.

The WHO stated that individuals with Bundibugyo virus-disease contacts or cases should avoid international travel unless requiring medical evacuation.

The agency recommends immediate isolation of confirmed cases and daily contact monitoring, with restricted domestic travel and no international travel for 21 days following exposure.

However, the WHO cautioned countries against closing borders or imposing travel and trade restrictions based on fear, as this could force people and goods through unmonitored informal border crossings.

The DRC’s thick tropical forests serve as a natural habitat for the Ebola virus.

Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, stated he had sought technical guidance and recommendations regarding the potential declaration of this outbreak as a public health emergency of continental security.

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the frequently deadly virus causes fever, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea, and transmits through direct contact with infected individuals’ bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or deceased persons who died from the disease.

The World Health Organization’s top official announced Sunday that an Ebola outbreak affecting Congo and Uganda has been classified as an international public health emergency, following reports of more than 300 suspected infections and 88 fatalities.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the declaration after reviewing the situation. In a social media statement, the World Health Organization clarified that this outbreak does not qualify as a pandemic-level emergency similar to COVID-19, and recommended against shutting down international borders.

The deadly virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids including blood, vomit and semen. While Ebola outbreaks are uncommon, the disease typically results in severe illness and frequently proves fatal.

Medical experts have identified the current outbreak as stemming from the Bundibugyo virus, an uncommon form of Ebola for which no authorized treatments or preventive vaccines are available. Despite more than 20 previous Ebola outbreaks occurring across Congo and Uganda, the Bundibugyo variant has only appeared twice before.

Nearly all cases have emerged in Congo, with just two confirmed infections in neighboring Uganda, according to WHO reports.

Health officials initially documented the disease’s spread in Congo’s eastern Ituri province, located near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan, on Friday. By Saturday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had tallied 336 suspected cases and 87 deaths.

“There are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time. In addition, there is limited understanding of the epidemiological links with known or suspected cases,” Tedros said.

Ugandan authorities confirmed Saturday that one patient who had traveled from Congo died at a medical facility in the capital city of Kampala. The WHO reported a second case also in Kampala. Both patients had journeyed from Congo, and officials found no connection between the two cases.

The Bundibugyo strain first appeared during a 2007-2008 outbreak in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district, affecting 149 individuals and causing 37 deaths. Its second occurrence was documented in 2012 in Isiro, Congo, resulting in 57 cases and 29 fatalities.

The WHO’s emergency status aims to mobilize international donors and governments to respond. Past emergency declarations have produced varying levels of global action.

When the organization declared mpox outbreaks in Congo and other African nations a global emergency in 2024, health experts noted the designation failed to rapidly deliver essential supplies including diagnostic equipment, medications and vaccines to impacted regions.

The World Health Organization announced Sunday that it has designated an Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a “public health emergency of international concern.”

Health officials stated that while the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, it does not qualify as a pandemic emergency under current criteria.

According to the U.N. health agency’s statement, as of Saturday there have been 80 suspected fatalities, eight laboratory-confirmed infections and 246 suspected infections documented in the DRC’s Ituri province spanning at least three health districts, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.

Health officials from the DRC announced Friday that 80 individuals had perished in this new outbreak occurring in the nation’s eastern province.

The WHO reported that in Uganda’s capital city of Kampala, two seemingly unconnected laboratory-confirmed infections were documented Friday and Saturday, including one fatality, involving individuals who had traveled from the DRC.

Health authorities also confirmed a laboratory-verified case in the DRC’s capital city of Kinshasa involving someone who had returned from the Ituri region, according to WHO officials.

A Canadian passenger has been confirmed to have contracted hantavirus following their departure from a luxury cruise vessel that experienced an outbreak of the Andes strain, according to British Columbia government authorities on Saturday.

Hospital staff in Victoria, B.C. conducted testing that confirmed the individual’s positive status for the virus, officials reported.

The interim leader of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug division announced her termination from the federal agency on May 16.

Tracey Beth Hoeg revealed her dismissal through a post on social media platform X, confirming earlier reports that she was expected to depart the FDA on Friday.

Her removal follows closely after Commissioner Marty Makary stepped down from his role earlier this week.

Hoeg, who works as both an epidemiologist and sports medicine doctor, previously questioned the effectiveness of COVID vaccines throughout the pandemic period.

During her tenure, she played a key role in reforming America’s childhood immunization guidelines, helping to streamline the recommended vaccine schedule from 17 shots down to 11 this past January.

The dismissal occurs during a broader reorganization within the health department, as the White House has increased its oversight of the agency in recent months.

The administration placed Chris Klomp in the position of Kennedy’s deputy, and Klomp has subsequently brought in a group of more mainstream candidates for senior health leadership roles, including positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the office of Surgeon General.

Following Makary’s Tuesday resignation, Klomp has been working to remove contentious appointees from the FDA and install more conventional replacements, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Women face a puzzling dilemma when determining the right time to begin regular breast cancer screenings. Medical organizations offer varying recommendations, with some advocating for screenings to start at 40 or 45 years old, while others recently suggested waiting until age 50. The frequency recommendations also differ, ranging from annual to biennial screenings.

This contradictory guidance exists partly because breast cancer screening recommendations target women with average risk levels who show no cancer symptoms. However, given breast cancer’s prevalence, determining who truly falls into the “average” category and weighing screening benefits against potential drawbacks proves challenging.

“Breast cancer is not one disease,” said Dr. Laura Esserman of the University of California, San Francisco. “So how in the world does it make sense to screen everybody the same when everyone doesn’t have the same risk?”

Dr. Esserman leads research efforts aimed at better identifying women with varying risk levels and ultimately providing more personalized screening recommendations.

According to the American Cancer Society, over 320,000 women in the United States will receive breast cancer diagnoses this year. While mortality rates have declined for decades due to improved treatments, breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among American women, and new cases continue to rise slightly.

The American College of Physicians recently issued new recommendations suggesting that women with average risk between ages 50 and 74 receive mammograms every two years. For women aged 40 to 49, the guidelines suggest consulting with physicians about advantages and disadvantages, and if they choose screening, to schedule appointments biennially.

These recommendations, released last month, surprised many in the medical community. Most other American health organizations have encouraged women to begin screenings during their 40s. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently modified its guidance to recommend biennial mammograms starting at 40 rather than 50.

The American Cancer Society has maintained its recommendation for annual mammograms for women aged 45 to 54, though it acknowledges women may choose to begin at 40. For those 55 and older, the organization suggests women can transition to biennial screenings or continue annual examinations.

The American College of Physicians’ new guidelines also suggest physicians may discuss ending routine screenings with women 75 or older. Conversely, the cancer society maintains there’s no need to discontinue screenings for healthy women in this age group.

Women with higher breast cancer risk receive greater benefits from frequent screenings. However, beyond well-established risk factors like BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutations, determining individual risk levels remains difficult. Age serves as a general indicator since breast cancer risk increases with advancing years.

Mammography has limitations, occasionally missing cancers or failing to detect aggressive tumors that develop between routine screenings. Guidelines attempt to balance early cancer detection benefits with potential negative effects, including anxiety and discomfort from investigating suspicious findings that prove benign.

“We’re not saying there’s no benefit” from mammograms in the 40s, cautioned Dr. Carolyn Crandall of the University of California, Los Angeles, who chaired the American College of Physicians report. But “there’s a narrower balance between the benefits you could get and the harms in 40- to 49-year-olds.”

The American Cancer Society supports beginning annual mammograms at 45 after finding breast cancer rates in 45- to 49-year-olds exceeded those in the early 40s, resembling patterns seen in 50- to 54-year-olds, explained public health researcher Robert Smith, the organization’s early cancer detection specialist.

What remains unclear is identifying who might develop aggressive versus slow-growing breast cancers, Smith observed.

Almost half of women over 40 have dense breast tissue, which complicates tumor detection on mammograms and slightly elevates cancer risk.

Women receive breast density notifications following mammograms. Many specialists remain uncertain whether women with dense breasts would benefit from supplemental ultrasounds or MRI screenings. However, the American College of Physicians’ new guidance suggests considering 3D mammography, medically known as digital breast tomosynthesis or DBT.

Future developments may include genetic testing examining factors beyond the well-known BRCA genes, combined with comprehensive risk assessments, to help determine optimal mammogram scheduling for individual women.

A recent study involving nearly 46,000 women, known as the WISDOM trial, utilized age, genetic testing, lifestyle factors, health history, and breast density to categorize participants as low, average, elevated, or high risk. Risk classifications determined whether women delayed screenings until 50, received biennial or annual mammograms, with the highest-risk group undergoing twice-yearly screenings using both mammography and MRI scans. Researchers compared risk-based screening approaches to standard annual mammograms.

Dr. Esserman’s team reported in the medical journal JAMA that risk-based screening performed as effectively as annual screening. One unexpected finding revealed that approximately 30% of women whose genetic testing showed increased risk had no family history of breast cancer. While additional research continues, Dr. Esserman anticipates these preliminary results will begin influencing future guidelines.

Researchers are also developing artificial intelligence tools designed to evaluate women’s short-term breast cancer risk using mammogram data, potentially providing another method for determining appropriate screening frequency.

Currently, women can discuss family cancer history, personal health status, and other risk factors with their physicians, including reproductive history and childbearing age.

Regardless of chosen mammogram timing and frequency, maintaining consistency provides the best outcomes, according to the cancer society’s Smith: “Breast screening works best when it’s done regularly.”

Health authorities in Congo’s eastern Ituri province report that fatalities from a fresh Ebola outbreak have climbed to at least 80, as medical teams work urgently this weekend to expand screening efforts and track contacts to stop the virus from spreading further. The outbreak was initially disclosed on Friday with 65 fatalities and 246 suspected infections.

Associated Press reporters in Bunia, the provincial capital, spoke with local residents who described their terror and the relentless funeral processions taking place.

“Every day, people are dying … and this has been going on for about a week. In a single day, we bury two, three, or even more people,” said Jean Marc Asimwe, a resident of Bunia. “At this point, we don’t really know what kind of disease it is,” said Asimwe.

Congo’s Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba announced Friday evening that laboratory testing has verified eight cases, including four fatalities.

Laboratory analysis identified the Bundibugyo virus, a strain of the disease that has appeared less frequently in Congo’s previous outbreaks. This represents Congo’s 17th outbreak since Ebola was first discovered in the nation in 1976.

Ebola spreads easily and can be transmitted through body fluids including vomit, blood, or semen. The illness it produces is uncommon, but serious and frequently deadly.

The believed first case in this latest outbreak is a nurse who passed away at a medical facility in Bunia, Kamba stated. He indicated the case traces back three weeks to April 24.

He did not specify whether specimens from the nurse underwent testing, but noted the individual showed signs consistent with Ebola.

Congo possesses expertise in handling Ebola outbreaks but frequently encounters logistical obstacles in delivering specialists and materials to impacted areas.

As Africa’s second-largest nation by territory, Congo’s provinces are distant from each other and primarily dealing with armed conflict. Ituri, for example, sits approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the country’s capital, Kinshasa, and suffers from attacks by Islamic State-affiliated fighters.

The illness has been verified in three health districts within Ituri province, including the capital Bunia, plus Rwampara and Mongwalu where the outbreak is most concentrated.

Just 13 blood specimens have undergone testing at the National Institute of Biomedical Research, with eight testing positive for the Bundibugyo strain. The other five samples could not be examined because of inadequate sample volume, the health minister explained.

In Bunia, Ituri’s primary city, commerce and routine activities at public locations seemed normal on Friday.

Resident Adeline Awekonimungu expressed hope the outbreak would be swiftly controlled. “My recommendation is that the government take this matter seriously and that it takes charge of the hospitals so that this matter can be brought under control,” she said.

Uganda has also verified an Ebola case that officials described as “imported” from Congo. The individual died at a medical facility in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention expressed worry about the potential for additional spread because of how close the affected regions are to Uganda and South Sudan.

A senior Food and Drug Administration official who oversaw safety reviews of COVID-19 vaccines, antidepressants and other medications has been dismissed from her position directing the agency’s drug program.

Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg will be succeeded by Dr. Mike Davis, who currently serves as deputy director, according to an internal email to agency personnel on Friday that was obtained by The Associated Press.

In a social media statement posted Friday evening, Hoeg confirmed she was “fired” from the agency, stating: “I learned so much and leave with no regrets.”

This dismissal represents another change in the continuing leadership upheaval at the influential regulatory body. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary left his position earlier this week, while Dr. Vinay Prasad, who headed the agency’s vaccine and biotech division, departed last month amid sharp criticism from pharmaceutical companies, patients and investors.

The agency simultaneously announced Friday that Karim Mikhail will assume the role of acting director for the vaccines center. Mikhail, who has extensive pharmaceutical industry experience, joined the agency under Makary’s leadership last spring.

Makary’s removal from his leadership position at the FDA came after weeks of criticism from President Donald Trump’s political supporters, including anti-abortion organizations and vaping industry advocates, who expressed dissatisfaction with the agency’s current direction.

Hoeg, who shares close ties with Makary and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has overseen the FDA’s drug program since December, becoming the most recent official to temporarily fill this role during a period of frequent FDA leadership transitions.

Makary orchestrated Hoeg’s swift advancement within the agency, elevating her from her role as his special assistant to head the agency’s most significant center, which oversees regulation of most prescription and over-the-counter medications in the United States.

Typically, FDA center directors are career agency scientists with extensive experience spanning decades. Hoeg lacked prior government service or management background.

Following her arrival at the FDA last March, Hoeg directed safety investigations into injectable RSV medications for children, antidepressants and COVID-19 vaccines.

These investigations aligned with Hoeg’s established interests and concerns from her time before entering government service.

As a sports medicine physician and public health researcher, Hoeg became prominent during the pandemic for criticizing masking requirements, school shutdowns, vaccine mandates and other government policies. She collaborated on research papers with other medical contrarians who later joined the Trump administration, including Makary and Prasad.

Similar to Makary and Prasad, Hoeg regularly shared her views through blog posts and podcasts, including one called “Vaccine Curious.” The podcast explored various debunked theories, including claims that mRNA vaccines might contain dangerous DNA contaminants.

As a Danish American citizen, Hoeg played a key role in the Trump administration’s recent initiative to eliminate several federally recommended childhood vaccinations, including flu shots and hepatitis B vaccines given at birth. A federal judge in Boston has temporarily halted these changes, though the administration intends to challenge the ruling.

During her FDA tenure, Hoeg conducted an “initial analysis” of vaccine injuries that connected COVID-19 shots to 10 reported pediatric deaths — without presenting supporting documentation. These conclusions were outlined in an internal memo Prasad distributed to staff last November, though the FDA has not publicly released the findings or detailed their methodology.

FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials have previously determined that serious vaccine side effects occur extremely rarely.

Most recently, Hoeg participated in the agency’s examination of a formal request to add prominent new warnings to antidepressant medications regarding unsubstantiated pregnancy risks, including fetal abnormalities potentially linked to autism and other conditions.

In March, she tried to recruit the petition’s author as a senior adviser at the FDA, according to individuals with knowledge of the situation. This action concerned some agency personnel because Hoeg had repeatedly described this person as a friend, according to sources who spoke to the AP anonymously to discuss confidential FDA business.

Federal health leadership is closely tracking a deadly hantavirus outbreak that claimed three lives on a luxury cruise vessel earlier this month, with daily briefings being provided to the White House and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to a senior health official.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya confirmed Friday that no infections have been detected within American borders, and the threat to the public continues to be minimal.

Currently, 41 Americans are under surveillance for potential infection. Among these individuals, 18 were cruise passengers who had already returned to U.S. soil before health officials identified the outbreak. These returnees are now isolated in facilities in Nebraska and Atlanta.

The federal response has faced scrutiny from some public health experts who characterized the initial reaction as too slow. Kennedy has previously faced similar criticism regarding his management of a measles outbreak.

“The Secretary is getting daily detailed updates, as is the White House, and I’ve participated in several of those. I can tell you firsthand, they’re both following this outbreak very, very closely,” Bhattacharya, who also serves as director of the National Institutes of Health, stated during a press briefing.

The CDC has released protocols for identifying and tracking individuals who may have been exposed, according to Dr. David Fitter, who manages the agency’s hantavirus response efforts.

According to Fitter, anyone aboard the vessel from April 6, when the initial case emerged, through May 10, when the final passengers departed, is classified as high-risk.

Additional high-risk individuals include those who had direct contact with infected persons or their bodily fluids, as well as passengers who sat near sick individuals during flights, Fitter explained.

“I want to reinforce that Andes virus does not transmit easily,” he emphasized, explaining that transmission requires close, extended contact.

Those considered high-risk should remain at home and minimize contact with others for six weeks, he advised. They must also coordinate any necessary travel through their state health departments and be prepared to immediately self-isolate if symptoms develop.

WASHINGTON, May 15 – Federal health authorities are closely tracking Ebola cases in two African countries and offering technical support to help contain the outbreaks, officials announced Friday.

The nation’s top disease control agency is keeping watch on the situation in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda while providing expertise to local health officials, according to Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya.

“CDC has extensive experience and expertise in responding to Ebola outbreaks, and we are working closely with the DRC Ministry of Health through our country office to support our response efforts,” said Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya.

During a Friday briefing with reporters, Bhattacharya also addressed the situation in Uganda, noting recent confirmation of cases there.

“This morning we also heard from the Government of Uganda confirming an Ebola outbreak there, and we are also coordinating with our country office in Uganda and our colleagues there to track and help with the outbreak there,” Bhattacharya told reporters on a media call.

A Utah-based manufacturer is pulling certain batches of its Parmesan Ranch seasoning from store shelves due to concerns about salmonella contamination.

Blackstone Products, located in Providence, Utah, announced the voluntary withdrawal of specific lots of their Blackstone Parmesan Ranch seasoning products. The company says the products may contain salmonella bacteria.

The recall was triggered after California Dairies, Inc. issued its own recall for dry milk powder that could be contaminated with salmonella.

A California ice cream manufacturer has issued a voluntary product recall affecting certain batches of its organic frozen dessert products on May 14, 2026.

Straus Family Creamery, based in Petaluma, California, announced the recall of a limited number of production batches for specific varieties and package sizes of its organic ice cream line. The company cited concerns over possible metal fragments that may be present in the affected products.

According to the recall notice, only certain production batches are involved in this safety action. Consumers can identify the affected products by checking the “best by” date printed on the packaging.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Health authorities in Congo have confirmed a fresh Ebola outbreak in the Central African nation, reporting at least 246 suspected cases and 65 fatalities.

The deadly disease, which frequently proves fatal, was initially discovered in 1976 following two rapid outbreaks in present-day South Sudan and Congo, the World Health Organization reports.

Every significant Ebola outbreak has occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, the native region for the viruses responsible for the disease. The most devastating episodes have struck West and Central Africa.

A collection of viruses causes Ebola disease. WHO identifies three known to trigger major outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Bundibugyo virus.

Fruit bats are considered the natural carriers of Ebola-causing viruses, while apes and monkeys can also become infected, WHO states.

Humans can contract the infection from these animals, and transmission between people occurs through contact with bodily fluids such as blood, feces or vomit from infected individuals, or contaminated surfaces.

Signs of illness emerge anywhere from two days to three weeks following exposure, though they typically appear within approximately one week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes.

Initial symptoms resemble flu, featuring fever, body aches, exhaustion and throat pain. Subsequently, patients may develop digestive issues, skin rashes, seizures and hemorrhaging.

WHO reports Ebola’s average death rate stands at roughly 50%, with previous outbreaks ranging from 25% to 90% fatality rates.

Approved vaccines and treatments exist solely for the Ebola virus.

A decade-old outbreak spanning multiple West African countries holds the record as the most severe.

More than 28,000 cases and over 11,000 deaths occurred as the highly transmissible disease spread extensively through Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, affecting neighboring countries. Limited cases also appeared in the United States, the U.K., Italy and Spain, connected to African travelers or healthcare workers returning from outbreak assistance.

Researchers believe the epidemic began in southeastern Guinea when a child — “patient zero” — encountered infected fruit bats.

The second-largest outbreak in recorded history followed shortly after in Congo’s North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces, with some cases reaching neighboring Uganda. Friday’s newly announced outbreak is also located in Ituri, along the Ugandan border.

That outbreak eight years ago recorded over 3,400 reported cases and more than 2,200 deaths, achieving a 66% fatality rate, CDC data shows.

Similar to the 2013-2016 outbreak, Congo’s epidemic resulted from the Ebola virus.

Congo has experienced more than a dozen notable previous outbreaks, including one as recently as late 2025.

An outbreak in Uganda recorded 425 reported cases and 224 deaths, this time caused by the Sudan virus.

East African country officials received recognition for their rapid outbreak response and containment efforts. Community initiatives focused on public education about the disease and correcting misinformation regarding transmission methods.

Uganda has also experienced multiple outbreaks.

Ebola’s first documented outbreak happened 50 years ago in towns within former Sudan, now part of South Sudan. Scientists suspect it began in a cotton facility where employees encountered bats in storage areas, though the origin remains unconfirmed. The Sudan virus caused this outbreak.

At least 151 deaths and 284 cases were documented — many occurring after patients were hospitalized and transmitted the disease to medical staff and others while the illness remained unidentified, subsequent research revealed.

An outbreak months afterward in northern Congo — then called Zaire — resulted in 280 deaths with an exceptionally high fatality rate and first enabled scientists to identify the Ebola virus. This outbreak originated in an isolated village near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.

The first documented Ebola infection beyond Africa happened that same year when a British laboratory worker accidentally punctured himself with a needle while examining samples. He survived.

Extremely few cases have been documented outside Africa since Ebola’s identification.

Medications typically prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are showing promise as a treatment for one of cancer’s most challenging side effects: overwhelming fatigue.

A recent analysis examined information from nine controlled studies involving 823 adults either receiving active cancer treatment or battling advanced-stage disease. The research revealed that patients taking psychostimulants experienced notable improvements in their exhaustion levels compared to those receiving inactive treatments.

Dr. Bruno Almeida Costa from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center led the research team. “Our findings show that a well-established, accessible medication can provide meaningful relief within weeks,” Costa explained in a statement.

The study focused on methylphenidate and dexmethylphenidate, medications marketed by Novartis as Ritalin and Focalin. According to the research published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, these drugs possess the “longest-standing and best-documented safety records among actively prescribed controlled substances.”

The timing of improvement appears to follow a specific pattern. “The benefit isn’t fully apparent in the first couple of weeks, but by around five weeks it reaches a level that genuinely matters in terms of patients’ daily energy and function,” Costa noted. “For people dealing with a symptom that can be profoundly disabling, that is a meaningful contribution.”

Researchers observed that the positive effects continued to strengthen, with additional improvements noted at the eight-week mark.

The findings may prove particularly valuable as cancer diagnoses increase among younger adults who must manage work and family obligations while undergoing treatment, according to the research team.

Scientists emphasized that these medications shouldn’t replace current fatigue management approaches like exercise programs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mind-body techniques. Instead, they could offer quicker relief while patients work to establish those longer-term strategies.

The research also included findings about influenza risks during pregnancy. Medical professionals have long understood that flu infections pose greater dangers for expectant mothers, and new research explains the biological mechanisms behind these complications.

Typically, influenza remains confined to the respiratory system. However, during pregnancy, the virus can spread beyond the lungs, creating serious cardiovascular risks for mothers and potentially affecting fetal development.

Using mice infected with influenza A, researchers identified an immune system component called TLR7 that becomes hyperactive during pregnancy. This overactivity increases inflammation in the placenta and other areas, damages blood vessel function, and allows the virus to enter the bloodstream.

Study leader Stella Liong from RMIT University in Australia explained the significance: “The findings shift understanding of how respiratory viruses affect pregnancy, showing that harm is not caused by the virus directly reaching the fetus, but by an overactive maternal immune response.”

The researchers suggest that controlling the TLR7 sensor might help protect developing babies by preventing excessive placental inflammation during flu infections. Their findings, published in Science Advances, could lead to targeted treatments that reduce complications for both mothers and babies during severe influenza infections in pregnancy.

Continental health authorities have verified a fresh Ebola outbreak in the Ituri province of Congo.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that 246 suspected cases and 65 fatalities have been documented in this latest outbreak.

The majority of suspected Ebola cases have been identified in Ituri’s Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones. Additional suspected cases have emerged in Bunia, which serves as Ituri province’s capital.

While only four deaths have received laboratory confirmation, health officials declared the new outbreak following numerous suspected cases.

Ituri sits in Congo’s remote eastern region with inadequate road infrastructure, positioned over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Kinshasa, the country’s capital.

The Africa CDC highlighted a significant worry regarding the closeness of impacted regions to Uganda and South Sudan. Bunia, Ituri’s primary urban center, sits close to Uganda’s border.

The organization noted additional spread risks from heavy population movement, mining-related travel, and ongoing security problems in affected regions. Armed group attacks have resulted in dozens of deaths and displaced thousands throughout portions of Ituri province over the past year.

Contact tracing efforts face significant gaps, according to the Africa CDC, as regional officials work urgently to locate individuals potentially exposed to the virus.

The Africa CDC announced it has begun collaborating with national officials and partners to facilitate a “rapid, coordinated response.”

The agency organized an emergency high-level coordination meeting Friday involving health officials from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, along with essential partners including U.N. agencies and other nations.

The gathering will address immediate response priorities, cross-border coordination, surveillance, safe and dignified burials and resource mobilization, among other critical areas, according to the agency.

Congo ranks as Africa’s second-largest nation by territory and frequently encounters logistical difficulties when responding to disease outbreaks due to poor roads and vast distances.

In the previous year’s outbreak, which spanned three months, the World Health Organization initially encountered substantial obstacles delivering vaccines, requiring a full week following outbreak confirmation.

Financial support has presented ongoing challenges. Health officials expressed concerns about recent U.S. funding reductions during last year’s outbreak.

The U.S. previously backed Congo’s Ebola outbreak responses, including 2021 when the U.S. Agency for International Development allocated up to $11.5 million supporting continental efforts.

This represents Congo’s 17th outbreak since the disease initially appeared in the nation in 1976.

The current outbreak emerges approximately five months after Congo’s previous Ebola outbreak concluded in December following 43 deaths. The prior outbreak in northeastern Equateur province during 2022 resulted in six fatalities.

An Ebola outbreak spanning 2018 to 2020 in eastern Congo claimed over 1,000 lives, representing the highest death toll following the 2014-2016 outbreak across West African nations Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia that killed more than 11,000 people.

The Ebola virus spreads easily and can transmit from wild animals to humans. Human-to-human transmission occurs through contact with bodily fluids including vomit, blood or semen, and contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding and clothing.

The resulting disease presents as rare but serious — and frequently deadly — illness in humans. Symptoms encompass fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and sometimes internal and external bleeding.

Scientists first identified the virus in 1976, close to the Ebola lake in present-day Congo. Initial outbreaks developed in isolated Central African villages near tropical rainforests.

The World Health Organization issued a call Friday for stricter government oversight of nicotine pouches, expressing concern that these highly addictive products are being marketed in ways that specifically target younger consumers.

These lip-inserted products, which deliver a nicotine hit to users, have quickly emerged as a key revenue source for major tobacco corporations seeking to compensate for declining cigarette sales. However, advocacy groups and scientists have raised concerns about how these products are being promoted.

The global health organization emphasized that governments must implement stronger protective measures to shield people, particularly young individuals, from developing addictions.

According to the WHO, certain products contain elevated levels of highly addictive nicotine and utilize technology designed to accelerate and intensify drug delivery, while appealing to youth through specific flavors and attractive packaging.

“These products are engineered for addiction,” stated Etienne Krug, director of the WHO’s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention at the WHO.

The international health organization highlighted extensive promotional campaigns on social media platforms and through influencers, lifestyle-focused marketing approaches, and sponsorships of concerts, festivals and sporting events with significant youth followings, including Formula 1. Even some supporters of pouches as smoking harm reduction tools acknowledge these marketing approaches are problematic.

The WHO reported that approximately 160 nations lack specific pouch regulations and recommended implementing various controls such as nicotine content limits, promotional restrictions, and flavor prohibitions or strict limitations.

Certain researchers and government officials believe nicotine pouches can help minimize tobacco-related health risks by providing smokers and potential smokers with cigarette alternatives. Health regulatory bodies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration indicate evidence demonstrates these products cause significantly less harm than tobacco and even other alternatives such as vaping devices.

Industry representatives maintain their focus is on adult smokers and nicotine consumers. Laura Leigh Oyler, vice president of regulatory affairs at Nicokick, an online store for nicotine pouches in the United States — the world’s largest pouch market — referenced FDA data indicating minimal youth usage.

“They are primarily being used by adults who already consume nicotine and are looking for lower-risk alternatives,” she said.

Health officials across Africa announced Friday that a fresh Ebola outbreak has emerged in Congo’s isolated Ituri province, where authorities have documented 246 suspected cases and 65 fatalities.

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of deaths and suspected infections have occurred within the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones.

“Four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases. Suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia, pending confirmation,” the agency said.

The deadly virus spreads easily through contact with bodily fluids including vomit, blood, or semen. While uncommon, the illness it triggers is serious and frequently leads to death.

This recent outbreak emerges approximately five months following the end of Congo’s previous Ebola crisis, which claimed 43 lives before being declared over.

The current situation represents the nation’s 17th occurrence since the virus initially surfaced in Congo during 1976. A particularly devastating outbreak between 2018 and 2020 in the country’s eastern region resulted in over 1,000 fatalities.

Located in a distant area of Congo with inadequate transportation infrastructure, Ituri sits more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) away from Kinshasa, the nation’s capital.

This health emergency adds to the challenges facing the Central African nation, which continues fighting multiple armed factions in its eastern territories, including the M23 rebel group that began an aggressive campaign in January of last year and has captured important urban centers.

The Ituri region specifically confronts ongoing attacks from the Allied Democratic Force militant organization, which maintains connections to the Islamic State and has killed numerous people throughout the eastern areas.

As Africa’s second-largest nation by territory, Congo regularly encounters operational difficulties when addressing disease outbreaks. During the previous year’s three-month outbreak, the World Health Organization initially struggled considerably with vaccine distribution due to restricted access and insufficient funding.

Continental health officials announced Friday that an Ebola outbreak has been verified in the Ituri province of Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention released a statement indicating they are organizing an emergency meeting with Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and international partners to strengthen border monitoring, preparedness and response measures.

Officials reported approximately 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths, primarily concentrated in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, with four fatalities confirmed among laboratory-verified cases.

Preliminary research indicates the presence of a non-Zaire strain of the virus, with genetic analysis continuing to provide further identification.

“Africa CDC is concerned about the risk of further spread due to the urban context of Bunia and Rwampara, intense population movement, mining-related mobility in Mongwalu,” the agency stated.

The Ebola virus causes a serious and frequently deadly disease. According to the Africa CDC, transmission occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals, contaminated objects or those who have died from the illness.

Six travelers from a cruise vessel struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak touched down in Australia on Friday, beginning what officials expect will be at least a three-week isolation period.

A Gulfstream business aircraft transported the passengers from the Netherlands to RAAF Base Pearce near Perth, the capital of Western Australia. From there, the group was transferred to the Bullsbrook isolation facility located nearby.

On Thursday, Australian Health Minister Mark Butler announced the government would put in place “one of the strongest quarantine arrangements in response to this virus outbreak you’ll find anywhere in the world.”

The group consists of five Australian nationals and one citizen of New Zealand, who will remain at the isolation center that has sat mostly empty since its construction in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials have not yet determined what additional safety measures may be needed for the remaining portion of the 42-day potential incubation timeframe identified by the World Health Organization, Butler explained.

According to Butler, other passengers from the cruise vessel MV Hondius who returned to the United States and Britain will complete most of their isolation periods in their own homes.

All six passengers showed negative test results for the virus prior to departing the Netherlands and have shown no signs of illness, Butler reported.

The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius affected 11 people total, with three fatalities reported.

The vessel was traveling from Argentina to the Antarctic region and then to various remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean when health officials identified the outbreak.

Now that all passengers and most crew members have been evacuated, the MV Hondius is returning to the Netherlands for thorough cleaning and sanitization procedures.

Health officials worldwide are facing a familiar challenge as a hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship triggers memories of early pandemic fears and online panic.

The virus, carried by rodents and known as the Andes strain, has infected passengers on a luxury cruise vessel quarantined in the Atlantic Ocean. Three fatalities have occurred among 11 confirmed cases, with dozens of other passengers now under monitoring as they return to approximately 20 different countries.

Public health authorities find themselves walking a tightrope between providing timely information about a virus that poses serious risks but is unlikely to spark a pandemic, while avoiding the spread of unnecessary fear.

The health department of Illinois state demonstrated this careful approach earlier this week when posting about an unrelated case. “Hantavirus thread incoming,” they wrote, “But you have to promise to read this whole thread before panic-texting your group chat. Deal?”

Multiple health officials interviewed said they are applying lessons learned from pandemic-era communication failures, emphasizing empathy while addressing uncertainties and combating false information.

“We spend half of our time discussing how we will communicate,” explained the emergencies lead at the EU’s European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The pandemic exposed significant weaknesses in government response and public messaging. Many administrations reacted slowly or denied problems initially, delivered confusing and contradictory information, implemented varying policies worldwide, and allowed misinformation and political division to flourish.

These failures contributed to widespread institutional distrust. Research indicates that confidence in public health agencies dropped in 20 out of 27 EU nations between 2020 and 2022.

Current health communication efforts focus on balancing explanations of why this constitutes a serious global health situation with reassurances about low public risk levels, while maintaining honesty about remaining unknowns regarding a virus that has rarely transmitted between humans previously.

“There are people who say we are overdoing it, and on the other extreme, that we’re not doing enough,” the EU official noted. “We always base our messages on the evidence we have.”

Social media activity suggests these communication efforts remain challenging, with many individuals unnecessarily worrying about potential returns to lockdowns, social distancing requirements, and mask mandates.

“We have kind of lost perspective,” observed a professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai who specializes in hantavirus research and originates from Argentina.

He emphasized that disease outbreaks can represent major public health events requiring attention and action without necessarily becoming pandemics.

Online misinformation includes false claims presenting hantavirus as more dangerous than COVID, promoting unproven treatments like the anti-parasite medication ivermectin, vitamin D, and zinc. Conspiracy theories have also emerged, falsely linking the virus to vaccine side effects or pharmaceutical company profit schemes.

A psychology professor at England’s University of Cambridge who studies misinformation suggested the public requires better guidance on information interpretation, potentially including exposure to conspiracy theories they might encounter during outbreaks.

“We need to do more preparatory work to create resilience in the population,” he stated.

By Thursday, the outbreak had resulted in three deaths from 11 reported cases, all individuals who had traveled aboard the cruise vessel. Dozens of additional passengers remain under observation as they return home.

Unlike COVID, established protocols exist for controlling hantavirus transmission, officials noted. This particular strain has circulated in regions of Argentina and Chile for decades, and ship samples show no significant variation from that existing virus.

A former head of communications at the World Health Organization, who served until September last year, acknowledged improvements in current responses. “I’m definitely seeing improvements,” she said, particularly regarding sharing available information promptly.

“It seems like the public health community has absorbed crucial lessons, although not all of them.”

The WHO responded quickly to reassure the public, conducting regular press briefings, issuing alerts, and addressing misinformation through social media question-and-answer sessions since the outbreak became public on May 3.

The WHO chief took the unusual step of writing an open letter to residents of Tenerife, where the cruise ship docked on Sunday.

“But I need you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID,” he wrote. “The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low. My colleagues and I have said this unequivocally, and I will say it again to you now.”

Some agencies began communications more slowly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States issued its first information on May 8, five days after news broke, but has since accelerated its communication pace.

“One of the things this is teaching us is a lesson we should have learned from COVID: What we say is really important,” said an infectious diseases expert at the University of Minnesota.

The cruise ship setting has complicated the narrative, echoing memories of the Diamond Princess outbreak during early COVID in 2020, where 14 people died and nearly 25% of the 3,000 passengers and crew became infected while docked off Japan.

“The whole cruise ship thing … is a very significant memory from the beginning of COVID,” explained an associate professor of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

“There’s an emotional reaction that is stirring people.”

The similarity was apparent to a 40-year-old Tenerife resident as passengers began disembarking under strict infection-control protocols at the week’s beginning.

Witnessing the WHO leader’s arrival on the island with Spanish officials to help oversee the response brought back memories.

“It gave me the impression that this isn’t just the flu – otherwise all these people wouldn’t be coming,” she said at a playground, while adding that she understood their involvement helped ensure appropriate measures were taken.

Six passengers who were aboard a luxury cruise vessel during a fatal hantavirus outbreak have returned to Australia and begun mandatory isolation that will last a minimum of three weeks.

The group, consisting of four Australian citizens, one permanent resident, and one New Zealand resident, touched down Friday at a military airfield near Perth in Western Australia aboard a government-arranged aircraft, according to local news outlets.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler confirmed that every member of the returning group had received negative test results and showed no signs of illness before departing from the Netherlands.

“They will be transported immediately to the quarantine facility that’s effectively next door, and they will be tested again,” Butler told Sky News.

The World Health Organization reports that 11 passengers aboard the MV Hondius became infected with the virus, resulting in three fatalities.

Health officials from the WHO have advised a 42-day isolation period for all cruise passengers, while medical experts are encouraging public calm by emphasizing that this virus spreads much less easily than COVID-19 and presents minimal danger to the general population.

Rodents serve as the main carriers of hantavirus, though human-to-human transmission can occur in uncommon instances. The illness typically manifests with symptoms resembling the flu, including exhaustion and elevated body temperature, appearing one to eight weeks following contact, the WHO states.

Federal health regulators have issued a complete clinical hold on an experimental medication developed by Aardvark Therapeutics to address excessive appetite associated with Prader-Willi syndrome, effectively stopping all advanced-stage testing.

The company’s stock price dropped approximately 14% during after-hours trading following the announcement.

Aardvark had previously suspended patient enrollment and medication administration in February after discovering cardiac complications in healthy study participants who received doses of ARD-101 that exceeded planned levels.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s clinical hold encompasses all research involving ARD-101, including both a late-stage trial and an extension study focused on Prader-Willi syndrome.

According to the company, this regulatory action comes after their previously announced voluntary suspension, and they are currently engaged in ongoing conversations with the FDA to address the safety concerns.

The pharmaceutical developer reported that 68 patients had received the medication in the primary study and 19 participants in the extension trial by the end of February.

Company officials stated they plan to examine study information to evaluate both safety and effectiveness before determining their next course of action.

ARD-101, designed as an oral treatment, functions by stimulating intestinal hormones through the activation of taste receptors.

Aardvark reported having $91.2 million in cash and investments at the end of March, which the company projects will support operations through mid-2027.

A Vernon, California produce distributor has issued a voluntary recall for enoki mushrooms over concerns about bacterial contamination that could pose serious health risks.

IQ PRODUCE has pulled 528 cases of 150-gram packaged enoki mushrooms from distribution after discovering the products may contain Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

Health officials warn that this particular bacteria strain poses significant dangers to certain vulnerable groups. Young children, elderly individuals, and people with compromised immune systems face the greatest risk of developing severe infections that could potentially be life-threatening.

The recall notice was issued through federal food safety authorities as part of ongoing monitoring efforts to protect consumers from contaminated food products.

A New York-based company has issued a recall for imported smoked fish products due to safety concerns over improper preparation methods.

Terra Medi LLC, located in Long Island City, New York, is pulling all vacuum-sealed Hellas Meze Golden Smoked Whole herring from the market because the fish were not properly eviscerated. State agriculture regulations in New York prohibit the sale of fish that have not been properly cleaned due to risks associated with Clostridium Botul.

A California food distributor has issued a recall for enoki mushrooms due to concerns about bacterial contamination that could pose serious health risks.

HH Fresh Trading, based in Los Angeles, California State, is pulling 120 cases of Enoki Mushroom 150g packages from the market over potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The bacteria can lead to severe and potentially deadly infections, particularly affecting young children, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems.

During Mental Health Awareness Month this May, scientists worldwide continue studying how creating flourishing garden spaces can provide healing benefits.

Research demonstrates that working with plants helps rebuild hand coordination and muscle tone, enhances heart health, decreases stress and worry, reduces depressive symptoms, and creates a greater sense of purpose. The Old Farmer’s Almanac notes that even bacteria found in dirt naturally boost mood.

Those who tend plants can enhance their wellness practices by growing varieties that offer calming properties—such as soothing herbs that thrive inside homes.

Plants including lemon balm, catnip and holy basil fall into the category of “nervine herbs” because they influence the nervous system to create gentle relaxation—diminishing tension through pleasant tastes and scents while helping pollinating insects.

The Almanac provides guidance for raising and utilizing peaceful herbs that encourage daily wellness:

Lemon balm

Research indicates that lemon balm can enhance recall abilities and learning capacity. Furthermore, touching its foliage releases a calming mint-like scent, and rubbing crushed leaves on skin may repel bugs.

Create a soothing beverage using either fresh or dried tart leaves. Add 1 cup of hot water to 5-6 fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried material. Allow to sit for 5-7 minutes. Filter out plant matter and include honey or mint as preferred. Consume multiple times daily.

For a cooling, citrus-flavored beverage, simply mix crushed leaves into chilled water.

This returning plant reaches 1-2 feet in height when grown in sunny to partially shaded areas, needs quality soil, and sprouts easily from seeds. Because it belongs to the mint plant group, contain it within a container without a bottom or bordered garden area to prevent spreading throughout your yard. Cut the upper portion before flowering begins and suspend for drying.

Chamomile

Chamomile can calm upset stomachs and reduce feelings of sadness and worry when incorporated into contemporary plant-based remedies. It’s recognized for helping with sleeplessness, loosening tight muscles, and calming irritated or swollen skin.

Prepare a peaceful beverage using fresh or dried flower heads. Add 1 cup of hot water to 1 teaspoon of plant material. Let sit for 5-7 minutes, or extended time for stronger calming properties.

Chamomile can also be added to bath water for a peaceful experience, and you can fill a small bag or clean fabric sock with chamomile to place in clothing storage areas.

This yearly plant can reach 2 feet in height, prefers bright sunlight, and grows easily from seeds. Collect and dry the flowers when they reach full bloom.

Lavender

Lavender creates mild calming, comforting and sleep-inducing effects when its fragrance is breathed in. Scent therapy using lavender may help decrease nervous system activity, enhance sleep quality and focus, encourage relaxation and lessen worry.

Prepare a peaceful beverage by heating 8 ounces of water. Put 4 teaspoons of fresh lavender flower buds into a tea strainer or small bag. Combine the strainer and heated water in a cup, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

This returning plant originates from the Mediterranean region and can be difficult to cultivate in certain areas. It prefers dry, basic soil with low-to-moderate nutrients—avoiding overly rich or moist conditions. Collect stems before buds open and suspend for drying.

Catnip

Beyond feline entertainment, this aromatic, mint-family plant with white blooms can help settle nerves, comfort digestive issues, and create mild sleepiness.

Consume as a beverage 2-3 times daily to experience its effects. Add 1 cup of hot water to 2 teaspoons of dried catnip leaves or flowers. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Include lemon juice and honey if wanted.

This returning plant grows easily from seeds, reaches approximately 3 feet tall, thrives in bright sun, and performs well in poor, dry earth. Preserve some for colder months by cutting the upper portion before blooming starts and hanging to dry. Allow some stems to flower for pollinating insects.

Holy basil

Tulsi or holy basil demonstrates mood-lifting and worry-reducing qualities. Unlike the sweet variety used on pizza, it offers a strong, spicy taste.

Utilize fresh or dried leaves for beverage preparation. Add boiling water to ½-1 teaspoon of plant material per cup of water. Let sit for 5-7 minutes, or longer for stronger taste and more beneficial elements.

As a warm-season yearly plant, it grows easily from seeds, thrives in bright sun to partial shade, and reaches 2 feet tall in fertile, damp soil. It can be grown in containers to move indoors during winter.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension publications page offers a useful resource on herb growing and usage.

EyePoint announced Thursday that an independent safety monitoring board discovered no fresh safety issues during their review of two advanced clinical trials testing an experimental vision treatment called Duravyu, giving the go-ahead for research to proceed as planned.

The medication under investigation targets wet age-related macular degeneration, commonly known as wet AMD, which represents a major source of sight deterioration among elderly individuals and can result in fuzzy vision or dark spots in central sight areas.

Safety monitors conducted their third planned assessment and determined the research should move forward without any modifications to study protocols.

According to EyePoint, preliminary results from the initial trial remain scheduled for mid-2026, while findings from the companion study are anticipated shortly thereafter.

The clinical trials have recruited more than 900 participants and are comparing Duravyu’s effectiveness against Regeneron’s established eye medication, Eylea.

EyePoint reported that preliminary safety information demonstrated a positive safety record, matching outcomes observed in over 190 participants from four previous studies.

Financial analysts from RBC Capital Markets stated the safety review met their predictions and boosted their confidence that repeated administration of EyePoint’s experimental treatment hasn’t created safety issues.

EyePoint explained the primary objective of these trials is to demonstrate that Duravyu performs comparably to Eylea in preserving patients’ eyesight at the 52 and 56-week marks.

The pharmaceutical company is also conducting advanced trials of the medication for diabetic macular edema, with results anticipated during the latter half of 2027.

In March, EyePoint initiated legal action against competitor Ocular Therapeutix, claiming the company made false statements regarding EyePoint and Duravyu.

BORDEAUX (AP) — Health officials in France have permitted travelers who remained healthy during a gastrointestinal illness outbreak aboard a British cruise vessel to leave the ship in Bordeaux, after laboratory tests identified the culprit as norovirus, a contagious stomach illness.

Initially, French health officials required all passengers and crew members aboard The Ambition — numbering more than 1,700 people — to stay on the vessel, but reversed course Wednesday evening by allowing healthy individuals to disembark. A traveler was observed celebrating with raised arms as he exited the ship.

Officials have not disclosed the exact number of people who departed the vessel.

Health authorities in France emphasized that this incident bears no connection to a fatal hantavirus situation on a vessel from the Netherlands that has concerned European health officials in recent weeks.

The Ambition had completed half of its planned 14-day voyage departing from Belfast and Liverpool, with intended visits to ports in northern Spain and France’s Atlantic coastline when the illness struck. The ship arrived in Bordeaux Tuesday evening, according to its operator, Ambassador Cruise Line. Whether the voyage will continue remains uncertain.

Laboratory testing conducted at Bordeaux University Hospital verified the presence of norovirus. Regional officials stated that no severe medical cases have emerged and that ill travelers received treatment from the vessel’s onboard medical staff.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which monitors illness outbreaks on ships visiting American and international ports, 23 digestive illness outbreaks occurred on cruise vessels during the previous year. Norovirus, including a newer variant, caused the majority of these incidents.

Ambassador Cruise Line, a British company serving travelers aged 50 and older, began operations in 2021.

NEW YORK (AP) — Years after officials declared the COVID-19 pandemic over, its lasting effects continue to shape our daily lives — remote work arrangements, people choosing to wear masks regularly, and hand sanitizer stations that have become permanent fixtures.

However, some consequences run deeper and are less visible. These include the emotional wounds we carry — mourning for family and friends we lost, ongoing health problems, and the feeling that our lives were derailed. Recently, another effect has emerged following a uncommon hantavirus outbreak on a cruise vessel: anxiety that we might face another pandemic, despite official statements saying otherwise.

When fear spreads widely, whether among individuals or throughout society, it can signal that something fundamental is broken. Perhaps no aspect of our post-pandemic world is more firmly established than the erosion of trust in institutions that many previously considered reliable — scientific establishments, governmental bodies, and information sources themselves.

“COVID undermined our trust in what most of us used to trust,” said Elisa Jayne Bienenstock, a research professor and sociologist at Arizona State University. “When general trust goes down, when there’s a lot of cynicism, who are people looking to, to explain what to do and how the world works?”

Prior to 2020, disease outbreaks in distant locations typically didn’t generate widespread alarm beyond the directly affected regions, even when some epidemics resulted in substantial death tolls.

Part of this was due to complacency in an era when international travel wasn’t as readily available to ordinary people as it has become, which played a crucial role in COVID-19’s global transmission.

Actually, outbreaks of the present hantavirus strain have occurred in various South American nations over the years, including a 1997 incident in Chile. Other nations have experienced epidemics of different diseases ranging from cholera to dengue to SARS, while the U.S. has encountered West Nile, Legionnaire’s disease and others.

However, in our post-COVID-19 era, it didn’t take much time for worries and questions to emerge about disease transmission in the days right after initial reports that three individuals had died from hantavirus on the vessel. Officials have identified nine confirmed and two suspected cases total, including the deaths.

Medical authorities have consistently stressed that while the virus can cause severe illness in infected individuals, the likelihood of transmission among the general population remains minimal. Nevertheless, when ship passengers were transported to the Spanish island of Tenerife for disembarkation, local residents like Samantha Aguero expressed worry.

“We feel a bit unsafe. We don’t feel as there are 100% security measures in place to welcome it,” she said. “This is a virus, after all, and we have lived this during the pandemic.”

Bienenstock identifies three institutions that have experienced declining public confidence: government, media and scientific establishments. However, government officials and reporters were already dealing with public distrust issues before the pandemic began.

Scientific skepticism gained momentum not because researchers were making errors in their methodology but because non-scientists lacked the same comprehension, she explained.

“Most people don’t think of science as a process. In their mind, science is an answer, it’s a fact. And so when those facts showed that they weren’t 100% reliable and assured, it started undermining trust in the science,” she said.

“One of the problems with COVID is it undermined that confidence in science for people who don’t understand how science works. It showed the process. And it showed that scientists don’t always have the answer,” Bienenstock said. “A lot of people in crisis, when they fear things, don’t care what the answer is, as long as there’s a definitive answer. And science doesn’t provide that when it doesn’t know.”

The impact extends beyond whatever issue currently dominates public attention. Secondary effects also occur.

“COVID … didn’t just heighten people’s sensitivity to health threats. It did so unevenly, in ways often disconnected from actual risk,” said Michele Gelfand, professor of organizational behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. “As trust in institutions has weakened, people have lost a key way to navigate uncertainty together. Without trust, people rely more on rumor, fear, and emotion, which can lead them to overreact to small risks and underreact to serious ones.”

Karlynn Morgan, a 76-year-old retired nurse-anesthetist in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has observed this increased focus, with more individuals lacking medical or scientific training discussing health matters than before the pandemic.

She has also been troubled by what appears to be growing distrust in scientific knowledge, evidenced by declining vaccination rates and increasing cases of diseases like measles.

“I think people are far less trusting because people used to take their children and just get the vaccine,” she said. “When I was a kid, there was no question you were going to go get your shot.”

For trust to be restored, Gelfand explained in an email, leadership involvement is essential.

“They set the threat signal. They determine whether people get accurate information about the level of danger or distorted information that serves a political agenda. When leaders send clear, honest signals, people can calibrate in the face of threat. When leaders manipulate threat for their own purposes, norms erode and and trust collapses,” Gelfand said.

“Strong, reliable institutions have historically been our superpower as a society. They’re what allow millions of people to coordinate under uncertainty without knowing each other personally,” she said. “Without that institutional backbone, we lose the very capacity for collective action that has helped human groups survive for millennia.”

A biotechnology company announced Thursday that its investigational treatment for a muscle-wasting condition successfully achieved its primary endpoint in advanced clinical testing.

The company reported that the experimental therapy designed to address muscle-wasting disorders reached its main objective during the late-stage trial, representing a key milestone in the treatment’s development process.

Pharmaceutical company Biogen announced Thursday that its experimental Alzheimer’s treatment failed to achieve its primary objective in a mid-stage clinical trial.

The company revealed on May 14 that the drug did not reach the main endpoint researchers had established for the study.

Cancer treatment centers nationwide are working rapidly to provide patients access to a breakthrough experimental medication for pancreatic cancer through a special early access program while awaiting anticipated FDA approval.

Federal regulators approved the expanded access program on May 1, coming less than three weeks after Revolution Medicines announced that their once-daily medication, daraxonrasib, showed remarkable results by doubling patient survival times in clinical testing for advanced pancreatic cancer – one of the most fatal cancer types with extremely low five-year survival statistics.

Revolution Medicines had requested federal permission to distribute the treatment at no cost to patients with previously treated pancreatic cancer that had metastasized throughout the body.

“The public caught wind of the FDA announcement… which has triggered a deluge of patient requests,” said Dr. Daniel King, medical oncologist at the Zuckerberg Cancer Center of Northwell Health. “Cancer centers are all figuring out how to engage with our own institutions, opening up the protocols to provide access.”

Medical specialists indicate that obtaining approval and administering the expanded access program will be time-consuming and will demand cancer facilities to allocate significant resources beyond their standard procedures.

The medication became one of the initial treatments accepted by federal regulators last year under their new fast-track review system, and could receive approval within one to two months following submission of a complete application.

The Redwood City, California-based Revolution Medicines did not provide immediate response to requests for comment.

CEO Mark Goldsmith, during a conference call last week, refused to predict how many patients might pursue early access to the treatment and provided no timeline for complete FDA submission. “There’s a full-throttle effort to do it,” he stated.

Former Nebraska U.S. Senator Ben Sasse recently disclosed that he has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and informed the CBS news program “60 Minutes” that he is taking the Revolution drug.

The medication targets a genetic alteration present in approximately 90% of pancreatic cancers and demonstrated in clinical testing the ability to extend median survival to 13.2 months versus 6.7 months for patients receiving chemotherapy.

“Doubling survival compared to best available chemotherapy is a big deal,” said Dr. Gulam Manji, co-director of the pancreas center at Columbia/New York-Presbyterian. “It is not a cure, but I think that this drug is a new breakthrough we can build on.”

During his decade-long career, Manji recalled requesting compassionate use of an experimental treatment for only one other patient. During a recent clinic day, the Columbia specialist reported that seven patients inquired about beginning treatment with daraxonrasib.

Providing them access involves much more complexity than prescribing an FDA-approved medication, according to him and other cancer experts.

“Patients are already aware of the press release and are already calling,” said Dr. Vincent Chung, pancreas cancer specialist at City of Hope. “The challenge now is how to proceed.”

The program demands that doctors submit individual patient requests to Revolution Medicines, Chung explained, and if the company determines they qualify as good candidates, all documentation must then be forwarded to the FDA. Hospital oversight committees will need to monitor the patients.

“Given the volume, I am not sure what will happen on the FDA side. I’m sure they don’t want to have 10,000 applications at once,” Chung said, noting that the agency might instead establish a broader enrollment system.

Manji indicated his understanding that cancer centers will not need to gather comprehensive patient data under the expanded access program, but must report severe side effects or other complications.

The FDA did not provide response to requests for comment. The expedited voucher program was promoted as a major accomplishment by Dr. Marty Makary, who stepped down as FDA Commissioner on Tuesday following weeks of disagreements with Trump administration officials.

Approximately 67,000 Americans will receive pancreatic cancer diagnoses this year, with 53,000 expected to die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

“We are doing this as a service to our patients,” Chung said. “I’m hoping of course that the FDA is going to review the data and then there is an approval much sooner than is typical.”

AstraZeneca announced Thursday that their cancer treatment Imfinzi demonstrated meaningful survival benefits for bladder cancer patients when used alongside a targeted medication before surgical procedures, according to results from a late-stage clinical trial.

The pharmaceutical company reported that while Imfinzi alone showed promising results, a combination approach using both Imfinzi and Imjudo with the pre-surgical treatment did not reach statistical significance for overall survival outcomes.

Key findings from the study include:

• When Imfinzi was administered both before and following surgical procedures, combined with pre-operative enfortumab vedotin (EV), patients experienced statistically meaningful improvements in both event-free survival and overall survival rates.

• Enfortumab vedotin serves as a pre-surgical treatment designed to reduce tumor size before the operation takes place.

• The treatment combinations showed safety profiles that matched expectations based on previous studies of the individual medications, with no unexpected safety concerns emerging during the trial.

• The company noted that approximately 25% of bladder cancer patients develop muscle-invasive disease, a condition where cancer cells penetrate the bladder’s muscle wall but have not spread to distant parts of the body.

A cancer specialist from Oregon finds himself as the sole American patient in a specialized isolation facility in Nebraska after exposure to hantavirus during a cruise ship outbreak.

Dr. Stephen Kornfeld from Bend, Oregon, stepped up to assist other travelers who fell ill aboard the MV Hondius during an April voyage. He was part of more than 120 passengers and crew members who were removed from the vessel and transported to various nations for quarantine procedures.

Though 15 fellow Americans are under observation at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Kornfeld was placed in a different isolation area after a nasal sample he provided while on the ship showed positive results for the virus.

“I feel wonderful, 100%,” Kornfeld shared with CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” during a video interview from his hospital accommodation on Tuesday.

The physician mentioned experiencing flu-like conditions while aboard the vessel, including night sweats, chills and exhaustion, but stated he currently has no symptoms.

The World Health Organization announced Wednesday that 11 hantavirus infections connected to the cruise have been documented globally, with three fatalities reported. Laboratory testing has verified eight of these cases.

Kornfeld explained that a nasal specimen he provided on the ship underwent two separate examinations in the Netherlands. One test returned negative while the other showed positive results. He is currently waiting for outcomes from a fresh test conducted upon his return to the United States.

“The initial test that we received was from abroad and it was inconclusive in its results,” Dr. David Fitter of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention informed reporters Wednesday. “So we’re in the process of testing currently and we hope to have those results back in a day or so.”

Beyond the passengers brought to Nebraska, two additional Americans are under surveillance at the serious communicable disease unit at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

Medical authorities report this marks the first hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise vessel. Although no treatment or prevention exists for hantavirus, the WHO states that prompt identification and care enhance survival chances.

Public health experts indicate the danger to the broader population from this cruise ship incident remains minimal. Hantavirus typically spreads through rodent waste and does not easily transfer between humans, though the Andes virus found on the Hondius might spread person-to-person in uncommon situations.

The WHO recommends that all passengers and crew from the cruise remain in quarantine, whether at home or designated facilities, for 42 days.

Kornfeld characterized his accommodations in Nebraska as a hospital room equipped with a comfortable bed.

“It’s a little weird being in here by myself,” he said. “But the nurses come in, the doctors come in. I’m on WhatsApp all the time. It’s really amazing how quickly time flies.”

A California food manufacturer has pulled certain batches of its popular noodle products from store shelves after discovering they may contain traces of peanuts, posing a serious health risk to those with nut allergies.

The Los Angeles-based company Fly By Jing announced the voluntary recall on May 12, 2026, affecting specific production runs of their Creamy Sesame Noodles available in both individual servings and four-packs.

According to the company, the noodle products may have come into contact with peanuts during the manufacturing process, creating a dangerous situation for consumers who suffer from peanut allergies. Such exposure could trigger severe allergic reactions that may be life-threatening.

The recall notice was issued through the Food and Drug Administration as part of standard food safety protocols when potential allergen contamination is discovered.

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services faced a deepening leadership crisis this week as multiple top positions remained vacant across the nation’s key health agencies.

At the start of the week, no Senate-confirmed surgeon general was in place. The director of the National Institutes of Health was simultaneously serving as interim leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Food and Drug Administration was operating without a permanent vaccine director after that position was vacated twice within twelve months.

The situation deteriorated further Tuesday when Dr. Marty Makary stepped down from his role as FDA commissioner, creating yet another vacancy at a critical health agency. Makary’s exit has expanded the leadership void that has characterized HHS during Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s time in office.

While government agencies commonly experience delays in filling Senate-confirmed positions, especially when partisan control margins are slim, health experts argue the current level of instability at HHS is extraordinary and troubling given the lack of scientific credentials among remaining leaders.

“It’s a sign that something is not right in this department,” said Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a former senior employee at the CDC.

The leadership problems have been worsened by widespread staff reductions and terminations, along with broader disruptions caused by Kennedy’s health policy initiatives, according to critics.

HHS did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment Wednesday.

Kathleen Hall Jamieson, who directs the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, noted that most citizens ignore these agencies’ leadership until health emergencies emerge — such as the current hantavirus outbreak. These critical moments offer chances to rebuild public confidence in federal health institutions, which has declined in recent years, she explained.

“The key question for me is, when we need these agencies to speak, will they have the capacity to draw the science together and tell us what we need to know?” Jamieson said.

Makary’s departure from the FDA leaves several important projects incomplete, including ongoing evaluations of ultra-processed foods, artificial food coloring, antidepressant medications, and coronavirus vaccines.

The next permanent FDA leader will face the same difficult challenge that complicated Makary’s time in office: finding balance between traditional Republican anti-regulation views and Kennedy’s anti-corporate agenda, which emphasizes examining ingredients in food products, medications, and vaccines.

The agency is currently developing an unprecedented definition for “ultra-processed foods,” which Kennedy links to increased rates of diabetes, obesity, and other chronic health problems in America. This responsibility now belongs to the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, Kyle Diamantas, who recently called the ultra-processed foods project “really hard” during a health conference.

Trump selected Diamantas to serve as interim FDA head. He also works as a senior advisor to Kennedy. As an attorney and associate of Donald Trump Jr., Diamantas becomes the first FDA leader in over fifty years without medical or scientific education.

“Kyle Diamantas now has a nearly impossible charge,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, a former FDA official now at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Leading, as a non-scientist, a science-based agency under an unqualified secretary who puts his own medical and nutritional pet peeves over evidence-based public health.”

The administration initially chose former Florida Representative Dr. David Weldon to direct the CDC, but his March 2025 Senate confirmation hearing was abruptly cancelled one hour before it was scheduled to start. Weldon reported being informed that insufficient senators supported his nomination.

The White House then selected Susan Monarez, who received Senate confirmation but was removed after less than thirty days due to policy disagreements with the administration. Several prominent CDC scientific leaders quit in protest, stating that Monarez’s firing eliminated their hopes that a CDC director could protect the agency’s scientific research and health guidance from political interference.

Following her removal, various HHS officials have served in acting director roles. Jay Bhattacharya, who leads the National Institutes of Health, has supervised the CDC since February. Trump recently nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, for the CDC director position, which requires Senate approval.

Current and former CDC staff members report a shortage of experienced public health leadership at the organization and say Kennedy’s staff have restricted and sometimes blocked the agency’s public communication and comprehensive science-based operations.

HHS representatives have stated that the CDC’s essential public health duties have remained “intact and effective” and that organizational changes represent efforts “to restore credibility through transparency, gold standard science, and accountability.”

Jernigan, who resigned last August from a senior CDC role that still lacks a permanent successor, explained that the leadership changes mean there hasn’t been a “strong, present CDC director” to advocate for crucial agency funding, hiring, or keeping qualified scientists.

During the ongoing hantavirus outbreak response, the CDC sent teams to evacuate and isolate potentially exposed Americans, health officials conducted media briefings, and Bhattacharya appeared on Fox News to reassure the public. However, he provided incorrect information and exaggerated what was actually known about the outbreak at that time. Jernigan recommended allowing more career scientists to communicate with the public.

“That will do more for trust and for calming the nerves of the U.S. right now,” he said.

The leadership upheaval occurs as HHS and the White House have redirected attention toward health programs focused on nutrition, lifestyle, and cost reduction in recent months before midterm elections, publicly moving away from Kennedy’s initial efforts to weaken vaccine recommendations.

Although Kennedy initially celebrated having authority to select his own deputy officials, the administration’s recent appointments suggest that the health secretary’s close supporters may no longer be prioritized.

For instance, last month, after withdrawing a surgeon general candidate connected to Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again campaign, Trump nominated radiologist and former Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier. She has promoted vaccines more strongly than Kennedy and has sometimes called current HHS actions “embarrassing.” Her nomination requires Senate confirmation.

Despite the leadership chaos creating uncertainty within federal health agencies, Kennedy has maintained a high profile as their collective spokesperson. This concerns Jernigan, who believes Kennedy doesn’t always prioritize the strongest scientific evidence in his decisions.

“The driver for the secretary is the ideology,” Jernigan said. “And that’s not a strategy for really improving the health of Americans.”