Category: Health

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — At Kinshasa’s bustling Masina Market, sellers of bushmeat don’t always put their products on full display. Shoppers need to specifically request what they want, from large swamp rodents to pieces of antelope meat.

Some merchants do sell openly, including women managing enormous baskets filled with wriggling caterpillars throughout the market.

Throughout Congo and other parts of Central and West Africa, bushmeat represents both a culinary desire and an integral element of local culture. Even a devastating illness like Ebola, which is currently destroying communities in eastern Congo’s remote areas, hasn’t reduced the appetite for wild game from the Congo Basin, a vast forest region often referred to as the planet’s second lung.

The Congo Basin contains diverse wildlife ranging from large primates to snakes — both hunted for consumption. This creates exposure risks for residents to diseases that jump from animals to humans, including Ebola.

While Ebola typically doesn’t transmit through food consumption, African cases have been linked to hunting, slaughtering and preparing meat from diseased animals, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Once there is human, animal and environment interface, we have these kinds of outbreaks on a frequent level,” said Dr. Tolbert Geewleh Nyenswah of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “And this is why one health approach in dealing with virus outbreaks is important, because we still interact with the bats, and our hunters are still killing monkeys, and we are close to the environment.”

Congo’s government has verified over 1,000 potential cases with no fewer than 220 fatalities since announcing the Ebola outbreak on May 15. The virus appears to have circulated unnoticed for weeks, with the World Health Organization believing the actual scope exceeds reported numbers.

Ebola, which takes its name from a Congo River tributary, was initially identified in 1976 during concurrent outbreaks in Congo and what is now South Sudan. Outbreaks typically begin when the virus jumps from infected animals like fruit bats into human populations. These animal-to-human transmissions frequently occur during wild meat handling and consumption, according to specialists.

However, because Ebola outbreaks occur infrequently in areas where bushmeat consumption is routine, some residents “don’t believe the linkage” while others remain “totally ignorant” about health risks from eating wild game, explained Dr. Misaki Wayengera, a microbiologist who counsels Uganda’s Ministry of Health on disease outbreaks.

“It is very difficult to change some of these core practices,” he said.

Communities have suffered severely from periodic Ebola outbreaks, with the disease’s gruesome symptoms terrorizing entire settlements and leading many to think they’re cursed.

The Ebola virus has caused 17 outbreaks in Congo plus numerous others across the region. The most devastating outbreak occurred in West Africa from 2014 to 2016, infecting approximately 28,000 individuals and causing over 11,300 deaths.

The Food and Agriculture Organization — which examined Ebola risks from bushmeat consumption and handling following West Africa’s epidemic — found that animal-to-human Ebola transmission is uncommon, but “their consequences are nonetheless disastrous.”

After Ebola infects an initial person, the virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from ill or dead patients, including perspiration, blood, waste or vomit. Healthcare workers lacking adequate protection face particularly high risks.

The present eastern Congo outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, an uncommon Ebola strain without approved treatments or vaccines.

This outbreak is happening in a Congo region also experiencing armed conflict from rebel forces and mass population displacement from fleeing violence.

Though Congolese officials have banned hunting threatened wildlife, including great apes pushed toward extinction by poachers, no comprehensive wildlife trade prohibition exists and illegal hunting continues for symbolic animals like bonobos.

Numerous Congo Basin residents rely on bushmeat as their main animal protein source. Annual wild meat harvesting from the Congo Basin reaches an estimated 4.5 million tons, based on Center for International Forestry Research data.

Viande de brousse, the French term for wild meat, enjoys popularity as food, even appearing in upscale restaurants. This has increased pressure on the Congo Basin’s declining resources. Despite continuing biodiversity loss, the Congo Basin remains the world’s largest carbon sink, exceeding the Amazon’s carbon capture and storage capacity.

Public health advocates must intensify educational efforts about Ebola’s origins and transmission in communities facing repeated outbreaks, according to Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of Uganda’s Conservation Through Public Health organization.

Communities need education that “eating meat from an unknown source, or a dead animal, is a no-no,” Kalema-Zikusoka said. “It’s a very cultural thing.”

Certain fruit bats are thought to naturally carry Ebola-causing viruses, the WHO reports. Yet bats remain delicacies across much of Central and West Africa. Roasted fruit bat soup is highly prized, along with various monkey parts.

At Kinshasa’s Masina Market one recent morning, before the current Ebola outbreak, merchants reported selling antelope, rodent and snake meat obtained from the Congo Basin.

They indicated they had long since ceased selling monkey meat, which could harbor the Ebola virus.

Vendor Guyva Mputu was offering python, its frozen meat beginning to steam in the moisture-heavy air.

Another seller, Charles Ntanga, used a flywhisk against flies landing on a spoiled giant rodent carcass, with each kilogram priced at roughly $17. Ntanga reported serving customers from diverse backgrounds.

“We sell wild meat,” he said. “We make our lives through this business.”

A musician from London has found an innovative way to continue creating music after Parkinson’s disease affected his ability to play guitar, turning to artificial intelligence technology to complete his latest recording project.

Samuel Smith, a singer-songwriter who has spent years crafting Americana music with guitar as his primary instrument, received his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2020. The 49-year-old artist recently completed his second album, “The Art of Letting Go,” using AI music generation platforms to help translate his creative ideas when his physical abilities became limited.

For an instrumental track called “Horizon” on the eight-song collection, Smith utilized AI-powered music generators after humming melodies into his phone. He then uploaded these recordings to platforms including Suno and Udio to create demonstration arrangements that communicated his artistic vision to the session musicians who would record the final version.

Smith emphasized that these AI-generated demos were not incorporated into the finished studio recording. However, as Parkinson’s symptoms including tremors, stiffness, and fatigue progressed during the album’s year-long creation process, his guitar abilities declined significantly.

“So then I’m faced with a question,” Smith said. “‘Don’t play, don’t be creative, or find a way out, find a route.’ And for me, this was the route.”

The use of generative AI technology has created controversy within the music industry, with artists and record companies expressing concerns about copyrighted material being used to train AI models. Major labels Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records filed lawsuits against Suno and Udio in June 2024, though Universal and Warner later reached settlement and partnership agreements with the respective companies.

However, Smith’s situation highlights a different application of these tools – assisting musicians whose medical conditions impact their traditional creative processes. His debut album “In the Springtime” was released in 2023, which he described as wanting to preserve memories of his musical abilities for his two sons.

“I’d always written, I’d also played, I always sung,” Smith explained. “And immediately it became clear to me that I was in trouble, that my music was going to be seriously compromised.”

The AI music generation systems operate by analyzing large collections of recorded music and audio, studying patterns in melody, harmony, and rhythm to create new audio based on user prompts or uploaded recordings. These platforms allow users without traditional musical training to produce complete songs.

Smith described the process of creating usable demos as requiring “50, 100, 150 attempts” along with extensive editing “to get something that sounds close to my music.” After recording himself humming melodies and uploading the audio, he provides detailed prompts describing the desired instrumentation, mood, and musical style.

“AI is not replacing anything for me,” Smith stated. “It’s unlocking, it’s enabling. It’s allowing me to keep writing. I upload my lyrics; AI doesn’t create my lyrics. I upload my music; AI does not create my music.”

He continued: “It then brings it to life in a way that I can play to session players and say, ‘Here, that’s what I’m thinking, that is what I’m hearing.’”

Grammy-winning pianist and producer Matt Rollings produced the album, assembling a group of accomplished roots and bluegrass musicians for the recording sessions. The lineup included dobro player and 16-time Grammy winner Jerry Douglas, Grammy-winning banjo player Alison Brown, fiddler Stuart Duncan, guitarist Bryan Sutton, bassist Viktor Krauss, and vocalists Jonatha Brooke and Glen Phillips.

Smith described performing in a Nashville studio alongside musicians he had long admired as “an extraordinary moment.”

Grammy-nominated guitarist Julian Lage, recognized for his jazz and acoustic work with Blue Note Records, contributed to both the album’s title track and “Horizon.” The “Horizon” recording became particularly meaningful for Smith, as he managed to perform a guitar duet with his friend despite his condition’s progression.

“I hadn’t been able to play for months, but I kept telling myself that if I wrote something to take to the studio, perhaps the clouds would part for a few minutes,” Smith recalled. “That’s what happened. I had a window of about 10 minutes in the studio when my arm freed up. … So in the end, I was able to capture the last breath of my guitar playing.”

Music experts suggest that AI-assisted tools could provide benefits for other individuals dealing with disabilities or illnesses that affect their musical abilities.

Ruaidhri Mannion, a composer, music producer, and sonic artist who teaches at Brunel University of London, noted that affordable digital recording technology “effectively democratized the making of music” in recent years. He believes AI tools that create polished-sounding material from voice or text inputs could serve a similar function by helping songwriters and musicians communicate concepts and collaborate more effectively.

“If these tools are able to enable people to be able to participate with other creative groups and encourage more people to feel confident to be able to reach out to an ensemble or an orchestra or something, then I think that is all for the better,” Mannion explained.

However, Mannion cautioned that excessive dependence on technology might interfere with the trial and error, frustration, and creative synergy that are essential components of a musician’s artistic growth.

“What makes a lot of music-making meaningful is the collaborative element,” he noted. “There’s a lot of experimentation and development and failure that’s part of musical discovery.”

Both Udio and Suno have rejected copyright infringement claims and expressed interest in working cooperatively with the music industry. Some musicians remain skeptical of these platforms. A coalition of recording artists and activists, including singer-songwriter Tift Merritt, David Lowery from bands Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven, and ECR Music Group President Blake Morgan, released an open letter in February titled “So no to Suno.”

“Many in our community are embracing responsible AI as a tool for creation, and as a means for fans to explore and interact with our artistry. That’s wonderful,” the letter stated. “But it’s not the same as creating an environment where AI-generated works sourced from our music are mass distributed to dilute our royalties or, worse yet, reward those actively seeking to commit fraud. Artists need to know the difference.”

Smith believes his experience demonstrates how AI technology could benefit society and expand creative opportunities when developed responsibly.

“My message would be that if these companies want to show they’ve got a place, a role in society, then step up,” Smith said. “Engage with health professionals, engage with music therapists, engage with society and show us what you can do.”

On May 21, Smith partnered with the Berklee Music and Health Institute for a New York event that brought together music industry executives, researchers, and medical professionals to explore how music can support individuals living with neurological conditions. Smith shared his experience with Parkinson’s disease and performed again with musicians from “The Art of Letting Go.”

Continuing to create music remains essential to the legacy Smith wants to establish for his children, who are 4 and 17 years old.

“My 4-year-old is probably never going to remember me playing, and it’s heartbreaking,” he said. “But I’ve been able to pull this into something and refuse to be defined by this disease.”

President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday backing a January report from the Department of Health and Human Services that advocates for reducing childhood vaccine recommendations across the United States.

Trump’s directive instructs federal agencies to coordinate their policies with the report’s findings, which supports changes long advocated by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The research determined that America suggests more childhood immunizations than numerous comparable countries.

Earlier efforts by the Trump administration to reduce recommended childhood vaccines based on this report were halted by a federal judge in Massachusetts. Officials are currently challenging that court ruling.

The report suggests immunizing all children against 11 specific diseases. Additional vaccines would only be suggested for high-risk populations or through what researchers call “shared decision-making” between doctors and families. These conditional recommendations include immunizations for influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, certain types of meningitis and RSV.

Trump’s directive strengthens support for the study during a period when his administration seemed to be shifting attention from Kennedy’s more controversial vaccine positions toward widely accepted topics such as nutritional wellness.

The executive order instructs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to examine the study and “take any appropriate steps” to modify its vaccination guidance. It states the CDC should “provide maximum flexibility to parents and doctors” and requires agencies to ensure all policies, rules and funding match the study’s recommendations.

The directive also specifies that any modifications must preserve Americans’ existing vaccine access.

Individual states, rather than federal authorities, control vaccination requirements for school attendance. Although CDC guidelines frequently shape state policies, several states have started forming coalitions to resist the Trump administration’s vaccine direction.

Trump ordered HHS to conduct the study in December.

Kennedy has long opposed vaccines and has worked to incorporate his doubts about immunizations into federal recommendations. He previously announced the CDC would stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women, a decision questioned by public health professionals who found no new evidence supporting the change.

In June, he dismissed a 17-member CDC vaccine advisory panel and subsequently appointed his own members, including several vaccine critics.

The January analysis determined that vaccine recommendations for American children have grown significantly over recent decades. The report also noted countries where no immunizations are mandated for school enrollment.

A newly released government survey reveals that adult cigarette smoking across America has reached an unprecedented low, with just 1 in 11 adults reporting they currently smoke cigarettes.

The habit remains linked to lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, and health officials have long identified it as the top preventable cause of death in the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gathered these preliminary results through survey responses from over 24,200 adults. Researchers classified current cigarette smokers as those who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes during their lifetime and continue smoking either daily or occasionally.

Back in the mid-1960s, 42% of American adults used cigarettes. The numbers have steadily declined over the decades thanks to tobacco taxes, higher product costs, smoking restrictions, public awareness efforts and shifting social attitudes about smoking in public spaces.

The 2024 data shows current adult smoking dropped below 10% for the first time ever, landing at 9% in the latest survey.

Meanwhile, adult use of electronic cigarettes has been slowly rising but remained stable in 2025 at approximately 7%.

“The continued decline in smoking is a monumental public health achievement that has saved millions of lives and billions in healthcare costs,” said Yolonda Richardson, president and chief executive of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy and research organization.

Richardson noted that current anti-smoking initiatives have suffered setbacks due to cuts made by President Donald Trump’s administration that shut down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health and ended its “Tips from Former Smokers” advertising campaign.

She referenced studies indicating that the “Tips” campaign by itself helped over 1 million Americans stop smoking and prevented more than $7.3 billion in healthcare expenses.

“This critical work must be restored and sustained to continue reducing smoking-related disease, death and healthcare costs nationwide,” Richardson said.

BUNIA, May 29 – Health officials in Congo are tracking a growing outbreak of Ebola after suspected infections jumped to 1,028 cases, according to the country’s health minister Samuel Roger Kamba, who briefed the media Friday evening. The figure represents an increase from 906 suspected cases reported just one day earlier.

Among the total suspected cases, 225 have received laboratory confirmation, Kamba stated.

Federal health officials announced Friday they have cleared the way for children with diabetes to use a breakthrough inhaled insulin treatment, eliminating the need for traditional needle injections in younger patients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision allows MannKind Corporation to market its fast-acting inhaled insulin to patients under 18 years old, providing families with an alternative to conventional injection methods.

Following the announcement on May 29, MannKind’s stock price climbed 5% during afternoon market activity.

The regulatory green light creates new possibilities for young diabetes patients who typically need insulin multiple times daily to control their condition, which prevents the body from managing blood sugar properly.

MannKind’s Afrezza product differs from traditional insulin by being delivered through inhalation via a compact device rather than injected under the skin. The treatment helps manage blood glucose during meals and originally received FDA clearance for adult use in June 2014.

According to the company, qualifying patients will be able to obtain Afrezza for $35 monthly or less.

A comprehensive investigation has uncovered troubling allegations surrounding a private residential treatment facility in Missouri that serves adopted children and receives significant taxpayer funding while operating with minimal oversight.

The facility, known as Calo Programs or Change Academy at Lake of the Ozarks, charges families up to $20,000 monthly and draws clients from across the nation who send their children across state boundaries for treatment.

While Calo markets itself as a therapeutic lakeside retreat where troubled adopted youth can recover through activities like bonding with therapy dogs, with staff members who “create joy,” the investigation reveals a far more troubling reality.

Local law enforcement frequently responds to the facility for assault investigations and to locate runaway residents. State agencies that fund placements there have raised concerns about the center’s operations, staff training protocols, and lack of transparency. Both parents and former staff members report inadequate treatment services and minimal educational programming, with young, undertrained personnel supervising the children. Two mothers compared the environment to something from “Lord of the Flies.”

In written responses, Calo rejected the allegations and pointed to student success rates as evidence of their effective methods: “For nearly two decades, Calo has provided innovative treatment and critical mental health services for young people who have been failed by the system. Over and over again, parents across the country have come to us in their moment of need, and we are proud of the track record we’ve established helping treat their children and return them to their families with the skills and tools they need to get ahead.”

The investigation utilized extensive state records and documents obtained through public information requests, along with interviews of recent residents, parents, former staff members, and attorneys involved in more than a dozen legal cases against the organization.

Sheriff’s office records from Camden County spanning 2020 to fall 2025 document hundreds of pages of incident reports involving children at the facility as alleged victims, witnesses, and perpetrators of various incidents.

One incident last summer involved multiple girls fleeing toward wooded areas and jumping into the lake to escape, with staff pursuing and returning them, only to witness additional escape attempts. Calo stated no injuries occurred during these incidents.

Prior to that event, sheriff’s deputies documented reports of two children allegedly using methamphetamine that a staff member reportedly brought onto the premises in her personal bag. Calo confirmed the employee’s termination and stated the substance was never verified as methamphetamine.

Another incident involved deputies responding to reports of overwhelmed staff as teenagers “stormed” a room to attack another resident. During this altercation, one boy climbed onto the facility’s roof and jumped, landing on rocks below and requiring helicopter transport to a hospital. Calo acknowledged that conflicts occur among troubled youth, stated staff followed proper protocols in requesting assistance, and claimed the jumping victim sustained only a sprained ankle.

An Illinois mother filed a 2024 report alleging her daughter and another girl were sexually assaulted by another child at the facility. She claimed Calo failed to notify families, state authorities, or law enforcement, and accused the facility of concealing the incident.

Her daughter’s placement was funded by Illinois through the Family Support Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services for behavioral health care funding. This mother and other Illinois parents told investigators they assumed the state had properly vetted the program due to the number of children Illinois sent there.

Both the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Illinois State Board of Education include Calo on their lists of approved residential treatment facilities they fund. Over the past decade, these two Illinois agencies have invested more than $35 million in sending children to Calo, according to obtained data.

In the previous year alone, the Board of Education spent over $1.6 million sending 13 children there for special education services, while Healthcare and Family Services invested $1.2 million for 19 children. Some families utilized funding from both sources.

Bill Hayden reported using Illinois education funding to send his daughter, adopted from Russia, to Calo ten years ago. The retired physician was among families Calo suggested for interviews. Hayden expressed his belief that Calo transformed his daughter’s life.

“I felt that they were dedicated professionals who were trying to do their best with about the toughest group of kids you could probably ever house,” Hayden stated.

Calo operates within what experts call the troubled teen industry, an extensive network of loosely regulated, for-profit residential facilities, boarding schools, and wilderness programs that have been quietly serving adopted children at exceptionally high rates.

The facility opened in 2007 with 40 beds and has undergone significant expansion, reaching a capacity of 144 this year. It focuses on adoption trauma treatment and reports that 90% of its clients are adopted.

Around 2011, a private equity firm led by Stanford graduate Alex Stavros acquired Calo, and over the following 13 years expanded the operation by merging with other treatment centers to create parent company Embark Behavioral Health. Stavros, who stepped down in 2024, did not provide comment for the investigation.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Stavros claims to have grown Embark to 38 programs across 20 states and achieved a 40-fold revenue increase to $180 million. Under his direction, Calo changed its financial model “from entirely private pay to majority third party reimbursed,” including private health insurance, Medicaid, and various government programs.

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, as residential programs faced enrollment challenges, Embark organized dozens of industry professionals to discuss business strategies. “DOING EPIC SH$T” appeared on the cover of the August 2020 “Embark Academy Sales & Marketing Conference” handbook, which included a session on “overcoming objections” with sales techniques to “build your client base and keep your pipelines full!”

In a session promoting admissions as an essential component of the treatment team, the handbook stated: “The admissions person sells hope when the family is at their lowest and most hopeless, scary, and vulnerable time.”

The company defended its marketing strategies targeting families in crisis.

“It is a common misconception that for-profit entities are more expensive or less ethical than non-profit organizations,” Calo stated. “Reaching them through thoughtful outreach and advertising helps break down the mental health stigma that keeps people from seeking treatment …”

Some local officials have questioned Calo’s business approach.

Stacy Roberts, who operates the local juvenile detention center, said his agency experiences frustration with Calo and handles as many as a dozen cases annually involving out-of-state children from Calo.

Numerous families have criticized conditions at Calo as resembling a jail. Roberts dismissed this comparison, noting that traditional juvenile detention centers like his operate under higher standards. Unlike Calo, Roberts reports to the public, judicial oversight, and the juvenile justice system, which monitors children’s stays within his facility.

“It’s a business,” Roberts stated. “They’re not doing this because they want to help. They’re making money off these kids.”

A recent clinical trial has demonstrated that Eli Lilly’s diabetes medication tirzepatide delivers superior results compared to other drugs in its class for certain type 2 diabetes patients.

The research focused on individuals who had received their type 2 diabetes diagnosis within the previous four years and were not achieving adequate control through metformin, dietary changes, and physical activity. Tirzepatide is marketed as Mounjaro for diabetes treatment in the United States and for both diabetes and weight management in international markets.

The SURPASS-EARLY clinical trial enrolled nearly 800 adult participants who were randomly assigned to receive either tirzepatide or alternative medications. The majority of control group participants were given other GLP-1 medications including semaglutide, marketed by Novo Nordisk as Ozempic or Rybelsus, or Lilly’s Trulicity (dulaglutide).

After 24 months of treatment, participants who received weekly tirzepatide injections demonstrated superior improvements in blood sugar management as measured by hemoglobin A1c levels, along with better outcomes for body weight and waist measurements compared to the control group.

The results, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, revealed that approximately 60% of tirzepatide recipients achieved normal blood glucose levels after two years, while only 24% of control group patients reached this milestone.

According to researchers’ statements, the data indicates that initiating tirzepatide treatment earlier when conventional care proves insufficient may deliver more robust and lasting metabolic improvements than other standard treatment options.

In separate research developments, scientists have made significant discoveries about long COVID’s neurological effects. Two studies suggest that the condition’s debilitating brain-related symptoms may result from the immune system mistakenly attacking the body itself, findings that could pave the way for new treatments and influence blood donation guidelines.

Researchers in both investigations gathered autoantibodies from the blood of long COVID volunteers. While normal antibodies protect against threats, autoantibodies – frequently observed following acute viral infections and continuing during long COVID – erroneously target the body’s own tissues.

When scientists introduced these human autoantibodies into healthy laboratory mice, the animals developed neurological characteristics similar to patient symptoms, including exhaustion, coordination problems, heightened pain sensitivity, and nerve damage.

One experiment demonstrated that these effects persisted even when autoantibodies were obtained from patients two years following their original infection, according to findings published in Cell Reports Medicine.

“This new awareness of the physiology of long COVID will enable us to identify a number of effective treatments for autoimmunity that could significantly improve the symptoms of millions of people with this chronic condition,” stated Dr. David Putrino from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, who co-authored a related study in Cell.

“Before we had no way of predicting who would benefit from (existing) therapies,” he explained. “Our study now shows that if you are in a subgroup of long COVID patients who have autoantibodies circulating in your body… you may be a good candidate for these drugs.”

A Cell commentary noted that both studies “provide compelling evidence that autoantibodies directly contribute to symptom generation in a subset of people with long COVID,” while acknowledging that neither investigation establishes definitive proof of one central mechanism driving the condition.

Beyond their medical implications, Putrino emphasized that these findings raise important public health concerns regarding blood donation practices.

“In the UK, having long COVID is an exclusion for donating blood, while in the United States these individuals are still allowed to donate,” he noted.

“Given the dangers that (autoantibodies in) plasma from people with long COVID can pose for others, this country should be considering fundamental changes to its donation policies.”

The World Health Organization’s director-general touched down in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital city, Thursday evening to observe response efforts against an outbreak of an uncommon strain of Ebola virus. Medical teams are battling equipment shortages, community skepticism, and violence from armed factions in an unstable area.

“To come here is to really show to the community that they’re not alone,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at the airport.

“Pushing orders from my comfortable office in Geneva is easy, but I’m asking my colleagues to work with the community and I am asking communities to protect themselves,” he added.

The European Union delivered medical supplies to Ituri province, where Congo’s Ebola outbreak is centered, on Thursday. The same day, the United States pledged an additional $80 million in assistance, pushing its total contribution beyond $112 million.

Healthcare workers operating with limited resources have been fighting to control an outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, an Ebola variant with no approved treatment or vaccine available. In certain locations, medical professionals have been forced to use outdated protective masks when caring for potential patients.

The WHO reports 1,077 suspected cases and 238 suspected deaths as of Tuesday.

Healthcare workers face increased risks due to community anger over strict medical procedures for handling victims’ remains, which conflict with traditional burial customs. Local residents have carried out at least three assaults on medical facilities.

Tedros noted that additional obstacles are making outbreak control more difficult, including large numbers of people forced from their homes by armed violence in the area, along with food shortages.

On Wednesday, he requested a ceasefire in an area where armed factions have conducted violent attacks for many years.

“We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling,” Tedros said.

Located in northeastern Congo near the Ugandan border, Ituri province has suffered from attacks by the Allied Democratic Force, a rebel group allied with the Islamic State group, and a coalition of ethnic militias. In early May, the ADF killed at least 40 people and burned several homes in Ituri.

The disease has also appeared in the Congolese provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, south of Ituri, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group controls many key cities, including Goma and Bukavu. The rebels have reported two cases.

The area’s primary airport in Goma, which also serves as a base for humanitarian operations in the region, has remained shut since January 2025, when M23 captured the city.

The fighting has created one of the globe’s most severe humanitarian emergencies, with at least 7 million people forced from their homes in eastern Congo.

The WHO leader said Thursday he opposes countries implementing travel restrictions against citizens of nations affected by the outbreak.

“There are ways to manage workers and to manage cases without having a strong, restricted travel ban and we don’t encourage that as WHO,” Tedros said.

The Trump administration announced a temporary prohibition last week on entry for people without U.S. passports, as well as U.S. green-card holders, who have visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the past 21 days. It said Wednesday it plans to send Americans who are exposed to Ebola to a new facility in Kenya instead of flying them to the U.S. Congo’s neighbors, Uganda and Rwanda, recently closed their borders.

A decade has passed since Naomi “Nonie” Lynn received a diagnosis of agoraphobia, a condition characterized by anxiety about being in public spaces. Recently, Lynn opened up about her experience in a conversation with Mandy Lashay, discussing how their relationship evolved from casual visits into a meaningful bond.

During their discussion, Lynn reflected on how Lashay’s regular visits provided support during her journey with the anxiety disorder. What began as simple check-ins gradually developed into a genuine friendship that has helped Lynn navigate the challenges associated with her fear of public places.

The conversation between the two women highlights how personal connections can flourish even when mental health challenges create barriers to traditional social interactions.

Federal health officials have identified serious safety and record-keeping violations at a manufacturing facility operated by Dabur India, following an inspection conducted in January at the company’s plant in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The Food and Drug Administration’s inspection report, released publicly this week, detailed multiple concerns including potential contamination hazards and deliberate falsification of production records. Dabur India represents one of the country’s most established consumer goods manufacturers, operating for more than 140 years and marketing itself as a leading global distributor of Ayurvedic health products.

The company distributes various over-the-counter health items in the American market, including products for cough and cold relief, antifungal treatments, pain management gels, and dental care items.

According to the inspection findings, certain areas within the manufacturing facility presented microbiological contamination dangers. Federal inspectors discovered that essential production documentation had been deliberately altered to hide the fact that equipment designated for specific products was actually being utilized for manufacturing multiple different items.

The report documented unsanitary conditions including the presence of a live bird and bird waste in the raw materials storage facility, located approximately 30 feet from packaging supplies. Additionally, inspectors observed an unidentified dark substance covering more than one-quarter of ceiling areas in both the raw materials warehouse and the finished product storage facility.

These discoveries occur during a period of increased regulatory oversight of Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers regarding quality control standards for medical products shipped to the United States, which represents their primary international market.

Federal inspectors also raised questions about the facility’s testing procedures, noting that while laboratory results for microbiology tests appeared to meet acceptable standards, substantial contamination was actually observed in numerous samples during the on-site inspection.

The company has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the inspection findings.

After receiving a form 483 notice, which is standard procedure following FDA facility inspections, companies typically submit detailed responses outlining corrective measures they plan to implement to address identified issues.

The inspection report additionally noted that facility management had failed to properly review production and quality documentation to ensure regulatory compliance before releasing product batches for sale, and identified shortcomings in equipment cleaning and maintenance protocols.

International financial commitments to battle the escalating Ebola crisis in Africa have dramatically declined by almost 50% since earlier this week, according to the continent’s primary health organization.

The World Health Organization has classified the outbreak of the uncommon Bundibugyo variant of Ebola affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a global public health emergency.

Latest statistics from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) indicate 1,077 suspected infections and 246 suspected fatalities in Congo. The data also revealed that confirmed cases in Uganda have increased from seven to eight.

During a virtual news briefing on Thursday, Director-General Jean Kaseya revealed that Africa CDC’s international partners had committed nearly $500 million earlier in the week to combat the outbreak. However, that amount has since dropped to approximately $290 million after several contributors withdrew their commitments, though he declined to identify specific donors.

“People are dying! How can we come and say: we commit X million dollars, and the next day they are calling me to say no, it was a mistake?” Kaseya stated.

“We know some big global health institutions are sitting with billions of dollars… How can you come to say: I want you to focus on this development program, and I have money for that, but I don’t have money for Ebola?”

During his remarks to the media, Kaseya commended the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) for their willingness to redirect existing funds to support the emergency response efforts.

Medical officials are working urgently to stop the rapidly expanding outbreak across the African continent, but face challenges including shortages of essential medical supplies and community distrust stemming from previous epidemic experiences.

The crisis has led governments to implement stricter travel controls. The United States has established temporary entry limitations for individuals who visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 21 days, including permanent residents.

Kaseya questioned the inclusion of South Sudan in travel restrictions, noting the country has reported no Ebola cases or fatalities.

“We cannot afford to stop this outbreak without resources… and more importantly, we cannot afford to stop this outbreak with travel restrictions that Western countries start to impose to African countries.”

Ebola represents a serious and frequently deadly illness spread through direct exposure to infected body fluids or contaminated materials.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday it has approved new regulations designed to make the process of resolving payment disagreements between healthcare providers and insurance companies more efficient and affordable.

The updated regulations are connected to federal legislation that prohibits unexpected medical charges from healthcare providers who are not covered by a patient’s insurance plan. The goal is to eliminate inappropriate disputes while reducing expenses for both medical providers and insurance companies.

“The No Surprises Act protects patients from unexpected medical bills while creating an arbitration process to resolve certain types of payment disputes between payers and providers, and this rule makes significant improvements to the arbitration,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz.

When healthcare providers and insurance companies cannot reach agreement on payment amounts for services provided outside a patient’s insurance network, they can use the Federal Independent Dispute Resolution process for arbitration.

According to the agency, the new regulations will dramatically reduce administrative costs from $115 down to $15 per party for each dispute, which could encourage more participation in the process.

The updated rules also allow for greater flexibility in handling multiple related claims together as a group, which the department says will lower costs and accelerate decision-making.

Insurance companies will now be required to use uniform claim codes when discussing services provided outside their networks, which will help healthcare providers quickly identify whether a claim is eligible for the dispute resolution process and reduce inappropriate filings, according to the department.

The regulations establish a new unified system for managing disputes that will be implemented gradually starting this year.

The federal legislation was enacted in 2020 to shield patients from unexpected billing situations, which typically occurred when patients received care at hospitals covered by their insurance but were later charged by physicians who were not included in the same insurance network as the hospital.

Yoselin Sanchez has lived with constant pain from cervical scoliosis since birth. Though few things provide relief from her discomfort, she’s discovered methods to take her mind off the pain.

Her routine includes yoga and free flow dance. During work hours, she often plays house music set to 432 hertz, a frequency that’s lower than standard concert tuning.

“Music is medicine. Sound is medicine,” explained Sanchez, who works in telehealth services for a California healthcare management organization. “It helps me focus and be engaged with the patient I’m assisting, and it also helps me relax.”

Songs recorded at 432 hertz (cycles per second) are gaining popularity across social media and streaming platforms, where listeners can discover growing collections of tracks and playlists featuring this alternative tuning. The selection ranges from meditation soundscapes to reggae tracks by Ziggy Marley.

Supporters claim 432 hertz connects with the natural world. Some attribute healing qualities to this frequency or believe it can lower blood pressure. However, solid scientific research hasn’t validated these assertions.

“There are frequencies going on right now that are higher than what we can hear and lower than what can hear. And they’re not special because they’re one of the billions and billions of frequencies that we’re receiving right now,” explained Susan Rogers, a professor emeritus at Berklee College of Music who served as Prince’s sound engineer in the 1980s. “To set one aside and say that it is the frequency of the universe is, as far as the science community is concerned, nonsense.”

For Sanchez, whether the pain relief and emotional benefits she connects to 432 hertz music have scientific backing doesn’t matter.

“When it comes to music, it could activate different feelings in people, the vibrations of it. It’s not like a one-size-fits-all,” she explained.

Across musical history, when people performed together, they matched their instruments to the same pitch for harmonious sound. Vocalists and instrumentalists typically selected a musical note — usually the A above middle C on a piano — as their reference point.

The “432 Hz” music style gets its name from its tuning method, where the A above middle C gets adjusted to vibrate at 432 hertz rather than the conventional 440 hertz. This lower frequency is audible, creating slightly deeper notes. Some listeners believe this adjustment creates a warmer, more balanced sound that connects with human physiology and nature.

Most orchestras and performers today tune to 440 hertz. However, this wasn’t historically standard.

Before the 19th century, musicians tuned according to regional practices that differed between countries, noted Fanny Gribenski, a music historian at New York University. “For most of music history, people are just singing within their own vocal range,” she added.

Over time, orchestras and ensembles began tuning to higher frequencies, causing some composers to worry that singers wouldn’t be able to perform historical pieces, Gribenski explained.

“The idea that it should be mainly a lower frequency than the ones that were in use at the time is really the cultural concern for protecting music from the past, protecting the voices of singers,” she said.

Meanwhile, as global travel expanded, the need for universal tuning standards increased. In 1939, delegates from several European nations and the U.S. established 440 hertz as the worldwide standard.

Musicians kept experimenting with pitch in subsequent decades. During the 1980s and ’90s, sound engineers would sometimes accelerate or decelerate recorded tracks to create brighter or slower sounds, departing from 440 hertz, Rogers noted.

However, Rogers questions whether retuning entire bands or orchestras to 432 hertz would enhance their sound, since contemporary instruments were built to sound optimal at 440 hertz.

“Some of those instruments might sound a little sweeter, but it’s likely that most won’t,” she said.

Higher pitch typically creates more brilliance or additional power in certain instruments, Gribenski noted. For listeners who prefer lower 432 hertz music, “I wonder if there is a sense of deceleration, slowing down slightly, and also taking one step down from the bright sounds of modernity,” she said.

People who work with 432 hertz soundtracks give various explanations for their preference.

Amelia Beamer, who manages marketing at Andrews Apothecary, the North Carolina pharmacy her parents operate, believes taking work breaks to hear 432 hertz music helps manage her attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She’s observed improved focus when she listens before beginning projects.

Beamer follows a pattern of working 25 minutes, taking five-minute listening breaks, then returning to her tasks. She also explores other frequencies, including 528 hertz music.

“It definitely helps me feel more grounded and more centered,” Beamer said about 432 hertz music. “It helps me slow down and to take some intentional space and time for myself.”

Diana Wolf Torres, who produces videos and writes a newsletter about robots, regularly experiences migraines and has noise sensitivity. When a neighbor’s gardener operates a leaf blower, she struggles to block it out. Playing 432 hertz music or sounds like white noise through noise-canceling headphones provides relief.

“I just want to be there and get it done and feel like I’m doing my best writing possible, and anything that keeps me in the zone is a fantastic tool,” Torres said.

Torres doesn’t believe there’s scientific basis or unique properties in 432 hertz music but thinks “maybe some people find this lower tuning more soothing.” She pointed out that most people can’t verify if music marked as 432 hertz on social platforms is correctly labeled.

“What does it matter? If you’re getting an effect, are you really going to check the resonance? Do you care?” Torres asked.

Sanchez, the telehealth professional, also enjoys music set to other alternative frequencies, including 528 hertz and 963 hertz.

“It’s something worth exploring and finding out for yourself whether it has any benefits or not,” Sanchez said. “For me, I find that grounding is beneficial to my overall wellbeing, so I see how it helps my livelihood.”

BUNAI, Congo (AP) — Emergency medical equipment was delivered to the epicenter of Congo’s deadly Ebola crisis on Thursday, as healthcare teams continue battling severe shortages, community resistance, and violent threats in an unstable area.

A white cargo aircraft touched down Thursday morning in Bunia, a northeastern community at the outbreak’s center, carrying protective masks, gloves, boots, and medicines provided by the European Union. U.N. forklifts loaded multiple crates onto waiting transport vehicles.

Associated Press journalists witnessed vacant emergency treatment facilities in Bunia, while medical staff in the neighboring community of Bambu were observed using outdated protective masks when caring for individuals suspected of having Ebola.

Health facilities in Ituri province have faced at least three documented attacks as community members objected to strict health measures that conflicted with traditional burial customs, increasing risks for medical personnel.

Additional EU shipments are scheduled to arrive in waves over the coming eight days, according to Jérôme Kouachi, who oversees emergency operations for UNICEF in Congo.

World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Thursday his departure for Congo to personally observe efforts to control the Bundibugyo virus, which currently has no authorized treatment or prevention vaccine. WHO has classified this outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern to accelerate assistance.

Congo’s government has verified over 1,000 suspected infections, including a minimum of 220 fatalities, since officially announcing the outbreak on May 15. However, the virus had been circulating undetected for weeks, and WHO believes the actual scope far exceeds reported numbers.

The infection has crossed into Uganda, which has documented seven cases and one death. Wednesday brought news from the Congolese government that the first patient to overcome the virus had been discharged from a medical facility.

“We are trying to catch up,” Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner stated earlier this week. “It is a race against the clock.”

Ground-level response efforts have encountered numerous obstacles, including bureaucratic delays at customs, inadequate storage space, deteriorated transportation routes, and poor communication networks, humanitarian organizations reported Thursday.

Tedros issued a ceasefire appeal Wednesday for an area where armed factions have conducted brutal attacks for decades. “We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling,” he stated.

Located in Congo’s northeastern region near Uganda’s border, Ituri province has endured assaults by the Allied Democratic Force, a rebel organization linked to the Islamic State group, along with a coalition of ethnic militias. In early May, the ADF murdered at least 40 civilians and destroyed multiple homes in Ituri.

The disease has spread to two Congolese provinces south of Ituri — North Kivu and South Kivu, where the Rwanda-supported M23 rebel group controls numerous strategic cities, including Goma and Bukavu. The rebels have documented two cases. The area’s primary airport in Goma, which serves as a humanitarian operations hub, has remained shuttered since January 2025, when M23 captured the city.

The ongoing conflict has created one of the globe’s most severe humanitarian disasters, displacing at least 7 million people throughout eastern Congo.

Federal health advisors are scheduled to convene Thursday to determine the composition of COVID-19 vaccines for the upcoming 2026-2027 immunization period, with a focus on whether shots should target the prevalent XFG variant.

The Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will hold the meeting and vote, with staff expressing worries about insufficient data on currently spreading virus strains.

The advisory committee will meet with its membership unchanged by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., indicating standard procedures continue following various vaccine policy changes under the health secretary.

Vaccine oversight has been in uncertainty for the past year after a court halted decisions from the CDC’s advisory panel regarding childhood vaccine recommendations, including COVID shots. The court ruled that Kennedy had not appropriately selected the panel members.

According to briefing materials published before Thursday’s session, the FDA stated that tracking COVID-19’s development has grown more challenging due to decreased virus monitoring, reduced genetic sequencing, and slower data sharing from state and local health agencies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID tracking system shows this information gap, with weekly reports currently unavailable because of insufficient genetic sequencing submissions. The latest available data, now four weeks old, indicated XFG variants represented more than half of American cases during the four-week period ending April 11.

Jill Roberts, associate professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, explained that the decline in genetic sequencing stems from both the reduction of government monitoring personnel and decreased university research funding.

For the current 2025-26 period, the FDA had suggested COVID vaccines should focus on LP.8.1, which is a subtype of the JN.1 strain.

Although COVID variants continue evolving from the JN.1 strain, additional subtypes including NB.1.8.1 have appeared since May of last year, according to the FDA’s briefing materials.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization advised vaccine producers to focus on the single-strain LP.8.1 variant or other presently spreading variants like XFG or NB.1.8.1.

The United States has authorized four COVID vaccines: Moderna’s mNEXSPIKE and Spikevax, Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty, with three using mRNA technology, plus Novavax-Sanofi’s protein-based vaccine that requires more time to produce.

Fatal overdoses from illegal substances continue their downward trajectory nationwide, though certain western regions are bucking this positive trend with rising death rates, according to recent findings.

Public health experts point to several systematic improvements in addiction treatment that are contributing to the overall decline. One major factor is the expanded availability of naloxone, commonly referred to as Narcan, which can reverse the effects of an overdose.

The overdose-reversing medication has become increasingly accessible to communities across the country, with researchers crediting this widespread distribution as a key element in dramatically cutting overdose fatalities nationwide.

Despite the encouraging national statistics, health officials note that some western areas are still grappling with increases in drug-related deaths, creating a complex picture of the ongoing addiction crisis.

The mixed results highlight the importance of continued efforts to address substance abuse through both treatment programs and harm reduction strategies like naloxone distribution.

Fatal overdoses from illegal drugs across the United States have continued their rapid decline, falling approximately 14 percent in 2025, new data reveals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released their most recent overdose statistics showing this encouraging nationwide trend.

Despite the overall positive direction, the report indicates that certain regions, particularly some Western states, are still grappling with significant overdose death increases.

Health insurance enrollment under the Affordable Care Act is declining at a faster rate than previous years, with data from six state-run marketplaces showing increased cancellations and non-payment issues through April.

The coverage losses are creating political challenges for President Donald Trump and the Republican party as November midterm elections approach, with affordability expected to be a central campaign issue.

Kentucky experienced the most dramatic increase, with three times more people losing coverage compared to the previous year. Idaho saw enrollment drop by 24,402 members, significantly higher than the 15,866 lost during the same period last year. California’s cancellations increased by a more modest 6%.

Approximately 23 million Americans enrolled in or were automatically renewed for 2026 health plans under President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, representing a 5% decrease from the prior year. The drop stems primarily from the elimination of enhanced subsidies that were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to help maintain coverage.

Premium costs surged an average of 114% to $1,905 per year without the subsidies, according to health policy research group KFF.

“Consumers are being exposed to the actual unsubsidized cost of these premiums and are choosing to leave the marketplace,” said Matt McGough, a policy analyst at KFF.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which administers the Affordable Care Act and operates HealthCare.gov for approximately 30 states, did not respond to requests for comment.

Healthcare affordability ranks as a primary concern for voters, with its influence expected to grow throughout the year like “a gathering storm,” according to Jonathan Oberlander, a professor of health policy at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

KFF polling indicates affordable healthcare tops the list of public concerns, matching worries about rising gasoline and transportation expenses related to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

More than three-quarters of independent voters courted by both political parties indicate healthcare costs will influence their voting decisions and candidate preferences in November.

An Idaho health exchange spokesperson confirmed affordability as the primary factor driving increased disenrollments in their state.

By November’s midterm elections that will determine Congressional control, more Americans will likely have lost coverage while media focus on the issue intensifies, Oberlander predicted.

Total Affordable Care Act enrollment probably decreased between 17% and 26% through March, according to Wakely Consulting Group, a health insurance consulting firm that examined premium payment information covering roughly 80% of the individual marketplace.

Wakely reported that over 14% of enrollees failed to pay their January premium, consistent with a March KFF survey finding approximately 15% of enrollees had not paid premiums, primarily due to higher costs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had indicated it would release premium payment data during the spring.

Among 20 states and the District of Columbia operating their own marketplaces contacted by Reuters, 12 provided recent enrollment snapshots.

Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Mexico reported thousands of consumers either failed to pay initial premiums or lost coverage during early months due to missed payments.

Most states and the federal government provide grace periods of 90 days or longer for non-payment situations.

In Kentucky, 15,067 people who selected 2026 plans lost coverage due to non-payment between January and April, compared to 5,034 disenrollments during the same timeframe last year.

The state also experienced an 8.5% decrease in overall January enrollment, according to a spokesperson for Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Kentucky and Idaho may have been particularly affected by the limited number of insurers common in rural areas, which reduces competition and increases prices, KFF’s McGough noted. A Kentucky spokesperson said the state exchange now includes three insurers in 2026, down from four in 2025.

Some states like Colorado provided state-based assistance that helped reduce affordability issues and terminations, McGough said, while Idaho and Kentucky did not offer such support. Colorado experienced a 2% enrollment drop, matching Pennsylvania’s decline.

Michele Eberle, executive director at Maryland’s Health Benefit Exchange, reported enrollment has decreased by 8% with over 60% of people who disenrolled citing increased or unmanageable costs. The state anticipates a 15% enrollment decline this year.

“We’re going to see month-over-month declines, especially with gas prices that are continuing to climb,” said Eberle. “We have to see where the breaking point is for people.”

A groundbreaking new medication for hepatitis B is allowing certain patients to discontinue therapy while maintaining undetectable virus levels, achieving what medical experts term a ‘functional cure,’ according to research findings released Thursday.

Two international clinical trials revealed that approximately 20% of participants who received the experimental treatment experienced virus reduction to levels where their immune systems could maintain control.

‘We have not had a treatment which has come to this level of cure,’ Dr. Seng Gee Lim of the National University Health System of Singapore, who helped lead the GSK-funded studies, told reporters before presenting the findings at a scientific meeting in Barcelona, Spain.

The research results were simultaneously published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The chronic form of hepatitis B leads to liver cancer or liver failure and is responsible for approximately 1.1 million deaths globally each year. Medical professionals have spent decades searching for improvements to current lifelong treatments, which can be difficult for patients to maintain or obtain in certain regions.

These new results ‘represent a major step,’ Dr. Anna Lok, a hepatitis expert at the University of Michigan who wasn’t involved in the research, wrote in the journal. However, she emphasized that additional research is necessary to determine the duration of this remission-like condition.

The medication is bepirovirsen, also called ‘bepi’ and created by GSK and Ionis Pharmaceuticals. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is conducting a fast-track review, with approval expected in October. Regulatory agencies in Japan, China and Europe are also evaluating the treatment.

Hepatitis B spreads through blood or bodily fluid contact, including during childbirth, and affects the liver. While a highly effective vaccine exists for prevention, infected individuals often experience an ‘acute’ illness lasting several months. For others — approximately 1.7 million Americans and over 250 million people globally — the condition becomes chronic and slowly harms the liver.

Current treatments, including daily medications, lower virus levels and prevent liver damage. However, a complete cure remains difficult because hepatitis B can hide within the body and return when treatment ends.

The new medication targets hepatitis B by attaching to its genetic material, reducing viral reproduction and a crucial protein called the ‘S’ or surface protein, while boosting immune system response, explained GSK vice president Melanie Paff.

The clinical trials involved 1,838 participants who received either weekly bepi injections or placebo shots for six months, alongside their standard medications. Patients whose virus became undetectable for six months after stopping injections could also discontinue their regular pills. Approximately 20% of bepi recipients maintained undetectable virus levels for an additional six months after ending all treatment — achieving that ‘functional cure’ — while no placebo recipients accomplished this outcome, researchers found.

Participants who began the study with lower S protein levels showed slightly better chances of achieving functional cure, Lim noted. He continues researching why only certain individuals respond to treatment.

Regarding the duration of functional cure, GSK has monitored a small group of patients from earlier studies and found most continue doing well up to three years later, Paff reported.

Lim described side effects as mild injection site redness or pain and temporary increases in enzymes that may signal liver stress.

Lok, the Michigan hepatitis specialist, pointed out the trials excluded patients with cirrhosis, elevated S protein levels or other complicating conditions.

A British pharmaceutical company announced Thursday that its experimental treatment for chronic hepatitis B demonstrated promising results in advanced clinical trials, with nearly 20% of participants achieving what researchers call a functional cure.

GSK shared comprehensive results from two clinical studies of bepirovirsen during a medical conference presentation on Thursday.

The treatment represents a cornerstone of GSK’s strategy to reach annual revenues exceeding £40 billion ($54 billion) by 2031. Company officials project the medication could generate peak yearly sales surpassing £2 billion.

According to GSK’s findings, a six-month treatment regimen with bepirovirsen enabled 19% of participants who began with surface antigen concentrations of 3,000 international units per millilitre (IU/ml) or lower to reach a functional cure. This classification requires patients to remain treatment-free for a minimum of six months while maintaining hepatitis B virus DNA and surface antigen levels below detectable thresholds.

Success rates increased to 26% among participants whose initial surface antigen levels measured 1,000 IU/ml or below.

Industry experts had previously suggested that response rates between 15% and 20% would represent meaningful progress and could lead to widespread clinical adoption.

Worldwide, more than 250 million individuals suffer from chronic hepatitis B, while existing standard treatments enable only 1% to 4% of patients to eliminate the virus for extended periods.

Current widely-prescribed nucleotide analogues typically require lifetime administration and control viral activity without completely removing it from patients’ systems.

“To have six months of injections to achieve functional cure of this magnitude … is, to me, a great advance in the management of my patients,” said Dr. Seng Gee Lim, lead investigator of the studies.

Dr. Lim noted that participants generally responded well to the medication, with most adverse reactions consisting of minor irritation at injection sites.

GSK has submitted applications for regulatory clearance of bepirovirsen to authorities in the U.S., Japan, China and Europe. The U.S. regulator is scheduled to announce its decision by October 26.

French officials announced Thursday that the country will begin covering the cost of weight-loss medications for patients with severe obesity starting in mid-June, according to Health Minister Stephanie Rist speaking with TF1 channel.

The injectable treatments Wegovy from Novo Nordisk and Mounjaro from Eli Lilly have become widely recognized around the world as effective anti-obesity medications.

Officials are completing final preparations for the reimbursement program, which is scheduled to take effect by mid-June. The coverage will apply to patients who have a body mass index of 35 or higher along with at least one additional health condition, or those with a BMI of 40 or above regardless of other medical issues.

As many as one million individuals could qualify for the cost coverage, though prescriptions will remain up to individual physicians’ judgment. The reimbursement rate will be set at 65%, but Rist noted that most qualifying patients will receive complete coverage because of their existing health complications.

The health minister projects the program will cost the government approximately €100 million annually once fully implemented. Currently, French patients spend about €300 monthly for these medications.

Fresh data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that roughly 8% of Americans went without health insurance coverage during 2025, maintaining similar levels from the previous year.

The survey findings, made public Thursday, indicate the nationwide uninsured rate continues to remain well below levels seen in past years, though experts warn that upcoming policy shifts under the current administration may cause those numbers to climb.

Major revisions to Medicaid — the federal safety-net program serving Americans with lower incomes — that became law in the previous year may leave an additional 10 million people without coverage over the next ten years, based on projections from the Congressional Budget Office.

Additionally, the end of specific Affordable Care Act subsidies this year — which previously helped reduce premium expenses — is also leading to decreased enrollment in marketplace insurance options. The healthcare research organization KFF projects approximately 5 million fewer Americans will sign up for these plans in 2026 when compared to 2025 enrollment figures.

Federal agencies use various methods to monitor insurance coverage among Americans, which can produce different results based on timing and how questions are asked. According to David Howard, a health policy and management professor at Emory University, many experts view the U.S. Census Bureau as “the official scorekeeper.”

However, the CDC survey data aligns closely with census findings and provides the first comprehensive information covering all of 2025 — marking the initial year of President Donald Trump’s return to office.

The current administration has worked to broaden availability of lower-cost catastrophic health plans and reduce medication costs for uninsured Americans. Officials have also indicated that anticipated drops in insurance enrollment reflect the removal of fraudulent and ineligible participants rather than qualified citizens.

While the percentage of insured versus uninsured Americans remained essentially unchanged in 2025 compared to the prior year, the total number of uninsured individuals increased by roughly 800,000 — including 300,000 children. This growth reflects the expanding U.S. population overall.

The survey data also points to a potential increase in insurance coverage among Hispanic Americans. However, Howard noted this might partially result from the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, if uninsured individuals within this demographic departed the country.

The majority of Americans aged 65 and above receive health coverage through the federal Medicare system. Younger Americans face a different situation, with many relying on various combinations of government and private insurance programs.

Uninsured rates among Americans under 65 climbed during the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s — jumping from 12% in 1980 to over 18% by 2010. These numbers declined after the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, which broadened Medicaid eligibility and created new pathways for affordable health coverage.

By 2016, the rate had dropped to nearly 10%, then increased to 11-12% during the first administration under President Trump, according to historical data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought another decline in uninsured rates, as government measures helped maintain coverage during pandemic-related disruptions. The rate reached a historic low in 2023, falling beneath 9%.

Australian health officials announced Thursday they are adding more time to the isolation period for six cruise ship passengers who returned home following a hantavirus outbreak aboard their vessel.

The group, which includes four Australian citizens, one permanent resident, and one New Zealand resident, has been staying at an isolation facility near Perth in Western Australia since their return on May 15.

Originally scheduled to complete their quarantine on June 5, the passengers will now remain in isolation until June 23 – bringing their total quarantine time to 42 days. The decision came after recommendations from health authorities.

Health Minister Mark Butler confirmed the passengers have been notified of the government’s decision to extend their stay.

“The passengers have been informed about the advice and the decision of government. I’m happy to say they remain well,” Butler said.

The travelers were aboard a Dutch-flagged luxury cruise vessel when the hantavirus outbreak occurred, prompting their repatriation and subsequent quarantine measures.

A Pennsylvania-based manufacturing company has issued a voluntary recall of specific batches of popular chocolate-covered snacks due to potential allergen contamination.

Bazzini, LLC, located in Allentown, PA, which serves as a co-manufacturer for the SkinnyDipped brand, announced the recall of select cases of SkinnyDipped Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Bites. The company took this precautionary step after discovering the products may contain peanuts that were not listed on the packaging.

The recall affects only a small number of product cases and was initiated out of an abundance of caution. Individuals with peanut allergies could face serious health risks if they consume the affected products.

A New Jersey-based frozen treat manufacturer has issued a voluntary product recall due to potential allergen contamination. DE DIOS’S ICE POPS II LLC, located in Paterson, New Jersey, is pulling 3.7-ounce packages of popsicles from shelves because the products may contain undisclosed ingredients including milk, pecans, pistachios, and food dyes Yellow #5 and Red #40.

The recall poses particular concern for individuals with allergies to these specific ingredients, as the substances were not properly declared on product packaging. Consumers who have purchased these frozen treats and have known sensitivities to any of the listed allergens are advised to avoid consumption.

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal officials announced Wednesday that the Trump administration intends to establish a medical facility in Kenya to treat Americans who have been exposed to Ebola, rather than transporting them back to the United States.

According to an administration official who spoke anonymously about the government’s strategy, the quarantine and medical treatment center will be established through a joint effort by the Departments of Defense, State and Health and Human Services. The facility is intended to serve Ebola patients who must leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo and require immediate medical attention, the official explained. This approach would eliminate the need for patients to endure lengthy medical evacuations lasting several hours to reach the U.S.

Details remain unclear about the specific location within Kenya where the new medical center will be constructed, and it’s unknown whether Kenya’s government has approved the proposal.

The official indicated that the facility will have the capability to treat patients across the complete range of Ebola symptoms, describing it as a rare but serious disease that frequently proves deadly. However, they noted that patients might be moved to other locations for more specialized treatment when necessary.

Medical officials in Congo are working to control an outbreak that the World Health Organization describes as overwhelming their response efforts. The situation became more complicated after the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola was identified several weeks after initial detection, as testing had initially focused on a more commonly occurring variant.

Eastern Congo is approaching nearly 1,000 suspected Ebola cases, with a minimum of 220 suspected fatalities. Congo’s health ministry reported Tuesday that 101 cases have received confirmation and officials are investigating more than 3,000 potential contacts.

The response effort faces significant obstacles, including security threats from armed groups operating in eastern Congo, large populations of displaced residents, and inadequate infrastructure.

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Officials in Uganda announced Wednesday they are immediately shutting down their nation’s border with Congo as an uncommon strain of Ebola continues spreading rapidly in the neighboring country and new infections appear domestically.

The decision came from a regional Ebola response team headed by Vice President Jesca Alupo following increased exposure of Ugandan medical personnel to the disease through Congolese patients who had entered the country before officials announced the outbreak on May 15.

The World Health Organization cautioned against such border restrictions in its recent declaration labeling this outbreak a global health emergency, stating that countries should not implement travel or trade limitations. “Such measures are usually implemented out of fear and have no basis in science,” the WHO noted, though it recognized that bordering nations face elevated risks.

The WHO further warned: “They push the movement of people and goods to informal border crossings that are not monitored, thus increasing the chances of the spread of disease.” The organization specified that individuals who are infected or have had contact with infected persons should avoid international travel except for medical evacuation purposes.

The Uganda-Congo boundary spans hundreds of miles and includes many unofficial crossing points and walking paths beyond designated checkpoints.

Congolese health officials are working to control an outbreak that the WHO describes as overwhelming their response capabilities, following the delayed identification of the uncommon Bundibugyo strain after initial testing focused on a more typical variant.

Eastern Congo is approaching 1,000 suspected Ebola infections, with no fewer than 220 suspected fatalities. Congo’s health ministry reported Tuesday that 101 infections have been verified, while officials are monitoring more than 3,000 potential contacts.

Response efforts face obstacles including threats from militant groups operating in eastern Congo, large populations of displaced residents, and inadequate infrastructure.

Uganda has documented seven Ebola infections, including an initial case involving a 59-year-old man who passed away in the capital city of Kampala on May 14.

Although Uganda’s Ebola numbers remain relatively stable, exposure among local residents through healthcare workers has been climbing.

“They have families, and so the number has been increasing,” Dr. Diana Atwine, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, said of health workers.

Border crossings from Congo will only be permitted for emergency situations, including Ebola response activities, freight transport, or security matters, she explained.

She expressed concern about seeing groups of Ugandans gathering to celebrate Arsenal as British Premier League champion. The team has a large following in Uganda.

“I don’t understand,” Atwine said, urging Ugandans to be vigilant, avoid shaking hands and use sanitizer.

The Ugandan government announced Wednesday it will immediately shut down its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in an emergency effort to prevent the spread of an Ebola outbreak.

Senior health official Diana Atwine announced during a press briefing that the border closure will remain in effect for four weeks as authorities work to contain the deadly virus.

The decision represents a significant step by Uganda’s leadership to protect its population from the neighboring country’s health crisis through strict border control measures.

Patients who have been avoiding colorectal cancer screening due to concerns about colonoscopy or stool testing procedures now have a new alternative, according to updated recommendations released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society.

The medical organization has included Guardant Health’s Shield blood test among its approved screening methods for detecting colorectal cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its approval to Guardant’s Shield test in 2024, which works by identifying genetic material from tumors that circulates in the bloodstream.

According to the ACS, incorporating Guardant’s Shield blood test as a colorectal cancer detection method “reflects advances in disease detection and a critical shift in public health strategy to expand screening options and lower barriers to access,” as stated in their revised guidelines published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

“We need to increase our emphasis on colorectal cancer as a highly preventable disease as much as a treatable one,” Dr. Robert Smith, ACS vice president and senior author of the updated guideline, said in a statement.

The ACS emphasized that colonoscopy continues to be the preferred method for colorectal cancer screening, as it enables physicians to directly view the colon and rectum.

The revised guidelines also include home-based stool testing options, featuring an improved version of Exact Sciences’ Cologuard and Geneoscopy’s newly developed Colosense test. Both tests search for concealed blood and molecular indicators of cancer.

According to the ACS, stool-based tests show strong accuracy in identifying colorectal cancer and reasonable effectiveness in finding advanced precancerous growths.

While the blood test demonstrates excellent precision in identifying advanced cancers, it shows lower effectiveness than stool tests in finding precancerous growths and early-stage cancers. The ACS therefore suggests it only for people who refuse or fail to complete the recommended screening methods.

The organization has consistently emphasized that the best screening test is whichever one patients actually undergo.

Both stool and blood testing require more regular scheduling than colonoscopy, and any positive findings necessitate immediate colonoscopy follow-up to finalize the screening process, according to the ACS.

The guidelines maintain the existing recommendation that adults with average risk should begin colorectal screening at age 45 and continue until age 75 for individuals with more than 10 years of life expectancy.

Guardant reported that one-third of eligible Americans have not undergone colorectal cancer screening, and most fatalities from the disease occur among unscreened individuals.

By incorporating a blood testing option, “the new guidelines create another opportunity to reach patients who might otherwise go unscreened,” Guardant said.

The organization noted that neither stool nor blood tests are appropriate for individuals considered high-risk for the disease.

A Christian relief organization is moving forward with plans to establish a 50-bed medical facility to treat Ebola patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo within the next week, according to the group’s leader.

The World Health Organization has classified the current outbreak of the uncommon Bundibugyo strain of Ebola as a public health emergency of international concern. No approved vaccines or treatments exist for this particular strain. Healthcare workers responding to the crisis are dealing with equipment shortages and violent incidents targeting their operations, including protesters who burned patient tents in Rwamparaek in Ituri province last week.

Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse, expressed confidence about security measures for their planned facility during a Tuesday interview. “We have a lot more security available to us in Bunia, so we feel confident that we will be okay from those type of attacks,” Graham stated, referencing the provincial capital where the center will be located.

Graham noted that his organization previously assisted during Congo’s 2018-2020 outbreak and plans to collaborate with local religious communities while distributing educational materials to build trust and inform residents.

Equipment for the treatment center, including power generators and cooling systems for patients and medical staff wearing full protective equipment, is scheduled to reach Ituri on Wednesday. Graham described the scope of the project, saying “You’re building a small town.”

Australian health authorities announced Wednesday that they received notice from Seqirus, the vaccine division of pharmaceutical company CSL, regarding plans to gradually halt production of Benpen injection medications for business-related reasons.

The medication contains benzylpenicillin sodium as its primary component, which serves as an injectable antibiotic commonly administered to prevent bacterial infections after surgical procedures and various other medical treatments.

The vaccine division informed Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration that the phase-out process will begin with the 600 milligrams strength variant starting November 30, 2026.

“The discontinuations are due to commercial decisions and are not related to product safety, quality or effectiveness,” the regulator added.

“Alternative Australian-registered benzylpenicillin sodium injection brands are expected to be available in the future.”

CSL did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for further details.

The Food and Drug Administration has postponed its approval decision for AstraZeneca’s investigational breast cancer medication camizestrant while officials examine additional information, the pharmaceutical company announced Wednesday.

The postponement follows an April meeting where most members of an FDA advisory committee recommended against approving the medication when used alongside CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy. The panel’s concerns centered on how a crucial late-stage clinical study was structured, rather than questions about the drug’s safety or effectiveness.

The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company reported it has provided extra analysis that FDA officials requested to support the medication’s approval application. This includes information about long-term effectiveness results that will be shared at a conference scheduled for June 2.

“We look forward to continuing the dialogue with the FDA in order to bring the benefits of camizestrant with this innovative treatment strategy to eligible patients in the US as quickly as possible,” said Susan Galbraith, a senior executive at AstraZeneca, in a statement.

The camizestrant medication targets patients diagnosed with a particular form of breast cancer where tumors contain a specific genetic mutation.

European regulators took a different approach last week, with the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use endorsing the drug’s approval.

BUNIA, Congo — A massive displacement camp housing 10,000 residents in eastern Congo is battling an Ebola outbreak with severely limited resources: just a single handwashing station and one infrared thermometer.

Camp officials instruct residents to clean their hands before meals using soap when available. Those without soap are told to substitute with oatmeal or sand for hand cleaning.

“My fear is that we are here with nothing to protect ourselves. We have no protection, no water or soap, and we live near garbage,” said Francine Leve Janguzi, a resident of the ISP camp, speaking to reporters while demonstrating a non-functioning water tap surrounded by makeshift shelters.

Emergency supplies are being transported to Ituri province as relief organizations and medical teams work to control the infectious disease outbreak, which has been classified as a global health emergency.

However, emergency responders worry the virus could reach the crowded displacement facilities near Bunia, where thousands live in cramped conditions lacking basic sanitation resources.

“Eastern DRC’s years of conflict and displacement have left health systems on their knees, and that makes containing this outbreak all the harder,” stated Heather Kerr, Congo director with the International Rescue Committee.

Conflict in Ituri has forced nearly one million people from their homes, according to United Nations data.

This means the Ebola crisis is “unfolding in communities already facing insecurity, displacement and fragile healthcare systems,” explained Gabriela Arenas, a regional coordinator at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Most ISP camp residents — named for its location near the Higher Pedagogical Institute, or Institut Superieur Pedagogique in French — fled their villages in Djugu territory after attacks by CODECO, among several armed groups active in the area.

“I’ve been here for eight and a half years. Now we’re hearing about Ebola,” camp resident Janguzi said. “Look at the state of where we’re sleeping. We don’t have any help whatsoever. We don’t have soap or water, yet we’re told to wash our hands regularly and be clean.”

No vaccine or treatment exists for the uncommon Bundibugyo variant of Ebola, which has been circulating undetected for weeks in eastern Congo. Traditional testing methods have difficulty identifying the Bundibugyo strain.

More than 1,000 suspected cases and at least 220 fatalities have been documented through Tuesday, including seven confirmed cases in Uganda. The World Health Organization and field aid groups believe the actual outbreak scope is significantly larger.

Ebola spreads through contact with bodily fluids including vomit, blood or semen. The resulting illness is uncommon but serious and frequently deadly. Signs include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and unexplained bleeding or bruising.

Eastern Congo has endured years of violence from numerous separate rebel and militant organizations, some connected to foreign nations or the extremist Islamic State group.

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels control portions of the region. Though the Congolese government maintains general authority over northeastern Ituri Province, the Ebola outbreak’s center, that authority remains fragile. The Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist organization linked to IS, dominates as a rebel group there and conducts violent attacks on civilian populations.

Prior to the outbreak, humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders reported in an evaluation that Ituri’s security situation had deteriorated recently, forcing medical staff to evacuate and creating overwhelmed health centers and “catastrophic conditions” in some areas.

Gérard Maki, a community leader in the camp, told reporters the disease creates tremendous fear. “I’ve learned that there’s no cure, which is why it scares me. … Our government should also do everything possible to find a solution to this disease.”

Health authorities in India have isolated a Ugandan woman in Bengaluru due to concerns over a possible Ebola case, according to reports from local news outlets on Wednesday.

The woman has been placed under quarantine in the Indian city as medical officials investigate the suspected infection.

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian authorities announced Tuesday they will mandate a 21-day quarantine period for visitors arriving from regions experiencing Ebola outbreaks, while also putting a temporary hold on immigration application decisions for people from Congo, South Sudan and Uganda.

Luc Brisebois, director-general for the Centre for Border and Travel Health at the Public Health Agency of Canada, explained the policies are being put in place as an “abundance of caution” and will remain effective through Aug. 29.

Any visitors showing symptoms will be transported to medical facilities for additional evaluation. These enhanced border controls take effect Saturday, with Canadian officials providing isolation accommodations for those who lack suitable quarantine locations.

Canadian authorities also announced that beginning Wednesday, they will suspend final rulings on immigration requests from individuals in outbreak-affected nations for a 90-day period, though this timeframe may be adjusted depending on how the health crisis develops.

The current outbreak is concentrated in northeastern Congo and involves an uncommon strain of Ebola that is overwhelming containment efforts, according to the World Health Organization, which reports over 900 suspected infections and more than 220 fatalities. Relief operations have been stepped up, and WHO officials indicate the outbreak may continue for several months.

Medical device manufacturer Insulet Corporation announced Tuesday it is conducting a voluntary recall of specific insulin pump pods following the discovery of a manufacturing defect that may prevent patients from receiving adequate insulin doses.

The company’s stock price dropped 8% during after-hours trading following the announcement.

Key details of the recall include:

• The recall impacts particular batches of Omnipod 5, Omnipod DASH and the Omnipod Insulin Management System that were distributed throughout the United States and certain international markets.

• The defect, discovered during standard quality monitoring procedures, can create a small rupture in the cannula tubing above the patient’s skin, which may cause insulin to leak out rather than being properly administered.

• Patients might observe moisture or detect the odor of insulin, although the malfunction could potentially remain unnoticed.

• Insufficient insulin delivery can result in elevated blood glucose levels and, in extreme situations, diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal complication.

• This recall is distinct from a previous correction in March 2026 and stems from a separate manufacturing procedure, although both issues involved cannula processing at the company’s Massachusetts manufacturing plant, according to Insulet’s regulatory submission.

• Approximately 7 million pods are covered by this current recall, with roughly 60% already consumed or past their expiration date, accounting for about 8.5% of worldwide pod manufacturing in 2025, the company stated.

• Insulet documented 24 serious adverse reactions, including hospital admissions, but reported no fatalities.

• The company anticipates no interruptions to product supply and estimates related expenses could reach $50 million this year.

A supplement manufacturer based in Deer Park, New York has issued a voluntary recall for two of its green superfood products due to concerns about bacterial contamination.

Total Nutrition Inc. is pulling TNVitamins Ultra Potent Complete Green Superfood and Doctor’s Pride Complete Green Superfood Ultra Potent Moringa Capsules from the market. The recalled products come in 120-count bottles.

The company initiated the recall after discovering the supplements could potentially contain Salmonella bacteria, which poses serious health risks to consumers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is calling for volunteer personnel to help with emergency screening efforts for Ebola at entry points across the United States, according to an internal communication obtained by Reuters on Tuesday.

In an email sent to staff, CDC Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya explained that the agency initiated a Level 2 emergency response on May 18 following an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The agency is now looking beyond its typical emergency response team as screening operations for certain international travelers increase.

According to CDC guidelines, a Level 2 emergency response represents a moderate level of crisis requiring significant additional personnel to handle response needs.

Enhanced screening procedures have already begun at multiple port health stations and will need more staff members to operate effectively. The agency is requesting volunteers from various departments, including public health advisers, emergency specialists and licensed medical providers, pending approval from their supervisors.

Those who volunteer may be assigned duties such as observing incoming travelers for symptoms of illness, taking temperatures and directing potential cases for additional evaluation, the email indicated.

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. Ebola is a dangerous and frequently deadly illness spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.

The World Health Organization has classified this outbreak of the uncommon Bundibugyo strain as the third-largest Ebola outbreak in history and declared it a public health emergency of international concern.

On Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda was moving faster than response capabilities, reporting the most recent count of suspected fatalities at 220.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A cruise vessel connected to a fatal hantavirus outbreak must complete extended sanitization procedures before heading back to its home port, according to the company that runs the ship.

Oceanwide Expeditions announced Tuesday in a written statement that the additional work is happening at the recommendation of the GGD local health authority in Rotterdam, the port city where the ship returned early last week. The vessel’s home port is located in nearby Vlissingen in the southern Netherlands.

“Based on their inspection findings, GGD has advised additional cleaning,” the cruise company stated. “Following completion of this work, GGD will conduct a final inspection before the vessel can depart from Rotterdam.”

The company did not provide details about why extended cleaning was necessary, and the health authority did not immediately respond with comments about the reasoning behind the additional requirements.

Yvonne van Duijnhoven, the director of public health in Rotterdam, had indicated when the Hondius docked at the city’s expansive port eight days ago that cleaning and disinfecting the ship would probably require three days.

In a post shared Sunday on X, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that 12 hantavirus cases and three deaths have been documented by the organization so far, with no fatalities recorded since May 2.

“All passengers and crew remain in quarantine and under close monitoring to ensure they receive care if needed. The situation is stable for now. We continue to remain vigilant and in close contact with all relevant governments,” he stated.

Hantaviruses typically transmit when individuals breathe in contaminated particles from rodent waste. However, the specific hantavirus responsible for this outbreak, known as the Andes virus, might occasionally spread from person to person. Public health authorities indicate that the risk to the broader public from this cruise ship outbreak remains minimal.

Oceanwide Expeditions had earlier stated it did not anticipate any modifications to the Hondius’ operations. The vessel had an Arctic voyage scheduled to depart from Keflavik, Iceland, on May 29. However, in Tuesday’s announcement, the company indicated that “all voyages from 13 June onwards will proceed as scheduled. No further disruption to the sailing schedule of m/v Hondius is expected.”

Brazil’s health regulatory agency Anvisa announced Tuesday that it has cleared EMS’s Ozivy, marking the first semaglutide injection pen approved in the country as the pharmaceutical company seeks to enter a more premium market segment.

The medication contains the same active compound found in Novo Nordisk’s diabetes and weight-loss treatment Ozempic, which lost patent protection in Brazil this past March.

Production of the drug will take place at an EMS facility located in Sao Paulo state, with manufacturing capability reaching as many as 40 million injection pens annually.

The CEO of Grupo NC, EMS’s parent company, had previously informed Reuters in March that the company anticipated bringing semaglutide pens to market during this year.

While regulatory approval has been secured, the medication cannot be sold until Brazil’s medicine pricing authority establishes a maximum price point.

To become part of Brazil’s government-run healthcare program SUS, Ozivy requires additional clearance from the Health Ministry.

Anvisa is currently evaluating five additional synthetic semaglutide submissions along with one biological variant.

Competing pharmaceutical company Hypera had also announced intentions to introduce its own generic semaglutide product this year.

A supplement manufacturer in Missouri has initiated a voluntary recall of certain batches of its moringa capsules following concerns about potential salmonella contamination.

Mogo Moringa LLC, headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri, announced on May 25, 2026, that it is pulling specific lots of its Mogo Moringa Capsules from the market as a precautionary measure.

The company’s recall notice was posted on the FDA’s official website for recalls, market withdrawals, and safety alerts.

Salmonella contamination can pose serious health risks to consumers, particularly those with compromised immune systems, young children, and elderly individuals.

Consumers who have purchased the affected product lots are advised to discontinue use and contact the company for further instructions.

At dance rehearsal in Tucson, Arizona, Carol Ross beams with joy as she calls out choreography steps to her tap and jazz dance company designed for women over 50.

“I’ve been dancing my whole life, it’s the best,” Ross explained. She established the Rodeo City Wreckettes dance group two decades ago when she was 64, an age when most people begin planning for retirement.

Today at 87, Ross and her 89-year-old husband John, who has been her dance companion throughout their marriage, have understood for years what many seniors are just learning: rhythmic movement provides exceptional health advantages. Healthcare experts emphasize that the style doesn’t matter – whether it’s country line dancing, ballroom, salsa, tap, fitness center Zumba, or specialized groups like the Wreckettes.

“Dancing is one of the most powerful activities for older people,” explained Julio Loya, who works as a nurse and coordinates geriatric programs at Tucson Medical Center.

Like other physical activities, dancing helps individuals shed pounds, build strength, decrease chances of falling, enhance movement and flexibility, and boost cognitive function.

“It engages their brain, it changes their mood, and it connects them socially while getting them moving,” Loya noted. “And it’s fun. Everybody has a good time.”

Dr. Tom Johnson, who specializes in aging at the UC Health Seniors Clinic in Aurora, Colorado, recalled a particular patient whose love for dancing was so intense that he pushed himself to participate in one final lesson before passing away in his late 80s.

“His No. 1 priority was that he danced until the day that he died,” Johnson shared about his patient.

Johnson explained that dancing can enhance stability for his clinic patients, which provides care to approximately 2,500 individuals aged 75 and above annually.

He recommends older patients incorporate two to three dance sessions into their weekly 150 minutes of cardiovascular activity, since dancing frequently includes movements that support balance, like stepping backwards or balancing on a single foot.

The Wreckettes rehearse their performances during two-hour sessions at minimum twice weekly in a leased dance space.

Following ballet training in childhood and later exploring various styles from ballroom to tap as an adult, Ross felt it was natural to continue dancing when she and her spouse relocated from Philadelphia to enjoy retirement in Tucson.

John Ross plays an essential role in the Wreckettes’ performances, usually participating with his wife in at least one dance number. During a recent rehearsal, they performed a playful routine to Merle Haggard’s “Let’s Chase Each Other Around the Room.”

“I learned early on that dancing was a great way to attract the chicks,” John Ross quipped, gliding across the studio floor with remarkable agility for his age.

Wreckettes participant Cindy Soffrin shared that witnessing her mother’s decline during aging motivated her to maintain an active lifestyle.

“My mom was sedentary the last 20 years of her life. It was pretty rough,” Soffrin, age 74, revealed.

For 67-year-old Gail Kowalski, becoming a Wreckettes member three years ago provided new friendships following her husband’s death and her relocation from Utah to Tucson.

“Plus, it’s so dang fun,” Kowalski added.

The Wreckettes showcase their talents year-round, from seasonal celebrations to rodeo entertainment, wearing coordinated glittery outfits.

However, they all agree their favorite performances are at retirement facilities for memory care residents. The group members alternate selecting preferred charities to receive their performance fees.

“When we first arrive, people will be distracted or sleeping,” Soffrin observed. “But once the music comes on, they perk up right away.”

A comparable senior women’s dance troupe in Las Vegas, the Vegas Golden Gals, also entertains at retirement communities, according to group president Cheryl Cortez. Their routines feature pompoms.

“I must now know close to 40 routines,” said 69-year-old Cortez. “And that alone has to be great for the memory.”

For those interested in beginning a dance routine, healthcare providers and dance teachers offer these suggestions:

BEFORE STARTING: Consult your healthcare provider before beginning dance or any fitness program. Select something basic initially, such as line dancing instead of complex tango movements.

FIND A CLASS: Contact your local YMCA, parks and recreation department, or senior or community center. Community colleges frequently offer dance instruction, sometimes designed specifically for older adults. Private dance studios and YouTube tutorials provide additional options. If you have Medicare Advantage coverage with Silver Sneakers benefits, inquire whether your local fitness center offers Zumba or other dance classes at no cost.

BEFORE THE SESSION: Wear comfortable clothing that allows easy movement, and complete warm-up exercises and stretching before class.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Have fun! You are doing great things for your mind and body.

MADRID – Health officials in Spain confirmed Monday that a Spanish citizen quarantined at a Madrid military hospital has contracted hantavirus after being evacuated from a cruise ship earlier this month.

This represents the second confirmed infection among 14 Spanish citizens who were brought to the Spanish island of Tenerife from the luxury vessel MV Hondius. The ship was transporting approximately 150 passengers and crew members from 23 nations when health authorities first notified the World Health Organization about a cluster of serious respiratory infections on May 2.

Following the positive test result, the infected individual was transferred to an isolation ward at Gómez Ulla Hospital, according to the Health Ministry’s announcement on X. Officials emphasized that discovering this case among individuals already under quarantine “does not modify the risk situation” for the general public.

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Healthcare workers battling a deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo are confronting two serious threats: a dangerous virus strain without treatment options and violent attacks from distrustful community members.

Vanny Birungi, who volunteers with the Red Cross in the region, regularly encounters hostility while educating residents about the epidemic. She has been struck with rocks and subjected to verbal harassment in Bunia, the city at the center of the health crisis as suspected infections approach 1,000 cases.

“We continue to tell them that the disease is out there. Some accept, and others don’t,” Birungi said Monday while speaking with community groups in a working-class area under intense heat.

Medical responders face particular danger in this unstable area where local residents have endured years of violence from armed militias that have caused thousands of deaths and mass displacement in recent times.

Building confidence proves difficult among the traumatized community members who remain suspicious of strangers, including those working urgently to stop the rapidly expanding outbreak that health officials say went undetected for weeks. Disease monitoring capabilities have been weakened due to funding reductions from the U.S. and other donors.

“These people should stop bothering us. They just want to get rich. Let’s not forget that Ebola is a white man’s invention,” said Pierre Basola, a 56-year-old Bunia resident, who added: “Stop talking to me anyway.”

Medical facilities have suffered three separate attacks within the past week. On Sunday, hostile young men invaded a hospital caring for Ebola patients, compelling staff to evacuate patients while gunshots echoed nearby.

On Saturday, community members burned down a treatment tent operated by Doctors Without Borders in Mongbwalu that housed suspected and confirmed cases, causing more than a dozen potentially infected individuals to escape. On Thursday, relatives destroyed a facility in Rwampara after being prevented from collecting the remains of a man believed to have died from Ebola.

Community frustration grows as disease prevention protocols prevent families from performing traditional burial ceremonies for loved ones who die from an illness characterized by rapid onset, vomiting and bleeding.

The deadly virus transmits through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected or deceased patients, including perspiration, blood, waste or vomit. Medical professionals say healthcare workers and family caregivers face the greatest infection risk.

“Trust is almost as important as the health response, because if you get this massive distrust in the communities, they’re not going to go to the health centers,” said Heather Kerr, country director for the International Rescue Committee in Congo.

Regional warfare creates additional obstacles. Traveling from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, to Mongbwalu requires aid organizations to navigate potential violence in an area located more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.

The epidemic now includes over 900 suspected cases and more than 220 suspected fatalities, according to World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who spoke Monday.

“We are now playing catch-up with a very fast-moving epidemic,” he said.

Mado Nditamba, a 70-year-old Bunia resident, reported witnessing students fleeing from aid workers.

“The last time Ebola came, it was not on the scale that we see today,” Nditamba said. “But this epidemic today is worse. We go to the doctors in the hospitals, but they also die. That’s what worries us. We don’t know what to do and we leave everything to God.”

Congo has experienced 17 Ebola outbreaks, and the WHO maintains the nation has response capabilities. However, initial testing during this outbreak focused on a more common Ebola variant, resulting in lost time. Health experts continue working to establish when this outbreak started.

Limited testing facilities exist for this Bundibugyo strain in a region where medical clinics rely on generators and a key airport serving humanitarian operations has remained under rebel control for more than a year.

Ground-level health workers have informed the AP they lack adequate preparation and protection. An undetermined number of responders have contracted the infection, with some fatalities reported.

A Congolese physician died Sunday in Rwampara, according to Rubens Dhedgia, who coordinates the regional Ebola response. In nearby Uganda, where a smaller number of cases has emerged after Congolese citizens crossed the border, at least three medical workers have been infected.

Most concerning, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reports three volunteers died in Mongbwalu after potentially handling bodies on March 27 during non-Ebola related duties.

If verified, this would substantially move back the outbreak timeline from the first confirmed death in late April in Bunia.

While at least one funeral director prepared coffins for sale along a Bunia roadway, health officials noted persistent disbelief among some regional residents who question the virus’s existence.

Action Aid, another international humanitarian organization involved in the response, documented significant skepticism and limited understanding among residents surveyed in mid-May in Ituri province shortly after the outbreak announcement.

“The only way to go, as far as this particular virus is concerned, is community engagement,” said Yakubu Mohammed Saani, country director for Action Aid in Congo.

Methods for improving community relations quickly remain unclear. Both the WHO and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suspect the outbreak exceeds currently reported case numbers.

The World Health Organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced Monday that 220 suspected deaths have been reported in the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

Speaking about the current situation, the WHO leader indicated that late identification of cases has left response teams “playing catch-up” as they work to address the crisis.

Health officials in Uganda confirmed Monday that two additional people have contracted Ebola, pushing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to seven.

Every case connects to an ongoing outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, which health authorities believe began days or weeks prior to Congo’s official declaration on May 15.

The initial case involved a 59-year-old man from Congo who was hospitalized in Uganda’s capital city on May 11 and passed away three days afterward, before medical staff realized he had contracted the virus. Two additional Congo citizens who received treatment in Uganda subsequently tested positive for the disease.

Uganda’s health department confirmed Saturday that the virus had spread locally for the first time, infecting a driver and medical worker who had contact with the Congo patient who died May 11. Two additional healthcare workers at a private medical facility in the capital have now tested positive, the health ministry announced Monday.

In Congo, the number of suspected cases has surpassed 900, concentrated primarily in the eastern region of Ituri province where the outbreak originated, officials reported Sunday. Efforts to contain the spread have faced significant obstacles including community fear, anger and frustration that have led to attacks on medical facilities, along with public distrust of government officials in an area that has long experienced armed conflict.

International health authorities have classified the outbreak as a global health emergency. The specific strain of Ebola virus causing this outbreak, known as the Bundibugyo type, currently has no authorized vaccine or treatment available.

Health officials in Uganda announced Monday that two additional people have tested positive for Ebola, raising the nation’s confirmed case count to seven.

The latest patients are both healthcare workers employed at a private medical facility in the capital city, and both are Ugandan nationals, according to a statement from the health ministry.

“Both patients have been admitted to the designated treatment unit and are now receiving care,” the ministry said, adding that response teams were tracing all those who had been in contact with the two people.

On Saturday, Ugandan health authorities had announced three additional Ebola cases.

The source of the outbreak is located in the Ituri province of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, which shares a border with Uganda.

Health officials with the World Health Organization have classified the outbreak of the uncommon Bundibugyo strain of Ebola as a public health emergency of international concern.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported Sunday that the outbreak has generated more than 900 suspected cases to date, with 101 of those being confirmed infections.

The World Health Organization’s top official reported Sunday that health authorities have documented more than 900 suspected Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 101 of those cases receiving laboratory confirmation.

WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement on Sunday, providing an update on the ongoing health situation in the central African nation.

Fire attacks on Ebola treatment facilities in eastern Congo demonstrate how health officials confront multiple severe challenges — including community resistance — while attempting to contain an outbreak of an infectious disease that has been designated a global health emergency.

The destruction of treatment centers in two communities at the outbreak’s center reflects frustration in an area plagued by violence from armed rebel groups, massive population displacement, governmental breakdown and international aid reductions that experts say have weakened health facilities in at-risk communities.

“A devastating set of emergencies are converging,” said the Physicians for Human Rights nonprofit.

Here’s an examination of the ongoing crises in eastern Congo that have created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian disasters, and how they are now impacting efforts to combat a rare strain of Ebola:

Eastern Congo has experienced violence from dozens of different rebel groups for years, some with connections to foreign nations or Islamic State.

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels maintain control over portions of the region. Although the Congolese government retains significant control over northeastern Ituri Province, where the Ebola outbreak is centered, that authority remains fragile. The Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist organization connected to Islamic State, ranks among the dominant rebel groups there and has conducted violent attacks on civilian populations.

Prior to the outbreak, Doctors Without Borders reported in their evaluation of Ituri’s situation that security had deteriorated recently, forcing medical personnel to evacuate and creating overwhelmed healthcare facilities with “catastrophic” conditions in certain areas.

Almost 1 million residents in Ituri have been forced from their homes due to conflict, according to the United Nations humanitarian office.

This means the current Ebola outbreak is “unfolding in communities already facing insecurity, displacement and fragile health care systems,” said Gabriela Arenas, Regional Operations Coordinator at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

There’s significant worry that the disease could reach the large displacement camps near the city of Bunia, where initial cases were identified.

Officials have reported over 700 suspected Ebola cases and more than 170 suspected deaths, primarily in Ituri. However, cases have emerged in two additional eastern provinces, North Kivu and South Kivu, where M23 maintains control, and also in neighboring Uganda.

This means portions of the Congo outbreak are being handled by the government while other areas are managed by rebel authorities, with various aid organizations providing assistance.

Health experts indicate that international aid reductions last year by the United States and other wealthy countries were catastrophic for eastern Congo due to its numerous challenges.

The reductions “reduced the capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks,” said Thomas McHale, public health director at Physicians for Human Rights. Congo has experienced more than a dozen previous Ebola outbreaks.

Relief organizations combating this outbreak report lacking necessary equipment, including face shields and protective suits for health workers, testing supplies, and body bags plus other materials required to safely handle victims’ remains, which can be extremely contagious.

“We have made requests to different partners, but we have not yet really received anything,” said Julienne Lusenge, president of Women’s Solidarity for Inclusive Peace and Development, an aid group operating a small hospital near Bunia.

“We only have hand sanitizer and a few masks for the nurses.”

The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus causing the outbreak has no approved vaccine or treatment.

The destruction of two treatment centers by residents in the Rwampara and Mongbwalu areas — which report the highest case numbers — demonstrates how community opposition is further hampering response efforts.

Colin Thomas-Jensen, director of impact at the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, suggested the attacks may reflect the “built-in skepticism and anger” of eastern Congo residents regarding how their region has been handled, enduring years of violence from foreign-connected rebel groups and failures by their government and international peacekeepers to provide protection.

Another source of frustration involves strict procedures surrounding burial of suspected Ebola victims, which authorities are overseeing wherever possible to prevent additional disease transmission when families handle bodies and people gather for funerals.

The initial burning of an Ebola center in Rwampara involved local youth attempting to recover their deceased friend’s body, according to witnesses and police. The witnesses reported the crowd accused the foreign aid organization of deceiving them about Ebola.

Officials in northeastern Congo have prohibited funeral wakes and gatherings exceeding 50 people to limit transmission, with armed soldiers and police now protecting some burials conducted by aid workers.

Breta Meria Conole spent over twenty years confined in a state mental health facility. Yet the circumstances behind her lengthy stay remain an unsolved puzzle for her family.

Debby Hannigan, Conole’s great grandniece, spent years attempting to obtain her ancestor’s medical files, believing they could provide insight into hereditary mental health conditions affecting her family, including her eldest daughter’s struggle with depression.

Hannigan made two separate requests to New York state for the documents. During her second attempt, she provided a letter from her daughter’s therapist stating the information would assist them “to know their family medical history better.” Both requests were denied.

This situation reflects a widespread problem.

Family members across the country have been advocating for legislative changes in New York and elsewhere that would permit access to mental health documentation of ancestors who died long ago. These efforts have led to policy modifications in certain states, including Massachusetts and Washington, though progress remains sluggish or nonexistent in other areas.

“It really does piss me off that we couldn’t just say, ‘Hey, we’re the descendants, here’s the proof, now tell us what you know!’” expressed Doug Clarke of Alfred, New York, who was unsuccessful in obtaining his great-grandfather’s records. These documents could potentially explain the depression and bipolar syndrome present in his family’s current generation, he noted.

The following examines this issue and current efforts to address it.

During the 1800s, America experienced significant growth in state facilities designed to house individuals with mental illness; by 1890, every state operated at least one such institution. These were termed lunatic or insane asylums, though admission criteria varied widely from “brain fever” and “grief and anxiety” to “laziness,” “religious excitement” and “desertion by husband,” based on historical documentation.

While conditions differed between facilities, certain asylums developed reputations as harsh, overcrowded storage facilities where patients faced neglect and physical restraints. These asylums eventually evolved into psychiatric hospitals, though treatment methods didn’t always improve: during the 1900s, they became locations for now-debunked procedures including lobotomies and induced comas.

However, hospital personnel frequently maintained detailed documentation, including comprehensive patient descriptions and symptom records. They also captured photographs and gathered additional materials, according to Dr. Laurence Guttmacher, who previously served as clinical director at Rochester Psychiatric Center, one of New York’s state hospitals.

Documentation at various facilities may have suffered damage, destruction or loss over time. Additionally, remaining records might lack proper organization or cataloging. Nevertheless, substantial information still remains available, Guttmacher explained.

“We had this incredibly rich trove of records” at the Rochester hospital, he stated.

These documents have attracted attention from individuals whose families face ongoing challenges with depression, suicide or related conditions.

“Would you want to know if your grandfather died of a heart attack?” asked Dr. Christine Moutier, chief medical officer for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “It’s information that you can use to understand how vigilant to be.”

Countless patients died within state hospitals, with some buried in graves lacking identification markers. Certain families have been unable to determine when a relative passed away, much less the cause, said Alexandra Lord, a historian currently writing about suicide within her own family. She encountered difficulties accessing New York state documentation regarding her great-grandmother.

Guttmacher noted: “About twice a month I would get a request from a family member to get access to records, to try to learn the story of their families.” State authorities informed him he was prohibited from sharing such information.

Federal legislation passed in 1996 safeguards individual patient health information privacy, including diagnostic details and treatment received. This law, called HIPAA, maintains health information protection for five decades following death.

Various states maintain comparable regulations. Ohio legislation permits the nearest living family member of a deceased patient to request state mental health facility records, and anyone may request them fifty years after patient death. Maine similarly provides relatively straightforward access to records from that time period.

However, numerous other states maintain stricter policies. New York permits such records to remain sealed “in perpetuity,” according to a statement from New York’s Office of Mental Health. Documents may be released to patients and immediate family members, though typically not to more distant relatives. They have also been shared with medical professionals “with a justification,” and with historians who commit to not identifying individual patients, state officials indicate.

Massachusetts maintained similar restrictions, but advocacy efforts resulted in new legislation last year making state hospital records public after seventy-five years, plus records for individuals deceased at least fifty years.

This modification followed a commission report discussing state institutions’ history of mistreatment and neglect, including patient sterilizations at a Monson state hospital. Commission member Alex Green characterized the state’s record nondisclosure as a “cover-up” of decades of abuse endured by disabled individuals.

Currently, some are working toward changing New York’s legislation. This year, state Sen. Pat Fahy proposed a bill classifying records and information about patients deceased fifty years or longer as historical documents — removing them from privacy protection requirements.

Fahy highlighted New York’s psychiatric facilities’ own troubled past. She referenced the Willowbrook State School, a Staten Island facility where developmentally disabled children previously lived under terrible conditions.

“If the person is deceased, there should be an availability of these records to help give the family closure,” stated Fahy, a Democrat from the Albany area. “Learning from our history is one of the best ways to give us insight into how we do better in the future.”

Families do possess alternative pathways to information regarding ancestors’ mental health backgrounds, historians note.

Online platforms such as Ancestry.com offer — for a fee — access to historical records, including census data that can reveal whether someone resided in a state institution during census periods.

Veterans’ military pension files have included mental health information.

Historical newspapers contained numerous items about local residents, including when individuals were committed to state institutions.

There may be significantly more people interested in family mental health history than commonly understood, said Ryan Thibodeau, a St. John Fisher University researcher involved in efforts to modify New York’s law. During the 1950s, at America’s institutionalization peak, over 500,000 people resided in state hospitals.

“Their descendants are everywhere,” he observed.

A company has issued a nationwide recall for a chocolate product after federal regulators discovered it contained an undisclosed prescription drug ingredient.

JXK Enterprises, Inc announced it is voluntarily pulling Boner Bears Chocolate from the market following notification that FDA laboratory testing found sildenafil in the product. Sildenafil is the active pharmaceutical ingredient found in the prescription medication Viagra.

The recall specifically affects Lot #BB21125 of the chocolate product. The company stated the sildenafil was not disclosed anywhere on the product’s labeling.

The FDA laboratory analysis that confirmed the presence of the prescription drug ingredient prompted the company’s decision to voluntarily remove the product from distribution.

A beverage manufacturing company based in Cerritos, California has issued a recall for specialty drink products due to concerns about possible salmonella contamination.

SKS Copack announced the recall after determining the beverages could potentially contain salmonella bacteria, which poses significant health risks to consumers. The contamination could lead to severe and potentially life-threatening infections, with the greatest danger to young children, elderly individuals, and people with compromised immune systems.

Health officials warn that salmonella infections can be particularly serious for vulnerable populations, including those with weakened immunity who face higher risks of severe complications from the bacterial contamination.

Federal health authorities announced Saturday they are expanding enhanced Ebola screening procedures to include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for U.S. citizens returning from three African countries affected by the viral outbreak.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Americans traveling back from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan now have two airports where they can enter the United States under the enhanced screening protocols.

According to the CDC, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has experience conducting passenger screenings and already has the necessary operational systems ready to implement. Earlier this week, officials had designated Washington’s Dulles International Airport as the initial screening location for returning citizens who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus.

The enhanced health screening at entry points represents just one part of the CDC’s comprehensive strategy to prevent Ebola transmission, which also involves screening passengers before they leave affected countries overseas, requiring airlines to report illnesses during flights, and monitoring people’s health after they arrive in the United States.

According to the World Health Organization’s latest figures, health officials have verified 82 Ebola cases in the DRC so far, resulting in seven confirmed fatalities and 177 suspected deaths. Nearly 750 additional suspected cases are connected to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.

The Trump administration implemented additional restrictions earlier this week, prohibiting non-U.S. citizens who have recently visited the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan from entering the country.

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — An Ebola treatment facility in eastern Congo was torched for the second time this week, allowing 18 suspected patients to flee into the surrounding community, according to a local medical official who spoke Saturday.

Unknown attackers targeted the medical tent in Mongbwalu, a community at the epicenter of the Bundibugyo virus outbreak, on Friday evening. The facility had been established by the Doctors Without Borders organization to care for both confirmed and suspected Ebola patients, according to Dr. Richard Lokudi, who heads the Mongbwalu General Reference Hospital.

“We strongly condemn this act, as it caused panic among the staff of the Mongbwalu Referral Hospital and also resulted in the escape of 18 suspected cases into the community,” he stated.

Earlier this week on Thursday, attackers destroyed another medical facility in Rwampara after relatives were denied access to recover a deceased local resident’s remains.

Corpses of Ebola victims carry extremely high infection risks and can trigger additional transmission when communities handle them during traditional burial preparations and funeral ceremonies. Health officials are taking control of burial procedures for suspected victims whenever feasible, though this approach often sparks resistance from grieving families and community members.

Security forces provided protection for an Ebola victim’s burial ceremony in Bunia, another community within the affected region, on Saturday as friction escalated between medical personnel and local residents.

Regional officials in northeastern Congo implemented restrictions Friday prohibiting funeral vigils and assemblies exceeding 50 participants to limit viral transmission. The World Health Organization elevated the outbreak’s threat level to “very high” risk for Congo — an increase from the previous “high” designation — while maintaining that global spread probability remains minimal.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Friday that Congo has recorded 82 confirmed infections and seven fatalities, though he believes the actual outbreak scope is “much larger.”

No vaccine exists for the Bundibugyo strain, which circulated undetected for weeks throughout Congo’s Ituri province after the initial known fatality while health officials tested for a different, more prevalent Ebola variant and received negative results. Current tallies show 750 suspected infections and 177 suspected fatalities, with numbers expected to climb as monitoring efforts expand.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, who leads the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasized that outbreak response efforts must prioritize establishing community trust.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced Saturday that three volunteers perished from the outbreak in Mongbwalu. The organization believes these healthcare workers became infected during body handling duties on March 27 while participating in a humanitarian operation unconnected to Ebola response.

This revelation would substantially move back the outbreak timeline from the previously identified first confirmed death in late April in Bunia, Ituri’s capital city.

Health officials in Bangladesh announced Saturday that the country is facing one of its most devastating measles outbreaks in decades, with at least 86 children confirmed dead from the disease this year and an additional 426 deaths showing symptoms matching measles.

The rapid spread of infections has pushed hospitals beyond capacity and created enormous pressure on the nation’s already weakened healthcare infrastructure, with rural areas and crowded low-income neighborhoods bearing the heaviest burden.

According to information released by the Directorate General of Health Services, medical authorities have documented 62,507 potential measles cases across the country, along with 8,494 infections verified through laboratory testing, spanning from March 15 through May 23.

Medical experts emphasize that children younger than five face the greatest danger of serious complications and death, especially those who remain unvaccinated or have received incomplete immunization schedules.

Last month, the World Health Organization warned that reduced routine vaccination rates had elevated the possibility of a widespread epidemic.

In response to the crisis, government officials have broadened emergency vaccination efforts combining measles and rubella vaccines, specifically targeting younger children throughout the affected regions.

Officials report they have also sent out emergency response units, enhanced monitoring systems for tracking the disease, and boosted vitamin A distribution efforts to help prevent serious complications.

While measles ranks among the planet’s most easily transmitted illnesses, it remains largely preventable when individuals receive the recommended two-dose vaccination series.

When 5-year-old Calvin Owens ventured outdoors for the first time in over a month, he encountered his four-legged companion Hadley on a hospital courtyard. Connected to medical equipment through various wires and tubes, the young patient still found the strength to rise from his wheelchair briefly to throw a ball for her.

His face lit up watching her retrieve it. Medical staff applauded the moment.

“Look how good you’re doing!” encouraged Hadley’s handler, Schellie Scott.

These meaningful breakthroughs and joyful instances occur regularly when Hadley or her three fellow facility dogs at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital make their rounds. These four-legged healthcare workers differ from typical volunteer therapy dogs that visit hospitals for patient comfort. They receive extensive specialized training and work full-time schedules, offering emotional assistance during difficult medical procedures, encouraging physical activity, and helping make hospital environments feel less intimidating. Healthcare professionals report these programs are expanding rapidly at pediatric medical centers nationwide.

Growing scientific evidence demonstrates that brief encounters with facility dogs can enhance children’s general wellness, lessen their pain perception, and diminish stress indicators including cortisol concentrations and blood pressure readings.

“These dogs are making a real difference,” said Kerri Rodriguez, director of the Human-Animal Bond Lab at the University of Arizona. “They can provide a little bit of normalcy, a little bit of comfort, in a really stressful, sterile environment that kids might not feel comfortable in.”

While nobody maintains official statistics on facility dogs working in pediatric hospitals, Rodriguez notes the steady expansion of the annual Facility Dog Summit, where handlers and participants connect professionally. Attendance at this gathering almost doubled between 2024 and 2025. Though other medical facilities employ full-time dogs, healthcare experts indicate children’s hospitals drive most program growth. Canine Assistants, a major Georgia-based nonprofit organization, operates a dedicated pediatric hospital program that has deployed over 80 dogs across the nation.

Canine workers have served for years at facilities including Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York, Norton Children’s in Louisville, Kentucky, and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Additional programs continue launching regularly. Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Maryland welcomed its initial two facility dogs this past March.

Medical centers typically obtain these animals through nonprofit organizations. Groups like Canine Companions, Cincinnati Children’s dog provider, handle breeding, raising, and training before partnering them with hospital personnel while retaining ownership. The dogs and their handlers share both living and working arrangements.

While hospitals avoid direct purchase costs for the animals, they cover ongoing expenses including food and medical care, which can accumulate significantly since most are larger breeds such as Labradors or golden retrievers. Medical facilities commonly organize fundraising campaigns or pursue grants to manage these costs.

Healthcare professionals emphasize the clear advantages of these “animal-assisted therapies.” Rodriguez co-authored a 2022 research study examining survey data from 17 pediatric hospitals. Pediatric healthcare workers described how facility dogs offered reassuring companionship, established connections, and created familiar hospital atmospheres for children and families. A 2021 Journal of Pediatric Nursing study determined that animal-assisted interventions benefited pain management and blood pressure control in children and adolescents. Additional research found these therapies decrease anxiety and discomfort while potentially improving cardiovascular and respiratory function.

Facility dogs access more restricted hospital areas than volunteer animals and sometimes focus on specific departments. Opal, one of two St. Louis dogs, divides her schedule between the pediatric behavioral health unit and the child protection program.

Regardless of their work location, maintaining cleanliness remains essential.

Hadley receives baths twice monthly because she operates in the cancer and blood diseases section, where patients may have compromised immune systems. She gets additional baths or special wipe cleanings following potential germ exposure. Handlers utilize easily sanitized leashes and toys, and people must clean their hands before and after dog contact.

When patients require isolation, dogs remain outside their rooms. The single exception occurs when terminally ill children request canine companionship. In such situations, caregivers determine that comfort and fear reduction outweigh infection concerns.

Hadley begins her workday when her handler Scott — whose child life assistant role involves maintaining patients’ normal routines — reaches the hospital. Hadley primarily visits patients but also takes breaks for free play time.

During a recent morning, the Labrador-golden retriever mix ran energetically around a grassy play space with her colleague, Grover. While Grover maintains calm composure, Hadley’s excitement leads her to shake her head while tossing balls to herself.

“Hadley loves life,” Scott said. “Hadley lives big.”

Throughout the hospital, the dogs receive continuous attention. For handlers, “it’s like being the assistant to a famous person,” joked Scott.

Evidence of their celebrity status appears everywhere.

They feature in closed-circuit television programs produced by the hospital and broadcast to patient rooms. Holiday and event-themed dog photographs decorate corridor walls. Special mailboxes allow children to send letters or drawings to the dogs and receive responses.

Patients can collect trading cards featuring each dog with information like breed and birthday, decorate bandanas for their furry friends, or receive small stuffed dogs. Healthcare workers create dog-themed books showing children upcoming procedures or treatments.

Children with extended hospital stays develop close relationships with the dogs.

Aspen Franklin, a 14-year-old battling a serious immune disorder, has visited the hospital since toddlerhood and spent weeks there recently. Sometimes, Hadley has cuddled next to her in bed.

“She has a calming presence,” Aspen said. “That is a comfort to me.”

Like other facility dogs, Hadley also supports families. When Aspen’s younger brother Emory provided cells for her bone marrow transplant, Hadley spent time with him and other visiting siblings.

Having Hadley present “is really nice because they’re away from their animals at home,” said their mom, Brittney Franklin, whose family has two dogs and a cat.

Franklin recently observed Aspen creating art with Hadley. Since the dog couldn’t enter her room so soon after transplant, Aspen applied paint colors to a small canvas and gave it to Scott, who placed it in a plastic bag with peanut butter spread on top. Just outside the room, Hadley enthusiastically licked the surface. Abstract artwork resulted.

Hadley’s following patient was Calvin, the young boy she encountered on the courtyard. Calvin suffers from a rare, severe form of juvenile arthritis and recently underwent bone marrow transplant. Despite only managing to stand briefly at a time, he repeatedly made the effort to play with Hadley.

“He’s such a strong little man,” Scott said.

Following Calvin’s return indoors, Hadley visited 11-year-old Bethany Striggles, who recently completed chemotherapy treatment for bone cancer. The girl threw the ball down the entire hallway length, and Hadley ran joyfully to fetch and gently return it. Bethany rewarded her with an ice pop.

“She helps me exercise more,” Bethany said. “She’s energetic and happy and always likes to see me.”

Eventually, Hadley does become tired. When this occurs, she returns to an office lovingly called her lair, containing treats, toys and a large dog bed.

Above the bed hangs a bulletin board filled with artwork, photographs and messages. One, written on orange construction paper, displays a small, pink handprint and reads: “Thank you for being my BEST FRIEND.”

CINCINNATI (AP) — Specially trained canines are providing comfort and emotional support to young patients at children’s hospitals across the nation, delivering much more than just a friendly greeting. These full-time facility dogs differ from volunteer therapy animals because they receive extensive professional training and can access all hospital areas to assist patients during their entire stay.

According to specialists, children’s hospitals throughout the country are increasingly adopting facility dog programs as ongoing research demonstrates significant advantages for pediatric patients. Research indicates that even short encounters with these animals can enhance overall wellness, reduce anxiety and discomfort, and help young people feel more comfortable in strange medical environments.

At facilities like Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, canines such as Hadley offer emotional comfort during challenging medical procedures, motivate children to remain physically active, and bring a touch of everyday life to the hospital environment. These dogs have become popular throughout the medical centers, with their images displayed in corridors, featured in media appearances, and special mailboxes installed where young patients can leave messages and artwork for their four-legged friends.

___

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Ugandan health authorities announced Saturday that three additional individuals have tested positive for Ebola, raising the nation’s confirmed case total to five.

According to a Health Ministry statement, the newly confirmed patients include a Ugandan driver who had transported the country’s initial confirmed case and a healthcare worker who became exposed to the virus while providing care to that same patient.

The third newly confirmed case involves a Congolese woman, the ministry reported.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A holiday morning email would launch South African disease expert Lucille Blumberg into a medical mystery spanning thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

On May 1, while South Africa observed Labor Day, Blumberg received an urgent message from a colleague in the United Kingdom. The message detailed a cruise ship passenger who had been airlifted to a Johannesburg hospital with what appeared to be pneumonia, while additional passengers aboard the vessel were falling ill.

The colleague, responsible for monitoring diseases in remote British territories across the South Atlantic, requested Blumberg’s assistance with the patient, who had been removed from the ship at Ascension Island.

This urgent request thrust Blumberg and her team at South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases into a race against time to solve an outbreak mystery aboard the Dutch cruise vessel MV Hondius.

“Even though it was a public holiday, we moved, we moved really fast,” Blumberg told The Associated Press. “It was busy. There were many conversations. There were online discussions, and there was laboratory testing happening at the time.”

In just 24 hours, the team successfully identified the culprit: hantavirus, an uncommon virus transmitted by rodents.

The elderly British passenger had reached the private Johannesburg medical facility several days prior in critical condition, leaving healthcare providers puzzled about the root cause of his illness.

When he was removed from the vessel, two elderly Dutch travelers aboard the MV Hondius had already perished, though this initially raised minimal concern. Health officials on Ascension Island had notified the World Health Organization about a group of pneumonia-like cases on the ship.

Initially, Blumberg and her team suspected Legionella, the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires’ disease, a severe pneumonia type. Bird flu was another possibility they considered.

“I called my infectious disease colleagues, and we had a caucus, and we discussed the usual ones,” Blumberg said. “Legionella is well described in outbreaks in hotels and on cruise ships, and influenza certainly is. These people had visited islands where avian influenza is well documented.”

However, tests for these conditions returned negative results. The specialists conducted comprehensive testing for various respiratory illnesses, all yielding negative outcomes.

The investigation team then focused on the ship’s origin point — Argentina — and learned that passengers were enthusiastic birdwatchers who had reportedly visited South American regions populated by both birds and rodents.

This information steered the South African disease specialists toward a different possibility: the uncommon hantavirus infection carried by rodents, which occurs in certain South American areas.

“It’s a well-described, not common, but it’s a well-described virus in Chile and Argentina,” Blumberg said. She noted that their investigation benefited from partnerships with hantavirus specialists from South America and the United States, coordinated through the WHO, the U.N. health agency.

“You can get onto a Zoom (call) online and ask your questions and get advice. This is not something every day. So that was quite extraordinary,” Blumberg said.

By Saturday morning, Blumberg contacted the director of South Africa’s sole laboratory capable of hantavirus testing.

“I said, we want to do hanta, and she said, ‘yeah, I’m coming.’”

Laboratory analysis of the patient’s blood specimens confirmed hantavirus that same afternoon. The team conducted additional testing for verification, Blumberg explained.

These positive results, which also pinpointed the Andes variant of hantavirus, enabled the WHO to notify the cruise ship about the outbreak and make a public announcement. Although hantavirus typically doesn’t spread easily between people, the WHO notes that the Andes strain can transmit from person to person.

The laboratory findings also prompted Blumberg to urgently obtain blood samples from a Dutch woman — among the initial two cruise passengers who died — who had left the ship with her deceased husband’s remains on St. Helena island and traveled to South Africa, where she also passed away.

Postmortem hantavirus testing on her also returned positive.

“It was a bit of a wow moment,” Blumberg said. “And at least once you know what you’re dealing with, it’s much easier to respond.”

The British passenger who became the first confirmed hantavirus case from the cruise is recovering in the hospital, according to South Africa’s health ministry. The vessel has since reached Rotterdam’s Dutch port, where it underwent disinfection and remaining crew members departed.

“I’ve been doing outbreaks for 25 years. That’s what we do. We do them every day,” she said. “I think the important thing was to respond immediately to a question that clearly was urgent and then to take it from there.”

A scenic mountainous region in western Uganda is seeking to distance itself from a deadly virus that bears its name, as health officials worry about stigma from the current Ebola outbreak in neighboring Congo.

The district of Bundibugyo, home to approximately 200,000 residents, became the namesake for a strain of Ebola virus following an outbreak nearly twenty years ago. The region, characterized by steep hills and valleys along Uganda’s border with Congo, is primarily populated by cocoa farmers working the challenging terrain.

What was once known as a picturesque area has gained unwanted global attention due to its connection with the Bundibugyo virus strain, which is currently causing hundreds of infections in eastern Congo. Health authorities report 160 suspected deaths from Ebola across two provinces in the neighboring country.

The virus strain received its name from the November 2007 outbreak in the remote western Uganda location, when scientists determined it was distinct from previously identified Ebola types. Unlike the Sudan strain, first found in what is now South Sudan, or the Zaire variety discovered in present-day Congo in 1976, this new form required its own classification.

Scientists consider the Bundibugyo strain particularly concerning because it remains less studied than other Ebola variants. The virus had been circulating in Congolese communities before health officials identified it as the source of increasing illness cases.

The original 2007 Bundibugyo outbreak resulted in at least 37 deaths before being controlled by year’s end. A smaller second outbreak of the same strain occurred in northeastern Congo in 2012.

Dr. Tom Ksiazek, a University of Texas Medical Branch virologist who led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team that first identified the Bundibugyo virus, noted that early case detection in previous outbreaks enabled rapid public health responses.

Currently, while no Ebola cases exist in the Bundibugyo district itself, the ongoing association with the virus strain concerns Ugandan officials. Government spokesman Alan Kasujja has called on international health authorities to clarify that Uganda is not the center of the latest outbreak.

“Bundibugyo is too beautiful to be the name of a disease,” he said on X. “We need to take back its name from this madness.”

The World Health Organization handles virus naming conventions and has shown sensitivity to avoiding terms that could stigmatize communities, as demonstrated when monkeypox was renamed mpox in 2022. However, Ebola strains have traditionally been named for their discovery locations.

Uganda’s health officials, experienced in managing Ebola outbreaks, emphasize that “no Ebola” currently exists in their East African nation. They want WHO to provide more specific information in outbreak updates to avoid confusion.

The country has documented only two cases, both involving Congolese citizens who entered Uganda before Congo officially declared an outbreak on May 15. A 59-year-old man was hospitalized in the capital city of Kampala on May 11 and died three days later. A second patient, a woman about whom authorities have released limited information, is receiving treatment at a different Kampala hospital.

President Yoweri Museveni emphasized Thursday that the outbreak is primarily “on the Congo side,” encouraging tourism officials to counter perceptions that Ebola is spreading within Uganda.

Museveni advised citizens to “stop shaking hands” as a preventive measure and ordered the postponement of an annual religious gathering that draws thousands of pilgrims, including those from Congo, to a Catholic basilica near Kampala by June 3.

Additional protective measures announced Thursday include halting all public transportation and flights between Congo and Uganda.

Dr. Emmanuel Batiibwe, who directed efforts to contain a 2022 Ebola outbreak that killed at least 55 people, warned of high risks from cross-border trade. Preventing the current outbreak from entering Uganda will require “enhanced surveillance at all points of entry,” he said.

Uganda has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks, including a 2000 epidemic that killed more than 200 people and another in Kampala last year.

Existing Ebola vaccines and treatments prove ineffective against the Bundibugyo strain. Health experts emphasize contact tracing, isolation, and proper protective equipment for healthcare workers as crucial prevention strategies.

According to WHO, fruit bats are believed to naturally harbor Ebola viruses. The disease spreads through contact with infected individuals’ bodily fluids or contaminated materials.

Federal health authorities announced Friday they are temporarily prohibiting lawful permanent residents from entering the United States if they have visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the past 21 days due to Ebola concerns.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had initially exempted U.S. citizens, nationals and green card holders from a 30-day entry prohibition, but officials now say including permanent residents in the restriction is essential to prevent the virus from reaching American soil.

“Applying this authority to lawful permanent residents for a limited period of time provides a balance between protecting public health and managing emergency response resources,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

The World Health Organization elevated the risk assessment to “very high” Friday for the uncommon Bundibugyo strain of Ebola potentially becoming a nationwide outbreak in the DRC and has classified the situation there and in Uganda as an emergency of international concern.

Health officials initially implemented the restriction Monday using Title 42 of U.S. public health law, which grants federal health agencies the power to block migrants from entering the nation to halt the transmission of infectious diseases.

Permanent residents have traditionally been protected from U.S. entry limitations. The CDC’s pandemic-era Title 42 directive excluded them, as did various travel restrictions implemented during the Trump administration.

Officials revealed Friday that both fentanyl and methamphetamine were discovered inside a residence where emergency personnel became ill while responding to a suspected overdose incident in a rural New Mexico county.

Three individuals discovered inside the residence on Wednesday lost their lives. A fourth person who was present in the home and one emergency worker who fell ill remained hospitalized as of Friday.

A physician who examined the responders displaying symptoms such as nausea and dizziness determined their condition most closely matched fentanyl exposure. The investigation into the method and cause of the exposure continues.

During a press conference in Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Hospital Chief Medical Officer Steve McLaughlin stated that officials were operating “under the assumption” that fentanyl caused the illness. He described the responders’ symptoms as ranging from mild to moderately severe.

“It’s probably not absorbed through your skin, but it would be absorbed through your eyes, nose, mucous membranes, or if you inhale it,” McLaughlin explained to The Associated Press.

Officials noted during Friday’s briefing that methamphetamine poses notorious toxicity risks upon exposure, while fentanyl presents less danger. The responders who became sick had provided direct medical care to the individuals discovered inside the house located east of Albuquerque, in the rural community of Mountainair.

Over a dozen emergency personnel underwent quarantine and decontamination procedures following their response to the location.

Among the two individuals still receiving hospital treatment Friday, one was discovered unconscious in the residence where the three fatalities occurred. Officials reported receiving the initial call from a coworker of one of the people inside after they failed to appear for work.

New Mexico State Police Chief Matt Broom stated that investigators found no immediate evidence suggesting drug manufacturing operations within the house.

State police announced early in the investigation that no public danger existed and that the unidentified substance was not believed to be airborne.

Officials identified two victims Friday as Mika Rascon, 51, and Georgia Rascon, 49. The third deceased person’s identity remains unreleased, and the cause and manner of all three deaths await determination.

Recorded communications from the Torrance County Fire Dispatch channel on Broadcastify revealed that responders initially received a report about a 60-year-old man who was unconscious but breathing.

Minutes later, a dispatcher announced the presence of three additional people at the location, with two possibly not breathing. Emergency personnel then requested naloxone, the medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. Officials confirmed that naloxone successfully revived one person.

Within an hour of the original emergency call, the dispatch center reported multiple exposures had occurred.

Several emergency responders developed symptoms including coughing, vomiting and dizziness, according to authorities. Hospital officials noted that most responders experienced no symptoms.

Research evidence indicates that fentanyl, a powerful opioid, does not typically cause overdoses through casual skin contact or brief airborne exposure in standard field conditions. Medical experts explain that overdoses require substantial ingestion, injection or inhalation of the drug.

Local residents in Mountainair, a community of fewer than 1,000 people, have expressed concerns about drug use affecting their area and surrounding regions.

According to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, New Mexico ranked fourth nationally for drug overdose death rates in 2024, recording 775 fatalities.

OMAHA, Neb. — Eighteen American travelers who encountered hantavirus exposure aboard the MV Hondius cruise vessel are experiencing warm Nebraska welcome while awaiting word on their quarantine duration at an Omaha medical facility.

Meanwhile, health authorities confirmed a 12th case tied to the vessel on Friday in the Netherlands, as officials continue tracking hundreds of potentially exposed individuals.

Speaking at Friday’s press briefing, the physician overseeing the National Quarantine Unit monitoring the American travelers reported none are displaying symptoms currently. However, Dr. Michael Wadman directed inquiries about whether these 18 individuals must complete the entire 42-day isolation period at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s specialized facility to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC remained silent Friday regarding plans for these travelers, who occupy accommodations resembling hotel suites equipped with personal exercise equipment and compact refrigerators. These quarters feature specialized negative-pressure air systems and waste sterilization technology to prevent germ transmission.

Hantavirus typically spreads through rodent waste and rarely passes between humans. However, the Andes strain identified in this cruise outbreak may occasionally transmit person-to-person. Symptoms typically emerge one to eight weeks following exposure. Officials recommended extended quarantine due to the virus’s incubation timeline.

Wadman explained that upon learning their extended stay duration, travelers began purchasing necessities since health authorities permitted only small plastic bags of personal items when departing the MV Hondius. With luggage left behind, delivery packages began flowing to the quarantine facility after passengers reached Omaha on May 11.

Between twice-daily health screenings, staff at the country’s sole dedicated quarantine facility work to help passengers occupy their time through special dining experiences featuring local food establishments and unique Nebraska specialties like Runzas, plus educational sessions about sandhill crane migrations that draw millions of these magnificent birds statewide each spring.

The quarters include high-speed internet access enabling virtual connections with loved ones. Jake Rosmarin acknowledged occasional loneliness being distant from his fiance in Boston, but says time passes quickly through family calls and creating content for his Facebook and Instagram travel channels. Rosmarin maintains optimism rather than dwelling on nearly another month remaining in isolation.

“Why am I going to harp on those negative aspects? The time’s just gonna go by slow if I kind of harp on the negatives,” he said.

Rosmarin expressed deep gratitude for nurses and physicians from the medical center and neighboring Nebraska Medicine hospital who volunteer at the quarantine facility, starting with deliveries of his preferred Starbucks iced horchata with oat milk and vanilla cold foam.

“They’ve just been amazing. Truly. Truly, truly, truly. I think they’ve gone above and beyond with making sure that we’re comfortable here,” said Rosmarin, who purchased a new mattress topper and pillows plus Mixtiles photos of himself and his fiance for wall decoration to create a homier atmosphere.

Rosmarin and several other passengers unexpectedly left their rooms briefly Sunday evening during a tornado warning for Omaha, maintaining masks and distance while medical personnel wore complete protective gear.

Hospital officials plan serving passengers Runza on Tuesday and Omaha Steaks Thursday next week. Rosmarin ordered a barbecue bacon Runza, combining meat, seasonings and sauce baked within bread. This fast-food chain known for these sandwiches operates almost exclusively statewide, though similar meals elsewhere might be called bierocks.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, who operates a large hog operation, mentioned at Friday’s briefing his hopes to arrange a pork tenderloin meal, provided hospital chefs prepare it properly.

Wadman noted quarantined passengers remain cooperative despite the CDC issuing formal orders this week preventing two from departing the facility.

“I think there’s many that would really like to be home,” Wadman said, though CDC approval before the 42-day period remains unclear. Individual cases will receive separate evaluation.

Twelve individuals worldwide from the MV Hondius have become ill, including one crew member confirmed Friday in the Netherlands. Three cruise passengers died, including a Dutch couple health officials believe were initially exposed while touring South America. No fatalities have occurred since May 2, according to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“We continue to urge affected countries to monitor all passengers and crew carefully for the remainder of the quarantine period. More than 600 contacts continue to be followed in 30 countries, and a small number of high risk contacts are still being located,” he said.

University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold stated new cases will influence public health officials’ quarantine duration decisions, though the CDC controls that timeline.

“Any case, any symptoms, any positive test anywhere gives us more information about the biology of this viral illness. And it as any good scientific approach would be, it influences our decision making,” Gold said.

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.