Health

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has assured the public that the average person has little reason to fear contracting hantavirus, as global health authorities continue to monitor a recent outbreak linked to a cruise ship voyage in South America. The reassurance comes amid growing concern over a cluster of hantavirus infections connected to passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. In Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said no case of hantavirus has been recorded in the country and that surveillance systems remain active.

Chris Hoy, one of Scotland's most decorated athletes, has shared a cautiously optimistic health update as he continues his battle with Prostate cancer. The six-time Olymtic gold medallist was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2023 and was initially told he had only a few years to live. Now, 50 Hoy has been living with the illness for three years while continuing to raise awareness and advocate for better treatment options. Despite the severity of his condition, he says recent developments in medical research have given him renewed hope.

Dermatologists have warned that extended use of lightening cosmetics exposes users to several health hazards and have connected skin-bleaching techniques to the rising number of skin cancer cases being seen in clinics. They clarified that the illness, which was uncommon among Black people, is now being reported in clinics. According to the specialists, a lot of bleaching creams contain dangerous ingredients like mercury, hydroquinone, and steroids that can weaken the skin's protective layer and make it more susceptible to UV rays.

Chairman of Nigeria's National Malaria Elimination Council (NMEC) and United Nations Malaria Ambassador, Aliko Dangote, has called for urgent and coordinated action between governments and the private sector to eliminate malaria, describing the current moment as critical in the global fight against the disease. Speaking at an event marking World Malaria Day 2026, themed "Driven to end malaria; Now we can... Now we must," Dangote said that although progress has been made, efforts remain uneven, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of the global malaria burden.

As Africa commemorates World Malaria Day 2026, new data underscores the scale of the continent’s malaria burden, with the disease continuing to exact a heavy toll despite decades of intervention. The latest estimates show that in 2024, Africa recorded about 270.8 million cases and nearly 600,000 deaths, accounting for the overwhelming majority of global infections and fatalities.

Nigeria's fragile healthcare system has continued to sink low following a renewed strain, as no fewer than 4,691 doctors have relocated to the United Kingdom since President Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, fresh data from the General Medical Council shows. The UK GMC is a public official register detailing the number of practising doctors in the UK alongside other details such as their areas of speciality, country of training, among others.