Three people have died and 149 passengers remain stranded aboard a cruise ship off the West African island nation of Cape Verde following a suspected outbreak of hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly disease transmitted primarily through rodents such as rats and mice. Health authorities are closely monitoring the situation as international contact tracing efforts continue.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has appointed a former Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, as a senior strategic adviser to its Director-General, Jean Kaseya.
The ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus, condemned by Zeus to endlessly push a boulder uphill only for it to roll back down, has become a powerful metaphor for modern global health challenges, particularly the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Researchers studying NTDs say the story reflects the persistent struggle to eliminate infections that disproportionately affect poor populations in low-income countries. Though less deadly than diseases like HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, NTDs cause chronic pain, disability, disfigurement and social stigma, often leading to severe economic hardship.
A new study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine is warning that Lassa fever remains a vastly underrecognized public health threat with consequences that extend beyond West Africa. Published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, the findings all for urgent improvements in diagnosis, surveillance and treatment to curb preventable deaths and reduce the risk of international spread.
A French infant has tested positive for the toxin cereulide after consuming baby formula, the Health Ministry said on Feb 27, in the latest development in a contamination scare that has triggered recalls in more than 60 countries. The case marks the first time a French infant has tested positive for cereulide, a toxin known to cause nausea and diarrhoea, since it was first detected in December in formula containing arachidonic acid oil. The discovery has intensified scrutiny of infant formula manufacturers across Europe and beyond.
A long-running US clinical trial has found that a simple brain-training exercise can reduce the risk of developing dementia by 25 percent, offering one of the strongest pieces of evidence to date that cognitive decline may be preventable. Researchers said the finding emerged from a randomised controlled trial, widely regarded as the gold standard in medical research, marking the first time suc a study has demonstrated a clear intervention that significantly lowers dementia risk.
