Birthdays are exciting for everyone. There's celebration, a cake, and balloons. But what if it goes wrong? This is what happened with Giang Pham, from Vietnam, who was celebrating her 33rd birthday on February 14, when a hydrogen balloon in her hand touched the flame from the candle on the cake and exploded on her face.

This incident was also captured on camera. The footage clearly shows how the balloon blew up as soon as it touched the flame. Her friends were shocked and can be heard gasping in the background as they saw this.

In the days following the incident, she also shared photos on her Instagram showing her bandaged face, and revealed the first-degree burns on her hand and second-degree burns on her face. However, the good news was that her vision was unaffected, though for her face to recover, it would take months.

She is now also warning others about the risks of using highly inflammable hydrogen balloons. The other alternative could be a helium balloon, which you could fly higher and they remain on the ceiling.

Health Update

She revealed that her doctor estimated up to six months for her skin to recover. She would still have to go to the hospital for dressing and treatment. Another such case happened with a woman named Tine from Australia, when on her son's 7th birthday, the balloon exploded and "shook her house". Her son was burned in the forearm.

Such incidents happen because decorators want to save the cost by replacing helium with hydrogen, which is highly inflammable.

In Healing

Giang shared that she experienced second-degree burn on her face and first-degree burn on her hands. As per John Hopkins Medicine, first degree burns affect only the epidermis, or the outer layer of skin. The burn site becomes red, painful, dry, however, there are no blisters. A mild sunburn could be an example of such a burn. This is also called superficial burns.

Whereas, second degree burns involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of the skin. The burn site appears red, blistered and could also be swollen and painful. This is also known as partial thickness burn.

Then comes the third degree burns, also known as full thickness burn. This destroys the epidermis and dermis and could also damage the underlying bones, muscles, and tendons. However, when the bones and muscles are burned, it could be referred to as a fourth degree burn. The burn sit appears white or charred and there is no feeling in the area since the nerve endings are destroyed.

How burns are treated?

The right way to treat a burn depends on its depth and how much of the body it covers. While minor, superficial burns can be managed at home, deeper or larger burns may need medical attention. Keep these essential guidelines in mind:

Do:

• Remove the source of the burn immediately – For example, take off clothing soaked in hot liquid to prevent further damage.
• Run cool water over the burn – This helps soothe the skin, except in cases of certain chemical burns.
• Keep the burn clean and protected – Cover it with a clean, non-stick bandage when possible.
• Seek medical help – If the burn is deeper than a superficial layer, larger than your hand, or full-thickness, see a doctor.

Don’t:

• Use home remedies like bleach or butter – These can make the burn worse.
• Apply ointments or creams on deep burns – They can trap heat and worsen the injury.
• Put ice on the burn – It can cause more damage to the skin.
• Pop blisters – This increases the risk of infection.

Knowing these simple steps can make a big difference in burn care and healing.

One in seven stroke patients in India are young adults aged below 45 years, with hypertension leading as the major risk factor, according to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The study, published in the International Journal of Stroke, showed that two in five patients arrived in the hospital after 24 hours of onset of symptoms, highlighting the need for improving awareness about the first hour (golden hour) in stroke care.

“The findings highlight the gaps in acute stroke care, including delayed hospital arrival, limited access to advanced treatments, and inadequate follow-up services,” said Prashant Mathur, Director, ICMR—National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research, Bengaluru, in the paper.

“Stroke continues to pose a major public health burden, with poor outcomes. The study shall contribute to the development of evidence-based comprehensive strategies for stroke prevention, effective management, and improved treatment outcomes,” he added.

What Stroke Patterns Did The Study Find?

The team included 34,792 stroke cases from 30 Hospital-Based Stroke Registries (HBSRs) across India, recorded between 2020 and 2022.

About 64 percent of the stroke patients were males, and 36.6 percent were females.

Stroke in the younger age group (aged below 45 years) constituted 13.8 percent of the total cases. More than 70 per cent of the participants were residents from rural areas.

Hypertension (74.5 percent) was the most common risk factor, followed by smokeless tobacco use (28.5 percent) and diabetes mellitus (27.3 percent).

Ischemic stroke accounted for 60 percent of cases. Only 20.1 percent were presented within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, while 37.8 percent of cases presented after 24 hours.

The commonest symptoms at onset included motor impairment (74.8 percent), followed by speech disturbance (51.2 percent), dysphagia (30.4 percent), and impaired consciousness (25.6 percent).

The study also highlighted substantial disparities in stroke care services. Time-sensitive therapies like thrombolysis were given in 4.6 percent of cases, while thrombectomy was administered in 0.7 percent of ischemic strokes.

At three months, 27.8 percent of patients had died, while nearly 30 percent suffered significant disability, and 1.1 percent had a recurrent stroke. This highlighted the need for improving comprehensive stroke care across India.

Burden Of Stroke In India

Stroke remains one of the leading global health burdens, causing significant deaths and disability worldwide, including in India. Compared to Western countries, stroke also tends to occur at a younger age and is associated with a higher case fatality rate in the country.

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 identified hypertension, air pollution, tobacco smoking, high cholesterol, increased salt intake, and diabetes as the leading risk factors of stroke.

Incidence of stroke is increasing significantly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in India, due to population growth, aging, and greater exposure to risk factors.

The estimated stroke incidence in India ranged from 108 to 172 per 100,000 population, and 1-month case fatality varied from 18 percent to 42 percent.

As per data from the ICMR-NCDIR, India has a crude stroke incidence rate of 138.1 per 100,000 population and an age-standardized case fatality rate of 30 per 100,000 population.

Amid changing climatic conditions that are soaring temperatures and leading to over 200,000 deaths annually in South Asia, the World Health Organization (WHO) today announced two health initiatives that will prevent the impacts of extreme heat and save lives in the region.

Extreme heat in South Asia, including in India, is rapidly threatening human health and can potentially also cause economic instability in the subcontinent.

The two initiatives -- the South Asia Climate–Health Desk and the South Asia Scientific Research Consortium -- were announced at the ongoing Mumbai Climate Week in collaboration with several global and regional partners.

The initiatives, with an investment of $11.5 million by the Rockefeller Foundation and Wellcome, aim to connect climate science to health action to prevent heat-related deaths and illnesses.

“Few regions feel the impacts of extreme heat as sharply as South Asia, and I welcome the clear determination to respond. We all know that every death primarily due to excess heat can be prevented, and heat health action plans are saving lives,” said Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Climate and Health Joint Programme.

“By uniting science, government leadership and support, and community action, countries here are proving that this challenge can be met,” Saulo added.

What Are The 2 Health Initiatives?

The South Asia Climate–Health Desk, implemented with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), India Meteorological Department (IMD), aims to improve how climate and weather information is translated into action to protect health.

It is one of the first units under the joint program to embrace research and development and operational domains in climate and health, and will also help develop more robust decision support tools, such as early warning and risk assessments.

The South Asia Scientific Research Consortium, under the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, is expected to deepen the region’s scientific understanding of how heat affects different populations.

By developing tailored heat‑risk thresholds, this consortium aims to ultimately strengthen heat action planning, early warning systems, and preparedness efforts, helping communities and institutions better adapt to rising temperatures.

The Risks Of A Warming South Asia

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for urgent global action to address the growing risk of extreme heat worldwide, which takes a heavy toll on health in South Asia – the world’s most populous region.

According to WMO, Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, intensifying extreme weather and placing growing pressure on lives and livelihoods, health systems, economies, and ecosystems across the region, putting the most vulnerable and exposed communities at critical risk.

In India, pre-monsoon temperatures regularly rise above 50 degrees Celsius, with heat-related mortality exceeding 200,000 deaths per year.

Extreme heat also undermines economic stability and productivity.

In 2024 alone, heat exposure in India led to 247 billion potential labor hours lost. The Lancet Countdown reported that the reduced labor capacity led to an estimated $194 billion loss in income.

The U.S. public health system is heading into another phase of upheaval. In a move that surprised many within the medical community, the administration has asked National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya to temporarily lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well.

The decision comes as part of a broader restructuring inside the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The current acting CDC chief Jim O'Neill will step down from both his CDC and deputy HHS roles. He is expected to be offered leadership of the National Science Foundation instead.

One man, two powerful agencies

Bhattacharya already oversees the NIH — the country’s largest medical research body — which manages nearly $50 billion in research funding. Now, he will also run the CDC, the nation’s frontline agency for detecting disease outbreaks and coordinating responses to health threats in the U.S. and abroad.

The dual responsibility has raised eyebrows across public health circles.

Former CDC leaders argue the two institutions serve very different purposes and require constant attention. The NIH primarily funds and conducts research, while the CDC deals with real-time emergencies — from pandemics to food-borne outbreaks — and works closely with state health departments. About two-thirds of the CDC’s budget supports local public health programs.

Critics worry the arrangement could slow crisis response.

Several former officials say it is unrealistic for one person to manage both agencies effectively, especially since they are located in different cities and operate on entirely different timelines — one long-term and scientific, the other urgent and operational.

Turmoil inside the CDC

The leadership change follows months of instability at the agency under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr..

In August, President Donald Trump dismissed former CDC director Susan Monarez after disagreements over vaccine policy. The firing triggered multiple senior resignations and intensified internal tensions.

During O’Neill’s tenure, the CDC rolled back long-standing vaccine guidance for children and adopted recommendations from a newly restructured advisory panel. The panel itself had been replaced with members skeptical of vaccines — a decision that further deepened controversy within the scientific community.

Public health experts say frequent policy reversals risk eroding public trust in vaccination and disease prevention programs.

Read: How Susan Monarez's Appoint As CDC Director Can Change US Health Sector?

A temporary appointment — for now

Under federal law, Bhattacharya can only serve as acting CDC director until late March unless a permanent nominee is confirmed by the Senate. The administration must formally nominate a candidate within 210 days of Monarez’s removal, though the clock pauses while a nomination awaits approval.

In other words, the role could remain temporary — or stretch longer if confirmation battles drag on.

Read: A Year After RFK JR Promised To Make America Healthy Again, What Actually Happened?

Bigger election-year strategy

The personnel changes are part of a wider departmental reshuffle. The administration is reorganizing leadership to improve coordination between the White House and health agencies before the midterm campaign season.

Republican campaign planners reportedly intend to center healthcare messaging around insurance costs, drug affordability, and access to healthier food — issues they believe resonate strongly with voters.

For now, though, the focus remains on whether combining leadership of the country’s research powerhouse and its disease-control nerve center will stabilize the system — or strain it further at a time when public health agencies are still rebuilding trust after years of pandemic-era divisions.