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.

In November, Delhi reported 67 malaria case, the highest November tally in four years. However, dengue cases have declined when compared to the same month's data from previous four years. The data is released by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

As per the MCD data, in November 2025, Delhi reported 67 malaria cases, whereas in 2024, it was 57; in 2023, it was 26; in 2022, the number of cases were 36; and in 2021, only 7 cases were recorded.

As for the year 2025, so far 690 cases have reported, which is slightly lower than 744 cases in 2024. However, the number is higher than 369 cases recorded in 2023. The silver lining is that no malaria-related deaths have been reported so far this year. As per the data, malaria cases have gone up in the capital since August. 203 cases were recorded in September, 252 in October, and 67 so far cases in November.

The highest numbers of cases have come from West, South and Civil Line zones of Delhi.

Among other mosquito-borne diseases, chikungunya cases have also seen a drop this month, as only 23 cases were reported so far in November. This number is lower than the 75 cases recorded in November 2024, however is higher than the 15 cases recorded in November 2023, 4 in 2022, and 8 in 2021.

What Is Malaria?

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Common symptoms include high fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, and fatigue. In some cases, especially when untreated, malaria can cause severe complications such as organ failure, difficulty breathing, or even death. The symptoms typically appear 10 to 15 days after being bitten and can resemble those of the flu, making early diagnosis and treatment crucial.

Are There any Ways For You To Identify Malaria?

Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes. It is mostly found in tropical countries and is preventable and curable. The infection is caused by a parasite and does not spread from person to person. Symptoms can be mild or life-threatening.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mild symptoms include fever, chills and headache. Severe symptoms include fatigue, confusion, seizures, and difficulty breathing. Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women and girls, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk of severe infection.

There is empirical evidence that it can also be transmitted through blood transfusion and contaminated needles. Transfusion-transmitted malaria (TTM) occurs when an uninfected person receives blood from a donor who is infected with malaria parasites. While malaria transmission through transfusion is rare, especially in non-endemic areas, it remains a significant concern in certain regions. According to a systematic review of studies conducted by National Library of Medicine, Plasmodium parasites were shown to survive in whole blood and plasma when stored at 4°C for up to 18 days, and detectable parasites can present even up to 28 days when frozen, although with diminished infectivity.

Common Symptoms Of Malaria

• extreme tiredness and fatigue
• impaired consciousness
• multiple convulsions
• difficulty breathing
• dark or bloody urine
• jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)
• abnormal bleeding

Amid the continuously worsening air pollution and air quality levels in Delhi, the government has implemented a work-from-home measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

As per the notice by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi and Department of Environment & Forest, all government offices under the GNCTD and private offices operating within Delhi must now function at 50 percent staff strength, with remaining employees required to work from home.

Administrative Secretaries and Heads of Departments may only call essential staff when necessary. However, the overall attendance cannot exceed the 50 percent limit. Private offices have also been instructed to minimize vehicular movement, adopt staggered working hours, and ensure strict adherence to work-from-home protocols to reduce emissions tied to daily commuting.

Read: Living In Delhi's Toxic Air Is A 'Medical Emergency', According AIIMS Doctors

Which Offices Are Not Working From Home?

Essential services, however, are exempt from these restrictions. Hospitals, health facilities, fire services, public transport, water and sanitation departments, disaster management agencies, electricity services, and teams involved in pollution control and emergency duties will continue operating normally.

District Magistrates, Deputy Commissioners of Police and local bodies have been directed to ensure strict compliance across all private offices in Delhi. The restrictions take effect immediately and will remain in force for the full duration of GRAP Stage III, or longer if recommended by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

Delhi AQI Today

On Tuesday morning, as of 7:30 am, Delhi woke up to 'Hazardous' air with the AQI as per the aqi.in, recorded at 426. The AQI in Delhi is showing 1.7 times higher than India's average AQI.

The particulate matters have long exceeded the safe limits stated by the World Health Organization (WHO). As of today, the PM10 level is 388 µg/m³, which is 8.6 times above the recommended WHO guidelines. Whereas PM2.5 is at 288 µg/m³, which is 19.2 times the WHO guidelines.

Also Read: Delhi Pollution Is A Major Health Hazard, Toxic Air Could Even Cause Organ Damage, According To Doctors

What Does The Doctor Say?

Dr Nikhil Modi, a senior consultant, Respiratory Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in one of his previous video had said that the pollution is an "ever-growing menace". However, he suggests, one can take simple steps to protected against that.

Like all doctors he too suggested to not go out when the pollution levels are at its peak. "You may go out only if it is very necessary, but wear a mask." As per a 2023 study by an air filter brand, Delhi's air pollution peaked at 9AM and gradually improved as the day progressed. On an average, Delhi sees roughly as half as much PM2.5 by 5PM. The doctor also draws attention on the importance of maintaining a good and healthy diet, especially lots of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants.

Health Impact Of Air Pollution Beyond The Lungs

A report by the University of Chicago revealed that air pollution is reducing the life expectancy of Delhi residents by 7.8 years. As per a US-based NGO report by the Health Effects Institute, there has been 30 to 50% increase in lung cancer rates associated with pollutants. A recent 2024 study also revealed that air pollution is not just linked to lung cancer but it can also cause head and neck cancer.

Tata Memorial Hospital published a study in July 2024 that revealed most people who had lung cancer in India never smoked.

"Head and neck cancer is a harder link to show, and it has a much lower occurrence than lung cancers, but since they also occur as a result of smoking, similar to lung cancers, we wanted to explore any connections," said John Cramer, the neck cancer study's lead researcher. "Presumably, the link to head and neck cancer comes from what we breathe to that material affecting the lining in the head and neck. We see a lot of occurrences of where carcinogens touch or pool in the body to where cancers can occur," he explained.

The flu season has started earlier than expected in some parts of the country. The cases may erupt as soon as people start to travel, meet more people during the Thanksgiving and other upcoming holidays. However, there have been warning signs of a virus that has already set off massive outbreaks in UK and Canada, called the H3N2 subclade K.

What Is The Flu Strain Subclade K?

It is a variant of the H3N2 virus that had been circulating in other countries over the summers. Experts say the new variant is driving a surge in flu cases across Canada, Japan, and the U.K. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that of nearly 150 test samples identified as part of the H3 lineage, more than half belonged to the subclade K group.

The influx of patients have been high too, as Dr Cameron Wolfe, a disease specialist at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina suggest, and is reported by the NBC. "At the moment, we’ve had two, three, four per day coming in," he said.

Alicia Budd, who leads the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s domestic influenza surveillance team, said flu activity in the United States is expected to rise steadily in the coming weeks.

How Dangerous Is The New H3N2 Flu Strain?

So far, most of the flu circulating this season is the H3N2 strain, which historically causes more hospitalizations and deaths among older adults. An early spike in cases, experts say, can heighten risks for this age group. Wolfe noted that when flu season begins unusually early, some nursing homes may still be rolling out vaccinations and some hospitals may not have fully vaccinated their staff. As a result, communities may be less protected than they typically would be if the virus peaked later in the winter.

Overall flu activity remains low, but the CDC’s latest report shows cases climbing. The agency estimates that at least 650,000 people have had the flu so far this season, with around 7,400 hospitalized and 300 deaths reported.

Budd said most of the rise in cases and emergency room visits is occurring in children. Last year, 280 children in the United States died from the flu, marking the deadliest pediatric flu season ever recorded outside the 2009 to 2010 H1N1 pandemic. No pediatric deaths have been reported yet this season, though doctors remain concerned after last winter’s rapid spread of the virus through schools, day care centers and hospitals.

“It feels like the calm before the storm,” said Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “We may have a difficult influenza year.”

H3N2 is known for mutating easily, and a new version of the strain, known as subclade K, appeared over the summer with several mutations. It emerged after this season’s flu shot formula had already been finalized and has already driven significant outbreaks in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Budd said the CDC is studying how well the current vaccine matches this evolving strain, but she urged people to get vaccinated regardless. Even when the circulating strain is not a perfect match, she said, the shot still helps reduce the severity of illness.

Doctors across the country are watching the latest trends closely. “Does it turn on our antenna a little bit more? Yes,” said Dr. Daniel Varga, chief physician executive at Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey. “It makes us even more vigilant about the monitoring we do locally.”

Dr. Melanie Kitagawa, medical director of the pediatric intensive care unit at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, stressed that it is not too late to get vaccinated. She said the more people who receive the flu shot before flu activity accelerates, the better protected communities will be.