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.

A suspected case of pneumonic plague in Siberia has triggered quarantine measures after a laboratory worker at Russia’s Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute died following severe pneumonia.

Russian health authorities have not yet confirmed that the 28-year-old died due to plague. Rospotrebnadzor has described the illness as pneumonia of unknown origin and said tests have found no evidence linking her death to pathogens at the institute.

Reportedly, around 200 people who may have had contact with her have been placed under medical observation.

As of October 5, Russian health authorities said about 60% of contacts had completed observation successfully and no one reported symptoms of plague infection.

The incident has attracted international attention as unconfirmed reports claimed that the woman may have developed pneumonic plague after she accidentally broke a test tube at the research facility. Russian authorities have denied that there was a laboratory accident. The hospital where she died has also been placed under quarantine.

Pneumonic vs Bubonic vs Septicemic Plague: Which Is Deadlier?

Also read: Russia Plague Outbreak: Lab Worker Dies Of 'Unknown Infection' After Suspected Exposure; CDC Monitors The Situation

Bubonic plague is the most common form. It accounts for most number of naturally occurring human plague infections.

It usually develops after an infected flea bite. The bacteria this case travels to nearby lymph nodes and causing the characteristic painful swelling known as a bubo. If diagnosed early, it can be successfully treated with antibiotics.

Septicemic plague occurs when the bacteria enter the bloodstream. It can develop as a complication of bubonic plague, but it can also occur as a primary infection.

Because the bacteria are circulating throughout the body, patients can rapidly develop shock, bleeding and tissue death.

Pneumonic plague is the most dangerous from a transmission standpoint. It infects the lungs and can develop after inhaling Y. pestis or when infection spreads to the lungs from another form of plague.

Unlike bubonic and septicemic plague, pneumonic plague can spread directly from one person to another through respiratory droplets.

The CDC describes pneumonic plague as the most serious form of plague and says untreated pneumonic plague is almost always fatal. It can also progress rapidly, making early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment critical.

There isn’t a definitive answer to which one is deadlier as we have no simple ranking based purely on fatality percentage because outcomes depend heavily on how quickly treatment begins.

But pneumonic plague is generally regarded as the most dangerous form because it can be rapidly fatal and can spread directly between people.

The World Health Organization says untreated bubonic plague has a case-fatality rate of around 30% to 60%, while pneumonic and septicemic plague can be 100% fatal without treatment. Its incubation period is sometimes as short as one day.

Bubonic plague is less transmissible between humans and is usually more treatable when identified early.

Septicemic plague can also become rapidly life-threatening because the infection has entered the bloodstream.

Also read: Pneumonic Plague: COVID-19, Rhinovirus Detected in Russian Lab Worker’s Contacts; Trump Offers US Help

Russia Plague: Updates

Regarding Russia’s plague scare, the concern around pneumonic plague is not only its severity, but the possibility of respiratory transmission if a case were ever confirmed. No plague infection has been confirmed in the reported Russian case so far.

Russian authorities have repeatedly said there is no confirmed plague outbreak and urged people to rely on official information rather than rumours. The Kremlin has also said the situation is under control.

The WHO has said, based on unofficial information, that the risk to the general public appears to be low.

Meanwhile, the US State Department says it is monitoring the situation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the possibility of an infectious disease spreading from a laboratory was being watched closely, while stressing that it was not currently a cause for alarm.

There are also reports that preventive measures have been introduced in the region, including isolation of hospital contacts and mask use at a nearby aluminum plant.

A Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the past seven years has become the first person to die of Ebola Bundibugyo virus in Kenya.

According to Health Minister Aden Duale, the patient fell ill about a month ago and was treated at several hospitals in the DRC before traveling to Nairobi. The patient died days after arriving in the Kenyan capital, Reuters reported.

How Did the Patient Enter Kenya?

Also read: Ebola Bundibugyo Virus: American Health Worker Had 10x Higher Viral Load In Throat Than Blood

Duale said the patient boarded a flight on Saturday and underwent routine public health screening at Nairobi's main airport before being taken to a hospital by a relative.

The patient had traveled from the DRC via Uganda and was later isolated and treated at Nairobi Hospital after developing symptoms associated with viral hemorrhagic fever.

The patient died late Monday while receiving treatment.

Kenyan health authorities have placed the country on high alert and are monitoring for possible additional cases. At least 28 contacts, including family members and healthcare workers who cared for the patient, have been identified.

Authorities are also tracing 23 passengers and four crew members who traveled on the same flight. The contacts will remain under monitoring for 21 days and will be released after testing negative for the virus, Patrick Amoth, the ministry's director, said.

The patient is to be buried within 24 hours in accordance with recommended public health protocols.

What Symptoms Did the Patient Develop?

Duale confirmed that testing showed the patient was infected with the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.

After being taken to Nairobi Hospital, the patient was transferred to an isolation facility built during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The patient developed "fever, chills, intense fatigue and weakness, painful swallowing, muscle pain and bleeding under the skin," Duale said.

"Doctors suspected a viral hemorrhagic fever based on his symptoms and travel history and collected samples for testing. The sample tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus," he added.

Read More: Ebola Bundibugyo Strain: All You Should Know About The Rare Virus

Ebola Situation in Congo

According to the WHO, the DRC has recorded 4,082 deaths among 8,463 cases since the emergence of the Bundibugyo species earlier this year. It is the second most deadly known outbreak of the disease.

Shortly after the DRC declared an Ebola outbreak in May, cases were also reported in Uganda, where two people died. The WHO declared Uganda free of the disease in August.

Since then, cases have continued to be reported in the DRC, while Kenya is now monitoring contacts linked to the imported case.

What Is Bundibugyo Virus Disease?

READ: Can Obeldesivir Prevent Ebola Symptoms After Exposure? Drug Trial Moves Forward As Death Toll Crosses 4,000

Bundibugyo virus disease is a rare and deadly illness that has caused outbreaks in several African countries in the past.

It is distinctly different from other known ebolaviruses like the Zaire ebolavirus or Sudan ebolavirus. The 2007 outbreak, where Bundibugyo was detected for the first time, resulted in over 100 cases and was officially declared over in early 2008.

According to the US CDC, the Bundibugyo strain is spread by contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who is infected with or has died from BVD.

It is also spread by contact with contaminated objects (such as clothing, bedding, needles, and medical equipment), or by contact with animals, such as bats and nonhuman primates, that are infected with BVD.

Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising (a late stage of illness).

For decades, cancer has been considered a disease of older age. But a number of cancers are increasingly being diagnosed in people under 50. According to a new international study, the rates are rising faster among younger adults than in older age groups.

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) examined cancer data from England, the US and the Netherlands, identifying dramatic increases in early-onset cancer for seven cancer types in England, five in the US and four in the Netherlands.

The rise is particularly alarming in some cancer types. In England, the rate of prostate cancer among men under 50 increased from about 1 case per 100,000 in 2001 to 3.6 per 100,000 in 2023.

The rates of bowel, kidney and womb cancers also more than doubled among younger adults.

In the US, kidney cancer among people under 50 increased from 2.5 cases per 100,000 in 2000 to 5.3 per 100,000 in 2023. Bowel, uterine, and pancreatic cancers also rose by more than 50%, while breast cancer increased by about 20%.

The Netherlands also recorded significant increases in early-onset bowel, kidney, liver and cervical cancers.

Why Cancer Is Increasing Among Younger People?

Also read: H. pylori, HPV Among Five Infections Behind 1 In 8 Cancers Worldwide: Lancet

According to WCRF, several known cancer risk factors like including obesity, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, smoking, and exposure to environmental pollutants, could be the drivers behind this surge. The organisation also says that around 40% of cancers are linked to modifiable risk factors.

Obesity is a major red flag as excess body fat can lead to chronic inflammation, altered hormone levels, and harmful metabolic changes that could promote cancer development over time. However, experts also say that obesity alone cannot explain the whole picture.

Other possibilities include changes in gut bacteria, exposure to certain toxic chemicals and pollutants, antibiotic use, and other factors. These areas still remain under investigation.

The findings do not mean that cancer has suddenly become common among young adults. Age remains the biggest overall risk factor for cancer, and the majority of cancers still occur after 50, with the average or median age at diagnosis in developed countries generally above 60.

But the changing pattern is important because cancers occurring in younger adults can be diagnosed later when symptoms are initially attributed to less serious conditions.

Dr Giota Mitrou, executive director of research and policy at the WCRF said, “Behind every figure is a person facing cancer earlier than they, their family and often their doctor would expect."

“While cancer is still much more common in older adults, these changing patterns among younger generations need to be treated as a serious research and cancer prevention priority,” she added.

Also read: FDA Approves Targeted Cancer Drug As First-Line Treatment For CLL That Cuts Progression Risk By 80%

Other Factors Contributing To The Surge

Better diagnostic tools and technology could also be a reason behind the rising cases. Greater awareness of cancer symptoms and people seeking medical care earlier can increase the number of cancers detected. But researchers say these factors do not fully explain the pattern.

The fact that rates are increasing for some cancers while others are falling is particularly important. For example, lung cancer rates among younger people have declined in some countries.

Researchers are now trying to understand which exposures may be increasing cancer risk decades earlier than expected.

In the UK, a major study involving around 250,000 adults is being launched to investigate factors contributing to rising bowel cancer rates among younger people.