On Thursday, Uganda confirmed an outbreak of the Ebola virus in its capital city Kampala, with the first confirmed patient dying from it a day before. As per the new developments, the officials are now preparing to deploy a trial vaccine to put an end to this outbreak.

Groups of scientists are working on the vaccine and deployment of more than 2,000 doses of a candidate vaccine against the Sudan strain of Ebola has been planned and confirmed by the Uganda Virus Research Institute. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda has access to 2,169 doses of trial vaccine. For now, however, there are no approved vaccines for the strain and officials are still investigating the source of the outbreak.

The WHO had also allocated $1 million from its contingency fund for emergencies to support quick action and contain the outbreak in the country.

Confirmed Case

On Wednesday, the Sudan strain of Ebola killed a nurse employed at Kampala's main referral hospital. It is after his death that Ebola was declared an outbreak in the country. Post-mortem samples too have confirmed the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease and at least 44 contacts of the deceased man have been listed for tracing. 30 of these are health workers.

Ebola is a highly infectious hemorrhagic fever, which is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and tissue. Symptoms include headache, vomiting of blood, muscle pains and bleeding.

it was in the late 2022, when Uganda had last suffered an Ebola outbreak. It killed 55 of the 143 people who were infected and was declared over on January 11, 2023.

What Is Ebola Virus Disease?

As per the WHO, Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare but severe illness in humans and is often fatal. People can get infected with the virus if they touch an infected animal when preparing food, or touch body fluids of an infected person such as saliva, urine, faeces or semen, or things that have body fluids of an infected person like clothes or sheets.

How Does Transmission Work?

Ebola enters the body through cuts in the skin or when one is touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue and headache.

It was first discovered in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreak, when in Nzara, South Sudan and other in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter occurred near a village near the Ebola River, which is where it gets its name from.

It is highly infectious and transmissible disease, in fact, there have been cases of health-care workers who have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola. This occurs through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not practiced strictly.

Cases of people conducted burial ceremonies, involving direct contact with the body of the deceased too can lead to the transmission of Ebola. Even after the long suffering and recovery, there is a possibility of sexual transmission. Pregnant women who get acute Ebola and recover may still carry the virus in their breastmilk, or in pregnancy related fluids and tissues.

Symptoms:

• feeling tired
• headache
• muscle and joint pain
• eye pain and vision problems
• weight gain
• belly pain and loss of appetite
• hair loss and skin problems
• trouble sleeping
• memory loss
• hearing loss
• depression and anxiety

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently banned the sale, distribution, and use of several fairness creams after dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead and mercury, were found in the products.

About The Case

Among the products, one named Goree Beauty Cream is of Pakistani origin. The product was reportedly being sold unlawfully in the state.

The FDA labelled the products “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ), warning consumers against using them as prolonged exposure to heavy metals present in the products can lead to serious health complications associated with skin, kidneys as well as the nervous system.

According to the Maharashtra FDA, the following cosmetic products have been declared unsafe:

1. Goree Beauty Cream
2. Face Fresh Gold
3. Golden Star Beauty Cream

Officials also noted that the products lacked mandatory information like the manufacturer's complete details, batch number, manufacturing date, and expiry date, raising concerns over their authenticity and safety.

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What Happens When One Gets Exposed To Lead And Mercury?

If used repeatedly, these toxic substances may be absorbed through the skin, allowing them to accumulate in the body over time.

Excessive exposure to mercury can cause:

• Kidney damage

• Tremors and muscle weakness

• Numbness or tingling sensations

• Memory problems and difficulty concentrating

• Mood changes and irritability

• Skin rashes and discoloration

• Harm to unborn babies during pregnancy

The risk increases with prolonged use, particularly when the products are used on a daily basis over months or years.

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On the other hand, lead exposure can cause:

• Damage to the nervous system

• High blood pressure

• Kidney dysfunction

• Fertility problems

• Developmental delays in children

• Pregnancy complications

Even if lead accumulates in the body in small amounts, its repeated use may pose long-term health risks.

Why Are Lead And Mercury Found In Fairness Creams?

Sometimes, mercury is illegally added to skin-lightening products as it suppresses melanin production, temporarily making the skin appear lighter. However, this skin-lightening effect comes at the cost of significant health risks.

Lead may contaminate cosmetic products through poor-quality raw materials or unsafe manufacturing processes. Neither ingredient should be intentionally present in cosmetic creams sold for routine use.

International health agencies have repeatedly warned against skin-lightening creams containing mercury.

In June 2026, the US FDA again cautioned consumers not to use over-the-counter skin-lightening products found to contain mercury or hydroquinone because of the risk of kidney injury, neurological damage, and permanent skin problems.

The Maharashtra FDA's crackdown highlights the hidden dangers of unregulated and illegal fairness creams that contain harmful ingredients.

While these products may promise lighter skin, the presence of toxic heavy metals such as mercury and lead can expose users to potentially irreversible health damage. Consumers are advised to read the labels carefully before purchasing any skincare products that promise complexion-altering effects.

Usually, the most telling symptoms of Alzheimer's disease surface in old age. With no cure and limited ways to detect it early, it is challenging to treat and manage Alzheimer's. However, a recent study says that a new blood test can help in diagnosing Alzheimer's early.

New Blood Test May Predict Alzheimer's Symptoms Early

A new blood test that measures tiny loops of genetic material in the bloodstream may be able to predict when Alzheimer's disease symptoms are likely to appear, offering hope for earlier intervention of the neurodegenerative disease and more effective clinical trials.

A study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that a specific group of blood-based biomarkers known as circular RNAs could help identify people who are on the brink of developing Alzheimer's symptoms, even before memory loss or cognitive decline becomes apparent.

An Improvement On Current Blood Tests

The current blood tests for Alzheimer's have been made after significant progress in recent years, particularly by detecting proteins linked to amyloid plaques, one of the disease's primary characteristics features.

However, these tests may present positive results for many years, even decades, before symptoms like declining memory and thinking appear. It makes it difficult for doctors to predict when the disease will actually begin affecting the patient’s quality of life.

The newly developed blood test could fill that existing gap. Scientists found that elevated levels of a set of 34 circular RNAs in blood were strongly associated with future symptoms of the onset.

According to the study, those with higher circRNA levels were nearly three times more likely to develop Alzheimer's symptoms compared with those with lower levels.

The changes appeared approximately two to four years before symptoms emerged, making them a valuable diagnostic test for predicting disease progression.

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How Can This Blood Test Help?

Improve Clinical Testing

The discovery could transform existing Alzheimer's research by helping scientists identify participants who are most likely to develop symptoms during a clinical trial.

Finding out when symptoms are likely to begin would allow researchers to introduce preventive therapies at the stage when they are most likely to be effective and better evaluate whether experimental treatments can delay cognitive decline.

Less Invasive Alternative

The current methods to assess Alzheimer's include PET brain scans, which are expensive and not widely available. Lumbar punctures (spinal taps), an invasive method, is also used.

Compared to the existing methods to screen Alzheimer's, a blood test is easier to perform, less invasive, more affordable and more accessible, especially if validated for widespread clinical use.

Earlier Planning For Patients And Families

If doctors can ascertain the symptoms early, patients and their families can, patients’ families can plan future care and support. They can use the time to make financial and legal decisions while the person is still cognitively healthy. Patients can also adopt lifestyle changes that may help maintain brain health.

Researchers however stressed that the new circRNA test is still in the research stage and requires further validation in larger and more diverse populations before it can be adopted in clinical practice.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a global medical product alert after identifying falsified batches of the cancer medicine DARZALEX (daratumumab). It also issued a warning that the counterfeit products could cause serious health risks to patients and disrupt the treatment process.

WHO Warns Against Fake Cancer Drugs

The WHO issued an alert against the circulation of falsified DARZALEX (daratumumab). The incident came to light in May and June 2026. According to the WHO, the falsified injections were found in the Maldives and Mexico after being supplied by unauthorised distributors.

In at least one reported case, hospitals received fake medication, prompting international concern over gaps in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

About The Cancer Medicine

DARZALEX (daratumumab) is an antibody that is used to treat multiple myeloma, cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow, as well as amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, a rare blood disorder.

The drug plays a crucial role in the treatment of various types of cancer. That is why the WHO said that the circulation of its compromised version could cause delayed therapy, treatment failure, and potentially life-threatening consequences.

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WHO Identified The Counterfeit Batch Numbers

WHO said the fake products deliberately misrepresent their identity, composition, or source. The manufacturer, Janssen, confirmed that the batch numbers MYS7381 and STV1K01 are not valid, and any DARZALEX product bearing these batch numbers should be considered falsified and must not be used.

The Maldives Food and Drug Authority also reported visible particulate matter inside vials from one of the counterfeit batches.

The UN health agency has urged national regulatory health bodies, healthcare providers, wholesalers, and distributors to strengthen security across the pharmaceutical supply chains to prevent the infiltration of counterfeits.

It also advised countries to closely monitor unregulated pharmaceutical markets, where counterfeit medicines are more likely to circulate.

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WHO issued precautionary measures to avoid purchasing falsified medications:

• Healthcare professionals should report suspected falsified products, unexpected side effects, or lack of therapeutic effects to their national regulatory authorities and health and disease bodies.

• WHO has advised patients and caregivers to obtain medicines only from licensed pharmacies and authorised healthcare providers.

• Patients must also inspect packaging carefully and seek medical advice if they notice any unusual appearance or suspect their medication may not be genuine.

• The global health organisation stressed that people should not use any product suspected to be falsified and should report it to health authorities immediately.

Falsified Drugs Are A Growing Global Threat

The latest warning adds to a growing list of WHO medical product alerts involving counterfeit cancer medicines.

In recent years, the WHO has issued alerts for various falsified cancer drugs including IMFINZI (durvalumab), IBRANCE (palbociclib) and DEFITELIO (defibrotide), highlighting the growing threat of counterfeit medicines that could disrupt life-saving treatment courses.

The WHO estimates that more than one in ten medical products in underdeveloped and developed countries are either substandard or falsified, making poor-quality medicines one of the world's major public health challenges.