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

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects nearly 1 billion adults worldwide and is linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke and increased mortality.

Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound, which contain tirzepatide, have shown promise in treating sleep apnea in a new review.

While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which uses air pressure to keep the airway open during sleep, remains the standard treatment, some people struggle to use it long term. Adherence rates of 30% to 60% limit its effectiveness at the population level. The review showed that GLP-1 medications may be a potential complementary therapy alongside CPAP.

GLP-1 Drugs And Sleep Apnea

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, reviewed existing evidence on GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for OSA.

Six meta-analyses found consistent reductions in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), ranging from 5.7 to 21.9 fewer events per hour.

The Phase 3 SURMOUNT-OSA trials found that tirzepatide reduced AHI by 20 to 24 events per hour compared with placebo. Between 42% and 50% of patients achieved disease remission.

Weight loss is the main established mechanism. GLP-1 RAs may reduce tongue fat and parapharyngel fat, which contribute to airway collapse.

Researchers also identified potential weight-independent effects involving chemosensitivity, leptin pathways and NLRP3 inflammasome suppression, although these mechanisms remain under investigation.

GLP-1 Drugs Vs CPAP

GLP-1 RAs did not match CPAP efficacy, with approximately 22 versus 31 fewer AHI events per hour. Cardiovascular benefits remain unproven, and weight regain commonly occurs after treatment stops.

The researchers said GLP-1 drugs are best positioned as complementary therapy alongside CPAP and other treatments.

The drugs may be appropriate for people with a BMI above 30 who are unable to tolerate CPAP or have obesity-related comorbidities. They are less likely to benefit people without obesity or those with primarily anatomical airway obstruction.

“This review suggests that GLP-1 RAs offer otolaryngologists a disease-modifying adjunct for obesity-related OSA that is best positioned as complementary therapy alongside CPAP, preoperative optimization before upper airway surgery, or potentially to expand hypoglossal nerve stimulator candidacy,” said the researchers in the paper published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

OSA occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep, causing breathing to repeatedly stop and restart. These interruptions can occur five to 100 times an hour and can lower oxygen levels and disrupt sleep.

In OSA, the airways become partially or completely blocked when the muscles in the head relax during sleep. This can cause soft tissue to obstruct the windpipe, making it difficult for air to pass through.

While asleep, the chest muscles may work harder than usual to reopen the airway. This can cause jerks, deep gasps and repeated disruptions to sleep.

Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea

Common symptoms include:

• Loud snoring
• Gasping during sleep
• Breathing pauses during sleep
• Morning headaches
• Restless sleep
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Mood changes
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth on waking
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating

People may not notice these symptoms themselves, but a partner or family member may observe them.

Can Sleep Apnea Be Prevented?

Measures that may help prevent or manage sleep apnea include:

• Practicing good sleep habits
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Quitting smoking
• Using CPAP when prescribed
• Avoiding alcohol.

The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center killed nearly 3,000 people, and scores of young children, infants and toddlers, as well as some still in the womb, were exposed to toxic air in and around Manhattan and the Ground Zero site.

Within seconds of the collapse of the World Trade Center, the area was filled with a cloud of dust. In the days, weeks and months that followed, the area was exposed to settling dust containing pulverized concrete, glass fibers, asbestos and other pollutants.

Children Exposed To 9/11 Toxins

While various health program have emerged to address the ongoing health effects of the September 11 attacks, there have been few focused on children exposed to them.

Scientists say exposure to toxins may have long-term health consequences, including trauma, chronic illnesses, cancers, cardiovascular diseases and reproductive health problems. Some of these effects may only now be emerging as those children reach their 30s and early 40s.

Major questions remain about whether exposure to toxins and trauma on 9/11 and afterward increased their long-term health risks, according to scientists.

The federal World Trade Center Health Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are behind the Youth Research Cohort, which was first announced by the US Congress in 2022.

The project is expected to kick off on July 1, 2027, according to a government website announcing federal grants. The same site says research will begin once the number of people participating “grows large enough.”

Also read: 9/11 Toxic Air Exposed Thousands: What New Records Reveal 25 Years Later

Who Will Be Eligible For The Study?

The CDC has specified that study participants will have been 21 years old or younger, or in utero, and living below 14th Street in Manhattan or anywhere in Brooklyn on and after 9/11.

A cohort of similarly aged but unexposed individuals will be recruited for comparison.

It is not clear how many participants the CDC hopes to recruit, but $50 million in programme funding is estimated.

What We Know About Long-Term Health Effects

In adult survivors and first responders, dozens of types of cancers and other health issues related to their exposure have been identified.

Since 9/11, more than 96,000 people have been diagnosed with physical and mental health conditions as a result of exposure to the dust, smoke, debris and traumatic events of 9/11, according to the WTC Health Program. The program says it has recorded more than 9,000 deaths since 9/11, but it is not clear what role 9/11 played in those deaths.

Cancer Cases Continue To Rise

Read More: PM2.5 Linked To 8.82 Million Global Cancer Cases, Accounts for Largest Share Among Pollutants: Study

Cancer cases linked to the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center terror attacks have surged 75%, according to new research, highlighting the ongoing health crisis even 25 years later.

The research was conducted by Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center, which provides free medical monitoring to people affected by the aftermath of the attacks at New York’s World Trade Center.

About two-thirds of all enrollees are certified for at least one WTC-related health condition, while 30% of those enrolled through Northwell have battled cancer. That number is expected to rise dramatically over the next decade.

A trove of newly released files by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also indicated that toxic air persisted for months after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and that officials played down the health risks.

The Supreme Court has pushed for stronger front-of-pack warnings on packaged foods high in sugar, salt or fat, questioning the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) two-phase labelling proposal.

On Thursday, Justice J.B. Pardiwala questioned the need for a two-phase approach.

“It has to be sugar and salt. Only then will you ask them to put a label?” Pardiwala said, stressing the word “and”.

FSSAI’s lawyer, Additional Solicitor General Brijender Chahar, said the regulator could now roll out the phases “in one go”, Reuters reported.

This could mean foods high in even one of the three nutrients — added sugar, salt or fat — would carry a red hexagonal warning.

The proposed labels would read “HIGH FAT”, “HIGH SUGAR”, “HIGH SALT” or “HIGHLY SWEETENED BEVERAGE”, making it easier for consumers to identify products high in these nutrients.

What Was FSSAI’s Earlier Proposal?

Also read:FSSAI Proposes Red Front-Of-Pack Warning Labels On Junk Food: How Will This Benefit Consumers’ Health?

Under the earlier proposal, red hexagonal warnings would apply to products exceeding limits in at least two of three categories — added sugar, salt or saturated fat. Stricter rules would follow in the second phase.

Health experts criticized the proposal, arguing that the two-nutrient requirement could allow several products to escape warnings. Reuters reported that the approach had been described as an “industry-friendly loophole”.

Experts also raised concerns over the use of added sugar instead of total sugar and the size of the warning label.

India had already defined high-fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) foods in its 2022 draft regulations and invited public feedback.

Dr. Sivaranjini Santosh, a paediatrician and social activist, said in a post on X that the FSSAI proposal had “too many loopholes”.

How Could Red Warning Labels Help?

Packaged foods generally carry nutritional information on the back or side, requiring consumers to turn the packet around to compare products.

A prominent red warning on the front could make high levels of sugar, salt or fat easier to spot, particularly when comparing similar products or choosing food for children.

The aim is not necessarily to tell consumers to never eat a product, but to provide information before purchase and help them decide how often to consume it.

However, a warning label cannot compensate for an overall unhealthy diet.

Read More: Synthetic Paneer Whitened With Chuna Busted In Delhi: How Dangerous Is It For Your Health?

91% Consumers Support Front-Of-Pack Warnings

A recent LocalCircles survey of more than 83,000 consumers across 314 districts found strong support for front-of-pack warnings.

Around 80% wanted FSSAI to mandate warnings, while another 11% wanted them specifically on ultra-processed foods. Overall, 91% supported front-of-pack warnings in some form.

Around 44% preferred a red warning symbol for products high in sugar, salt or saturated fat, while 27% chose traffic-light color coding. Only 2% preferred the conventional black-and-white nutrition panel.

About 450 million Indians could be obese or overweight by 2050, according to a recent study published in The Lancet.

Ultra-processed foods have also been linked to a range of health concerns, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cancers, and fatty liver adding to calls for clearer information on packaged foods.

“We are concerned with the health of people, more particularly growing children. We have taken it up very seriously. We expect one and all to extend their cooperation to a cause which is in national interest,” the Supreme Court said.