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

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.

A fresh assessment of Quebec’s hospital network paints a troubling picture. The number of medical buildings considered to be in poor condition has more than doubled in just one year, revealing infrastructure problems far deeper than previously understood.

Data updated by Santé Québec and compiled by Radio Canada shows that 38 per cent of the province’s 594 hospital buildings were rated either poor or very poor by early 2026.

In early 2025, about 100 buildings fell into those categories. A year later, that number rose sharply to 227.

Repair Costs Surge Past $2 Billion

The deteriorating conditions have dramatically increased repair costs. The hospital maintenance backlog, once estimated at about 900 million dollars last year, has now crossed 2 billion dollars.

Officials say the numbers reflect years of aging infrastructure and delayed evaluations rather than a sudden collapse in a single year.

Montreal Hospitals Among The Worst Affected

Nearly half of the most deteriorated hospitals are located in Montreal.

The Montreal General Hospital now ranks as the worst facility in the province. Last year it held a B rating, meaning good condition. This year it fell to E, the lowest possible grade, indicating very bad condition.

Colleen Timm, executive director of the McGill University Health Centre, described the situation as critical. She said the hospital has recorded 260 water leaks since early 2024, some affecting patient care directly.

According to Timm, the building’s plumbing and electrical systems must be completely replaced. The estimated maintenance deficit for that hospital alone is about 249 million dollars.

The Douglas Mental Health University Institute, which recently experienced burst water pipes, is also among the most deteriorated sites.

Problems Seen Across The Province

The issue extends beyond Montreal. Santé Québec figures show several other facilities also need major repairs.

The Douglas Mental Health Institute in Montreal, the Hôtel Dieu de Québec in Quebec City and the Saint Jérôme regional hospital each require roughly 100 million dollars in work.

Sonia Dugas, vice president of finance at Santé Québec, called the rapid rise in poor ratings worrying. She explained the increase is partly due to a long overdue update of infrastructure data that had not been properly evaluated for years.

The goal, she said, is to get an accurate picture so budgets can be prioritized correctly.

Aging Buildings Before New Ones

Officials now say the province must focus on maintaining older facilities before expanding the network.

Santé Québec currently has about 1 billion dollars available for maintenance, but Dugas acknowledged the real repair costs will likely be at least double that amount.

The findings suggest Quebec faces a long and expensive effort to modernize hospitals that millions rely on for care.