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

With long COVID continuing to affect millions, a recent study has emerged, suggesting that women are more likely to bear its neurological burden than men.

According to a new study from Northwestern Medicine, female patients reported more severe neurological symptoms, poorer cognitive function, and a greater decline in quality of life.

Published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, the study analyzed 2,329 adults evaluated at Northwestern Medicine's Neuro COVID-19 Clinic between May 2020 and August 2025. Researchers compared neurological symptoms in patients, examining differences between men and women.

Women Reported More Neurological Symptoms

Researchers found that women, on average, reported significantly more neurological symptoms about 16 months after their COVID-19 illness than men. Among the most commonly reported symptoms were:

• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Numbness and tingling
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Muscle pain
• Blurred vision
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Altered smell and taste

Women also scored worse on measures of cognitive performance and reported a greater impact on their overall quality of life.

Lead author Dr. Igor Koralnik, chief of Neuroinfectious Diseases and Global Neurology at Northwestern Medicine, said, "While previous studies showed that women are more likely to develop long COVID, this is the first study demonstrating that women also experience more severe neurological symptoms, worse cognitive function and greater reductions in quality of life than men."

First author Dr. Aurore Gorenshtein added, "Recognizing these sex-specific differences is important because it may help clinicians provide more personalized care and improve treatment strategies for people living with neurological long COVID."

Why Might Women Be More Affected?

Even though the study did not narrow down the exact causes behind these differences, researchers believe that several biological and immune-related factors could contribute. Here are some possible explanations:

• Differences in immune system responses between men and women
• Hormonal influences, particularly estrogen
• More likelihood of autoimmune conditions among women
• Differences in inflammation and nervous system responses after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Earlier Studies

The new research aligns with earlier findings from the U.S. National Institutes of Health's RECOVER Initiative, which showed that females are generally more likely than males to develop long COVID. That analysis also suggested the risk is highest among women aged 40 to 54 years, particularly before menopause.

A study recently found out that long COVID may directly injure the brain's dopamine system, offering an explanation for symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, poor memory, slowed movement, and lack of motivation that persist long after the initial infection. The latest findings shed more light on deeper effects of long COVID on brain health.

Long COVID remains a major public health challenge, with neurological symptoms among the most persistent and disabling. Brain fog, memory problems, chronic fatigue, headaches and dizziness can significantly affect employment, education and daily life.

The latest findings suggest that healthcare providers may need to consider sex-specific approaches when evaluating and managing patients with neurological long COVID, ensuring women receive earlier recognition, cognitive assessments and personalised rehabilitation.

Montelukast, a widely prescribed medication for asthma and allergies, may cause significant psychiatric side effects that remain underdiagnosed and underreported, according to researchers.

The researchers, from the University of California, Davis in the US, and Curtin University in Australia, said many psychiatrists are still unaware of the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) black-box warning on the drug's mental health risks.

In 2020, the FDA had required a black-box warning for montelukast, citing the risk of serious behavior and mood-related changes, including suicidal thoughts or actions.

Neuropsychiatric Side Effects More Common

Writing in Psychiatry Online, the researchers said that estimates of montelukast-related neuropsychiatric events range from 5.9% to 62%.

Reported psychiatric side effects include:

• Aggression
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Suicidal thoughts and behavior

Symptoms may appear soon after starting the medication, after prolonged use, or even following its withdrawal.

Children at Greater Risk

The researchers noted that children appear to be disproportionately affected, partly because montelukast is available as a chewable tablet that is easier for young children to take than inhaled medications.

Citing a 2016 study, they wrote that completed suicides were reported more frequently among children than among adolescents or the overall population.

Behavioral changes in children may also be mistaken for normal developmental phases, delaying recognition of a possible drug-related cause.

The researchers also highlighted testimony presented at a 2022 US National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) meeting, where a parent described severe behavioral changes in her three-year-old son after taking montelukast.

Many parents at the meeting said they only discovered the possible link between the medication and psychiatric symptoms by chance, despite consulting multiple healthcare providers.

Why the Link Is Often Missed

Researchers said patients and clinicians frequently fail to connect psychiatric symptoms with montelukast because there is no obvious reason to suspect the medication.

They also argued that inadequate communication from drug manufacturers and health regulators has contributed to low awareness, despite safety warnings issued in several countries.

They cautioned that abruptly stopping montelukast may also worsen psychiatric symptoms, making clinical evaluation essential.

What Psychiatrists Can Do

The researchers recommend that psychiatrists consider montelukast as a possible cause when psychiatric symptoms develop after the medication is started.

If a link is suspected, psychiatrists should coordinate with the patient's primary care physician to discuss alternative treatments for asthma or allergies and monitor whether psychiatric symptoms improve.

They also advise clinicians to:

• Consider montelukast use during emergency assessments for suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts.
• Monitor hospitalized patients who begin montelukast for newly emerging depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

What the FDA Says

The FDA states that montelukast prescribing information already includes warnings about mental health side effects, including suicidal thoughts or actions. However, it notes that many healthcare professionals and patients remain unaware of these risks.

The agency advises that:

• For allergic rhinitis (hay fever), montelukast should be reserved for patients who do not respond to or cannot tolerate other allergy medications.
• For asthma, healthcare professionals should carefully weigh the benefits against the potential risk of mental health side effects before prescribing the drug.

Fampridine, the first medicine designed to improve walking in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), will now be routinely available on the NHS in England, NHS England has announced.

The twice-daily pill, described as a "signal booster" therapy, is expected to benefit around 5,000 people living with MS in England during its first year of rollout.

“Walking difficulties can have a huge impact on the freedom and independence of people with MS, so this signal-boosting pill could be life-changing for thousands of patients,” said Professor Frankie Swords, NHS National Medical Director.

How Does Fampridine Work?

Until now, treatment for MS-related walking difficulties has largely relied on physiotherapy, exercise, walking aids, foot-support devices, and treatments to manage muscle stiffness.

According to Professor Swords, fampridine helps electrical messages travel along nerves damaged by MS, allowing some people to walk more easily and improve their mobility. For some patients, this could make everyday activities easier, from moving around the house and getting out independently to spending more time with family and friends.

Also read: NHS To Roll Out Two 'Gamechanger' Tests for Faster Endometriosis Diagnosis: Know How They Work

Evidence Behind The Drug

Clinical trials found that fampridine (Fampyra) improved walking speed in 43% of patients and also helped people walk for longer.

Patients will initially take the medicine for two to four weeks, with walking assessed before and after treatment. Those who experience a clear benefit will continue taking it for as long as it remains effective, with regular reviews.

The rollout follows an assessment by NHS England's Clinical Priorities Advisory Group, bringing access in England in line with other UK nations.

Who Is Eligible?

Read More: Why Multiple Sclerosis Increases Emotional Burden Among Women

More than 120,000 people live with MS in England, and fampridine is the only licensed treatment that helps improve walking ability and speed for some patients.

The drug will be available for adults with any type of MS whose walking difficulties are assessed as having an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score between 4 (able to walk without aid or rest for around 500 meters) and 7 (unable to walk further than 5 metres and largely restricted to a wheelchair).

What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong neurological condition caused by damage to nerves in the brain and spinal cord. It is also a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord.

Symptoms vary from person to person and may come and go or worsen over time. MS can affect cognitive, emotional, motor, sensory, and visual functions. Symptoms may also worsen during heat exposure or infections such as urinary tract or respiratory infections.

According to the MS International Federation, an estimated 2.8 million people worldwide live with MS, with women accounting for about 75% of cases globally.

Common symptoms of MS include:

• Vision problems
• Difficulty walking or maintaining balance
• Difficulty thinking clearly
• Numbness or weakness, especially in the arms and legs
• Muscle stiffness
• Depression
• Problems with sexual function or urination
• Feeling very tired.