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.
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.
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.
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.
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In a landmark decision, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Moderna's first mRNA-based seasonal influenza vaccine.
This makes it the first flu shot developed on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology to receive clearance in the United States.
The vaccine, branded mFlusiva, has been approved for adults over the age of 50 and older, paving the way for a new generation of influenza vaccines beyond the traditional egg-based approach.
The approval has given Moderna commercial drug built on the mRNA platform that powered its COVID-19 vaccine. The development is expected to strengthen the company's efforts to grow its respiratory vaccine portfolio.
According to the FDA, the following groups of people are eligible to receive mFlusiva:
Also read: Ebola Outbreak: Moderna Begins First Human Trial Of Bundibugyo Vaccine As Cases Rise to 3,748
The approval was based on a late-stage clinical trial involving more than 40,000 adults aged 50 years and above. According to trial results, mFlusiva was:
Commenting on the approval, Moderna said, "Flu remains a significant public health challenge, and mFlusiva provides an important new option for America's seniors."
Earlier this year, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel had expressed confidence that the vaccine could become available ahead of the 2026-27 flu season if approved by regulators.
Also read: Protective Antibodies Fade After COVID-19 Vaccination- Should You Get A Booster Shot?
Unlike traditional flu vaccines, which are developed using viruses grown in chicken eggs, mRNA vaccines work by transmitting genetic instructions that alert the body's cells to produce harmless influenza proteins for an immune response.
Traditional flu vaccines must be designed and manufactured months before the flu season begins, requiring scientists to predict which influenza strains will circulate. If the circulating viruses keep evolving differently, the effectiveness of the vaccine can decline.
mRNA technology has a major advantage because it can potentially be updated and manufactured much faster, allowing vaccines to better match the strains that are spreading during a particular season.
In February 2026, the FDA initially declined to review Moderna's application, citing concerns that the company had compared its vaccine against a standard-dose flu shot rather than the high-dose vaccine commonly recommended for older adults.
After discussions with regulators, Moderna revised its submission, and the FDA agreed to proceed with the review under a condition that included additional studies for older patients.
Experts say the FDA's decision represents more than the approval of a single vaccine. It marks the first regulatory endorsement of mRNA technology for seasonal influenza, a milestone that could accelerate the development of next-generation vaccines against various infectious diseases.
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Even as the US battles a Cyclospora outbreak that has caused two deaths and thousands of illnesses, the country is now grappling with a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to Mexican jalapeño peppers.
The outbreak has sickened 345 people across 27 states and hospitalized 36, prompting recalls and renewed concerns over food safety. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged businesses to check their inventory for recalled jalapeño peppers and stop selling or serving them.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC, along with state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Javiana infections linked to jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors to distributors, restaurants, and food service companies, including Mexican-style restaurants across the US.
According to the CDC, illnesses began between June 19 and July 20. Of the 191 people interviewed, 177 (93%) reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before becoming ill, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA, with meal dates ranging from June 14 to July 14.
The CDC said epidemiological and traceback investigations identified jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, as the source of the outbreak.
After being notified, Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA stopped serving the affected jalapeño peppers. The CDC and FDA said there is no ongoing risk to consumers at these establishments, as the products have been removed.
Coast Citrus Distributors has also agreed to recall the affected jalapeño peppers.
The CDC estimates Salmonella cause about 1.35 million infections in the United States every year. Contaminated food is the source for most of these illnesses.
The recalled jalapeño peppers were primarily distributed to restaurants and wholesalers. Consumers should check with the place where they purchased or consumed jalapeños to confirm their source.
The FDA is investigating whether the affected peppers were also sold in grocery stores. If additional retail recalls are identified, the agency will announce them on its recalls page.
If you have recalled jalapeño peppers at home, do not eat them.
Salmonella illness usually develops 12 to 72 hours after consuming contaminated food and typically lasts four to seven days.
Common symptoms include:
Diarrhea
Fever
Abdominal cramps
Children under 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing severe illness.
Contact a healthcare provider if you experience:
Diarrhea with a fever higher than 102°F
Diarrhea lasting more than three days without improvement
Bloody diarrhea
Vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down
Signs of dehydration, including:
Urinating less than usual
Dry mouth and throat
Dizziness when standing
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A family trip to the beach ended in a painful ordeal for a 27-year-old man after he suffered third-degree burns after unknowingly stepping on sand that had been heated by a disposable barbecue.
The incident has prompted burn specialists to warn that the hidden danger can remain long after the flames have been extinguished.
The incident occurred at Cefn Sidan Beach in Carmarthenshire, Wales, where Sam Knight had arrived to spend the day with his family.
According to local reports, Knight moved the disposable barbecue with tongs and poured water over it to extinguish the residual flame before leaving.
Believing the area was safe, he later walked barefoot over the same spot, only to step onto extremely hot sand beneath the surface.
"I instantly knew something wasn't right. I couldn't stand on my feet," Knight recalled.
Family members had to carry him off the beach before he was taken to hospital for treatment. He was later referred to a specialist burns unit and was unable to work for two weeks while recovering.
Knight said he shared his experience to raise awareness about a hazard many beachgoers may not think about.
"I didn't realise the sand could stay that hot after the barbecue had been put out. I just don't want anyone else to go through what I did."
Also read: Europe Swelters Under Heatwave And Wildfires; 360,000+ Evacuated: What Are The Health Risks?
Burn specialists say the barbecue itself is not always the greatest risk. But the sand beneath it can absorb and retain extreme heat, remaining hot enough to cause third-degree burns even after the barbecue has been removed.
David Fligelstone, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Swansea Bay University Health Board's Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, warned that people often underestimate how long the heat can remain trapped.
"The sand underneath a disposable barbecue can stay dangerously hot even after the barbecue has been removed. People assume it's safe because they can't see the heat, but the injury can be severe," he said.
Also read: UK, France Brace for Another Heatwave: How Hot Weather Can Affect Medicines
These burns typically require specialist medical care and can take weeks or even months to heal. Burns affecting the feet are particularly concerning because they can make walking difficult and increase the risk of infection.
Experts recommend a few simple precautions when using disposable barbecues:
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