The US Food and Drug Administration has approved TNKase or Tenecteplase, which is a thrombolytic or clot-dissolving agent, for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke in adults.

Ischemic strokes happen when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in your brain. It can cause permanent brain damage and death. If enough brain cells die, you can also lose the abilities or body functions those cells control. They are also the most common types of stroke, with 80% of all strokes being ischemic strokes.

How is TNKase administered?

It is delivered as a single five-second intravenous bolus, which is faster than the standard of care Activase or alteplase, which is administered as an intravenous bolus followed by a 60-minute infusion. The manufacturer of TNKase, Genetech said a new 25-mg vial configuration will also be available in the coming months.

How Was TNKase approved?

The approval came at the backdrop of a study that compared TNKase to Activase in patients with acute ischemic stroke. These patients also presented with a disabling neurological deficit. Results show that TNKase was comparable to Activase in terms of efficacy and safety.

How Common Are These Strokes?

In the United States it self, it affects more than 795,000 people each year and is the leading cause of long-term disability. It is also the fifth leading cause of death. Since brain damage can happen if this progresses rapidly, one needs an immediate, fast-acting medical care.

TNKase thus provide a faster and simpler administration which can be critical for anyone. The chief medical officer and head of global product development at Genetech, Levi Garraway, MD., PhD., said, "Today's approval is a significant step forward and underscores our commitment to advancing stroke treatment options for patients."

What Are The Symptoms Of Ischemic Strokes?

Some of the most common symptoms include weakness or paralysis on one side of your face and body. You may also feel trouble speaking or have loss of speech, also known as aphasia. You may faced slurred or garbled speaking, also known as dysarthria. Other symptoms include loss of muscle control on one side of your face, or sudden worsening or loss of your senses, including vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Other symptoms include:

• Loss of coordination or clumsiness
• Blurry vision or double vision
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Nausea and vomiting
• Neck stiffness
• Mood swings or sudden personality changes
• Confusion or agitation
• Seizures
• Memory loss (amnesia)
• Headaches which are sudden and severe
• Passing out or fainting
• Coma

Are There Any Warning Signs?

While these are symptoms one has who is prone to this condition. However, often, many may confuse it with other illnesses. It is best to keep an eye out for warning signs. These could be looking out for yourself or your loved one. Note if there is a sudden loss of balance. Look out for sudden vision loss or changes in one or both eyes. Look for a droop on one or both sides of your face, especially when you smile. Raise both arms and see if one arm sags or drops in a way it usually does not. Note for your speech. Are you as fluent? Are you have trouble speaking? If you see any of such signs, start tracking it and talk to your healthcare provider.

Two researchers working at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been charged with allegedly bringing a deactivated mpox virus into the United States from the Republic of the Congo without a permit.

In a statement, the Department of Justice said Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, from the NIH's Rocky Mountain Laboratory, were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States and making false statements to federal law enforcement agencies.

"These NIH experts apparently broke our laws by smuggling viral pathogens on a packed commercial airplane from an outbreak in the Republic of Congo. Let that sink in," said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.

Who Are The Researchers?

According to the criminal complaint, Vincent Munster, 53, a citizen of the Netherlands, is the Chief of the Virus Ecology Section in the Laboratory of Virology at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton, Montana.

Claude Kwe, 38, a citizen of Cameroon, is a research fellow in Munster's section.

Both researchers worked on emerging viral pathogens and how those pathogens cross the species barrier. They work at a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory, which employs the highest level of biosafety precautions for scientific research involving known and potential human pathogens.

Also read: Western Australia Records 22 Mpox Infections In 2026; Seven Reported Last Week

What Did The Researchers Allegedly Carry?

According to the US Department of Justice, the researchers were carrying a large black plastic case containing 113 vials when they arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport from the Republic of the Congo on January 25, this year. Congo was experiencing a monkeypox outbreak at the time.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspected and interviewed the researchers, who were carrying a large black plastic case.

"Munster and Kwe falsely told CBP officers that the black case contained diagnostics and testing equipment," the Department of Justice alleged. But when the FBI and CBP inspected the case and found 113 vials.

As per the investigators:

• 17 of the first 20 tested vials contained deactivated mpox virus
• 1 vial contained chickenpox virus
• 2 vials contained human DNA

Investigation Ongoing

"No researchers should believe their positions, credentials, or professional status place them above the law," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office.

"The allegations in this case are serious. They involve the dangerous and unlawful smuggling of deactivated Mpox virus into the United States and alleged efforts to mislead our federal agents," she added.

Read More: Bangladesh's Measles Crisis Deepens: Nearly 600 Children Dead Since March, Infections Set To Surge

Marcus L. Sykes, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG), said that "any deliberate effort to conceal and smuggle biological materials into the United States without proper authorization was a breach of public trust and could have placed the public at risk".

As per the officials, Munster and Kwe each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted. The investigation remains ongoing.

What Is Mpox?

Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox.

The virus spreads through close physical contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals.

The illness generally lasts between two and four weeks and resolves on its own. However, severe disease can occur, particularly in children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

Complications may include secondary infections, respiratory problems, and, in rare cases, death.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) — a progressive condition in which the kidneys become permanently damaged and lose their ability to filter blood effectively — affects an estimated 788 million to 844 million adults worldwide, according to new research published by The Lancet journal today.

The three-part research series, led by global teams from India, the UK, China, Austria, and other countries, projects CKD to become the fifth leading cause of death globally by 2040.

Experts identified limited access to testing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the absence of symptoms in the early stages of the disease, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases as key factors driving the rise in CKD cases worldwide. They also called for sustained investment in diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare infrastructure to address the growing challenge.

CKD: Underdiagnosis and Lack of Symptoms

The researchers stressed that significant underdiagnosis of chronic kidney disease is a key factor endangering millions of patients worldwide.

Another concern is that mild and moderate stages of the disease often go undetected. Symptoms may develop only in the most severe stages, close to the time when dialysis or a kidney transplant may be required. Without successful treatment, the condition can be fatal.

The lack of symptoms likely contributes to low rates of diagnosis and awareness, said the experts in the research.

"Chronic kidney disease remains one of the most concerning conditions currently impacting global health. The overriding message from our series of research papers is that there remains a pressing need for attention and resources to be focused on this condition," said lead author Dr. Jennifer Lees, Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK.

Also read:16 Million Indians Die Due To Hypertension Every Year: AIIMS Doc

"There is huge potential to improve early diagnosis, treatment, and healthy lifespan by testing urine for protein routinely across a range of healthcare settings. This may be particularly important in those most at risk of underdiagnosis, including non-white populations and women," she added.

CKD And NCD Burden

The three research papers, presented at the ongoing European Renal Association Congress in Glasgow, Scotland, highlight that diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease are among the major drivers of CKD, with the risk of developing the disease increasing with age.

While CKD can affect anyone, it is more common in people who are Black or of South Asian origin. Compared with those without the condition, people with chronic kidney disease are more likely to be hospitalized, develop complications while in hospital, and be readmitted.

The studies also highlighted differences in diagnosis and treatment between men and women, alongside the need for integrated approaches to CKD prevention and treatment across a range of healthcare settings.

Read More: Emma Barnett: It Took 21 Years To Diagnose My Endometriosis

Call For Greater Investment In Kidney Care

The experts called for a renewed focus on CKD diagnosis and treatment.

"Chronic kidney disease affects 844 million people worldwide, yet access to even basic kidney testing remains deeply uneven," said Professor Luxia Zhang from Peking University, China.

"Advances in biomarkers, biopsy, and genetic testing now allow us to understand why an individual has kidney disease, not just that they have it. Realizing this benefit for patients everywhere will require sustained investment in diagnostics, laboratory capacity, and workforce," Zhang added.

In a major relief amid the ongoing Ebola outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the number of suspected cases has dropped to 116 after hundreds were ruled out following investigation.

Earlier, the number of suspected cases had neared 1,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The global health agency said on Tuesday that there had been 48 deaths and six recoveries in Congo, Reuters reported.

In Uganda, there have been nine confirmed cases and one associated death, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva.

Later, Uganda's Ministry of Health confirmed six additional Ebola cases, bringing the country's total number of confirmed infections to 15.

The ministry said in a statement on X that all six newly confirmed cases were among contacts of previously confirmed patients.

Hundreds Of Suspected Cases Ruled Out

Lindmeier explained that the latest figures were significantly lower because hundreds of suspected cases had been discounted after further investigation.

"They have been cleared out and have either other diseases or have just had a fever and nothing else," he said.

Lindmeier added that the numbers would continue to fluctuate as more people are tested.

A suspected case includes anyone identified through surveillance systems or presenting with symptoms at a health facility. Confirmed cases include only those who test positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

Last week, the WHO reported 906 suspected Bundibugyo Ebola cases in Congo, including 223 suspected deaths under investigation.

Subsequently, Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Financial Times that more than 1,100 suspected cases were being investigated.

Testing has posed a major challenge during the outbreak because the commonly used Ebola diagnostic tests initially failed to detect the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no approved vaccine.

Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website also listed 116 suspected cases and noted: "On May 29, the DRC Ministry of Health updated their total suspect case count to remove suspected cases that have been ruled out after investigation and suspected deaths that are pending the results of ongoing investigation."

Kenyans Protest Proposed US Ebola Treatment Facility

Also read: Western Australia Records 22 Mpox Infections In 2026; Seven Reported Last Week

The United States' plan to establish an Ebola treatment facility in Kenya has sparked public concern about cross-border infection risks and triggered protests.

The proposed 50-bed isolation centre would be staffed by US medical personnel and is intended to treat US citizens affected by the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Asked about the proposal during a White House briefing, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said keeping affected Americans closer to the outbreak zone would help speed up treatment.

"You have a golden hour in many of these instances around trauma, but for illnesses, it’s also relatively short, so we are confident, and the State Department’s working on this diligently, that they are going to be able to work out something with Kenya. There has already been a fair amount of communication around this issue," Oz said.

Although Kenya has not recorded any Ebola cases, the proposed quarantine facility has raised fears among residents who believe it could increase the risk of exposure to the virus.