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.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking parents across the country to ensure their children have received both doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine as cases continue to surge for the first time in three decades.

As of December 30, three people have died and 2,065 Americans have been found suffering from the life-threatening illness. Officials say this is the largest outbreak since 2,126 cases were last reported in 1992 and warn that the case count will continue to grow through January.

While the initial outbreak was reported in a small religious community in Texas, the disease quickly spread throughout the country and is currently affecting children and teenagers in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming, according to the CDC.

The federal agency also noted that out of the cases reported, 865 patients were between the ages of five to 19 while 650 were over the age of 20. Apart from this, 537 people were below the age of five while the ages of the remaining 13 were unknown.

Only three percent of the cases have received their first dose of the MMR vaccine while merely four percent completed both doses. It remains unclear whether 93 percent of people have received any doses of the vaccine.

Dr Linda Bell, South Carolina’s state epidemiologist, noted at a press briefing last week that one of the primary reasons for the rampant spread of the disease have been family gatherings during this holiday season and cross-country travel.

Measles: The World's Most Infectious Disease

Measles is a highly contagious illness that can cause widespread rashes and flu-like symptoms such as high fever, cough, red spots, bloodshot eyes, muscle pain and headaches. If left untreated, the disease can lead to life-threatening complications like brain inflammation and pneumonia.

The virus is spread through direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air that can linger in the air for up to two hours. Patients with a measles infection are contagious from four days before the rash through four days after the rash appears.

Without immunity from a vaccine or prior infection, about 9 in 10 people exposed to measles will be infected. About one in five unvaccinated people are hospitalized and three in 1,000 people who contract the disease are expected to die.

READ MORE: US Measles Cases Surge Past 2,000, Putting Elimination Status At Risk

Falling Vaccination Rates of Measles

Despite being deadly, the illness can be prevented through vaccination. The CDC says a single dose of the MMR vaccine is about 93 percent effective at preventing measles, while two doses increase protection to 97 percent.

However, immunization coverage has seen a stark decline in the last few years. While the nationwide MMR vaccination rate is 92.5 percent, merely 79.6 percent of of kindergartners were vaccinated for the 2023-2024 school year.

Additionally, only 84.3 percent of school children were vaccinated in Alaska while Hawaii, Ohio , Georgia, Oklahoma and Arizona saw a vaccination rate of about 89 percent, CDC data shows.

According to a John Hopkins University study, 2025 was noted to be the worst year for MMR immunization coverage as the nationwide average saw a decline of 2.67 percent of vaccination rates among US children since the 2020.

James Colgrove, a professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health told The Washington Post, "The most dangerous deadly diseases will come back and it won’t only be kids who suffer. It’ll be adults in the community who are immune-compromised, who are elderly. It’ll be infants."

A Yemeni molecular biologist Hashem Al-Ghaili, shared a post on his Instagram page that states that the new K-variant flu, also known as the super flu is spreading fast "with dangerous fevers and lung damage". On his post, he wrote: "Health experts say there‘s a new flu strain causing sudden high fevers and deep respiratory distress."

He further noted: "Public health officials are sounding the alarm over a potent new influenza strain that behaves differently than previous seasonal variants. Rather than just causing typical fatigue, this aggressive strain is designed to trick the human immune system into a state of hyper-reactivity. This overreaction often manifests as sudden, intense fever spikes and significant inflammation deep within the lung tissue. Unlike standard flu symptoms that may develop gradually, these severe respiratory complications are appearing with alarming speed, making early detection and prevention more critical than ever before."

To this, he also provided a solution, stating that medical professionals are now emphasizing on the importance of fortifying "body's natural defenses through foundational wellness habits". These habits include prioritizing deep sleep, consistent hydration, and adequate vitamin D intake that can help regulate immune responses and mitigate the risk of severe inflammation.

Read: UK ‘Super Flu’ May Be Behind Sudden Bile Vomiting; Doctors Flag New Symptom

What Is The K-Variant Flu And How Does It Impact Your Lungs?

H3N2's mutation or the influenza A's subclade K is now the new aggressive virus that has swept the United States and the United Kingdom with flu cases. This is the culprit in rising flu cases, globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) on its website said that K variant marks "a notable evolution in influenza A (H3N2) viruses". Some are also questioning the effectiveness of this season's influenza vaccine against the strain.

The flu virus is highly contagious and spreads easily in crowded places, especially during the colder months.

In some cases, the infection can progress to the lungs, which could lead to complications like bronchitis or pneumonia. Yale Medicine too notes that this virus could attack the respiratory system, including throat, nose, and lungs.

What Are The Common Symptoms This Season For The Flu?

K variant causes more intense flu symptoms, they include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny nose

Are The Old Vaccines Effective Against This New Variant?

"The vaccine remains the most effective means to prevent disease. We still want to encourage people to get the vaccine," said Professor Antonia Ho, Professor and Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the University of Glasgow. Experts have stressed enough on the immunity that one can receive from the vaccine that that these flu jab remain the best defense against the flu, even though the current strain circulated may have drifted away from the strain included in this year's jab.

Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also show that vaccines is performing as expect, despite the emergence of subclade K.

SMA-1. a rare disease, known as the spinal muscular atrophy type 1 or the Werdnig-Hoffmann disease is when the muscle weakness appears at birth or within the first six months. This rare condition prevents infants from sitting unassisted and causing severe breathing, swallowing, and sucking difficulties, leading to a poor prognosis without aggressive support. This condition has impacted the twin babies of the former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson. Her twin babies may never be able to walk. However, she said that her babies will "fight all the odds" after they were being diagnosed with such a rare genetic condition.

Also Read: 'Eat Ice-cream' Says Dr Ezekiel Emanuel, Along With Other Simple Tricks To Live A Long And Healthy Life

Nelson, 34, and her fiancé, Zion Foster welcomed their twins, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster in May, when they were both born prematurely. In an emotional Instagram video, posted on Sunday, Nelson revealed the diagnosis her twin babies had.

“We were told that they’re probably never going to be able to walk; they probably will never regain their neck strength, so they will be disabled, and so the best thing we can do right now is to get them treatment, and then just hope for the best,” she said.

“Thankfully, the girls have had their treatment, which you know, I’m so grateful for because if they don’t have it, they will die," she further said.

Nelson's babies were diagnosed four months of, what she said, "gruelling" hospital appointments, and so she wanted to raise awareness of the condition and the signs one should look out for because "time is of the essence" with the condition.

“I just think that I can raise as much awareness about this as possible, and the signs, then, you know, something good has to come out of this,” said Nelson.

Read: SMA Type 1: What This Health Condition Could Mean For Jesy Nelson’s Babies’ Mobility

Jesy Nelson Twins: What Are The Signs of SMA-1?

Nelson said that there could be some common signs to look out for, which includes floppiness, inability to hold yourself up without support, a "frog-like" positioning of the legs without much movement, and rapid breathing in the tummy.

"If anyone is watching this video and they think they see these signs in their child, then please, please take your child to the doctor, to the hospital, because time is of the essence, and your child will need treatment. And the quicker you get this, the better their life will be," she added.

What Are The Other Types Of SMA?

There are five recognized subtypes of SMA, classified by the age symptoms appear, severity, and expected life span:

SMA Type 0 (congenital SMA): This extremely rare form appears before birth, with reduced fetal movement. Newborns often show severe muscle weakness and usually experience respiratory failure, with death occurring at birth or within the first month.

SMA Type 1 (severe SMA): This accounts for roughly 60% of SMA cases and is also called Werdnig-Hoffman disease. Symptoms start within the first six months, including weak head control and low muscle tone (hypotonia). Infants may struggle to swallow and breathe, and without respiratory support, life expectancy is typically under two years.

SMA Type 2 (intermediate SMA): Also called Dubowitz disease, symptoms appear between six and 18 months. Muscle weakness worsens over time, usually affecting the legs more than the arms. Children may sit but cannot walk. Around 70% survive into their mid-20s, with respiratory complications being the main cause of death.

SMA Type 3 (mild): Known as Kugelbert-Welander disease, this type appears after 18 months. Weakness primarily affects the legs, making walking difficult, but breathing issues are rare, and life expectancy is generally unaffected.

SMA Type 4 (adult): The mildest form, it appears after age 21. Muscle weakness progresses slowly, and most people remain mobile, with normal life expectancy.