Stomach cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the lining of the stomach. Also, known as Gastric cancer, it affects the elderly more than the adult. According to the American Cancer Society, about 6 of every 10 people diagnosed with stomach cancer each year are 65 or older. Also, the lifetime risk of developing stomach cancer is higher in men (about 1 in 101) than in women (about 1 in 155).

A health expert, speaking to a leading media house, emphasized five common symptoms of stomach cancer that should not be ignored:

1. Unexplained weight loss: Losing weight without trying or experiencing an unexplained drop in appetite, which may signal cancer progression.

2. Pain in the upper part of the abdomen: Persistent or occasional pain in the stomach area, often after eating, can become more severe as the condition progresses.

3. Frequent vomiting after meals: Nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, may occur especially after meals and is linked to cancer blocking or irritating the stomach.

4. Vomiting blood, which may appear coffee-colored: This can indicate bleeding in the stomach, often caused by ulcers or tumors, and requires immediate medical attention.

5. Black, tarry stools: This occurs when blood from the stomach is digested and passed through the intestines, signaling potential internal bleeding

There are also other concerning signs that should not be overlooked such as jaundice, unexplained weight loss, early onset of diabetes, dark stools, and loss of appetite. Health experts strongly advise seeking immediate medical attention if you notice any of these symptoms. If you or a loved one experience these signs, it's crucial to visit a physician for a thorough evaluation to rule out serious underlying health conditions.

How Does Stomach Cancer Spread?

Oncologist Dr Pankaj Kumar Pande, Director–Surgical Oncology, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi explained that this form of cancer spreads through three main pathways: Direct spread, lymphatic spread, and bloodstream.

1. Direct Spread: In its early stages, stomach cancer can invade nearby tissues and grow into the deeper layers of the stomach or spread to surrounding organs such as the oesophagus, liver, pancreas, or intestines.

2. Lymphatic Spread: Cancer cells can travel through the lymphatic system. The most common areas affected are the regional lymph nodes near the stomach, particularly those around the liver and diaphragm.

3. Bloodstream: "Cancer cells can enter the bloodstream and travel to distant parts of the body," which is a common route for stomach cancer to metastasize to distant organs.

He further explained that cancerous cells spread from the original tumour to other parts of the body through a process called Metastasis. The most common sites for the spread are the liver, lymph nodes, peritoneum, lungs, bones, and ovaries.

Health officials in the United States are urging residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites after West Nile virus (WNV) was detected in mosquitoes in Grant Park, Fulton County, Georgia, marking the region’s first confirmed detection of the season.

The discovery has prompted local health authorities to increase mosquito surveillance and control measures while reminding the public that preventing mosquito bites remains the best defense against infection.

Early Warning For West Nile Virus

The latest detection comes amid an early arrival of West Nile virus season in the U.S. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 56 human cases of West Nile virus disease had been reported nationwide as of July 7, 2026, with broader virus activity detected in mosquitoes, birds or animals across multiple states.

Although no human cases have been linked to the Fulton County detection so far, finding the virus in mosquitoes serves as an important early warning. Mosquito surveillance allows public health officials to identify where the virus is circulating before people become ill.

Once infected mosquitoes are detected, authorities can increase larviciding and spraying operations, monitor mosquito populations more closely, and alert residents to reduce their risk of exposure.

Similar detections have also been reported in other parts of the country in recent days. Connecticut recently confirmed its first West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes of the year, while Texas reported its first human case of neuroinvasive West Nile virus after weeks of detecting infected mosquito samples.

Also read: Walked Through Floodwater Recently? 5 Things To Do After Reaching Home To Minimise Risk Of Infections

About West Nile Virus

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that belongs to the flavivirus family, the same group that includes the viruses causing Dengue fever, Zika virus disease, Yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis.

It is primarily spread through the bite of an infected Culex mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected after feeding on infected birds, which are the virus's first host. About 80% infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms. About 20% develop West Nile fever.

Its common symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Body and muscle aches
• Fatigue or weakness
• Joint pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Skin rash on the trunk or back
• Swollen lymph nodes

Also read: Shingles Vaccine May Help Fight Dementia, Suggest Studies

The disease could become serious in a few infected people who may develop its neuroinvasive disease. The symptoms of severe West Nile virus include most of the commons ones as well as:

• Neck stiffness
• Confusion or disorientation
• Tremors
• Loss of coordination
• Vision problems
• Seizures
• Paralysis
• Coma (rare case)

Why Health Officials Are Asking People To Stay Vigilant?

Authorities stress that there is currently no human vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for West Nile virus. Prevention, therefore, depends largely on avoiding mosquito bites and reducing mosquito breeding sites.

Officials recommend that residents:

• Use repellents containing ingredients like DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, particularly during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Remove standing water from containers, flowerpots, buckets, bird baths and clogged gutters where mosquitoes can breed.
• Ensure doors and windows have intact screens to keep mosquitoes out of homes.

India's flagship health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), which covers more than 62 crore people, could soon offer higher financial protection if a key parliamentary recommendation is accepted.

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has recommended increasing the insurance cover under PM-JAY from the current Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, according to a report by The Times of India.

The committee said the existing coverage is inadequate to meet the cost of several life-saving treatments, including liver transplants, complex cardiac surgeries, and immunotherapy.

Key recommendations

The panel has proposed:

• Increasing PM-JAY health insurance coverage from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
• Introducing special high-cost treatment packages for expensive procedures.
• Adopting a differential pricing model for complex and advanced medical interventions.
Supporting higher coverage through:

• Pooled financing
• Negotiated pricing with hospitals and medical device manufacturers
• Co-funding mechanisms with states.

Recommendations To Improve Cashless Treatment

To improve the efficiency of the scheme, the committee also recommended:

• Strict enforcement of the six-hour turnaround time for pre-authorization of cashless treatment.
• Imposing penalties on hospitals or agencies responsible for unnecessary delays.
• Conducting regular audits of pre-authorization workflows.
• Expanding auto-approval for more low-risk procedures.
• Deploying AI-enabled case tracking to speed up approvals and improve transparency.

What is Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY?

Launched in September 2018, Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is the world's largest government-funded health assurance program.

The scheme currently provides Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization, covering around 12 crore families, representing the bottom 40 per cent of India's population.

It was later expanded to include around 6 crore senior citizens aged 70 years and above from 4.5 crore families, irrespective of their socio-economic status. The scheme also covers poor and vulnerable families, as well as gig and platform workers.

Recent milestones

Last month, West Bengal became the 36th state to implement the Centre's flagship health insurance scheme.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda recently said one of the government's biggest achievements has been reducing out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure, which has fallen from 64.6 per cent before 2018 to 43.4 per cent. He added that AB PM-JAY has enabled timely access to quality healthcare through a cashless, paperless, and fully digital platform.

According to the government, the scheme has achieved the following milestones:

• More than 44 crore Ayushman Cards have been created.
• Over 12 crore hospital admissions have been authorized under the scheme.
• Women account for nearly half of all beneficiaries.
• More than 104 crore health records have been linked to over 93 crore ABHA accounts.

Universal health coverage by 2033

In March, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament that the government aims to achieve universal health coverage by 2033.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha, she said health insurance has become a priority area for the government, with the sector covering 58 crore lives during 2024-25, according to news agency PTI.

"Health insurance is a priority for this government. In fact, we are hoping that by 2033 we will have insurance cover for all," Sitharaman said.

A diarrheal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis is spreading across multiple US states, with federal health officials reporting a higher-than-expected number of cyclosporiasis cases this summer. While several outbreaks have been identified, investigators have yet to pinpoint a common source.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating clusters of infections in Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Some clusters have been linked to Mexican-style restaurants, a grocery chain and a catered event, but officials say there is no evidence yet that they are part of a single nationwide outbreak, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tracing fresh produce, including white and green onions, cucumbers and cilantro, as potential sources of contamination.

Michigan has reported the largest outbreak so far. As of July 6, the state had confirmed 678 cases of cyclosporiasis, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The state typically records around 50 cases annually, making this year's outbreak more than 13 times higher than normal.

Ohio has also seen a sharp rise, reporting 177 cases as of July 2. Nearly 171 of those infections were recorded after June 20, with cases confirmed across 43 counties.

Nationally, excluding Michigan, the CDC reported 145 confirmed cases across 17 states between May 1 and June 16. At least 20 people have been hospitalized, though no deaths have been reported. Patients ranged in age from 5 to 86 years, with a median age of 42, and about 61% of cases were reported in women.

Why Is It So Difficult To Find The Source?

Experts say Cyclospora cayetanensis is much harder to trace than common foodborne bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella.

Investigators often rely on DNA fingerprinting to connect bacterial infections to contaminated food through laboratory networks such as PulseNet. However, this approach is far less effective for Cyclospora because the parasite has a far more complex genetic makeup, making it difficult to link cases to a single food item or supplier.

Dr. Max Teplitski, former head of the Division of Food Safety at the US Department of Agriculture and now chief science officer at the International Fresh Produce Association, said the parasite remains one of the most difficult foodborne pathogens to investigate, contributing to delays in identifying the outbreak source, CNN reported.

How To Prevent Cyclospora Infection

The CDC recommends the following precautions to reduce the risk of infection:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling fresh produce.
• Rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before eating, cutting or cooking them.
• Do not rewash produce labeled "prewashed."
• Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
• Cut away bruised or damaged portions before eating.
• Refrigerate cut, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables within two hours.

Cyclospora spreads through food or water contaminated with human feces and is not transmitted directly from person to person.

Dr. Darien Sutton, an emergency medicine physician and ABC News medical correspondent, stressed that proper handwashing is essential because alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not effective against the parasite.

"This type of parasite doesn't easily go away with alcohol-based hand sanitizer. So, good old handwashing is really key here," Sutton said.