Cigarettes with ultralow nicotine levels are now being called the game-changer in the fight against smoking. If you are having trouble in quitting smoking, then, it is for you, that soon the Biden White House is expected to formally propose a plan that will order cigarette nicotine levels to be reduced, reports The Washington Post. For now though, it has been a failure, as these cigarettes, also known as VLN cigarettes that stands for very low nicotine are only available in 5,100 stores in 26 states. This is a very small fraction of the overall market for cigarettes. The company that makes it, 22nd Century, is struggling not because of the low supply, but also from the advocates who have long believed slashing nicotine levels altogether.

The Advent and ideation

Nicotine is a chemical that is produced naturally from tobacco that makes the cigarette and also keeps people hooked. While it is believed that it makes people alert, and get the "hit" to keep them going, it exposes the users to harmful substances, carcinogens, and increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and other illness.

Ultralow-nicotine cigarettes, like the VLN brand, contain about 95% less nicotine than the regular cigarettes. The idea is quite simple: without the addictive grip of nicotine, smokers will find it easier to quit. Research too has shown some promise. For instance, the studies funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse revealed that very low nicotine cigarettes reduced addiction potential significantly without having users to increase their smoking frequency. However, the problem is, why would anyone choose for a low-nicotine that does not make them feel the same way, when the high-nicotine cigarette is right next to it, making them feel the same way, with the same alertness, sold at the same price.

“It’s very hard to imagine someone actively choosing to continue to use a low-nicotine product for the same price when a high-nicotine product is right next to it,” said Eric Donny, a Wake Forest University School of Medicine nicotine researcher.

No wonder, the experiment with low nicotine product by Philip Morris' Next cigarettes in the 1980s and Vector Tobacco's Quest brand in the early 2000s, flopped.

FDA's Role in the Push

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has supported the development of such products, even allowing VLN cigarettes to be marketed as lower-risk options. However, these products remain a niche market, available in only a fraction of U.S. stores.

Recently, the Biden administration has considered a bold step—mandating a dramatic reduction in nicotine levels for all cigarettes sold in the United States. Supporters believe this move could save millions of lives, while critics, including tobacco companies, warn of potential unintended consequences.

What Could Be The Challenges?

Resistance from Big Tobacco Companies: They could argue that slashing nicotine levels could backfire. Their claim is, smokers will turn to black markets or smoke more to satisfy their cravings, which may lead to greater exposure to harmful substances.

Consumer Reluctance: History is proof to the instances of smokers being hesitant to embrace the low-nicotine products.

Political Hurdle: It may face political roadblocks, as under the Trump administration, plans to cut nicotine were shelved.

Could Low-Nicotine Cigarettes Be The Solution?

Advocates believe that ultralow-nicotine cigarettes could be a game-changer, comparing them to decaf coffee or non-alcoholic beer—products that reduce harm while offering a similar experience.

Some experts warn that a black market for traditional cigarettes could undermine these efforts. They also stress the need for safer alternatives, such as vaping products, to support smokers transitioning away from traditional cigarettes.

The UK government has confirmed a case of hantavirus infection in Tristan da Cunha, a remote British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said.

In a post on social media platform X, Tedros said the patient had previously been classified as a probable case and had been exposed aboard the MV Hondius.

“As of June 10, the total number of confirmed cases remains 13, including three deaths,” he said. “No new deaths have been reported since May 2,” when a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses linked to the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius was reported to the WHO.

While the outbreak aboard the luxury vessel had raised concerns about wider transmission. However, the WHO has assessed the overall risk to the public as low. The global health body recommended active health monitoring for all evacuated passengers for 42 days from their last exposure date, either in designated quarantine facilities or at home. The monitoring period is scheduled to continue until June 21.

The outbreak, which claimed three lives and infected 13 people, was driven by the Andes strain, which carries a risk of human-to-human transmission. There is currently no specific antiviral drug or vaccine for the Andes virus.

Study Suggests Potential Treatment

Also read: Can Hantavirus Spread Through Semen And Breast Milk? What Experts Say

A recent study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases reported early promising results for tocilizumab as a treatment for severe hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

The study is based on a case series involving 10 hantavirus patients treated at Hospital Zonal de Bariloche, Argentina, between June 1, 2024, and May 6, 2026.

Tocilizumab is an immunosuppressive medication used to treat severe inflammatory conditions, including severe COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers from San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, said that under an ethical framework allowing the emergency use of unproven medications outside clinical trials when no satisfactory alternatives exist, tocilizumab was administered to five eligible patients with laboratory-confirmed severe hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Five other patients received standard supportive care without tocilizumab because they were too sick or the medication was unavailable when treatment was being considered. The researchers said tocilizumab warrants further evaluation as a treatment for severe hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

What Is Hantavirus?

According to the WHO, hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that naturally infect rodents and are occasionally transmitted to humans.

Globally, an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 hantavirus infections occur each year. The majority of these cases are in Asia, particularly China. Most are sporadic or occur in small clusters linked to contact with infected rodents.

Infection in people can result in severe illness and often death, although the diseases vary by type of virus and geographical location.

The WHO has confirmed that the Andes strain of hantavirus—the only strain known to spread from person to person—is responsible for the outbreak. There is currently no vaccine available for the strain.

Notably, the WHO has not specified the type of hantavirus or syndrome involved in the cruise ship incident, but it did mention respiratory risks.

How Does Hantavirus Spread?

Hantavirus is primarily spread by rodents through:

• Exposure to rodent urine
• Exposure to rodent droppings
• Exposure to rodent saliva
• Less commonly, through a rodent scratch or bite.

Two orphaned babies have died of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in an outbreak that could rival the worst on record.

Baby Buswaza was brought to a church-run orphanage in eastern Congo after her mother died in late May. The newborn was running a fever and, within days, died from what was later found to be Ebola, Reuters reported.

Buswaza was buried in late May in a sealed, waterproof body bag to prevent the spread of the disease.

More Suspected Cases at Orphanage

Six more babies have been identified as suspected Ebola cases at the orphanage of 69 children in Bunia, a city in Ituri province at the epicentre of the outbreak in Congo.

They were taken to hospital, where five of them later tested negative and were discharged from an isolation tent at the Evangelical Medical Centre (CME) by medics.

Another baby—an orphaned triplet girl nicknamed "Cherie" or "darling" who was less than a year old—with confirmed Ebola died on June 10, Dr. Freddy Kibwana, head of the CME, told Reuters. "The child has left us," he said.

How Children Can Be at Risk of Ebola

Also read: US Pushes Europe for Ebola Travel Curbs Ahead of FIFA World Cup: Which Countries Have Bans And Do They Work?

Children and babies can easily become vectors for the disease through bodily fluids like vomit, faeces and saliva, which are highly infectious when people have Ebola.

"This epidemic has hit an area already in humanitarian crisis," said Babou Rukengeza, a senior health adviser with Save the Children aid group. "This place is the only refuge for these children."

“This outbreak is moving at a terrifying speed. I have responded to several Ebola outbreaks over the years, but this is the fastest spread I have ever seen. Children are paying a devastating price," he added.

The expert noted that “when parents die, children suddenly lose the biggest support system they could possibly have and face fear, grief, stigma, and social exclusion".

Can Ebola Be Passed From Mother to Child?

In addition to fluids like blood and saliva, Ebola has also been detected in amniotic fluid and the placenta, as per the World Health Organization, so it is possible Buswaza's mother transmitted the virus to her in the womb or during childbirth.

If the mother caught the virus after giving birth, she may also have transmitted it to her child through breastmilk, where the virus has also been detected.

Ebola Cases And Death Toll Climb

According to the US CDC, the confirmed cases in Congo have risen to 635, while there are 127 confirmed deaths. In Uganda, there are 19 confirmed cases and two confirmed deaths, along with one probable case and one probable death.

Using genetic fingerprinting, the illnesses have been identified as Bundibugyo virus, one of the four types of orthoebolaviruses that cause Ebola disease in people. There is no vaccine for Bundibugyo virus, and treatment consists of supportive care.

Ebola Outbreak: WHO Raises Risk Assessment

Meanwhile, the WHO has revised the risk assessment in Congo and Uganda. The risk has been revised to “very high at the national level in DRC and high for Uganda,” the WHO said.

It is also high for countries sharing land borders with DRC and Uganda, while low for the rest of the Africa region and at the global level.

The WHO explained that the risk in DRC remains very high because “the outbreak has continued to expand rapidly in terms of numbers of cases and geographical spread with more areas affected. Epidemiological links and the full chain of transmission are not yet clearly established, and the source of the outbreak remains under investigation”.

Moreover, the ongoing conflict is restricting movement of frontline responders and surveillance teams, while community fear and misinformation are hindering case detection, contact tracing and isolation, and potentially facilitating disease spread.

There are also other challenges such as limited healthcare infrastructure and delays in laboratory confirmation, although these are being scaled up by DRC with support from partners, the WHO said.

Health authorities in Kerala have reported a positive case of Nipah virus infection in a man from Kozhikode, triggering precautionary measures across the district.

The patient tested positive in a preliminary test conducted in Kozhikode and is currently undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, officials said.

With the fresh scare, health authorities have initiated extensive contact tracing and surveillance measures to prevent any potential spread of the infection.

According to officials, the patient arrived at the hospital through the outpatient department and is believed to have interacted with several people before being identified as a suspected Nipah case.

While the initial test indicated the presence of the virus, confirmation from a specialized virology laboratory is still awaited. Despite the pending confirmatory result, the state government has activated containment protocols as a precaution. Close contacts of the patient are being identified, monitored, and assessed as part of the standard public health response.

Kerala Health Minister Says No Need for Panic

Also read: Bangladesh Battles Growing Measles Outbreak As Confirmed Cases Approach 10,000

Kerala Health Minister K. Muralidharan said the patient had extensive contacts but stressed that there was no reason for panic at this stage. The minister noted that the patient had visited multiple departments of the private hospital where he first sought treatment, raising concerns about possible exposure to others.

As a precautionary measure, hospital staff who may have come into contact with the patient have been asked to undergo quarantine and monitoring.

What Is Nipah Virus?

Read More: US Pushes Europe for Ebola Travel Curbs Ahead of FIFA World Cup: Which Countries Have Bans And Do They Work?

According to the World Health Organization, Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from animals to humans. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food and, in some cases, directly from person to person.

In humans, Nipah infection can range from asymptomatic illness to severe respiratory disease and fatal encephalitis (brain inflammation). The virus can also infect animals such as pigs, causing significant economic losses for farmers.

Although only a limited number of outbreaks have been reported in Asia, the virus is known for its high fatality rate and potential to cause severe disease.

How Does Nipah Spread?

• Animal-to-Human Transmission: During the first recognized outbreak in Malaysia, which also affected Singapore, most human infections were linked to direct contact with infected pigs or their contaminated tissues. Transmission was believed to occur through exposure to respiratory secretions or bodily fluids of infected animals.

• Bat-Contaminated Food: In later outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, the most likely source of infection was the consumption of fruits or fruit products—particularly raw date palm sap—contaminated by saliva or urine from infected fruit bats.

• Human-to-Human Transmission: Human-to-human transmission has also been documented, particularly among family members and healthcare workers caring for infected patients.

Nipah Virus: Symptoms

Symptoms of Nipah virus infection may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough and sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain
• Severe weakness
• Dizziness
• Altered consciousness in severe cases
• Encephalitis (brain inflammation)

Why Is Nipah A Concern?

Nipah virus is considered a major public health threat because of its high mortality rate, ability to spread through close contact, and the absence of a specific antiviral treatment or approved vaccine for widespread use.

Early detection, isolation of suspected cases, contact tracing, and strict infection-control measures remain the most effective tools for preventing outbreaks.