An experimental treatment happens to be the solution to delay Alzheimer's symptoms in some people. These people are the ones who are genetically destined to get the disease in their 40s or 50s. These new findings form ongoing research has now been caught up in Trump administration funding delas. The early results of the study has been published on Wednesday and the participants too are worried that politics could cut their access to a possible lifeline.

One of the participants had said, "It is still a study but it has given me an extension to my life that I never banked on having." The participant is named Jake Henrichs, form New York City, who is 50 years old. He is one of them to be treated in that study for more than a decade now and has remained symptom-free despite inheriting an Alzheimer's-causing gene that had killed his father and brother around the same age.

Slowing Down The Symptoms

Two drugs which can modestly slow down early-stage Alzheimer's are sold in the United States. These drugs clear the brain of one of its hallmarks, a sticky gunk-like part called the amyloid. However, there have not been any hints that removing amyloid far earlier, way many years before the first symptoms appear, may postpone the disease.

How Was The Research Conducted?

The research is led by Washington University in St Louis, which involved families that passed down rare gene mutation as participants. This meant it was almost guaranteed that they will develop symptoms at the same age their affected relatives did.

The new findings is based on a subset of 22 participants who received amyloid-removing drugs the longest, on average eight years. Long-term amyloid removal cut in half their risk of symptom onset. The study is published in the journal Lancet Neurology.

Washington University's Dr Randall Bateman, who directs the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network of studies involving families with these rare genes says, "What we want to determine over the next five years is how strong is the protection. Will they ever get the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease if we keep treating them?”

The researchers before though did not know what exactly caused Alzheimer's which affects nearly 7 million Americans, most of them in their later life. However, it is clear that these silent changes occur in the brain at least two decades before the first symptom shows up. The big contributor. At some point amyloid buildup can trigger a protein named tau that then starts to kill neurons, which can lead to cognitive decline.

Researchers are now thus studying the Tau-fighting drugs and are looking into other factors, like inflammation, brain's immune cells and certain virus.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has expanded its focus as researchers have found more reasons for Alzheimer's. In 2013, the NIH's National Institute on Aging funded 14 trials of possible Alzheimer's drugs over a third targeting amyloid. By last fall, there were 68 drugs and 18% of them target amyloid. However, there are scientists too who think that amyloid is not everything and their is way more in the brain tissue, immune cells, and more which can be studied.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is accelerating rapidly, with health authorities reporting 72 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours, one of the largest single-day increases since the current epidemic began.

The latest government data shows that the total number of confirmed Ebola infections has reached 782, while 29 additional deaths were recorded over the same period, bringing the overall death toll to 181.

The outbreak's case fatality rate (CFR) has also increased to 23.1 per cent, up from approximately 21 per cent previously, indicating that the disease continues to pose a serious public health threat.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Uganda has reported 19 confirmed Ebola cases and two deaths as of June 14.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved treatment or vaccine.

Outbreak Reaches New Areas

Health officials confirmed that the virus has spread to two additional health zones:

• Nia-Nia Health Zone in Ituri Province
• Mabalako Health Zone in North Kivu Province

• Ituri Province – cases reported in 20 health zones
• North Kivu Province – cases reported in 34 health zones
• South Kivu Province – cases reported in one health zone

Recoveries Offer Hope

Despite the rising numbers, Congolese health authorities reported that 40 patients have recovered from Ebola since the outbreak began.

Five new recoveries were announced from the health zones of Rwampara, Mongbwalu, and Mambasa.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that early medical care can improve survival chances, urging anyone experiencing symptoms to seek treatment immediately.

Also read: Ebola Survivors May Face COVID-Like Memory Loss and Brain Issues For Over 7 Years: NIH Study

Ebola Spreads In Orphanage

The outbreak has spread in an orphanage after two orphaned infants died from Ebola. Six more babies were 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.

Now, all children and staff are being monitored for symptoms, while four nuns who cared for the infants have reportedly fallen ill, the Guardian reported.

The situation highlights ongoing challenges facing response teams, including community mistrust, delayed reporting of symptoms, and difficulties tracing contacts in affected regions.

'Blind Spots' in Ebola Outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) last week warned that there are still many "blind spots" in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, suggesting the spread of the deadly disease may be much wider than official estimates.

"There are still many blind spots in some areas that are high risk," said Olivier le Polain, a WHO epidemiologist in Beni, eastern Congo, according to Reuters.

"Surveillance really needs to be strengthened in those areas."

Another major challenge is a shortage of beds that medics can use to isolate patients, he said. There were only 250 available across the three affected provinces.

"I'm really worried," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in an exclusive interview with STAT News.

He noted that due to political instability and mistrust among communities, contact tracing rates are currently around 50 per cent. "It should reach 95 per cent. The virus is ahead of us."

Lamenting that "the community is not collaborating," he said some people are being hidden from health authorities, while high levels of displacement make it difficult to locate and monitor contacts.

What Is Ebola?

Ebola is a highly lethal viral hemorrhagic fever first identified in 1976. Over the past five decades, it has caused over 30 outbreaks, primarily in Central and West Africa.

Symptoms include fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding. This eventually leads to severe complications like bleeding, organ failure, and death.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to intensify, with confirmed infections rising to 710 and the death toll reaching 149, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

The figure represents the total number of confirmed cases as of Friday, according to the latest situation report, which documented 21 new cases in the previous 24 hours.

The ministry also reported a case fatality rate of 21 per cent, while cautioning that the true toll could be higher as several suspected Ebola-related deaths remain under investigation.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases and two confirmed deaths as of June 12.

'Blind Spots' in Ebola Outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) last week warned that there are still many "blind spots" in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, suggesting the spread of the deadly disease may be much wider than official estimates.

"There are still many blind spots in some areas that are high risk," said Olivier le Polain, a WHO epidemiologist in Beni, eastern Congo, according to Reuters.

"Surveillance really needs to be strengthened in those areas."

Another major challenge is a shortage of beds that medics can use to isolate patients, he said. There were only 250 available across the three affected provinces.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved treatment or vaccine. The disease went undetected for weeks, and first responders say they are now playing catch-up.

The WHO does not yet have projections for the size of the epidemic, Le Polain said, after the US CDC warned that it could reach a scale similar to the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak, which caused more than 11,000 deaths.

'The Virus Is Ahead of Us'

"I'm really worried," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in an exclusive interview with STAT News.

He noted that due to political instability and mistrust among communities, contact tracing rates are currently around 50 per cent. "It should reach 95 per cent. The virus is ahead of us."

Lamenting that "the community is not collaborating," he said some people are being hidden from health authorities, while high levels of displacement make it difficult to locate and monitor contacts.

Ebola Spreads to 3 New Health Zones

Also read: Congo Ebola Cases Rise to 676; FIFA World Cup Team Arrives in US After Quarantine

Earlier, the virus spread to three new health zones in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, Health Minister Dr. Samuel-Roger Kamba said in a post on the social media platform X.

Kamba said the virus has now reached:

• Masereka (North Kivu)
• Vuhovi (North Kivu)
• Kambala (Ituri)

"Three new health zones affected: Masereka and Vuhovi in North Kivu, Kambala in Ituri. Our teams are adapting, and surveillance is intensifying. The response follows every signal, in every zone," he said.

What Is Ebola?

Symptoms include fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding. This eventually leads to severe complications like bleeding, organ failure, and death.

Ebola is a highly lethal viral hemorrhagic fever first identified in 1976. Over the past five decades, it has caused over 30 outbreaks, primarily in Central and West Africa.

Three strains of the virus — Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus — have caused the largest outbreaks in Africa.

The much-awaited and high-voltage event, FIFA World Cup 2026, has begun amid soaring temperatures, with heat-related illnesses emerging as an early concern for fans and players alike.

The 39-day event kicked off in Mexico on June 11, with the opening match held between Mexico and South Africa. However, the afternoon heat proved challenging for many spectators.

At the FIFA Fan Festival in Houston's East Downtown, 22 people were treated for heat-related illnesses on the opening day of the tournament, including four who required hospitalization. Medical teams treated a total of 90 people during the event, according to the Houston Chronicle.

FIFA: Doctors Warn About Heat Risks

The tournament will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico across 16 cities in the three countries. Experts say extreme June and July heat can pose serious health risks for both fans and athletes.

More than one-third of World Cup matches are at high risk for dangerously hot and humid conditions, NPR reported, while dozens more face moderate heat risk.

"Players can overheat, and match officials as well," said Donal Mullan, a climate scientist at Queen's University Belfast and co-author of a study on heat risks at the 2026 World Cup.

Under hot conditions, athletes can experience dangerous increases in body temperature that may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Mike Tipton, Professor of Human Applied Physiology at the University of Portsmouth, told The New York Times that high temperatures can also affect performance, with players sprinting less frequently, covering shorter distances, and matches becoming less intense overall.

Recent examples from other sports have highlighted the dangers. During the French Open last month, Czech tennis player Jakub Mensik collapsed on court after a marathon match and later described the heat as "insane."

As per experts, certain groups may face a higher risk during mass gatherings in summer heat, including:

• People aged 65 and older
• Individuals with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, COPD or kidney disease
• People who are immunocompromised
• Pregnant fans.

Scientists Urge Stronger Heat Protections

Also read: FIFA World Cup 2026: What Keeps Messi and Ronaldo Biologically Younger Than Their Age? Experts Explain

Last month, a group of 21 scientists, including physiologists and climate experts, urged FIFA to strengthen its heat safety measures, arguing that existing guidelines were insufficient.

The previous World Cup in Qatar was moved to winter partly to avoid extreme temperatures.

According to World Weather Attribution, nearly a quarter of the 104 matches scheduled for the 2026 World Cup could be played under conditions that pose a risk of heat stress.

FIFA's Measures To Protect Players And Fans

FIFA says it has implemented several measures to reduce heat-related risks during the tournament, including:

• Shaded areas for spectators

• Misting systems

• Cooling buses

• Expanded water distribution points

• Specialized cooling bags for emergency treatment

The tournament is also the first World Cup to implement mandatory three-minute cooling breaks midway through each half.

Additional measures include climate-controlled benches for substitutes and staff, evening kick-off times for some matches, extra water breaks, and prioritizing covered stadiums where possible.

FIFA said it remains "committed to protecting the health and safety of players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff."

Read More: Congo Ebola Cases Rise to 676; FIFA World Cup Team Arrives in US After Quarantine

Mandatory Cardiac Screening

All participating teams must ensure players undergo:

• Personal and family medical history assessment

• Clinical examination

• Resting 12-lead ECG within the previous 12 months

• Echocardiography within the previous 24 months

FIFA also recommends the use of a standardized cardiac screening form developed by its cardiology consultants.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Protocol

Any non-contact collapse on the field must be treated as a suspected sudden cardiac arrest until proven otherwise.

Medical teams are permitted to enter the pitch immediately and begin resuscitation without waiting for the referee's approval.