After mpox outbreak, Africa is under the threat of yet another virus outbreak, this is the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda. So far, six people have died from the outbreak, confirmed the health minister. Most victims were the healthcare workers in the hospital's intensive care unit. As per reports, 20 cases have been identified since the outbreak was confirmed on Friday.

What Is Marbug Virus?

With the fatality rate of 8% it is the same virus family as Ebola. The main carrier is from fruit bats which spreads to humans then through the contact of bodily fluids of infected individuals, it spreads to others.

Common Signs And Symptoms

The common signs and symptoms of the Marburg virus include fever, pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and in the case of extreme blood loss, death too can happen.

So far, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for the virus. However, treatments like drugs and immune therapy are being developed as per the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Call Of Action

Rwanda says that it has intensified its contact tracing, surveillance and testing to contain the spread. It has also tracked about 300 people who had come into contact with individuals affected by the Marburg virus.

The health minister has urged people to stay vigilant and avoid any physical contact and to wash their hands with clean water, soap or sanitiser and report any suspected case.

As of now, most of the cases have spread to the capital in Kigali. In light of this, the US Embassy in the city has advised its employees to work remotely for the next week.

This is the first time Rwanda has confirmed for Marburg cases, before this, in 2023, Tanzania confirmed the outbreak, whereas three people had died of this in Uganda in 2017.

History Of Marburg

As per WHO, this virus kills half of the people it infects. In the previous outbreaks, it has killed between 24% to 88% of the patients.

The virus was first detected in 1976 after 31 people were infected, out of which 7 died in simultaneous outbreak in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and Belgrade in Serbia.

The source was traced to African green monkeys who were imported from Uganda. However, other animals too are linked to the virus spread, including bats.

In the past, the virus outbreaks have happened in countries like Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. In 2005, this virus killed 300 people in Angola.

However, for the rest of the world, only two people have died from the virus in the rest of the world, with one of them being in Europe, and the other in the US. These both have been on expeditions to caves in Uganda.

Emmy-winning American actor Christina Applegate has in a shocking news revealed that she does not have multiple sclerosis (MS), despite continuing to experience debilitating symptoms since her 2021 diagnosis.

Applegate, 54, shared the news in an episode of her podcast MeSsy, co-hosted with fellow actor Jamie-Lynn Sigler and posted to YouTube on Tuesday.

“I’m back at square one – that I don’t know what’s going on with me,” she said through tears.

Applegate had gradually withdrawn from public life after her MS diagnosis in 2021, as she navigated the physical and emotional toll of the condition.

She has also become an advocate for MS awareness and chronicled her struggles in an emotional memoir published in March.

Christina Applegate Recalls Learning About Her Misdiagnosis

Also read: Why Multiple Sclerosis Increases Emotional Burden Among Women

Applegate recalled a visit to her doctor when she was told she did not have MS.

“She came into my room and said, ‘Congratulations, you don’t have MS,’” Applegate recalled through tears. “I was, like, not happy at all. Everybody else was so happy.”

Despite the news, Applegate said her symptoms have not improved.

“I haven’t gotten better. I still have to use wheelchairs when I go to the doctor’s office. I can’t walk from the car to the room. I’m still in this. Nothing magical happened when she said, ‘You don’t have MS.’ Nothing magical happened.”

Applegate also described feeling confused about her condition and the uncertainty surrounding her symptoms.

“It’s weird because I feel like I let everybody down. It’s this weird feeling of like I became this, you and I, the poster children for MS. Everything that I was doing, I had a fucking reason as to why my day sucked every day.

“And now I don’t have a reason. It’s very unnerving and it’s really confusing for me.”

What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

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According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, multiple sclerosis is a chronic neurological condition that affects the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.

MS is also an immune-mediated disease in which the immune system attacks myelin, the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibers. Damage to myelin can disrupt nerve signals, causing symptoms that vary from person to person.

These may include muscle weakness, fatigue, numbness, coordination problems, vision changes and memory difficulties.

MS is commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, although it can develop earlier or later. There is no cure, but treatments can help manage symptoms and slow disease progression. Some people experience relapses with periods of improvement, while others develop progressively worsening disability.

Why Is Multiple Sclerosis Hard To Diagnose?

Dr. Marwa Kaisey, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, joined Applegate and Sigler on the podcast to discuss MS misdiagnosis.

Kaisey said misdiagnoses are “fairly common” because there is no single test that can definitively confirm or rule out MS.

“We don’t have one single test for MS. It’s not like we have something like a pregnancy test that says, ‘Yes. You have it.’ ‘No. You don’t.’ It’s a list of criteria.”

Kaisey said nearly 20% of people diagnosed with MS may not actually have the disease, People.com reported.

“Almost one in five of these people who’d been told they had MS, some for decades, didn’t actually have it. And a majority of them were on medication to treat their MS,” she said.

MS diagnosis typically involves assessing symptoms, a neurological examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and, when appropriate, additional tests to rule out other conditions.

Because several disorders can cause similar symptoms, clinicians must evaluate the findings against established diagnostic criteria.

The UK is seeing a rise in COVID-19 infections ahead of winter, with the XFG variant, also known as Stratus, among the circulating strains.

Cases, hospital admissions and deaths have increased, while flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are also concerns heading into the colder months.

COVID Cases And Deaths Rise In UK

Latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data show around 2.46 COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people each week.

The UK recorded 3,942 confirmed cases in October so far, compared with 4,589 in September and 1,374 in August.

People aged 85 and older remain the most vulnerable, with almost 27 hospital admissions per 100,000 people, more than 10 times the national average. Around 13.5% of this age group tested positive, compared with 8.8% across all age groups.

COVID-19 deaths rose 46.4%, from 28 to 41, in the week ending October 2. Cases increased 13.5% in the week to October 7, according to UKHSA data.

Unusual COVID Symptoms: Red And Itchy Eyes

Also read: XFG Variant In Spain: COVID-19 Cases Rise Amid Respiratory Infection Surge

A persistent cough, fever and sore throat are familiar COVID-19 symptoms. However, eye irritation and conjunctivitis may also signal infection, pharmacist Noel Wicks told The Mirror.

“The COVID-19 virus can enter the body through our eyes where it may cause symptoms.”

Wicks said conjunctivitis, which causes red, irritated and sometimes sticky eyes, can occur even without other COVID-19 symptoms.

“Clinical studies have demonstrated that conjunctivitis (red eye) is present in people who test positive for coronavirus, with rates of conjunctivitis ranging from 2% to over 14%, even if people don’t have any other COVID symptoms. In fact, conjunctivitis can be the first and/or the only symptom of COVID,” he said.

Research involving 6,308 people found that approximately 11% of COVID-19 patients experienced eye symptoms. These included conjunctivitis, dryness, redness, watering and itching.

Signs Of COVID-Related Conjunctivitis

Read More: XFG COVID Variant: What India Should Watch As Cases Rise In UK And France

According to Wicks, symptoms may include:

• Pink or red whites of the eyes
• Sore or inflamed eyelids
• Gritty, itchy eyes
• White or yellow discharge

“These symptoms need to be tackled very quickly,” he said.

There is no established evidence that XFG causes eye symptoms more frequently than other COVID-19 variants. Allergies, bacterial infections and other viruses can also cause eye irritation, so these symptoms alone cannot confirm COVID-19.

How To Manage Eye Irritation

Wicks recommends gently cleaning the eyes, avoiding rubbing them and temporarily stopping contact lens use and eye makeup until symptoms improve.

“Make sure to keep your eyes clean by washing them gently with a clean flannel to remove any crusts. Don’t rub your eyes as this can transfer infection from your hands to your eyes. Remove contact lenses and don’t wear eye makeup until the infection is better,” he advised.

Persistent irritation warrants advice from a healthcare professional. Eye pain, sensitivity to light or changes in vision require urgent medical assessment.

What Is The COVID XFG Variant?

XFG, also known as Stratus, is a recombinant Omicron lineage formed when two Omicron sub-lineages combined. The World Health Organization classified it as a variant under monitoring in 2025 because of its growth advantage.

Although XFG carries mutations in its spike protein, studies suggest its ability to evade immunity differs only slightly from that of other JN.1 descendants.

There is no evidence that XFG causes more severe illness than other circulating Omicron variants. However, increased transmission can still raise hospital admissions by increasing the overall number of infections.

Fatty liver disease, which affects nearly 30% of adults worldwide, may comprise five biologically distinct subtypes, according to new research.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic and Virginia Tech in the US found that each subtype may carry different risks of liver failure, cancer, heart disease and other serious complications.

The study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) can develop through different biological pathways. Some are closely linked to obesity and diabetes, while others appear to be driven by inherited genetic factors.

The findings suggest that genetic forms of the disease may progress to advanced liver damage even in people without typical metabolic risk factors.

Why Fatty Liver Disease Can Be Dangerous

Also read: NAFLD to MASLD: Experts Explain Why This Common Yet Dangerous Liver Condition Got Renamed

MASLD, previously known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, develops when excess fat accumulates in the liver. Many people experience no noticeable symptoms, allowing the condition to go undetected for years.

Although the disease does not always cause serious complications, it can progress to inflammation, scarring and permanent liver damage. In advanced cases, it may lead to cirrhosis, in which extensive scarring impairs liver function.

MASLD is a major contributor to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver transplantation worldwide. Understanding why some patients develop severe complications while others do not is therefore an important research priority.

Genetic Analysis Reveals Five Distinct Subtypes

To investigate the differences, the researchers analyzed genetic sequencing results alongside detailed medical records from more than 4,600 patients with MASLD.

The data included liver enzyme measurements, body mass index, blood lipid levels and other indicators of metabolic health. The researchers also examined coexisting conditions, including diabetes, depression and sleep apnea.

Using computational models, they identified five groups of patients who shared distinct biological characteristics. The findings suggest that people with the same MASLD diagnosis may have different underlying disease processes and risks of complications.

“When clinical and genomic data are analyzed together at this scale, you begin to see patterns of disease progression that would otherwise remain hidden,” said Shulan Tian, Ph.D., co-senior author and a bioinformatician at Mayo Clinic. “Once you separate these subtypes, you can start to match treatments to the biology that's actually driving the disease.”

Links to Depression, Sleep Apnea and Migraines

Read More: Lancet Study Shows Metabolic Liver Disease To Rise Over 38% By 2050: What’s Behind The Surge

The findings also suggest that the differences between MASLD subtypes extend beyond the liver.

Researchers identified associations between specific subtypes and conditions such as depression, sleep apnea and migraine. These links suggest that the biological processes underlying some forms of fatty liver disease may also be associated with health problems affecting other parts of the body.

However, the findings do not establish that MASLD directly causes these conditions.

Could the Findings Improve Treatment?

Identifying distinct subtypes could eventually help doctors recognize high-risk patients earlier, improve screening and develop more personalized treatment strategies.

Eric Klee, a research and innovation leader at Mayo Clinic, said the approach could help researchers better understand disease progression and identify opportunities to intervene before severe damage occurs.

The team plans to evaluate the findings in larger and more diverse patient populations and investigate whether the subtypes respond differently to treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists.

If further studies validate the results, the research could help move MASLD care toward earlier intervention and treatments tailored to the biological processes driving each patient's disease.