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.

Tennis legend Serena Williams has criticized the anti-doping rules as "unreasonable" and "unprofessional" ahead of her Wimbledon return.

Serena Williams, who has won seven singles titles at Wimbledon during her legendary career, called the testing "grueling." The mother of two also criticized the anti-doping testing system, saying that even leaving her designated testing window to pick up her children could be counted as a missed test.

Her stance has reignited debate over whether the current system strikes the right balance between protecting clean sport and safeguarding athletes' well-being.

HealthandMe spoke to two sports medicine experts—Dr P. S. M. Chandran, President of the Indian Federation of Sports Medicine, and Dr Kajal Goyal, Team Physiotherapist of the India Women's Sepak Takraw Team—to understand how anti-doping rules affect athletes.

Sports physician Dr Chandran argues that the rationale behind the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) itself needs to be questioned, claiming its policies have become overly punitive.

On the other hand, the sports physio Dr Kajal believes there is no evidence that anti-doping testing directly harms athletes physically. However, she says the psychological burden associated with repeated surveillance can indirectly affect recovery, performance and injury risk.

Indirect Impact On Recovery

Also read: Marketa Vondrousova Banned For 4 Years From Tennis: How Doping Tests Work

According to Dr Kajal, blood and urine sample collection has minimal physiological impact, and there is no evidence that anti-doping testing directly delays muscle healing or tissue recovery.

Instead, she says the greatest concern is the indirect effect of unannounced testing on athletes' recovery.

"Even small reductions in sleep over time can slow muscle repair, reduce muscular recovery and increase fatigue. Athletes experiencing anxiety about missing a test or managing constant travel and reporting obligations may have higher psychological stress, which can affect sleep quality, motivation and overall readiness to train," she told HealthandMe.

Dr Kajal added that while repeated anti-doping testing has not been shown to reduce physiological performance, the stress associated with constant surveillance may contribute to anxiety, burnout and an increased risk of injury.

The expert also stressed that anti-doping remains an essential part of ensuring fair competition and suggested that authorities adopt more athlete-centered approaches, including better medical coordination, greater flexibility during rehabilitation and pregnancy, and stronger mental health support.

WADA's Approach Is Flimsy

Dr Chandran, however, said that WADA's justification for anti-doping rules lacks sufficient scientific evidence.

"WADA's argument for bringing in doping control in sports is indeed flimsy. WADA claims that doping enhances performance without much supporting data. The other argument is that doping is injurious to athletes. Here also, WADA fails to produce evidence-based medicine," he told HealthandMe.

The expert further claimed that both doping and the current anti-doping system can harm sport by unfairly branding athletes as "cheats".

Read More: Why Sleeping Pill Addiction Is Common Among Football Players

Concerns Over Athlete Welfare

Dr Chandran also argued that the current anti-doping framework places an excessive burden on athletes. "Over the years, WADA has grown into a monster which destroys the career of athletes and imposes sanctions which may last a lifetime," he said.

He added that frequent testing interferes with athletes' privacy, training schedules and competitions while causing mental distress and financial hardship.

According to Dr Chandran, increasing numbers of athletes are being sanctioned for using commonly prescribed medicines, including cough syrups, diabetes medications, blood pressure drugs and diuretics. He also pointed to India's high number of anti-doping sanctions in recent years as evidence that the current system requires reform.

A Growing Debate

The experts acknowledged the importance of protecting athletes and preserving fair competition.

Dr Kajal called for retaining anti-doping testing while making it more athlete-friendly through improved mental health support and flexible implementation. Dr Chandran, meanwhile, believes the scientific basis and proportionality of WADA's rules should be fundamentally reassessed.

India today unveiled a wide-ranging package of healthcare initiatives aimed at strengthening maternal and child health, expanding digital health services, improving emergency medical care and accelerating efforts to tackle anemia.

The new programs, operational guidelines and digital platforms were launched by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda at the 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW).

"A developed India cannot be achieved without a healthy India," said Nadda, while describing healthcare as one of the most important pillars of the country's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He also stressed that states are equal partners in strengthening India's health system.

Here's a look at the initiatives launched.

SUMAN Roadmap 2030

The SUMAN Roadmap 2030 is a strategic framework to improve maternal and newborn healthcare and help India achieve its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The roadmap adopts a life-cycle approach covering pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period while integrating child health, adolescent health, family planning and nutrition programs.

It also aims to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to below 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030 through better identification and management of high-risk pregnancies.

Also read: Mid-Day Meal Row In India: Doctors Explain Why Eggs Matter For Children's Growth And Development

Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK)

The Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) is a unified program providing home and community-based care for children from birth to 36 months.

The initiative merges the existing Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC) programs. Children identified as "at-risk," including those born prematurely, with low birth weight or developmental delays, will receive additional home visits and closer monitoring.

Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

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The revised Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan guidelines shift the program from preventive care to therapeutic management through a 7x7x7 strategy and a Test, Treat, Talk and Track (T4) approach.

The updated framework expands beneficiary coverage, promotes iron-rich diets, strengthens digital tracking and introduces intravenous iron therapy for severe anemia among pregnant and lactating women.

National Ambulance Services Guidelines

Nadda also unveiled the National Ambulance Services (NAS) Operational Guidelines 2026, the country's first comprehensive framework for ambulance services.

The guidelines standardize ambulance categories, equipment, staffing, training and quality monitoring while promoting GPS-enabled tracking, integrated command centers and future integration with the national emergency helpline 112.

Digital Health Initiatives

Read To Know: Aarogya Setu 2.0, AI Health Records, WhatsApp Services: Centre's Big Healthcare Push Explained

The minister launched a slew of digital health platforms, including:

• Aarogya Setu 2.0,
• the Ayushman App,
• Ayushman Sarathi WhatsApp Chatbot,
• Unified Health Interface (UHI),
• Drug Registry,
• National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX),
• e-Sushrut Clinic, Common LOINC Codes for India (CLCI)
• Bharat Health Terminology Service (BHTS).

Developed by the National Health Authority and the National Resource Centre for EHR Standards, these initiatives aim to improve access to healthcare, ensure seamless exchange of health information and make services more integrated, efficient and citizen-centric.

Calling the launches "a significant milestone," Nadda said the initiatives build on flagship programs such as Ayushman Bharat and will help strengthen healthcare delivery through greater digital innovation and connectivity.

While India has made progress on several child and maternal health indicators, the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) shows that nearly one in five children in the country suffer from wasting (acute malnutrition).

The survey also found that stunting among children under five declined from 35.5% to 29.3%, but nearly three in every 10 children remain stunted. Meanwhile, 31.8% of children are underweight, while 5.2% continue to suffer from severe wasting, highlighting the country's persistent burden of child undernutrition.

Several states, including most recently West Bengal, continue to debate whether eggs should be included in school mid-day meals, with cultural, ideological, and dietary preferences often influencing decisions that could affect children's nutrition.

The number of states serving eggs under the scheme has also declined over the past decade. In 2025–26, only 13 states provided eggs to schoolchildren, down from 16 states in 2015–16, according to a Moneycontrol report. As a result, just over one-third of states now include eggs in their mid-day meal menus, compared with 44% a decade ago.

Amid the debate, HealthandMe spoke to doctors and nutrition experts, who warned against removing eggs from mid-day meal schemes, and noted that eggs remain one of the most affordable and nutrient-rich foods for growing children.

Eggs: An Ideal Food For Growing Children

Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, former President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Cochin and Convener of the Research Cell, Kerala, told HealthandMe that eggs are close to an ideal nutritional choice for growing children because they are readily available, economical, easy to prepare, and safe.

"Besides, children love eggs—many of them prefer this to alternative sources of protein," he said.

He added that “egg protein is excellent not only because it contains all essential amino acids—the building blocks of the body—but also because the body can utilize egg protein efficiently after absorption”.

"Many children get their most nutritious meal from school, and eggs are a good choice to be a part of it," he said.

According to Dr. Amit Prakash Singh, Consultant – Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, eggs are among the most affordable and nutrient-dense foods, providing high-quality protein along with essential nutrients such as choline, vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron and selenium.

"These nutrients are particularly important during childhood, when the brain and body are growing rapidly. For many children who rely on mid-day meals as a significant source of daily nutrition, an egg can bridge critical nutritional gaps and support healthy growth, cognitive development and immunity," he told HealthandMe.

Dr. Singh added that removing eggs from school meals without ensuring an equally nutritious alternative may increase the risk of protein and micronutrient deficiencies, especially among vulnerable populations.

"Investing in children's nutrition is an investment in the nation's future. Policies around school meals should be guided by scientific evidence and nutritional needs, ensuring every child has access to balanced, wholesome food that helps them reach their full potential," he said.

Why Eggs Are Considered A Nutritional Powerhouse

Priyanka Arora, Senior Dietician at SGRH, told HealthandMe that eggs are considered a nutritional powerhouse, offering a highly bioavailable source of complete protein, healthy fats and essential micronutrients.

Key nutritional benefits of eggs:

• Nutritional powerhouse: Eggs provide a highly bioavailable source of complete protein, healthy fats and essential micronutrients.
• High-quality protein: One large egg contains about 6–7 grams of protein and all nine essential amino acids, making it important for muscle growth and repair.
• Supports brain health: Eggs are one of the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient essential for memory, cognitive function and liver health.
• Promotes eye health: Egg yolks are rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect against age-related eye conditions such as cataracts.
• Rich in essential nutrients: Eggs contain vitamins A, D, B12 and riboflavin, along with essential minerals such as selenium, iron and iodine.
• Affordable and versatile: Eggs are among the most budget-friendly sources of high-quality animal protein and can be easily prepared in various ways, including boiled, poached, scrambled or baked.