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.

The government revealed that in the span of three years between 2022 to 2024, Delhi's six state run hospitals recorded 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illness. The government also said in parliament that more than 30,000 people were hospitalized in Delhi over three years with respiratory illness.

For Delhi, toxic air is a recurring problem. In fact, on Friday, December 5, Delhi, the national capital's average air quality index (AQI) dipped to 'very poor' category at 324, at 7am, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

For weeks Delhi's PM2.5 levels have stayed 20 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the span of three years, here is how many case Delhi's six major hospitals have recorded:

• 2022: 67,054
• 2023: 69,293
• 2024: 68,411

"Analysis suggests that increase in pollution levels was associated with increase in number of patients attending emergency rooms. However, this study design cannot provide confirmation that the association is causal," the government told parliament.

Delhi's AQI Is A Major Health Hazard

"The smaller the particle the more dangerous it is because it really goes into the depth of our lungs and causes damage there," says Dr. Vivek Nangia, Vice Chairman and Head of Pulmonology at Max Healthcare Saket, as told to news agency PTI.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Dr. Naresh Trehan, MD, Medanta, called the current situation “a major, major health-wise hazard,” stressing that the impact is unfolding across all age groups.

According to Dr. Trehan, pollution is now causing illness “many fold,” with outpatient departments packed with people suffering from cough, cold, chest congestion, asthma attacks, and severe breathing difficulties. But his biggest concern goes beyond the lungs.

He explained that the particulate matter present in polluted air moves far deeper into the body than most people realise. “These particulates go everywhere,” he told ANI. “They get absorbed into the blood, they go to your brain, they go to your kidneys, they go to your liver.”

Dr. Trehan added that the chronic effects of such constant exposure are making the public “sicker than they would be if they were living in a cleaner area.” Children, he warned, face an even greater threat as trapped toxic gases and particulate matter during winter behave “like a gas chamber,” potentially harming neurological development.

Giving the scientific context behind this damage, Dr Nangia told PTI that the toxicity varies by particle size.

Particles larger than 5–10 microns usually stay in the upper respiratory tract, causing symptoms like throat irritation, watery eyes, and a runny nose. However, “a particle size less than 2.5 microns goes into the lungs,” he explained. Even more dangerous are particles smaller than 0.5 microns, which “go directly into the bloodstream from the lungs and trigger an inflammatory cascade.”

This cascade, Dr. Nangia said, spreads through the body and can inflame various organs—contributing to asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, and even conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

Not Just Limited To Respiratory Issues

Delhi's toxic air does not just impact respiratory health, but it also has adverse impact on one's blood health, reproductive health, and even cause obesity.

As per a 2024 study published in the journal BMC Public Health, titled Association of Ambient Air Pollution With Hemoglobin Levels and Anemia In The General Population of Korean Adults noted the detrimental effects of air pollution exposure on hemoglobin concentrations and anemia in specific populations, which included children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

The study noted that the pollutants in the air contributes to disturbances in iron homeostasis, thus the exposure to air pollution leads to cellular iron deficiency through the activation of oxidation production. It also increases secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators. This pro-inflammatory cytokines that are now increased cause a deficiency erythropoietin secretion, resulting in anemia.

In addition, exposure to air pollution increases the secretion of reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative stress. In 2008, an experimental study in a murine model reported that oxidative stress was closely related to iron deficiency anemia.

Doctors have pointed out that Delhi's high air pollution significantly impacts fertility in both men and women by damaging sperm quality and egg reserves through oxidative stress. In men, this can lead to reduced sperm count, motility, and DNA integrity. In women, it can decrease the ovarian reserve, cause hormonal disruption, and increase the risk of miscarriage

As per a 2021 study titled Effect of Air Pollution on Obesity in Children: A systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, there is a connection between air pollution and weight gain through biological behavioral mechanism. The major pollutants causing obesity are nitrous oxides, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter.

These could lead to systematic inflammation and metabolic disturbances, which can lead to weight gain and obesity. The study mentions that fine particulate matter [PM2.5], when it enters our body, it influences the metabolism rates.

NHS Flu Cases: England has reported a surge in flu cases, which have been more critical than ever. As per the NHS data of the same period in 2024, the cases now are 50% more in numbers, with flu patients ending up in hospital beds and critical care. A record average of 1,717 patients were in England each day last week, and 69 in critical care. The figures reflect a steep rise from the same week in 2024, when 1,098 patients were admitted and 39 needed critical care.

The trend is even more stark when compared with earlier years. The average for the same week in 2023 was 243 patients. In 2022, the figure stood at 772.

On 30 November alone, hospitals saw 2,040 flu patients in beds across England. This marks a 74 percent rise from the same date in 2024, when 1,175 patients were recorded. That number was already the highest on any single day since 2021.

Health officials say the flu season began earlier this year and has yet to reach its peak. The rising numbers suggest hospitals will face increasing strain through December, especially as the timing lines up with industrial action by the British Medical Association, which could see thousands of resident doctors walking out.

NHS Experts Are Warning For Difficult Weeks Ahead

Professor Julian Redhead, national medical director for urgent and emergency care, said the figures confirm long standing worries inside the health service.

He said the current case load is extremely high for early winter and that the peak has not yet arrived. He added that although the NHS prepared for winter earlier than usual, the combination of rising flu cases and industrial action may push staff to the brink.

Despite the rise in the number of cases, the flu vaccination numbers remain similar to that of the previous year. The NHS administered 16.9 million flu vaccines across England by the final week of November. This is slightly higher than the 16.6 million recorded by this time in each of the past two years. Roughly half of all doses, about 8.4 million, were given to adults aged over 65.

Overwhelming Conditions In Hospital, Pressure On System

According to Sky News, hospital staff described conditions as increasingly overwhelming. Waiting rooms were full, patients lined corridors on trolleys, and emergency department staff were struggling to keep pace.

One consultant described the situation as a repeating cycle with no relief in sight. Patients like Paul Mather, who was admitted to the hospital’s respiratory ward, spoke of severe pain and fear as their conditions worsened.

Along with rising hospital admissions, NHS data shows that call volumes to the 111 helpline increased by more than 11,000 last week compared with the same period last year. Ambulances handed over 99,000 patients to hospitals, about 4,500 more than in the same week of 2024.

Handover delays have improved slightly. Thirty percent of patients waited more than 30 minutes to be transferred to A and E teams, compared with 36 percent last year. Ten percent waited more than an hour, down from 16 percent in 2024.

Bed occupancy levels remain similar to previous years, though hospitals continue to fall short of the recommended 8 percent availability target. Norovirus cases appear to be lower than last year, with an average of 261 beds occupied by patients with vomiting or diarrhea compared with 751 at this point in 2023.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting praised improvements in ambulance response and handover times but warned that strike action by the BMA could jeopardize progress. He said the government will continue efforts to strengthen the NHS through investment, planning and modernization.

Hepatitis B: Changes in hepatitis B vaccine schedule in children could lead to resurgence of the disease, warn health officials. This comes after the Vaccine advisers for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Thursday to discuss the hepatitis B vaccine guidelines for newborns. The meeting was held to discuss the potential changes to the childhood immunization schedule, the vote is delayed until Friday.

However, there are several changes suggested that say only infants born to mothers who test positive for hepatitis B, or whose status is unknown would receive the birth dose. The potential changes also hint that babies whose mothers test negative could delay their first dose until the baby is two months old, instead of receiving it within the first 24 hours.

Why Are Health Experts Warning Against These Changes?

According to the local health experts, these guidelines could lead to a resurgence of the disease. These guidelines have been in place since the 1990s. Dr Hector Ocaranza, El Paso Health Authority, as reporting by KFoxTv, said, "This vaccine can be considered a vaccine that is going to be preventing cancer because hepatitis B virus is considered a carcinogen, meaning that this virus is going to cause liver cancer, and that's what we're trying to prevent in children."

Ocaranza further noted, "Changing the recommendation is going to create a lot of those infections coming back, and we're going to start seeing children that are going to be infected with a hepatitis B virus."

Doctors and scientists have noted that if the vaccine is delayed from birth to two months, it could lead to at least 1,400 new infections, 300 cases of liver cancer, and 480 preventable deaths every year. The shift would also add more than 222 million dollars in extra healthcare costs annually.

While there are mixed reactions in the community, the medical community mostly agree on the fact that vaccine should be mandatory for all children. Many stress on the importance of vaccines at birth. While the recommendation is not final yet as ACIP is to set to revisit the proposal tomorrow. Even if it passes, it requires approval from the CDC director before it becomes a national guidance.

Are There Any Negative Side Affects On Health After Receiving The Hepatitis B Vaccine At Birth?

As for now, no new evidence on harms of the vaccines has been revealed. The vaccine is administered to 1.4 bullion for more than three decades. Experts have pointed out that the vaccine has a "stellar safety record". This was also presented during the meeting. In fact, two members also demanded the evidence of any harm from the vaccine while pointing to its benefits. However, the members were interrupted by the vice-chair. Most members in the committee are hand-picked by the anti-vaxxer US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, and those members too are long time anti-vaccine advocates.

This is not the first time discussion on delaying safe and life saving vaccines are taking place. Previous meetings where advisors recommended restricting access to COVID vaccines, and measles, mums and rubella, and chickenpox vaccines have already been taken.

The experts point out that infant immunization is directly linked to a 99% decline in acute hepatitis B cases in children, adolescents and young adults between 1990 and 2019. Experts also point out that holding discussions on well established vaccines without changing recommendation, too gives an impression that science is not clear, pointed Debra Houry, who was the chief medical officer of the CDC until this year, as reported by Guardian.

“For parents, they’re going to be very confused. They might question the whole vaccine schedule, or why things are done the way they are," Houry said.