Credits: Canva
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Credit: Instagram
V, a member of K-pop sensation BTS, has revealed that he has been dealing with hearing loss in one ear for about two and a half years.
V, whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung, opened up about the condition for the first time during a livestream amid the band's highly anticipated world tour.
"If the hearing in my left ear is at 100, it's only about 30 in my right," V said.
The 30-year-old singer said his hearing became worse while he was serving in the military. However, he initially ignored the problem, believing it was "a matter of mental strength," BBC reported.
He said he is now taking medication and visiting the hospital regularly.
V also admitted to pushing through pain during BTS' current tour, revealing that he is dangerously close to developing a stress fracture in his leg.
“My shin is right at the point just before a stress fracture. Even today on stage, my heart was set on running around, but it hurt too much at points and I couldn’t," he was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia.
Doctors have warned him about inflammation and early bone damage.
“It hasn’t reached a stress fracture yet, but there’s a lot of inflammation in my shin, and I think there’s some microdamage to the bone. I’ll be careful with myself so I can finish this tour properly,” he added.
BTS is currently halfway through its massive Arirang world tour, which will stop in Singapore in December and conclude in the Philippines in March 2027.
Hearing loss can happen when any part of the ear is not working in the usual way. This includes:
Hearing loss is a growing health concern worldwide. According to the WHO, more than 1.5 billion people—nearly 20% of the world's population—live with some degree of hearing loss. Of these, approximately 430 million people have disabling hearing loss requiring rehabilitation.
Hearing loss can have a significant impact on a person's life, affecting education and job prospects.
Hearing loss can occur at any time during life. Causes can range from genetic factors to conditions such as Down syndrome or Usher syndrome.
Other factors include:
To help prevent hearing loss in adults:
Credit: X.Com
Union Health Minister JP Nadda was admitted to AIIMS Delhi after experiencing uneasiness and underwent tests, including a coronary angiography. The hospital, in a statement, said he is stable and under observation in the cardiology department.
The 65-year-old minister was admitted on August 13 after experiencing uneasiness. He underwent tests, including coronary angiography.
“JP Nadda, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, was evaluated for uneasiness with tests including a coronary angiography on the evening of 13th August 2026. He is currently stable and admitted for observation in the Dept of Cardiology,” AIIMS said in a statement.
Heart problems do not always cause obvious symptoms. While common symptoms include chest pain or pressure, palpitations, and breathing difficulties, reduced blood flow to the heart can sometimes present with subtle signs or no symptoms.
Possible warning signs include:
Coronary angiography is a test used to check the blood vessels supplying the heart for narrowing or blockages.
A thin catheter is usually inserted through an artery in the wrist or groin. Contrast dye is injected, and X-rays are used to visualize the coronary arteries.
Doctors may recommend coronary angiography for:
Regular checkups can help detect heart disease early and monitor risk factors such as:
Regular monitoring can help detect changes early and support timely action to reduce long-term cardiovascular risk.
Regular heart checkups are particularly important for people who:
Depending on individual risk factors, a heart checkup may include:
Additional tests, such as CT coronary angiography or specialized cardiac biomarkers, may be recommended in some cases.
Credit: iStock
Sixty-two deaths in Australia have been reported to the medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), with suspected associations with GLP-1 medicines, including Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
The TGA has also received reports of nearly 3,000 serious adverse events involving these medicines, which are used by hundreds of thousands of Australians, The Herald Sun reported.
Reported adverse reactions include nausea, pancreatitis, suicidal thoughts and a rare eye condition that can cause blindness.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, used for type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy, approved for weight management, had the highest number of reported deaths with suspected associations.
Other medicines with reported suspected associations include Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Saxenda (liraglutide) and Trulicity (dulaglutide). These drugs are approved to treat type 2 diabetes, obesity, or both.
The reported deaths included:
The TGA states that adverse-event reports alone cannot determine how common a reaction is or be used to directly compare the safety of different medicines. The regulator also said the benefit-risk profile of these medicines remains positive when they are appropriately used for approved indications and in intended patients.
The TGA recently updated warnings for some GLP-1 medicines concerning non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a rare but serious eye condition.
Product warnings across the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) class have been updated because of the potential association with the disorder.
NAION can cause permanent visual impairment, including blindness. The TGA notes that no treatment has been shown to improve visual acuity outcomes in people who develop the condition.
GLP-1 RA medicines are prescription drugs used primarily to manage type 2 diabetes and obesity. Thus, the TGA urged patients not to stop treatment on their own.
“These are prescription medicines, so people taking them should discuss benefits, risks and side effects with their healthcare professional rather than stopping or changing treatment based on headlines alone,” the TGA said.
The Australian reports come amid safety monitoring of GLP-1 medicines in other countries. At the same time, clinical evidence has shown important health benefits from some GLP-1 medicines, including reductions in cardiovascular risk and, in certain populations, overall mortality.
Data submitted to the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) showed 82 reported deaths associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists up to January 31, 2025. Of these, 22 were associated with use for weight loss and 60 with use for type 2 diabetes.
In the US, reports in the FDA's FAERS (FDA Adverse Event Reporting System) database have listed 162 deaths associated with Ozempic and Wegovy since 2018.
However, these figures should not be interpreted as confirmed deaths caused by the medicines. Adverse-event reporting systems record suspected associations and cannot by themselves establish a direct causal relationship. Millions of people use GLP-1 medicines, and reported cases can involve other health conditions or factors, including severe complications, dosing errors, and counterfeit or compounded products.
© 2024 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited