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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.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced its recommendations for the viral composition of influenza (or “flu”) vaccines for the 2027 southern hemisphere influenza season.
The announcement comes as US states can now order free COVID-19 vaccines for eligible children through the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, following a nearly month-long delay.
Seasonal influenza causes substantial illness and hospitalizations each year. Because influenza viruses continually evolve, vaccine compositions need to be regularly updated.
WHO recommendations guide national vaccine regulators and manufacturers in developing and licensing vaccines for the following flu season.
"For nearly 75 years, the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System has demonstrated the power of global solidarity in public health," said Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's Director for Epidemic and Pandemic Management.
"The commitment of countries and laboratories to share data, viruses and expertise enables WHO to make timely vaccine recommendations, strengthening our collective ability to detect and respond to emerging influenza threats. This is global public health collaboration at its best," she added.
From February through August 2026, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and influenza B viruses circulated across regions. Influenza A viruses predominated in most regions, while influenza B dominated in Northern and Western Africa, North America and Eastern Asia.
WHO recommends the following strains for the 2027 southern hemisphere influenza season:
Egg-based vaccines
Cell culture-, recombinant protein- or nucleic acid-based vaccines
WHO also reviewed influenza viruses circulating in animals because of their potential to cause human infections and pandemics.
The VFC program provides free immunizations to more than half of U.S. children, including those covered by Medicaid, uninsured or underinsured children, and Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
The FDA approved the updated COVID-19 vaccines on August 27, but access through the VFC program was delayed.
Although overall COVID-19 hospitalization rates remain low, they have been rising since mid-June. According to the CDC, hospitalization rates are highest among babies younger than 1 year old and adults aged 65 and older.
Public health officials from multiple states confirmed that they can now order the free vaccines.
South Carolina’s health department “was alerted yesterday afternoon by the CDC that COVID vaccines would be available for order today,” Casey White, a department spokeswoman, told CIDRAP News.
“Announcements will be shared with VFC providers and health departments to communicate the opening of ordering for all respiratory immunizations.”
WHO said it will issue its recommendation for vaccines for the 2027–28 northern hemisphere influenza season in February 2027.
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Nearly 20 prescriptions for life-ending medication were reportedly issued in New York during the first month of its Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) law, according to a Columbia University bioethics expert.
However, state health officials have not yet released data showing how many patients actually used the medication.
New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act took effect on August 5, making it the 14th US state to legalize medical aid in dying.
David Hoffman, assistant professor of professional practice in bioethics at Columbia University, told The New York Post that conversations with doctors, hospitals and organizations indicated that about 20 prescriptions had been issued since the law took effect.
“The state will have the data on a rolling basis. It’s an after-the-fact analysis,” Hoffman told The Post.
The New York State Department of Health has yet to release precise figures on the program’s use.
Read More: Supreme Court Allows 1st Passive Euthanasia For Man In Vegetative State For 13 Years
The lack of publicly available data has drawn criticism from lawmakers who opposed the law. Upstate Republican Assemblyman Andrew Molitor told The New York Sun that New Yorkers should know how many people have requested and used medical aid in dying.
He said information should include patients’ socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, terminal condition, when prescriptions were filled and where the medication was administered.
Western New York Republican state Sen. George Borrello also criticized the wait for the state’s first annual report.
Critics have additionally raised concerns about whether the law could eventually be expanded. Borrello pointed to Canada, where medical assistance in dying was legalized in 2016.
Medical aid in dying remains controversial because it raises ethical, religious and moral questions. Critics warn about the potential coercion of vulnerable patients, while supporters emphasize personal autonomy and relief from prolonged, incurable suffering.
Medical aid in dying generally involves a patient voluntarily taking lethal medication prescribed by a doctor. Euthanasia, by contrast, involves a healthcare professional administering the lethal medication at the patient’s request.
Under New York’s law, patients must:
The law also requires a five-day waiting period between obtaining and dispensing the prescription.
Medical aid in dying requires the patient to take the prescribed medication themselves. This differs from euthanasia, in which a healthcare professional administers the life-ending medication.
Also read: Can Right To Die Be Practiced By Non-Terminally Ill Patients?
The law requires the state health commissioner to submit an annual report to the Legislature detailing the program’s use.
Hoffman noted that doctors report when medication is prescribed, but the state may not immediately know whether a patient ultimately takes it.
A New York State Department of Health spokesperson told The Post that the department will publish an annual report with utilization data as required by law.
Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said end-of-life decisions are “deeply personal” and should be made individually in consultation with patients, doctors, families and loved ones. The department has also issued guidance and proposed regulations intended to prevent misuse or inappropriate application of the law.
The debate over medical aid in dying extends beyond New York and the US.
France’s National Assembly recently gave final approval to a bill that would allow certain adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication, following years of debate over end-of-life care.
Assisted-dying legislation is also being debated in the UK, where a bill covering England and Wales is returning to Parliament.
Credit: FDA/iStock
Vitruvias Therapeutics’ thyroid medication, recalled nationwide in August, has been elevated to the highest risk level by the US FDA.
The recall was issued because the medication may be superpotent, potentially causing hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).
On Wednesday, the FDA updated the recall to Class I, its most serious recall classification. It applies when there is a “reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
Also read: US Cancer Death Rates Fall For Men, Women: Lung Cancer Progress Drives Decline
The affected product is:
In its August 24 recall notice, the company said the tablets were potentially superpotent.
Millions of people with hypothyroidism rely on thyroid tablets every day to replace hormones their bodies cannot produce.
However, taking superpotent thyroid tablets can cause hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid). It can force the body's metabolism into overdrive, speeding up organs and bodily functions.
Left untreated, this constant strain can cause serious health complications across multiple systems in the body.
In addition, people taking the medication can be at risk of
The lot was distributed nationwide in the US to Vitruvias Therapeutics’ direct accounts between January 31 and September 30, 2025. Of 3,655 units released, 1,955 were sold.
Read More: FDA Recalls Popular Thyroid Medication: What Levothyroxine Users Need to Know
The company identified the following groups as being at greater risk from superpotent thyroid tablets:
Excess thyroid hormones in older adults have been associated with adverse outcomes, particularly those affecting the heart.
Vitruvias Therapeutics said it has not received any reports of adverse events known to be linked to the recall.
The company is notifying wholesalers to stop distributing the recalled product and arranging for its destruction.
Patients taking Thyroid, USP from Lot 504950 should not stop taking it without first contacting their healthcare provider for guidance and/or a replacement prescription.
Speaking to HealthandMe, Dr Shruti Kotangale, Consultant Gynaecologist, Obstetrician and Infertility Expert at AIMS Hospital, Dombivli, explained that both conditions are commonly seen in women.
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid is underactive. Symptoms can include tiredness, weight gain, dry skin, hair fall, constipation, feeling cold, a slow heartbeat and low mood or depression.
Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid is overactive. Symptoms may include weight loss, a fast heartbeat, sweating, anxiety, tremors, irritability, frequent bowel movements and difficulty sleeping.
Women should seek medical attention and manage these symptoms without delay.
Thyroid disorders may cause a range of symptoms, including:
Diagnosis may involve:
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