The current measles outbreak has gripped US states like Texas and New Mexico leaving people worried whether it would become a new pandemic. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services as of February 21, 90 cases were diagnosed in the last month in the South Plains area, with at least 77 of them were reported in children and teens under 17.

Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly. The outbreak, which started spreading in late January, has resulted in multiple hospitalizations, with at least nine confirmed cases and three probable cases as of early February. Health officials caution that at least one in five infected individuals will have to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Misinformation surrounding vaccines and with the new Trump administration anti-vaccine campaigs, has causing parents to hesitate or refuse vaccination.

Furthermore, the country down under Australia is also witnessing a surge in measles cases as health officials in Sydney have issued an urgent alert, urging residents to watch for measles symptoms after an infected individual visited several places in Sydney over the last seven days.

Authorities report that the traveller had returned from South East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.

What Are The Symptoms Measles?

Key symptoms of measles include fever, a runny nose, sore eyes, and a cough. Typically, a red, blotchy rash appears three to four days later, spreading from the head down to the body. Symptoms can manifest between 7 and 18 days after exposure.

Anyone who experiences these symptoms after potential exposure should immediately contact their doctor or emergency department. It is crucial to call ahead before visiting to avoid potentially exposing others in the waiting room. Dr. Selvey also highlighted that ongoing measles outbreaks are occurring in various parts of the world, making awareness and prompt action essential.

Why It Is Important To Get Vaccinated?

According to CDC everyone should get the MMR vaccine. It protects you from measles, mumps, and rubella. Getting vaccinated helps stop these diseases from spreading. There are two safe MMR vaccines available. They work the same way, so it doesn't matter which one you get. Kids can also get a shot that protects against chickenpox too, but this is only for children.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Kids Need Two Shots

All children should get two MMR shots. The first shot should be given when they are between 12 and 15 months old. The second shot should be given when they are between 4 and 6 years old. If needed, the second shot can be given earlier, but it must be at least 28 days after the first shot.

College Students Need to Be Protected

Students going to college or other schools after high school, need two shots if they are not already immune. The shots must be at least 28 days apart.

Adults Need at Least One Shot

Most adults need at least one MMR shot. Some adults need two shots, especially those who work in healthcare, travel a lot, or go to college. These people should get two shots, with 28 days between them.

Travelers Need to Be Extra Careful

Anyone traveling to other countries should make sure they are protected. Babies 6 to 11 months old should get one shot before traveling. Kids 12 months and older, teens, and adults need two shots, with 28 days between them.

Healthcare Workers Must Be Immune

People who work in healthcare should have proof that they are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. If they are not immune, they need two MMR shots, spaced 28 days apart.

Women Thinking About Having Babies

Women who might get pregnant should talk to their doctor about the MMR vaccine. It's safe to get the shot while breastfeeding.

Excessive screen time use is harming sleep, mental health, learning, and development of children, according to a new advisory by the US surgeon general’s office, which urged parents to limit children’s screen time.

Even as President Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general awaits confirmation, the "Harms of Screen Use" bulletin warns that children and teens are spending more time on their digital devices than on sleep or school, the USA Today reported.

It noted that excessive screen use is linked to heavy or compulsive screen use

• anxiety,
• depression,
• poor academic performance,
• behavioral problems
• developmental delays.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said evidence of risks to children’s physical and mental health is “mounting,” even though screens can also provide some benefits.

The advisory promotes the slogan “Live real life,” encouraging children and families to replace excessive screen use with in-person activities and healthier routines.

Alongside the report, the officials also released a toolkit recommending steps for parents, schools, healthcare providers, and policymakers to help reduce screen dependence and encourage safer technology habits among young people.

The advisory also links excessive and "compulsive" screen use to

• poor sleep and school performance,
• mental health issues like anxiety and depression,
• behavioral and social issues, substance abuse, and developmental disruptions.

The report aligns with recent studies, which show how too much screen time affects developing minds.

Recent findings from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, suggest that early digital exposure to children before the age of one increases the baby's risk of autism.

The findings led by the Department of Pediatric Neurology showed that infants exposed to high levels of digital media at around one year of age are significantly more likely to display autistic signs by the time they reach age three.

India has also issued pediatric and education guidelines advising parents to limit screen exposure for young children, though there is no nationwide ban. States like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have also taken up action against social media use and screen time.

Countries banning screen time

While countries are not fully “banning” screen time, several of them have introduced restrictions, guidelines, or proposed laws aimed at reducing children’s screen time, especially around smartphones and social media in schools.

• France banned smartphones in primary and middle schools in 2018 and has tested stricter “digital pause” policies for students under 15.
• China has some of the world’s toughest rules, including limits on video game play for minors, restrictions on nighttime gaming, and proposed limits on smartphone use for children.
• South Korea introduced laws targeting gaming addiction among minors, including past shutdown rules that blocked late-night gaming for children.
• Netherlands and Finland have encouraged schools to restrict phones in classrooms to improve concentration and learning.
• Australia has debated stronger social media age restrictions, and several states have tightened school phone bans.
• United Kingdom schools widely enforce smartphone bans, while lawmakers continue discussing stricter online safety rules for children.
• Sweden has pushed for reduced screen exposure in early childhood education, emphasizing printed books and traditional learning methods.

India has successfully linked the health records of more than 100 crore people with Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today.

Implemented by the National Health Authority, the milestone marks a major step towards building an integrated, citizen-centric, and interoperable digital healthcare ecosystem in the country.

“The linking of over 100 crore health records with ABHA is an important milestone in the journey of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. ABHA-linked health records empower citizens with secure and consent-based access to their health information and support continuity of care across the healthcare ecosystem,” said Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO, NHA.

The Growing Adoption Of ABDM

According to the Ministry, more than 450 public and private health technology solutions have integrated with the ABDM ecosystem, enabling digitisation and seamless exchange of health records across healthcare facilities.

The ministry said ABDM doubled the number of linked health records from 50 crore in February 2025 to over 100 crore in just 15 months.

Nearly 10 crore health records are now being linked every two to three months. From fewer than 1,000 linked records during its initial phase to over 100 crore today, ABDM has evolved into one of the world’s largest digital health ecosystems.

Uttar Pradesh emerged as the leading contributor with over 15.03 crore ABHA-linked health records, followed by Andhra Pradesh with over 11.95 crore linked records.

Bihar, Rajasthan, and Gujarat also recorded major progress by linking over 7.37 crore, 6.32 crore, and 4.77 crore health records, respectively.

Also read: Preeclampsia Is Preventable & Treatable. Yet It’s India’s 3rd Leading Cause Of Maternal Deaths, Says AIIMS doctor

Programs Contributing To The Milestone

Among the major government programs and digital platforms contributing to the milestone are:

• Non-Communicable Disease Program
• CoWIN
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
• Uttar Pradesh government’s eKavach platform
• Andhra Pradesh health programs
• Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) program
• eHospital by National Informatics Centre
• eSushrut by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing
• Gujarat government’s TeCHO platform
• Rajasthan government’s iHMS platform

Private health technology partners and ABDM-enabled digital solutions have also contributed significantly towards the creation and linkage of ABHA-linked health records.

What Is ABHA?

ABHA is a unique digital health identity that allows citizens to securely link and access their health records across hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and healthcare providers.

Through ABDM’s consent-based health information exchange mechanism, citizens can digitally share their medical records with registered healthcare providers while maintaining the privacy and security of personal health information.

“ABDM is designed to place citizens at the center of the digital health ecosystem. With consent-based sharing of health records, individuals can access their medical information whenever required and share relevant records with healthcare providers digitally. This will help make healthcare delivery more accessible, efficient, and patient-centric,” Barnwal said.

Key Digital Building Blocks Of ABDM

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is creating the digital public infrastructure required for an interoperable healthcare ecosystem through key digital building blocks such as:

• Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA)
• Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)
• Health Facility Registry (HFR)
• Health Information Exchange and Consent Manager (HIE-CM)
• Unified Health Interface (UHI)
• National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX)

With over 100 crore health records now linked with ABHA, ABDM has marked another milestone towards creating longitudinal digital health records for citizens and enabling a more connected, paperless, efficient, and patient-centric healthcare ecosystem in the country.

Amid the rising cases of Ebola virus infection in nations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, the whole world has gone to an alert mode. The state government of Kerala has declared that it will keep the visitors from the countries flagged by the World Health Organization (WHO) under mandatory health surveillance for up to 21 days after arrival.

The government of India has already issued an advisory on this important issue. In accordance with the direction, the state government of Kerala has also taken some strict steps to protect the general public from this infectious virus. On Thursday, at the meeting of the State Rapid Response Team, Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said the measure was being adopted as an additional precaution.

The Union Health Ministry has also propagated a stricter stance on preventing the virus outbreak in the country. The ministry emphasizes its stance by issuing orders to strictly follow the special health guidelines.

As per the new norms, the travelers from Ebola-affected nations are asked to report to the health authorities at the airport if they feel symptoms commonly associated with Ebola, like fever, headache, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain, sore throat, or bleeding. Those who had any contact with confirmed or suspected Ebola patients have also been informed by the health authorities.

The state government has made screening of passengers stricter in the international airports and seaports.

In addition to that, the authorities have also searched isolation wards and intensive care facilities throughout the state to find those who require treatment or observation.

The health minister of the state ordered ample training of healthcare personnel in infection prevention and control. There is also emphasis on the use of PPE kits, proper treatment protocols, and critical care management.

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a severe and, in most cases, deadly disease caused by viruses predominantly found in Africa. The spread of the disease happens through contact with infected body fluids.

Some symptoms can indicate a possible infection. This includes fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding. This eventually leads to severe complications like bleeding, organ failure, and death. The hosts of the virus are animals like bats, primates, and antelopes.

WHO Says Vaccine Could Take Months

Meanwhile, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Chief said he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic”. He noted that the numbers are expected to rise given the time taken to detect the virus.

The WHO says it could take up to nine months before a vaccine against this particular species of Ebola is ready.

Two possible "candidate vaccines" against the Bundibugyo species are being developed, but neither has gone through clinical trials yet, WHO advisor Dr. Vasee Moorthy said, according to the BBC.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Tedros said 51 cases have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo — where the first case was reported — and two in neighboring Uganda.