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.

India's Supreme Court has revamped guidelines for intensive care units (ICUs) across the country, and the top court has also asked all the states and Union Territories to prepare a “realistic and practical” action plan to implement the guidelines necessary as a minimum standard for intensive care units.

As per the new draft guidelines, set to be implemented from mid-May, patients who are stable and no longer need critical support will be shifted out of ICUs to wards or other care units.

The guidelines, prepared by a three-member court-appointed committee and reviewed by leading medical experts, were endorsed by the apex court as “practical, implementable, and necessary as a minimum standard for an ICU,” The Hindustan Times reported.

A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan said copies of the guidelines should be shared with all the states and UTs.

“Moving further, as an immediate measure, let all the additional chief secretaries/secretaries … heading the department of health and medical education in the states and the UTs, convene a meeting of all experts involved in this exercise to prepare an action plan for implementation of the guidelines. Such a plan shall be realistic and practical,” the bench said in its order.

What Are The Draft Guidelines?

• The guidelines prepared by experts, including AIIMS doctor Nitish Naik, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, and advocate Karan Bharioke as amicus curiae, stressed that doctors’ clinical judgment should guide decisions on the level of care for each patient.

• The guidelines set minimum standards for how ICUs should function. They recommend having one nurse for every two to three patients in basic ICUs, and one nurse per patient in advanced ICUs where patients need multiple organ support, The Times of India reported.

They also call for round-the-clock monitoring by resident doctors working in shifts, under the supervision of specialists with postgraduate qualifications recognized by the National Medical Council.

• The document lists requirements for equipment such as ventilators, oxygen supply systems, patient transport facilities, and bedside utilities. It also lays down norms for infection control, fire safety, record-keeping, and regular audits, the media reports said.

• For capacity, the guidelines suggest that a basic ICU should have six to eight beds, which can be expanded to about 12 beds in hospitals handling more critical cases, depending on the services offered.

The SC bench had urged for a meeting of all concerned to discuss and prepare a final common guideline, which shall then be circulated to all states and UTs.

“A final report/blueprint/recommendation shall be prepared, which shall be placed before this court on the next date,” it said, adding that the entire exercise should be completed within three weeks.

“Let the Ministry of Health, Government of India, formally issue the guidelines placed before us today, to the states and UTs concerned by way of an advisory. A copy of it shall also be uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Health, Government of India,” the bench said, while posting the matter for further hearing on May 18.

Amid the continuously rising temperatures in India’s national capital, the Delhi government has launched several measures, from cool roofing to misting systems at bus stops, to ORS support for schoolchildren, and rest periods for construction workers, to beat the heat.

Delhi Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, who reviewed the Heat Wave Action Plan 2026 and directed officials to ensure its strict implementation, noted that the action plan this year is more scientific and robust than in previous years.

Heatwave in Delhi: IMD Predicts Yellow Alert

The action plan comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows no respite from heat for Delhi.

The agency has issued a yellow alert for today, with heatwave conditions likely at isolated places and maximum temperatures expected to reach 43-45°C. On Sunday, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius, 3.1 degrees above the seasonal average.

However, very light rain is likely towards the afternoon. Partly cloudy skies and very light rain are forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, which is expected to bring a slight drop in maximum temperatures.

Also read: Heatwave in India: Delhi Govt Issues Advisory For Schools, Urges Hydration And Reduced Outdoor Activity

Heatwave Action Plan 2026

• According to a statement issued by the CMO, the government is laying a special focus on school children and supplying ORS to them.

Schools are likely to administer an ORS solution before children leave school, if required, to reduce the risk of dehydration during their commute.

• For construction workers, strict measures will be enforced during peak heat hours. Outdoor work may be halted between 12 noon and 3 p.m. during severe heatwave conditions.

Workers will also be provided with drinking water, caps, and Gamchas coverings for protection against the sun. First-aid kits and ice packs will be made available at worksites when needed.

• The government also launched a ‘Cool Roof Policy 2026’. As part of it, reflective coating has already been applied over nearly 28,674 sq ft at the Kashmere Gate ISBT, helping reduce indoor temperatures.

High-pressure misting systems will be installed at bus stops, while anti-smog guns will be used to cool densely built-up areas.

• Further, the Heatwave Action Plan 2026 has been carried out a detailed scientific assessment of the entire city using satellite data to identify high-risk zones. The action plan will focus on “thermal hotspots”, areas that in 2025 recorded severely high temperatures. This includes

1. Ayanagar (45.5°C)
2. Najafgarh (43.7°C in 2025)
3. Safdarjung (46.8°C in 2023)

1. Sawda,
2. Mubarakpur Dabas,
3. Bhalswa,
4. Nand Nagri,
5. Gokulpuri
6. Bakkarwala.

Read: Is It Flu or Heat Stress? Delhi Doctors Report Rising Fever, Sore Throat Cases Amid Heatwave

• Departments such as the DDA, the Education Department, and the Delhi Jal Board have been asked to ensure water and shade not just for people but also for animals and birds.

• Cool rooms in Hospital

In addition, 39 Quick Response Teams and trained ASHA workers are on standby. Arrangements for cold drinking water and ORS will be made at busy public locations, including bus stops and terminals.

• The Chief Minister has also asked to implement a special priority protocol to ensure an uninterrupted 24x7 power supply to critical facilities such as hospitals, Water Treatment Plants (WTPs), and mobile towers.

While psychedelics—psychoactive substances known to alter perception and mood—have long been sidelined, the US President Donald Trump and his administration are bringing them back to mainstream treatment.

In a significant push, Trump last week signed an executive order where he directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite a review of psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine.

The executive order signed on Saturday is designed to fast-track both research on and access to these drugs. It also includes a $50 million investment in state governments to study how psychedelics might help people struggling with mental health illnesses.

Emerging research shows psychedelics can help improve mental health, especially in conditions where traditional treatment approaches have not been useful. However, these drugs also come with several health risks that cannot be overlooked.

According to FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, ibogaine could “soon” be on track to receive FDA approval once the agency reviews data from late-stage clinical trials, CNN reported.

“Once we have them in-house, we’ll be issuing National Priority Vouchers for a review within one to two months instead of the standard one-year time frame. And that’s because this is a national priority,” Makary said.

“These are potentially promising treatments,” he said. “We’ll see how the data reads out when we get the applications, but we don’t want to waste any time, because this is an urgent matter given the mental health crisis,” the Commissioner said.

Makary noted that if ibogaine gets approved, these will be "given in a controlled, supervised setting in a hospital.”

What Is Ibogaine?

Historical evidence suggests that ibogaine was first used by the Pygmy people in Central Africa as a sacred medium, believed to be a gift from God, which allowed them to reconnect with the divine and the dead.

It was later, during the colonial period, that the communities in the region used the compound for unity and shared experience.

Also read: RFK Jr. And Trump Cabinet Want Psychedelics To Be Legal After FDA Shut Down; What This Means For The Controversial Drug?

It was in 1962 that Ibogaine was first seen as a potential treatment for substance-related disorders by researchers in the US. While studies back then showed promising results, psychedelics were considered controversial and, broadly, “abandoned” by researchers.

Since 1967, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the US has classified ibogaine as a Schedule I controlled drug. Schedule I substances are those that currently have no accepted medical use and have a high potential for abuse. They are also illegal to use.

However, in recent years, ibogaine has garnered several high-profile supporters, including former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and podcast host Joe Rogan.

Is Ibogaine Beneficial? What Are The Health Risks?

As per preliminary research, ibogaine has the potential to alter certain brain pathways, which can improve some mental health conditions, including PTSD, anxiety, or depression.

The executive order is a “great step,” Dr. Kirsten Cherian, a researcher at Stanford University who led a landmark study on ibogaine, was quoted as saying to CNN. Cherian added that the order may open the door to offering the treatment in US research facilities.

“The first step is to be able to do the research at home,” she said. “And it could open up a lot of research possibilities. It is kind of an exciting time.”

As per the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, Ibogaine’s effects are prolonged, beginning a half hour to three hours after ingestion and can last more than 24 hours.

Individuals who have used ibogaine report experiencing a dream-like state with visual and sensory distortions. After the peak effects of the substance abate, users report going through a period of reflection and report having residual effects lasting up to 72 hours that include heightened awareness, mild stimulation, and disturbed sleep.

The hallucinogen is also known to raise the risk of abnormal heart rhythms, which could cause vomiting. This makes the use of the substance particularly risky for individuals with preexisting heart problems. There has been a total of 33 ibogainerelated deaths publicly reported in scientific literature to date.