As per the latest data released by Transforming Access to Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) and the Policy Institute at King's College London, the number of UK students reporting mental health difficulties tripled. The estimate reveals that around 300,000 students could now be experiencing mental health struggles. Of the total, 18% of students reported some kind of mental health issue in 2024.

As per the reports, this estimate is triple what was reported in 2017, where it was at 6%. Experts also say that Covid-19 pandemic is "often considered to have contributed to this, it does not explain the ongoing rise in mental health difficulties." Another reason could also be the "changing definition and increasing openness about mental health" which has led to a rise in numbers. The report notes, "This trend pre-dates the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Although these factors play a part in students' deteriorating mental health, they cannot therefore be the only explanation."

How Did The Report Conclude?

The report drew data collected over the latest Student Academic Experience Survey of 93,212 students. From the survey, it was found that there exist significant disparities between demographic groups, with women being twice as likely to report mental health difficulties, about 22% as compared to men, at 11%.

What Did The Results Reveal?

The results revealed that students who identified as LGBTQ experienced the highest rates of mental health challenges. This has actually lessened the hope that conditions for LGBTQ students are improving, which may not have been a positive case.

Of them, 42% are bisexual and lesbian students, whereas last year it was 35% and 32% respectively. The report also noted that mental health difficulties among lesbian women and gay men rose three times the rate of straight people, and among bisexual and asexual people, it was twice as high. For trans students, the number jumped from 25% in 2023 to 40% in 2024.

Is The LGBTQ+ Prone To Mental Health Crisis?

As per the Child Mind Institute, being LGBTQ+ does not cause mental health problems, but because these kids often face factors like rejection, discrimination and violence, they are at a higher risk of challenges including depression, anxiety, and even attempting suicide.

A UTAH Health study quotes Anna Docherty, PhD, LP, assistant professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute that, "likely with any identity, feeling different - or worse, unaccepted as you are is a significant risk factor of mental health struggle." The data reveals that LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than non-LGBTQ+ identifying teens. They are also more than twice as likely to feel suicidal and more than four times as likely to attempt suicide. In the US alone, 48% of transgender adults report that they have considered suicide in the last year, compared to 4% of the overall population.

What Do These Findings Mean?

TASO's academic lead and professor of public policy at King's College London, Michael Sanders said, "LGBTQ students and women bear the brunt of the rise in declining mental health and urgent action is needed to understand and address these trends."

The United States is once again witnessing a surge in norovirus infections, a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea.

Media reports noted that hikers along Southern California's Pacific Crest Trail have been hit by a fast-spreading outbreak of what is often referred to as the "winter vomiting disease".

At least two dozen hikers have fallen ill along the trail over the past two weeks, resulting in at least one air rescue. Health officials believe the cases are linked to norovirus, USA Today reported.

Wastewater Data Shows Rising Activity

According to data from WastewaterSCAN, a Stanford University-led program that tracks disease activity through wastewater testing, norovirus activity was "high" and on an upward trend nationwide in late May.

The surveillance data showed norovirus was detected in 100 per cent of samples collected during May, with concentrations particularly high in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the country.

CDC Reports Increase In Cases

Also read: Western Australia Records 22 Mpox Infections In 2026; Seven Reported Last Week

In addition, the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System also showed that norovirus cases have increased over several weeks following a sharp seasonal decline that began in March.

About 11.2 per cent of administered norovirus tests returned positive during the week ending April 28. That figure rose to 12 per cent in the week ending May 2.

Norovirus is commonly associated with the colder months, when respiratory illnesses such as flu and the common cold are widespread.

However, health experts note that late-spring increases in norovirus activity are not unusual, and outbreaks can occur throughout the year due to the virus's highly contagious nature, the report said.

What Is Norovirus And Its Common Symptoms?

Norovirus causes viral gastroenteritis, sometimes called “stomach flu” or a “stomach bug,” though it isn’t related to influenza. As per Mayo Clinic, it consists of several strains of RNA viruses that inflame the stomach and intestines, causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Symptoms usually appear one to two days after exposure and often include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting (non-bloody)
• Watery diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Dehydration (rare but possible)
• Fever
• Headache
• Body aches

Most people recover within one to three days, though they can still spread the virus for up to two weeks after feeling better.

Read More: John Barnes, Bobby Davro Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer Even As UK Rules Out Universal Screening

Who Gets Norovirus?

Anyone can get infected. Norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in the US, affecting all ages. Young children, older adults, pregnant people, and individuals with existing health conditions are more vulnerable.

How Does Norovirus Spread?

Norovirus spreads very easily. It survives well in the environment, and only a minuscule amount is enough to infect someone. In fact, just a few particles on the head of a pin can infect over 1,000 people.

Exposure can happen through:

• Eating contaminated water or food, especially leafy greens, fresh fruit, and shellfish like oysters
• Contact with vomit or fecal particles from someone who is infected, either by touching them directly or by touching contaminated surfaces, utensils, or toys.

Two researchers working at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been charged with allegedly bringing a deactivated mpox virus into the United States from the Republic of the Congo without a permit.

In a statement, the Department of Justice said Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, from the NIH's Rocky Mountain Laboratory, were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States and making false statements to federal law enforcement agencies.

"These NIH experts apparently broke our laws by smuggling viral pathogens on a packed commercial airplane from an outbreak in the Republic of Congo. Let that sink in," said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.

Who Are The Researchers?

According to the criminal complaint, Vincent Munster, 53, a citizen of the Netherlands, is the Chief of the Virus Ecology Section in the Laboratory of Virology at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton, Montana.

Claude Kwe, 38, a citizen of Cameroon, is a research fellow in Munster's section.

Both researchers worked on emerging viral pathogens and how those pathogens cross the species barrier. They work at a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory, which employs the highest level of biosafety precautions for scientific research involving known and potential human pathogens.

Also read: Western Australia Records 22 Mpox Infections In 2026; Seven Reported Last Week

What Did The Researchers Allegedly Carry?

According to the US Department of Justice, the researchers were carrying a large black plastic case containing 113 vials when they arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport from the Republic of the Congo on January 25, this year. Congo was experiencing a monkeypox outbreak at the time.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspected and interviewed the researchers, who were carrying a large black plastic case.

"Munster and Kwe falsely told CBP officers that the black case contained diagnostics and testing equipment," the Department of Justice alleged. But when the FBI and CBP inspected the case and found 113 vials.

As per the investigators:

• 17 of the first 20 tested vials contained deactivated mpox virus
• 1 vial contained chickenpox virus
• 2 vials contained human DNA

Investigation Ongoing

"No researchers should believe their positions, credentials, or professional status place them above the law," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office.

"The allegations in this case are serious. They involve the dangerous and unlawful smuggling of deactivated Mpox virus into the United States and alleged efforts to mislead our federal agents," she added.

Read More: Bangladesh's Measles Crisis Deepens: Nearly 600 Children Dead Since March, Infections Set To Surge

Marcus L. Sykes, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG), said that "any deliberate effort to conceal and smuggle biological materials into the United States without proper authorization was a breach of public trust and could have placed the public at risk".

As per the officials, Munster and Kwe each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted. The investigation remains ongoing.

What Is Mpox?

Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox.

The virus spreads through close physical contact with an infected person, contaminated materials, or infected animals.

The illness generally lasts between two and four weeks and resolves on its own. However, severe disease can occur, particularly in children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

Complications may include secondary infections, respiratory problems, and, in rare cases, death.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) — a progressive condition in which the kidneys become permanently damaged and lose their ability to filter blood effectively — affects an estimated 788 million to 844 million adults worldwide, according to new research published by The Lancet journal today.

The three-part research series, led by global teams from India, the UK, China, Austria, and other countries, projects CKD to become the fifth leading cause of death globally by 2040.

Experts identified limited access to testing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the absence of symptoms in the early stages of the disease, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases as key factors driving the rise in CKD cases worldwide. They also called for sustained investment in diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare infrastructure to address the growing challenge.

CKD: Underdiagnosis and Lack of Symptoms

The researchers stressed that significant underdiagnosis of chronic kidney disease is a key factor endangering millions of patients worldwide.

Another concern is that mild and moderate stages of the disease often go undetected. Symptoms may develop only in the most severe stages, close to the time when dialysis or a kidney transplant may be required. Without successful treatment, the condition can be fatal.

The lack of symptoms likely contributes to low rates of diagnosis and awareness, said the experts in the research.

"Chronic kidney disease remains one of the most concerning conditions currently impacting global health. The overriding message from our series of research papers is that there remains a pressing need for attention and resources to be focused on this condition," said lead author Dr. Jennifer Lees, Senior Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK.

Also read:16 Million Indians Die Due To Hypertension Every Year: AIIMS Doc

"There is huge potential to improve early diagnosis, treatment, and healthy lifespan by testing urine for protein routinely across a range of healthcare settings. This may be particularly important in those most at risk of underdiagnosis, including non-white populations and women," she added.

CKD And NCD Burden

The three research papers, presented at the ongoing European Renal Association Congress in Glasgow, Scotland, highlight that diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular disease are among the major drivers of CKD, with the risk of developing the disease increasing with age.

While CKD can affect anyone, it is more common in people who are Black or of South Asian origin. Compared with those without the condition, people with chronic kidney disease are more likely to be hospitalized, develop complications while in hospital, and be readmitted.

The studies also highlighted differences in diagnosis and treatment between men and women, alongside the need for integrated approaches to CKD prevention and treatment across a range of healthcare settings.

Read More: Emma Barnett: It Took 21 Years To Diagnose My Endometriosis

Call For Greater Investment In Kidney Care

The experts called for a renewed focus on CKD diagnosis and treatment.

"Chronic kidney disease affects 844 million people worldwide, yet access to even basic kidney testing remains deeply uneven," said Professor Luxia Zhang from Peking University, China.

"Advances in biomarkers, biopsy, and genetic testing now allow us to understand why an individual has kidney disease, not just that they have it. Realizing this benefit for patients everywhere will require sustained investment in diagnostics, laboratory capacity, and workforce," Zhang added.