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."

Even as India’s flagship health insurance program, Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), has significantly benefited cancer patients in the country, oncologists and health economists led by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in a new study have urged for including early cancer detection in its coverage.

AB PM-JAY has, since its launch in 2018, provided crucial financial protection and timely access, reducing financial burden as well as out-of-pocket expenditure for people from poor and vulnerable families suffering from the deadly condition.

However, the study, led by Dr. Abhishek Shankar, an assistant professor in the department of radiation oncology at AIIMS, Delhi, flagged a huge gap between current and required funding.

While AB PM-JAY currently allocates about Rs 7,700 crore per year for cancer, the full five-year Standard of Care (SoC) for cancer, including diagnostics, surgery, targeted drugs, radiotherapy, and follow-up, would require an estimated Rs 33,000 crore annually, revealed the study.

"Better cancer care is not only about spending more, but it is also about spending smarter, especially where early detection and diagnosis and well-designed coverage can prevent both late-stage suffering and catastrophic costs,” said Dr. Shankar.

"This will be a useful strategic shift away from purely increasing budgets toward optimizing care pathways and resource allocation, and also prioritizing early detection," he added.

How AB PM-JAY Has Benefitted Cancer Patients In India

AB PM-JAY, the world’s largest publicly funded health insurance scheme, was launched in 2018 to provide health cover to 55 crore people, corresponding to 12.34 crore poor and vulnerable families.

The government covers up to 5 lakh rupees for treatment such as chemotherapy for breast, ovarian, colorectal, cervical and bone cancers.

As per the latest data from the Health Ministry, India has seen a significant rise in the cancer burden, with the cases rising to 1,569,793 in 2025.

AB PM-JAY has reportedly provided cover for over 68 lakh cancer treatments, worth around Rs 13,000 crore.

What The Study Proposes

1. The study proposed to add the five-year Standard of Care (SoC) for cancer under the AB-PMJAY program. It said that, including diagnosis and treatment:

• will save about Rs 1,500 crore annually
• lead to 1,560 additional survivors per year

2. A five-year "revolving ceiling" of Rs 25 lakh per family, instead of the current Rs 5 lakh annual cap

3. A top-up facility of Rs 10 lakh for high-stage cancers

4. Adding diagnostic coverage and screening support

5. Integrating screening and diagnostics via Health and Wellness Centers under the National Health Mission

"India needs a more balanced framework for evaluating cancer innovations, one that considers not only cost but also the value delivered to patients, society and the health system," said Dr Monika Puri, Public Health Expert.

"Eligible funds for cancer patients should be advanced in the first year itself so that they can complete the intensive treatments and therapies required during the initial phase," said Dr. Sudha Chandrashekhar, Former Executive Director, National Health Authority. She suggested that such support could later be adjusted against entitlement in subsequent years.

Changes in environmental conditions are driving bee sting deaths in India’s northeastern state Assam, warned a scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

While rare and preventable, Assam sees about 15–20 deaths every year due to bee envenomation, Dr. Surajit Giri, a snakebite specialist and researcher with the ICMR Zero Snakebite Death Project, was quoted as saying to The Sentinel.

"A massive bee attack can cause instant death. Although Assam does not have accurate statistics, various sources suggest that approximately 15–20 people die every year in the state from such incidents. Importantly, many of these deaths are preventable — if both the public and healthcare providers remain alert and informed," Dr. Giri said.

He added that “changing environmental conditions are pushing bee attack cases” in the state.

Bee Sting Deaths In India: Why The Cases Are Rising?

In February, a 65-year-old umpire died while several players were injured after a swarm of bees attacked them during a cricket match in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district.

In 2025, a 62-year-old man in Kolkata’s Durgapur died after being stung by a swarm of bees 890 times. There are several such cases being reported from different parts of the country.

The mounting cases are an ecological warning and is directly linked to environmental stress, Dr. Ankit Upadhyaya, an entomologist at the Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, was quoted as saying to the Hindustan Times.

“Bees are struggling to find food,” he explained, even as "soaring temperatures and erratic rainfall" due to climate change have severely disrupted the “flowering cycle".

Fewer blooms mean nectar shortages, which leave bee colonies "starved, hypersensitive and primed for defense".

In such a scenario, disturbance by pedestrians, by traffic, by construction, and by birds results in aggression.

What Happens In Case Of A Bee Sting? How To Treat

A 2021 study, published in the BMJ Case Reports, explained that a bee sting typically leads to anaphylaxis -- a severe, rapid, and potentially fatal systemic allergic reaction occurring within seconds or minutes of exposure to venom.

Other major complications include

• acute renal (Kidney) failure,
• intravascular coagulation (abnormal blood clotting),
• rhabdomyolysis (rapid skeletal muscle breakdown)
• acute pulmonary oedema (excess fluid buildup in lungs)

Dr. Giri said that a bee sting can turn fatal rapidly because stingers left in the skin continue to inject venom slowly even after the attack ends. He urged the need to sensitize healthcare workers, especially those working in rural areas, about medication for bee sting patients.

Dr. Giri advised that if anyone gets caught in a bee attack:

• Do not jump into a water body as bees will continue to wait above the surface.
• Seek shelter in dense vegetation
• Use fingernails to remove stingers, opposite to their angle of entry.
• Do not squeeze or forcefully pull stingers, as this can inject more venom.
• Wash affected areas gently with soap and water,
• Seek medical care immediately,
• Remain under observation for at least 24 hours.

More than 150 people on board a Princess cruise ship which was touring the Caribbean have become ill with norovirus. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the total number to be 153, The CDC noted that 104 of them were passengers, while 49 were crew members. The outbreak was reported on Wednesday.

CDC noted that the Star Princess was a one-week voyage that ended Sunday and passengers and crew members were experiencing symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.

Princess Cruises noted additional rounds of cleaning and disinfection which were done and ill passengers and crew members were isolated. Staff also consulted with CDC on best practices for eliminating the highly contagious and long-lasting virus - norovirus.

What Is Norovirus?

Also called the bug outbreak, it is caused by the group of viruses that cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. As per the UK Health Security Agency, data for the 2024-25 season in England shows that norovirus laboratory reports are notably higher than the 5-season average.

The data also shows that norovirus typically increases through autumn and into winter, however, this year, an unusual rise has been noticed. The Hospital Norovirus Outbreak Reporting System (HNORS) is showing more outbreaks than average.

Dr Luke Powles, Associate Clinical Director, Health Clinics Bupa Global and UK also explained that this virus is also called the winter vomiting bug and is "one of the most common stomach bugs in the UK. It is highly contagious, so spreads easily". The doctor also notes that while the name suggest 'winter', you can get it any time of the year, though it is most common in colder months.

How Do You Get The Virus?

For most people, having norovirus is unpleasant, but mild and recovery could be made in 1 to 2 days. However, it could be more serious for babies, older people and anyone with any existing health condition.

Anyone can get the virus by accidentally getting particles of virus in your mouth and ingesting it. These particles are from feces or vomit from infected people, or can be transmitted via contaminated food and water. It could also spread by touching unclean surfaces like door handles or cutlery.

It is also the No.1 cause of foodborne illness in the US and first occurred in Norwalk, Ohio, in a school in 1968. This is why the first strain is named after the location and is called the Norwalk virus.

It is the main cause of gastroenteritis. The common symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Projectile vomiting
• Watery diarrhea

Usually it lasts for up to 2 days, though for anyone as mentioned above with an existing health condition, or babies who do not yet have a fully developed immune systems, children and older people may be at more risk. If your symptoms are not relieved in 2 days, or it worsens, or you have a serious illness, it is best to consult your doctor.