Pakistan continues to be dealing with a polio outbreak as four fresh cases have emerged, pushing the national tally to 37 this year, according to health officials on October 19, 2024. Health officials said that the regional reference laboratory for polio eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed wild poliovirus type-1 (WPV1) in two children-one from each Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

In recent cases, a girl has been affected from Pishin, and two boys from Chaman and Noshki of Balochistan, and a girl from Lakki Marwat in KP. These are the first detections of the virus within Noshki and Lakki Marwat this year; isolated cases of poliovirus were previously reported within Chaman and Pishin. The province of Balochistan was the worst hit with 20 cases, Sindh had 10, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had five, and Punjab and Islamabad had one case each.

A gigantic fight against polio has been on going in Pakistan- especially in Balochistan and southern KP-over the last two years. Immunisation campaigns have often been suspended or delayed because of local protests, insecurity, and community boycotts. Consequently, quite a number of children did not get the necessary vaccinations, making existing patches of vulnerability for the virus to flow within those pockets.

Noshki, located near Afghanistan's border, and Lakki Marwat have also recently reported some positive environmental samples that confirm the virus is present here, said a local reference laboratory official. Samples of latest cases are currently under genetic sequencing for checking spread of virus and origin.

As the threat of polio continues to grow, Pakistan has vowed to mount a nationwide campaign against it beginning from October 28. With the zeal to tackle the menace in the most effective manner, over 45 million children under the age of five will be vaccinated across the country.

Today, Afghanistan and Pakistan remain one of the few countries where polio has not yet been eradicated. The WHO said the virus remains a potential serious public health threat in areas with low vaccination coverage and weak surveillance.

India On Alert Against Polio

The country declared itself polio-free since 2014 and has kept the disease on bay almost a decade with very robust vaccination programs; however, two cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus cases reported in recent days from Meghalaya create some amount of doubts over a possible resurgence. Experts observe that in India, despite these detections taking place, strong coverage of vaccination at 90-95% and mandatory surveillance measures keep the risk of this widespread outbreak at bay.

The experts point out, however, that such stable situation in India requires continued surveillance. "Countries like Pakistan and parts of Africa remain at a high risk because vaccination rates in those areas are much lower," Dr. Siddharth, public health expert, said. Vaccination is an indispensable act in order to avoid the spread of this incapacitating disease that manifests most importantly as a nervous system affliction leading to the paralysis of a long period.

With concerted efforts from health authorities, there is hope someday that the scourge of polio will be completely eradicated from the face of the earth and future generations will never suffer from its effects.

Amid the scare of hantavirus infection, US health officials informed that they are investigating a potential case in an Illinois resident.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) noted that the incident is not linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak.

MV Hondius had 18 American nationals, and all have been medically evacuated back to the US. While 16 people are in Nebraska at the nation's only national quarantine unit, two people are being monitored in Atlanta.

In a statement, the IDPH said that the person “lives in Winnebago County, has not travelled internationally, and has not come in contact with individuals associated with the MV Hondius outbreak”.

Officials suspect that the possible hantavirus infection in the Illinois person to be a case of the North American strain of the virus while cleaning a home where rodent droppings were present.

“Unlike the Andes strain of Hantavirus responsible for the cruise outbreak, the North American strains are not known to spread from person to person. The risk of contracting Hantavirus of any kind remains very low for Illinois residents,” the officials said.

However, they added that the CDC is conducting additional testing to confirm that the resident is positive for Hantavirus. CDC staff told IDPH its confirmatory test result could take up to 10 days to complete.

Hantavirus Cases In The US

Excluding this latest potential case, Illinois has had 7 positive cases of Hantavirus since 1993, most recently in March 2025.

Since surveillance began in 1993, the US has recorded 890 cases of Hantavirus over 30 years (1993-2023)

The Hantavirus strain most commonly seen in the US is caused by exposure to rodent droppings and is NOT contagious from person to person.

The rodent species (long-tailed pygmy rice rat) known to carry the Andes strain of the virus in South America does not live in the U.S.

First Case Of Hantavirus Diagnosed In Israel

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Earlier, a case of hantavirus was also reported from Israel, that was not linked to the MV Hondius ship.

The case in Israel, reported by the local newspaper Maariv, is believed to have been infected during a stay in Eastern Europe several months ago. It is reportedly not linked to the ongoing outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

The patient underwent an antibody test after the symptoms appeared, which showed exposure to hantavirus, the report said. A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test was then conducted to detect the virus’s genetic material, confirming the infection, the report said.

The patient was said to be in stable condition, not in need of intensive care or strict isolation, and was being kept under medical observation.

Details about the patient and the medical center where the diagnosis was made could not yet be published, but have been reported to the country's Health Ministry.

Will Hantavirus Become A Public Health Threat?

Also read: Fact Check: Can Ivermectin Help Treat Hantavirus?

Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, droppings, and saliva, though rare cases of person-to-person transmission have also been reported.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 11 cases — including three deaths — have been confirmed so far. However, additional suspected and confirmed cases are continuing to emerge across countries.

“At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Chief, in the latest media briefing.

However, he said that the situation could still change.

“Given the long incubation period of the virus, we might see more cases in the coming weeks,” he said.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition affecting more than 170 million women worldwide, has now been officially renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), according to a global study published today in The Lancet.

The new name reflects a major shift in understanding the condition — from being viewed primarily as a gynecological disorder to being recognized as a complex, multisystem condition affecting several aspects of health.

The new term PMOS acknowledges that the condition involves:

• Endocrine health
• Metabolic health
• Reproductive health
• Dermatological health
• Psychological health

“For too long, the narrow definition of PCOS has overlooked its metabolic and hormonal complexity, leaving many patients undiagnosed or misunderstood,” Cree added.

Why Was PCOS Renamed To PMOS?

Calls to rename PCOS date back to the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2012, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommended a name change after experts concluded that the term PCOS was misleading and confusing for both patients and healthcare providers.

“The name focuses on a criterion — polycystic ovarian morphology — which is neither necessary nor sufficient to diagnose the syndrome,” NIH experts wrote in the report.

Although PCOS has long been understood as a metabolic condition, experts said the name inaccurately narrowed its scope and overemphasized ovarian cysts and fertility issues.

This often led to:

• Delayed diagnoses
• Fragmented care
• Stigma
• Missed opportunities for early intervention

How Was The Name Change Decided?

The renaming process involved consultations with thousands of patients and healthcare professionals across the world.

The effort was supported by 56 academic, clinical, and patient organizations.

Experts said the transition from PCOS to PMOS will occur over the next three years through a phased global implementation strategy.

What Does PMOS Mean?

The new name aims to explain the condition more accurately and comprehensively.

Polyendocrine means it affects multiple hormones in the body.

Metabolic refers to issues linked to weight, insulin, blood sugar, and heart health.

Ovarian highlights its impact on ovulation and reproductive health.

Syndrome refers to a group of symptoms occurring together.

In simple terms, PMOS is a hormonal and metabolic condition that can affect periods, fertility, skin, mood, weight, and long-term health.

Experts said the new terminology intends to:

• Reflect the condition’s hormonal complexity
• Acknowledge its strong metabolic and cardiometabolic effects
• Continue emphasizing ovarian involvement without over-focusing on fertility

According to the study, PMOS could also:

• Promote earlier and more accurate diagnosis
• Support more holistic, patient-centered care
• Reduce stigma associated with fertility-focused terminology
• Expand research into metabolic and systemic impacts

Hantavirus cases have climbed to 11, including three deaths, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today.

During a media briefing on hantavirus, Tedros stated that all eleven cases are among passengers or crew members onboard the MV Hondius.

Also Read: Hantavirus Can Linger Indoors, Spread Through Contaminated Dust, Says Infectious Disease Expert

“Nine of the eleven have been confirmed as Andes virus, and the other two are probable,” he added.

All suspected and confirmed cases have been isolated and managed under strict medical supervision, minimizing any risk of further transmission.

Tedros said individual countries were now responsible for their citizens after the evacuation, adding: “I hope they will take care of the patients and the passengers, helping them and also protecting their citizens as well. That’s what we expect.”

Will Hantavirus Become A Public Health Threat?

Noting that “at the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak,” Tedros said the situation could still change.

“Given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks,” he said.

Acclaimed vaccine scientist Prof. Peter Hotez from the Texas Medical Center (TMC) also said more cases could emerge, but ruled out the risk of a major epidemic.

“We might see additional cases, but I don't think this will be a major epidemic beyond the obvious human tragedy of those who lost their lives, and possibly a few others who could still get very sick,” he said in a post on social media platform X.

“New World hantavirus infections are rough stuff. Once symptoms begin, the resulting cytokine storm and ARDS means there's not much of a window before getting patients into an ICU, and often on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), which requires a high level of skill,” Prof. Peter said.

He also linked increasing zoonotic spillovers and rising arthropod-borne illnesses to “climate change pushing animal reservoirs to explore new habitats, together with deforestation and urbanization.”

“It's animals and vectors closer to humans and people coming closer to animals and vectors,” he added.

“I don't think this particular hantavirus outbreak will accelerate much beyond where it is now, but that's not the point.”

Dutch Hospital Quarantines 12 Healthcare Workers

Meanwhile, Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) in the Netherlands has placed 12 employees in quarantine for six weeks as a precaution after incorrect procedures were followed while caring for a hantavirus-infected patient from the Dutch cruise ship.

The hospital said on Monday that the issue involved procedures for drawing and processing blood samples, as well as the disposal of the patient's urine, according to Xinhua news agency.

Also read: Fact Check: Can Ivermectin Help Treat Hantavirus?

“This blood was processed according to standard procedure. Due to the nature of the virus, this blood should have been processed according to a stricter procedure,” Radboudumc said in a statement, without specifying what the stricter measures should have entailed.

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WHO Guidelines On Hantavirus

The WHO recommends that people exposed to hantavirus should be:

• Monitored actively at a specified quarantine facility
• Monitored at home for 42 days from the last exposure