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.

Around 4.9 million people aged 18 years and over (9.8%) smoked cigarettes in the UK in 2025, down from 10.6% in 2024, continuing the long-term decline in smoking, according to the latest report from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).

But as smoking rates fall, vaping has become increasingly common. In Great Britain, around 5.4 million people aged 16 years and over (9.9%) used an e-cigarette daily or occasionally in 2025, according to the ONS Opinions and Lifestyle Survey.

For the second consecutive year, e-cigarette use was higher than cigarette smoking. In 2025, there were around:

• 5.4 million current e-cigarette users
• 4.8 million current smokers

The proportion of adults using e-cigarettes has also increased over the longer term, rising from 6.4% in 2020 to 9.9% in 2025.

Vaping Highest Among 25-34-Year-Olds

Also read: FDA To Speed Up Approval Process For Vapes & Nicotine Pouches: Does It Mean They Are Safer Than Cigarettes?

E-cigarette use was highest among people aged 25 to 34 years, with 16.4% reporting daily or occasional use.Overall, 6.5% of people aged 16 and over reported vaping daily in 2025, slightly down from 6.7% in 2024. Another 3.4% reported occasional use, up from 3.3%.

The ONS data also show that vaping is not limited to current smokers. In 2025, 7.2% of people reported having previously used an e-cigarette, up from 6.6% in 2024, while the proportion who had never used one fell slightly from 83.4% to 83.0%.

What’s In A Vape?

Vaping is often perceived as a cleaner alternative to smoking because e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco. However, the aerosol produced by these devices can contain substances that may affect the lungs and cardiovascular system.

Unlike harmless water vapour, e-cigarette aerosol may contain:

• Nicotine, which is highly addictive
• Heavy metals, including lead, nickel and tin
• Volatile organic compounds, some of which can be harmful
• Flavoring chemicals, which may have different effects when inhaled
• Ultrafine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs

“Inhaling these substances directly into the lungs introduces not just nicotine, but also numerous potentially carcinogenic and lung-damaging compounds,” said Dr. Arun Chowdary Kotaru, Head and Senior Consultant of Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine.

“This is not harm reduction—it’s harm diversification.”

Why Are Non-Smokers Turning To Nicotine?

Vaping was initially promoted as a smoking-cessation aid and is generally considered less harmful than smoking combustible cigarettes. However, e-cigarettes are not risk-free.

The concern is particularly relevant for people who have never smoked. For them, taking up vaping can introduce a new source of nicotine exposure and dependence rather than replacing an existing smoking habit.

“Vaping is not harmless,” warns Dr. Arun. “Even if it may contain fewer toxic chemicals than traditional cigarettes, it still delivers a cocktail of harmful substances that are anything but safe.”

Nicotine exposure is also a concern for adolescents because the brain continues developing into the mid-20s.

“The teenage brain is still developing until around the age of 25,” explains Dr. Kotaru. “Nicotine interferes with areas responsible for learning, impulse control, and mood regulation. Early exposure can also set the stage for a lifelong struggle with addiction, increasing vulnerability to other substance abuse later in life.” .

Raw, unpasteurized milk has gained traction in the US over the past two years despite warnings about its health risks. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has renewed its call for a ban on the sale and distribution of raw milk and dairy products, including raw cheeses.

Recent cases have highlighted the risks associated with raw milk. Two California girls — 17-month-old Brooklyn and 6-year-old Victoria — were hospitalized with near-fatal E. coli infections after drinking raw goat milk. Hundreds of people have fallen ill across nine states in the past two years after consuming raw milk or products made from it.

“Claims that raw milk provides superior health benefits are not supported by scientific evidence,” the AAP said.

Raw Milk Riskier For Children, Pregnant People

Also read: Drinking Raw Milk Hospitalizes 2 Young Girls in US With Nearly Fatal E. Coli Infection: Health Risks Explained

In a policy statement published online ahead of print in the November 2026 issue of Pediatrics, the AAP said unpasteurized milk, cheese and other raw dairy products are unsafe, particularly for young children and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

“Nearly half of illnesses caused by raw dairy consumption occur in people under age 20 – and a significant share of those cases are in children under 5,” said Adam J. Ratner, MD, MPH, FAAP, lead author.

“These illnesses can be severe and lead to life-threatening complications. Pasteurization … dramatically reduces the risks without taking away the nutritional value families rely on.”

H5N1 Adds To Raw Milk Concerns

The updated guidance also highlights H5N1, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, as an emerging risk associated with raw milk. Sales and distribution of raw milk remain legal in at least 27 states.

The virus can be transmitted from infected dairy cattle into milk, where it can reach high concentrations and remain detectable in refrigerated raw milk for up to five weeks.

During the 2024 US dairy outbreak, infectious H5N1 was detected in nearly one-quarter of raw milk samples in affected areas. However, FDA and USDA testing of commercial pasteurized milk found no viable virus, showing that high-temperature, short-time (HTST) pasteurization neutralizes H5N1.

No human cases of H5N1 infection from consuming raw milk have been confirmed to date, but the AAP considers it a credible emerging threat.

Read More: Second Plague Death Reported As Russia Denies Outbreak

Raw Milk Can Carry Dangerous Pathogens

Unpasteurized milk can contain Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Brucella. These infections can cause severe illness, hospitalization, miscarriage and death, particularly among young children, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems.

Listeriosis is estimated to be 12 to 14 times more common during pregnancy than in the general population and can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or severe illness in newborns.

AAP Says Pasteurized Dairy Is Safest

“Parents may choose raw milk because they have heard it is healthier or more natural, but the scientific evidence tells a different story,” said Mark R. Corkins, MD, FAAP, co-author of the policy statement.

“Pasteurized dairy products provide the same essential nutrients without exposing children and families to preventable infections from dangerous bacteria and viruses. For infants, children and pregnant people, pasteurized dairy products are clearly the safest choice.”

Women living with HIV are six times more likely to be infected with HPV. They are also twice as likely to die from invasive cervical cancer. Hence, a recent study published in The Lancet HIV has sparked hope after it found that HPV vaccine can provide long-term safety to women living with HIV.

Emphasising on the importance of HPV vaccination among women in this sub-section, the study followed women with HIV for 9 years after they received HPV vaccine, becoming the longest study that analyses how this vaccine works in this population. Until now, researchers had limited evidence about how this vaccine's efficacy on women with HIV.

About The HPV Vaccination Study On Women With HIV

Also read: India-Made HPV Vaccine CERVAVAC Gets WHO Prequalification: Serum Institute

A team of researchers from the UBC Faculty of Medicine followed 293 Canadian women with HIV through 14 HIV and gynecological treatment clinics across the country. They found that the vaccine evoked a strong immune response that persisted for a long time.

The rates of HPV infection and genital warts were very low among women who received all the three doses did not already have the strains of HPV targeted by the vaccine.

Additionally, no participants developed serious precancerous changes to the cervix caused by those HPV strains.

Maintaining an undetectable HIV viral load was also crucial for sustaining HPV antibody levels over time, according to the researchers. The finding highlighted the importance of continued access to appropriate HIV treatment and care.

“We’ve known for some time that HPV vaccines are safe and highly effective, but we didn’t have long-term evidence to show how lasting that protection is for women living with HIV,” said first author Dr. Elisabeth McClymont, assistant professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology and department of pediatrics. “Our findings are incredibly reassuring. Even in a population whose immune systems can be affected by HIV, vaccination provided strong protection against HPV infection and cervical cancer for many years.”

Worldwide HIV Burden In Women

Also read: H. pylori, HPV Among Five Infections Behind 1 In 8 Cancers Worldwide: Lancet

The findings have significant relevance globally as almost 20 million women and girls are living with HIV worldwide. It is also uneven as regions like sub-Saharan Africa face a heavier burden with limited access to cervical cancer screening and treatment.

“Cervical cancer is preventable, yet it continues to take lives in Canada and around the world, particularly in places where HIV rates are higher and access to screening and prevention is limited,” said senior author Dr. Deborah Money, professor and head of the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology. “We now have concrete evidence that HPV vaccination works very well for women living with HIV over the long term. Making this vaccine more accessible and acceptable for those who need it most can help us prevent unnecessary deaths and move closer to eliminating cervical cancer globally.”

HPV & Cervical Cancer

Most cervical cancer cases are caused by infection from oncogenic types of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection which can affect the throat, skin, genitals, and anal region.

Persistent HPV infection may lead to precancerous changes in the cervix, which if left untreated, is most likely to result in cervical cancer within a span of two decades. Women with HIV, with weakened immune systems, may develop cervical cancer within 5 to 10 years.

According to the World Health Organisation, cervical cancer is the fifth most diagnosed cancer forms among women. In 2024, more than 600,000 cases and 280,000 deaths were reported. The health body emphasises on prevention through HPV vaccination and regular screening.