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.

Ebola has affected more than 1,100 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, according to the African Union's health agency.

Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director General Jean Kaseya said there were 263 confirmed cases in both countries as of Saturday, with 43 confirmed deaths, The Financial Times reported.

On Thursday, the Africa CDC said there had been 246 suspected deaths from the virus.

Brazil Probes Two Suspected Ebola Cases

Meanwhile, Brazil reported two suspected Ebola cases involving people who had travelled from affected countries.

On May 31, local health authorities reported that a man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with suspected Ebola infection in Brazil's São Paulo state tested positive for meningitis, Reuters reported. He had previously presented with a fever after a recent visit to an African country.

The second case emerged in Rio de Janeiro state after a recent travel to Uganda, but the patient tested positive for malaria. In neither case does the diagnosis of other diseases rule out the possibility of Ebola, authorities said, adding that both cases remain under investigation.

In a separate statement, Brazil's Health Ministry said the man in São Paulo has been intubated, and his condition is serious, Reuters reported.

The latest outbreak of Ebola has been caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved treatment or vaccine. It is also known to kill about a third of those infected.

5 Ebola Recoveries

Offering a much-needed sign of hope, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported five Ebola recoveries.

Five patients have recovered from a rare type of Ebola, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the opening of a new Ebola treatment centre in Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri.

“Four people will be discharged today, and there was one who was discharged the day before yesterday,” he said, adding that work is ongoing on “vaccines and treatments, but that doesn’t mean that people cannot recover from Ebola”.

Bundibugyo Strain: Experimental Treatments, Vaccines

Also read: Ebola: Inside India’s RT-PCR Tests For The Bundibugyo Strain| Explained

The WHO has also identified experimental treatments and vaccine candidates for the Bundibugyo strain.

The global health agency convened several expert and advisory groups and recommended prioritizing treatment of Bundibugyo cases with:

• Mapp Biopharmaceutical's MBP134
• Regeneron’s maftivimab
• Gilead Sciences’ antiviral remdesivir

For post-exposure prophylaxis among contacts of confirmed and probable cases, the oral antiviral obeldesivir was identified as a priority candidate.

The expert groups also identified the single-dose rVSV Bundibugyo vaccine, being developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), as the most promising vaccine candidate.

Another vaccine candidate, ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo — being developed by Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India — could potentially become available within 2–3 months for efficacy assessment through a clinical trial. However, additional animal data are still required to support and confirm further prioritization.

The experts also reviewed the potential role of Merck's Ervebo, the only licensed Ebola vaccine currently available.

Developed by the US-based late-stage clinical oncology company Revolution Medicines, daxaronrasib has shown promise in improving survival rates among patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

In a clinical trial, daxaronrasib demonstrated a median overall survival of 13.2 months, compared with 6.7 months for standard chemotherapy.

Experts believe the drug may also prove effective against other cancers, including cancerous tumors in lung and ovaries.

The drug works by targeting mutations in the KRAS gene, which are found across multiple cancer types, including lung, colorectal, ovarian, endometrial and a type of bile duct cancer known as cholangiocarcinoma.

“Daxaronrasib provides a clear and highly meaningful step forward for patients with pancreatic cancer who have experienced progression on prior treatment, typically chemotherapy,” said Brian M. Wolpin, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and principal investigator of the trial.

“Pancreas cancer may be the first for this drug, but there will be others,” he added, noting that “Now the floodgates open.”

What Is Daxaronrasib? How Does It Work?

Also read: Former US Senator Ben Sasse Opens Up About Battle With Terminal Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

Daxaronrasib is a daily oral pill that has demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with standard intravenous chemotherapy.

Described as a multi-selective inhibitor of RAS(ON) proteins, it is the first investigational drug in a new class of RAS inhibitors designed to target a broad spectrum of cancer-causing RAS mutations.

The drug works by blocking KRAS signalling proteins that drive tumor growth.

“It’s been incredibly hard to drug that mutation,” Wolpin said, NBC News reported. “That mutated protein is like a round ball, and you just can’t get the drug to stick to it, to block the effect.” It’s only “through some really amazing chemistry work,” he said, that scientists have been able to develop a drug to work on the mutation.

Daraxonrasib is that first drug. It works by pairing up with a protein called cyclophilin A inside cells, acting like a “molecular glue,” Wolpin said, glomming onto the mutated protein.

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most RAS-dependent cancers, with more than 90 per cent of patients carrying tumours driven by RAS protein mutations. Similar RAS-targeting drugs are also being developed for pancreatic, lung and colon cancers.

“It’s the beginning, not the end,” said Elizabeth Jaffee in comments to The New York Times.

The findings was presented at a plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s meeting in Chicago on May 31, and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Read More: Ozempic-Style Drugs May Slowdown Cancer, Study Finds

What Are The Side Effects?

According to the company, “Daxaronrasib was generally well tolerated, with a manageable safety profile and with no new safety signals.”

Previous studies have shown that rash is the most common side effect. Other frequently reported adverse effects include:

• Mouth sores
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea
• Vomiting

FDA Fast-Tracks Daxaronrasib

Based on the first interim analysis, all progression-free survival and overall survival results are now considered final.

Revolution Medicines said it plans to submit the data to global regulators, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as part of a future New Drug Application under a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again addressed the nation through his monthly radio broadcast, Maan Ki Baat. It was the 134th installment of the broadcast, and the Prime Minister urged the people of India to take extra precautions in summer's scorching heat.

The Prime Minister said, "It is very hot in most parts of the country right now. Strong sun, hot winds, it is very important to take care of yourself in such weather. Keep drinking water. If at all you have to go out in the sun, do so with caution." He added, "Don't forget the guidelines issued by various government departments in this regard."

Then the Prime Minister also addressed traditional food and drinking practices in different parts of the country to stay fit even during the hot summer. He urged the citizens to drink regional traditional drinks to stay hydrated and named popular options like Aam Panna, Sattu sherbet, Kokum sherbet, Sol Kadhi, Panakam, Neer Mor, Sambaram, Bael Pana, and Buttermilk. "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat," he added.

The Prime Minister also mentions mangoes, which are a household summer treat in India. He said, "Every region… its own mango, its own flavor, its own aroma." Then he described these different mangoes and their specialties as well.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mentions the journey of the Indian mangoes from domestic production to the global market.

Easy Tips To Stay Fit During a Heatwave

Drink water consistently at regular intervals instead of gulping large quantities at once. Electrolyte-rich fluids like coconut water, lemon water with a pinch of salt, or buttermilk are healthy, affordable options to soothe parched throats.

Add items like curd, rice, cucumber, and bottle gourd to your diet and avoid red meat and fried foods during peak summer days.

Extreme temperatures put additional stress on the cardiovascular system, especially in people with hypertension, diabetes, or heart conditions. Make sure to take all prescribed medications exactly as advised—don’t skip doses even if you experience heat-induced nausea. If you feel dizzy or experience palpitations or severe fatigue, consult your doctor as soon as possible.

Air conditioning is helpful, but overexposure can lead to dry skin, headaches, and respiratory discomfort. Once every two or three hours, step away from your desk for a few minutes. Walk or stand, and sip some water.