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.

Nearly nine out of every 10 Indian adults have at least one abnormal blood lipid level, according to a recent nationwide study by ICMR-INDIAB.

The findings highlighted a massive looming public health crisis that could increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases across the country in the near future.

India’s Silent Cholesterol Crisis

The findings, which were reported between July 17 and July 19, 2026, reveal that dyslipidemia, an unhealthy imbalance of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, affects an alarming number of Indian adults.

Despite being preventable and treatable, the condition often remains undiagnosed because it presents with little to no symptoms until serious complications surface.

The study was conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research’s India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) in what is one of the country’s largest community-based metabolic health surveys, involving over 113,000 adults from different states and Union Territories.

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Women And Urban Residents At Greater Risk

According to the study, women, those living in urban areas, and residents of Central India carried a disproportionately higher burden of abnormal lipid levels.

Researchers also found that dyslipidemia was significantly more common among people with prediabetes or diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

These metabolic conditions substantially increasing the risk of various cardiovascular diseases and complications.

What Is Dyslipidemia?

Dyslipidemia refers to unhealthy levels of fats circulating in the bloodstream. These include:

• High LDL (bad) cholesterol, which contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries.
• Low HDL (good) cholesterol, reducing the body’s ability to remove excess cholesterol.
• High triglycerides, another blood fat that contributes to cardiovascular disease and pancreatitis.
• Elevated total cholesterol

ICMR-INDIAB programme has already shown that lipid disorders remain one of the concerning health risks. However, the latest study highlights just how serious the problem has become, with nearly 90% of adults exhibiting at least one lipid abnormality.

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Why Is India Facing A Cholesterol Crisis?

Factors like rapid urbanisation, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, obesity and rising diabetes rates are likely contributing to the worsening burden of cholesterol.

Unlike many chronic diseases, dyslipidemia can be managed through early detection and lifestyle change. Doctors recommend the following preventive measures:

• Regular lipid profile screening, especially after age 30 or earlier for high-risk individuals.
• Maintaining a healthy body weight.
• Exercising regularly.
• Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats while limiting saturated and trans fats.
• Managing diabetes and blood pressure.
• Taking cholesterol-lowering medications such as statins when prescribed.

India has witnessed a steady rise in metabolic disorders over the past two decades, with cases of diabetes, obesity, hypertension and abnormal cholesterol increasingly surging.

Researchers warn that unless preventive measures are strengthened and strict lifestyle changes adopted, the country could face an even greater burden of heart disease and other related disorders in the future.

Climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike has entered a critical stage. After 20 days of without food, Wangchuk's condition worsened significantly. The spectacle drew nationwide attention as concerns over his deteriorating health continue to grow.

The protest, which began on June 28 at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, is aimed at demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in national entrance examinations like NEET and broader education reforms.

Wangchuk has experienced substantial weight loss ever since his hunger strike started. Doctors also warned that prolonged fasting could lead to serious complications, including organ involvement.

Sonam Wangchuk's Hospitalisation & 'Chalo Sansad' March

On July 18, Delhi Police shifted Sonam Wangchuk from the protest site to Safdarjung Hospital following medical advice and court-directed health monitoring. The move sparked controversy, with supporters alleging that he was moved to the hospital against his wishes.

According to the hospital, he’s receiving the necessary medical care, and his vital parameters remain stable.

“Sonam Wangchuk is being given the required medical intervention at VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital. His vital parameters are stable at present; however, his blood parameters remain marginally altered, and considering the physiological stress and systemic effects of prolonged fasting, he requires continuous medical care under the close observation of a multidisciplinary team of experts", the hospital's spokesperson said.

Despite being hospitalised, Wangchuk has remained firm on continuing his fast. In a handwritten note that was shared on his official X handle, he urged supporters to participate in the planned "Chalo Sansad" march on July 20.

When Does Hunger Strike Become Medically Concerning?

Also read: Watch: What Really Happens To Your Body After 72 Hours Without Food?

With Wangchuk's health continuing to deteriorate, his protest has renewed public interest in the medical dangers of prolonged hunger strikes.

The deterioration of one's health after a period of prolonged fasting is a medical emergency but it is highly variable.

Dr M Wali, Principal Director, Internal Medicine, Pacific One Health, says, "The timing of health deterioration becoming a medical emergency varies on various factors. It depends on age, existing health parameters before fasting, hydration, medications, environmental conditions and most important whether the person is taking only water or electrolytes. There is no fixed timeline for vitals to deteriorate."

24-72 Hours

In the first three days, the doctor says that the body suffers from spells of hunger, dizziness, and mild drop in blood pressure.

3 to 9 Days

During this period, fluctuations in blood sugar can start. The expert says that during this time, the body relies heavily on stored fats. Weight loss, low blood pressure, slow pulse, dehydration, and electrolytes imbalance start happening too.

10-14 days

Experts say that this is the critical period when serious complications can arise, especially like kidney injury, heart rhythm abnormalities, confusion, and collapse.

According to Dr Anshu Rohtagi, Sr Consultant at Department of Neurology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, "After sustained and prolonged complete fasting of couple of weeks, the risk of permanent organ damage and death increases manifold although survival depends on hydration and status of nutrition. Someone refusing both food and water can deteriorate much faster - sometimes in a few days also."

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Another expert says that during this time, certain critical symptoms are evaluated that could cause serious complications.

According to Dr Niraj Tyagi, renowned critical care specialist, "The visiting medical team looks for signs that generally prompt urgent medical evacuations. Some of them are loss of consciousness or inability to stay awake, confusion or delirium, chest pain, abnormal heart rhythm, very low blood pressure causing fainting or shock, persistent low blood pressure, severe dehydration, little or no urine output, dangerous imbalance of electrolytes and kidney or other organs injury."

According to human rights experts, "Whether someone can be shifted to medical facility or treated against their wishes depends on local laws, court orders, and, most importantly, whether the person is in sound mental health to take informed decisions."

Treatment Plan

Dr. Wali explains how the treatment course looks like for someone who has been without food for weeks.

He says, "Once shifted to medical facility, treatment depends on the patient's condition and may include careful rehydration, correction of electrolytes imbalance, continuous cardiac and kidney monitoring, nutritional rehabilitation. Doctors usually monitor potassium, magnesium, and glucose closely during re-feeding."

He adds, "It is important to note that even after recovery, the person may remain medically vulnerable even if they feel well."

A new experimental vaccine targeting one of pancreatic cancer's most common genetic mutations has shown encouraging results in an early-stage clinical trial.

Strong immune responses in most participants were observed, sparking fresh hope against one of the world's deadliest cancers.

About The Study

The Phase I study, published in Cancer Discovery, examined an investigational mutant KRAS-targeted vaccine (mKRAS-VAX) in patients who had undergone surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common form of pancreatic cancer.

The trial enrolled 12 patients with resected KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer who received the vaccine alongside two immune checkpoint inhibitors, nivolumab and ipilimumab, after completing standard treatment.

Researchers observed vaccine-induced T-cell responses in 91.7% of patients, with immune cells remaining detectable for up to two years in some participants.

Importantly, patients who mounted stronger immune responses also appeared to remain disease-free for longer, although the study was not designed to prove that the vaccine directly improves survival.

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Milestone Results Show Strong Immune Response

According to the researchers, pancreatic cancer has always been difficult to treat because it suppresses immune responses.

"The significant increase in vaccine-generated T-cell responses demonstrates that the immune system can be trained to recognize KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer," the researchers said, noting that higher T-cell responses were associated with longer disease-free survival.

The researchers said that these findings support continued evaluation of KRAS-targeted vaccination strategies in larger clinical trials.

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Parallel Research Shows Potential Too

The promising study follows another recently published Phase I trial in Cancer Discovery that tested a KRAS-targeted vaccine in individuals at high risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

That study found the vaccine safely stimulated KRAS-specific T-cell responses in about 90% of participants, suggesting such vaccines may eventually help prevent pancreatic cancer in selected high-risk groups.

Dr. Neeha Zaidi, associate professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University and one of the corresponding authors of the prevention study, said, "Individuals at high risk due to hereditary predisposition or to the presence of a concerning pancreatic lesion detected on imaging usually undergo surveillance to monitor for changes over time."

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She noted that surgery remains the standard treatment when cancer or high-risk lesions are detected, but recurrence remains common, highlighting the need for preventive strategies.

Elizabeth Jaffee, another author, said, "The goal of this study was to test the safety of the vaccine and induction of durable immune responses."

She added that the clinical trial was built on existing evidence showing KRAS-targeted vaccination could prevent progression of early precancerous lesions in animal .

Importance Of KRAS

KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated cancer-driving genes in pancreatic cancer, with mutations present in roughly 90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. These mutations continuously prompt cancer cells to grow and divide.

However, scientists have spent decades trying to develop therapies capable of effectively targeting the protein.

Rather than attacking the cancer directly, the new vaccine teaches the immune system to recognize mutated KRAS proteins as abnormal and launch T-cell attacks against cancer cells.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive cancers worldwide because symptoms often appear only after the disease has spread beyond the pancreas.

While experts caution that the current findings come from an early-stage study, they say the results provide promising evidence that cancer vaccines can successfully activate the immune system against pancreatic tumors.