Every year, World Toilet Day is observed to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis and encourage action to solve it. The goal set by the United Nation is to achieve safe toilets for all by 2023, as a part of their Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN also states that 3.5 billion people live without proper sanitation and many children also lose their lives due to poor sanitation and unsafe water. This is why World Toilet Day is observed to raise awareness on this issue.

Theme

This year, the theme for World Toilet Day 2024 is "Toilets - A Place for Peace'. This focuses on the growing threat to sanitation that is caused by conflict, climate change, disaster and neglect. When there is a threat to using toilets, it can lead to many health risks.

Not using toilets for too long may lead to Urinary Tract Infection or UTI. For many who do not have access to clean toilets do not drink enough liquid or hold pee for too long. Doctors suggest that holding in pee for too long can cause bacteria to multiply and lead to UTI. By not drinking enough water, your bladder fails to tell the body to pee often, and can cause the bacteria to spread through the urinary tract, which can lead to infection.

Symptoms of UTI:

• Burning or stinging feeling while urinating
• Pain in pelvis or lower abdomen
• Constant urge to empty the bladder
• Strong or foul smelling urine
• Consistently dark urine
• Blood in urine

Holding in pee for too long can also cause your bladder to stretch, making it difficult or even impossible for the bladder to contract and release pee normally. It can also damage your pelvic floor muscles or could lead to kidney stones.

World Toilet Day History And Significance

To prevent such conditions, it is important that everyone has access to clean and safe toilets. In terms of history, the day was established in 2001, by the World Toilet Organization (WTO), which was founded by Jack Sim. However, it was officially recognised by the UN in 2013. The Government of Singapore worked with WTO to create the first UN resolution called Sanitation for All.

India too promotes safe and hygiene toilet through its Swachh Bharat Yojna.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced recalls of multiple injectable drugs from Baxter International over potential contamination with fiberglass and stainless-steel particles.

Baxter voluntarily recalled:

• two injections used to provide nutrition, water, and electrolytes to patients.
• an injectable anticoagulant — a substance used to slow blood clotting — was also recalled, but the affected product was distributed to only one customer.

In a notice, the FDA said the medications could be contaminated with fiberglass or stainless-steel particles. Injecting contaminated products intravenously may lead to serious adverse health consequences.

“Particulate matter can cause blockage and clotting in blood vessels, which can cut off blood flow to vital organs, lead to a life-threatening blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) and cause permanent organ damage or death,” the FDA said.

“Additionally, these particles may cause local vein irritation, inflammatory reaction, aggravation of preexisting infections, and allergic

reactions,” it added. Baxter said it has not received any reports of adverse events related to the issue.

Which Medications Were Recalled?

The recalled Baxter medications include:

• 70% Dextrose Injection, USP, 2000 mL, in a Viaflex plastic container.

• 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, 500 mL, in a Viaflex plastic container.

• Anticoagulant Sodium Citrate Solution USP, 250 mL, in a Viaflex plastic container. The FDA noted that this product was distributed to only one customer.

Nutrition Injection Recalled

The 70% Dextrose Injection is a liquid solution mixed with other fluids to provide calories and nutrition through a person's veins when they cannot get necessary nutrients by mouth or through a feeding tube, USA Today reported.

The impacted products were sold between July 25 and July 28 to healthcare providers and distributors in several states, including Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. No adverse reactions have been reported.

Water And Electrolyte Injection Recalled

The 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection is commonly used as a source of water and electrolytes. It is administered through the veins when a person cannot get adequate amounts through eating, drinking or other medical treatments.

The injection may also be used during medical procedures, including blood transfusions and hemodialysis, a procedure that helps filter waste from the blood when the kidneys cannot do so adequately.

The impacted product was distributed between July 31 and August 3 to healthcare providers and distributors in several states, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. No adverse reactions have been reported.

India’s national capital is reporting a significant surge in influenza H1N1 cases. In the last 24 hours, Delhi reported 166 fresh H1N1 cases, up from 138 cases recorded the previous day, taking the cumulative tally to 2,612, officials said.

The total number of H1N1 cases in Delhi stood at 2,612, while cumulative Influenza-A cases were around 3,300, according to an official statement.

Delhi Reviews Hospital Preparedness

Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh inspected Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka amid the rising number of H1N1 cases in the national capital and reviewed the hospital's and the Health Department's preparedness.

The Minister said he has been closely monitoring preparedness across hospitals.

Beyond Delhi, areas including Mumbai and Bengaluru have also reported a significant spike in H1N1 cases.

DG ICMR Dr. Rajiv Bahl said H1N1 in India is showing expected seasonal changes, with no unusual genetic shift detected.

“No cause for panic: seasonal influenza remains self-limiting; no new or unusual virus strain detected,” he added.

Doctors Flag Atypical H1N1 Symptoms

Dr. Atul Kakkar, Senior Consultant and Head of Department, Internal Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told HealthandMe that H1N1 cases are significantly higher than last year, possibly due in part to seasonal changes.

Most patients are presenting with flu-like symptoms, including cold, cough, body aches and upper respiratory tract infections.

However, doctors are also seeing atypical symptoms.

“We are seeing patients having diarrhea also and myalgias, which are getting very, very frequent.”

Patients at extreme ages are more prone to complications and may require oxygen, high-flow oxygen, NIV or BiPAP, he said. Those at higher risk include people who are unvaccinated against flu, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and those with COPD, bronchial asthma, cancer or those on immunosuppressive treatment.

H1N1 Can Affect The Heart

As per experts, H1N1 infection may also be associated with cardiovascular complications, including:

• Heart inflammation
• Abnormal heartbeats
• Worsening heart failure

“Those with pre-existing heart conditions should be more vigilant whilst they’re recuperating. As the infection puts more work on the body, you can find that previous heart problems are more noticeable,” he added.

H1N1 Can Affect The Eyes

While H1N1 primarily causes fever and respiratory symptoms, some people also have some eye discomfort and sudden vision changes.

Dr. Maitri Jindal Chowdhary, Consultant, Ophthalmology: Yashoda Medicity told HealthandMe that eye symptoms during H1N1 may manifest as a bit of redness, watery eyes, some irritation or dryness, which should resolve as the H1N1 is overcome. But a change in vision definitely warrant an eye professional’s attention.

The expert said that vision changes such as blurry or double vision, acute vision loss, seeing flashes of light or floaters or a drop in your vision should be brought to the attention of an eye doctor. Don’t automatically attribute such vision changes to your “flu”.

"Some eye concerns are of course not as serious. There might be some watering of eyes, slight discomfort that resolve as you feel better. However if symptoms such as sudden blurry vision persists, if eye irritation persists or worsens – you need to get yourself checked out.

Likewise if you feel pain in the eye, there’s an alarming redness, a lot of light sensitivity, swelling or an discharge - go get those eyes checked out," Dr. Maitri told HealthandMe.

Be very careful if you wear contact lenses. Do not wear them if your eyes become red, painful or vision blurring as this could worsen the issue. Remove your contacts immediately and seek attention.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated COVID vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax-Sanofi for the 2026-27 season, the companies said.

Four COVID vaccines have been approved for use in the US after an advisory panel recommended that the shots target the dominant XFG variant.

What Are The New COVID Vaccines?

Moderna: mNEXSPIKE and Spikevax

• Spikevax: Approved for people aged 6 months through 64 who have an underlying condition, and anyone aged 65 or older.
• mNEXSPIKE: Approved for people aged 12 through 64 who have an underlying condition, and anyone aged 65 or older.

Pfizer-BioNTech: Comirnaty

It is approved for:

• All adults aged 65 and older.
• People aged 5 through 64 who have a condition that raises their risk of severe illness.

Novavax-Sanofi: Nuvaxovid

• Nuvaxovid is the only protein-based COVID vaccine available in the US. It is approved for everyone aged 65 and older and for those aged 12 through 64 who have underlying conditions.

The vaccine targets the JN.1 strain.

When Will The Updated Shots Be Available?

All manufacturers had previously said they could make the updated shots in time for the 2026-27 immunization season, although Novavax could take longer to manufacture its vaccine.

The Donald Trump administration had shelved the universal COVID vaccine recommendation. It now recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older consult a healthcare provider before getting the shot.

In May, eight of the committee's nine experts voted in favor of targeting the XFG variant for the 2026-27 campaign.

For the 2025-26 season, the FDA had recommended that COVID shots target LP.8.1, a subvariant of the JN.1 strain. The CDC has yet to make an official recommendation for this year's vaccines.

Experts say the vaccines should begin reaching pharmacies and doctors' offices in September, CNN reported.

What Is The Current COVID Situation In The US?

The CDC's latest respiratory illness data, updated August 21, shows that national and regional COVID-19 activity is increasing, although overall acute respiratory illness causing people to seek healthcare remains very low.

Doctors have been reporting an increase in patients testing positive through the summer. But some physicians are noticing a change in how the illness is presenting.

Reports have emerged stating that COVID is resurfacing with new symptoms including nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

COVID-19-related visits to the emergency room are also increasing.

Recent reports from doctors in Georgia describe patients arriving with gastrointestinal symptoms alongside, or sometimes instead of, the more familiar respiratory symptoms.

Although these symptoms may seem unusual compared with the classic COVID presentation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are not new symptoms of COVID-19.

The CDC has included nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea among the possible symptoms of COVID-19 for years.

Dr James Black, medical director of emergency services at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Georgia, said doctors are still seeing fever, cough and upper-respiratory symptoms, but added, “A lot of people are coming in with gastrointestinal symptoms - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sometimes to the point of mild dehydration.”