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 Democratic Republic of the Congo is set to receive 70,000 doses of Ervebo, an Ebola vaccine that was developed for a different strain of the virus that caused an outbreak more than a decade ago. As the country battles its deadliest Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus, latest updates suggest that the death toll has topped 2000.

The vaccine was allocated by the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision. Of the 70,000 doses, 20,000 will be used in a Phase 3 clinical trial to determine whether Ervebo can actually protect people against Bundibugyo. The remaining 50,000 doses will be given to frontline and healthcare workers.

Ervebo is licensed for Ebola virus caused by the Zaire strain. There is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for Bundibugyo virus disease.

Ervebo Was Designed To Combat Zaire Strain Of Ebola

It has since played an important role in controlling Ebola outbreaks caused by that virus. Additionally, WHO lists Ervebo as the only currently licensed vaccine for Ebola virus disease.

The problem in the current outbreak is that Bundibugyo is a different species of orthoebolavirus. That means it simply cannot be assumed that Ervebo can protect against the Bundibugyo virus.

Also read: Congo's Ebola Outbreak Is Spreading Fast But WHO Says It Can Still Be Contained In 3 Months

Early Studies Suggest Some Cross-Protection May Be Possible

If there is no certainty that Ervebo protects against Bundibugyo, then what is the scientific reason for its testing? To answer that question, WHO says early laboratory and animal studies suggest that the vaccine may provide some protection against Bundibugyo.

Some studies have also detected immune responses that cross-react with Bundibugyo virus after vaccination against Ebola virus.

WHO's guidance concluded that the available evidence was insufficient to determine or reliably estimate Ervebo's effectiveness against Bundibugyo.

Also read: DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Becomes Deadliest In Country's History As Death Toll Hits 2,325

Upcoming Trial Could Help

WHO's Technical Advisory Group updated its recommendation in July and said Ervebo should be prioritised for inclusion in a Phase 3 research study because there is no Bundibugyo-specific vaccine currently ready for evaluation.

The trial could provide the first meaningful human evidence about whether vaccination with Ervebo prevents Bundibugyo infection or reduces severe disease.

WHO has also stressed that Ervebo should not be used as a routine Bundibugyo vaccination programme outside the research settings, because its effectiveness against the current strain remains unproven.

Why A Zaire Vaccine Is Being Used During A Bundibugyo Outbreak?

The decision comes down partly to urgency and the lack of alternatives. According to the CDC, the Bundibugyo outbreak in eastern DRC has spread rapidly, with 5,375 confirmed cases and 2,557 deaths.

The virus is also circulating in areas where conflict, displacement, and population movement have made contact tracing and outbreak control particularly difficult. Waiting for a completely new vaccine to be developed, tested and approved could take much longer.

Ervebo, meanwhile, is already widely used against Ebola virus. Testing whether it provides cross-protection could therefore offer a potentially faster way to contain the outbreak.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the vaccine allocation, calling it, “An important example of global solidarity in action.”

He said WHO and its partners remain committed to strengthening surveillance, rapid detection, quality care, community engagement and vaccination efforts to bring the outbreak under control.

Also read: Ebola Outbreak Is Claiming 1 Life Every 30 Minutes In DR Congo: UN Humanitarian Official

A Bundibugyo-Specific Vaccine Is Still Needed

Researchers are also working on vaccines specifically designed to target Bundibugyo. WHO says several candidates are under development, including approaches from IAVI and Oxford University, while other research groups are exploring vaccines designed to provide broader protection against multiple Ebola species.

Two vaccines specifically designed against Bundibugyo virus have entered Phase 1 safety trials in humans. CEPI-backed studies are also examining whether existing Ebola vaccines can generate immune responses against Bundibugyo, using blood samples from people who have previously received Zaire-targeting vaccines.

Louisiana health officials have confirmed a rare infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, commonly called the “brain-eating amoeba,” in a resident who most likely contracted the infection after swimming in Lake Claiborne in Louisiana.

The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed the case this week, issuing a warning to people entering warm freshwater. It is the fourth documented Naegleria fowleri infection in Louisiana since 1937.

The case comes as health officials continue to warn about the seasonal risk of the amoeba, which thrives in warm freshwater, particularly during the summer months. According to CDC data, most US cases occur in July and August.

The Amoeba Enters Through The Nose

From the nasal pathway, the organism can travel along the olfactory nerves into the brain and cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), an infection that progresses rapidly and causes inflammation and destruction of brain tissue.

Swallowing contaminated water also does not cause Naegleria infection, and the infection cannot spread from one person to another.

Also read: Fournier Gangrene: Woman Develops Rare Flesh-eating Infection After Bikini Shave, Herbal Application

Louisiana Health Officials Warn People

Naegleria fowleri is naturally found in warm freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers, as well as some hot springs and other warm-water environments.

According to CIDRAP, the amoeba can survive at temperatures as high as about 115°F (46°C). Cases are particularly linked with freshwater exposure during periods of high temperatures.

The risk remains extremely low despite its potentially devastating outcome. The CDC recorded 180 PAM cases in the US from 1937 through 2025, with cases ranging from zero to eight per year.

The LDH said recreational water users should not assume that warm freshwater is completely risk-free. “Though the risk of infection is low, recreational water users should always assume there is a risk when they enter warm fresh water.”

The department added that people can reduce their risk by preventing water from entering your enters the nose. That can include using nose clips or keeping the nose above water when swimming in warm freshwater.

Also read: Can You Contract Deadly Flesh-Eating Bacteria At The Beach? Louisiana Health Officials Warn Beachgoers

Symptoms Can Mimic Meningitis

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis can initially mimic other infections. Early symptoms can include headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. As the infection progresses, patients can develop a stiff neck, confusion, problems with balance, seizures, hallucinations and loss of consciousness.

The illness progresses extremely quickly, with CDC data indicating that symptoms generally begin within 1 to 12 days after exposure. Death can occur within days after symptoms appear. As the disease is extremely rare and its early symptoms resemble other forms of meningitis, diagnosis can be challenging.

The Louisiana case follows another recent case in the state involving an 8-year-old Ruston girl, who was hospitalized after developing a Naegleria fowleri infection that health officials said may have been acquired while swimming in a North Louisiana lake.

Simple Precautions Can Reduce Exposure

The cases highlight the importance of taking precautions around warm freshwater during the summer, even though the overall probability of infection remains extremely small.

The CDC recommends avoiding activities in warm freshwater when possible, particularly during periods of high water temperatures. People who do enter such water can reduce exposure by using nose clips or keeping their head above water, and by avoiding stirring up sediment in shallow, warm areas.

Another important precaution concerns nasal rinsing. Naegleria can also be transmitted when contaminated tap water is used in devices such as neti pots. For nasal rinsing, the CDC recommends using distilled or sterile water, or water that has been boiled and cooled.

Amid an ongoing Salmonella outbreak that has infected hundreds of people, vulnerable groups in the UK are being advised to avoid undercooked or runny eggs.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued the precautionary advice after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) declared a national outbreak. The outbreak has infected 207 people across the UK, with one death and 34 hospitalisations.

Officials suspect imported eggs or food products containing imported eggs may be behind the outbreak.

However, the FSA said well-cooked eggs served in restaurants, cafes and takeaways are safe to eat.

Who Is at Risk?

The FSA advised vulnerable groups, including:

• Children under five
• Adults over 65
• Pregnant women
• People with certain health conditions or weakened immune systems

Ian Young, chief scientific adviser at the FSA, said vulnerable people eating out should ensure that eggs and egg products are thoroughly cooked.

Which Foods Should Be Avoided?

The FSA advised vulnerable people to avoid runny eggs and freshly made foods that may contain uncooked eggs, including:

• Mayonnaise
• Soufflés
• Hollandaise sauce

Are Supermarket Eggs Safe?

Young reiterated that people can continue to buy British eggs from supermarkets. Chickens bred in the UK are vaccinated against common strains of Salmonella.

“There is no link to those eggs to this current outbreak,” he said.

He described the outbreak as “unusually large and rapidly increasing” and urged people to take precautions.

The UKHSA has launched an investigation to identify the source of the outbreak. Initial findings suggest it may be linked to eggs imported from outside the UK, although the source has not yet been definitively established.

Dr Kathleen O'Reilly, associate professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said the investigation involves identifying additional cases and examining possible common sources of infection.

Where Have Cases Been Reported?

Cases have been reported across the UK:

• England: 199 cases
• Scotland: 6 cases
• Wales: 1 case
• Northern Ireland: 1 case

In England, London has reported the highest number of cases, with 47, followed by Yorkshire and the Humber with 38.

What Is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that commonly causes diarrhoea and gastrointestinal illness.

Common symptoms include:

• Diarrhoea
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting
• Fever

How Does Salmonella Spread?

The UKHSA stated that Salmonella Enteritidis is the most common Salmonella serovar in England and a leading cause of salmonellosis.

Like other non-typhoidal Salmonella infections, it can spread through contaminated food, including:

• Eggs
• Poultry
• Meat
• Unpasteurised dairy products
• Fresh produce

The bacteria can also spread through contact with contaminated environments or from person to person.

How to Reduce the Risk of Salmonella

Dr O'Reilly advised people to fully cook eggs before eating them and maintain good food hygiene.

Key precautions include:

• Cook eggs thoroughly, including omelettes, rather than leaving them runny.
• Wash your hands with soap after handling food and during food preparation.
• Clean chopping boards and utensils after preparing food.
• Check food hygiene ratings when choosing catering outlets.

People who develop diarrhoea or stomach cramps should rest and drink plenty of fluids. Young children, older adults and other vulnerable people who become ill should seek medical advice.