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.

French health authorities have reported the first known human case of Shamonda virus. The infection has only been identified primarily in livestock until now. The patient, who was severely immunocompromised according to reports, died in October while receiving treatment in Lyon. French health authorities have assured that there is no risk of widespread transmission to the general population.

The case, reported on October 22, 2026, has sparked concerns as well as further investigation into the virus's ability to infect humans.

Authorities believe the patient may have gotten infected in eastern France, where Shamonda virus had been detected in animals during spring and summer.

Investigations are in progress to determine how the infection occurred and whether the virus may have caused neurological complications.

Should People Be Worried?

French health authorities say that there is no reason for the general public to panic. This is a single reported human case, and currently there is no evidence that Shamonda virus is spreading from person to person.

French authorities have stated, “No health risk to the general population has been identified to date.”

The case is nevertheless attention-worthy as Shamonda virus had not previously been documented in humans. Scientists, therefore, need more research to understand whether this was a rare case of infection or whether the virus has crossed the animal-human species barrier permanently.

All About Shamonda Virus

Shamonda is an insect-borne virus that belongs to a group called orthobunyaviruses, within the Simbu serogroup. It was first identified in cattle in Nigeria in 1965 and has since been detected sporadically in animals in parts of Africa and Asia.

In 2026, viruses similar to Shamonda viruses were identified in livestock in several European countries, including France, Germany and Switzerland.

The virus is primarily seen in cattle, although infections have also been reported in sheep, goats, horses and alpacas.

In livestock, symptoms may include fever, diarrhoea, lethargy and reduced milk production. Infection during pregnancy may also cause abortions or fetal abnormalities.

The route of infection in the French patient has not been disclosed yet. Investigators suspect exposure may have occurred in an area where the virus was circulating among livestock.

There is currently no evidence that Shamonda virus spreads aggressively between people. The possibility of human infection and the virus's ability to cause disease in humans require further investigation.

The World Organisation for Animal Health has also highlighted the need for continued monitoring because the public health significance of the Shamonda-like viruses in Europe remain incompletely understood.

Prevention Of Zoonotic Diseases

The Shamonda virus case comes amid growing concerns over the rising threat of zoonotic diseases like Ebola, Marburg and Nipah. More than 60% of human pathogens are zoonotic, while nearly 75% of emerging infectious diseases originate in animals.

According to the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), spillover events—where pathogens jump from animals to humans—have tripled since the 1980s, fueled by deforestation, wildlife trade, industrial farming and climate change.

In an interview with HealthandMe, Dr Nivedita Gupta, Scientist and Head of the Communicable Diseases Division at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), outlined the key measures to reduce the risk of future pandemics.

Dr Gupta stressed that preventing the next pandemic requires a proactive approach built on integrated surveillance, coordinated data sharing, community participation and stronger indigenous research and development.

She said, “I think the first part is that surveillance should be strengthened in all domains, whether it is human surveillance, animal surveillance, wildlife surveillance, as well as environmental surveillance. So, we really need to do integrated surveillance and strengthen all aspects."

The second major priority, she said, is ensuring that surveillance data across sectors is connected.

"If I'm seeing unusual bird or animal deaths, if I'm sitting in human sector, I should also know about it and I should be able to act very timely to understand whether there are any implications on humans and vice versa."

Dr Gupta said community participation is another critical pillar of pandemic preparedness.

"I think we really need massive community sensitization. And community should be our eyes and ears because there are many people who live in remote areas, who live in forest fringes, and they might be seeing many unusual things happening like sudden deaths among animals, carcasses."

Jeana Keough, former star of The Real Housewives of Orange County, is struggling with her recovery from tongue cancer treatment. Her daughter Kara Bosworth recently revealed that her mother is still relying on a feeding tube for most of her nutrition, which leaves her “frustrated”.

Kara said that the 71-year-old had made little progress in eating by mouth despite completing radiation treatment. She also said that her mother is going through fatigue, coughing fits and difficulties with swallowing after her cancer treatment.

“Mom’s struggling. She’s still not getting nutrition orally except maybe a few bites and then she gets frustrated with the effort and the lack of taste,” Kara told Page Six. She also said the feeding tube remains her mother's “primary source of nutrition”.

Jeana Keough's Recovery After Tongue Cancer Treatment

Keough was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue after a painful sore persisted for nearly a year.

She initially believed a tooth was rubbing against her tongue and visited her dentist several times to take care of it. She underwent a biopsy which eventually confirmed cancer.

After surgery to remove the cancer, doctors recommended a second operation to remove lymph nodes. During that procedure, they discovered that the cancer had spread, turning a one-time surgery into a more extensive invasive treatment.

Keough subsequently underwent surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy. These treatments can place considerable strain on the body. Additionally, treatment involving tongue and throat can make eating, drinking and speaking challenging.

Radiation can inflame the lining of the mouth and throat, causing pain and swallowing difficulties. Keough also experienced radiation burns on the outside of her neck. Her daughter previously described the pain as severe, even when applying medicated cream to the damaged skin.

In August, Kara said the family had been told that the weeks after radiation ended could be the most physically difficult because the effects of chemotherapy and radiation tend to compound.

Also read: New AI Tool Uses Facial Photos To Predict Cancer Patients’ Survival Risk

Feeding Difficulties And Fatigue

Keough's difficulty with eating has left her completely dependent on tube feeding to meet her nutritional needs. Her daughter said she becomes frustrated after a few bites because eating requires a lot of effort and food no longer tastes the same.

Kara also shared that her mother is sleeping a lot and experiencing coughing fits that cause her to vomit.

“I think she just wishes she didn’t do any treatment. [It’s been] very hard. She still is sleeping a lot and having a lot of coughing fits that cause her to vomit,” Kara told Page Six.

The family has also reported that Keough is undergoing speech and swallowing therapy. “She’s doing twice-weekly speech and swallow therapy, but we still have a long way to go,” Kara said.

Also read: Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Advancing A Risk-Informed and Equitable Approach to Breast Cancer Screening in India

What Does Recovery From Tongue Cancer Involve?

In advanced head-and-neck cancer, removing the tumour is only one part of successful treatment. When surgery involves structures that are essential for speaking and swallowing, doctors also have to think about what the patient’s life will look like after cancer treatment.

Reconstructive microsurgery can help restore the tissue lost during surgery, while structured rehabilitation helps patients work towards regaining important functions. The aim is mainly to treat the cancer while also helping the patient return to the life and work.

Recovery can be time-consuming after tongue cancer treatment. Depending on the extent of surgery and the treatment, patients may experience pain, changes in taste, difficulty swallowing, speech problems and fatigue.

Inflammation due to radiation can continue even after the final session, while chemotherapy can add to the overall burden on the body.

Speech and swallowing therapy may help patients regain normal function, while feeding tubes can provide nutrition and hydration when eating and drinking are still challenging.

Daily vaping in the United States has surged by 230% between 2013–14 and 2022–23. Additionally nearly half of young adults who vaped daily used high-nicotine e-cigarettes, according to two studies published in the journal Tobacco Control.

The findings have sparked concerns about the increase in nicotine dependence among young people. The studies analysed data from the US Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, which tracks tobacco and nicotine use across the country.

Daily Vaping Increased By 230%

The first study examined the patterns of vaping for a decade, from 2013–14 to 2022–23. Researchers found that the total number of vaping days across the population increased by 183%, while vaping in the past 30 days rose by 45%. Daily vaping increased by 230% over the same period.

Vaping days among people younger than 21 who had vaped in the previous 30 days increased by 337%. Among those aged 12–17, the increase was 278%. By 2022–23, people under the legal age of 21 accounted for 16% of all vaping days.

The researchers noted that the sharpest increases in vaping frequency occurred after 2016–18, coinciding with the rise of JUUL and nicotine salt e-liquids, which make nicotine easier to inhale.

“While vaping days increased across all age groups, pronounced increases between 2013–14 and 2022–23 were observed among youth and younger adults, likely influenced by industry marketing that has predominantly targeted young people, as well as increases in the size of the youth population,” the researchers wrote.

They also warned about dual use, in which people smoke cigarettes and vape without fully switching away from smoking, as well as the possibility of ex-smokers returning to nicotine use.

Also read: Selena Gomez Says Vaping Changed Her Voice: How E-Cigarettes Affect Vocal Cords

Nearly Half Of Young Adult Daily Vapers Used High-Nicotine Products

The second study published in the same journal examined use of nicotine e-cigarettes between 2017 and 2022. It found that among daily vapers aged 18–24, the number of people using e-cigarettes containing at least 4% nicotine jumped dramatically from 3.1% in 2017 to 49.2% in 2022.

By comparison, 32.8% of daily vapers aged 25–34 used products with at least 4% nicotine in 2022. The figure was 17.6% among those aged 35–54 and 4.5% among adults aged 55 and older. To sum up, young adults who vaped were 12 times more likely than those aged 55 and older to use high-nicotine products.

The study also linked higher nicotine concentrations with greater chance of dependence. People who used high-nicotine e-cigarettes in 2019 had 31% lower odds of being abstinent from vaping four years later.

“The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) authorization of these products was based in part on the expectation that the benefits to adults who smoke would outweigh the risks of creating new nicotine dependence among young people. Our findings suggest that this balance needs to be reassessed,” the researchers said.

Senior author John Pierce added, “Previous research has questioned the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in helping smokers quit. In this study, we have documented that high-nicotine products have created a new generation of people who are dependent on nicotine.”

Also read: 5.4 Million Over-16s Now Vape in Britain: Why E-Cigarettes May Not Be Safer

5.4 Million Vape Users In The UK Are 16 Years Old And Above

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.

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

He added, "The teenage brain is still developing until around the age of 25. 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."