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Quademic 2025: Hospitals in the United States are dealing with a surge in patients admission, the reason is the quademic it is dealing with at this moment. This has led to an influx of patients. It is all caused by seasonal infections, including common flu, Covid-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that dominate the winter season in the US. This year, norovirus also joined the list, which has further increased the load on the healthcare.
The healthcare company founded in academics M Health Fairview, confirmed that their hospitals are overflowing due to the quademic.
The hospitals of M Health Fairview's volume is up by 30% and as a results, patients are being treated in the hallways and in alternative care areas. There is also a longer wait time and shortages for resources that are required to treat these emergencies. This has also impacted other life-threatening emergencies like heart attacks and strokes, as the healthcare resources and caregivers are occupied with the surge in seasonal cases.
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Common cold and flu: The common cold and influenza (flu) are perhaps the most well-known illnesses that peak during the fall. As temperatures drop and humidity levels fluctuate, viruses that cause colds and the flu become more active. The flu, in particular, can be more severe than a common cold, leading to complications such as pneumonia, especially in vulnerable populations like the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. Symptoms include a runny nose, sore throat, coughing, fever, and body aches.
Covid-19: As per the World Health Organization, Coronavirus disease or COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with this virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment, However, there could be some cases of seriously ill patients who may require medical attention. It is also because of the other existing medical conditions like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, cancers, or older age.
The best way to protect against this virus is by following social isolation form those who are infected, using mask to prevent droplets from infecting others when you cough or sneeze and to wash your hands for 20 seconds frequently.
RSV or Respiratory Syncytial Virus: As per the Centers of Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), RSV is a common respiratory virus that infects nose, throat and lungs. Though symptoms are similar to the viruses like flu or COVID-19, the disease in itself is different. It also peaks during the winter season, especially between December and January.
However, the main difference between RSV and other respiratory illness, above mentioned is that RSV can cause pneumonia or bronchiolitis, especially for those who are over the age of 50 or with an existing heart or lung disease.
Norovirus: It is a number 1 cause of foodborne illness in the US and this happens when virus gets into the food and then it accidentally enters your mouth. These particles are from faeces or vomit from infected people, or can be transmitted via contaminated food and water. It could also spread by touching unclean surfaces like door handles or cutlery.
For most people, having norovirus is unpleasant, but mild and recovery could be made in 1 to 2 days. However, it could be more serious for babies, older people and anyone with any existing health condition.
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India has joined the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP)-led NeoSep1 clinical trial, a landmark international study evaluating new antibiotic treatments for newborns with drug-resistant sepsis.
Sepsis is the second leading cause of neonatal mortality in India after prematurity and low birth weight, accounting for an estimated 30–40 per cent of all newborn deaths.
The NeoSep1 trial began in India with the first baby enrolled at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry, followed by Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS in Rohtak. Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital in Mumbai is also expected to begin enrolling newborns soon.
"Every day doctors face the heartbreaking reality of losing babies to sepsis due to lack of safe and effective treatments," said Dr Nishad Plakkal, Principal Investigator of the NeoSep1 trial in India and Associate Dean (Research) and Professor and Head of the Department of Neonatology at JIPMER.
"Having the right antibiotics at the right dose can tip the balance between life and death. This trial offers hope to change that," Plakkal added.
"The trial will give neonatologists new tools, and give babies with sepsis a fighting chance at life," said Sally Ellis, who leads GARDP's Children's Antibiotics Program.
Also read:US Woman Nearly Died After Brushing Off Sepsis Symptoms As Flu
According to Ellis, newborns are particularly vulnerable to life-threatening sepsis because of their underdeveloped immune systems.
The growing burden of antibiotic resistance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has further worsened the problem by reducing the effectiveness of standard treatments. Studies have reported extremely high resistance to the combination of ampicillin and gentamicin, the antibiotic regimen currently recommended by the World Health Organization for the initial treatment of neonatal sepsis.
"Today, we stand at a tipping point. The antibiotics for newborns that we have relied on for decades are failing against resistant infections in many hospital settings," Ellis said.
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An estimated 3 million newborns develop sepsis every year. The condition occurs when the body's response to an infection triggers widespread inflammation, potentially leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. More than 90% of neonatal sepsis deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
The NeoSep1 trial aims to identify safe and effective antibiotic regimens that can reduce deaths caused by drug-resistant neonatal sepsis.
The first phase of the study, conducted in South Africa and Kenya in 2023, validated the appropriate doses of fosfomycin and flomoxef when used in combination with other antibiotics in newborns.
The second phase is using a Personalised Randomised Controlled Trial (PRACTical) design to evaluate and rank multiple antibiotic regimens for newborns with sepsis. The approach is expected to help clinicians choose the most effective treatments based on local patterns of antibiotic resistance while also informing future national and international treatment guidelines.
The NeoSep1 trial is expected to enroll 3,000 newborns across Asia and Africa by the end of 2028.
Along with India, newborns have already been enrolled in Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. Hospitals in Vietnam, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Uganda are also expected to join the study.
Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that harms the immune system, tissues, and organs. It can lead to organ failure or death if not treated urgently, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
According to Sepsis Alliance, the acronym TIME can help people recognize potential warning signs of sepsis and seek urgent medical care.
T — Temperature: Body temperature is unusually high or low.
I — Infection: Signs or symptoms of an infection are present.
M — Mental Decline: Confusion, excessive sleepiness, or difficulty waking up.
E — Extremely Ill: Severe pain, extreme discomfort, or shortness of breath.
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American supermodel Bella Hadid has opened up about the mental toll of living with Lyme disease, a chronic illness she has battled for years.
Bella Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013 and has endured an ongoing battle with physical pain, extreme fatigue, brain fog, and associated depression.
In a series of Instagram Stories, the 29-year-old model shared about the daily hardships and emotional toll of recurring health flare-ups despite trying various treatment protocols.
The supermodel said it is "intimidating" to explain her symptoms of pain, exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, infections and trauma, and how they lead "to severe isolation and depression, especially over long periods of time," People.com reported.
"Especially when you try anything you can," she said, adding that she has read books and personal stories to better understand her symptoms, yet still experiences setbacks.
"You demand answers that no one can find. You fight. You finally have a few good days. You think you've found the right protocol, the right routine, the right treatment... and then a flare-up comes back and all of a sudden nothing feels certain again."
Hadid said flare-ups of the chronic illness often force her to cancel plans.
"You wake up with anxiety already living in your body," Hadid wrote.
"Physical pain before your feet even touch the floor....And somehow, still have to find the strength to move through another day in a body and mind that are completely exhausted."
The model said she has learned to mask her feelings.
"Sometimes it feels like unless you've lived something like this, or loved someone who has, it's impossible to fully understand."
She also reminded followers facing similar struggles that "there is light, even if you can't see it today... There is hope," before sharing a message she often tells herself during difficult times.
"As so many have said..I have to remind myself that healing isn't linear...I believe God puts before us, somehow, only what we are capable of carrying, even when we don't understand why at the time," she wrote, saying there's a "deeper purpose to all things in life."
Hadid acknowledged that although it is hard, she believes "every hardship leaves us with a lesson, a deeper compassion, or a strength we never knew we had."
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to people through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.
Every year, an estimated 31 million people in the United States are bitten by a tick.
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 patients treated for Lyme each year.
Typical symptoms include:
The best defense against Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites. This will reduce your risk of other tickborne diseases as well.
What to do after a tick bite:
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Donald Trump, the oldest president in US history, has come under increased scrutiny after turning 80 this year. The president has frequently been seen with swollen ankles and bruises on his hands, though the White House maintains he is in "excellent health."
Several doctors have also raised concerns about Trump's physical and mental health, citing instances where he appeared to fall asleep during White House meetings and international summits, as well as verbal fumbles and slurred speech.
A new book, Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, claims the president's medical condition is one of the administration's most tightly controlled areas of information. Written by New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman and investigative reporter Jonathan Swan, the book is based on more than 1,000 interviews conducted over three years.

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According to the authors, Trump struggles with his hearing and began moving meetings from the East Wing to the Oval Office because of better acoustics. The change also allowed him to remain seated during lengthy meetings.
The book says some aides privately felt Trump was "beginning to seem old to them," pointing to "moments of fatigue" and a "cupped hand" behind his ear.
Speaking to Kaitlan Collins on CNN's The Source, Swan said Trump's health is "very well concealed" from the public.
"I'm not even sure that his most senior aides have a clear picture of his health, about all the aspects of his medical reports," Swan said.
Trump reportedly spent three hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26, where he was examined by 22 specialists, compared with 14 doctors during his previous medical check-up
"We have no indication of who those specialists are or what their specialties are," Swan said. "They haven't released all the imaging results."
According to CNN medical expert Jonathan Reiner, Trump's medical examination by 22 specialists "is an extraordinary number."
But the White House has continued to insist Trump remains sharp and energetic.
Read More: ‘Sea Or See?’ Donald Trump's Remark Sparks Fresh Cognitive Health Speculation
According to the Daily Mail, the book claims Trump now prefers seated events, shorter public appearances and staying close to the White House.
The authors describe Trump in his second term as a "homebody," compared with his extensive travel during the 2024 campaign.
"He had never been a big sleeper, but now it seemed to his staff that he was sleeping even less, keeping stranger hours than he had in his first term," the authors wrote.
They added that Trump would often spend the early hours watching television, talking on the phone and posting on Truth Social.
The White House dismissed the book's claims.
"President Trump's sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and the legacy media intentionally covered up Joe Biden's serious mental and physical decline from the American people," spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Daily Mail.
"President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises."
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