United News of Bangladesh

Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have exceeded 9,000, with more than 4,300 deaths, as health authorities struggle to contain an outbreak spreading across seven provinces, according to government figures released Tuesday. The Health Ministry reported 9,066 confirmed cases and 4,381 deaths, putting the death toll close to half the number of confirmed infections. The rising number of deaths has alarmed health workers and authorities, particularly as many fatalities have occurred outside treatment centres. The latest report recorded 88 new cases and warned that community transmission remained a concern. The outbreak has spread to more communities, creating new hotspots. A total of 65 health zones across seven provinces have been affected. Officials estimate that confirmed cases account for only about one-third of the actual infections, with many cases going undetected. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which no approved vaccine or treatment is available. Efforts to contain the virus have been hampered by fighting between government forces and rebel groups, widespread disregard for health precautions, population movements, and shortages of medical supplies and treatment centres. The conflict has also contributed to one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. The outbreak has surpassed the scale of Congo's previous 16 Ebola outbreaks and is on course to exceed the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which killed around 11,000 people. “I feel that the government is overwhelmed by events. But there is nothing else to say. The government needs to fully shoulder its responsibilities to ensure the effectiveness of the response against Ebola,” said Samuel Buju, a resident of Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri, one of the worst-affected areas. Last week, Kenya became the second country after Uganda to report an Ebola case imported from Congo, heightening concerns about the virus spreading across national borders.

More than 4,000 people have died in Congo's Ebola outbreak, with health authorities reporting 4,018 deaths from 8,300 confirmed cases as efforts to contain the rapidly spreading virus face growing challenges. The latest figures released by the Health Ministry on Thursday show that deaths account for nearly half of the confirmed cases in what has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history. Congo declared the outbreak on May 15 after detecting the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is currently no known treatment or vaccine. Meanwhile, health workers gathered in Bunia, the capital of northeastern Ituri province and the epicentre of the outbreak, to protest unpaid wages. The protesters, including members of surveillance teams responsible for identifying people who may have been exposed to infected patients, were quickly dispersed by officials. They carried placards reading, “No money, no data!” and “No payment for months.” Front-line health workers have staged several strikes since the outbreak began, demanding payment of their outstanding wages, further disrupting efforts to control the disease. An aid worker with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has contracted Ebola while working in Congo, the organisation said. The worker was flown to the Netherlands on a special medical flight and arrived late Thursday before being transferred to a high-level isolation unit at the Leiden University Medical Center. MSF said the crisis had imposed an unprecedented human cost on the Democratic Republic of Congo, with communities facing the country's largest Ebola outbreak on record. More than 50 health workers have died after contracting the virus. The World Health Organization has warned of the rapid spread of Ebola into new health zones, putting additional pressure on already limited resources. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of newly confirmed cases was declining, although the drop could partly be linked to insecurity and difficulties in securing community cooperation in some affected areas. Tensions surrounding the outbreak were further highlighted by the killing of a Congolese politician who had supported government measures to tackle the disease. Marie-Célestin Karondwa, a local official of the ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress party, was attacked at his home in Butembo, an Ebola hotspot in eastern North Kivu province, on Sunday. His house was later set on fire, and he died in hospital from injuries sustained in the attack. Widespread mistrust of health workers and government authorities has complicated efforts to contain Congo's 17th Ebola outbreak. Authorities launched a village-centred response approach last month, but the initiative has encountered resistance from some residents who reject Ebola as a hoax. Distrust of the government also remains deep, fueled by concerns over its handling of previous Ebola outbreaks and longstanding allegations of corruption.

Alcohol companies are more than twice as likely to tell consumers to "drink responsibly" than to warn them about health risks, with current voluntary alcohol warnings largely hidden, uninformative and ineffective, an Australian study has found. The study analyzed more than 6,000 alcohol labels across three major Australian retailers, examining the type and placement of voluntary health warnings and messages, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Public Health Association of Australia. It found only 25 percent of products carried a voluntary health warning, with 99 percent of those advising specific groups, including minors, pregnant women and drivers, not to drink. The findings, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, showed that 65 percent of products carried responsible consumption messages without providing information about health harms, such as alcohol's links to at least seven types of cancer and liver disease. Health warnings or messages were almost always hidden from view on the back or bottom of packages, according to the study led by Australia's George Institute for Global Health. Lead author Asad Yusoff from the George Institute said current lax alcohol labeling rules allowed alcohol companies to "feign corporate responsibility while keeping consumers in the dark about the real health harms of drinking." The findings come after an Australian parliamentary committee last week recommended mandatory regulation of alcohol advertising and marketing. 

Losing musce mass as people age could be an important warning sign for dementia risk, new Australian-led research has found. Researchers analyzed more than 80 studies examining links between body weight, body fat, muscle health and dementia, finding that people with sarcopenia had a 42 percent higher risk of dementia, according to a statement released Wednesday by Australia's Curtin University. Sarcopenia is a condition where people lose a greater amount of muscle mass, strength and physical function, often as they get older, according to the study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. The study also found that the relationship between obesity and dementia depends on age: People with obesity in middle age, or before 65, had a 9 percent higher risk of dementia, while obesity among people aged 65 and over was linked to a 17 percent lower dementia risk, but researchers cautioned against interpreting the finding as a benefit of gaining weight. The findings showed a complex relationship between body weight, ageing and dementia, with more long-term research needed to understand whether low muscle mass and excess body fat together increase dementia risk, said corresponding author Professor Mario Siervo from Curtin's School of Population Health. Lead researcher Uraiporn Booranasuksakul from Thailand's Burapha University said body weight alone did not fully reflect dementia risk, with muscle strength and function also important as people age. The researchers from Australia, Britain, Canada, Thailand and Italy said the findings reinforced the importance of taking a life-long approach to maintaining healthy body composition, including maintaining muscle strength and function as people get older.   

Taking fewer daily steps at a faster pace may substantially lower the risk of early death by up to 43 percent, new research finds. The study analyzed movement data from over 64,000 middle-aged participants in the UK Biobank who wore activity trackers for seven consecutive days between 2013 and 2015 to monitor the number and intensity of daily steps taken, according to a statement released Wednesday by Australia's Monash University. Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the research found that walking at a brisker pace may be the sweet spot for those with sedentary lifestyles. The findings could help people who struggle to increase their daily step count due to lack of time, disability or environmental restraints, said lead author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the Monash School of Psychological Sciences. "We found that the risk (of early death) was substantially lower among those achieving a higher stepping pace but fewer than 5,000 daily steps," Stamatakis said, adding the risk was also significantly reduced among those taking 5,000 to 7,500 daily steps at a slower pace. The findings did not support the popular theory that everyone must take at least 10,000 steps a day to get fit, researchers said, adding that "every step counts" and how people take those steps can also matter.

Researchers in Australia have discovered why breast cancer treatment stops working for some patients, uncovering an unexpected role of a key cancer-fighting protein. The study, published in Nature, found that the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein, long viewed as a natural brake on cancer growth, can unexpectedly activate genes that respond to the hormone estrogen. Some of these genes can help cancer cells withstand treatment and retain the ability to regrow, according to a statement released Thursday by Australia's Peter MacCallum Cancer Center. The research team found that Rb does more than switch off genes that drive cell division. It can also "switch on biological programs that partially work against its own protective effects," said Peter Mac Associate Professor Shom Goel, the study's senior author. The findings help explain why medicines known as CDK4/6 inhibitors work particularly well with endocrine therapy in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, the most common subtype. "The CDK4/6 inhibitor activates Rb to stop cancer cells dividing, while endocrine therapy blocks the unwanted estrogen-driven signals that Rb can also trigger. Together, they allow the tumor-suppressing effects of Rb to dominate," Goel said. However, when cancers become resistant to endocrine therapy, the estrogen-related gene program continues despite treatment, reducing the effectiveness of CDK4/6 inhibitors, researchers found. "Understanding this previously unknown role of Rb gives us an important new way to think about drug resistance," Goel said, adding the discovery could guide new combination therapies that keep these treatments working for longer and improve outcomes for breast cancer patients. 

More than 2,000 people have died in the Ebola outbreak in Congo, which is spreading at the fastest rate recorded in the country, according to the latest government data. The data released early Tuesday showed that the outbreak has so far recorded 4,381 confirmed cases, including 2,011 deaths. The outbreak was officially declared on May 15, although health authorities said genetic sequencing indicated that it had begun months earlier, in February. The death toll reached 1,000 within about nine weeks, but doubled in only around three more weeks, highlighting how rapidly the disease is spreading and outpacing efforts to contain it. Dr. Jean-Marie Akandabo, who is involved in treating patients at a clinic in Ituri province, described the death toll as alarming and called for intensified response efforts in affected areas. The outbreak is already the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record, after the 2014-16 epidemic in West Africa, which infected more than 28,000 people and killed over 11,000. The current outbreak is caused by the relatively rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. Clinical trials for potential vaccines and treatments have begun in Ituri, the epicenter of the outbreak in eastern Congo. Aid workers said response efforts have struggled to keep pace with the spread of the virus across five affected eastern provinces. Rebel conflict, poor roads, disrupted communications and work stoppages by health workers over unpaid wages have hampered efforts to reach patients and monitor the spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) said most new cases are still being detected among people who were not being monitored as contacts, suggesting that transmission remains largely beyond the control of health authorities. The outbreak has so far recorded a case fatality rate of 45.9%, higher than the 39.6% rate recorded during the 2014-16 West Africa outbreak. Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom, said that without an effective vaccine, controlling Ebola depends heavily on identifying patients early and treating them in secure facilities. He said ongoing conflict and poor communications in remote areas make disease surveillance extremely difficult and can prevent cases from being identified early enough to stop further transmission. Dr. Akandabo said limited access to medical care and poor community engagement remain major challenges. The WHO said some cases were initially misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid, while early testing focused on a more common Ebola strain. WHO Africa Regional Director Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi said health workers were struggling to keep up with the virus, noting that they were effectively “chasing” an outbreak that was staying ahead of them. The first Ebola virus was identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now Congo. The current outbreak is the country’s 17th and its largest.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday as the country struggles to contain its rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak, while some frontline health workers have gone on strike over unpaid wages. Tedros was scheduled to meet President Félix Tshisekedi and other partners in the capital, Kinshasa, during his second visit since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, according to the WHO's country office. The outbreak has so far infected 3,874 people and claimed 1,751 lives, according to figures released by Congo's Ministry of Health on Monday. The epidemic is centred in the eastern province of Ituri, where healthcare access has already been disrupted by armed conflict. Local residents say the strike by some frontline health workers has further complicated efforts to contain the disease. Although some workers have begun receiving overdue payments in recent days, many continue to demand better wages. Residents have expressed concern that the disruption to health services is hampering the response. One resident of Bunia, the provincial capital, said two of his brothers died from Ebola during the strike and urged authorities to resolve the issue quickly. The current outbreak is the fastest-spreading Ebola epidemic on record and the second-largest overall after the 2014-16 West Africa outbreak, which infected more than 28,000 people and killed over 11,000. The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Health officials believe the virus had been circulating in remote communities before the outbreak was officially declared on May 15. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned on Wednesday that the outbreak continues to spread at an "alarming and unprecedented rate," saying response efforts have yet to reach affected communities quickly enough to interrupt transmission. Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya said contact tracing remains ineffective, with 60 to 70 percent of new infections occurring outside known monitoring networks. Health officials say delayed detection of cases has contributed to a fatality rate of about 45 percent. The Health Ministry reported 77 new cases in the previous 24 hours, including 44 deaths. Currently, 717 patients remain in isolation, while 749 people have recovered.

The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the  DR Congo has become the largest ever recorded in the country, surpassing the 2018-2020 epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday. According to the WHO's latest disease outbreak report, the DRC had recorded 3,605 confirmed Ebola cases caused by the Bundibugyo virus as of Thursday, including 1,587 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate of 44 percent. The previous largest outbreak, which affected eastern DRC between 2018 and 2020, recorded 3,317 confirmed cases. Initially limited to the Mongbwalu health zone in Ituri province, the current outbreak has spread over the past two months to 49 health zones across five provinces — Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo. The WHO said 151 health workers have been infected during the outbreak, with 44 of them dying, underscoring continuing gaps in infection prevention and control at healthcare facilities. The UN health agency warned that insecurity, population displacement, frequent movement of people and cross-border travel are hampering surveillance and response efforts, increasing the risk of further transmission. The outbreak is unfolding in conflict-affected areas where access to healthcare, clean water, food and shelter remains limited. Attacks on health facilities have also disrupted response operations and increased the risk of undetected spread. Describing the risk within the DRC as "very high," the WHO called for a major expansion of disease surveillance, testing, clinical care, infection prevention, community engagement and logistical support to contain the outbreak.

The death toll from the Democratic Republic of Congo's rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak has surpassed 1,500, according to official figures released Thursday, underscoring the growing challenge facing health authorities. Government data showed that as of Tuesday, the country had recorded 3,442 confirmed cases and 1,521 deaths since the outbreak was declared on May 15. The outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment is currently available. Health officials said 797 patients remain in isolation or are receiving hospital treatment, while 615 people have recovered. However, contact tracing remains below target, with only about 78 percent of identified contacts under monitoring, short of the 95 percent level considered necessary to contain the disease. Ongoing armed conflict and illegal mining activities in eastern Congo have complicated efforts to identify and monitor people exposed to the virus. Nearly 90 percent of infections have been reported in Ituri province, although cases have also been confirmed in five provinces, including the major city of Kisangani. Neighbouring Uganda, meanwhile, declared an end to its Ebola outbreak earlier this week after the country's last patient was discharged in June. Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, including blood, vomit and semen. Although relatively rare, it can be fatal if not treated promptly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the current outbreak is spreading faster than previous Ebola epidemics. The 2014–16 West Africa outbreak, the deadliest on record, took around eight months to surpass 1,000 deaths, whereas the current outbreak has reached more than 1,500 fatalities within a much shorter period. The WHO said the global risk of international spread remains low because Ebola is not airborne and requires direct contact for transmission. However, it continues to classify the risk within Congo as "very high." Health officials have also warned that attacks on medical facilities, misinformation about the virus and insecurity have disrupted response efforts. Several international aid organisations temporarily withdrew staff from Ituri's Nyakunde health zone after an attack on a hospital and treatment centre earlier this month. Authorities said the withdrawal of aid partners has affected disease surveillance, contact tracing and the delivery of essential medical supplies, although security conditions have since improved and officials are urging humanitarian teams to resume operations.