New Zealand will phase in a near-total tobacco ban from next year. Legislation passed by parliament on Tuesday means that anyone born after 2008 will never be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products. It will mean the number of people able to buy tobacco will shrink each year. By 2050, for example, 40-year-olds will be too young to buy cigarettes. Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, who introduced the bill, said it was a step “towards a smoke-free future”. “Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives and the health system will be NZ$5 billion (US$3.2 billion) better off from not … Continue reading New Zealand passes legislation banning cigarettes for future generations

Most of the time, urine shouldn’t have any strong smell if you’re in good health and well hydrated. Urine that smells could be a sign of several changes in your body, some less harmful than others. A “foul-smelling urine” in particular could be a sign of several health problems, including uncontrolled diabetes and fatty liver disease. Smelly urine is usually not a sign of a disease and should disappear over time. Harmless activities such as consuming asparagus, and certain vitamins can change the smell of your urine. Your urine may also have a stronger smell in the morning or if you’re dehydrated. … Continue reading ‘Foul-smelling’ urine can signal four common health conditions – from UTI to diabetes

The deaths of nearly 100 children in Indonesia have prompted the country to suspend sales of all syrup and liquid medication. It comes just weeks after a cough syrup in The Gambia was linked to the deaths of nearly 70 children. Indonesia said some syrup medicine was found to contain ingredients linked to acute kidney injuries (AKI), which have killed 99 young children this year. It is not clear if the medicine were imported or locally produced. On Thursday, Indonesian health officials said they had reported around 200 cases of AKI in children, most of who were aged under five. … Continue reading Indonesia bans all syrup medicines after death of 99 children

The Indian government has ordered an investigation into four cough syrups after the World Health Organization (WHO) linked them to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia. The WHO said the children had died of kidney injuries. It said it found “unacceptable” levels of toxins in the syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals. It also advised regulators to stop sale of the products. India’s national drug regulator began investigating after the WHO contacted it on 29 September, an Indian government statement said. The regulator has also asked the WHO to share its report establishing the “causal relation to death with … Continue reading Update: India investigates cough syrups scandal after Gambia deaths

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a global alert over four cough syrups after warning that they could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia. The syrups have been “potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children”, it said. The products were manufactured by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which had failed to provide guarantees about their safety, the WHO added. The WHO identified the medicines as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup. The four products had been identified in The Gambia, … Continue reading WHO alert over India-made cough syrups after deaths in The Gambia

A top Chinese health official has warned locals against touching foreigners, a day after China recorded its first monkeypox infection. In a post on Weibo, the chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wu Zunyou advised against “skin-to-skin contact with foreigners”. The post drew controversy, with some labelling it as racist. Comments on the original post have since been disabled from the platform. “In order to prevent possible monkeypox infection and as part of our healthy lifestyle, it is recommended that 1) you do not have direct skin-to-skin contact with foreigners,” said Mr Wu on … Continue reading Chinese official warns against touching foreigners after monkeypox case

The US government has declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency following a spike in cases. The decision will speed up the distribution of vaccines, treatments and federal resources to curb the spread of the virus. It comes less than a fortnight after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued its highest emergency alert following a worldwide surge in cases. Cases have topped 6,600 in the US, according to health officials. A quarter of these cases have appeared in the state of New York, which declared its own state of emergency over the disease last week. The two states with … Continue reading US declares Monkeypox a public health emergency

Former West Ham forward Sebastien Haller has been diagnosed with a testicular tumour.Sebastien Haller (left) The 28-year-old underwent medical examinations on Monday after feeling unwell following training with Borussia Dortmund, the club said. A testicular tumour was discovered during those examinations, with further tests to take place in a specialist medical facility over the coming days. Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl said: “This news today came as a shock to Sebastien Haller and everyone else. “The entire BVB family hopes that Sebastien makes a full recovery as soon as possible and that we can give him a hug again soon. “We’ll do … Continue reading Borussia Dortmund striker diagnosed with testicular tumour

Ghana has confirmed its first two cases of the deadly Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola. It says both patients died recently in hospital in the southern Ashanti region. Their samples came back positive earlier this month and have now been verified by a laboratory in Senegal. Health officials in the West African nation say 98 people are now under quarantine as suspected contact cases. No treatment yet exists for Marburg – but doctors say drinking plenty of water and treating specific symptoms improves a patient’s chances of survival. The virus … Continue reading Ghana confirms first cases of deadly Marburg virus

North Korea says it is dealing with an outbreak of an unidentified intestinal sickness, adding to the strain caused by the spread of Covid-19. The country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, has ordered quarantine measures be implemented, the official KCNA news agency reports. It said he sent medicine to Haeju city on Wednesday to help patients suffering from the “acute enteric epidemic”. Health experts suspect the illness could be typhoid or cholera. North Korea declared a state of emergency in May after it said millions of people were experiencing “fever”, believed to be untested Covid-19 cases. It has not reported the number … Continue reading North Korea announces outbreak of intestinal sickness

A family in Texas is suing a Houston-based doctor after their 4-year-old on son underwent an “unintended vasectomy” during a surgery. The child was reportedly in the hospital for a hernia surgery at the time of the incident, according to Randy Sorrels, the family’s personal injury attorney. He told Fox4 that part of the procedure involved work near the child’s groin. The attorney claimed the surgeon “cut the wrong piece of anatomy.” “The surgeon, we think, cut accidentally the vas deferens, one of the tubes that carries reproductive semen in it. It could affect this young man for the rest of his life,” Mr Sorrels told the broadcaster. … Continue reading OMG: Four-year-old accidentally given vasectomy

Israel, Switzerland and Austria are the latest countries to confirm cases of monkeypox, bringing the total number of nations reporting outbreaks to 15. Israel and Switzerland both said they identified one infected person who had recently travelled abroad. Israel is investigating other suspected cases. Monkeypox does not tend to spread easily between people and the illness is usually mild. The virus is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa. More than 80 cases have been confirmed in the recent outbreak in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia. The World Health Organization has said a number of other … Continue reading Another Pandemic?: Israel, Switzerland and Austria confirm cases of Monkeypox virus