Category: Health alert
First skin-to-skin contact between mother, infant can prevent newborn death
In the Western Pacific Region, a newborn dies every two minutes because of inappropriate clinical practices at the time of birth and during the first few days of life. However, newborn mortalitycan easily be prevented through Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC), a set of simple, cost-effective interventions that can save newborn lives and give them [...]
Singapore sees first diphtheria case in 25 years
A Bangladeshi construction worker living in Singapore died on August 4 from diphtheria in what is believed to be the first case of the bacterial infection in the country in 25 years, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH). MOH said the last local case of infection was reported in 1992 while the last imported [...]
People who work long hours may be more at risk of irregular rapid heartbeat
People who work long hours, usually more than 35 to 40 hours a week, may be at higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation, an irregular rapid heartbeat that can lead to strokes, heart failure and chronic fatigue, according to a recent study. Researchers followed more than 85,000 working men and women without an atrial fibrillation [...]
WHO warns against untreatable superbug gonorrhea
The World Health Organization has warned against the impending spread of the totally untreatable “superbug” strains of gonorrhea. The agency said there are at least three people worldwide infected with the untreatable superbug which could be spread through sex. Giving details of studies showing a “very serious situation” with regard to highly drug-resistant forms of [...]
Cause and symptoms of cervical cancer
Indonesia recently lost one of its celebrities, Julia Perez, due to cervical cancer. Her departure raised awareness about a form of cancer that has been labeled as one of the most lethal by the Health Ministry. Cervical cancer is often associated with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), although it is also linked to other types [...]
Internet withdrawal causes increased heart rate, anxiety levels
People who have a tendency to be obsessive internet users experience withdrawal-like symptoms and significant physiological changes such as increased heart rate and blood pressure when they go offline, a new study has found. Scientists and clinicians from Swansea University in the UK and the University of Milan in Italy studied 144 participants, aged 18 [...]
People with non-O blood type have slightly higher risk of heart attack, stroke
People with a non-O blood group have a slightly increased risk of stroke and heart attack, scientists say, due to higher levels of a blood-clotting protein present in the A, B and AB blood groups. The findings could help doctors better understand who is at risk of developing heart disease, the researchers said.But a heart [...]
Daily consumption of diet sodas increase dementia, stroke risk by three times
Consuming diet sodas every day increase the risk of dementia and stroke by three times, according to a study, providing more evidence that diet drinks are not a healthy alternative for sugary drinks. While the findings do not prove that diet drinks damage brains, they support other studies that show people who drink them frequently [...]
Smoking-related deaths worldwide jumped 4.7% over 25-year period
More than 6.4 million deaths all over the world in 2015 were smoking and tobacco-related, according to a new study. This figure shows a 4.7% increase in the number of tobacco-related deaths in over 25 years, from 1990 to 2015. The Global Burden of Diseases report was based on smoking habits in 195 countries and [...]
Spotting the signs of food poisoning and quick tips to treat it
Most people have suffered through food poisoning in their lives at one time or another. Here are some tips to spot the signs of food poisoning and what to do to treat it. The technical term used in most food poisoning cases is gastroenteritis – an irritation of the stomach and intestines. It’s typically caused [...]
