Category: Health alert
Home births carry risks
The incidence of home births in Singapore is less than 1 per cent (“More parents opting to give birth at home”; Monday). It is important to distinguish between planned home births, which refer to home deliveries accompanied by a medical […]
Mysterious crayfish plague reported island-wide
TAIPEI–Taiwan has reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) information on a redclaw crayfish plague after massive die-offs of the crustaceans in several counties. The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said it notified the […]
Fumes from grilling pork a health risk for cooks and buyers, PCD says
Street stalls selling skewered grilled pork are a health risk to people selling the food as well as those buying it, the Pollution Control Department has warned. The PCD said the risks include eye irrigation, respiratory problems and even cancer. […]
Japan’s consumer center warns over smartphones overheating
National Consumer Affairs Center in Japan has reportedly issued a warning about smartphones overheating after an yearly surge in smartphone-caused burn accidents was witnessed. The center said that there were 75 reports of smartphone-caused burn injuries in Japan and 1,032 […]
Health group warns Taiwanese men of increasing osteoporosis risk
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Contrary to the popular belief that osteoporosis only affects women when they reach menopause, the International Osteoporosis Foundation released a new study suggesting that men are more prone to the progressive disease when they hit the 50-year […]
Long-term use of food packaging chemicals may be harmful to human health
A commentary in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health warns that the synthetic chemicals used in the packaging, storage, and processing of foodstuffs might be harmful to human health over the long term. This is because most of these […]
Incidences of fatty liver disorder increase sharply
TAIPEI – The incidence of fatty liver has spiked sharply in Taiwan over the past 20 years, with more than 60 percent of people over the age of 40 year now suffering from the disease, according to a survey released […]
What other chemicals are in our foods?
It was reported recently that the Subway chain of sandwich restaurants has decided to remove the chemical Azodicarbonamide from breads. Most consumers would prefer not to eat a chemical found in shoes and rubber mats. The most common symptom if […]
Going on a cruise? Beware of virus
It has not been the best season for cruise ships. By the time the Explorer of the Seas docked at Bayonne, New Jersey, late last month, more than 600 passengers and crew members were sick to their stomachs; the Caribbean […]
Goat plague outbreak confirmed in Inner Mongolia
China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has confirmed an outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR), also known as goat plague, in northwest China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. On Feb. 10, two villages in Bayannur City of Inner Mongolia reported that […]
