UK launches world’s first early warning system for faster pandemic detection

The system will use genetic testing to identify infections quickly

First case of deadly mpox strain detected in the UK

Health officials assure the public that the risk remains low as tracing efforts begin

Life expectancy in Scotland: A slow road to recovery

Despite recent progress, life expectancy remains below pre-pandemic levels

Fast new mpox test promises to halt africa’s rising virus cases

This test uses PCR technology to detect the virus from skin samples

ECDC advises Africa-bound travelers to get vaccinated against mpox

The new strain, Clade 1b, spreads easily, raising concern for Europe-bound travelers too

WHO issues global health warning as deadly mpox outbreak surges in Africa

Health experts call for a swift, coordinated global response to contain the crisis

Global life expectancy on the rise: insights from the world population prospects report

UN's World Population Prospects 2024 shows recovery to better than pre-covid life expectancy

COVID-19 accelerates biological ageing, increasing it by 5 years

The coronavirus shortens telomeres, harming DNA protection

Bird flu is spreading to other animals and may cause a pandemic in humans

The fatality rate for H5N1 is estimated to be around 50%

New vaccine may offer broad protection against both known and unknown coronaviruses

Vaccine has shown the potential to protect mice against range of coronaviruses,

Clear skies, clear lungs: Asthma emergencies dropped as air quality improved during lockdown

Insights from Oxford study calls for continued action to improve air quality everywhere

Frozen ancient viruses in the Arctic could spark the next global pandemic

Scientists develop monitoring strategies to mitigate the impact of frozen pathogens re-emerging

Life's curveballs can fast-forward your biological clock and make you look older

These age-jumps, measured by DNA changes, can actually reverse once the stressor fades

Canadians' life expectancy falls in 2022 for the third year in a row

COVID-19 takes a toll, seniors hit hardest, and Atlantic Canada sees highest jump

Animal-to-human diseases poised to kill 12 times more people by 2050

Urgent action needed to prevent the disease risk by addressing climate change & deforestation

Novel Claromer compounds fight viruses by targeting their protective membranes

Inspired by human immunity, Claromers are revolutionary molecules which may overcome resistance in near future

COVID-19 continues to take a toll on Japanese life expectancy

Overall dropped by 0.42 years for men and 0.49 years for women in 2022 - second fall in a row

Air pollution intensifies Covid-19 impact, mirroring decade-older age

Scientists advocate for air pollution reduction, emphasizing its potential to improve health outcomes amidst pandemics and flu season

Diabetes medication metformin could lower long COVID risk by 41%, study suggests

Metformin may function as an anti-inflammatory and potentially reduce the viral load of SARS-CoV-2

Biological Age: A Dynamic Response to Severe Stress

Helping the body recover from stress could contribute to increased longevity

One drug to fight them all: A bold approach to stopping viruses

A single treatment could tackle multiple viral infections, transforming medicine

Deaths from excessive alcohol intake surged in the UK during Covid pandemic

A 27% rise in alcohol-related deaths was reported during 2019-21, with more men affected than women

WHO renamed monkeypox as "mpox" to prevent stigma and racial stereotypes

Countries impacted most included the US, UK, Brazil, Spain, and France

Universal flu vaccine protects against all 20 strains of flu virus

Breakthrough innovation that simultaneously induces antibodies against multiple antigens

England and Wales see slight increase in life expectancy in 2021 - official figure to follow

Only 4 out of 31 countries studies have seen their period life expectancy recover since 2020

Age Labs' COVID-19 test predicts severity for early patient care

The test has passed initial studies and is currently being validated in Norway's medical lab

Covid restrictions provided unique real-world experiment with reduced air pollution

Big drop in NO2 produced biggest benefit, less significant drops seen in PM2.5 and PM10

Senolytic drugs improved survival rates in coronavirus-infected mice

Boosts immune response by clearing senescent cells; a potential treatment for COVID-19 in humans

Covid-19 hit hardest in men, cutting their life expectancy by over an year

Life expectancy will recover in the future, but with a 'slower growth'

A 12-week Better Health campaign to help you lose weight and stay active

Free support and guidance to shed those excess kilos gained during lockdown

US life expectancy dropped by 1.5 years in 2020, mostly due to COVID-19

Largest drop since world war II, mainly affecting Black and Hispanic Americans

UK recorded more deaths than births for first time in 40 years

Covid may not be the only reason; fewer births and older population also fuel death rates

US life expectancy records biggest fall due to covid pandemic

Health inequalities mainly affected life expectancy of minority groups

Robot Scientist uses AI to find cure for covid-19

Speeds up drug discovery process, allowing researchers to find new treatments for deadly diseases

Air purifiers in safari buses to protect passengers from pollution and pathogens

AirLabs' devices claims to remove coronavirus in the air - improves public transport during pandemic

Sweat sensor spots early signs of COVID-19 cytokine storms

Early diagnosis of respiratory infections with sweat sensor could enable early treatment to save lives

BioAge's anti-ageing drug to treat Covid-19 enters phase 2 trial

Reverses immune ageing and can prevent death from coronavirus infection in the elderly

Cancer vaccines based on mRNA technology will be available soon

Science behind developing Covid-19 vaccines could bring us cancer shots too

Virus comes back to life in a survivor of Ebola

Ebola survivor harboured the virus for 5 years & transmission could spark new outbreaks

Previous Covid-19 infection may be protective for 5 months

Some might get re-infected & transmit the virus - should stay at home

A New COVID antibody test to check if you need a vaccine

This rapid test can assess your level of immunity and post-vaccine tolerability

Activewear brand Lorna Jane makes 'anti-virus' claims: taken to court

Such claims made by trusted companies without a scientific basis mislead the public

2020 might be the deadliest year for America

Life expectancy to drop by 3 years - greatest cut off since World War II

UV LED light - a new hope amidst the pandemic

Effective in killing human coronavirus - residential use not recommended due to hazardous effects

Robots to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic

No risk of spreading the virus or getting infected - will reinforce the health task-force

An AI tool that helps personalise COVID-19 treatment decisions

Has halved the mortality rates despite the second wave of the pandemic

Covid-19 has reverted life expectancy levels back to 2010

Coronavirus slashed the upward trend of life expectancy in England and Wales

A drug that reverses ageing to help fight COVID

Elderly have a higher mortality risk with COVID - reversing ageing could reduce it

Study finds patients with good vitamin D levels half as likely to die of coronavirus

Definitely no harm in taking normal levels of vitamin D supplements - and could save your life

Coronavirus gives extra incentive for smokers to kick the habit

1.5 times as many smokers quit in the last year than usual - a rare long-term benefit of the pandemic

Israeli innovations tackle COVID-19 with protective sprays

From virus-blocking barriers to powerful disinfectants, new tools aim to enhance pandemic defences

The deadly link between air pollution and coronavirus

An analysis to answer whether quality of air affects rise in pandemic cases

Robotic scientists can do lab work faster

Does not mean that machines will be able to replace human scientists

Answers to your questions about coronavirus antibody tests

Antibody tests, how they work, which one to choose: answers from the experts

More than 300,000 UK smokers quit in fear of coronavirus

The pandemic has caused a lot of people to rethink of their daily habits

Protect yourself from coronavirus as lockdown eased

Tips from New Scientist on returning to work and travelling around

11,000 avoided deaths in Europe owing to cleaner air during lockdown

We need technology-driven, not pandemic-driven, solutions to air pollution

José Luis Cordeiro looks at the positive opportunities from Covid-19

Some interesting figures on how we are able to sequence new viruses faster and faster

Public Health England: Best to take vitamin D during COVID-19 lockdown

Advices on improving health should be considered especially in times of pandemic

Presence of coronavirus in sewage quantitatively reflects number infected

Quickly becomes inactive in faeces and sewage so there's no risk of infection

Genetic diversity, hoped to explain varied severity of COVID-19 symptoms

A look into DNA data from UK Biobank to answer many questions on the virus

FDA gives the green light for human trials against a new coronavirus therapy

May cause serious adverse effects if stem cells over attack normal lung cells

Proposed strategy to protect elderly from gerolavic infections like COVID-19

To benefit long term global health and longevity, and enhance economic recovery

COVID-19 advanced testing lab created by UC Berkeley scientists

In response to mass testing needs, they employ robotics and automation for accuracy and speed

Half a million computers across the world unite to fight against COVID-19 virus

They need one million computers and it's your chance to be one in a million!

Top ten frequently asked questions about coronavirus

Quick answers from the BBC's coronavirus FAQ

Kinsa's smart thermometer, an early warning device for COVID-19

Very beneficial as health sector sees where to prioritize testing

7 COVID-19 patients recovered, owing to stem cell therapy

A small study, but a big impact on the 7 participants who all recovered quickly

CloudMind robots used to protect staff in Wuhan field hospital

Able to monitor patients' vital signs and deliver medication remotely

A hospital in Italy resorts to 3D printing in desperate times

3D printing is a quick alternative when the product chains are getting delayed

Nanotech spray can prevent coronavirus from spreading

This is a long lasting disinfectant that lasts upto 5 years

Intelligent robot reduces cross-infection risks for coronavirus

Besides preventing cross-infection for medical workers, robot prevents improper sample collecting

AI system can recognize pneumonia due to Covid-19 in chest CT

There many CT images to analyse so this AI saves up times

No need to get panicked and buy hand sanitisers

They're more effective against coronavirus than norovirus - but must be at least 60% alcohol

Ethics report shows equal respect helps prepare for health emergencies

As is often the case, it's politicians who need to act before the spotlight is on them

Last opportunity to contain coronavirus outbreak

Not yet out of control - but asymptomatic patients could complicate prevention of outbreaks

5 key questions about coronavirus (Covid-19)

It's not going to wipe out humanity - and your individual risk is low

Pharmaceutical companies developing vaccine for coronavirus in record time (video)

Inovio's Dr Kate Broderick explains how - starting with the DNA sequence

First US coronavirus patient treated using robot in isolation unit

Unit can expand to 10 units - but would be overwhelmed with a full-scale pandemic

UK toughens up precautionary measures against the new coronavirus

Symptoms quite similar to that of seasonal flu, takes 5 days to appear once infected

New coronavirus claims the second life in China

Are we heading towards a new pandemic?

A new coronavirus is preparing to wreak havoc in China

Patients are mostly vendors and buyers at Seafood market in Wuhan city of China

2020 could bring universal flu vaccine thanks to Israeli researchers

It's always better to be prepared beforehand for another possible pandemic

Flu vaccine 2019 and everything you need to know about that

Flu can kill – it’s a good idea to get the jab every year

Independent panel says we're not prepared for growing global pandemic risk

Politicians quickly forget the risk once the last crisis is over

Two new Ebola drugs report a 90% survival rate

Thanks to this cocktail of 3 antibodies, Ebola no longer means impending death

Taking antibiotics could make your flu more deadly

Antibiotics should not be taken without a prescription of the doctor

Ebola spreads from Congo to Uganda - no sign of stopping

Not yet a global emergency – but could explode at any time

Pig Ebola spreads across Asia leading to culling of millions of pigs

If this mutated to infect humans it would be worse than Ebola

Over 1,000 deaths in new Ebola outbreak in DRC

Vaccine may be controlling outbreak for now, but could explode at any time

Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo - still not a global threat

No need to declare a “public health emergency of international concern”

Dangerous toxins accidentally released from labs every few days

All too easy to get lax about safety when you work with deadly materials every day

Small molecule oral drug could treat influenza A

Targets seasonal and pandemic strains of flu

Flu resistant chickens in battle against next human pandemic

Hopefully in future we can make ourselves impervious to flu

How do you die from the flu?

It's not just a bad cold - it killed 15,000 people in the UK last year

Llama blood clue to beating all flu

Llama antibodies able to attack parts of flu virus that don't mutate

Prototype pandemic vaccine without the shot

A bandage-like strip with micro-needles may replace the usual methods for vaccination

China Won't Share Its Samples of a Deadly Flu Virus

China refuses to share H7N9 samples making difficult developing a vaccine against it

Fresh Ebola outbreak has potential to spread

New outbreak in an area of active conflict makes difficult to contain the infection

Pandemic could kill 900 million people

Lack of adequate response systems may result in the death of 10% of the population

Nipah virus outbreak in India contained

Nipah virus outbreak has been contained with 17 deaths and no new cases

Could dog flu be the next pandemic?

The H3N8 Dog influenza virus found in China is not a risk for humans at the moment

Here's What the Next Pandemic Pathogen Might Look Like

Pathogens like Ebola and Zika are unlikely to cause a global pandemic disaster.

Pop up vaccine factories could curb pandemics

Big pharma is unwilling to invest in pandemic prevention.

Influenza pandemic could infect 43 million in UK

Influenza pandemic could kill almost a million people in the UK.

How to avoid catching a virus on a plane

Study provides blueprint for how a virus could move around a plane.

Disease X Could One Day Kill Millions

Disease X has been added to the World Health Organization's (WHO) list of maladies.

Lassa fever: The killer disease with no vaccine

Nigeria has been gripped by an outbreak of a Lassa fever.

Hunting Unknown Viruses To Prevent Next Pandemic

Scientists estimate still 1.6 million viruses to discover.

First ever human case of H7N4 bird flu

68-year-old woman from eastern China developed symptoms on 25 December.

Experimental Drug Kills Flu Virus in a Single Day

Shionogi claims its influenza virus treatment is faster-acting than any other flu drug.

Infectious disease outbreak could kill 30 million people in a year

Global Health Security Agenda program is coming ot an end.

Google invests in UK company developing universal flu vaccine

Vaccitech has raised £20m from investors including Google parent Alphabet.

What is 'Aussie' flu and should we be worried?

Aussie flu or H3N2 is an influenza A virus that appears to cause more severe infections in young children and the elderly.

New DNA vaccine could lead to a universal vaccine for the flu

Flu virus continually shape-shifts from year to year.

The Virus That Conquered the World, 100 Years Later

Called “La grippe,” “three-day fever” and the “Spanish flu,” the influenza pandemic of 1918–1919 ravaged communities worldwide.

US lifts ban on risky pathogen research

The US government has lifted its controversial ban on funding experiments that make certain pathogens more deadly or transmissible.

H7N9 Influenza Could Be The Next Big Flu Pandemic

H7N9 is an avian flu that was discovered in China in 2013. Since its discovery, there have been multiple waves of infections in humans and in 2016 the infection rate started to increase much more than before. Of the infected, 40% has died.

Can We Stop A Global Pandemic?

Having killed at least 74 people in the last few weeks, the plague ravaging Madagascar has just jumped across the border and off the island.

Shortage Could Leave U.S. With Deadly Flu Pandemic

United States relies on foreign trade for many medical needs. About 30 essential items, these include hospital supplies like IV bags and everyday drugs, are made outside of the U.S.

BBC app to investigate how flu pandemic spreads

The free app will anonymously collect vital data on how far users travel over a 24 hour period.

Bill Gates thinks a pandemic could kill 30 million people

Bill and Melinda Gates in their recently released "Goalkeepers" report state that they see a pandemic as the greatest immediate threat to humanity on the planet.

Still Vulnerable 100 Years after Lethal 1918 Flu Pandemic

The 1918 influenza pandemic: the most devastating infectious disease in history took 50 million to 100 million lifes worldwide. Despite the progress of modern medicine we do not have such vaccines, which would be effective against a 1918-like virus.

Three Mutations Could Turn Bird Flu Virus Into A Human Pandemic

H7N9 strain has infected over 900 people since 2013.

Bill Gates warns tens of millions could be killed by bio-terrorism

The next epidemic could be a genetically engineered version of the smallpox virus or a deadly strain of the flu.

We are vulnerable to flu epidemic in next decade

Bill Gates says the world is a bit vulnerable right now.

First flu affects lifetime risk

Research finds there are only two types of hemagglutinin protein on surface of influenza A virus.

Influence of the "first flu"

UK expert said 2 hemagglutinin could explain different patterns in flu pandemics

Lack of UK Ebola strategy and procedure put lives at risk

House of Commons report says UK’s response was undermined by systemic delays.

UK is ‘vulnerable’ to next Ebola outbreak

Science and Technology Committee says gaping hole in the country’s ability to manufacture vaccines.

Ebola vaccine 100% effective

No new cases in 2,000 close contacts when vaccinated immediately compared to 16 cases if vaccinated several weeks later.

Dog infects four humans with the plague, may involve human-to-human transmission

8 cases of the plague in humans each year on average but is currently treatable with antibiotics.

‘Mystery disease’ kills 18 in Nigeria

India swine flu outbreak ‘kills 75’

The H1N1 virus, which causes swine flu, first appeared in Mexico in 2009 and rapidly spread around the world.

Studying Epidemics in Virtual Worlds

1.3 million virtual residents represented by digital characters ran through 15 scenarios, with a variety of government reactions. Tracks the spread of diseases in virtual worlds to help predict what will happen in the real world.

Factors that make an infectious disease outbreak controllable

Two simple public health measures in controlling outbreaks are isolating symptomatic individuals and tracing/quarantining their contacts.