Health news · 25 October 2026
Ebola Outbreak in Congo Expands to Eighth Province as Cases Reach Nigeria and Kenya
The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, caused by the Bundibugyo virus and declared in mid-May, has spread to five countries including Nigeria and Kenya, with 9,552 confirmed infections and more than 4,600 deaths recorded in the DRC alone.
US Birth Rate Drops to Record Low, CDC Reports
New CDC data show the US general fertility rate fell by 1% in 2025 to a new record low, as sharply fewer women in their 20s are choosing to become mothers, though birth rates among women aged 30 to 45 continued to rise.
Nearly One Million Chickens Culled as US Bird Flu Hits Largest Active Outbreak
Around 934,600 chickens at Rose Acre Farms in Illinois — the second-largest US egg producer — were destroyed after highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed there, marking the nation's single largest active outbreak site.
US Unveils Sweeping New National Plan to Fight Alzheimer's and Dementia
The US Department of Health and Human Services released a major update to its national Alzheimer's strategy on 22 October 2026, restructuring it around four new goals — including prevention and earlier detection — with ARPA-H committing up to US$48.8 million in new awards toward earlier detection and intervention, bringing its total Alzheimer's investment to as much as US$155.3 million.
FDA Approves First Immunotherapy for a Common Form of Rectal Cancer
The US FDA granted accelerated approval on 19 October 2026 to dostarlimab (Jemperli) for adults with stage II/III locally advanced rectal cancer carrying a specific genetic marker, with 71% of trial patients needing no further treatment beyond the drug alone.