Health news · 28 October 2026
DRC Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 10,000 Cases, Deadliest in Country's History
The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has crossed 10,000 confirmed cases and nearly 5,000 deaths, spreading to Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria in the widest cross-border reach of any Ebola epidemic on record.
Uncontrolled H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak at Utah Mink Farm Raises Pandemic Alarm
H5N1 bird flu has spread unchecked for over two months at a Utah mink farm, and genetic analysis has found a worrying mutation that could help the virus adapt to humans — yet authorities have declined to cull the animals.
Mayo Clinic AI Spots Pancreatic Cancer Up to Three Years Before Diagnosis
A Mayo Clinic and MD Anderson AI model called REDMOD correctly identified early signs of pancreatic cancer in CT scans taken before diagnosis in 73% of cases — nearly double the detection rate of human radiologists reviewing the same scans.
Scientists Crack 30-Year Genetic Mystery Behind Severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Oxford, Newcastle and Cambridge researchers have discovered that about 3.5% of IBD patients produce antibodies that block interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory protein, finally explaining why a known genetic variant causes severe disease in thousands of patients.
Common Arthritis Drugs May Help Dangerous Viruses Spread, Norwegian Study Warns
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found that JAK inhibitors — widely prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis — suppress the body's frontline antiviral defences, potentially allowing influenza, COVID-19, and other dangerous viruses to spread more easily.