Public health
Public health emergencies frame this page, from heat to outbreak response. Europe's deadly summer runs through it: France's heatwave death surge turning climate adaptation into a test, hospitals improvising without a plan, and rising child drownings making water safety a priority. The Ebola thread follows Congo's outbreak passing 1,000 confirmed cases, France confirming its first case in a doctor returned from DR Congo, and Kenya halting a US-run facility after court pressure. H5N1's arrival on the Australian mainland and a US court fight over SNAP benefits widen the picture.
France's heatwave death surge turns climate adaptation into a public health test
Deaths rose 29.1% — 2,025 excess deaths — in France's record June heatwave week, exposing how homes, health systems and cities fail in extreme heat.
Danny Glover's Alzheimer's disclosure turns celebrity news into a public health moment
The Lethal Weapon star has revealed he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's three years ago — a candid disclosure that could reshape how dementia is discussed.
Rising child drownings turn summer water safety into a public health priority
Child drowning deaths have climbed since the pandemic, and doctors say the lesson travels: prevention depends on layers of protection, not one glance.
Europe's Heatwave Verdict: Science Says the Climate Has Changed — Now Adaptation Is the Test
A World Weather Attribution study finds Europe's record heat virtually impossible without climate change, shifting the debate from explanation to preparation.
Hospitals Keep Improvising Through Heatwaves — the Plan Has to Come First
Europe's latest extreme heat shows health systems built for an older climate cannot keep writing heatwave plans after the wards are already hot.
Federal judge blocks bid to bar SNAP benefits from buying sweets and sugary drinks
A ruling has paused restrictions pursued by several US states, raising thorny legal questions about how food is defined, the limits of public-health policy and access to benefits.
Kenya halts US-run Ebola facility after court pressure and protests
The country's health minister ordered work stopped on a quarantine site amid a contempt finding and public opposition, exposing tensions over sovereignty and health security.
France confirms first Ebola case in doctor who worked in DR Congo
Health ministry says contacts are being traced and the risk to the European public is very low, as attention turns to hospital isolation procedures and cross-border readiness.
H5N1 Detection on Australian Mainland Forces WA Poultry Farms Into Lockdown
Poultry farms in Western Australia have entered lockdown after deadly H5N1 bird flu was found in wild birds on the Australian mainland, prompting the country's largest producer to act before the strain can reach commercial flocks.
Congo Ebola outbreak passes 1,000 confirmed cases
Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo say the eastern outbreak has reached 1,003 confirmed cases and 254 deaths, with insecurity and crowded camps complicating the response.
Heat-health alert issued as second heatwave grips southern England
The UK Health Security Agency has warned of health risks across London, the South East and parts of eastern and central England as temperatures climb, with older and unwell people most at risk.
One million young people offered MenB jab after deadly meningitis outbreaks
Year 13 pupils and new students will be offered a two-dose meningitis B vaccine from late July, in an emergency programme launched after the UK's largest and fastest-growing MenB outbreak.
Health officials urge MMR catch-up as measles cases climb
The UK Health Security Agency has warned that falling childhood vaccination rates are leaving communities exposed, after a rise in measles cases across several regions.