We all know someone who is suffering with fever right now or a light cough. These cases are common now because of the viral season In India, there are two peak influenza season each year, when people suddenly start to fall sick. This happens because the weather transitions and becomes a breeding ground for various viruses, mosquitoes and bacteria.

These two seasons are January to Mark and the other is the post-monsoon season.

With mpox now detected in India, the country has one more disease to battle with, though the authorities have suggested not to panic as things are under control.

The Flu Season

Flu, also called influenza is an infection of the nose, throat and lungs, a respiratory infection caused by a virus. However, it is different from the virus that causes stomach flu and leads to diarrhoea and vomiting. Common illnesses during this season are fever, sore throat, runny nose, body aches and muscle pain, fatigue and weakness, chills and sweat. Along with this experts have pointed out other common diseases which can occur during this season.

Other Diseases

As per experts, along with viral infections, other diseases on the rise in India are swine flu on top, dengue, chikungunya typhoid, a very few cases of cholera, few covid cases, and routine gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestine that can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Swine Flu Is On The Rise

India has registered a total of 9,000 H1N1 cases, with 178 deaths by the same as of July 2024.

Punjab, Gujarat and Kerala topped the list of states that recorded the maximum number of deaths by influenza A (H1N1) as per the data released by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The H1N1 virus or swine flu, first got the global attention in 2009, affecting millions of people worldwide. Like seasonal flu, it too spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The origin is traced from pigs, which is where it gets its name from.

Prevention

Prevention of swine flu can be done in the same way as for other flu, by maintaining good hygiene, washing hands frequently, using hand sanitisers, wearing masks, avoiding close contact with infected individuals, getting tested, reporting to a doctor in case of any signs of fever, headaches, etc.

The United States public health agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have issued a joint Salmonella outbreak alert directly linked to Emek-brand pistachio cream. This critical notification comes as federal and state public health officials actively investigate a cluster of Salmonella infections across two states. The ongoing investigation aims to determine the full scope of the contamination, including whether other product lots or related items may be affected and still in circulation.

Investigation and Product Details

The Emek-brand pistachio cream, is described as a shelf-stable nut butter cream. It is distributed nationwide through online sales channels, reaching a broad network of wholesale distributors, restaurants, and various food service establishments. This wide distribution could be the reason for a widespread exposure, which may have prompted the rapid and coordinated response from health authorities.

The FDA is diligently working to ascertain the precise distribution of the identified contaminated lot and to assess if other batches of the pistachio cream or even different products from the same manufacturer might also pose a risk to public health. This comprehensive approach is crucial for preventing further illnesses and ensuring consumer safety.

Current Scope of the Outbreak

As of the latest reports, four individuals across two different states have been confirmed to have contracted the identical strain of Salmonella.

All four reported cases share a common exposure: the consumption of pistachio cream. While the situation is serious, it’s important to note that one person has been hospitalized due to the infection, but thankfully, no deaths have been reported in connection with this outbreak at this time.

This emphasizes the importance of immediate action and public awareness to mitigate the severity and spread of the illness. Health officials are meticulously tracing the movements of the contaminated product to identify all potential points of exposure and to contain the outbreak effectively.

Critical Public Health Guidance and Recommendations

In response to the confirmed link, the CDC has issued urgent directives for both consumers and affected industries. To prevent further illnesses, it is paramount that no one eat, sell, or serve Emek-brand pistachio cream with a specific use-by date of October 19, 2026, or a production code of 241019. This specific batch has been identified as the source of the current infections.

Beyond avoiding consumption, the CDC strongly advises thorough disinfection of all items and surfaces that may have come into contact with the contaminated product. This includes kitchen utensils, cutting boards, countertops, and any other food preparation areas. Proper hygiene practices are essential in preventing cross-contamination and the spread of Salmonella bacteria to other foods or surfaces. Adhering to these guidelines is crucial for protecting individual health and preventing further cases within the community.

Salmonella: Symptoms and Risks

Salmonella infection can manifest with a range of unpleasant symptoms, typically including diarrhea, fever, vomiting, stomach cramps, and dehydration. While most healthy individuals tend to recover within about a week without specific medical intervention, the infection can lead to more serious and potentially life-threatening illness in certain vulnerable populations.

These high-risk groups include young children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

For these individuals, Salmonella can cause severe dehydration, invasive infections (where the bacteria spread beyond the intestines), and other serious complications that may require hospitalization.

Some call it a miracle, and some call it a lack of choice. A baby is born in Georgia from a woman who was declared brain dead and was put on life support. She is 31-year-old Adriana Smith, who was about six months into her pregnancy.

Her mother April Newkirk told WXIA-TV that her daughter had intense headaches more then four months ago and went to Atlanta's Northside Hospital. There, she received medication and was released. However, next morning, her partner woke to her gasping, and called the emergency number 911.

Emory University Hospital determined she had blood clots in her brain and was declared brain dead, at that time she was eight weeks pregnant. She was kept on life support ever since, and the baby was born through an emergency cesarean section on Friday.

The baby is named Chance, and weighs about 1 pound and 13 ounces, and is born prematurely in six months. The baby is currently in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Miracle Or A Lack Of Choice?

While many may see it as a miracle, however, many have questioned the choice and agency of a woman and her right to live with dignity.

Her mother said that Smith was kept on life support due to Georgia's anti-abortion law. This has sparked questions about ethics and the case had exploded into a national and international news. Her mother also confirmed that the fetus had been growing while she was put on life support.

"WE did not have a choice or say about it. We want the baby. That's a part of my daughter. But the decision should have been left to us, not the state," told Newkirk, as reported in the Guardian.

There Is A Law, But Where Is The Logic?

Steven Ralston, the director of the maternal fetal medicine division at George Washington University told the Washington Post that "the chances of there being a healthy newborn at the end of this is very, very small." Rightly so, the baby is born in six months of pregnancy, is premature and is currently in NICU.

Newkirk too confirmed about fluid in baby's brain and that the baby maybe blind, or may no be able to walk.

A Controversial Case

Abortion, under Georgia law, is banned after six weeks of pregnancy. Certainly, as this case seems, there is no scope of exception either. The ban also contains provisions that strengthens the concept of "fetal personhood", a doctrine that holds embryos and fetuses should be considered people, and, as such, are entitled to full legal rights and protection.

Smith's case has ignited a national debate concerning medical consent and the far-reaching implications of anti-abortion laws. For years, abortion rights advocates have warned that establishing fetal personhood could create conflicts between the rights of a pregnant individual and those of the fetus. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, numerous pregnant individuals have reported being denied medically necessary abortions during emergencies due to these bans.

The hospital currently treating Smith has not commented on her specific case, citing privacy. However, it released a statement indicating its process: "uses consensus from clinical experts, medical literature, and legal guidance to support our providers as they make individualized treatment recommendations in compliance with Georgia’s abortion laws and all other applicable laws."

Conflicting Interpretations of Georgia Law

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's office has stated that the state’s six-week abortion law does not mandate medical professionals to keep brain-dead individuals on life support. According to spokesperson Kara Murray, "Removing life support is not an action with the purpose to terminate a pregnancy."

However, not surprisingly, some anti-abortion advocates hold a different view. Georgia State Senator Ed Setzler, who sponsored the state's abortion ban, told the Associated Press, "it is completely appropriate that the hospital do what they can to save the life of the child." He added, "I think this is an unusual circumstance, but I think it highlights the value of innocent human life. I think the hospital is acting appropriately."

Smith, said Newkirk, would be taken off life support on Tuesday.

Philadelphia Eagles legend center Jason Kelce recently shared that he "virtually guarantees" that he has chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Kelce's statement, posted on social media in answer to an argument, was blunt and stark, the NFL star sais, "All the research would suggest I have some degree of it." The veteran player's remarks aren't baseless because recurrent head trauma, a sad reality of high-impact sports such as football, is directly associated with CTE—a degenerative brain illness that, until death, may not be diagnosed.

This discovery isn't limited to one competitor—it represents a broader issue for athletes, families, coaches, and the medical establishment.

What Is CTE?

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain disorder thought to be caused by repeated head trauma. It can involve concussions and even subconcussive blows that do not have any immediate symptoms. Although CTE was initially diagnosed in boxers during the early 20th century, it is now most famously linked with professional football players, military combat veterans, and contact sports athletes.

What's most concerning about CTE is its subtlety: the disease develops in silence, and existing technology is unable to detect it in the living. It can only be conclusively identified by postmortem brain autopsy. While uncommon in the general population, CTE is at shockingly high prevalence among retired NFL players and others with chronic repetitive head trauma.

Jason Kelce's frankness is remarkable. Though healthy and active, he is aware of the probability of contracting a disease whose symptoms can take years to materialize after retirement. "Although there is no test to determine if I have CTE at the moment, the evidence points to me probably having it," Kelce wrote. This kind of candor brings the long-term costs of professional sport into sharp focus, especially for linemen like Kelce who are subject to helmet-to-helmet collisions day in and day out.

His words can be bleak, but aren't intended to be shocking—they're a wake-up call. They force the greater athletic community to grapple with uncomfortable realities regarding brain health, risk, and the cost of performance.

How CTE Develops Over Time?

Unlike what most people think, CTE is not brought on by one traumatic event. Rather, it's linked to a history of repeated blows to the brain during a period of time. That means both concussions and lesser blows that do not always have readily apparent symptoms. They can build up and gradually initiate neurodegeneration.

Eventually, this damage causes an accumulation of a misshapen protein known as tau, which moves from cell to cell within the brain, causing cells to die and function to be impaired. The resulting injury harms mood, thinking, and motor function, making daily life more and more challenging.

What Are the Symptoms of CTE?

While CTE cannot be diagnosed in the living, physicians are frequently able to identify a condition called traumatic encephalopathy syndrome, which shares many of the same symptoms. Some of these include:

Cognitive Impairment: Concentration difficulties, loss of memory, and problems with planning or organizing.

Behavioral Changes: Aggression and impulsivity, frequently misinterpreted as personality defects.

Mood Disorders: Ongoing depression, emotional instability, substance abuse, and even suicidal ideation.

Motor Impairments: Walking difficulties, tremors, speech problems, and Parkinson's disease-like symptoms.

Notably, not all repeated head trauma victims will develop CTE—but the likelihood of it is greatly increased with the number of injuries incurred.

Challenge of Diagnosing CTE During Life

One of the most infuriating parts of CTE is that it cannot be diagnosed conclusively until after death. Although researchers are developing possible biomarkers that could be used to detect CTE in the living, none of these have been confirmed yet. This means those at risk, such as professional athletes, fall into a medical twilight zone where symptoms are not taken seriously or are wrongly assigned.

CTE continues to be an underestimated and not well understood condition. Never has increased awareness, improved diagnostic methods, and long-term research funding been more vital.

Although there is no cure for CTE, there are steps that can be taken by athletes, organizations, and families to lower risk and assist those who are suffering:

Education and Awareness: Familiarity with signs of concussion and referral for medical assessment following head trauma can avoid further injury.

Changes in Play: Football and other contact sports are modifying to limit head trauma with rule adjustments, equipment development, and tackling styles.

Mental Health Resources: Individuals presenting with mood or cognitive changes need professional intervention early on. Depression and suicidal ideation are concerning issues that can and should be addressed.

Monitoring and Support for Retired Athletes: Periodic neurological testing and frank discussion can facilitate former players taking charge of their health.

Jason Kelce's blunt comment about CTE can be a strong legacy—not as a great player, but as a force for transformation. By accepting the probable truth of brain damage, Kelce is taking the conversation in a new direction and inviting others to fight for safer play, improved treatment, and greater knowledge.

His voice adds to an increasing chorus of athletes and medical professionals demanding real change in the way that we do sports, health, and long-term brain safety. And until we can perhaps reverse CTE, discussions like these at least make sure that we are no longer turning a blind eye to it.