New Jersey health authorities have issued an alert for travelers who passed through Newark Liberty International Airport on December 19, warning of a possible measles exposure.

According to the state Department of Health, an infected passenger who does not live in New Jersey traveled through at least two airport terminals that day. Officials said anyone who was in Terminal B around 7 a.m. or Terminal C around 7 p.m. may have been exposed to the highly contagious virus. Authorities do not know where the individual was during the hours between those times.

As per NBC News, health officials have issued warnings about possible measles exposure for travelers passing through Boston and Denver.

Measles Alert Issued After Exposure At Two Major US Airports

People who were exposed could begin showing symptoms as late as January 2, as per NBC News. Health officials are urging anyone who believes they may have been exposed or who develops symptoms to contact their local health department or healthcare provider before visiting a clinic or hospital.

Officials noted that special arrangements can be made for medical evaluation to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to other patients and healthcare workers.

Measles Symptoms and Health Risks

Measles typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. A rash usually appears three to five days after symptoms start. It often begins as flat red spots along the hairline and face, then spreads downward to the neck, torso, arms, legs, and feet.

In some cases, measles can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis. Pregnant individuals face added risks, such as miscarriage, premature delivery, or having a baby with low birth weight.

What Is Measles?

Measles (rubeola) is a highly contagious viral infection causing fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a characteristic full-body rash, spread through air and surfaces, which can lead to severe, even deadly, complications like pneumonia or brain swelling, though it's preventable with the measles vaccine, as per Mayo Clinic.

The virus is extremely infectious, with one infected person potentially infecting up to 90% of unvaccinated close contacts, and remains contagious for hours in the air or on surfaces

How Measles Spreads

Measles spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain airborne for up to two hours after the person has left the area. Infection can also occur through direct contact with mucus or saliva from someone who is infected.

Rising Measles Cases and Protection

New Jersey has reported 11 confirmed measles cases in 2025, compared with seven cases in 2024. Across the United States, cases have climbed sharply, reaching 2,012 across 44 jurisdictions as of December 23, the highest number reported since 1992.

State health officials are working with local agencies on contact tracing and outreach to alert those who may have been exposed. Individuals most at risk include those who are not fully vaccinated or who have never had measles.

The MMR vaccine, given in two doses, remains the most effective protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.

Former British Olympic sprinter Beth Dobbin, diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), spends more than 22 hours a day in bed because of the debilitating condition. She is urging UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to meet her and commit to increased government funding for ME research.

Following Dobbin's October 21 appeal, 360 sportspeople have signed a letter backing her campaign. The group includes 114 Olympians and Paralympians, who have won a combined 77 medals.

In a post on X, Dobbin expressed surprise at the response, saying: “I can’t believe 360 people signed in just 1 week, so many amazing names and messages still coming in of people wanting to add theirs (so feel free to message to add yours, we’re keeping on the pressure!!!)”

The 32-year-old retired from athletics in April 2026, describing her illness as “serious” and “life-changing”, BBC Sport reported. She had reached the 200m semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and won bronze in the 4x200m relay with Scotland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

360 Sportspeople Back Beth Dobbin's Call For ME Research Funding

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Among the signatories are Everton manager David Moyes, United States women's national football team manager Emma Hayes, former Chelsea and England centre-back Millie Bright, athletes Laura Muir, Eilish McColgan and Adam Gemili, Olympic sprinter Dina Asher-Smith and diver Tom Daley.

The letter calls on Burnham to “level the playing field” for ME research funding compared with other illnesses and “give hope to the many affected that something is being done about this life-destroying, much-ignored illness and its spiralling impact”.

It highlights the disparity in government research funding between ME and other conditions.

“Between 2019 to 2024, UK government research funders committed just £6.6m in funding for research into ME, compared to £79.1m for Parkinson's and £496.4m for dementia,” the letter states.

It adds that biomedical research funding for ME was “almost non-existent” before this period and that the lack of investment has contributed to the absence of approved treatments.

How Did Beth Dobbin Develop ME?

Dobbin's health began deteriorating after back-to-back COVID-19 and glandular fever infections during the winter of 2021-22, she told BBC Sport.

She experienced worsening fatigue, slower running times and soreness in the glands in her neck and armpits. Initial tests by British Athletics doctors failed to identify the cause.

Despite her symptoms, she continued training in 2022. At the European Championships, she false-started after losing all feeling in her legs while in the starting blocks.

Her condition continued to worsen. She struggled to stand and spent most of her time in bed. After consulting four or five specialists, she was diagnosed with ME.

Dobbin has since been largely confined to her home and bed. Even conversations, bright lights and loud sounds can trigger a “crash” lasting days or, in severe cases, months. According to BBC Sport, she has left her house just five times this year, mainly for medical appointments and blood tests.

Read More: Spanish Striker Jesus De Miguel Dies After On-Field Collision: Can A Blow To The Chest Trigger Cardiac Arrest?

What Is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)?

ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is a complex, chronic illness that can cause severe fatigue, pain, sleep disturbances and problems with thinking and memory.

Symptoms do not improve with rest and can fluctuate in severity. While some people can continue working or studying, others experience severe disability and may require round-the-clock care or tube feeding.

There is no known cure or specific approved treatment for ME. More than 400,000 people in the UK are thought to have the condition, although the actual number could exceed one million.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson previously told BBC Sport: “Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) can have a devastating impact on people's lives, and we are determined to accelerate progress in understanding and treating this debilitating condition.”

The 2026 US midterm elections have delivered significant victories for Democrats, including two healthcare professionals. Physician Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio’s gubernatorial race, while paediatrician Annie Andrews won South Carolina’s Senate race against Republican Darline Graham.

Both victories have brought healthcare professionals into the political spotlight as medical costs, insurance affordability and access to treatment remain major concerns for American voters.

Acton, a former director of the Ohio Department of Health, became widely recognised for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Andrews drew on her experience as a paediatrician to campaign on healthcare access and affordability.

"It’s the honor of my lifetime to be named your Ohio Governor-Elect," Acton said, in an Instagram post.

"South Carolina, you have shown the nation — in an era of partisan divides, of vitriol and namecalling, in a politics dominated by billionaires, special interests, and insiders in Washington — that we will not bow down. We will not back down. And we will chart our own course," added Andrews on X.

Democrats Make Major Gains In US Midterm Elections

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Acton's victory marks a setback for Republicans in Ohio, where the governor's office was previously held by the party. She sought to return the governorship to Democrats after two decades, despite Ohio's increasingly Republican lean in recent elections.

The closely watched contest saw Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and former 2024 Republican presidential candidate, secure the Republican nomination with endorsements from President Donald Trump and the state Republican Party.

According to the Associated Press (AP), Acton received 50.8% of the vote, against Ramaswamy's 45.9%, with 86% of ballots counted.

In South Carolina, Andrews defeated Darline Graham, the sister of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. She became the first Democrat to win a US Senate seat in the state in 28 years.

What Could These Wins Mean For Healthcare Policy?

The Democratic gains could create opportunities to challenge President Donald Trump's healthcare agenda through congressional oversight and legislative action.

Healthcare affordability was a major voter concern. A Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll found that six in 10 registered voters worried about medical costs. Voters trusted Democrats more than Republicans on healthcare costs (42% versus 22%) and abortion policy (42% versus 27%).

Abortion-related measures also featured on ballots in Virginia, Nevada, Idaho and Missouri, where voters considered repealing existing abortion protections.

Read More: US Midterm Elections 2026: Abortion, Medicaid, Measles And Healthcare Issues At Stake

What Did Annie Andrews And Amy Acton Promise On Healthcare?

Both candidates used their medical backgrounds to build campaigns around reducing healthcare costs, protecting patients and expanding access to treatment.

Annie Andrews' healthcare promises

The paediatrician campaigned on a 'Patients and Prices Platform'. Her key promises included:

• Lower drug prices: Expand Medicare drug price negotiations and restructure insurance rules to limit corporate profits.
• Public option: Introduce voluntary public health insurance instead of Medicare for All.
• Protect Medicaid: Reverse federal Medicaid cuts and safeguard rural hospitals.
• Public health: Expand vaccine access and strengthen maternal health services.
• Reproductive rights: Restore federal abortion protections and safeguard access to contraception and fertility treatments, including IVF.

Amy Acton's healthcare promises

The former Ohio health director focused on reducing medical debt, protecting Medicaid coverage and strengthening hospitals. Her key promises included:

• Medical debt relief: Eliminate medical debt for eligible residents earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level or whose medical debt exceeded 5% of household income.
• Lower medication costs: Launch 'Ohio Rx', a state-run online pharmaceutical platform to reduce drug prices through collective purchasing.
• Protect Medicaid: Oppose coverage cuts and establish navigator programmes to help residents retain insurance.
• Support hospitals: Provide funding to vulnerable rural and urban safety-net hospitals.
• Patient protections: Address surprise medical bills, improve insurance price transparency and prevent mid-plan medication switches.
• Reproductive rights: Defend Ohio's reproductive freedom amendment and protect access to abortion, contraception, IVF and miscarriage care.

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is launching a major trial of blood tests designed to detect 13 different cancers, including bowel, pancreatic, liver and ovarian cancer.

More than 20,000 patients with symptoms like constant bloating or abdominal discomfort are invited to participate in the trial. It spans across more than 200 GP practices in England.

Called STRIDE-RCT, the study is being led by the University of Birmingham and will assess whether three different blood tests can help GPs identify patients who may need further cancer screening sooner.

The tests detect either tiny fragments of DNA released by tumours into the bloodstream or proteins linked with the body's response to cancer.

A single blood sample could provide signals linked with several cancer types and help indicate where the cancer may have originated.

The trial is aimed to determine if certain cancers can be detected early, especially those whose symptoms may overlap with other less serious conditions.

Which 13 Cancers Can The Blood Tests Detect?

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The trial will examine the tests for their ability to identify these 13 cancers:

1. Bowel cancer
2. Small bowel cancer
3. Stomach cancer
4. Oesophageal cancer
5. Pancreatic cancer
6. Liver cancer
7. Bile duct cancer
8. Gallbladder cancer
9. Ovarian cancer
10. Endometrial cancer
11. Kidney cancer
12. Bladder cancer
13. Prostate cancer

These cancers collectively equal approximately 35,000 deaths each year in England.

The study will evaluate three blood tests. One of them, called Enlighten, was developed by UK biotechnology company Proteotype Diagnostics. It looks for proteins in the blood that indicate the immune system may be responding to early signs of cancer.

Another test, Signatera, is already used by the NHS to monitor whether certain cancers have returned. It detects circulating tumour DNAor fragments of genetic material released by cancer cells into the bloodstream.

Early Detection Of Abdominal Cancers Is Important

Also read: Multicancer Blood Test Detects 17 Cancer In A Large Study: Can It Replace Mammograms & Colonoscopies?

Many abdominal cancers are diagnosed at advanced stages because their early symptoms can be easily mistaken for digestive problems or other common conditions.

Bloating, abdominal discomfort, changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite can have several possible causes. This can make it difficult for patients and doctors to identify cancer early.

According to the trial announcement, around nine in 10 people diagnosed with stage 1 bowel cancer survive for at least five years, compared with approximately one in 10 people diagnosed at stage 4.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer and chair of the Office for Life Sciences Cancer Goal, said, “Detecting abdomen cancer early is notoriously difficult because the symptoms can easily be mistaken for other less serious conditions, but the NHS is determined to find a solution.”

He added, "We are at the start of revolution in cancer diagnosis, and this trial will help us to find out whether blood tests can help GPs get the right patients to the right tests sooner, supporting earlier diagnosis when treatment is most likely to be successful."

He said it was important to gather evidence about the new technologies and thanked those participating in the research.

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper also highlighted the potential benefits of earlier diagnosis.

"The earlier cancers are diagnosed, the more chance they can be successfully treated and lives can be saved," she said. "This world-first trial will establish whether simple blood tests can help GPs identify much sooner the patients who need urgent support."

The new STRIDE-RCT trial comes after the NHS-Galleri trial, which investigated whether a single blood test could detect multiple cancers before symptoms appeared.

That trial involved more than 142,000 people aged 50 to 77 across England. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the Galleri blood test alongside usual NHS care or usual care alone.

The Galleri test looks for patterns in tumour DNA circulating in the blood that may signal the presence of cancer.

However, results published in September 2026 showed that the trial did not meet its primary objective of reducing the combined incidence of stage III and stage IV cancers across 12 cancer types. Researchers did observe fewer stage IV cancers, but said further follow-up was needed.