The current measles outbreak has gripped US states like Texas and New Mexico leaving people worried whether it would become a new pandemic. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services as of February 21, 90 cases were diagnosed in the last month in the South Plains area, with at least 77 of them were reported in children and teens under 17.

Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly. The outbreak, which started spreading in late January, has resulted in multiple hospitalizations, with at least nine confirmed cases and three probable cases as of early February. Health officials caution that at least one in five infected individuals will have to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Misinformation surrounding vaccines and with the new Trump administration anti-vaccine campaigs, has causing parents to hesitate or refuse vaccination.

Furthermore, the country down under Australia is also witnessing a surge in measles cases as health officials in Sydney have issued an urgent alert, urging residents to watch for measles symptoms after an infected individual visited several places in Sydney over the last seven days.

Authorities report that the traveller had returned from South East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.

What Are The Symptoms Measles?

Key symptoms of measles include fever, a runny nose, sore eyes, and a cough. Typically, a red, blotchy rash appears three to four days later, spreading from the head down to the body. Symptoms can manifest between 7 and 18 days after exposure.

Anyone who experiences these symptoms after potential exposure should immediately contact their doctor or emergency department. It is crucial to call ahead before visiting to avoid potentially exposing others in the waiting room. Dr. Selvey also highlighted that ongoing measles outbreaks are occurring in various parts of the world, making awareness and prompt action essential.

Why It Is Important To Get Vaccinated?

According to CDC everyone should get the MMR vaccine. It protects you from measles, mumps, and rubella. Getting vaccinated helps stop these diseases from spreading. There are two safe MMR vaccines available. They work the same way, so it doesn't matter which one you get. Kids can also get a shot that protects against chickenpox too, but this is only for children.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Kids Need Two Shots

All children should get two MMR shots. The first shot should be given when they are between 12 and 15 months old. The second shot should be given when they are between 4 and 6 years old. If needed, the second shot can be given earlier, but it must be at least 28 days after the first shot.

College Students Need to Be Protected

Students going to college or other schools after high school, need two shots if they are not already immune. The shots must be at least 28 days apart.

Adults Need at Least One Shot

Most adults need at least one MMR shot. Some adults need two shots, especially those who work in healthcare, travel a lot, or go to college. These people should get two shots, with 28 days between them.

Travelers Need to Be Extra Careful

Anyone traveling to other countries should make sure they are protected. Babies 6 to 11 months old should get one shot before traveling. Kids 12 months and older, teens, and adults need two shots, with 28 days between them.

Healthcare Workers Must Be Immune

People who work in healthcare should have proof that they are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. If they are not immune, they need two MMR shots, spaced 28 days apart.

Women Thinking About Having Babies

Women who might get pregnant should talk to their doctor about the MMR vaccine. It's safe to get the shot while breastfeeding.

H3N2 flu is spreading in Canada, and hospitalization has nearly doubled up. The Health Canada data shows that influenza is up by almost 30 per cent. The week ending December 13, Canada saw 11,646 new cases of flu, which equals to 27.7 per cent of all tests conducted in the country were positive. Now, as compared to the week before, there is an increase of 71 per cent, which saw 6,799 new cases and a positivity rate of 20.2 per cent.

The hospitalization rate has also gone up from 3.6 people per 10,000 of the population to 6.2 in this week. The number of reported outbreaks is now up from 91 to 186 and 44 regions across 11 provinces and territories reported influenza.

Which Flu Strain Is Hitting Canada Hard?

Doctors explain that subclade K enhances the ability of the virus to slip through our immune protection. However, it does not mean that vaccination offers no protection against the flu. In fact, experts and doctors have been emphasizing the need to get yourself vaccinated to help you protect from the worst effects of the virus.

“If you look at deaths and severe illness with flu, the vast majority both in adults and in children are unvaccinated,” said Dr Fahad Razak, internal medicine physician and professor at the University of Toronto.

“Yes, you may get sick, even if you are vaccinated, it’s that the severity, the chance that you’re going to end up in hospital and worst-case scenario in the ICU or die does seem to be significantly protected against by being vaccinated.”

Health Canada too noted that vaccination can prevent anyone infected with influenza from developing any further complications.

Are Any Other Countries Impacted?

UK and US are among the other countries impacted with the subclade K or the super flu. The National Health Service (NHS), UK, has already sent out a 'flu jab SOS' to vulnerable people.

NHS has confirmed that the super flu is circulating in England this year, and due to less immunity, it is making it easier to spread across people. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has urged people to get a flu jab. As per the early data, this year's vaccine has offered good protection despite the new strain.

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, said that the major concern is that H3N2 is associated with a more severe illness and superflu could be "a very nasty strain of flu". He said that UK could be experiencing a "tidal wave" of illness.

The main strain circulating this winter is a drifted H3N2 variant, which the UKHSA says has left the community with “less natural immunity.” H3N2 strains tend to cause more serious illness in older adults than H1N1 strains and are linked to higher hospitalizations and deaths. This pattern adds further strain to the NHS during the winter months.

How To Know If It Is Flu Or COVID?

Dr Rupa Parmar, a GP and medical director at Midland Health tells The Mirror, that shortness of breath could be a key symptom that could differentiate between the two.

Dr Parmar highlights that it is a key indicator for COVID. "Shortness of breath is rare in both a cold and the flu, but as COVID more so affects the lungs due to inflammation, it is a common symptom."

The NHS website supports her advice, noting that breathlessness is a symptom more often tied to Covid, not the flu or a common cold. This kind of breathing difficulty is usually associated with infections like Covid or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

James Van Der Beek, known best for Dawson's Creek, in a sit-down TV interview with Today, opened up about his cancer diagnosis. However, in this interview, he clarified that his weight loss was not cancer related. He shared that his family got a standing ovation during September's Dawson's Creek reunion, but he had to miss the event because he was "hit with some stomach bugs". However, he was able to join the event via Zoom call.

He clarified while he was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer last year, his weight loss was not cancer related, but due to a stomach virus. "I feel much, much better than I did a couple months ago," he said.

“I’d lost so much weight because of the stomach virus, yeah. No, it was not cancer related. Although with cancer everything’s like, ‘Why don’t we super-size that stomach virus?'” he said.

What Stomach Virus Makes You Lose Weight?

While there are no confirmed reports on what the stomach virus was, stomach flu caused by viruses like Norovirus and Rotavirus are common, however, it is the parasitic infections like Giardiasis and bacterial infections like Campylobacter that makes one lose weight.

Giardiasis

This is a common illness caused by a parasite that could result in diarrhea and stomach cramps. This spreads through contaminated water, food, and surfaces, and from contact with someone who has it. Antibiotics can treat this.

The microscopic parasite called Giardia found especially in contaminated water could take up residence in your small intestine and feed off the nutrients there. One of the long term effects is weight loss from the chronic diarrhea and nausea.

Campylobacteriosis

Campylobacter is among the most common infections caused by a bacterium in humans, often as a foodborne illness. It usually happens when someone eats undercooked poultry, or drinks unpasteurized milk or contaminated water. The bacteria can make people ill with diarrhea, with nausea as a common symptom. Weight loss too is one of the clinical symptoms of this illness.

James Van Der Beek Cancer Diagnosis

James Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer after he began noticing changes in his bowel habits in the summer of 2023. At first, he brushed off the symptoms, assuming they were linked to his coffee intake. However, when the changes did not go away, he decided to consult a doctor.

A colonoscopy later confirmed the cancer diagnosis. The news came as a shock, especially since Van Der Beek had no known family history of colorectal cancer and believed he was in excellent health due to his active lifestyle and balanced diet.

What Is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer develops in the colon or rectum and often begins as small, non-cancerous growths known as polyps. Over time, some of these polyps can become cancerous, interfering with digestion and the body’s ability to process waste.

It is one of the more common forms of cancer and can be difficult to detect early because symptoms may not appear right away. When they do, they often include blood in the stool, persistent changes in bowel habits, abdominal discomfort, and unexplained weight loss. According to the Mayo Clinic, early screening plays a critical role in detecting the disease when it is most treatable, and lifestyle choices can significantly influence risk and outcomes.

More than a year after Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer, the actor has shared a new update on how the illness has changed his outlook on life in unexpected ways. Speaking to host Craig Melvin on the December 19 episode of Today, James reflected on the moment he first heard the diagnosis.

“As soon as I found out, I remember thinking, ‘This might end up being the best thing that ever happened to me,’” he said. “There was this quiet voice in my head telling me that this diagnosis would push me to make changes I would never have made otherwise.”

As James Van Der Beek opens up about his health journey, many are asking: what kind of cancer was he diagnosed with?

James Van Der Beek Cancer: What Kind Of Cancer Has He Been Diagnosed With?

James Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer after he began noticing changes in his bowel habits in the summer of 2023. At first, he brushed off the symptoms, assuming they were linked to his coffee intake. However, when the changes did not go away, he decided to consult a doctor.

A colonoscopy later confirmed the cancer diagnosis. The news came as a shock, especially since Van Der Beek had no known family history of colorectal cancer and believed he was in excellent health due to his active lifestyle and balanced diet.

What Is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer develops in the colon or rectum and often begins as small, non-cancerous growths known as polyps. Over time, some of these polyps can become cancerous, interfering with digestion and the body’s ability to process waste.

It is one of the more common forms of cancer and can be difficult to detect early because symptoms may not appear right away. When they do, they often include blood in the stool, persistent changes in bowel habits, abdominal discomfort, and unexplained weight loss. According to the Mayo Clinic, early screening plays a critical role in detecting the disease when it is most treatable, and lifestyle choices can significantly influence risk and outcomes.

James Van Der Beek Cancer: Regular Screenings and Colonoscopies

As colorectal cancer often shows no symptoms in its early stages, routine screening is essential. Colonoscopies allow doctors to spot and remove precancerous polyps and detect cancer before it spreads. Early intervention has been shown to lower both the number of cases and deaths associated with the disease.

Data from the CDC highlights the importance of early detection, with survival rates varying widely by stage. While stage I colorectal cancer has a five-year survival rate of about 91 percent, that number drops sharply to around 14 percent for stage IV cases, according to the American Cancer Society. Health experts recommend beginning regular screening at age 45, or earlier for people with higher risk factors. Colonoscopy remains the most effective screening tool, as it examines the entire colon and allows for immediate removal of suspicious growths.

James Van Der Beek Cancer: What Was The Prognosis?

James Van Der Beek’s outlook following his stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis has been described as cautiously hopeful. His cancer was identified while still localized, a category associated with a significantly higher survival rate. According to the American Cancer Society, localized colorectal cancer has a five-year survival rate of approximately 91 percent.

James Van Der Beek Cancer: What Treatments Did James Undergo?

James Van Der Beek has chosen not to share detailed information about the specific treatments he has received for his stage 3 colorectal cancer. In general, treatment for this stage of the disease typically involves surgery followed by chemotherapy, and in some cases, radiation therapy.

Nutritional support also plays an important role, particularly because colorectal cancer and its treatments can affect digestion. While Van Der Beek has kept the details private, he has emphasized that he is actively addressing his diagnosis and prioritizing his overall health as part of his recovery.