Seven dead, over 100 people hospitalized as they drink water with sewage mixes in Madhya Pradesh's Indore. The Hindu reports that while official toll may suggest a different number, residents said that 14 people have died, and 2,500 are sick. According to a report submitted to the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) by the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Medical College on January 1, 2026, a total of 26 Indore water samples were found contaminated. The report suggests that officials took steps to clean and repair the water supply line, and began the work on a delayed, new supply line, yet the samples remain contaminated.

The first day of 2026 also brought in a notice from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), issued to Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Anurag Jain and asked for a detailed report on the matter in two weeks. The report which was submitted to IMC collected 70 samples from various locations in Indore, and 26 of them were found to be contaminated.

What Happened In Madhya Pradesh?

Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav reported that the seven deaths were linked to the outbreak, which occurred due to lapses in civic infrastructure. Investigation revealed that a toilet constructed directly above a main drinking pipeline near a police outpost, without a mandatory safety tank resulted in the sewage mixing with drinking water.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Indore Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dilip Kumar said, “We have found that in case of the construction of the toilet, no safety tank was constructed beneath it. We are also probing the other lapses.”

What Actions Have Been Taken So Far?

As of now, the water supply Assistant Engineer (AE) has been suspended, and the sub-engineer relieved of duty. The Zonal Officer has also been suspended for failing to ensure proper coordination. “The zonal officer has been suspended because he should have seen overall coordination,” Commissioner Kumar said.

“We have found a few chambers that intersect the distribution line. We are getting them diverted,” Kumar also noted.

While authorities take action, families grief-stricken families remain in the fear of drinking water from the locality. One of the victim's family member Jitendra Prajapat, who lost his 50-year-old sister, Seema Prajapat, recounts the horrors.

“My sister suddenly started suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea and we did not even get a chance to manage the situation. She died on the way to the hospital,” told Jitendra Prajapat to The Indian Express. “One moment she was at home, the next she was gone.”

Another victim is Manjulata, an elderly woman, whose husband said, “For the past several days, the water had been coming out dirty. We even filed complaints, but nothing was done about it. No one listened."

Authorities have stepped up efforts to contain the crisis and avert further casualties. District Magistrate Shivam Verma said the response has been extensive, with around 149 people currently hospitalised and survey teams conducting door-to-door checks. By 31 December, 2025, nearly 2,700 houses had already been covered.

The survey has been extended to other surrounding areas in Indore to check the water quality and to know whether the contamination has spread beyond Bhagirathpura, which was the initial epicentre. for precaution, ASHA workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives are also distributing oral rehydration solution (ORS) to residents.

Deadly fungus, the superbug has now hit 27 states. Hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities are struggling to treat this, as it is a drug-resistant fungus. In 2025 alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that it has infected at least 7,000 people.

This fungus is known as Candida auris, which was first reported in the US in 2016. In the past several years, it has spread rapidly. This fungus can also survive on surfaces for a long period and thus could easily spread to people, especially in medical environment, through catheters, breathing tubes, or IVs.

Why Is this Superbug So Difficult To Control?

Unlike many other infections, Candida auris can spread easily through shared medical equipment and direct contact between people. Its ability to withstand commonly used disinfectants makes it difficult to eliminate once it enters a healthcare facility.

State health officials say cases have increased every year, pointing to a steady and worrying trend. “Each year, we have seen increases in our case counts which underscores the need for sustained vigilance,” the Alabama Department of Public Health told AL.com.

Also Read: What Is Candida Auris Infection? The Deadly Superbug Spreading In US

Origin of Superbug Candida Auris

This was first discovered in 2009 in Japan from the ear canal of a patient. Since then, it has spread to many countries, including India, where it was identified as a major public health threat in 2014.

Who Can Or Cannot Fight Off This Superbug

Healthy people could possibly fight off this infection on their own. However, the population vulnerable could find it more difficult to fight off this deadly fungus. Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of South Carolina told Nexstar, "If you get infected with this pathogen that’s resistant to any treatment, there’s no treatment we can give you to help combat it. You’re all on your own."

Like the mystery disease, adenovirus, this fungus too can survive on surfaces, said Nolan. “It’s really good at just being, generally speaking, in the environment. So if you have it on a patient’s bed for example, on the railing, and you go to wipe everything down, if in whatever way maybe a couple of pathogens didn’t get cleared, then they’re becoming resistant. And so over time, they can kind of grow and populate in that hospital environment," said Nolan.

The health department confirmed via email that it is following the CDC’s recommended containment strategy to limit further spread. Healthcare providers and laboratories in Alabama are voluntarily reporting cases, although the state’s figures are not currently listed on the CDC’s national tracking dashboard, as per USA Today.

Alabama is not alone in dealing with the superbug. Nearby states are also seeing significant numbers. CDC data shows Tennessee has reported 189 cases, Mississippi 108, and Georgia 377. Florida, like Alabama, does not yet have figures publicly listed on the CDC website.

Studies show that this superbug is not just limited to the US, but is spreading globally. It has already been found in at least 61 countries and on 6 continents. The study also found that the fungus is becoming more and more drug resistant, all due to its ability to switch from a yeast-like growth to a filament-driven spread. It also contains a cell wall that has proteins and makes it easier to stick on human skin "like glue". This is what enables it to colonize the human cells.

Who can live past 100 years? Well, to everyone's surprise, Maria Branyas Morea lived to the age of 117, with a bit of luck and a healthy diet. A study published in Cell Reports Medicine noted that her diet that included daily yogurts ensured that she could live this long. During her final year, in 2024, she was verified as the oldest living person, and drew a lot of attention of researchers from all over the world who wanted to explore the biology of aging.

The researchers also ran a DNA-test on her, and here's what they found.

What A DNA Test On 117-year-old Revealed

Health evaluation of Maria Branyas suggest that she may have an exceptionally young genome. The rare genetic variant was what linked to longevity, immune function, and a healthy heart and brain. The researchers based in Spain said that they are now using these findings to "provide a fresh look at human aging biology, suggesting biomarkers for healthy aging, and potential strategies to increase life expectancy".

The tests scientists ran were based on blood, saliva, urine, and stool samples. Branyas volunteered to have these tests run on her before she passed in August 2024. The researchers reveal that her cells "felt" or "behaved" as though they were much younger than her chronological age. She is known to have exceeded the average life expectancy of women in her home of Catalonia by more than 30 years.

While she was 117, her cardiovascular health was marked excellent, with very low levels of inflammation. Her immune system and gut microbiome both had markers that matched much younger samples. The levels of 'bad' cholesterol and triglycerides were very low, while 'good' cholesterol was very high.

"Extreme human lifespan, exemplified by supercentenarians, presents a paradox in understanding aging: despite advanced age, they maintain relatively good health," write the researchers, led by epigeneticists Eloy Santos-Pujol and Aleix Noguera-Castells.

Maria Branyas didn’t just live long, she lived fully. Mentally sharp, socially engaged, and physically active well into old age, her lifestyle clearly mattered. Genetics helped too. While her Mediterranean diet, rich in yogurt and fermented foods, may have supported her health, scientists say extreme longevity is rarely about one habit alone. It is usually a mix of biology, environment, and chance.

Also Read: _{One Of World's Oldest Woman Shares The Secret To A Healthy Life}

A Surprising Finding

One of the most surprising findings from studying Branyas was what researchers saw at the ends of her chromosomes. Her telomeres, the protective caps on DNA that typically shorten with age, showed what scientists described as “huge erosion.” Usually, shorter telomeres are associated with higher mortality risk. But in people who reach extraordinary ages, telomeres may not tell the full story.

In fact, the researchers suggest Branyas’ very short telomeres might have worked in her favour. Short-lived cells may have reduced the risk of uncontrolled cell growth, potentially protecting her from cancer. It is a counterintuitive idea, but one that challenges how scientists think about aging markers.

Longevity Does Not Equal Poor Health

What stands out most is that Branyas’ advanced age did not automatically come with prolonged illness. Her case reinforces the idea that living longer does not have to mean living sicker. As the researchers note, extreme old age and poor health are not inherently linked.

What One Life Can and Cannot Tell Us

Of course, studying one exceptional individual has limits. Researchers in Spain stress the need for larger studies to confirm these findings. Still, broader research on centenarians has already shown that some people carry unique biological traits that help them resist disease.

With centenarians now the world’s fastest-growing age group, Branyas’ life offers a rare glimpse into what might make extreme longevity possible. Her story, scientists say, opens new doors to understanding healthy aging and extending not just lifespan, but health span.

Leading pharmaceutical companies are preparing to increase the prices of hundreds of prescription medicines in the United States, even as the Trump administration continues to push for lower drug costs.

Hundreds of Medicines Affected

Prices for at least 350 branded drugs are expected to rise, including vaccines for Covid-19 and shingles, as well as the cancer medication Ibrance. Some of these increases will take effect from January 1, according to figures shared with Reuters by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors.

Price Hikes Climb Compared to Last Year

The data indicates that planned price increases for 2026 have climbed compared to the same period last year, when drugmakers had disclosed hikes for more than 250 medicines. This year, the typical price rise is about 4 percent, roughly in line with increases seen in 2025.

US Patients Pay the Highest Costs

Patients in the U.S. continue to pay significantly more for prescription medicines than those in other developed countries, often close to three times as much, Reuters reported. Reducing these costs is something Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to address.

White House Announces New Agreements

Earlier this month, the White House said it had reached fresh agreements with nine major pharmaceutical companies to bring down prescription drug prices for Americans. The companies named were Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi.

Companies Still Raising Prices

The administration said these agreements were designed to support Medicaid, which serves low-income Americans, as well as people who pay for medicines in cash. However, data from 3 Axis Advisors shows that several of the same companies, including Pfizer, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and GSK, are also planning to raise prices on certain medicines from January 1.

Expert Criticism

“These deals are being presented as game-changing, but in reality they barely touch the deeper issues that keep prescription drug prices so high in the U.S.,” said Dr. Benjamin Rome, a health policy researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, in comments to Reuters.

Pfizer Leads in Number of Hikes

Pfizer is set to introduce the highest number of list price increases, covering around 80 medicines. These include the cancer drug Ibrance, migraine treatment Nurtec, and Covid-19 therapy Paxlovid, along with hospital-used drugs such as morphine and hydromorphone. Most of Pfizer’s planned increases are under 10 percent. An exception is its Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty, which will see a price jump of about 15 percent. The company said the average list price rise for its innovative medicines and vaccines in 2026 would remain below overall inflation, describing the increases as modest.

GSK Price Hikes

GSK, based in Europe, said it plans to raise prices on roughly 20 drugs and vaccines, with increases ranging from 2 percent to 8.9 percent. The company said it remains committed to fair pricing and added that the hikes are necessary to continue funding scientific research and innovation.

The Independent has reached out to the White House and the pharmaceutical companies named by Reuters for comment on the reported price increases.