A new global list that bases a 2022 study on how countries performed while dealing with a public health emergency has come up with a list of the top 10 countries with the best public health services. The study reveals that having a robust and resilient public health system can help the country face public health crisis smoothly and can ensure the citizens' safety, security and well-being. The study was titled: Global Challenges to Public Health Care Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of Pandemic Measures and Problems.

What did the study analyze?

This study has analyzed how the countries performed when the world was facing the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also tries to understand the shortcomings in the healthcare systems, the initiatives taken to address these shortcomings and protocols and measures to protect healthcare professionals. These units are used to come up with a list of the top 10 countries with the best healthcare systems.

The survey that was based on the 2022 study was also able to analyse nearly 17,000 respondents from 36 different countries and assessed perceptions of 89 countries using 73 metrics. Some of them were whether the country has a "Well-developed" public health system, or if the country is comfortable for retirement and for raising kids.

Among the 10 countries, US did not make it to the list, however, it did find a place in the top 20 countries, securing position 19 for its public health care system. This is a development, as it has moved up four ranks from last year's ranking in 2023.

Here is the list of the top 10 countries

Japan: Japan is ranked at the 10th position in public health ranking. In the quality of life ranking, the country ranks at 14th place, while in the best countries overall ranking, it ranks at number 2.

Netherlands: The country has secured the 9th position for public health ranking and quality of life ranking. For the best countries overall ranking, the country scored a position of 13.

United Kingdom: For the public health ranking, it secured 8th position, for quality of life, it secured 11th position, and for best countries overall ranking, it secured 8th position.

Canada: For the public health ranking, it secured 7th position, for quality of life, it secured 5th position, and for best countries overall ranking, it secured 4th position.

Norway: For the public health ranking, it secured 6th position, for quality of life, it secured 4th position, and for best countries overall ranking, it secured 11th position.

Switzerland: For the public health ranking, it secured 5th position, for quality of life, it secured 3rd position, and for best countries overall ranking, it secured 1st position.

Finland: For the public health ranking, it secured 4th position, for quality of life, it secured 6th position, and for best countries overall ranking, it secured 20th position.

Germany: For the public health ranking, it secured 3rd position, for quality of life, it secured 7th position, and for best countries overall ranking, it secured 7th position.

Denmark: For the public health ranking, it secured 2nd position, for quality of life, it secured 1st position, and for best countries overall ranking, it secured 10th position.

Sweden: For the public health ranking, it secured 1st position, for quality of life, it secured 2nd position, and for best countries overall ranking, it secured 6th position.

For Staff Sergeant Melissa Hay, service wasn’t just a career—it was legacy. Born into a long line of military personnel—her parents, her husband, even ancestors from the Civil War—joining the United States Air Force felt like a natural rite of passage. As an award-winning broadcast journalist stationed at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, Melissa was living her dream. But beneath her decorated exterior and broadcast smile, something far more insidious was taking root inside her body.

As her Air Force career progressed, Melissa found herself wrestling with inexplicable physical ailments. Fatigue. Chronic stomach pain. An inability to sweat. Burning sensations in her hands and feet. These weren’t isolated incidents—they were daily battles that made fulfilling her duties increasingly difficult.

Despite the evident impact on her performance, her symptoms were dismissed. “If you can’t meet your PT standards,” she recalls, “there are consequences.” In the rigid structure of military expectations, unexplained health issues were often seen not as cause for concern but as personal failings.

“I was being punished for something my body wouldn’t let me do,” she says. “All I wanted was to serve my country. And instead, I was being judged for what looked like underperformance.”

Melissa’s persistence eventually led her to question whether something deeper was at play—something that had haunted her family. Her father had died of Fabry disease, a rare genetic disorder affecting the body’s ability to break down a specific type of fat. The disease stems from a deficiency in an enzyme called alpha-galactosidase A, which causes cellular buildup and, over time, leads to severe organ dysfunction.

Melissa suspected that the undiagnosed condition impairing her life might be the same one that killed her father. But when she approached her primary care physician with her concerns and requested testing, she was met with dismissal.

“She looked it up on Google and told me I couldn’t have it—because, supposedly, both parents needed to be carriers. I had to insist she refer me anyway,” Melissa recalls.

Two days later, she had her answer- Melissa had Fabry disease.

For many patients with rare diseases, the path to diagnosis is often the hardest step. Fabry disease can mimic more common conditions like irritable bowel syndrome or chronic fatigue, often leaving patients undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years.

Women, in particular, are frequently misled. Though often labeled as "carriers," many females with Fabry suffer full-blown symptoms, just like men—only without the same medical attention.

“I was told I wouldn’t suffer like my dad. That I wouldn’t feel what he felt,” she says. “But my body told a different story.”

Her diagnosis brought a mix of emotions—anger for the years spent fighting an unseen enemy, but also relief. She could now receive appropriate medical support and preserve her military career.

Melissa began enzyme replacement therapy in 2014, a bi-weekly infusion designed to slow disease progression. Another treatment option, oral migalastat, is available to certain patients. But neither treatment can reverse the damage already done.

“The therapy helps, but it’s not a cure,” she explains. “Early detection is everything.”

Thanks to improved access to genetic testing, physicians like Dr. William Warnock and Dr. Wallace at UAB are now diagnosing patients earlier, especially women who were once overlooked. “The prognosis today is more optimistic than ever,” Dr. Warnock says. “If we start early, we can drastically improve quality—and quantity—of life.”

Melissa’s biggest fear was passing Fabry disease on to her child. The inheritance pattern is clear: if a woman has the disease, each child has a 50% chance of inheriting it. The stakes are higher for boys, who often experience more severe symptoms and a reduced life expectancy.

“When I found out I was pregnant in 2017, I was elated—and terrified,” she says. Newborn screenings didn’t include Fabry testing. So when her son was four months old, she insisted on early screening.

The results brought overwhelming relief: her son did not have Fabry disease.

“I still live with the disease,” she says, “but knowing my son won’t—that was freedom.”

Today, Melissa’s life is marked by intention. From biweekly treatments to family outings at their local VFW-post-turned-brewery, she is reclaiming her narrative.

“I’m aware of what I’m putting into my body. I know what I need to feel good. And I’m living with hope.”

Melissa continues to serve—not in uniform, but as an advocate for rare disease awareness, women’s health, and veteran support. Her story is a testament to perseverance, self-advocacy, and the power of pushing for answers when no one else is listening.

Thanks to advancements in genetic testing, expanded clinical trials, and increased awareness, the future for Fabry patients looks increasingly hopeful. But Melissa knows that early detection remains the linchpin.

“I’ve got doctors who believe me. A family that supports me. A son who’s healthy. And a career I was able to leave on my terms,” she says.

For Melissa Hay, living with Fabry disease hasn’t meant giving up her identity—it’s meant finding new strength in it.

What Is Fabry Disease?

Fabry disease is a rare, inherited genetic disorder categorized as a lysosomal storage disorder. It occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough of a crucial enzyme called alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-GAL). This enzyme is responsible for breaking down sphingolipids—fat-like substances that, when not processed properly, accumulate in blood vessels and tissues. Over time, this buildup causes damage to vital organs including the heart, kidneys, brain, central nervous system, and skin.

What Are the Symptoms of Fabry Disease?

Symptoms can vary depending on the type and severity of the disease. Males typically experience more pronounced symptoms than females. These include:

• Numbness, tingling, burning, or pain in hands and feet
• Severe pain during physical activity
• Sensitivity to temperature (heat or cold intolerance)
• Cornea verticillata (a specific eye abnormality detectable via slit-lamp exam)
• Dizziness
• Fatigue, fever, and general flu-like symptoms
• Gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain
• Hearing loss or persistent ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Proteinuria (elevated protein levels in urine)
• Angiokeratomas (dark, raised skin lesions on chest, back, or genital area)
• Reduced or absent sweating (hypohidrosis or anhidrosis)
• Swelling in legs, ankles, or feet (edema)

What Causes Fabry Disease?

The root cause is a mutation in the GLA gene, which instructs the body to produce the alpha-GAL enzyme. When this gene is defective, the enzyme isn’t produced in sufficient quantities, allowing harmful fatty substances to build up in the body, leading to progressive organ damage.

As much of the world moves into a new phase of pandemic-era life, COVID-19 itself continues to change, surprise, and endure. Over the past few weeks, Hong Kong and Singapore—two of Asia's most populous and globally connected cities—have seen a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases. The increase marks not only a local outbreak but a regional wave sweeping across Asia, reminding health authorities and global onlookers that the virus is an active and volatile force.

Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection has reported a significant increase in virus activity. Albert Au, director of the city's Communicable Disease Branch, said that the rate of respiratory samples that test positive for COVID-19 has reached a one-year high. Public health statistics indicated that severe cases, including deaths, have increased to 31 in the week through May 3—also a near-a-year high. Additionally, a troubling increase in COVID-related medical consultations, hospitalizations, and wastewater viral loads suggest widespread community transmission in the city of 7.4 million individuals.

On the other side of the South China Sea, Singapore is also confronted with the same situation. In its initial report of infection rates in almost a year, the health ministry of city-state reported a 28% rise in weekly cases to 14,200 for the week ending May 3. Hospitalization increased by about 30%, and that was the reason why the government issued an unusual public update, something it only usually does during serious outbreaks. In spite of the surge, Singapore's health officials insist there is no indication that the prevailing variants are more contagious or virulent than previous strains. Nevertheless, waning immunity and greater public mobility could be some of the factors.

What's The New COVID-19 Variant Spreading in 2025?

On a global level, the SARS-CoV-2 virus keeps mutating, and although the initial Omicron strain has vanished, its sublineages have taken over. Within the U.S., for example, LP.8.1 is the variant that today represents 70% of cases, followed by XFC (9%) and XEC (6%). Other Omicron descendant strains such as MC.1.10.1, LB.1.3.1, and LF.7 are also present.

It's worth noting that standard COVID-19 tests will not detect variants. Genomic sequencing alone can identify what particular strain caused a case of infection. These points of data are invaluable for surveillance by public health but are generally not shared at the individual level.

What makes this recent wave so significant is its timing. Historically, respiratory viruses have seasonality—spiking during colder seasons. But COVID-19 just won't follow that trend. The latest increase occurs as the Northern Hemisphere heads into summer, further solidifying COVID-19's transformation into an endemic virus with unpredictable seasonality. Health professionals warn that we can still expect waves of illness regardless of weather conditions.

Hong Kong and Singapore are not the only cities experiencing such a rebound. In mainland China, statistics from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that the nation is well on its way to achieving COVID levels comparable to last summer's peak. The hospital patient positivity rate more than doubled over a five-week period through May 4, a measure of widespread transmission.

Thailand, another tourist and cultural destination, has witnessed increases as well. Two cluster outbreaks have been identified in 2025, with a significant surge after the traditional Songkran festival in April, which attracts record crowds and travel.

Guidelines for Global Travel and Public Health

Although the current wave is less lethal than previous stages of the pandemic, it is a stark reminder that COVID-19 is far from being finished. Global air travel hubs such as Hong Kong and Singapore are gateways to the region and the world. An increase in cases there might presage more spread in other nations, especially once travel picks up again for summer vacations.

Concert cancellations—such as those of Hong Kong pop star Eason Chan in Taiwan—indicate the virus's disruptive power still exists. While hospitalizations have yet to achieve crisis levels, the strain on health systems and the economy is genuine and escalating.

How to Stay Protected And Vigilant?

As infections increase in various regions of Asia, public health officials are cautioning against complacency. Populations are strongly encouraged to stay vigilant. Booster shots are particularly recommended for high-risk individuals. Fundamental protective practices do not change: have good hand hygiene, host events outdoors, wear masks where public places are crowded, and stay home when you are unwell.

In the U.S., emergency room visits due to COVID decreased 19.5% during the latest reporting week, test positivity remained at 2.9%—below the 5% benchmark for uncontrolled community spread. Yet because most use at-home tests or don't test at all, official tallies probably underestimate actual prevalence.

The current COVID-19 wave sweeping across Hong Kong, Singapore, and the rest of Asia reminds us of a grim reality: the virus remains with us, even though our lives have mostly moved on. Although vaccines, better treatments, and public health interventions continue to offer robust protection, the virus's ability to surprise is still there. The world must keep evolving and responding to new waves, variants, and challenges in an ever-changing pandemic environment.

As the world begins to reopen and the danger recedes from view, it's obvious that COVID-19 has not left the stage—it's just changed costume.

The Multnomah County Health Department (MCHD) on Thursday confirmed one case of tuberculosis at Portland's Lane Middle School. As per the Oregon Health Authority data, in 2024, 87 cases of tuberculosis were reported in Oregon, which meant it was spreading at the rate of 2.1 cases for ever 100,000 Oregon residents.

“Tuberculosis is a bacteria that spreads through close face-to-face contact with an infectious individual. It is curable with medication. Because the infection progresses slowly, it’s important to be treated to prevent serious illness,” the health department said in a statement.

The person who is reported to have tuberculosis may have been contagious between September 3, 2024 to May 1, 2025. The person may also have exposed others to TB, said the MCHD.

“This particular individual had symptoms that were kind of mild for a while and got worse. It was eventually diagnosed like a week ago, said Dr. Richard Bruno, Health Officer with the Multnomah County Health Department.

What Is Happening Now?

The Health Department's Communicable Disease Team is now looking to start for a contact investigation that will help them identify individuals who may have come to contact with the person infected. The exposed individuals have also been contacted by the Health Department via an email letter.

For now, the Health Department has also recommended Lane Middle School parents to be lookout for TB symptoms and report if any. The symptoms include:

• Persistent cough lasting 3+ weeks
• Chest pain
• Blood
• Phlegm
• Unexplained weight loss

The Health Department has also said that it will provide free blood tests to the school community in the coming weeks. Their efforts have made them optimistic that this will prevent a community spread.

What Is Tuberculosis?

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), TB is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that most often affects the lungs. It spreads through the air when people with TB cough, sneeze or spit.

As per the 2017 study, titled The History of Tuberculosis: from the first historical records to the isolation of Koch's bacillus published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, TB happens due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT), which lasts throughout the life course and determines the formation of tubercles in different parts of the body. MT has ancient origins and have survived over 70,000 years. This also infects 2 billion people worldwide, with 10.4 million new cases each year. It is also responsible for 1.4 million deaths.

Common Symptoms Include:

• A cough that lasts more than three weeks
• Coughing up blood or phlegm
• Chest pain
• Fever
• Chills
• Night sweats
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Weakness or fatigue
• Feeling generally unwell

Severe Symptoms may also include:

• Swollen glands
• Body aches and pains
• Swollen joints or ankles
• Tummy or pelvic pain
• Constipation
• Dark or cloudy urine
• Headache
• Being sick
• Feeling confused
• A stiff neck