Saudi Arabia reported eight MERS cases and one death in 2026, WHO says
The infections, detected across six regions between January and early October, had no links to one another. Globally MERS-CoV has caused 2,643 cases and 965 deaths since 2012.
Nirsevimab cut infant RSV hospitalisations 89% in Quebec's first funded season
A government-funded test-negative study put effectiveness at 86% against emergency visits and 88% against intensive care, though the smallest subgroups carried wide confidence intervals.
Why a cough lingers for weeks after a cold — and what actually helps
A cough that outlasts the cold is normal: studies put the average at more than two weeks. Little in the pharmacy reliably shortens it, and antibiotics do not — but some symptoms are a reason to see a doctor.
When are you contagious with a cold or the flu? What shedding studies show
With influenza, virus shedding starts within a day of infection, peaks on day two and lasts about five days on average — often before you feel your worst. Nearly a quarter of infections cause one symptom or none at all.
Is airplane cabin air unhealthy? The evidence says who you sit near matters most
On ten monitored flights, passengers away from a sick traveller faced low transmission risk, and every air sample tested negative for common viruses. Measles is the exception that proves the rule.
Do you need antibiotics for a sinus infection? For most people, no
Most acute sinus infections clear without antibiotics — about 46% of people are better within a week regardless. Drugs speed cure in only 5 to 11 per 100, and cause side effects in more.
What actually helps a sore throat: painkillers and time, not antibiotics
Most sore throats clear on their own within a week. Painkillers and honey ease the pain; antibiotics shorten symptoms by only about 16 hours and are rarely worth it.
Soap and water or hand sanitiser? What the evidence actually says
The honest answer is that neither wins outright. Alcohol gel is faster and is the default in hospitals — but it misses a handful of important germs that only soap and water remove.
Flu, cold, COVID or RSV: what the evidence says about telling them apart
The uncomfortable answer from the studies is that symptoms overlap too much to be sure without a test — and that most of what genuinely helps is prevention, not a cure.
The probiotics evidence splits by indication: null for gastroenteritis, positive for colds
Two randomised trials in more than 1,800 children found no benefit in acute gastroenteritis. A Cochrane review of 23 trials found fewer upper respiratory infections, on low-certainty evidence.