Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Healthy plant-based foods may improve pregnancy cardiometabolic markers

Higher-quality plant-based diets were associated with more favorable cardiometabolic biomarkers in pregnant U.S. women, especially higher HDL-C and lower TG/HDL-C ratio. Indices that emphasized healthy plant foods, rather than simply penalizing animal foods, showed the strongest links with insulin resistance and lipid markers.

15 May 2026

Research identifies significant spike in neurological disorders during the covid-19 pandemic

In 2021, neurological diseases affected 3.40 billion individuals worldwide, corresponding to 43.1 % of the global population. In China, rapid demographic shifts and lifestyle changes have contributed to a continued rise in the burden of stroke, dementia, and Parkinson's disease-a trend expected to persist.

15 May 2026

New research identifies the hidden stressors of modern digital classrooms

An international research team, led by the University of Warwick and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), in collaboration with Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, recently published a scoping review in the journal Cogent Education.

14 May 2026

Global health progress reversing in several critical areas, WHO warns

While there have been meaningful improvements in global health over the past decade, with millions benefiting from better prevention, treatment and access to essential services, persistent and emerging challenges mean that the world remains off track to achieve any of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

13 May 2026

Study reveals hidden airborne infection pathways in multi-family buildings

Airborne diseases like measles, influenza and COVID-19 can easily spread between units in multi-family buildings via a type of bathroom ventilation system commonly used around the world, new research suggests.

13 May 2026

Why is the US falling behind other high-income nations on survival?

A JAMA Network Open study found that the US recorded 12.7 million excess deaths compared with 17 peer high-income countries between 1999 and 2022. Circulatory and metabolic diseases drove much of the burden, while drug poisonings, alcohol-related deaths, and suicide sharply widened the gap among younger Americans.

12 May 2026

Physician mothers return to work sooner than many Canadian parents, study finds

Ontario physicians increased their workload in the first two trimesters of pregnancy, suggesting many may frontload clinical work before parental leave. Parental leave varied widely by specialty, with surgeons returning earliest and psychiatrists returning latest, highlighting persistent inequities in how medical practice supports childbearing physicians.

11 May 2026

Telemedicine has not significantly boosted healthcare costs, study finds

New UCLA-led research finds that use of telemedicine has not significantly increased visits and medical spending across all payer types.

11 May 2026

Andes hantavirus outbreak highlights global spillover and transmission risks

A Virginia Tech disease ecologist said the outbreak of Andes hantavirus aboard the international MV Hondius cruise ship underscores how little scientists still know about the viruses circulating silently in wild rodent populations before they spill into humans.

11 May 2026

Eating out regularly linked to higher obesity risk worldwide

New research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May) suggests that no matter where people live, eating out instead of preparing meals at home is linked to weight gain and obesity.

11 May 2026

Did COVID-19 reshape fatherhood? New study finds Filipino dads stepped back, not up, after lockdown

A longitudinal study of 307 Filipino fathers found that COVID-19 lockdowns did not produce lasting increases in paternal caregiving, with routine care actually declining post-pandemic. Shifts in employment status emerged as the strongest predictor of changes in fathers' time spent with their children.

10 May 2026

Cardiometabolic diseases remain leading cause of excess American mortality

Between 1999 and 2022, the US had substantially higher death rates than other wealthy nations, largely due to cardiovascular disease, metabolic diseases (including diabetes), Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and drug and alcohol complications.

8 May 2026

Promising new Hanta virus vaccine under development by University of Bath researchers

A highly promising vaccine for Hanta virus is being developed by researchers from the University of Bath. The team is led by Professor Asel Sartbaeva, Chemistry researcher at the University and co-founder of University spinout company Ensilitech.

8 May 2026

UK restaurant chains miss most government sugar and salt targets

A study reveals low adherence to UK nutrition targets in major restaurant chains, raising concerns about dietary risks for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

8 May 2026

Digital therapy apps improve mental health support for college students

College students with anxiety, depression and eating disorders may be more likely to start and to respond more positively to therapy offered via a digital app compared to referrals to in-person campus clinics, according to a study led by Penn State researchers and published today (May 7) in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.

7 May 2026

Smokers now view e-cigarettes as riskier after lung injury crisis

The study analyzes changing views on e-cigarette risks, noting EVALI's role in shaping public perception and its implications for smoking cessation.

7 May 2026

Cervical cancer gap will widen without urgent global action

Global modeling reveals that without urgent action, cervical cancer inequalities will worsen, highlighting the need for enhanced vaccination and screening.

6 May 2026

Artificial intelligence accelerates discovery of next-generation disinfectants

Chemists and computer scientists tapped AI to find new disinfectants to combat the growing threat of dangerous "superbugs."

5 May 2026

Cruise ship-linked hantavirus cases highlight zoonotic infection risks

The Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from more than 90 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in over 40 countries dedicated to advancing research, collaboration, and pandemic preparedness, is closely monitoring reports of a hantavirus cluster linked to a cruise ship traveling in the Atlantic, which has resulted in multiple severe cases and fatalities.

5 May 2026

Stroke incidence rises again with widening ethnic health inequalities

A new study presented today at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2026 shows that after decades of decline, stroke incidence is rising again, driven by higher rates in some ethnic minority populations and concentrated among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

5 May 2026