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Disease
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Disease. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
People wait at the Prince of Wales Hospital’s accident and emergency department. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Don’t delay seeking help for children with flu symptoms, Hong Kong parents urged

Warning from leading medical expert follows spate of severe cases complicated by other viruses and bacterial infections.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

5 years after Covid, why can’t Hong Kong produce home-grown vaccines?

US-China relations

CIA now says Covid-19 ‘more likely’ to have come from a lab

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India

India probes mystery illness in Kashmir after 17 die

All of the fatalities, including 13 children, had damage to the brain and nervous system.

A Kashmiri boy wearing a mask and face shield in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir, in May of 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE
Wellness

She can deadlift 102kg at 64. How building muscle helps women as they age

Building muscle through resistance or strength training helps protect from sarcopenia, an age-related condition women suffer more than men.

Cathay Pacific

Beetroot salad ‘risk factor’ in Cathay food poisoning cases, Hong Kong says

43 passengers on two flights were affected but Cathay Pacific says all of the samples it tested showed no sign of contamination.

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Wellness

It’s Dry January. How about dry every month? Medical experts weigh in

Studies show moderate alcohol consumption might be good for us, but it can also cause cancer, dementia – and deadly falls.

While some studies have shown moderate consumption of alcoholic drinks could have a protective effect on the brain, it may also increase the risk of cancers and, as we age, deadly falls and dementia. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Traditional Chinese medicine remedies for colds, coughs, hair and more

Young TCM practitioners share tips on herbs and foods to help with everything from digestive, kidney and eye health to better hair and acne.

Wellness

Beyoncé and other celebs love it, but how healthy is lemon water?

Loved by the famous, used for millennia in Ayurvedic medicine, the health benefits of drinking lemon water examined.

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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong adds nursing help, other services to pilot chronic disease scheme

Early detection of diabetes and hypertension the focus of scheme that will now offer access to physiotherapists, dietitians and optometrists.

Anyone who wishes to enrol in the scheme must become a member of any of the 18 District Health Centres or DHC Express sites, which pair participants with family doctors. Photo: Jelly Tse
Wellness

What’s having dementia like? This experience reveals the pain, frustration

A psychologist’s ‘virtual dementia tours’ are designed to build sensitivity and awareness in those caring for others with the condition.

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An employee of Second Wind Dreams in the US struggles with a simple folding task while wearing gloves, which interfere with dexterity - as arthritis might - on a virtual dementia tour that simulates the challenges of the condition. Photo: Second Wind Dreams
Wellness

Anorexia, extreme dieting, body shaming: singers on K-pop’s dark side

Soyou of Sistar and other K-pop stars open up about extreme dieting and depression in a documentary, sparking discussion about body shaming.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hongkonger’s worsening eczema, food allergies fuel her doubts over Covid jabs

Experts say there must be better health communication and efforts to raise awareness in a future pandemic.

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Wellness

How to spot premature menopause so you don’t miss chance to have children

Claire Blackshaw was working in Hong Kong when, undiagnosed, symptoms of early menopause began. Now she’s out to help women see signs of it.

Menopause kicks in before 40 for one per cent of women. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Explainer | This condition could cause blindness. Only an eye test can detect it

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of severe vision impairment, comes in dry and wet versions, with treatment for both.

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Scheduling routine eye exams can help ensure you catch problems such as age-related macular degeneration early - and save your eyesight into old age. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Over 300 new genetic links to depression found in big global study

Study of 5 million people of all backgrounds finds variations in hundreds of genes; previous studies were on people of European origin.

Wellness

Smokers, want to earn more money? Then quit, new study says

New research suggests that smokers are likely to earn less money than peers who abstain, and the more they smoke, the bigger the gap.

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Wellness

31 years after Europe, US FDA bans Red 3 food dye on cancer fears

Substance that gives confectionery, cakes and cherries bright red hue has long been banned in cosmetics, and in EU countries from most food.

Food dye Red 3, which the US Food and Drug Administration has now banned ban from foods, is used to give some confectionery a bright red colour. Already banned elsewhere, the dye has been shown to cause cancer in rats. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Dementia risk for obese, physically inactive teens found by study

Teenagers and their parents had better watch out. An unhealthy lifestyle in childhood has been linked to the onset of dementia in adulthood.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong government staff among 57 food poisoning cases at restaurant

Department of Health says 40 Housing Authority staff among three food poisoning clusters linked to Golden Lilies International Banquet Hall.

Japan

On Covid-19 anniversary, Japan’s doctors worry about complacency

A surge in influenza cases during Japan’s winter shows overconfidence regarding health precautions is creeping in, experts say.

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People wearing face masks in Tokyo amid the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Photo: Reuters
Food and Drinks

Mouthing Off | Is eating a hot dog worth shortening your life by 36 minutes?

A study on minutes of healthy life gained or lost from eating foods including pizza and bacon makes one ponder what is worth the sacrifice.

Eating a hotdog could reduce your life expectancy by 36 minutes, according to researchers at the University of Michigan in the US, who used a measure of minutes of healthy life gained or lost to calculate the effects of over 5,800 foods in the US diet. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong society

Editorial | Cooperation best on flu jabs for Hong Kong’s children

With peak influenza season nearing and cases on the rise in Hong Kong, it makes sense for the young and elderly to get vaccinated.

South Korea

South Korea bans pork from Germany after outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease

The outbreak represents the first known cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany since 1988.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s children suffer amid climate change-fuelled floods and disease

Turbocharged monsoon floods are intensifying the spread of waterborne diseases in the Indian Ocean island nation.

A Sri Lankan woman carries a child as she wades through a flooded street north of Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2021. Photo: AP

‘No new virus’ in China and flu rates lower this year, health authorities say

Assurance from National Health Commission comes amid fears of surging respiratory illness, with disease expert citing slowing trend.

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Children wait to be seen at the paediatric department of a hospital in eastern China last week. Photo: AFP
Wellness

That morning coffee is doing wonders for your health, says new study

Researchers at Tulane University have found drinking coffee in the morning appears to be better for health outcomes than caffeinating throughout the day – though they don’t know why.

Wellness

3 fitness trends for 2025, including advances in wearable tech

Leading global trends in the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2025 report include advances in wearable tech beyond tracking steps.

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