A newly mutated form of the H3N2 seasonal flu virus is spreading across continents, raising global health concerns. Experts report that this strain, which has undergone seven significant mutations, is contributing to a surge in flu cases in countries such as Japan and the United Kingdom. The virus’s rapid transmission is linked to reduced population immunity following years of limited exposure during the pandemic.

Professor Derek Smith, director of the Pathogen Evolution Centre at the University of Cambridge, stated that this variant is almost certain to spread globally. Scientists note that while flu viruses often undergo minor changes, the current mutations appear to have significantly altered the virus’s behavior, making it more transmissible. Public health agencies are urging vaccination, hygiene measures, and early medical consultation to curb the spread.

Health authorities are monitoring the situation closely, warning that the global rise in cases could strain healthcare systems. Updated vaccines and surveillance are being prioritized to mitigate potential outbreaks in the coming months.

A 15-member medical board at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka has announced an 11-point treatment plan for independent Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate Sharif Osman Hadi, who remains in critical condition after suffering a gunshot wound to the head. The hospital confirmed that Hadi was transferred from Dhaka Medical College Hospital following surgery and is now under intensive post-operative care in the critical care unit.

According to the board’s statement, Hadi’s brain has sustained severe damage, requiring conservative management under brain protection protocols. His lungs and kidneys are being closely monitored, while blood pressure and heart rate fluctuations are being managed with supportive care. The board expressed gratitude to Dhaka Medical College doctors for their earlier intervention and urged the public to avoid speculation or hospital visits.

The medical team emphasized that Hadi’s condition remains extremely precarious. Family members have been briefed on his status and may share updates with the media. The hospital appealed for prayers and respect for the patient’s privacy as treatment continues.

Bangladesh’s Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter announced that a nationwide awareness campaign will begin in January to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and promote public understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Speaking at the opening of the Veterinary Vaccine Conference 2025 at the Livestock Research Institute in Dhaka, she emphasized that the initiative aims to protect public health by encouraging responsible antibiotic practices.

Akhter highlighted that misuse of antibiotics in animals increases AMR risks for both humans and livestock. She urged stronger vaccination programs to reduce disease incidence and antibiotic dependency. The adviser also stressed the need for domestic vaccine production capacity to ensure sustainable disease control and food safety. Experts, including Professor Dr. Robyn Alders from the Australian National University, presented research on sustainable vaccine-based disease prevention.

Officials and researchers attending the conference welcomed the government’s plan, noting that awareness and vaccination are key to safeguarding animal health, food security, and economic stability. Implementation details of the January campaign are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

A newly mutated strain of the H3N2 influenza virus is spreading rapidly across continents, prompting global health experts to issue warnings about a potentially severe flu season. The variant, first linked to outbreaks in Japan and the United Kingdom, has now been detected worldwide. Scientists attribute the surge partly to reduced population immunity, as people have had limited exposure to flu viruses in recent years.

Researchers at Cambridge University and the Francis Crick Institute report that the H3N2 'subclade K' strain carries seven new mutations, making it antigenically distinct from previous forms. Although symptoms may not be more severe than typical flu, experts caution that lower immunity could lead to higher infection rates and hospitalizations, particularly among the elderly and vulnerable. Current flu vaccines may offer only partial protection, though health authorities stress that some immunity is better than none.

Public health agencies in the UK and Japan have urged vaccination, hygiene measures, and temporary school closures to curb transmission. Experts warn that this season’s mismatch between circulating strains and vaccines could test global preparedness for respiratory outbreaks.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been placed on elective ventilator support due to worsening respiratory complications and severe infections, according to a statement from her medical board on Thursday. The board reported that her oxygen levels had dropped and multiple organ complications had developed, prompting doctors to initiate dialysis after her kidney function ceased.

The medical board, comprising both local and foreign specialists, stated that advanced antibiotic and antifungal treatments are being administered. Khaleda Zia has been under continuous observation at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital since November 23, when she was admitted for health tests. Her condition became critical on November 27, leading to her transfer to the Critical Care Unit.

The board urged the public and media not to spread speculation or misinformation regarding her treatment. Political observers note that her health crisis comes amid heightened political activity within the BNP ahead of upcoming national events.

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Mancha, remains in critical condition after sustaining a severe gunshot wound to the head. Doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) reported that the bullet entered through his left ear and exited from the right side, causing massive brain injury and damage to the brain stem. Hadi is currently on artificial ventilation with his skull partially opened to relieve intracranial pressure.

Professor Zahid Rahan, head of DMCH’s neurosurgery department, stated that Hadi’s condition is extremely unstable, with fluctuating brain pressure and internal bleeding. Medical teams have performed decompression and craniotomy procedures to manage swelling and bleeding. Health Ministry officials confirmed that Hadi briefly suffered cardiac arrest and that his Glasgow Coma Scale score was only 3 upon arrival.

Doctors emphasized that the next 72 hours are highly critical for his survival. Hadi has been transferred to Evercare Hospital for continued intensive care, while medical staff continue to monitor his condition closely.

A physician at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Dr. Dhanadeb Chandra Barman, has been reinstated to his previous post just four days after being relieved of duty following a verbal altercation with the Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Md. Abu Jafar. The reinstatement order, signed by hospital director Brigadier General Golam Ferdous, was issued on December 10 and confirmed the next day by Assistant Director (Administration) Mainuddin Khan.

According to the order, Dr. Barman had been served a show-cause notice on December 6 for alleged misconduct during the DG’s visit. After submitting a written apology and assurance to avoid such behavior in the future, his response was deemed satisfactory by the DGHS. The DG, citing leniency, approved his reinstatement as Casualty OT In-Charge and Assistant Professor of Surgery.

The incident highlights the importance of professional conduct in public healthcare institutions and the DGHS’s willingness to resolve disciplinary matters through due process and reconciliation.

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is responding positively to ongoing treatment at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital, according to her personal physician and party standing committee member Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday night, Dr. Zahid confirmed that the former prime minister remains under intensive care and is receiving the highest level of medical attention available in the country.

Earlier in the day, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury visited the hospital to assess her condition and spoke with the medical team. Dr. Zahid noted that while the medical board had previously considered transferring Khaleda Zia abroad, her current health and technical issues with the air ambulance prevented the move. He emphasized that she is now stable enough to receive treatment locally and urged the public not to believe rumors.

The medical board, operating under the supervision of acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, includes both local and foreign specialists. Khaleda Zia has been hospitalized since November 23 after a lung infection worsened her condition, leading to her transfer to the Critical Care Unit on November 27.

A six-year-old girl named Shikha Moni died in Savar, near Dhaka, after being bitten by a snake and failing to receive timely antivenom treatment. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the child was playing near her home. Despite being rushed to several hospitals, including Savar Upazila Health Complex, Enam Medical College, Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital, and Mohakhali Hospital, none could provide the necessary antivenom.

Family members said that delays and lack of antivenom at multiple facilities forced them to travel for hours through heavy traffic before reaching Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared the child dead. The victim’s grandmother expressed frustration and grief, questioning how such a shortage could exist in a country prone to snakebites.

Health officials have confirmed the death and notified local police. The case highlights critical gaps in emergency medical preparedness and the availability of essential antivenom supplies in Bangladesh’s healthcare system, particularly in suburban and rural areas.

Scientists at University College London (UCL) and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) have reported promising results from a world-first clinical trial using base-edited CAR T-cell therapy (BE-CAR7) to treat T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), a rare and aggressive blood cancer. The therapy, which uses genome-edited immune cells from healthy donors, achieved deep remission in most of the ten patients treated—eight children and two adults—who had previously exhausted standard treatment options.

The BE-CAR7 therapy employs base editing, an advanced form of CRISPR technology that alters single DNA letters without cutting the genome, reducing chromosomal risks. The modified T-cells target and destroy leukemic cells before patients undergo bone marrow transplants to rebuild their immune systems. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society of Hematology meeting, was led by Professor Waseem Qasim and supported by the UK’s Medical Research Council and NIHR.

Researchers say the results mark a major step toward “off-the-shelf” gene therapies for resistant cancers, though they caution that outcomes vary and further trials are needed to confirm long-term safety and efficacy.

A woman named Eni Akter from Satkania, Chattogram, gave birth to five babies—three girls and two boys—on Monday night at People’s Hospital after ten years of infertility. The births followed an intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure recommended by doctors. The rare event has drawn widespread attention for its emotional and medical significance.

All five newborns are currently receiving treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit at Park View Hospital. Doctors reported that three of the babies weigh between 1.4 and 1.6 kilograms, while the other two, each weighing around 1 kilogram, are under special observation due to low birth weight. They will remain under observation for at least 72 hours.

Dr. Farida Yasmin Sumi, an infertility specialist from Rangamati Medical College, said the couple struggled for years and faced financial hardship during treatment. Despite concerns about medical expenses, the family expressed joy and relief at the safe arrival of the quintuplets.

Bangladesh’s Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid has directed all ministries to swiftly implement the ‘Joint Declaration’ on preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Speaking at the third inter-ministerial meeting in Dhaka, he emphasized expanding sports facilities, improving road safety, and considering tax exemptions for health-promoting institutions such as gyms and clubs. The meeting, organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO), was chaired by Health Services Secretary Saidur Rahman.

The plan involves 35 ministries working together to reduce NCD-related premature deaths through time-bound action plans, stronger coordination, and institutional training on healthy lifestyles. Key measures include stricter enforcement of tobacco and food safety laws, promoting smoke-free religious sites, and mandating health-friendly urban planning. Proposals also include higher taxes on sugary drinks and unhealthy foods, and free airtime for public health messages.

Officials said the integrated approach—combining policy, law, infrastructure, and awareness—will be crucial to achieving sustainable progress in public health and reducing the country’s growing NCD burden.

Maulana Faridul Islam, a 35-year-old Islamic scholar and teacher, died after suffering a brain stroke while delivering a sermon at a Tafsirul Quran gathering in Gobindaganj on Saturday night. Witnesses said he collapsed on stage shortly after beginning his speech as the third speaker of the event. He was immediately given first aid and later transferred to a private hospital in Rangpur, where he passed away on Monday morning after two days of treatment.

Faridul Islam was a resident of Khamar Gobindapur village in Gaibandha Sadar upazila and served as a religious teacher at Mahimaganj Ideal Academic School as well as the imam of Ghoshpra Jame Mosque. He is survived by his wife and a two-and-a-half-year-old child. His sudden death has cast a pall of grief over his family, students, and the local community, who remembered him as a dedicated teacher and preacher.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has voiced deep concern over the rising contamination of food products in Bangladesh, emphasizing the urgent need for coordinated national action to protect public health. Chairing a high-level meeting at the state guesthouse Jamuna, Yunus called on ministries, regulatory agencies, and universities to jointly address the crisis through immediate and long-term measures. He instructed all relevant departments to submit written proposals within a week outlining steps to combat food contamination.

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) presented alarming data showing widespread presence of heavy metals, pesticides, and antibiotics in food and water samples. UNICEF estimates that 35 million Bangladeshi children are affected by lead exposure, while WHO data indicates that one in ten children suffers from foodborne illness annually. Officials also highlighted unregulated antibiotic use in poultry farms and the presence of toxic residues in fish and dairy products.

Experts warned that unchecked contamination threatens both child development and national health security. The government plans to launch a ten-year strategy to reduce lead exposure and strengthen food safety monitoring across sectors.

Dr. Dhanadeb Barman, a physician at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, has submitted an unconditional apology following a public altercation with the Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr. Md. Abu Zafar. The apology came in response to a show-cause notice issued after the incident, which occurred during the DG’s inspection visit to the hospital on December 6.

According to hospital officials, Dr. Barman responded formally to the notice, though details of his written explanation were not disclosed. The confrontation, captured on video and widely circulated on social media, showed both parties engaging in a heated exchange over hospital management, staffing shortages, and service quality. The DG had reportedly ordered Dr. Barman’s suspension during the incident.

The episode has sparked debate within the medical community about workplace stress, administrative accountability, and communication between senior officials and frontline doctors. The DGHS has yet to announce whether further disciplinary action will follow or if the apology will close the matter.