Health This Week: Super Flu Wave, Drug-Resistant Bugs and New Diet Warnings
Suzan Seherin 
Global health stories this week ranged from a dangerous winter “super flu” wave to fresh alarms about antimicrobial resistance, climate change and everyday lifestyle risks. Researchers also shared new evidence on heart-healthy diets and alcohol-related cancer.
Flu surge: ‘Super flu’ wave hits Europe as WHO flags global rise
Hospitals in the United Kingdom are facing a “worst case scenario” as flu hospitalisations jumped 55% in a single week, driven by a mutated influenza A(H3N2) strain nicknamed “super flu”.
NHS England reported an average of 2,660 flu patients in hospital each day, the highest level ever recorded for this time of year.
Ireland has also brought in visitor restrictions at several hospitals after national flu cases rose nearly 50% in a week, with older adults heavily affected and a norovirus alert issued at the same time.
Meanwhile, a new World Health Organization (WHO) update shows influenza activity rising across many regions since October, with influenza A viruses dominating and global test positivity above 15% by late November.
Health agencies are urging vulnerable groups to get vaccinated quickly, noting that protection takes around two weeks to build.
Antimicrobial resistance: WHO and EU expand global partnership
Another major story is a new €3.5 million partnership between WHO and the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) to strengthen the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The agreement will support research and development for new antibiotics, antifungals and innovative tools like bacteriophage therapies, and expand the SECURE initiative to improve access to existing drugs worldwide.
This comes shortly after a major WHO surveillance report found that one in six common bacterial infections worldwide are now resistant to standard antibiotics, with resistance rising in over 40% of monitored drugs between 2018 and 2023.
Experts warn that without urgent action, routine infections and minor injuries could once again become life-threatening.
Climate and disease: study warns of a ‘creeping catastrophe’
A large international study led by the University of Oxford warns that climate change, poverty and drug resistance are combining to drive a global rise in infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, tuberculosis and HIV.
Surveying nearly 3,800 health experts worldwide, researchers described a “creeping catastrophe” in which long-standing diseases may pose a greater threat than new viruses, especially as mosquitoes and other vectors expand into new regions.
The study argues that health systems are not adequately prepared for this slow-burn crisis and calls for climate-resilient infrastructure, better surveillance and more investment in vaccines and treatments for neglected diseases.
Vaccines: South Africa begins trial of home-grown cholera shot
In more positive news, South African researchers have launched clinical trials of the country’s first locally developed oral cholera vaccine, produced by Cape Town-based firm Biovac.
The candidate vaccine, created through a technology-transfer partnership with the International Vaccine Institute, could eventually make South Africa the first African nation to manufacture cholera vaccine end-to-end.
If successful, it may help address the recurring global shortage of cholera doses that has complicated responses to recent multi-country outbreaks.
Lifestyle and research: alcohol and diet findings
Two new studies this week highlight how everyday habits shape long-term health.
A review from Florida Atlantic University concludes that even moderate drinking raises cancer risk more than many people realise, with both drinking frequency and total intake influencing risk across different groups.
At the same time, a decade-long study of more than 3,100 adults in the UK found that people who regularly eat polyphenol-rich foods – including tea, coffee, berries, nuts, whole grains and olive oil – have lower predicted cardiovascular risk as they age.
Using a new polyphenol dietary score, researchers at King’s College London showed that higher intake was linked to healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and slower growth in heart-disease risk over 11 years.
Together, these findings echo a familiar message: small daily choices – from vaccination and hygiene to food and alcohol – can significantly influence long-term health outcomes, even as global systems wrestle with bigger threats like climate change and drug-resistant infections.
Featured Image: PA
About The Author
S Arefin 
Sultanul Arefin 
