Health News

by Gabrielle Andres, Daniel Lai on February 7, 2026 at 4:36 am

SINGAPORE – No case of Nipah virus infection associated with the cases in West Bengal and Bangladesh has been reported in Singapore, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Feb 7.In a statement, CDA said that it is aware of a case of Nipah virus infection reported in Naogaon District, Rajshahi Division in northern Bangladesh and is closely monitoring the situation.“Nipah virus is endemic in Bangladesh, with recurring seasonal outbreaks linked to the consumption of raw date palm sap contaminated by fruit bats,” it said.The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Feb 6 that a woman had died in northern Bangladesh in January after contracting Nipah virus infection.“According to the WHO, the case in Bangladesh involved an adult who had a history of drinking raw date palm sap, a known risk factor for Nipah virus infection.”There is currently no evidence that the case in Bangladesh is related to the cases in West Bengal, India, or of any human to human transmission in Bangladesh, CDA added.There is also no active community spread in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. […]

by Bhavya Rawat on February 4, 2026 at 8:05 am

Nearly four out of every 10 cancer cases globally could be prevented if people avoided a range of risk factors, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday (Feb 3).These include smoking, drinking, air pollution and certain infections.It is estimated that 38 per cent of all new cancer cases worldwide in 2022, which amount to about 7.1 million, were linked to preventable causes, according to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine on the eve of World Cancer Day (Feb 4).A team of researchers, including the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, looked at 30 factors that increase one's risk of developing cancer.Tobacco was the leading cause, responsible for 15 per cent of all new cancer cases, followed by cancer-causing infections (10 per cent) and drinking alcohol (three per cent), the study found.Risk factors also include being overweight, lacking exercise, UV radiation and being exposed to threats such as asbestos while working. […]

by Bhavya Rawat on February 3, 2026 at 7:15 am

As much as I enjoy music and dancing, I'm not a fan of the clubbing scene.The combination of intoxicated people in a densely packed space with flashing lights can get quite overwhelming, and I often find myself feeling anxious instead of having fun in such environments.So when I heard about "sober raves" in Singapore, which take place in the daytime and do not involve drinking, my curiosity was piqued.On a bright and sunny Saturday (Jan 24) morning, I went for Wake Up & Dance by The Breakfast Club to see if it would change my mind on partying.Spoiler: It did.My colleagues and I were among the first few attendees to arrive at Salt Fitness in Gillman Barracks at 9am sharp, and we were feeling a little shy.We decided to visit the "Word of the Year" booth to make custom keychains to represent our wishes for 2026. […]

by Carol Ong on February 3, 2026 at 4:05 am

Think parkour is only for the young? A 62-year-old Singaporean woman is proving otherwise, after a video of her executing a parkour sequence went viral on Instagram recently. In a video posted by Movement Singapore on Jan 31, the woman, who goes by the name Sing, can be seen effortlessly scaling obstacles in a playground in Toa Payoh. The clip quickly drew attention from netizens, with many saying they were impressed by her agility and technique, given her age. Several were also inspired by Sing's feat. "So inspiring!" a commenter wrote. Said another: "I'm not even 40 yet, but with my current body condition, I'm not sure if I could do that. It's a strong motivation for me to get in better shape." As of the time of writing, the post has garnered over 220,000 likes and 7,000 comments.&nbs […]

by Melissa Teo on January 30, 2026 at 8:00 am

Lee Ray Sheng may look like he has it all, running a thriving mala chain in Singapore and making Forbes' 30 under 30 list. But for the past few months, the 26-year-old has been battling health issues, which he revealed in an Instagram post on Thursday (Jan 29)."Friends would know that 2025 was a blast, I got into Forbes 30 Under 30 list, grew the business by doubling both outlets and revenue, so career- and business-wise, things were going super well," Ray wrote.However, he was going in and out of hospital on multiple occasions, and doctors couldn't find out what was wrong."My resting heart rate was super high, I had constant fevers, and small little viruses would make me really ill," he said. [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/DUF4rAvj8nR/?img_index=1[/embed]Although Ray tried adopting a healthier lifestyle by cutting down on alcohol consumption and improving his exercise regime, these didn't help much. He only found out the reason for his ill health in January, after Position Emission Tomography scans showed active spots across his abdomen, legs, neck and possibly his lungs.&nbs […]

on January 30, 2026 at 7:50 am

HYDERABAD — There is a low risk of the deadly Nipah virus spreading from India, the World Health Organisation said on Friday (Jan 30), adding that it did not recommend travel or trade curbs after two infections reported by the South Asian nation.Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are among the Asian locations that tightened airport screening checks this week to guard against such a spread after India confirmed infections."The WHO considers the risk of further spread of infection from these two cases is low," the agency told Reuters in an email on Friday, adding that India had the capacity to contain such outbreaks."There is no evidence yet of increased human to human transmission," it said, adding that it has coordinated with Indian health authorities.But it did not rule out further exposure to the virus, which circulates in the bat population in parts of India and neighbouring Bangladesh.Carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, the virus can cause fever and brain inflammation. It has a fatality rate ranging from 40 per cent to 75 per cent, with no cure, though vaccines in development are still being tested. […]

by Khoo Yi-Hang on January 28, 2026 at 10:50 am

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has said that Singaporeans need to be all alert at all times, as deadly outbreaks will happen from time to time.In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Jan 28), commenting on the Communicable Diseases Agency's (CDA) statement on the Nipah virus, he emphasised the need to watch out for "sustained human to human transmission", stating that there is less worry if transmissions are limited to being between animals and humans or between humans in close settings.He pointed out: "There is no evidence of sustained human to human transmission for Nipah virus in India."With the Infectious Diseases Act and the new CDA, MOH (Ministry of Health) now also has various levers and tools to mount appropriate responses."Singaporeans can rest assured that we are always on alert and will act quickly to protect our population."The CDA said in a statement on Wednesday that it is closely monitoring the Nipah outbreak in India.Reports from India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that 196 close contacts of the two cases have been identified.&nbs […]

by Carol Ong on January 28, 2026 at 3:45 am

Several countries in Asia have heightened border health control measures following confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection in West Bengal, India. Last Sunday (Jan 25), Thailand started screening passengers arriving from the region at three airports: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket. Nepal started doing the same at Kathmandu airport as well as other cross-border checkpoints with India, BBC reported.Singapore is also setting up temperature screening at the airport for flights arriving from affected areas, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Wednesday.[embed]https://www.facebook.com/thailandprd/posts/pfbid0mQSm6g5enHFb7QAaQcJtv2VwsaGNk6FTEccHzCWdS96s2SGaGrpWzmBu3hk9F7zhl[/embed]Malaysia's health ministry said on Tuesday that it is assessing the situation and reassured the public that border health control measures are always maintained.Meanwhile, Taiwan authorities said on Wednesday they will officially list Nipah virus infection as a category five notifiable infectious disease in March, Taipei Times reported. […]

by Zhaki Abdullah on January 26, 2026 at 6:03 am

SINGAPORE – In January 2024, National University of Singapore student Joshua Lee began experiencing abdominal pains, which he brushed off as aches from recreational rock climbing.“I thought I had just pulled something,” said the 25-year-old, who was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the time.However, in June that year, the pains became worse after what he described as a “pretty bad” fall while climbing. He realised something was wrong after almost passing out from the pain one morning.Mr Lee went to Mount Alvernia Hospital near his home, where an MRI scan uncovered a mass in his abdomen.He later underwent further tests and in July 2024 discovered he had stage 3 testicular cancer, which had spread to the lymph nodes in his belly area.While Mr Lee – who had no family history of cancer – said he was mentally prepared for the possibility of cancer, he was concerned about how his loved ones would take the news.“My girlfriend, she had it rough because we had just got together,” he said. “We got together in April, and I got the diagnosis in July. […]

by sharmaine khoo on January 24, 2026 at 9:20 am

Ice baths are having a moment. From the rise of cold-plunge clubs in Singapore to communal dips across Europe, Australia and the US, what was once the territory of elite athletes and Nordic winter swimmers has evolved into a shared wellness ritual. The appeal is easy to understand: improved recovery, sharper mental clarity and a daily reminder that we can do hard things. Yet as more women step into the cold, a quieter question sits beneath the trend: does ice bathing affect women and men in the same way and how much do we actually know?The answer isn't about whether ice baths work, the benefits are real and well-documented. Rather, it's about how cold exposure works, for whom and under what conditions. This is where modern sports science, the work of Wim Hof, and traditional systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda begin to offer complementary perspectives.What sports science tells usIn scientific literature, ice baths are referred to as cold-water immersion. Most studies focus on athletic recovery, inflammation and performance. […]