International health news

Despite debate about the effectiveness of antidepressants, a study has found that antidepressants are effective in reducing symptoms of depression. This is great news for the reported 300 million people worldwide who suffer from depression.

US scientists are in the process of developing wearable pads that could help to speed up the recovery of stroke patients. Doctors would receive real-time information from their patients via the sensors.

Country updates

The World Health Organisation has announced that measles cases more than tripled in Europe last year with over 20,000 people being affected by the disease. The most affected country was Romania, followed closely by Italy and Ukraine.

Mozambique continues to suffer from an outbreak of cholera. Weekly cases in 2018 to date have varied between 30 and 60 cases.

Health advice

Women who suffer with persistent bloating should see a doctor to make sure that it is not a symptom of ovarian cancer. Many women are unaware of the ovarian cancer symptoms.

Try to avoid drinking acidic drinks as new study shows acidic drinks are damaging teeth. Drinks to avoid include squashes, cordials, fruit drinks, sugary drinks and flavoured water.