International health news

Promising research in Japan and Australia has found a blood test which can detect toxic proteins linked to Alzheimer’s. This is a big step towards finding a blood test for dementia.

WHO has published its first surveillance data on antibiotic resistance. The director of WHO’s Antimicrobial Resistance Secretariat says,“The report confirms the serious situation of antibiotic resistance worldwide.”

Country updates

North and South Korea are suffering from influenza outbreaks. This is a worry for both athletes and tourists travelling to the region for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

There has been a huge drop in immunisation rates for preventable diseases in the Philippines following fears over a dengue fever vaccine, leaving children at greater risk of polio, chicken pox and tetanus.

Health advice

A Dutch study has found that women with high blood pressure during pregnancy, caused by pre-eclampsia, should continue to monitor their blood pressure after giving birth. Pre-eclampsia affects around 6% of pregnant women.

New health advice suggests doing three brisk 10-minute walks a day to get your heart beating faster. This moderate intensity activity helps to lower risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.