A silent health crisis is brewing within corporate India, with a significant number of employees suffering from chronic illness, poor mental health, and burnout, according to an alarming report on Thursday.

The report by Plum, India's leading employee health benefits platform, showed that chronic illness hits working professionals by the age of 40. The report noted that 40 per cent of employees take at least one sick day each month for mental health reasons, and 1 in 5 are considering quitting due to burnout.

Alarmingly, the data reveals a consistent pattern across the onset of major health conditions: heart disease (by age 32), cancer (by age 33), diabetes (by age 34), chronic kidney disease (by age 35), cerebrovascular disease such as strokes, ischemia (by age 36)

This early onset not only threatens individual well-being but also puts long-term pressure on workforce productivity, healthcare costs, and India’s economic potential.

Love to drink sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, fruit juice, or energy and sports drinks? They may raise your risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study.

However, dietary sugars consumed in or added to nutrient-dense foods, such as whole fruits, dairy products, or whole grains, do not cause metabolic overload in the liver, said researchers from Brigham Young University in the US.

These embedded sugars elicit slower blood glucose responses due to accompanying fiber, fats, proteins, and other beneficial nutrients, the team said.

For the study, published in the journal Advances in Nutrition, researchers analysed data from over half a million people across multiple continents.

An 11-year-old boy from Cambodia's Kampong Speu province died of H5N1 human avian influenza, becoming the fourth human death from the virus so far this year, the country's Ministry of Health said in a press statement released on Wednesday.

"A laboratory result from the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia showed on May 27, 2025, that the boy was positive for the H5N1 virus," the statement said.

The ill-fated boy lived in Samraong Tong district's Srey Sampoung village.

"According to queries, chickens and ducks near the patient's house had gotten sick and died subsequently a week before the boy fell ill," the statement said.

With fresh concerns over Covid-19 resurgence, six new Coronavirus infections have been confirmed in Bihar’s capital Patna, including among healthcare workers at AIIMS-Patna.

The latest spike has prompted hospitals across the state to go on high alert, with precautionary measures being swiftly reinstated.

Among the newly-infected are a female doctor, a female nurse, and another employee of AIIMS-Patna, all currently undergoing treatment under the supervision of senior doctors.

Israeli scientists have pinpointed a crucial network of immune cells that allows humans to digest food safely without triggering harmful reactions.

The discovery, led by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS), sheds new light on oral tolerance, the body's ability to recognise food as harmless and prevent an immune system attack, news agency reported.

This vital system stops everyday foods from causing inflammation while still letting the immune system fight off infections.

The breakthrough could pave the way for new treatments for food allergies, sensitivities, and disorders like celiac disease. By understanding how this system works, scientists hope to correct what goes wrong when the body mistakenly attacks food.

"If an aggressor fires across the border, he will be swiftly neutralised, peace accords notwithstanding. The immune system operates on a similar principle," said Dr. Ranit Kedmi from Weizmann’s Systems Immunology Department.

Rajasthan reported nine new Covid-19 cases, including a 16-day-old infant, in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases this year to 32.

Of the newly detected cases, seven were reported in Jaipur, while two were confirmed at AIIMS Jodhpur.

The Health Department has collected samples from all the patients and sent them for genome sequencing. Health officials said that two cases were detected in AIIMS Jodhpur and an equal number tested positive in Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, Jaipur.

Amid the surging number of cancer cases in women, a new study on Tuesday found its association with increasing global warming conditions.

In the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, scientists found that global warming in the Middle East and North Africa is making breast, ovarian, uterine, and cervical cancer more common and more deadly.

While the rise in rates is small it is statistically significant and suggests a notable increase in cancer risk and fatalities over time.

“As temperatures rise, cancer mortality among women also rises -- particularly for ovarian and breast cancers,” said Dr Wafa Abuelkheir Mataria of the American University in Cairo.

The recent directive by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to install "Sugar Boards" in schools is an essential public health measure that also aligns with global nutrition goals, said health experts on Tuesday.

Amid increasing cases of diabetes and obesity among young children, the CBSE, last week, instructed over 24,000 affiliated schools across India to establish sugar boards.

The Sugar Boards will provide essential information, including recommended sugar intake, the sugar content in commonly consumed foods (such as junk food and cold drinks), health risks associated with high sugar consumption, and healthier dietary alternatives.

“This initiative educates children about the dangers of excessive sugar consumption, which is a major contributor to childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes. By clearly displaying recommended sugar intake and the sugar content in common foods, the boards promote awareness and healthier choices,” Dr Naval Vikram, Professor of Medicine, at AIIMS, New Delhi, told.

With the national capital breaching the 100-mark of Covid infections, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday assured people that the government is closely monitoring the cases.

Asking people not to panic, she stated that guidelines have been issued to all hospitals.

"Guidelines have been issued to all hospitals, and the government is closely monitoring the situation," Gupta told reporters here.

She added that the state hospitals are equipped with all the facilities to tackle the cases.

According to data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi has 104 cases.

"We have analysed the scenario and there is no panic situation," said CM Gupta.

Last week, the Delhi government issued an advisory on the Covid-19 disease, asking hospitals in the national capital to ensure the availability of beds, oxygen, medicines, and vaccines.

After nearly a year of no reported Covid-19 cases in Bihar’s capital, two suspected Coronavirus cases have surfaced at a private hospital located on Patna's Bailey Road in the last 24 hours, sparking concern within the health administration.

According to a hospital official, both patients had initially visited the OPD with complaints of cold, cough, fever, and breathing difficulties four days ago.

Upon medical examination, a drop in oxygen saturation levels was noted in both individuals, prompting the hospital to conduct Covid-19 testing.

One of the patients, whose condition was found to be critical, has been admitted to the hospital, while the other recovered with outpatient treatment.

The hospital has notified the Civil Surgeon’s office, and confirmation of both cases is currently awaited from the district health authorities.