Insect repellents with DEET are safe, and should be used in areas with mosquito-borne diseases.
International health news
- Insect repellents safe to use – Repellents containing DEET are ‘safe’ and essential for travellers, say experts, after concerns were raised about the chemical.
- Sleep vital for forming new memories – Sleep plays an important role in improving our memories and aids learning, scientists have discovered. Are you getting enough?
- Investment in midwifery could save millions – Countries with the highest maternal and infant death rates lack midwives, yet need them the most, warns WHO.
Health advice
- How bad are butter, cheese, and red meat? – Heart disease knowledge has improved since 1961, when the advice to stay away from saturated fats was released.
- VIDEO: Stay healthy on vacation – Enjoy your time away, and don’t worry about coming back with some extra weight around your waistline with this advice.
Country health updates
- Guinea: Ebola deaths pass 200 – A deadly spike in recent days has pushed the death toll past 200, as people shun medical treatment, preferring traditional healers.
- East Timor: One of the highest smoking rates in the world – Nearly two-thirds of men smoke in East Timor. With few warnings young people are continuing the trend.
- UK: Britain’s sickest city – In a city where 1 in 4 men won’t see their 65th birthday, and obesity rates are among the highest in the world. What is the “Glasgow Effect”?