Health News

Giving evidence at the official inquiry, Boris Johnson disputed a suggestion from counsel that the UK's toll had been the second worst in Western Europe. In a tetchy exchange with Hugo Keith KC, Mr Johnson played down the idea that government decisions had led to a 'materially' larger number of deaths. He pointed to the aging and dense population as a reason why Britain was hard hit.

Junior medics will walk off the job for 9 days in England in the latest blow to patients, with the latest dispute over pay including a record-breaking six days of consecutive strike action. The strikes, by junior doctors from the British Medical Association (BMA), will be held from December 20 to 23 and again from January 3 to 9, a six-day record walkout. Both periods represent the 'most challenging period of the year' for the NHS, with leaders deeply concerned about the strike's impact on patient safety. The walkouts are likely to coincide with a surge in winter viruses as well as casualties from parties and festivities. Tory MPs have voiced their own outrage over the latest bout of industrial action from junior medics. Lee Anderson (bottom right), Conservative Party deputy chairman labelled it a contradiction of the Hippocratic oath, and a 'slap in the face for patients'. Another Tory MP said medics clearly hadn't 'got the memo' and should accept the Government's pay offer like other NHS staff groups. The BMA's announced its new wave of strike action, which will start in just two weeks, after talks with Government to resolve the dispute broke down, Health commentators expressed dismay at the news, with many raising concerns for patient safety.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the party was considering introducing the move, replicating a similar ban enforced in Australia, to curb the rise of vaping in British children. Despite the devices being legally restricted for sale to over-18s only, data shows nearly one in 10 children in England use the devices, with a fifth having tried a vape this year. But critics say Labour's proposal risks removing the only health benefit vapes have as a smoking cessation and getting Brits to quit more harmful tobacco. Mr Streeting's comments comes as the Conservatives are in the midst of their own pledge to tackle child-vaping. In an ongoing consultation, ministers are proposing to restrict child-friendly flavours and marketing, and a crackdown on the disposable devices favoured by youngsters. In his comments, Mr Streeting accused 'Big Tobacco' and the vaping industry of 'crying crocodile tears' about child vaping epidemic. He said the vaping industry should be forced to 'go back to its roots' as providing a smoking cessation aid that is only available to those trying to quit. Mr Streeting was recently in Australia, which has embarked on similar prescription-only policy for the devices since 2021.

Alison Hough (pictured before surgery, left, and after, right), from Audley in Staffordshire, went to her GP with cold-like symptoms after returning from holiday in Tenerife but was told she probably had a sinus infection. The 59-year-old was devastated when further tests at Royal Stoke University Hospital revealed she had a rare form of cancer and she was given only two weeks to live. However, specialists were able to use a print of her face (inset) to plan the removal of the tumour and the reconstruction of some of her features following the operation. The procedure was a success, with Ms Hough being declared cancer free. She said she is now 'living her best life.'

Experts warn NHS England's cancer services have failed to recover properly from the impact of Covid, which is hampering diagnosis rates (shown in graphic). Difficulties accessing a GP are also making it harder to get tests, they add. It means patients are likely to have a more advanced form of the disease by the time it is confirmed, slashing their survival chances and making it more expensive to treat. There were 320,711 cancer diagnoses in England in 2019/20 - pre-pandemic - which is equal to 531 cases per 100,000 people. Katie Pritchard (pictured top right with her son Cass post-treatment last summer), from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, passed away surrounded by her family in June following a 17-month battle with cervical cancer. The 37-year-old went to her GP last January after finding a lump, where medics suggested it may be a result of her Covid vaccine or an STI. Malachy Watkins (bottom right), 73, from Stevenage, died in September 2020 after his cancer treatment, which should have restarted in March, was delayed for three months.

Mia Brehme, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, was just 23 when she was given the devastating diagnosis earlier this year. She had suffered sporadic anal bleeding since having Kyla-Mae (pictured together left), now three. However, Mia presumed her bleeding was caused by giving birth, with piles being extremely common piles in new mothers. Her bowel cancer was only caught after she was referred for follow-up tests, when she began suffering tiredness, nausea, diarrhoea and constipation - tell-tale signs of the disease. Tests showed it was stage four, the most advanced phase. Mia passed away last month, aged 24, four months after being diagnosed.

Kelly Pendry a mother-of-two from Ewloe, north Wales used her story to encourage women to not let medics dismiss worrying symptoms that could indicate a serious health problem. She first experienced the worrying symptoms, which included heavy periods and being doubled over in pain back in 2016. It would later be discovered she had an aggressive, and ultimately deadly, form of cancer in her uterus, with doctors only spotting it after it had become terminal. But medics initially made her feel 'like a drama queen', recommending she instead go on the pill, have a coil fitted, or take antidepressants. She is survived by her husband Michael and her two children Sam and Isla. Writing on social media , Mr Pendry said she 'she 'fought until the very end, her spirit and strength was incredible as always.'

The PM (inset) last night suffered a humiliating defeat in the Commons after dozens of Tory MPs rebelled to support a Labour policy to speed up access to payment for affected Brits. Campaigners said Mr Sunak had to be 'dragged kicking and screaming' to properly compensate victims and warned he was on the 'wrong side of history'. Jason Evans (left), whose father died after being given contaminated blood, said it should 'never have come to this'. Other victims include Lee Turton, who died in 1992 aged just 10, after contracting HIV from contaminated blood products in the 80s. His mother Denise Turton (right, with husband Denis) said the Government's callous ringfencing of the compensation - which she is not entitled to - made her 'angry'. Up to 30,000 patients with haemophilia and other bleeding disorders were given tainted medical products in the 70s and 80s, with thousands infected with HIV and hepatitis C as a result. Some even unwittingly infected their romantic partners. Tainted donations came from US prisoners, sex workers and drug addicts, who were paid to give their blood to the manufacturers of the product.

June Henry, 19, from Lawrence, Kansas, said within weeks of starting a course of Wellbutrin, she began questioning her sexuality. Henry was in a polymerous relationship, which typically involve three or more people and is sexual as well as romantic. She also said she changed her look [shown left], removing piercings and changing her pink hair to a more natural brown. In a video viewed by nearly 2million people on TikTok, Henry said: 'I started medication about a month ago, and two or three weeks in, I woke up one day and I looked around, and I was like, why the f*** am I polyamorous?"'

Teresa Sanderson , 60, has suffered from lipoedema since her teens. It's a painful condition where fat accumulates in the legs, causing legs to grow and grow. It is not known exactly why lipoedema develops but people with the condition have an excess number of fat cells in affected areas, as well as a build-up of fluid in those cells. Affected areas tend to feel soft and doughy, may be more tender to the touch and bruise more easily.

Britain is losing the battle against the bulge as fresh estimates put the cost of obesity and being overweight to the public, the NHS, and wider society at an colossal £98 billion per year. The updated figure for 2021 is nearly double a previous estimate of £58billion per year calculated for 2020, and experts warn the figure is likely to climb even higher. Fascinating charts show how costs have scaled with the proportion of society now carrying excess flab, a trend which shows no sign of slowing. Official NHS data shows nearly two thirds of all adults in England are either overweight or obese, compared to just half in 1993.

Could you stomach scoffing them for breakfast, lunch and dinner over ten days? That's what a viral diet on TikTok (pictured) suggests you do in the name of weight loss, with the trend clocking up millions of views. Some have boasted of losing up to 22lbs in just 10 days on the diet, which involves slashing calorie intake to just 900 per day and consuming dozens of eggs, which are packed with protein and thought to quell hunger levels. However, dietitians say it's restrictive, low in carbohydrates and only amounts to 900 calories a day. Aside from not being particularly enjoyable, eating just eggs for ten days straight is not a long-term solution to weight loss, says Dr Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian based at Aston University in Birmingham. It could also lead to deficiencies as the meal plan is lacking in essential vitamins and minerals, according to Dr Frankie Phillips, a registered dietitian at the British Dietetic Association.

Many of will be plagued with runny noses, coughs and sore throats this winter. But it can be tricky to tell whether a cold, flu or Covid is responsible for symptoms. While symptoms may vary between people, the common cold is usually mild and more of a 'nuisance', while the flu or Covid can keep you in bed for days, experts say. So, to help you tell the difference between the viruses, MailOnline has asked doctors and scientists to breakdown the most common symptoms of each (shown in graphic).

Plastic surgeons took a section of Royal Mail worker Alasdair Ross's big toe and transplanted it on to his hand - replacing the missing top of his index finger after it was savaged by a dog. The married 41-year-old from Bristol, who is also a part-time music teacher, chose to have the procedure as it would enable him to continue playing guitar. Today, five months after the op, Alasdair is playing again and has regained nerve sensation in the tip of his new finger.

It comes after the death of 29-year-old mother Lauren Page Smith (main image) who was discovered lying the floor with her daughter clinging to her chest just hours after paramedics had given her the all-clear. Lauren's parents (inset) are now calling for the two paramedics involved in the incident to be sacked and have vowed to do whatever it takes to get justice for their daughter. Heart attacks among young people Lauren's age are on the rise in England, MailOnline analysis shows. Cases in some younger age groups have almost doubled over the last decade (lower right). Experts say the general rise in heart attacks, which has become increasingly obvious in the wake of Covid, is down to a multitude of factors, including rising obesity rates in the young. Over half of under 35s are now overweight or obese.

A dermatologist has warned against the biggest skincare misconceptions. Lindsey Zubritsky MD, FAAD, is also a content creator on TikTok, where she's known as @dermguru. She offers skincare advice to her 1.1 million followers, as well as making educational videos about what you should and shouldn't be buying.