Over 50 deaths linked to ‘unknown disease’ in Congo
A general view of the World Health Organization (WHO) on April 28, 2009, in Geneva, Switzerland. (Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)
(DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO) — The World Health Organization has reported that there is a deadly “unknown disease” spreading in one region within the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Local health officials in Congo are partnering with the World Health Organization to investigate.
The phrase “unknown disease” primarily means that the disease has not yet been identified.
In previous cases, the cases are linked to a known disease, but a lack of available testing leads to lack of certainty.
For example, there was a separate report of an “unknown disease” in December of last year in Congo that was later attributed to illnesses from malaria and respiratory illnesses.
The latest numbers from the WHO’s Africa Region show that there are 431 cases linked to the outbreak and 53 deaths since January.
Early investigations traced the outbreak’s origin to three kids, all under 5 years old, who developed symptoms after eating a bat carcass.
Symptoms included fever, headache, diarrhea and fatigue – which later progressed to signs associated with hemorrhagic fevers and death.
Ebola and Marburg have already been ruled out, officials say. Nearly half of deaths occurred within 48 hours after symptoms start.
“The remote location and weak healthcare infrastructure increase the risk of further spread,” the WHO notes in its report.
(NEW YORK) — Transgender adults who received gender-affirming hormone therapy had a significantly lower risk of moderate-to-severe depression over four years compared to those who did not receive such care, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The study tracked 3,592 transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse adults and found that those prescribed hormones like estrogen or testosterone had a 15% lower risk of depression symptoms, reinforcing the mental health benefits of this treatment.
The findings “support the mental health-promoting role of hormones” and their status as “a medically necessary treatment,” said Sari Reisner, an associate professor of epidemiology at University of Michigan School of Public Health and one of the study’s authors. “Hormones play a vital role in the mental health of trans people who need them.”
The study acknowledges that other factors, such as mental health treatment, social support and other influences on mood, could have affected the findings. It also did not track the duration patients received gender-affirming hormone therapy or whether they underwent other forms of gender-affirming care, such as surgery.
Transgender people in the U.S. are two to three times more likely to have a history of depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study warns that mental health disparities continue to worsen in transgender and gender diverse communities, as access to gender-affirming care becomes more difficult.
Dr. Alexes Hazen, a New York City plastic surgeon specializing in gender-affirming procedures, says she has seen a rise in depression among her patients in recent months. Many have expressed concerns over the wave of state laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care, which has made finding treatment more difficult and left many feeling hopeless.
“Unfortunately, some states are not as friendly to patients and care providers,” Hazen said. “Some states have publicly stated their allegiance to trans and nonbinary folks, and those places will become safe havens for care.”
As barriers to gender-affirming care grow, the new study underscores its importance for mental health in transgender patients. These services “address the pervasive mental health inequities that trans people experience,” Reisner said, emphasizing that access to this care is both medically necessary and essential for reducing depression risk.
“Our findings underscore the importance of protecting and upholding the right to accessible healthcare for trans people,” Reisner said,
Hazen recommended community-based health centers that cater to LGBTQ+ patients as a key resource for gender-affirming care. The study also reinforced the importance of these clinics, arguing that the gender-affirming treatment they provide improves access and supports mental health, particularly for those in underserved communities.
Alice Gao, MD, MPH, is a family medicine resident at Temple Northwest Community Family Medicine and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
At least 24 people are believed to be dead and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as of Monday morning. Additionally, 105,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 87,000 are under evacuation warnings.
Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest health care systems in California, said most of its facilities remain open and operational but seven remain closed, including facilities in the cities and neighborhoods of Pasadena, Rosemead, Santa Monica, Canyon County and Sylmar.
Keck Medicine of USC shared an update to its website stating that all affiliated hospitals remain open but at least nine clinics remain closed, including those in Arcadia, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge and Los Angeles.
Providence health care system, which serves five Western states including California, also announced that some of its outpatient services, such as doctors’ offices, were closed but that its hospitals remain open.
Adventist Health Glendale said in a statement on its website that its hospital and emergency department is operating as usual and patients are not being evacuated. However, some patients with elective procedures are being rescheduled to a later date and all non-essential visitation has been postponed.
“Some patients with elective procedures may be rescheduled for a later date – These patients will be contacted directly by their provider,” the statement said.
As of Sunday afternoon, UCLA Health said clinic operations were “impacted” in the neighborhoods of Calabasas, Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Pasadena. However, it’s unclear from the UCLA statement how many clinics are closed.
“Affected patients will be contacted with additional information. Patients with questions or seeking to reschedule appointments are encouraged to contact their physician’s office or clinic,” UCLA Health stated on its website. “UCLA Health asks that visits to our medical center emergency departments be reserved for urgent and life-threatening medical conditions.”
Some health care centers are working to reopen after being temporarily closed. Cedars-Sinai shared in an update on its website Monday that it was planning to resume non-urgent and non-emergency procedures, some of which it had postponed because of the fires.
“Our Medical Network has reopened most outpatient offices and surgery centers that had been temporarily closed, including locations in Brentwood/West Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Pasadena and Santa Monica. We continue to do everything possible to minimize any disruptions to care,” Cedars-Sinai’s update stated.
Additionally, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, which has locations in four states including California, said its main campus in Duarte and all of its outpatient clinics are open as staff work to accommodate patients “whose care was impacted over the last few days.”
Henry Callander says his forehead blew up like “a giant bee sting” after a Botox treatment. Via ABC News.
(NEW YORK) — JGL Aesthetics’ Instagram profile promised its clients radiant skin, friendly service and a machine they said could give people toned abs. However, some clients allege that the New York medical spa’s owner injected them with fake Botox that caused negative side effects.
Aesthetician Joey Luther was arrested last Wednesday for allegedly buying counterfeit Botox from China and injecting it into patients, without the required New York medical license, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York.
The 54-year-old was charged with wire fraud, smuggling and other crimes related to the purchase and import of misbranded and counterfeit drugs at the Manhattan spa. None of the counterfeit Botox was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, prosecutors said.
According to the criminal complaint, an investigation began after one of Luther’s patients said they experienced double vision, heart palpitations, weakness from the waist up and other problems after receiving a Botox injection from JGL Aesthetics.
One alleged victim visited three hospitals to treat her symptoms and was diagnosed with Botulism — a potentially fatal illness — in March 2024, prosecutors said.
Almost 5 million people in the U.S. got Botox in 2023, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
“So I think I saw the biggest uptick in requests for Botox during the pandemic,” Dr. Evan Rieder, a dermatologist, told “Nightline.” “When we were sitting at home during the pandemic, people were really glued to their cellphones and they were really diving into social media.”
Prosecutors say that Luther didn’t have the required New York State medical license to administer Botox.
When one client in the criminal complaint allegedly texted Luther about her symptoms, the complaint claims that “Luther falsely responded that he injected Botox from Allergan,” the name brand.
“If you’re getting something that’s actually not Botox, no one knows what is actually going into that mixture,” Rieder said. “If you have Botox that’s counterfeit, but it’s too strong, you could get Botulism, and it can cause all sorts of side effects in your body where the nerves are being paralyzed.”
The complaint alleges that Luther responded to multiple clients’ concerns, reassuring them about alleged symptoms including worsening vision, difficulty swallowing, headaches and neck fatigue.
While Luther was messaging his clients, the complaint alleges that he was in contact with his supplier to inform them that the product he got from them was tainted.
According to the complaint, “he, in fact, tries to bargain with his supplier, suggesting that, if they want to keep him as a client, that they need to send better product and send it quickly,” trial attorney and ABC News contributor Brian Buckmire said.
Henry Callander was among Luther’s patients, but isn’t part of the criminal complaint. His friends recommended JGL Aesthetics, and he thought he was getting his forehead treated for a fraction of the price.
“It was probably like 20% cheaper than regular Botox,” Callander told ABC News. “Depending on the treatment I was doing, it was probably like $400 a treatment.”
An attorney representing Luther did not respond to a request for comment from “Nightline.”
Luther is out on bail, but could face decades in prison if the complaint leads to trial and he’s found guilty. His next court date is Feb. 12.
The alleged danger isn’t limited to New York — the CDC issued a notice about counterfeit Botox and injections from individuals who were not following state or local requirements in December after 17 people across nine states suffered negative reactions.
In California, Lori Reed said she got Botox and filler treatments from a woman who she thought was a nurse for a few years because the price was right. Eventually, she alleged she had a bad reaction.
“My eyes were swollen and they were beet red,” she told “Nightline.” “And it has not gone away to this day.”
Several years later, Reed said she is still dealing with the consequences, even after getting multiple procedures to reverse the damage.
“For a while, I was very self-conscious. I wouldn’t even date,” she told “Nightline.” “I felt like I looked like a monster.”
According to a civil complaint filed by 16 different women, the injector was never licensed to inject Botox. The suit has since been settled.
She was ultimately found guilty in a criminal case and is serving probation after her six-year prison sentence was suspended.
“I wanted her to reap some sort of consequences for the damage that she had done — I expected her to do jail time,” Reed said. “It turned out that she did not. So I was a little disappointed in that.”
A “Nightline” episode that aired on ABC on Jan. 28, and is available now on Hulu, details the allegations about counterfeit Botox that led to criminal charges.
