Nipah Rising:

The Virus That Keeps Scientists Awake at Night is Deadlier Than COVID

January 30, 2026

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A Message from Dr. McMillan

I’ve never been a strong advocate for Nuremberg-style responses after COVID-19. Like me, the world was focused on recovery, not reckoning.

But as further unusual, high-risk viruses begin to surface, the cost of the decision not to have a thorough investigation of the source of a virus becomes clearer. The central issue is accountability. Where accountability is absent, behaviours - whether negligent, reckless, or concealed - risk becoming normalised and repeated.

Whatever one’s view on the origin of COVID-19, it was a global failure that it was never examined with full independence and transparency. That failure did not just shape our understanding of the past - it quietly set the rules for the future.

Let us hope that choice does not come back to haunt us.

Dr. Philip McMillan

In this week's January 30th, 2026 update:

  • Covid-19: The virus that keeps scientists awake at night

  • Vejon: This week’s featured Vejon video

  • Health: Cancers survivors are less likely to develop Alzheimer's

  • Infographic: Nipah Rising

  • News: Medical news in brief

  • Education: Post COVID phenotypes - What makes you unique?

    Read time: 6 minutes

FEATURE ARTICLE

COVID-19

  • Nipah virus has resurfaced in India's West Bengal state, prompting Thailand to begin screening airport passengers.

  • Nipah's mortality rate is 40-75% - far deadlier than COVID - but it is not currently easily transmitted between humans.

  • A 2024 U.S. biodefense simulation showed that, in a single day, Nipah could kill 280,000 Americans if it gained efficient transmission.

  • Scientists fear Nipah could acquire enhanced human-to-human spread through natural mutation or deliberate engineering.

Why this is important: A virus with a 40-75% fatality rate has resurfaced in India. Nipah currently spreads poorly between humans, which limits outbreaks. Scientists warn that if it ever gains efficient transmission, whether through natural mutation or deliberate modification, the consequences could be catastrophic. Such a development would create a pandemic threat far exceeding COVID-19.

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HEALTH

People Who Survive Cancers Are Less Likely to Develop Alzheimer's
Author: Justin Stebbing, Anglia Ruskin University

  • Inverse relationship: Cancer survivors are less likely to develop Alzheimer's, and Alzheimer's patients are less likely to get cancer.

  • Tumor-released protein: Cancerous tumors secrete cystatin-C into the bloodstream, which crosses the blood-brain barrier in mice.

  • Plaque clearance mechanism: Cystatin-C activates microglia via Trem2, prompting these brain immune cells to aggressively clear amyloid plaques.

  • Future treatment potential: Scientists may develop therapies mimicking cystatin-C's benefits without tumors to protect against Alzheimer's disease.

Why this is important: Scientists discovered that tumors release a protein called cystatin-C, which travels to the brain and may help clear the toxic protein clumps that cause Alzheimer's disease. Understanding this mechanism could lead to new therapies that mimic this protective effect without cancer, offering hope for preventing dementia.

INFOGRAPHIC

EDUCATION

This short tool maps symptom patterns and highlights which systems may need attention first — because with Post COVID patterns, order often matters more than severity.

If you’re living with ongoing symptoms or know someone who is, I’d value you trying it and sharing what worked or didn’t.

MEDICAL NEWS IN BRIEF

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

🚥 Fecal Transplant Capsules Show Promising Results in Clinical Trials for Multiple Types of Cancer: Swallowing capsules made from healthy donor stool could transform cancer care. Clinical trials show these transplants nearly doubled immunotherapy response rates in lung cancer and melanoma patients, while also reducing severe side effects that often force patients to abandon treatment early. [SOURCE]

🚥 How Does Long COVID Develop? New Piece of the Puzzle Found: A specific immune cell condition has been linked directly to long COVID's most debilitating symptoms: fatigue and respiratory problems. This molecular signature could explain why some people develop persistent illness after infection and may guide future diagnostic tools and personalized treatments for millions of sufferers. [SOURCE]

🚥 Single-Dose Intranasal Vaccine Blocks Coronavirus Transmission in Animal Models: Unlike current COVID vaccines that target only the spike protein, this nasal vaccine trains immunity against the entire virus. One dose protected animals from multiple coronavirus strains and, crucially, stopped transmission to others. This dual shield of personal and community protection could transform pandemic preparedness. [SOURCE]

🚥 What Causes Chronic Pain? New Study Identifies Key Culprit in the Brain: Roughly one in four adults live with chronic pain, and opioids remain the flawed standard treatment. Researchers have now pinpointed a specific brain circuit that decides whether pain persists. Silencing it stopped chronic pain in animals, opening a path toward targeted therapies that could replace addictive painkillers. [SOURCE]

🚥 What Air Pollution Does to the Human Body: US federal regulators plan to stop calculating the health savings from cleaner air when deciding pollution rules. Without weighing reduced hospitalizations, fewer premature deaths, and lower healthcare costs against industry compliance expenses, polluting infrastructure may face fewer barriers to approval, potentially reversing decades of public health progress. [SOURCE]

🚥 Clinical Trial Finds 24 Minutes of Music with Auditory Beats Eases Anxiety: Anxiety sufferers now have scientific validation for a precise, practical intervention: listening to therapeutic music for 24 minutes meaningfully reduces symptoms without medication side effects, long waits, or high costs. This specific "dose" works even for those already on anxiety medication, offering an accessible complement to existing treatments.
[SOURCE]

BOOK NOOK

Set within a child’s nose, ‘Humming Heroes’ features a family of Lymphocytes led by a wise Mother, brave Father, determined Brother, and heroic Baby, confronting invading microorganisms. The story takes an imaginative turn, when a humming melody combines with the Lymphocytes’ song to repel the invaders and restore inner harmony.

"Disease X: Are You Prepared?" is your comprehensive guide to navigating the uncertain future of global health. Drawing from experience and the latest scientific insights, this book offers:

  • Practical strategies for personal and community preparedness.

  • Lessons learned from COVID-19 and other outbreaks.

  • Actionable steps to boost resilience against emerging health threats.

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