World
British doctor admits to attempted murder after injecting mother’s partner with poison disguised as vaccine
A British doctor pleaded guilty Monday for the attempted murder of his mother’s partner by disguising himself as a nurse to inject the victim with poison but telling the victim it was a COVID-19 vaccine.
Thomas Kwan, 53, sported a wig, facial hair and medical mask when he administered the fake COVID vaccine to Patrick O’Hara on Jan. 22 in Newcastle, located in northern England, more than three hours north of London.
Northumbria police said Kwan arranged a fake medical appointment with O’Hara by sending him bogus letters stating that he needed a COVID vaccination, according to Reuters.
The police said Kwan wore a disguise so that neither his mother nor O’Hara, who are both in their 70s, would recognize him. They believed that he was merely a nurse.
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A British doctor admitted to disguising himself as a nurse to poison his mother’s partner, saying it was a COVID-19 vaccination. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
O’Hara developed a skin condition around the injection area and became “seriously unwell” just hours after it was injected, police said. O’Hara visited his general practitioner and was immediately admitted to the hospital. Upon his arrival, he showed hospital staff letters of his injection, which they deemed fake.
He underwent skin grafts to repair “extensive damage the poisoning caused to his body” and was left with “life-changing injuries,” according to police. The skin condition is a fatal flesh-eating bacterial infection called necrotizing fasciitis. The British Crown Prosecution Service said O’Hara was injected with “an as-yet unconfirmed toxin.”
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Police say that Kwan installed fake license plates on his vehicle before driving to O’Hara’s home, where the poisonous injection took place. Prosecutor Peter Makepeace said that Kwan’s motive likely regarded his mother’s will, which states that her partner would receive her home should she die and that O’Hara was still alive.
When police searched Kwan’s home, they found files on his computer that contained downloads of a “poisoner’s handbook” and other files related to using poisons to kill a person.
“Mr. Kwan used his encyclopedic knowledge of, and research into, poisons to carry out his plan,” Makepeace told jurors on the first day of the trial.
Kwan was charged with attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Although he initially pleaded not guilty, he pleaded guilty Monday to the attempted murder charge.
A man with handcuffs on (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
His sentencing will be held at a later date, and he remains in custody.
“The weight of evidence faced by Kwan was overwhelming and he has now admitted (to) attempted murder,” Detective Chief Inspector Jason Henry, of Northumbria Police, said. “While nothing can change the impact of Kwan’s actions on his victim, we do hope the fact he has been brought to justice will help them move on with their life.”
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By Jorge Mitssunaga
May 16, 2026
World
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Central Africa a public health emergency after 80 suspected deaths
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The World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa an international public health emergency on Sunday after dozens of suspected deaths were reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, the WHO said.
The declaration follows reports of 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases as of Saturday across at least three health zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.
The development comes as global health officials continue monitoring a rare hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius cruise ship, which left multiple passengers and crew members sick, and caused three deaths.
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A health worker sprays disinfectant on a colleague after working at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, eastern Congo, on Sept. 9, 2018. (Al-hadji Kudra Maliro/AP)
As of May 13, the WHO said 11 hantavirus cases had been identified in connection with the cruise outbreak, including eight confirmed cases, two probable cases and one inconclusive case.
In neighboring Uganda’s capital, Kampala, the WHO said two apparently unrelated laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases — including one death — were reported Friday and Saturday involving people who had traveled from the DRC.
Another laboratory-confirmed case was reported in the DRC capital of Kinshasa involving a person returning from Ituri province.
Initial tests suggested the outbreak does not involve the Ebola Zaire strain, which caused Congo’s devastating 2018–2020 epidemic that killed more than 1,000 people.
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Health workers wearing protective suits tend to an Ebola victim in an isolation tent in Beni, Congo, on July 13, 2019. (Jerome Delay/AP)
However, unlike Ebola-Zaire strains, there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the Bundibugyo strain, which the WHO described as making the outbreak “extraordinary.”
The WHO warned the outbreak could be larger than currently reported due to the high positivity rate among initial samples and the growing number of suspected cases.
The outbreak also poses a public health risk to other countries, the WHO said, urging nations to activate emergency-management systems and implement cross-border screening measures.
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Ambulances parked at Bunia General Referral Hospital following confirmation of an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 16, 2026. (REUTERS/Victoire Mukenge)
Ebola is a highly contagious and often fatal disease spread through bodily fluids, including blood, vomit and semen. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and internal bleeding.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently said Congo has a “strong track record” responding to Ebola outbreaks while announcing the release of $500,000 in emergency funding to support containment efforts.
The WHO said it will convene an emergency committee to review recommendations for how affected countries should respond.
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Health workers dressed in protective gear begin their shift at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, Congo, on July 16, 2019. (Jerome Delay/AP)
The organization did not recommend border closures or travel restrictions.
Congo has now recorded 17 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976.
Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr and Brittany Miller, along with Reuters, contributed to this report.
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