Respiratory syncytial virus activity has increased across the Southeast in recent weeks, suggesting the U.S. will see a national uptick within several months, according to a Sept. 5 CDC health alert.
Category: Public Health
New data on BA.2.86: What to know
New lab data suggests COVID-19 variant BA.2.86 — a distant omicron relative that has been making headlines over the past few weeks because of its large number of mutations — may not be as transmissible or immune-evasive as experts initially believed, C…
CDC issues health alert on flesh-eating bacteria
Health officials at the CDC have issued a health advisory warning clinicians to look out for cases of Vibrio vulnificus, a sometimes deadly flesh-eating bacteria.
NPR and KFF Health News Share the Story of Two Health Heroes Who Helped Stop Smallpox
Regina G. Barber from NPR’s “Shortwave” podcast speaks with physician-epidemiologist Céline Gounder about two men who were among the public health heroes who helped wipe out a 3,000-year-old virus, and the lessons that victory offers for the next public health emergency.
Workers Pay the Price While Congress and Employers Debate Need for Heat Regulations
Studies suggest official numbers vastly underestimate heat-related injuries and illness on the job. To institute protections, the government must calculate their cost — and the cost of inaction.
Biden Administration Proposes New Standards to Boost Nursing Home Staffing
The proposal would require major hiring at the most sparsely-staffed homes. But the proposal is already badly received by the nursing home industry which claims it can’t boost wages enough to attract workers.
CDC updates risk assessment on BA.2.86
The CDC updated its risk assessment on distant omicron relative BA.2.86 on Aug. 30, saying the strain — which has concerned experts over the large number of mutations it carries — has been detected in at least four states.
Patients cancel appointments at Ohio hospital over rumors of Legionnaires' outbreak
Patients have been canceling appointments at Chillicothe, Ohio-based Adena Regional Medical Center over rumors and concerns about a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, which the health system has since described as “misinformation.”
Activist Misuses Federal Data to Make False Claim That Covid Vaccines Killed 676,000
Anti-vaccine tech entrepreneur Steve Kirsch, whose wild assertions have been repeatedly debunked, wrongly attributes deaths following vaccination to the vaccines themselves. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which runs the database, calls that inaccurate and irresponsible.
When Temps Rise, So Do Medical Risks. Should Doctors and Nurses Talk More About Heat?
The medical dangers of heat are real. But people often ignore public heat alerts or don’t realize how vulnerable they are. A new alert system prompts clinicians to talk about heat with patients.
