As of July 8, COVID deaths in the U.S. had dropped 20 percent from the previous week, according to CDC data.
Category: Public Health
Michigan officials issue alert for swine flu after county fair pigs test positive
Health department officials have issued an alert after multiple pigs became infected with swine flu at the Oakland County Fair in Pontiac, Mich., around July 14, according to a news release.
Epidemic: The Goddess of Smallpox
To defeat smallpox in South Asia, public health workers had to navigate the region’s layered cultural ideas about the virus. They also dreamed big. In Episode 1, host Céline Gounder wonders how the U.S. might tap into similar “moral imagination” to prepare for the next public health crisis.
Timeline: The Final Years of the Campaign to End Smallpox
Many people working in global health thought eradicating smallpox was impossible. They were wrong. Season 2 of the Epidemic podcast, “Eradicating Smallpox,” is a journey to South Asia during the last days of variola major smallpox. Explore…
Extreme heat drives healthcare costs up $1B each summer, report finds
Rising global temperatures and extreme heat are costing healthcare about $1 billion each summer, according to a report jointly released by the Center for American Progress and Virginia Commonwealth University researchers.
Syphilis outbreak declared in Houston
The Houston Health Department reported a syphilis outbreak for a 128 percent increase in cases among women.
Is obesity really a disease?
Obesity is unquestionably a major risk factor for disease and an increasingly serious societal problem, but is it actually a disease? I would argue that obesity, defined purely by a BMI of >30, is really just a number – an objective finding. In the…
In Older Adults, a Little Excess Weight Isn’t Such a Bad Thing
Researchers have found that while obesity at any age risks harming health, a few extra pounds in later life isn’t cause for concern.
How a Combination of Covid Lawsuits and Media Coverage Keeps Misinformation Churning
Even as the covid-19 pandemic wanes, litigation — whether about vaccines, masks, or a range of other public health policies made during the pandemic — isn’t about to end.
CDC, HHS prep for commercialization of COVID vaccines
The CDC and HHS are gearing up for the transition of COVID-19 vaccinations into the commercial market and are urging providers to place their orders before the transition occurs on Aug. 3.
