The new SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant XBB.1.16 has spurred increased hospitalizations and deaths in some countries. In the U.S., the dominant variant is still XBB.1.5, but health officials say other variants are on the rise.
Category: Public Health
Concerns grow over drug-resistant bacteria tied to eye infections
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the strain of drug-resistant bacteria that has been found in eye drops and ointment imported from India, has never been found before in the U.S., the CDC said.
Experimental treatment aims to treat long COVID-19 smell disorders
Physicians are experimenting with a numbing procedure which may restore or improve smell and taste disorders in people with long COVID-19, NBC News reported March 31.
New omicron subvariant is 'one to watch': WHO
The World Health Organization added XBB.1.16 to its list of variants under monitoring on March 22. The omicron subvariant has been reported in 22 countries, with most cases detected in India.
CDC team fell ill while investigating aftermath of Ohio train derailment
Earlier this month, seven CDC investigators studying potential health risks associated with the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, briefly fell ill, experiencing symptoms including headache, sore throat, coughing and nausea, according to a…
23 groups denounce ruling that blocks preventive care coverage
Twenty-three national health associations are speaking out after a Texas judge struck down the ACA provision that required insurance companies to provide coverage for preventive services.
UC Health use e-referral system to helps patients quit smoking
A University of California Health study found electronic referrals were effective in helping patients quit smoking.
FDA Evaluates ‘Safety Concerns’ Over Dental Devices Featured in KHN-CBS Investigation
A KHN and CBS News investigation found that a dental appliance called the AGGA has been used by more than 10,000 patients, and multiple lawsuits allege it has caused grievous harm to patients.
A Judicial Body Blow to the ACA
A federal judge in Texas has dealt a big setback to the Affordable Care Act. The same judge who tried in 2018 to declare the entire ACA unconstitutional has now ruled that the law’s main provisions for preventive care are unconstitutional and, therefore, unenforceable nationwide. Also this week, North Carolina became the 40th state to expand Medicaid under the ACA. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
Kaiser lays out public health agenda
Kaiser Permanente is aiming to strengthen the nation’s public health system through three new initiatives, the Oakland, Calif.-based system said March 29.
