The CDC has lowered its estimate of omicron subvariant XBB.1.5’s prevalence in the U.S., now saying the highly transmissible strain accounts for about 28 percent of COVID-19 cases.
Category: Public Health
Where flu activity stands as of Dec. 31: 5 FluView notes
Flu activity remains high, but continues to decline in most parts of the country, the CDC’s latest FluView report shows.
Severe strep in the US: 4 updates
Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is the latest to report a rise in severe strep A infections, according to a Jan. 5 report from CBS affiliate WWMT.
XBB.1.5 prevalence, by region
The omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 has gained national dominance in a matter of weeks, though its prevalence still varies greatly by region.
New Jersey earmarks $15M for healthcare facilities that offer abortion services
New Jersey has set aside $15 million for healthcare facilities that offer a full spectrum of reproductive care to use for facility upgrades and security enhancements.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Year-End Bill Holds Big Health Changes
The year-end spending bill passed by Congress in late December contains a wide array of health-related provisions, including a structure for states to begin to disenroll people on Medicaid whose coverage has been maintained through the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is taking steps to make the abortion pill more widely available. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Mark Kreidler, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature about a billing mix-up that took about a year to sort out.
XBB.1.5's transmissibility, severity: 4 Qs answered
Health officials are keeping a close eye on omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 due to its rapid growth in the U.S.
How flu deaths compare to past seasons
The U.S. may see a higher amount of flu deaths this season compared to past years, preliminary data from the CDC suggests.
Lost Sleep and Jangled Nerves: The Rising Onslaught of Noise Harms Mind and Body
Noise pollution is a growing problem that isn’t confined to the ears: It can cause harm throughout the body. California is taking baby steps to address the increasing din from traffic and illegally modified cars, but public health experts urge lawmakers to act more boldly.
From 'COVID toes' to 'Paxlovid arm': 4 phenomena that emerged amid the pandemic
Loss of taste and smell were once the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19. Nearly three years later, physicians have seen a number of other strange symptoms reported by patients during or shortly after a bout with COVID-19, as well as conditions linked to tr…
