The CDC on Dec. 18 confirmed a patient in Louisiana has been hospitalized with a severe bird flu infection, marking the first human case of severe illness tied to the H5N1 virus in the country.
Category: Public Health
Trump’s Picks for Top Health Jobs Not Just Team of Rivals but ‘Team of Opponents’
The president-elect’s choices to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, FDA, and CDC, hold positions on issues including abortion and vaccination that are often at odds.
Experts slam claims that vaccines overwhelm immune systems
A concern voiced by public figures — including President-elect Donald Trump and his nominee for HHS secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr. — is that the number of vaccines administered to children may overwhelm their immune systems and contribute to conditions …
5 states where virus activity is high: 4 updates
Respiratory virus activity is continuing to rise across the U.S. with flu, COVID-19 and RSV all contributing to increased healthcare visits, according to a Dec. 13 CDC report.
How Are States Spending Opioid Settlement Cash? We Built a Database of Answers
From addiction treatment to toy robot ambulances, we uncovered how billions in opioid settlement funds were used by state and local governments in 2022 and 2023. Find out where the money went.
US adult obesity rates drop for 1st time in a decade: Study
In 2023, the United States saw a slight decrease in obesity prevalence among adults, according to research findings published Dec. 13 in JAMA.
Watch: ‘Going It Alone’ — A Conversation About Growing Old in America
Judith Graham, KFF Health News’ “Navigating Aging” columnist, talks with older adults who live alone by choice or circumstance. They share what it means to thrive in later years.
Post-discharge mortality high among hospitalized flu patients: Study
Influenza surveillance systems that focus solely on in-hospital deaths may miss up to 50% of flu-related deaths because many occur post-discharge, according to a study recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Patients Couldn’t Pay Their Utility Bills. One Hospital Turned to Solar Power for Help.
Doctors in Boston got tired of writing letters to utility companies asking for assistance for their medically vulnerable patients who need power and heat to stay healthy. So a hospital decided to share the power its solar panels generate with patients who needed help with their electricity and gas bills.
Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Taint Rural California Drinking Water, Far From Known Sources
Researchers found toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water wells dotting California’s rural farming regions, far from known contamination sources. The discovery complicates the state’s drinking water problem, which disproportionately affects farmworkers and communities of color.
