The Florida measles outbreak is expanding. On Friday, health officials in Broward County confirmed a seventh case of the virus, a child under age 5. The patient is the youngest so far to be infected in the outbreak, and the first to be identified outside of Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston, near Fort Lauderdale. As NBC […]
Health officials in Deschutes County, Oregon, confirmed a rare case of human plague in a local resident last week, marking the first reported case in the state since 2015. As CBS News reports, officials said the individual was likely infected by their pet cat, which showed symptoms of the disease. “All close contacts of the […]
The number of syphilis cases in the U.S. are on the rise. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases increased by nearly 80% to more than 207,000 between 2018 and 2022. As NPR reports, rates increased among all age groups, including newborns, and in all regions of the country. In […]
U.S. health officials are warning clinicians to be alert for cases of measles following several outbreaks, largely among children who were eligible for the vaccine but did not receive it. As USA Today reports, in an email sent last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged vigilance among health providers across the U.S. […]
Chronic wasting disease is sometimes referred to as “zombie deer disease,” or affected deer can be called “zombie deer” due to the neurological signs of the disease, which include weight loss, lack of coordination, listlessness and drooling. As USA Today reports, the disease mainly affects free-ranging deer, elk and moose, according to the Centers for […]
As the new year gets underway, health officials are issuing a nationwide alert about a triple threat: The simultaneous spread of the flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. As CBS News reports, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting a significant rise in emergency room visits due to flu and COVID-19, while RSV […]
A new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 is rising to prominence in the U.S. as winter illness season approaches its peak: JN.1, yet another gift from the Omicron variant. As Time magazine reports, JN.1 was first detected in the U.S. in September but spread slowly at first. In recent weeks, however, it has accounted for […]
If you contract the chickenpox virus, also known as varicella-zoster, your illness will typically clear up in a week or two. However, this virus remains in your body even after you’ve recovered. When you first contract the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), you’ll get chickenpox. When you fight off this virus, your body creates immunity to it, so it’s […]
As more Americans are being diagnosed with multiple chronic health problems at younger ages, for the first time, the American Heart Association (AHA) is identifying a new medical condition that reflects the strong links among obesity, diabetes and heart and kidney disease. As NBC News reports, in an advisory released this month, the goal in […]
Last week, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that everyone ages 6 months and older should get the new COVID-19 vaccine this fall, and kids under 5 may be eligible to receive two doses of the new vaccine if they haven’t been vaccinated previously. The new COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are […]