President Joe Biden plans to appoint former North Carolina health secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s next director. Cohen, a longstanding health official and physician who steered her state through the rocky first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, has extensive experience working under both the Obama and Biden administrations.
Tag: CDC
Gold Medal Flour recalled after Salmonella outbreak
General Mills recalled four of its Gold Medal all-purpose flour varieties after investigators identified the flour as a source of a salmonella outbreak. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 13 people were infected in 12 different states. Three of the infected have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.
CDC Warns Doctors to Watch for Marburg Virus Amid Outbreaks
After just hitting the three year mark from when we were first exposed to Covid-19, the CDC is now warning us about another deadly disease, Marburg virus. On Thursday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory for doctors to watch out for this new virus.
Monkeypox Vaccines Being Rolled Out Nationwide As Case Numbers Rise
Over 11,000 cases of Monkeypox have now been recorded in the US, with the largest number of individuals infected residing in California, Florida, and New York. Since the first case was detected in Massachusetts on May 18th, this disease has now spread across the country and CDC officials have shared that it may be too late to significantly stop the spread. The Jynneos vaccine, which was developed in 2019 to prevent monkeypox and smallpox, is now being administered in certain areas to those who are over 18 years old and meet certain criteria.
What is Monkeypox, and should Americans be concerned?
While the Covid-19 pandemic is beginning to wind down after more than two years of quarantine, mask mandates, and social distancing, the last thing Americans want is another disease to be concerned about. However, reports of rising cases of monkeypox— a virus related to smallpox— may lead to unnecessary worry.
25 Confirmed Cases of Monkeypox in the U.S
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monkeypox was “first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research.”
Lifeguard Shortage Causing Pool and Beach Closures
As summer has nearly arrived, many Americans’ plans to visit the beach or a community pool may be disrupted due to a nationwide lifeguard shortage. Out of over 300,000 pools throughout the country, between one third and one half of them will be affected by this absence of personnel. Disinterest in lifeguarding has been increasing, however Covid and higher pay offered by restaurants and retail is forcing more people to pass on lifeguarding positions.
Over 1 in 5 Adults May Experience Long Covid
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has released a new study about the likelihood of long Covid symptoms in adult survivors of the disease. They found that one in five adults under the age of 65 has developed one or more health conditions that can be attributed to having had Covid-19. Patients who have survived Covid above the age of 65 are even more likely at one in four.
Public Health Crisis: Liver Disease
Following an outbreak of acute hepatitis in young children in 16 countries, the World Health Organization started an investigation into the origin. It found that around 14 percent of the children recently diagnosed also required liver transplants as a result. Liver transplants are usually rather uncommon in cases of autoimmune hepatitis; however, the recent spike draws attention to the larger issue of liver failure among children.
Massachusetts Resident Tests Positive for Monkeypox
Health officials have officially confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the US this year. A Massachusetts citizen has tested positive for monkeypox and was later confirmed by health officials Wednesday. According to a release from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the patient is an adult make who recently traveled to Canada. The test was confirmed on Wednesday by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention after going through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for initial testing
FDA Authorized First COVID-19 Breath Test
As of Thursday, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization for the first COVID-19 breath test. The breath test is said to spot chemical compounds associated with COVID-19 in the breath. Named the InspectIR Covid-19 Breathalyzer, the breath test is the size of a carry-on suitcase and can be used in both mobile testing sites and medical offices. The machine is very efficient as it can give results in less than three minutes.
Four of the Largest Airlines Dropped Mask Mandate
As of Monday, April 18, most American major airlines have lifted their mask mandates for all travelers. The airlines no longer require travelers or employees to wear face masks on domestic and international flights. The settlement to lift the mask mandate came after a federal U.S. judge overturned a federal mandate for travelers to wear masks.
