Author: Claudinne Miller
2 additional cases of West Nile virus confirmed in Massachusetts
WCVB Massachusetts public health officials are raising the risk level for West Nile virus in nine cities and towns after reporting two additional human cases of the mosquito-borne disease. According to the Department of Public Health, one patient is a man in his 50s who was exposed in Suffolk County, and the other is a […]
Sep 3, 2024
COVID vaccine distrust growing among Americans, survey finds: ‘Should be a personal choice’
Fox Nearly a quarter of people think it is safer to get COVID than it is to get vaccinated. A growing number of Americans are skeptical of vaccines for COVID and other infectious diseases, according to the most recent national health survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. More than a […]
Sep 3, 2024
What Is the Oropouche Virus Found in US Travelers to Cuba?
VOA American health officials have identified a virus spread by insects in more than 20 people who visited Cuba. The virus is officially called Oropouche. It is also known as sloth fever. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said August 27 it had received reports of 21 cases in the United States. […]
Sep 3, 2024
FDA OKs Updated Novavax COVID Shot
MedPageToday The FDA granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for an updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine to protect against hospitalization and death from circulating variants. The protein-based shot represents a non-mRNA option for the 2024-2025 season, and follows the agency’s recent approvals and authorizations of the updated Moderna (Spikevax) and Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) vaccines “The COVID-19 vaccines have had a tremendous […]
Sep 3, 2024
Coronavirus vaccines, once free, are now pricey for uninsured people
Washington Post The elimination of the Bridge Access Program means some low-income Americans must pay up to $200 for an updated shot. As updated coronavirus vaccines hit U.S. pharmacy shelves, adults without health insurance are discovering the shots are no longer free, instead costing up to $200. The federal Bridge Access Program covering the cost of coronavirus vaccines for […]
Sep 3, 2024
What to know about the mosquito-borne virus circulating in the Northeast
Washington Post Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, is a rare but serious disease that can cause brain inflammation. There is so far no vaccine against it for humans. One person has died and some communities are restricting activities as eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, circulates in the northeastern United States. The mosquito-borne disease is rare but serious, […]
Sep 3, 2024
How avian influenza has spread to Antarctic islands
Cosmos Discovery of how the deadly avian influenza virus spread to the Antarctic has raised concerns about how vulnerable the region will be during seabird breeding season. In October 2023, British researchers confirmed for the first time the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions. The strain detected in […]
Sep 3, 2024
Mpox is back: What to know and do
Harvard Ever heard of mpox? Wondering why it’s back in the news? Many of us first learned about mpox (formerly called monkeypox) in 2022, when the largest known outbreak spread to nearly 100,000 people in more than 100 countries. While mpox often circulates in central and western Africa, the 2022 outbreak quickly spread from the […]
Sep 3, 2024
Why has COVID been so much worse this summer? The health belief model has the answer
The Conversation If you think COVID-19 was suddenly in the news a lot over the summer, you’re probably right. Throughout August, outlets in both Canada and the United States ran headlines about high COVID levels, the summer surge of cases, timing of booster shots and reviving the use of face masks. As numerous athletes tested positive for COVID at the Olympics in Paris, […]
Sep 3, 2024
Avian Influenza A(H5N1) – Cambodia
WHO On 20 August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified by the country’s International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) of a laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus (clade 2.3.2.1c) in a 15-year-old child in the Kingdom of Cambodia. This case is one of 10 human cases of […]
Sep 3, 2024