Author: Claudinne Miller
What to Know About the New COVID-19 Variant XFG
Time With summer travel at an all-time high, new COVID-19 variants are brewing. Officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) recently added another one to its list of variants under monitoring: XFG. XFG is spreading most widely in Southeast Asia, although cases have been reported in 38 countries. In the U.K., it accounts for 30% of COVID-19 infections, and in […]
Jul 8, 2025
Hantavirus, rabies exposures confirmed at Grand Canyon National Park
The HIll An employee at Grand Canyon National Park was exposed to hantavirus, and a separate case of exposure to rabies in the park has also been confirmed. A Coconino County health official confirmed both reports to Nexstar’s KLAS. While hantavirus can be fatal, it’s also rare. The virus is spread primarily by deer mice, according […]
Jul 8, 2025
ER visits for tick bites near record levels this summer across US
ABC News Emergency rooms across the country are seeing a spike in tick bite cases, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July has already seen the highest number of tick-related ER visits since 2017, with the Northeast region reporting the most cases, the CDC said. Young children and elderly […]
Jul 8, 2025
CDC ends bird flu emergency
The HIll The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ended its emergency response to the H5N1 avian flu. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said that the emergency bird flu response was “deactivated to transition back to regular program activity” last Wednesday due to reports of animal infections declining and no […]
Jul 8, 2025
First malaria treatment for newborn babies approved for use
Washington Post Malaria caused 597,000 deaths worldwide in 2023, with children under 5 accounting for 76 percent of all malaria deaths in the World Health Organization’s Africa region. The first malaria drug for newborn babies and those weighing less than 11 pounds has been approved by Swiss medical authorities in a move that could fill […]
Jul 8, 2025
Measles cases reach highest point since the disease was eliminated in U.S. in 2000
NBC News An outbreak in West Texas that spread to several other states drove the case counts up substantially. Measles cases in the United States are the highest they’ve been since the country eliminated the disease in 2000. The U.S. has reported 1,277 cases since the start of the year, according to NBC News’ tally […]
Jul 8, 2025
Insurers Aren’t Saying Whether They’ll Cover Vaccines for Kids if Government Stops Recommending Them
Wired RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory board could stop recommending some routine childhood immunizations, leaving insurers to decide whether to still cover them. For now, most are remaining tight-lipped. In the wake of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) announcing plans to revisit its recommended schedule for childhood vaccinations—a move that has drawn widespread criticism from […]
Jul 2, 2025
Feeling Hoarse? You Might Have the New ‘Stratus’ Covid Variant
Wired he World Health Organization has added the variant, known formally as XFG, to its monitoring list. A dry, irritated throat is among its main symptoms. Another NEW covid variant is currently rapidly gaining a foothold. Known officially as XFG—or informally as “Stratus”—it has been declared a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization (WHO), and is […]
Jul 2, 2025
The Rise of Misinformation and Distrust in Science
Harvard Global Health As part of our ongoing event series, this session is dedicated to navigating the complexities of health information, misinformation, and trust. We’ll explore how to distinguish between misinformation, disinformation, and legitimate differences in opinion. Participants will gain practical tools for fact-checking health claims and evaluating sources, while also examining how shifts in […]
Jul 2, 2025
Long COVID Rates Higher in Women: Evidence Grows
Medscape When Brazilian scientist Letícia Soares contracted COVID-19 in April 2020, she was in the final stretch of her postdoctoral studies in disease ecology at a Canadian university. By August, she was bedbound. What began as piercing migraines quickly escalated into a cascade of long COVID symptoms — gastrointestinal distress, sleeplessness, joint and muscle pain, and crushing […]
Jul 2, 2025