In Philly Measles Outbreak, A Child Was Sent To Day Care, Breaking Quarantine
NBC News says that during the outbreak, which has affected at least eight people, an unvaccinated child who had been exposed to measles was then was sent to day care, despite quarantine instructions. Measles in a children's hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, is also in the news.
NBC News:
In Philadelphia Measles Outbreak, Child Sent To Daycare Despite Quarantine Instructions
At least eight people have been diagnosed with measles in an outbreak that started last month in the Philadelphia area. The most recent two cases were confirmed on Monday. The outbreak began after a child who'd recently spent time in another country was admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) with an infection, which was subsequently identified as measles. The disease then spread to three other people at CHOP, two of whom were already hospitalized there for other reasons. Two of those infected at the hospital were a parent and child. The child had not been vaccinated and the parent was offered medication usually given to unvaccinated people that can prevent infection after exposure to measles, but refused it, the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported. Despite quarantine instructions, the child was sent to day care on Dec. 20 and 21, the health department said. (Bendix, 1/10)
CBS News:
Measles Outbreak: Possible Exposure In Montgomery County
Montgomery County health officials are warning residents about possible measles exposures related to the outbreak in Philadelphia. Health officials said Thursday there are currently no confirmed cases in Montgomery County, but people may have come into contact ... last week with someone who has tested positive. The potential exposure happened at two places last Wednesday, Jan. 3, according to an email from the county. (Dougherty, 1/11)
CBS News:
20-30 People Potentially Exposed To Measles At Nemours Children's Hospital In Wilmington
About 20 to 30 people were potentially exposed to measles in late December at Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington, the Delaware Department of Health said on Thursday. The Department of Health said the potential exposure happened on Dec. 29, 2023, when 20 to 30 people were potentially exposed to a person who was "not symptomatic but was infectious at the time of their visit to the facility." The DPH identified people who were potentially exposed and issued quarantine orders when necessary. (Ignudo, 1/11)
On hepatitis A —
CBS News:
Positive Hepatitis A Case Confirmed From Olive Garden Employee In Deptford: Officials
The Gloucester County Department of Health confirmed a case of hepatitis A in a food handler at an Olive Garden in Deptford Thursday afternoon. Officials said the positive case from the food handler was around Dec. 26 through Dec. 30 at the Olive Garden at 1500 Almonesson Road. The health department is working to give vaccinations to coworkers who could've been exposed and are unvaccinated, according to the release. (Newbill, 1/11)
On malaria —
Reuters:
WHO Declares Cape Verde Free Of Malaria
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Cape Verde free of malaria, hailing it as a significant milestone in the fight against the disease. Cape Verde, an archipelago of 10 islands in the central Atlantic Ocean, has faced severe epidemics in densely populated areas before it implemented targeted interventions. (1/12)
In covid news —
CNN:
Is It Normal For Cold-Like Symptoms To Last For Weeks? An Expert Explains
The winter surge of respiratory viruses is underway. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to record rising levels of hospitalizations associated with Covid-19 as well as increasing hospitalizations for influenza and the respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV. (Hetter, 1/11)
San Francisco Chronicle:
UCSF Study Reveals Immune System Anomalies In People With Long COVID
A new analysis of blood samples from people with the vexing set of conditions known as long COVID lends fresh evidence to the idea that bits of the coronavirus can remain in the body wreaking havoc for years after infection, say researchers at UCSF and Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco. Scientists around the world are in a race to figure out why millions of people suffer from persistent, debilitating symptoms after recovering from an acute COVID infection. (Asimov, 1/11)
CIDRAP:
COVID-19 Survivors At Higher Risk For Digestive Diseases, Study Suggests
Adult COVID-19 survivors are at higher risk for digestive diseases, including gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction, peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallbladder disease, nonalcoholic liver disease, and pancreatic disease—even among patients with mild infections, according to a study published yesterday in BMC Medicine. (Van Beusekom, 1/11)
CIDRAP:
COVID Vaccine Performed Well At Preventing Hospital Illness In Teens
Data on how well and how long mRNA COVID vaccines protect adolescents from severe COVID-19 infections are scarce, but newly published findings from a large, matched cohort study from young people in four Nordic countries found high efficacy that lasted as long as a year. (Schnirring, 1/11)
The Atlantic:
A New Vaccination Crisis Has Emerged
For years now, health experts have been warning that COVID-era politics and the spread of anti-vaxxer lies have brought us to the brink of public-health catastrophe—that a Great Collapse of Vaccination Rates is nigh. This hasn’t come to pass. In spite of deep concerns about a generation of young parents who might soon give up on immunizations altogether—not simply for COVID, but perhaps for all disease—many of the stats we have are looking good. (Engber, 1/11)
