As Bird Flu Spreads, Colorado Orders Weekly Testing Of Milk Supply
Meanwhile, health officials are advising Americans to be aware of the seasonal spreads of hantavirus, West Nile virus, and dengue fever. Elsewhere, walnuts sent to food bank warehouses in Texas and Arizona have been recalled over listeria concerns.
The Hill:
Colorado Requiring Dairies To Test Milk For Bird Flu Weekly
Colorado will require dairies to test their milk supplies for bird flu every week, the state Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday, as concerns over the avian flu remain high nationwide. State Veterinarian Maggie Baldwin said Colorado has “not been able to curb the spread of disease at this point,” after about three months of bird flu infection in the state’s livestock populations. (Robertson, 7/23)
On hantavirus, West Nile virus, and dengue fever —
NBC News:
Arizona Officials Warn About Spread Of Potentially Fatal Hantavirus
Arizona public health officials are warning that hantavirus, a virus spread by rodents to humans, is causing an increase in a potentially fatal lung syndrome. There have been seven confirmed cases and three deaths in the past six months, according to a recent health alert. Most cases of hantavirus are reported in the Western and Southwestern United States. Most states, including California, typically report one to four cases a year. Two people in California have been infected with hantavirus this year. (Sudhakar, 7/23)
ABC News:
States Across US Are Seeing Seasonal Increase In Mosquitoes With West Nile Virus
Several health departments in the U.S. say they have detected West Nile virus in mosquito samples. Although the average number of actual West Nile cases is significantly lower than the same time last year, experts are urging the public to take precautions. On Monday, the Cape May County Health Department in southern New Jersey sent out a press release reporting that seven mosquito collections during the months of June and July had tested positive for West Nile virus. (Kekatos, 7/23)
NPR:
Dengue Fever Hits Record Numbers. Can It Be Controlled?
In the Americas alone, almost 10.4 million suspected cases of dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, were reported to the World Health Organization in 2024 as of the first week of July, an increase of 232% compared with the same period the year before. Peru is a case in point. When torrential rains started to fall there in 2023, a record-breaking dengue epidemic exploded shortly afterward. The case count is estimated at well over 100,000 so far this year. (Langlois, 7/23)
On measles, covid, listeria, and tuberculosis —
CIDRAP:
Global Measles Cases Spiked 140% In 2019 Amid Falling Vaccinations In Many Nations, Study Estimates
A new study from Columbia University shows that measles cases around the world surged 140% from 2010 to 2019, with declining vaccination rates in 59 of 194 nations fueled by socioeconomic factors in some low-resourced countries and vaccine reluctance in wealthier nations. (Van Beusekom, 7/23)
Roll Call:
Four Years After COVID-19, CDC’s Mission Divides Capitol Hill
The highly partisan nature of public health funding was on full display Tuesday as House Energy and Commerce Republicans questioned the need for more federal funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Democrats, meanwhile, argued that a more sustained public health funding stream could improve the nation’s overall health. (Cohen, 7/23)
Houston Chronicle:
Walnuts Recalled In Texas After Possible Listeria Contamination Found
Walnuts sent to food bank warehouses in Texas have been recalled after a sample was found to contain listeria which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections to consumers. California-based Stutz Packing Company issued a voluntary recall Friday for the one-pound packages of Shelled Walnuts that were shipped to warehouses in Texas and Arizona, according to a company announcement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. (Johnson, 7/23)
NBC News:
Washington Tuberculosis Patient Who Was Arrested For Refusing Treatment Is Cured
A Washington state woman who was arrested after she refused for more than a year to consistently isolate or take medication for tuberculosis has finally been cured of the disease. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said Monday that the woman had tested negative for tuberculosis multiple times and had given officials permission to share an update on her health. (Bendix, 7/23)
On extreme heat —
The Washington Post:
Sunday Was The Hottest Day Ever Recorded On Earth, Scientists Say
Global temperatures hit the highest levels in recorded history on Sunday, according to preliminary data from Europe’s top climate monitor — another worrying sign of how human-caused climate change is pushing the planet into dangerous new territory. (Kaplan, 7/23)
