Walmart Great Value Apple Juice Recalled For High Arsenic Levels

USA Today: Great Value Apple Juice Sold At Walmart Recalled Over Arsenic
A voluntary recall for 9,535 of the eight-ounce Great Value Apple Juice sold at Walmart stores in a six-pack with PET plastic bottles (UPC 0-78742-29655-5) has been issued, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the recall number F-1746-2024 issued on Aug. 15, the federal agency said that the apple juice “contains inorganic arsenic above the action level set in industry guidance.”  On Aug. 23, the recall was upgraded to Class II, which is defined by the FDA as a product that "may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”  (Forbes, 8/24)

Newsweek: Parasite Warning: 'Profuse' Diarrhea Cases Spiking In Yellowstone
Health officials have launched an investigation into an outbreak of a diarrhea-causing parasite in Yellowstone County. City-County Public Health Department RiverStone Health have reported 26 confirmed cases so far this year—nearly triple the caseload in 2023—with 29 additional suspected infections. (Dewan, 8/23)

CIDRAP: CDC Reports 2 More Variant Flu Cases, Both With Swine Exposure
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported two more variant influenza cases, one in Ohio and the other in Pennsylvania, in people who had contact with pigs. Both patients are adults, recovered after hospitalization, and had underlying health conditions, the CDC said in its weekly influenza report. (Schnirring, 8/23)

CIDRAP: CDC Ends Its Probe Of Cucumber Salmonella Outbreak After 551 Cases
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday declared its investigation into a multistate Salmonella outbreak tied to cucumbers over after 551 cases and 155 hospitalizations, an increase of 102 cases and 30 hospitalizations since its last update on July 2. (Wappes, 8/23)

CIDRAP: Tularemia Identified In Biologist, Dead Seal That She Dissected
A wildlife biologist who injured herself last fall while performing a necropsy—an autopsy on an animal—on a harbor seal contracted tularemia, a highly infectious disease caused by Francisella tularensis, which is deemed a high-priority bioterrorism agent in part because so few bacteria are required for infection. ... Tularemia, or "rabbit fever," is an occupational risk for farmers, foresters, and veterinarians and is listed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as one of six category A biological warfare agents. It occurs most often in rabbits, hares, and rodents. About 200 US cases are recorded each year, according to CDC data. (Wappes, 8/23)

The New York Times: Why Are Extreme Heat-Related Deaths So Hard To Track?
Researchers estimate that heat kills more people than any other extreme weather event, and the number of heat-related deaths reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has steadily risen in recent years. In 2023, the agency reported that heat played a role in approximately 2,300 deaths, though this number may be revised as more records are processed. But some researchers say the actual number is far higher. ... The C.D.C. relies on death certificates reported by local authorities for its tally, but the way these certificates are completed varies from place to place. (Selig, 8/23)

AP: Wearable Tech Sensors Can Read Your Sweat. Privacy Advocates Are Concerned
As the world experiences more record high temperatures, employers are exploring wearable technologies to keep workers safe. New devices collect biometric data to estimate core body temperature - an elevated one is a symptom of heat exhaustion - and prompt workers to take cool-down breaks. ... But there are concerns about how the medical information collected on employees will be safeguarded. Some labor groups worry managers could use it to penalize people for taking needed breaks. (Bussewitz, 8/24)

In other public health news —

Stat: AI In Medicine: A National Registry Could Help Increase Transparency
The use of artificial intelligence in hospitals is ramping up so fast — and with such little transparency — that it is impossible to track how any given product is impacting the cost or quality of care. Whether AI is monitored at all is entirely up to individual health systems. (Ross, 8/23)

Modern Healthcare: Johns Hopkins, CareFirst Join Accelerator Targeting AI
Johns Hopkins University is working with insurer CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and venture capital firm TechStars to create an early-stage artificial intelligence startup accelerator, the organizations said Friday. The 13-week accelerator program will be called Techstars AI Health Baltimore powered by Johns Hopkins and CareFirst. The university and companies aim to provide capital and guidance for entrepreneurs focused on improving care with AI. (Turner, 8/23)

Also —

KFF Health News: Turning 26 And Struggling To Find Health Insurance? Tell Us About It
A hard-won provision of the Affordable Care Act allows young adults to stay on their family’s health insurance until age 26. But after that, those without employer-sponsored insurance face an array of complicated choices, including whether to shop on the insurance plan exchange, apply for Medicaid, or roll the dice and go uninsured. ... Whatever your story, we want to hear from you for a project we are doing with The New York Times. (Rosenthal, 8/26)