Arizona Reports 2 Bird Flu Cases; California Has Possible 2nd Youth Infection

CIDRAP: Arizona Confirms 2 Avian Flu Infections As California Probes Second Potential Case In A Child 
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) on December 6 reported the state's first human avian flu patients, both of whom were exposed to infected poultry at a commercial farm in Pinal County. If confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the cases would push the national total to 60 and the number of state reporting human cases to eight. (Schnirring, 12/9)

CIDRAP: Nevada Reports Its First Avian Flu Detection In Dairy Cattle As Virus Hits Iowa Layer Farm
The Nevada Department of Agriculture on December 6 reported the state's first avian flu detection in dairy cattle, which involved a herd in Nye County, located northwest of Las Vegas. Since H5N1 was first detected in US dairy cows in March, the virus has now infected herds in 16 states. Though Nye County borders California, the area isn't adjacent to the Central Valley epicenter of California's ongoing outbreaks in dairy cattle. (Schnirring, 12/9)

In other news from across the states —

AP: Idaho's Strict Abortion Ban Faces Scrutiny In Federal Appeals Court Hearing
A federal appeals court is expected to hear arguments Tuesday afternoon over whether Idaho should be prohibited from enforcing a strict abortion ban during medical emergencies when a pregnant patient’s life or health is at risk. The state law makes it a felony to perform an abortion unless the procedure is necessary to prevent the death of the patient. (Boone, 12/10)

The Colorado Sun: Colorado’s Brown Teeth Led A Dentist To Benefits Of Fluoride In Drinking Water
In the early-1900s, a dentist arrived in Colorado Springs and made an observation that was something like: Holy cow, the people in this town have strong but ugly teeth. Residents’ teeth looked gawdawful — stained dark brown with what the dentist, Dr. Frederick S. McKay, called “mottled enamel.” But there was a shockingly low incidence of tooth decay in those chocolate-colored chompers. (Ingold, 12/9)

North Carolina Health News: School-Based Health Centers, Nurses, Help Bridge Gap After Helene
When the remnants of Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, nurses based in schools and medical personnel from school-based health centers jumped in to help. One counselor and a colleague visited a family in a home that had been washed downriver, where they listened to a child’s terrifying story about swimming through her bedroom, said Charley Thompson, communications manager with Blue Ridge Health. The Hendersonville-based system supports more than three dozen school-based health centers in western North Carolina. (Fernandez, 12/10)

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: Cuyahoga County Children Died At ‘Alarming’ Rate In 2023, New Report Shows 
Cuyahoga County saw “an alarming increase” in the number of children dying last year, according to a new report, and officials are meeting Tuesday to discuss what to do about it. There were 190 child deaths in the county in 2023, according to the Cuyahoga County Child Fatality Review Board’s latest report, which analyzes the causes and rates of deaths for those under 18 years old. (Durbin, 12/9)

The Baltimore Sun: 18 John Carroll School Students Hospitalized For Illness; Fire Officials Find No Cause 
Eighteen students at The John Carroll School in Bel Air became ill Monday, and fire officials said they weren’t able to determine why. The sicknesses unfolded before noon, when two students required medical attention during the private Catholic high school’s Mass, school officials said in a Facebook post Monday. Shortly after, numerous other students began to fall ill for unknown reasons, officials said. (Hubbard, 12/9)

The Baltimore Sun: 1 Of 4 State Center Buildings In Baltimore Cleared From Legionella
The Maryland Department of General Services’ latest round of testing on the State Center office buildings has cleared one of the four of Legionella, which was found in the complex’s water systems in November. (Bazos, 12/9)

St. Louis Public Radio: Business Groups Sue To Block Higher Minimum Wage In Missouri
Business groups have challenged a Missouri constitutional amendment that increases the state’s minimum wage and gives more workers access to paid sick leave. Voters passed Proposition A with 57% approval in November. It raises the minimum wage in the state to $15 an hour, tying future increases to inflation, and gives more workers paid sick leave. The Board of State Canvassers certified the results of the election on Thursday. The groups, including the state’s chamber of commerce, the Missouri Grocers Association and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, filed suit the next day. (Lippmann, 12/9)

Also —

KFF Health News: Rural Governments Often Fail To Communicate With Residents Who Aren’t Proficient In English
Eloisa Mendoza has spent 18 years helping people who aren’t fluent in English navigate complex legal documents. She guides them through stressful events and accompanying dense paperwork, such as citizenship applications, divorces, and birth certificate translations. Mendoza works in Elko, Nevada, situated in a remote region in the state’s northeastern corner. Her work has become increasingly important as the town’s Hispanic or Latino population has grown to about 26%. (Orozco Rodriguez, 12/10)