Canadian Wildfire Smoke Drove Up ER Visits For Asthma
The spikes in visits were particularly bad in the New York area, AP reports. In other news, West Nile virus remains the most common mosquito-borne disease in the U.S., and a death linked to the virus has been reported in Northern California.
AP:
Canadian Wildfires Led To Spike In Asthma ER Visits, Especially In The Northeast
The smoke from Canadian wildfires that drifted into the U.S. led to a spike in people with asthma visiting emergency rooms — particularly in the New York area. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published two studies Thursday about the health impacts of the smoke, which shrouded city skylines with an orange haze in late spring. A medical journal also released a study this week. (Stobbe, 8/24)
On West Nile virus —
CIDRAP:
West Nile Remains Most Common Mosquito-Borne Disease In US
Today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, researchers using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) arthropod-borne disease surveillance data confirm that West Nile virus remains the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States, with almost 3,000 cases reported in 2021. The surveillance data shows 3,035 cases of domestic arthropod-borne diseases, including 2,911 of West Nile, 40 cases of La Crosse, 32 cases of Jamestown Canyon, 24 cases of Powassan virus, 17 cases of St. Louis encephalitis, 5 cases of eastern equine encephalitis, and 6 cases of an unspecified California serogroup virus. (Soucheray, 8/24)
CBS News:
Death Linked To West Nile Virus Reported In Yolo County, Its 1st Death From The Disease Since 2018
On Thursday, Yolo County Public Health officials announced that a resident had died from the disease. It's the county's first West Nile virus death since 2018, officials said. "This tragic death underscores the importance of preventing mosquito bites. While most West Nile virus infections have no symptoms, some people get very sick and may die, especially older adults and people with underlying conditions or weakened immune systems," said Yolo County's Public Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson in a statement. (Padilla, 8/24)
In other environmental health news —
Connecticut Public Radio:
How Heat Alerts Could Help Clinicians Intervene For People At High Risk In New England
A half dozen clinicians at Cambridge Health Alliance got the first test alert on June 1. The 83-degree day didn’t trigger an official heat warning in Boston. But in this New England climate, when temperatures rise past the mid-70s, heat-related hospitalizations and deaths rise, too. And, a sudden pre-summer heat surge can be especially bad. (Bebinger, 8/24)
Harvest Public Media:
Midwest Farmworkers Struggle With Heat And Little Regulations
Juan Carlos Baltazar Peña, 28, has worked in the fields since childhood, often exposing his body to extreme heat like the wave hitting the Midwest this week. The heat can cause such deep pain in his whole body that he just wants to lie down, he said, as his body tells him he can’t take another day on the job. On those days, his only motivation to get out of bed is to earn dollars to send to his 10-month-old baby in Mexico. (Tesfaye and Cordero, 8/25)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Multiple People Sickened After Recent Sonoma Tough Mudder Race
Sonoma County Health officials have issued a health advisory after a spate of participants in the county’s “Tough Mudder” race reported developing rashes with fevers, nausea, muscle pain and vomiting. In an advisory released Wednesday, health officials urged participants who are experiencing symptoms to seek medical care or visit their local emergency departments. (Vainshtein, 8/24)
The Boston Globe:
UNH Researchers Are Working To Tackle Ticks In New England
Tick-borne diseases have risen dramatically in New Hampshire in the past two decades, but there’s a lack of data about where ticks are found, their numbers, and the pathogens they may carry. Researchers at N.H.’s Hubbard Center for Genome Studies and the University of New Hampshire have landed a new grant from the U.S. Geological Survey that they will use to establish baseline data to answer these questions. The goal is to use that information to protect people and animals from disease. (Gokee, 8/24)
Axios:
Noise Pollution Is Putting Denverites' Health At Risk
Denver has a reputation for being smelly and having some of the worst air quality in the U.S. Now, add noise pollution to the mix. Too much noise can be terrible for your health. A recent New York Times investigation shows chronic noise — as suffered by residents near flight paths — can shorten life spans. (Alvarez, 8/24)
NBC News:
Paper And Bamboo Straws Contain PFAS Chemicals, Study Finds
Scientists in Belgium recently tested dozens of straws from supermarkets, retail stores and fast-food restaurants in the country, and found that the majority contained PFAS — a family of synthetic chemicals used in the manufacture of consumer products because they can resist stains, grease and water. ... The results were published Thursday in the journal Food Additives and Contaminants. (Bendix, 8/25)
