Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid, Drugs Are Behind Slip in Colorado's Life Expectancy
AP: Colorado's Drop In Life Expectancy Blamed On COVID, Drugs
Life expectancy dropped in Colorado for the second straight year in 2021. It’s the kind of decline, driven by the pandemic, not seen in decades, data from the state health department show. The average life expectancy for Colorado residents fell to 78 years in 2021. ... Key drivers for the decline were COVID-19 and overdose deaths. (Daley, 7/2)
Iowa sees its first case of monkeypox —
Fox News: Iowa Health Officials Say First Probable Case Of Monkeypox In The State Has Been Reported
A man in Iowa is infected with the state's first probable monkeypox case, according to health officials. The man was likely infected during a recent international trip and is isolating, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Officials are contact tracing to track possible exposure to other individuals. (Sabes, 7/3)
Bloomberg: Sexual Health Clinics Need Resources On Monkeypox, Study Shows
Health officials should review how they define monkeypox cases and urgently provide more resources to sexual health clinics, researchers said, as new infections climb across Europe. The first study of 54 monkeypox patients in the UK found that their symptoms differed from those seen in previous outbreaks and can potentially be mistaken for other infections, such as herpes and syphilis, increasing the risk of misdiagnosis. (Paton, 7/1)
And New York City addresses its bathroom shortage —
NPR: New York City Officials Work To Increase The Number Of Public Restrooms
Though New York City has the largest population in the country, it has around 1,400 public restrooms, according to a city report from 2019. Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said Tuesday at a rally and press conference on the New York City Hall steps advocating for more restrooms. "That number, weighed against a city of eight and a half million [people], is paltry," he said. (Cope, 7/3)
