Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Draft Defense Bill Requires Review Of Troops Discharged Over Covid Vaccine
Axios: Congress To Require DOD To Review Troops Removed Over COVID-19 Vaccine Rule
Congress may require the Department of Defense to review the reinstatement of former U.S. troops discharged for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a draft of the annual defense bill released earlier this week. The mandate, if passed in the final version of the bill, could see thousands of troops return to the armed services. (Knutson, 12/7)
More on covid, RSV, and whooping cough —
Fox News: COVID Vaccination Rates ‘Alarmingly’ Low Among Nursing Home Staff, CDC Says: ‘A Real Danger’
Despite the higher risk that the coronavirus poses to older adults, a surprisingly low share of nursing home staff and residents are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. Only six states are indicating that over 10% of staff members are updated on their vaccines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Overall updated vaccination rates are higher among residents — but still fall short of the CDC’s recommendations. Only three states have more than 50% of residents with a fully updated vaccination status. (Rudy, 12/7)
Reuters: US Urges Makers Of Infant RSV Shots To Meet Winter Demand
U.S. officials met with manufacturers of the infant and toddler RSV immunization Beyfortus this week seeking to boost access to the shot, the White House said in a statement on Thursday after senior Biden administration officials met with the companies last week. The officials on Tuesday met with representatives of Sanofi, AstraZeneca and Thermo Fisher "and urged them to work expeditiously to meet demand for immunizations this winter season through the commercial market," the White House said in a statement. (12/7)
Fox News: ‘100-Day Cough’: Highly Contagious Infection That Could Fracture Ribs Soars 250% In UK
Health officials in the U.K. are warning the public about a concerning rise in whooping cough after cases soared 250% this year. Between July and November, there were 716 reported cases of pertussis, a bacterial infection of the lungs, which is three times higher than the same period in 2022, the U.K.'s Independent reported, citing the U.K. (Pandolfo, 12/7)
On mpox and chickenpox —
Reuters: US CDC Issues Health Alert For Subtype Of Mpox Virus In Congo
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert on Thursday to notify clinicians and health departments about a deadly type of the mpox virus spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The CDC said it was alerting about the possibility of a subtype of the mpox virus called Clade I in travelers who have been in DRC. (12/7)
CIDRAP: Study Highlights Complications Of Mpox, Chickenpox Co-Infections
Almost 30% of mpox patients described in a retrospective study from Nigeria were co-infected with chickenpox. The study was published yesterday in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Previous mpox outbreaks in endemic countries in Africa have involved co-infections with chickenpox, resulting in more severe symptoms and presentation. The authors of the study say the burden of chickenpox is not well-known in Nigeris, as it is not a notifiable disease and the vaccine is not included in the national immunization program. (Soucheray, 12/7)
Other outbreaks and health alerts —
AP: Deaths From Tainted Cantaloupe Increase To 3 In U.S. And 5 In Canada
A salmonella outbreak tied to tainted cantaloupe has now killed eight people — three in the U.S. and five in Canada, health officials reported Thursday. Dozens more illnesses were reported by both countries. In the U.S., at least 230 people have been ill in 38 states and 96 have been hospitalized since mid-November, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Aleccia, 12/7)
AP: Babies Infected With Rare Bacteria Sometimes Found In Infant Formula
The dangerous bacteria that sparked powdered formula recalls and shortages last year has infected two babies this year, killing a Kentucky child and causing brain damage in a Missouri infant. Federal health officials confirmed Thursday that two cases of invasive infections caused by cronobacter sakazakii have been reported in 2023, both in infants who consumed powdered infant formula made by Abbott Nutrition, the company at the center of the 2022 crisis. Food and Drug Administration officials said there was no evidence that the infections were linked to manufacturing and no reason to issue new recalls. (Aleccia, 12/7)
NBC News: Lead Poisoning Linked To Applesauce Pouches Reported In More Than 60 Children, FDA Says
The number of children with lead poisoning potentially linked to tainted pouches of cinnamon apple puree and cinnamon applesauce has increased to 64, the Food and Drug Administration reported Wednesday. The 64 cases, up from 57 last Thursday, all involve children under the age of 6, according to the agency. All were reported to it from Oct. 17 through Dec. 1. (Lovelace Jr., 12/6)
The Colorado Sun: A Common Parasite In Cat Poop Could Be Linked To Frailty In Humans
The parasite Toxoplasma gondii, spread through cat poop, could be linked to frailty in older humans, according to a new study. (Ingold, 12/8)
The New York Times: ‘Mystery’ Dog Illness May Not Be A Mystery At All, Experts Say
Although the scientific investigation is in early stages, what has become known as the mystery illness may not be all that mysterious — or even a single illness, scientists said. Instead, a variety of run-of-the-mill viruses and bacteria could be driving the current outbreaks. “We cannot know or even assume that all cases being reported have the same cause,” Dr. Rena Carlson, the president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, or A.V.M.A., which has been monitoring the situation, said in an email. (Anthes, 12/6)
