Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Experts Worry 'Hib,' A Deadly Pediatric Illness, Could Make A Comeback
MedPage Today: Is This Deadly Childhood Illness Making A Comeback?
Some physicians are increasingly worried that Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), a potentially disabling and sometimes lethal bacterial infection in children, is making a comeback as vaccine hesitancy rises. Serious cases are being reported in California, New York, Florida, and many other states, MedPage Today has learned. (Clark, 3/24)
CIDRAP: South Carolina: No New Measles Cases In Upstate Outbreak
For the first time in months, South Carolina health officials said a week has gone by with no new measles cases in the state, and the state total remains just under 1,000 cases, at 997. Of those cases, 940 were recorded in Spartanburg County, the epicenter of the outbreak. School children ages 5 to 17 represent 456 of the cases in the state, and 931 cases occurred in unvaccinated people. Twenty-five were fully vaccinated, 21 were partially vaccinated, and 20 have unknown status. (Soucheray, 3/24)
The New York Times: It Begins As A Tick Bite And Can Be Devastating. And It’s Spreading.
Once regarded as a rarity, [alpha-gal syndrome], which involves an allergy to red meat that develops after a tick bite, has emerged as a significant health menace, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating that as many as 450,000 people nationwide may have had it in the past 15 years. And that is probably an undercount, said Dr. Scott Commins, who helped solve the mystery of alpha-gal syndrome about two decades ago. (Goldstein, 3/25)
CIDRAP: RSV Symptoms In Older Adults Often Linger, Studies Show
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has not been widely studied in the outpatient, adult setting, as symptoms have been similar to other respiratory infections and the biggest burden of disease were seen in severely ill, hospitalized patients. But the recent introduction of RSV vaccines has begged for a new understanding of RSV’s burden among older, community-dwelling adults. Two studies published earlier this month in Clinical Infectious Diseases assess the prevalence and burden of RSV among older adults (60 years and older) in six European nations (Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom) across three consecutive RSV seasons (October 2021 through April 2024). (Soucheray, 3/24)
San Francisco Chronicle: New COVID Variant Detected In California Wastewater
A newly emerging coronavirus variant with signs of immune escape has been detected in California wastewater, offering an early signal that the virus continues to evolve even as COVID-19 activity remains low across the state. The variant, known as BA.3.2, has also been found in a small number of patients and international travelers in the United States, according to a March 19 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Vaziri, 3/24)
In other public health news —
AP: Heat Dome Is Still Sizzling Southwest. The Midwest Is Next
After smashing March heat records in 14 states and the U.S. as a whole, the gigantic heat dome that’s baked the Southwest is creeping eastward and may end up being one of the most expansive heat waves in American history, meteorologists and weather historians said. And it’s not going away for awhile, maybe not till the middle of the next week as April starts, said meteorologist Gregg Gallina of the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. (Borenstein, 3/24)
Bloomberg: Future Heat Danger Differs Starkly For Rich And Poor Countries
Poor countries may lose 10 times more people to deaths from high temperatures than rich ones, according to an analysis by Climate Impact Lab. The research, published Wednesday, is designed to help cities and communities understand and respond to the dangers they face from rising temperatures. It comes as a record-breaking heat wave grips much of the US and as more evidence emerges that global warming is accelerating. While the rising heat is global, its consequences for health vary dramatically depending on affluence. (Roston, 3/25)
KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘An Arm and a Leg’: Steep Health Care Costs Steer Americans To Tough Decisions
Health insurance is out of reach for millions of Americans this year. Many are making difficult decisions about how to pay for coverage amid the loss of Affordable Care Act subsidies and nosebleed-high premiums. Attorney Nicole Wipp and skate-shop owner Noah Hulsman tell An Arm and a Leg host Dan Weissmann how they tried to balance their financial and physical health when they couldn’t find good options. (Weissmann, 3/25)
KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
Sam Whitehead reads the week’s news: Amid federal spending cuts and suspicion of fluoride, tooth problems are sending more kids to the ER. Plus, patients look to health savings accounts to deal with rising medical costs. (Cook, 3/24)
Axios: Death Cafe: Why Strangers Are Talking About Dying Over Tea
More strangers are gathering over cake and tea to chat — about dying. Death comes for all of us. Meetups known as Death Cafes help make talking about it less taboo. (Mallenbaum, 3/24)
