Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Flesh-Eating Screwworm Found In Md. Patient Is First Case Linked To Travel
Axios: US Screwworm Human Case Found After Maryland Patient Traveled From El Salvador
A case of the flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite was detected in a person in Maryland who returned to the U.S. after traveling to El Salvador, the Department of Health and Human Services said Sunday evening. (Falconer, 8/24)
On West Nile virus, measles, and covid —
San Francisco Chronicle: Detection Of West Nile Virus Brings Bay Area Health Advisory
West Nile virus has been detected in a bird found near Goodyear Road in Benicia, according to the Solano County Mosquito Abatement District, which has offered tips to prevent transmission to humans via mosquitoes. Although most people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms, some may experience fever, headaches and body aches. In severe and rare cases, people have been hospitalized and died. Those with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are more at risk. (Dizikes, 8/23)
CIDRAP: Kansas Declares End Of Measles Outbreak As Wisconsin Total Grows
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) yesterday announced the end of a large measles outbreak in the southwestern part of the state, after two incubation periods passed with no new cases. The outbreak began in January and initially had links to the West Texas outbreak. The state confirmed 87 illnesses linked to the outbreak, 80% of them in children and 90% in people who were not vaccinated. Eight patients were hospitalized. (Schnirring, 8/22)
KFF Health News: As Measles Exploded, Officials In Texas Looked To CDC Scientists. Under Trump, No One Answered
As measles surged in Texas early this year, the Trump administration’s actions sowed fear and confusion among CDC scientists that kept them from performing the agency’s most critical function — emergency response — when it mattered most, an investigation from KFF Health News shows. The outbreak soon became the worst the United States has endured in over three decades. (Maxmen, 8/25)
AP: North Carolina Supreme Court Says Bars Can Keep Seeking Damages From COVID-19 Orders
The North Carolina Supreme Court issued favorable rulings Friday for bars and their operators in litigation seeking monetary compensation from the state for COVID-19 restrictions first issued by then-Gov. Roy Cooper that shuttered their doors and, in their view, treated them unfairly compared to restaurants. The majority decisions by the justices mean a pair of lawsuits — one filed by several North Carolina bars and their operators and the second by the North Carolina Bar and Tavern Association and other private bars — remain alive, and future court orders directing the state pay them financial damages are possible. (Robertson, 8/22)
CIDRAP: US COVID Markers Continue Upward Trend
COVID-19 markers continue to rise in the United States, with activity increasing in most parts of the country, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest data updates. Over the past week, test positivity rose a bit from 8.9% to 9.9%, with levels as high as 15% in the south-central part of the country, followed by levels at the 10% to 12% range in western states. The CDC said its modeling estimates suggest COVID infections are likely growing or growing in all states. (Schnirring, 8/22)
On pollution, pesticides, and heat —
The Hill: Air Pollution From U.S. Oil And Gas Causes Health Crisis: Study
Air pollutants from U.S. oil and gas operations are causing 91,000 premature deaths and hundreds of thousands of health issues each year — with racial and ethnic minority populations bearing the biggest burden, a new study has found. The outdoor contaminants, which include fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone, take the biggest toll on Black, Asian, Native American and Hispanic groups, according to the study, published Friday in Science Advances. (Udasin, 8/22)
Missouri Independent: The Unseen Harvest: Pesticides, Cancer And Rural Missouri’s Health Crisis
Nestled in Missouri’s Bootheel is the small town of Kennett, the Dunklin County seat. With just over 10,000 residents, it’s a close-knit community where good-natured teasing is a common show of affection. Once a sprawling swampland, it has since been transformed into an expanse of flat, fertile fields where agriculture stands as the backbone of the region’s economy. (Cox, Halsey, Pehr and Sleevar, 8/23)
AP: Record Heat Makes Cooling Solutions Essential For Millions, Especially The Marginalized
Keith Lambert and his family cope with the extreme heat of summertime Chicago by going in and out of their house as quickly as possible and making sure their insulated shades are always drawn. “It’s really just minimizing the exposure,” Lambert said. “It’s about doing your best to manage your cooling touch points.” Lambert is like tens of millions of Americans navigating major heat waves, with temperatures consistently exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). (Figueroa, 8/22)
Los Angeles Times: ER Doctors Say We Need To Pay More Attention To Heat
Across Southern California, emergency room workers are primed for the wave of patients that pour in as heat waves like the current one drag into their second, third and fourth days. Heat takes an accumulating toll on the body, especially when people cannot cool down at night with air conditioning. Dr. Jennifer Roh, medical director of the adult emergency medicine department at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, said preparation means hydration supplies, ice packs and other cooling devices at the ready. (Magaña, 8/23)
