Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Flu Rising Across US, Affecting More Age Groups
Fox News: CDC: Flu Virus Detections On The Rise, Early Signs Vaccination Down
Influenza virus detections are rising in the U.S., according to health officials. In a weekly influenza surveillance report ending on Dec. 4, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that while influenza activity remains low nationally, it continues to increase. "The number of influenza viruses detected by clinical and public health labs has increased in recent weeks. The majority of viruses detected are A(H3N2). Most influenza A(H3N2) infections have occurred among children and young adults ages 5-24 years; however, the proportion of infections occurring among adults age 25 years and older has increased in recent weeks," it reported. (Musto, 12/11)
CIDRAP: US flu continues slow rise, affecting wider age range
US flu activity continued its slow rise last week, and though outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) reached the national baseline of 2.5%, circulation of other respiratory viruses is likely playing a contributing role, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest weekly update. Clinical and public health labs continue to report increased numbers of positive flu tests, almost all of them the H3N2 strain. Though most of the early activity was focused on those ages 5 to 24, the proportion of illnesses in older age-groups has risen in recent weeks. (12/10)
Salt Lake Tribune: Don’t Forget To Get Your Kids Vaccinated Against The Flu, Expert Urges
With no end in sight for the COVID-19 pandemic, medical experts are also worried about another respiratory illness: The flu. Dr. Trahern “T.W.” Jones, a pediatric infectious disease expert at University of Utah Health and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, warned Friday of a rising number of flu cases in Utah, from 43 cases two weeks ago to 125 cases last week. “And we anticipate this is only rising at an exponential rate,” he said. Adding to the concern is that the flu vaccination rate is about 14% lower than it was last year at this time. “We’re kind of vulnerable right now,” he said. (Pierce, 12/10)
In other public health news —
Axios: Report: Pandemic Pushed Over Half A Billion Into Extreme Poverty
More than half a billion people globally were pushed into extreme poverty last year due to health care costs during the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization and the World Bank said Sunday. The pandemic exasperated global inequities in access to health care, according to the organizations. It also triggered the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, ultimately making health care harder for people to obtain. (Reyes, 12/12)
The Washington Post: Anger, Emotional Upset Could Trigger A Stroke
Researchers in a global study devoted to figuring out stroke triggers found that about 1 in 11 stroke patients experience anger or emotional upset in the hour before their stroke symptoms begin. The study, published in the European Heart Journal, looked at data from 13,462 patients in 32 countries who had strokes. The patients completed extensive questionnaires during the first three days after they were hospitalized, answering questions about their medical history and what they had been doing and feeling before their stroke. (Blakemore, 12/12)
