Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Health Officials Say Texas Measles Outbreak Is Over, But Threat Lingers
Bloomberg: Texas Declares Measles Outbreak Over With No Cases Since July
Texas declared an end to the state’s measles outbreak on Monday, after a surge of infections this year drove the US to its highest rate in three decades. The Texas Department of State Health Services said there have been no new cases in areas with previously high transmission for 42 days, double the virus’s incubation period. Since January, the state has recorded 762 total cases. Two unvaccinated children died from measles-related complications. (Nix, 8/18)
The Colorado Sun: Second Measles Case Reported In Mesa County, Hinting At Silent Spread
Colorado health officials reported a second case of measles in Mesa County on Monday, deepening concern about possible silent transmission of the virus in the county. (Ingold, 8/19)
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland School Vaccination Exemptions Increasing Amid Record-Breaking Measles Year
The cries of small children echoed throughout the Pikesville Middle School gym last week as scores of parents and children — pre-Kindergarteners through adolescents — waited for their turn to get their shots. No one was thrilled about attending this Aug. 11 back-to-school vaccination clinic, but parents on hand said they believe the required inoculations are necessary to keep their children safe from diseases like polio or measles. (Bazos, 8/18)
Fox News: California Valley Fever Cases Could Break 2024 Record, Health Officials Say
Cases of Valley fever are spiking in California, according to health officials. As of the end of July, there were 6,761 cases confirmed — which means if this pace continues, the total 2025 numbers will likely exceed the 12,595 cases seen in 2024. (Rudy, 8/18)
CIDRAP: New Jersey Officials Probe Local Malaria Infection
The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) today announced that it and the state's Department of Environmental Protection are investigating a local malaria case in a resident of Morris County who has no international travel history. If confirmed, the case would mark New Jersey's first locally acquired malaria case since 1991, the NJDOH said. It added that although Anopheles mosquitoes that can transmit the disease live in New Jersey, the overall risk of locally acquired malaria remains low. (Schnirring, 8/18)
More health news from across the U.S. —
AP: Appeals Court Overturns Order That Stripped Some Protections From Pregnant Texas State Workers
A federal appeals court has upheld a law strengthening the rights of pregnant workers, vacating a judge’s earlier order that had stripped those protections from Texas state employees. The ruling was a victory for advocates of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a law that passed with bipartisan support in 2022 but quickly became embroiled in controversy over whether it covers workers seeking abortions and fertility treatments. (Olson, 8/18)
WUSF: USF Offering Degree In Health Care Simulation Operations
When the fall semester begins this month at the University of South Florida, the USF College of Public Health will offer a first-of-its-kind, university-based bachelor's degree in health care simulation operations. The curriculum is offered in conjunction with the USF Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS), one of the world’s largest free-standing health care simulation facilities, according to the university. (Wantuck, 8/19)
