Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Health Warnings Issued For Outbreaks Of Listeria, Tick Bites, Fecal Bacteria
The New York Times: Tyson Foods Recalls 8.5 Million Pounds Of Frozen Chicken
Tyson Foods is recalling nearly 8.5 million pounds of frozen chicken that may have been contaminated with listeria, the Agriculture Department said. The voluntary recall was issued after Agriculture Department investigators were notified last month about two people who had been sickened with listeriosis, the department said in a statement on Saturday. (Lukpat, 7/4)
USA Today: Walmart, Publix, Wegmans Among Stores That Sold Tyson Chicken Products Recalled For Possible Listeria Risk
Walmart, Publix, H-E-B and Wegmans are among the retailers that sold Tyson Foods' recalled chicken products. The retailers each posted recall notices on their websites, following Tyson Foods' announcement Saturday that it was voluntarily recalling approximately 8.5 million pounds of frozen, cooked chicken products for possible listeria contamination. The recall includes Tyson branded fully cooked and frozen products and private label products for restaurants, including Jet’s Pizza, Casey’s General Store, Marco’s Pizza and Little Caesars. (Tyko, 7/6)
The tick population is on the rise —
Fox News: New York Reports Increase In Anaplasmosis, A Rare Tick-Borne Illness
Health officials in New York’s Onondaga County are alerting residents about a rare tick-borne illness that could cause severe disease after noting an uptick in recent cases. The county’s health commissioner said Thursday that there have been six cases of anaplasmosis already reported in 2021, compared to just three cases reported over the last five years. Anaplasmosis is a bacterial disease spread to people through tick bites, primarily involving the blacklegged tick and the western blacklegged tick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms typically appear within one to two weeks after a bite, and may include fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. (Hein, 7/3)
Axios: Ticks And Poison Ivy Are On The Rise, Experts Warn
Americans looking to enjoy their summer outside after a pandemic year now have other threats to worry about. The big picture: Experts are warning that ticks are on the rise and poison ivy may be more abundant this year. That means hikers, campers and anyone else excited to get outside after months of pandemic confinement should take extra precautions to avoid both. (Gonzalez, 7/4)
CNET: Tick Time Bomb: 15% Population Jump Means You Need To Check Your Dog Before It Comes Inside. Everything To Know
A tick time bomb could already be upon us. Entomologists have noted that the tick population has climbed 15% since last year, making Lyme disease more prevalent this year -- Lyme disease can cause chronic pain and swelling in dogs and in humans. The tick population spurt is possibly even more significant for dogs, cats and other furry pets that come inside your house. The number of people reporting ticks on their dogs jumped 30% from April to March, organization Grist reported. (Teague, 7/3)
NPR: How To Avoid Ticks — And What To Do If You Get Bitten
Your personal disease risk is highly dependent on your location. Tick prevalence hinges on a number of local factors that make sweeping generalizations tricky, says Dr. George Dempsey of East Hampton Family Medicine and Bay Area Lyme Foundation's National Lyme Biobank. That's why he's skeptical when he hears predictions for upcoming tick seasons. "Every year they say it's going to be a big year - either because of acorns or cold winters or warm winters..." he says, but all of those factors vary from one location to the next. (Eldred, 7/4)
And beaches in Texas and Washington see a jump in fecal bacteria —
Houston Chronicle: Almost All Texas Beaches Had At Least One Day Of Unsafe Fecal Bacteria Levels In 2020, Report Says
There's a chance it will be unsafe to swim at Texas beaches if you are headed to the coast this weekend, according to a report released Thursday. An analysis of fecal bacteria found in state costal waters by the Environment Texas Research and Policy Center found that 55 out out of 61 Texas beaches had at least one potentially unsafe swimming day in 2020. Swimming in contaminated water can cause serious illnesses like gastrointestinal illness, respiratory disease, ear and eye infection and skin rashes. (Silmi, 7/5)
KOMO: 10 Beaches Closed Because Of High Fecal Bacteria Levels, Heat Wave Could Be To Blame
The recent historic heatwave could be to blame for an "unprecedented" number of beach closures across Puget Sound. In all, 10 beaches across four counties have closed due to high fecal bacteria levels. (7/3)
