Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Listeria Outbreak Drives Recall Of Certain Fruits Sold Nationwide
CBS News: Nationwide Recall Of Peaches, Plums And Nectarines Linked To Deadly Listeria Outbreak
Peaches, plums and nectarines distributed by HMC Farms and sold nationwide as recently as last week are being recalled due to an outbreak of listeria that has resulted in 11 illnesses, including one death and 10 hospitalizations, federal safety regulators said Monday. "Investigators are working to determine if any additional fruit or products made with this fruit may be contaminated," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated in a food safety alert. (Gibson, 11/20)
The New York Times: Peaches, Plums And Nectarines Recalled Amid Listeria Outbreak
A California produce company has voluntarily recalled its whole peaches, plums and nectarines in connection with an outbreak of listeria that has led to one death and 10 hospitalizations since 2018, according to a food safety alert published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Fadulu, 11/20)
CIDRAP: CDC Announces Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Linked To Fruit
"Although the recalled fruit is no longer available in retail stores, consumers may have frozen the recalled fruit at home for later use. Consumers are urged to check their freezers for the recalled fruit, not consume it, and discard it," the FDA said in a notice. (Sourcheray, 11/20)
In other public health news —
Stat: Asian American Health Disparities Hidden By Lumping Data Together
They have roots in 50 countries that cover more than half of the globe’s surface. They make up more than 60% of the world’s population. They speak more than 100 different languages. Yet in medical research and public health in the United States, people with Asian ancestry are almost always grouped into a single racial category. (McFarling, 11/21)
Fox News: For Better Sleep, Half Of US Adults Say They Would Give Up The Internet
Six in 10 Americans say their sleep routines feel different during the winter than in other seasons. That’s according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, commissioned by Mattress Firm and conducted by OnePoll between Sept. 26 and Sept. 29, as reported by SWNS. Respondents are also more willing to make sacrifices for better sleep. Nearly half of Americans would give up the internet for a year if only they could get better slumber at night. (Rudy, 11/20)
Wyoming Public Radio: Farmers Likely Spray Pesticides Near Elementary Schools In The Mountain West
A new report shows thousands of elementary schools across the U.S. are near farms likely sprayed with pesticides linked to cancer and other health problems. That includes hundreds of schools in the Mountain West. Nationwide, there are more than 4,000 schools within just 200 feet of where farmers may be spraying pesticides, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Environmental Working Group. (Roedel, 11/20)
AP: Climate Change Hits Women's Health Harder. Activists Want Leaders To Address It At COP28
Manju Devi suffered in pain for two months last year as she worked on a farm near Delhi, unable to break away from duties that sometimes had her standing for hours in the waist-deep water of a rice paddy, lifting heavy loads in intense heat and spraying pesticides and insecticides. When that pain finally became too much to bear, she was rushed to a hospital. (Athar, 11/21)
Also —
KFF Health News: Evolving Overdose Crisis Shakes Previously Effective Treatments
“You can’t inject a horse tranquilizer and think nothing bad is gonna happen” to you, said Ty Sears, 33, a longtime drug user now in recovery. Sears was referring to xylazine, a sedative used for animal surgeries that has infiltrated the illicit drug supply across the country, contributing to a steady climb in overdose deaths. (Sisk, 11/21)
