Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pennsylvania's Measles Scare Grows As Philadelphia Children's Hospital Reports Possible NICU Exposure
WHYY: Philadelphia Officials Report Possible Measles At CHOP’S NICU
City health officials say there was a possible measles exposure at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, including in the hospital’s NICU, or neonatal intensive care unit. ... Officials said they’re working to give all infants in the NICU a preventative antibody treatment to help protect them from measles. Measles is a highly contagious virus that can be prevented in adults with a vaccine. (9/17)
More about measles —
St. Louis Public Radio: First Measles Case In 20 Years Confirmed In St. Louis County
A person who boarded a train to Chicago in Missouri late last month has tested positive for measles, becoming the first confirmed case in a St. Louis County resident in 20 years, health officials announced Thursday. The person boarded a Chicago-bound train Aug. 27 that also carried another person who boarded the Missouri River Runner (Train 318) in Sedalia and was later confirmed to have measles. Jackson County health officials confirmed that initial case earlier this week. (Fentem, 9/17)
The Hill: New York Health Officials Launch Measles-Tracking Dashboard Amid Outbreak
The New York State Department of Health launched an online dashboard Tuesday to monitor a measles outbreak that has infected at least 57 people in 2026. With 51 cases occurring outside New York City, health officials are urging residents to check their immunization status. State Law requires vaccinations for students, though the department recently defied a presidential executive order regarding split vaccine doses. (Sheridan, 9/17)
Aurora Beacon-News: Kane County, Illinois, Health Department Offering Free Measles Vaccines
After two measles cases were reported so far this year in the county, the Kane County Health Department is offering free measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccinations through Sept. 25 — regardless of individuals’ insurance status. (Morrow, 9/17)
On chikungunya, dengue fever, rabies, and tuberculosis —
WUSF: Florida Health Department Moves To Allow Pharmacists To Give Chikungunya Vaccine
The Florida Department of Health is proposing a rule that would allow pharmacists to administer a vaccine against chikungunya, a mosquito-borne illness that can cause fever and severe joint pain. (Mayer, 9/17)
WUSF: Hillsborough County, Florida, Steps Up Mosquito Spraying With More Dengue Cases Reported
Locally acquired dengue fever continues to spread in Hillsborough County, according to the latest weekly update from the Florida Department of Health. There were 39 additional cases of the mosquito-spread disease reported in Hillsborough from Sept. 6-12, according to most recent data made available Thursday. (Mayer, 9/17)
MPR News: Rabies Confirmed In A Minnesota Cow. MDH Recommends Shots For 9 People Exposed
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed that a cow in Brown County tested positive for rabies last week after it was euthanized. The board said the owner of the heifer noticed the animal behaving oddly on Sept. 1 as it laid flat with its head down. A veterinarian observed the animal the same day and the owner had administered oral medication with bare hands. Another veterinarian examined the animal the following day and also gave it oral medication without wearing gloves. (Yang, 9/17)
The San Diego Union-Tribune: County Reports Persistent Delays In Tuberculosis Reporting At Otay Mesa Detention Center
San Diego County warned doctors at the Otay Mesa Detention Center this week that continued weeks-long delays in reporting suspected tuberculosis cases “may subject health care providers to professional licensing actions. ”The letter, dated Tuesday and signed by Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan, the county’s public health officer, cites a three-week notification delay for a suspected TB case. Though the patient began treatment Aug. 5, the county public health department did not receive a report on the suspected case until Aug. 27. (Sisson, 9/17)
On the spread of covid, flu, and bird flu —
CIDRAP: Airport Air Sampling Captures COVID, Influenza Viruses
Air sampling at four US airports in 2023 and 2024 detected SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in over 98% of samples and influenza A in over 17%, according to a study published in PLOS Global Public Health. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention led the study, which involved air monitoring in congregate areas at San Francisco International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. (Van Beusekom, 9/17)
CIDRAP: Few People With The Flu Isolate For The Recommended Period
A few days after contracting the flu, muscle aches fade, exhaustion lifts, and the couch starts to lose its appeal. A return to ordinary life feels overdue. But according to a study published last week in the American Journal of Epidemiology, some people diagnosed as having flu might shed the most virus RNA just as their symptoms start to improve. It’s also when roughly four-fifths of study participants stopped isolating and started interacting with the broader community. (Bergeson, 9/16)
CIDRAP: Avian Flu Detected In Minnesota Turkeys, US Waterfowl
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) noted three major H5N1 avian flu outbreaks at Minnesota facilities this past week. Two commercial turkey operations in Big Stone County and Becker County had 55,700 and 44,400 birds affected, respectively. A commercial poultry breeder facility in Otter Tail County also reported an outbreak hitting 18,000 birds. (Soucheray, 9/17)
