Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Dispatches One 'Disease Detective' To Pennsylvania After Monthslong Outbreak
NBC News: Pennsylvania Measles Outbreak: CDC Is Sending A ‘Disease Detective’ To Help Contain Deadly Virus
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sending one of its scientists to Pennsylvania to help curb the state’s growing measles outbreak, a CDC spokesperson said Thursday. That person, a “disease detective” within the agency’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, is scheduled to arrive later this week. It’s the CDC’s first in-person assistance to the state after a social media feud in August between Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. (Edwards, 10/15)
MPR News: Measles Cases Spike In Minnesota As Outbreak In Todd County Grows
Public health officials are urging anyone who has not been vaccinated against measles to get vaccinated as case numbers in the state climb. Since mid-September, the Minnesota Department of Health said there have been 25 cases of measles confirmed in two unrelated clusters amid a resurgence of the preventable disease. Six cases are in Fillmore County in southeast Minnesota, and 19 cases are in Todd County in central Minnesota. All involve unvaccinated people. (Work, 10/15)
On dengue, Ebola, and plague —
CIDRAP: ‘I Ached So Much’: Man Describes Bout With Dengue Fever Contracted During Florida’s Outbreak
When Maurice Kurtz woke on September 19, he felt like a minivan had hit him. His temperature spiked to 101ºF, and he was intensely fatigued. He tried taking a walk but soon returned home because it felt so difficult. “I went around the block and, oh, I ached so much,” Kurtz, 73, of St. Petersburg, Florida, told CIDRAP News. “This was way beyond the tightness and aching I get from the most strenuous workouts I’ve ever done.” (Holohan, 10/15)
CIDRAP: Second Ebola Patient Identified In Kenya
Kenyan health officials have reported a second Ebola case in the country, raising new concerns that the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could spread to neighboring countries. According to a press release from Kenya’s Ministry of Health, the patient is a 39-year-old man and a close family member of the first case-patient, a Kenyan national who had been living in the DRC and died on October 5 after returning to Kenya and testing positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. The relative fell ill on October 13 and has been under quarantine and close daily monitoring since. (Dall, 10/15)
Bloomberg: Ebola Reaches Eighth Congo Province As Children Face High Toll
Ebola spread to an eighth province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Reuters reported, as health workers confront a heavy toll among young children, adding new challenges to efforts to contain the fastest spreading epidemic of the disease. Two cases were confirmed in North Ubangi, a province bordering the Central African Republic, Reuters said Thursday, citing two health officials. The infections haven’t yet been officially announced by national authorities and would mark the first confirmed cases in the province. (Gale, 10/15)
The New York Times: Inside The Plague Research Labs At The Heart Of A Russian Mystery
A week after a 28-year-old researcher died from a mysterious infection while working in a Russian plague research laboratory, health officials around the world are still waiting for answers. Darya Shipilova, a lab worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, was initially reported to have contracted pneumonic plague, raising concerns about the kinds of research being conducted at the facility and the safety measures employed there. (Callaway, 10/15)
Beloved bald eagle died from avian flu —
The Washington Post: Jackie, The Famous The Bald Eagle Mama In California, Died Of Bird Flu
A newly released report sheds new light on the death of Jackie, the famed bald eagle mother who died in August. An autopsy revealed that Jackie died of pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu. Jackie rose to fame from a webcam placed in the eagle’s nest 10 years ago near the shore of Big Bear Lake, about 75 miles east of Los Angeles. Millions of viewers tuned in the watch her love story with her partner, Shadow, as they fought year after year to keep their eggs and chicks safe from predatory ravens, heavy snowfalls and windstorms. (Kirkpatrick, 10/15)
On vaccines and PPE —
Bloomberg: Pediatric Offices Imperiled By Pressure From Vaccine Skepticism
Talking to parents about vaccines has always been part of a pediatrician’s job. In offices across the US, those conversations are becoming more frequent and more costly. For some doctors, questions from parents are tripling the length of a visit, and that extra time isn’t always compensated. The added burden comes as the Trump administration reshapes federal vaccine policy, making pediatricians spend more time advocating for shots they’ve given for years. (Cortez and Ambaye, 10/15)
MedPage Today: Where Can I Get An MRNA Flu Shot?
For those who want to try the new mRNA flu shot (mFlusiva) this season, tracking it down might take some work, experts said. Moderna's shot was only approved in August, for all adults ages 50 and older, long after national retail pharmacy chains had placed orders for their supply of this year's flu shots. Questions about demand also linger. So it's not surprising that the mRNA shot will be available in limited quantities this year, Amesh Adalja, MD, of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, told MedPage Today. (Fiore, 10/15)
CIDRAP: Washable, Light-Chargeable Air Filter Shows Promise For Masks And Air Purifiers
An air filter that uses sunlight and indoor LED lights to charge has the potential to make face masks and air purifiers more efficient, longer lasting, lower maintenance, and less expensive, according to a new study published last month in Chem. (Bergeson, 10/15)
