Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Chief Calls For 'Urgently And Massively' Boosting Response To Escalating Ebola Outbreak
AP: WHO Chief Says Congo's Ebola Outbreak Is Outpacing Response
The world’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak is spreading faster than efforts to fight it, the head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday during a visit to Congo where some health workers are striking over a lack of pay. (8/6)
AP: Congo Ebola Health Workers Protest Unpaid Wages, Disrupting Response As Deaths Top 1,800
Dozens of Congolese health workers at the epicenter of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record staged protests Thursday to demand payment for their wages, abandoning several health facilities even as aid workers warn that the disease is still spreading at an alarming rate. (Bagalwa, 8/6)
The latest on the cyclosporiasis outbreak —
Reuters: Mexico Investigating Tourist Hub For Cyclospora After UK Alert
Mexico's health ministry is testing food and water at more than a dozen hotels in the tourist hub of Quintana Roo after British health authorities reported cases of cyclosporiasis in travelers who had stayed there, the ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry said that results from the laboratory analysis would be released once testing is complete. Mexico has logged 33 cases of cyclosporiasis, which causes stomach illness, across several states. (8/5)
STLPR: CDC Adds Missouri To List Of States In National Cyclospora Outbreak
Missouri health officials confirmed Wednesday that the state is now included in a nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to lettuce grown in central Mexico, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not publicly announced the change. (Fentem, 8/5)
Poynter: Food Recalls Are Making Headlines. Here’s What The Data And Experts Say.
The U.S. food supply is “among the safest in the world,” said Steven Mandernach, the Association of Food and Drug Officials’ executive director. “It’s always been among the safest in the world. I see nothing that has changed. ”But it’s notoriously difficult to answer in real-time whether our food is getting less safe, food safety experts said. (Czopek, 8/5)
CNN: Cyclospora Outbreak Follows Years-Long Pattern Of Taylor Farms Deflecting Blame
Taylor Farms has regularly downplayed problems after being linked to outbreaks in the past. (Tolan, Abou-Ghazala, Devine and Lah, 8/6)
More health and wellness news —
ABC News: Cases Of Potentially Deadly Fungus Detected In 27 States, CDC Data Shows. What To Know
Cases of a potentially deadly fungus have been detected in 27 states so far this year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of the week ending July 25, there have been 3,437 cases of Candida auris (C. auris) identified. This is about 1,000 fewer cases than the 4,290 figure detected at the same time last year. California has recorded the most cases with 873, followed by Texas with 433 and Tennessee with 283. (Kekatos, 8/6)
The Hill: The Risks Of Many Diseases Are Linked To Birth Order, Study Finds
The order in which a person was born may have an impact on their risk for developing disorders or diseases, a new study has found. Those born first carry a higher risk for neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism and ADHD, and food allergies, according to a new study of more than 10 million individuals published in Nature. Second-born children, per the research, carry excess risk for substance abuse and gastrointestinal issues. The researchers tested more than 569 diseases to find out which ones, if any, were more or less likely between first-borns and second-borns. (Soriano, 8/5)
HealthDay: Pet Dogs May Shield Infants From Infections, Study Finds
Kids with pet dogs get fewer respiratory tract infections and require fewer rounds of antibiotics than children not exposed to canines, a new study says. Microbes from dogs appear to provide some protection to children, helping them remain healthier on average, researchers reported recently in the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. (Thompson, 8/6)
KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
Katheryn Houghton reads the week’s news: Some older adults are seeking roommates to help them age in place. Plus, doctors say they shouldn’t be the ones determining if someone is too sick to comply with Medicaid’s new work rules. (8/6)
