Seasonal Viruses On The Rise As Holiday Travel Increases

Newsweek: Flu, Norovirus, And COVID-19 Cases Surge Ahead Of Busy Holiday Travel Week
Seasonal viruses—including influenza and norovirus—are surging across country ahead of one of the busiest holiday travel weeks, increasing the risk of outbreaks among families gathering to celebrate. Health officials warned that this season’s flu is being driven largely by the newly identified H3N2 subclade K strain, which shows signs of increased transmissibility and reduced vaccine match. Simultaneously, norovirus infections are reaching high levels in numerous states, with COVID-19 continuing to persist, threatening the health care system’s capacity. (Silverman, 12/20)

CIDRAP: US Flu Activity Takes Big Jump As 2 Deaths In Kids Confirmed
Influenza activity in the United States has spiked across the country, with 17 jurisdictions (14 states and Puerto Rico; Washington, DC; and New York City) reporting high or very high influenza-like illness (ILI) and other key indicators rising markedly, signaling the start of the flu season in earnest, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly FluView update. The CDC also noted two new flu-related deaths in children and provided data on the rise of subclade K among H3N2 flu viruses as Americans approach the peak season of gathering with family and friends. (Wappes, 12/19)

ABC News: Nearly 5 Million Flu Illnesses Reported So Far Nationally, Latest CDC Data Shows
Flu activity is increasing across the country, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New York City is seeing some of the highest levels of flu-like activity across the country. States including Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Texas are seeing "moderate" activity of respiratory illnesses. All other states are seeing low or very low levels.The CDC estimates that there have been at least 4.6 million illnesses, 49,000 hospitalizations, and 1,900 deaths from flu this season so far. (Benadjaoud, 12/19)

In mental health news —

KFF Health News: Criminally Ill: Systemic Failures Turn State Mental Hospitals Into Prisons
Tyeesha Ferguson fears her 28-year-old son will kill or be killed. “That’s what I’m trying to avoid,” said Ferguson, who still calls Quincy Jackson III her baby. She remembers a boy who dressed himself in three-piece suits, donated his allowance, and graduated high school at 16 with an academic scholarship and plans to join the military or start a business. Instead, Ferguson watched as her once bright-eyed, handsome son sank into disheveled psychosis, bouncing between family members’ homes, homeless shelters, jails, clinics, emergency rooms, and Ohio’s regional psychiatric hospitals. (Tribble and Livingston, 12/22)

The Grio: HS Student Who Survived 2018 Parkland Shooting, Dies By Suicide After Years-Long Mental Health Battle
Donovan Metayer was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when a gunman opened fire and killed 17 people on Valentine's Day 2018. (Caldwell, 12/20)

On aging —

The Wall Street Journal: America’s Seniors Are Overmedicated
For years, Barbara Schmidt’s family feared an illness was behind a pattern of terrifying falls that repeatedly landed the 83-year-old great-grandmother in surgery with broken bones. Instead, Schmidt’s frequent tumbles might have been tied to something else: medications intended to make her better. Schmidt, who lives with her husband of 65 years in Lewes, Del., filled prescriptions for more than a dozen different drugs in the past year, according to pharmacy and medical records. (Mathews, Weaver, McGinty and Ulick, 12/21)

The New York Times: Older Americans Quit Weight-Loss Drugs In Droves 
“There’s this new drug I’d like you to try, if your insurance will pay for it,” the nurse-practitioner advised. She was talking about Ozempic. Medicare covered it for treating Type 2 diabetes but not for weight loss, and it cost more than $1,000 a month out of pocket. But to Ms. Bucklew’s surprise, her Medicare Advantage plan covered it even though she wasn’t diabetic, charging just a $25 monthly co-pay. ... Then her Medicare plan notified her that it would no longer cover the drug. (Span, 12/21)

The Washington Post: These Boomers Tried Caring For Parents. Now They Have Their Own Aging Plans
Jocelyn Combs set up a filing box with her will and trust. She has designated who will have power of attorney, told friends and family where to find her passwords, and begun culling her possessions, save for mementos and other items she’s set aside for her daughter. She also had an accessory dwelling unit built on her property in Pleasanton, California. A caregiver could live there, she said. Or she could, and rent out her house for extra income. (Najmabadi, 12/21)

Also —

Stat: How Safe Is Food In The U.S. After FoodNet, Funding Cuts?
The infant botulism outbreak that sickened dozens of babies who drank ByHeart formula is a reminder of how vulnerable we all are to the companies that sell us food — and how important it is to have a robust food safety system that responds quickly to problems and prevents illness in the first place. (Todd, 12/22)

CNN: When Parkinson’s Raised Walls, They Decided To Climb
When Tony Rissi wakes up most mornings, Parkinson’s disease makes his body so stiff that he’s unable to get out of bed. But by 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, he’s 50 feet off the ground after scaling a rock-climbing wall. (McPhillips, 12/20)

Fox News: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms, Causes And Treatment Explained
Fatigue can stem from a variety of illnesses and life stressors, but when that exhaustion lasts for months — often following an infection — it may indicate a condition called chronic fatigue syndrome. Approximately 3.3 million people in the United States currently have the syndrome, with about one in four people confined to their bed at some point during the illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Sudhakar, 12/20)