Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Links Living Close To Fracking Sites With Children's Illnesses
AP: A Pennsylvania Study Suggests Links Between Fracking And Asthma, Lymphoma In Children
Children who lived closer to natural gas wells in heavily drilled western Pennsylvania were more likely to develop a relatively rare form of cancer, and nearby residents of all ages had an increased chance of severe asthma reactions, researchers said in reports released Tuesday evening. The taxpayer-funded research by the University of Pittsburgh adds to a body of evidence suggesting links between the gas industry and certain health problems. (Levy, 8/16)
In other environmental health news —
Fox News: Dengue Virus Spreads Across Florida Counties, Health Officials Say
Florida health officials have placed Broward County under a mosquito-borne illness alert this month as dengue virus cases spread. Broward County – home to Fort Lauderdale – joins Miami-Dade County as the illness continues to spread. The Florida Department of Health reported two cases of locally acquired dengue in Broward County in its July 30-Aug. 5 arbovirus surveillance report. (Musto, 8/15)
Bay Area News Group: More Mosquitos Test Positive For West Nile Virus In Santa Clara County
Sprayings aimed to reduce the adult mosquito population are set to be performed Wednesday and Thursday night after more insects tested positive for West Nile virus in Santa Clara County. The Santa Clara County Vector Control District confirmed the positive tests on Monday and Tuesday. According to the district, the infected insects were located in parts of San Jose and Sunnyvale, in ZIP codes 94086, 94087 and 95132. (Turner, 8/15)
WLRN 91.3 FM: How Deadly Is Florida Heat? Experts Say Official Numbers Don't Show The Whole Picture
Calculating the damage from a hurricane or wildfire is straightforward: simply add up the cost of destroyed buildings, disrupted business and livelihoods lost. For extreme heat — the kind that has gripped Florida and much of the nation for months now — the toll is harder to tally, because the real danger of heat isn’t to homes and power lines, it’s to human health. And, experts say, the official numbers likely don’t capture the whole picture. (Harris and Marchante, 8/15)
AP: Southern Arizona Doctor Dies While Hiking In New Mexico With Other Physicians, Authorities Say
A southern Arizona doctor has died after suffering an apparent heart attack in New Mexico while on a hike with other physicians. Taos County sheriff’s officials said 61-year-old Renhick Guyer of Marana, Arizona, died Sunday close to the summit of Wheeler Peak near Taos. They said Guyer was hiking the steep trail with his wife and a group of friends who are all medical doctors. (8/15)
NPR: Heat Wave Will Strain The Pacific Northwest Through Thursday
"These temperatures combined with the duration of heat, expected to continue through this week, will increasingly pose a heightened health risk, especially for those without adequate air conditioning," the NWS short range forecast says. The greatest risk is for residents in western Oregon's interior valleys and lower elevations, which could see "one of the hottest four day stretches" on record. (Jones, 8/15)
On vibrio —
AP: Two Connecticut Deaths Linked To Bacteria Found In Raw Shellfish
Two Connecticut residents have died this summer from infections linked to a bacteria found in raw shellfish or seawater, the state Department of Public Health said Tuesday. Three people in the state are known to have been infected with the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which doesn’t make an oyster look, smell or taste any different. The state Bureau of Aquaculture said it does not believe any of the infections are linked to Connecticut shellfish. (8/15)
North Carolina Health News: Warmer Seas Drive Infections, Threaten Fishermen, Public Health
Last month, three people died as a result of infections from a category of bacteria you’ve likely never heard of: Vibrio. It is commonly present in coastal and brackish water, especially during warmer months. “There are almost 80 described species of Vibrio that live in the water,” said UNC Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences researcher Rachel Noble. But Noble also noted that as the seas warm through to climate change, there’s more Vibrio in North Carolina’s waterways. (Atwater, 8/16)
