Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Administration Will Import Eggs As Prices Spike Due To Bird Flu
The Hill: US To Import Eggs From Turkey, South Korea Amid Price Surge, Avian Flu
The Trump administration is importing millions of eggs from Turkey and South Korea, with other countries likely to be contributing in the coming weeks, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Friday. “Right now, we’ve got Turkey and South Korea importing eggs. Just yesterday, I talked to a couple of other countries that will soon begin importing. We haven’t signed that deal yet, so I don’t want to say who it is,” Rollins told reporters at the White House. (Samuels, 3/21)
KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘On Air’: Journalists Demystify Bird Flu, Medicaid Work Requirements, And Reproductive Health Research
KFF Health News editor-at-large for public health Céline Gounder discussed bird flu on CBS’ “CBS Mornings Plus” on March 20. Gounder discussed funding cuts at Johns Hopkins University and other research institutions on CBS News’ “CBS Morning News” on March 17. She also discussed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s airplane wastewater testing to prevent another pandemic on CBS News’ “CBS Evening News Plus” on March 13. (3/22)
On measles, flu, and tuberculosis —
Bloomberg: US Measles Cases Grow By 25% In One Week, As Total Reaches 378
US measles cases grew by 25% in a week to reach 378 this year, adding to an outbreak that has already outpaced last year’s total. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 77 new confirmed cases on Friday. The outbreak has now spread to 17 states. Last year’s total cases were 285. (Nix, 3/21)
CIDRAP: Flu In US Continues To Decline But Still Packs A Punch
US flu activity declined last week for the fifth week in a row, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today it is still seeing substantial activity, with 17 more pediatric flu deaths reported. In its respiratory virus snapshot, the CDC said it expects flu activity to last several more weeks. (Schnirring, 3/21)
AP: Tuberculosis Cases In The US Rose To Their Highest Levels In More Than A Dozen Years
Tuberculosis continued to rise again in the U.S. last year, reaching its highest levels in more than a dozen years. More than 10,300 cases were reported last year, an 8% increase from 2023 and the highest since 2011, according to preliminary data posted this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both the number of cases and the rate of infections rose. Rates were up among all age groups, and 34 states reported an increase. (Stobbe, 3/21)
