According to the latest CDC Monthly Provisional Drug Overdose Counts report, the U.S. continues to lead the world in overdose fatalities, with more than 100,000 deaths recorded in 2023. 

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra has declared the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County a public health emergency.

Although any existing or emerging virus can become a pandemic, the H5N1 outbreak that has infected 66 Americans and more than 900 dairy herds is "poorly suited for pandemic potential," according to Shira Doron, MD. 

A study found a connection between an earlier diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and a heightened risk of developing dementia, particularly for individuals with obesity. 

A fourth illness is making waves this virus season alongside the flu, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19, creating a quadruple threat for the U.S.

CMS has selected 15 states to participate in the agency's new Transforming Maternal Health Model, designed to focus on improving maternal health care delivery, support and outcomes for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees. 

Paxlovid might help treat some patients with long COVID, a recent study found.

The nation's first human case of severe bird flu has died, Louisiana officials reported Jan. 6. 

Formaldehyde, a toxic chemical found in many common products, poses an "unreasonable risk" to human health, the Environmental Protection Agency said in a Jan. 2 report.

Respiratory illness activity remains high nationwide, with emergency department visits and positive test rates rising for COVID-19, seasonal influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, according to a Jan. 3 news release from the CDC. 

The Biden administration is committing $306 million to strengthen the nation's response to the H5N1 avian influenza outbreak, according to a Jan. 3 HHS news release shared with Becker's. The commitment aims to monitor and prepare for potential public health risks associated with the virus. 

Kidney stones typically affect older adults, but increasingly, children are presenting with the condition, according to research and accounts from physicians.

Each year, alcohol consumption contributes to about 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths, according to a Jan. 3 report from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD. 

Cases of norovirus and whooping cough are rising across the U.S., prompting health officials to issue warnings as the country enters peak cold and flu season.

Federal health officials say there is no current need to authorize a bird flu vaccine for use in humans since there is no evidence the disease is spreading from person to person or causing severe illness in people. 

Nationwide rates of homicide fell in 2024, according to a Dec. 31 ABC News report. 

There is not a significant difference in harm risks between one week and two weeks of antibiotic use, according to a study published Dec. 30 in Clinical Infectious Diseases. 

A study from Johns Hopkins Medicine reveals that older adults with weakened immune systems, such as organ transplant recipients, may not produce sufficient protective antibodies against respiratory syncytial virus after vaccination. 

Respiratory virus activity levels are rising in many parts of the country, with 24 states reporting high levels for the week ending Dec. 21, up from 14 the week prior. 

Failure to prevent the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria could result in an 18-fold increase of sepsis deaths in the U.S., according to a study published Dec. 26 in Communications Medicine.