The U.S. has noted an increase in hospitalizations from eating disorders for the past few years. Here are six things to know: 

Even before COVID-19, Missouri's life expectancy was in decline. While it is not the lowest in the nation, the state has consistently been trending worse for nearly four decades, according to a May 1 report from St. Louis Public Radio. 

It's time for the U.S. to prioritize Americans' social connections and address the health implications of loneliness, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, wrote in an April 30 opinion piece for The New York Times. 

The omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 is quickly gaining prevalence in the U.S., spurring the CDC to start tracking the strain separately in mid-April. 

Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 continues its growth path in the U.S., with the latest CDC estimates showing it accounts for nearly 12 percent of cases. 

The CDC released its latest Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System study April 28. Here are 16 things to know from the research that spanned 2021 — when many high schools were operating virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic:

A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee met April 27 to hear insight and recommendations from a panel of expert witnesses on how to improve U.S. biosafety and pathogen research in light of concerns surrounding the origins of COVID-19 stemming from a possible lab leak. 

Southern Nevada saw cases of rare, serious brain abscesses among children triple in 2022. Now the CDC is investigating what caused the increase, according to an April 28 report from CNN.

The CDC plans to reduce the number of COVID-19 data elements hospitals must report upon termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency May 11. 

Ahead of the May 11 end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Houston-based Baylor College of Medicine, told the Houston Chronicle April 27 that emerging variants, vaccine uptake and pandemic preparedness are top of mind for him.

The likelihood of another pandemic similar to COVID-19 or worse is around 28 percent, Bloomberg reported April 13. As such, the question for many has become "Are we ready?" In response, the World Health Organization has launched a new initiative aimed at making the answer a "Yes," — or at least "Here's how to be" — for countries around the world. 

Anthony Fauci, MD, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, detailed his take on the COVID-19 pandemic, what went wrong, what went right and how it all ties back to the overarching picture of public health in the U.S. during a lengthy interview published April 24 in The New York Times.

Infants who contract respiratory syncytial virus in the first year of life may have a greater risk of childhood asthma, according to new findings led by researchers at Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 

Cases of asthma-induced hospitalizations and incidences of Lyme disease are expected to increase for children globally, as climate change continues to worsen, according to a new EPA report.

In terms of COVID-19 risk, this spring feels different than the last two, experts told The New York Times in an April 25 report. 

Nearly two weeks away from the end of the public health emergency, the CDC has detailed what and how it will continue tracking COVID-19 data as some reporting aspects begin to sunset, according to an April 24 report from CNN.

The latest CDC estimates indicate omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 accounts for nearly 10 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

In light of COVID-19's origins likely stemming from safety issues at an infectious disease research lab, the U.S. House of Representatives announced a new hearing will take place April 27 as part of further investigations into it.

Four hospitals in Houston have reportedly seen marginal increases in patients being diagnosed with mold-related infections possibly linked to the timeline of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Houston Public Media reported April 20.

Each year, firearm-related injuries lead to roughly 30,000 inpatient hospital stays and 50,000 emergency room visits, which generates more than $1 billion in medical costs, an Urban Institute report found.