Public Health

Delaware Gov. John Carney issued a state of emergency declaration Jan. 3 to combat the current surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Omicron rapidly overtook COVID-19 cases at Houston Methodist, causing 90 percent of all new COVID-19 cases only three weeks after the variant was first identified within the health system. Researchers at Houston Methodist have now released preliminary findings about some…

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is asking hospitals to adjust their reporting on COVID-19 hospitalizations to distinguish patients admitted for the virus as their primary condition from those who are hospitalized for other reasons and test positive for COVID-19 during…

Flu activity is increasing, with the Eastern and Central parts of the U.S. seeing the majority of known cases and the Western part of the nation reporting lower levels of circulation, according to the CDC's most recent FluView report.

New York City will install public health vending machines in 10 locations across the city to combat the opioid crisis, The Hill reported Jan. 3.

Some areas in the United States are seeing their highest numbers of COVID-19 cases yet, pushing more people to seek testing.

Some people with compromised immune systems are receiving unauthorized fourth or fifth COVID-19 vaccine doses, The New York Times reported Jan. 3. 

The CDC is mulling a revision that recommends a testing component to its recently updated COVID-19 isolation guidelines, which shortened the isolation time for asymptomatic people from 10 days to five, ABC News reported. 

Public health leaders are increasingly recommending focusing on COVID-19 hospitalizations instead of cases to steer public health guidance. 

The Rhode Island Department of Health updated COVID-19 quarantine and isolation guidance Dec. 31, allowing asymptomatic healthcare workers who have tested positive to work without restriction in staffing "crisis" situations, as long as they wear N95 masks.