Public Health

The global death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic surpassed 5 million on Nov. 1, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. 

Routine vaccination rates dropped sharply from 2019 to 2020 worldwide, according to a CDC report published Oct. 29.

COVID-19 cases have declined nationwide for the sixth consecutive week, while daily vaccinations increased by nearly 22 percent this week compared to last, according to the CDC's COVID data tracker weekly review published Oct. 29.

New Mexico was reporting moderate flu activity for the week ending Oct. 23, according to data from the CDC's FluView report published Oct. 29.

More U.S. children will be considered to have high levels of lead in their blood under the CDC's Oct. 28 blood lead reference value update. 

The protection gained after individuals infected with COVID-19 get vaccinated, a term dubbed "hybrid immunity," could be key in guiding vaccination policies, wrote Charlotte Thålin, PhD, for The New York Times Oct. 28.  

Over 13 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations lead to readmission and emergency department visits after 30 days, with more than a quarter being potentially preventable, according to a study published in the November 2021 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on…

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, is the sole nominee for the World Health Organization's next director-general, according to an Oct. 29 statement.

While nothing about this year has been normal, leaders across the country are reporting respiratory illnesses returning to more typical levels.

Merriam-Webster added 455 words to the dictionary this month, including four that have gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic.