A Washington state resident has contracted a bird flu strain previously only found in animals, health officials confirmed Nov. 14. The individual has been hospitalized since early November with influenza H5N5, an avian influenza strain never before reported in humans,…
Public Health
The CDC has confirmed 1,723 measles cases as of Nov. 12 — a more than 500% increase from 2024, when 285 U.S. cases were confirmed. The measles outbreak has progressively worsened. Nearly every state has reported measles cases, except for…
An influenza strain that emerged over the summer is causing unusually early and severe outbreaks in Canada, the U.K. and Japan, prompting warnings from public health experts about what could be in store for the U.S. as flu season kicks…
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an advisory panel that reviews and recommends vaccine guidelines to the CDC, will meet Dec. 4-5 to discuss the childhood immunization schedules and hepatitis B vaccines. The committee — which HHS Secretary Robert F.…
Amid months of divestment in federal public health agencies, the CDC has 60% fewer flu samples from other countries than it did in 2024, which could hamper development of an effective flu shot next year, NPR reported Nov. 7. Usually,…
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The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a landmark opportunity, offering significant funding to address the persistent challenges in rural healthcare. But states that view this as just another funding stream will miss the point. The RHTP is a mandate…
Respiratory syncytial virus activity is starting to tick up across the country, marking the start of virus season, according to data tracked by epidemiologists and public health experts. Routine CDC tracking on respiratory virus trends is on pause amid the…
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s November meeting has been postponed amid the government shutdown, HHS confirmed to The Hill. The task force, which typically meets three times a year, has not formally convened since March. HHS Secretary Robert F.…
California officials are investigating a potential local spread of clade I mpox, a strain more severe than clade II, which has circulated at low levels across the U.S. since 2022. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has identified…
HHS has terminated a senior advisor who criticized widely used mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, an official with the agency confirmed to Becker’s Oct. 27. Steve Hatfill served as senior adviser at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, or ASPR, a…