Whooping cough cases are twice as high as last year: CDC

Whooping cough cases are twice as high as last year: CDC

Whooping cough cases are rising, and doctors are bracing for yet another tough year. There have been 8,485 cases reported in 2025, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s twice as many cases as this time last year, based on the CDC’s final tally. Rates of whooping cough, or pertussis, … Read more

More babies born to women over 40 than teens for first time in US history

More babies born to women over 40 than teens for first time in US history

The teen pregnancy epidemic could be waning, data suggests. For the first time in US history, more women over the age of 40 are having kids compared to teen moms, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This reflects the trend of more Americans either opting not to have kids or … Read more

Fluoride exposure linked to ‘detrimental effects’ on health of pregnant women, infants: study

Fluoride exposure linked to ‘detrimental effects’ on health of pregnant women, infants: study

Fluoride has long been used as a dental health tool as a means of preventing cavities and fighting tooth decay — but now a new meta-analysis suggests it could have “detrimental effects” on the health of pregnant women and infants.  Researchers analyzed various studies, concluding that exposure to fluoride “offers little benefit to the fetus and young infant.” … Read more

Cases of ‘invasive strep’ that can trigger flesh-eating disease have nearly doubled in the US

Cases of ‘invasive strep’ that can trigger flesh-eating disease have nearly doubled in the US

” player=”SPdDOYds” platform=”jw-player” playlist=”Toq2ZZoq” playlisttype=”recommendations” placement=”true” /] Sore throats and sour news. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the number of potentially life-threatening invasive group A strep infections more than doubled from 2013 to 2022. Most group A strep infections cause mild illnesses like strep throat — but … Read more

What does fluoride do? Benefits and risks as RFK Jr. tells CDC to stop recommending it in drinking water

What does fluoride do? Benefits and risks as RFK Jr. tells CDC to stop recommending it in drinking water

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is following through on his pledge to order the CDC to stop recommending that US communities add fluoride to their drinking water. The debate over fluoride’s potential benefits and risks continues to spark controversy, with Kennedy — an outspoken critic — announcing this week that he’s assembling a task … Read more

Trump Administration Begins Layoffs at CDC, FDA and Other Health Agencies

Trump Administration Begins Layoffs at CDC, FDA and Other Health Agencies

Hundreds of federal health workers, including doctors in senior leadership positions, began hearing early Tuesday morning that they are losing their jobs, part of a vast restructuring that will winnow down the agencies charged with regulating food and drugs, protecting Americans from disease and researching new treatments and cures. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. … Read more

Dangerous fungus spreading in US hospitals has ‘rapidly increased’

Dangerous fungus spreading in US hospitals has ‘rapidly increased’

A dangerous fungus spreading among US healthcare systems isn’t slowing down, reports claim. New research has revealed that Candida auris (C. auris) has spread rapidly in hospitals since it was first reported in 2016. In March 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported more than 4,000 new clinical cases of C. auris, dubbing it … Read more

Dengue fever cases rising in popular spring break locations: CDC

Dengue fever cases rising in popular spring break locations: CDC

As spring breakers this season continue to head south into warmer territory, mosquitoes are posing a health risk that calls for extra attention. Global cases of dengue fever are on the rise, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — and it’s warning of an uptick in U.S. travelers. The agency released a Health Alert Network advisory … Read more

What is alpha-gal syndrome? New concern about bizarre red meat allergy

What is alpha-gal syndrome? New concern about bizarre red meat allergy

New cases of alpha-gal syndrome — a rare but potentially life-threatening illness that makes people violently allergic to red meat — suggest that more tick species may be to blame than initially thought. Neither of the two new female patients — one a 45-year-old in Maine and the other a 61-year-old in Washington — had … Read more

Travel tips for flying safely amid measles outbreak

Travel tips for flying safely amid measles outbreak

Measles has been spreading across America, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported more than 220 cases nationwide as of March 7. The uptick in cases began with an outbreak in Texas, where there have been 223 cases identified since late January (as of March 11). A new case was confirmed in a … Read more

CDC plans expansive study into possible links between vaccines and autism

CDC plans expansive study into possible links between vaccines and autism

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing to launch an expansive study into possible links between vaccines and autism — even in the face of thorough scientific research disproving their connection. It wasn’t clear what role Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 71, may have had in the CDC’s new plan — which was … Read more

2024 was worst year for stomach virus outbreaks on cruise ships in over a decade: CDC

2024 was worst year for stomach virus outbreaks on cruise ships in over a decade: CDC

This year marked the worst in over a decade for stomach bug outbreaks on cruise ships docking in the US, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With one day left, 2024 recorded the highest number of stomach virus outbreaks onboard cruises since 2012 — with both years tying … Read more

Norovirus cases are surging in parts of the US, CDC data shows

Norovirus cases are surging in parts of the US, CDC data shows

Cases of a wretched stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States this winter, according to government data. The most recent numbers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were 91 outbreaks of norovirus reported during the week of Dec. 5, up from 69 outbreaks the last week of … Read more

Flu season claims lives of nine children in US as cases surge across the country: CDC

Flu season claims lives of nine children in US as cases surge across the country: CDC

The flu is surging in New York and across the US — and claimed the lives of five kids in the days before Christmas. Positive tests climbed a whopping 12% for the week ending Dec. 21, according to data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — meaning more than 12,000 people … Read more

2024’s nastiest cruise ships revealed based on viral outbreaks, food safety and hygiene: CDC

2024’s nastiest cruise ships revealed based on viral outbreaks, food safety and hygiene: CDC

These ships are cruisin’ for a refusin’ — from customers who value their health and well-being. On the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program review, scoring 85 out of 100 is considered a failure, per Business Insider. The CDC conducts random surprise sanitary inspections on cruise ships, scoring the ship on a … Read more

Here’s what to know about the ‘quad-demic’ threat that could hit this winter

Here’s what to know about the ‘quad-demic’ threat that could hit this winter

No one wants a blue Christmas, but a flu Christmas can be much, much worse. Colds, flus and other respiratory illnesses are more common in the winter. Flu viruses can survive longer in cold, dry air — and people spend lots of time indoors in chilly months, giving viruses more opportunity to spread. While respiratory … Read more

US obesity rates drop for the first time in a decade likely due to popular weight loss medications

US obesity rates drop for the first time in a decade likely due to popular weight loss medications

Obesity rates in the United States have finally started to show a decline, heading in the right direction for the first time in a decade likely due to the popularity of weight loss drugs like Ozempic. A new study published in JAMA Health Forum found that obesity numbers started to drop slightly from 46% in 2022 to … Read more

First bird flu case in a child in the US confirmed by CDC in California

First bird flu case in a child in the US confirmed by CDC in California

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday confirmed the country’s first case of H5N1 bird flu infection in a child, who experienced mild symptoms and is recovering from their illness. California’s public health department had reported the case on Tuesday, but said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus. … Read more

Trump names his picks for FDA, CDC and surgeon general 

Trump names his picks for FDA, CDC and surgeon general 

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced his choices to lead the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as his pick for the surgeon general post.  Trump, 78, nominated Dr. Marty Makary – a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine – to serve as FDA commissioner; … Read more

Boar’s Head listeria outbreak that left 10 dead and spurred deli meat recall has ended, feds say

Boar’s Head listeria outbreak that left 10 dead and spurred deli meat recall has ended, feds say

A deadly outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to a massive recall of popular Boar’s Head deli meats is over, federal health officials said Thursday. Ten people died and 61 were sickened in 19 states after eating listeria-contaminated Boar’s Head products, including liverwurst. Illnesses were reported between late May and mid-September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and … Read more