coronavirus

Can COVID-19 help the body fight cancer? Shocking new study links virus to shrinking tumors

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Can COVID-19 help the body fight cancer? Shocking new study links virus to shrinking tumors

Scientists have discovered a surprising silver lining of COVID-19 infection. A new study by researchers at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, revealed a correlation between COVID-19 infection and cancer regression. Though doctors at Northwestern University warned that the research is still in early stages, they’re hopeful that more tests could lead … Read more

Idaho health department isn’t allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines anymore — experts say it’s a first

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Idaho health department isn’t allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines anymore — experts say it’s a first

A regional public health department in Idaho is no longer providing COVID-19 vaccines to residents in six counties after a narrow decision by its board. Southwest District Health appears to be the first in the nation to be restricted from giving COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccinations are an essential function of a public health department. While policymakers … Read more

Apple Watch Vitals app predicts colds, flu, COVID days before they hit, users claim

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Apple Watch Vitals app predicts colds, flu, COVID days before they hit, users claim

An Apple Watch a day keeps the doctor away. Some users are astounded by their device’s ability to flag early signs of sickness before an ailment like COVID or a cold arises after the iOS 11 software update rolled out last month. The startlingly accurate health assessment from the Apple Watch’s Vitals app — available … Read more

Children and teens who have contracted COVID are more prone to diabetes, study says

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Children and teens who have contracted COVID are more prone to diabetes, study says

Children and teenagers who have been infected with strands of the coronavirus are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those afflicted by other respiratory illnesses, according to a new research study published on Monday. Children were 50% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes around six months after contracting the coronavirus infection compared … Read more

COVID infection linked to sharp increase in long-term risk of heart attack, stroke: Cleveland Clinic, USC study

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COVID infection linked to sharp increase in long-term risk of heart attack, stroke: Cleveland Clinic, USC study

A history of COVID-19 can double the long-term risk of heart attack, stroke or death, according to a new study from the Cleveland Clinic and the University of Southern California. Researchers analyzed data from 10,000 people treated for COVID-19 in 2020 and roughly 200,000 people who were not infected. Doctors followed the health progress of the … Read more

Weight-loss drugs could reduce COVID-related deaths: Study

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Weight-loss drugs could reduce COVID-related deaths: Study

Patients taking the weight-loss drug semaglutide were less likely to die from COVID-19, according to a recent study.  The patients who contracted COVID-19 while using a weekly 2.4 mg dose of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic, had a 34% lower risk of dying from COVID-19, according to Dr. Benjamin M. Scirica, one … Read more

FDA approves updated COVID-19 vaccines, millions of shots should be available in days

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FDA approves updated COVID-19 vaccines, millions of shots should be available in days

U.S. regulators approved updated COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, shots designed to more closely target recent virus strains — and hopefully whatever variants cause trouble this winter, too. With the Food and Drug Administration’s clearance, Pfizer and Moderna are set to begin shipping millions of doses. A third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects its modified vaccine version to be … Read more

AI model 98% accurate in detecting diseases — just by looking at your tongue

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AI model 98% accurate in detecting diseases — just by looking at your tongue

This technology could be aah-mazing! Researchers in Iraq and Australia say they have developed a computer algorithm that can analyze the color of a person’s tongue to detect their medical condition in real-time — with 98% accuracy. “Typically, people with diabetes have a yellow tongue; cancer patients a purple tongue with a thick greasy coating; … Read more

Giving your child a tablet at this age can have bad consequences: study

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Giving your child a tablet at this age can have bad consequences: study

They’ve become iPad pros. Preschoolers who use a tablet to entertain themselves may not learn to manage their emotions, leading to angry outbursts, which prompt their parents to give them a tablet to quiet them down. Researchers from the Université de Sherbrooke in Canada detailed this “deleterious” cycle Monday in JAMA Pediatrics. The study authors … Read more

Man develops fatal bacterial infection after taking ‘widely used’ probiotic

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Man develops fatal bacterial infection after taking ‘widely used’ probiotic

An elderly man in Japan developed a fatal bacterial infection after taking a probiotic as part of his treatment for severe COVID-19. The unidentified patient was first brought to the emergency room after being discovered on the floor of his home. He had a history of colon cancer, chest pain, high blood pressure and pancreatic … Read more

COVID-19 no longer a top cause of US death — here’s what’s replaced it

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COVID-19 no longer a top cause of US death — here’s what’s replaced it

COVID-19 is no longer a top cause of death for Americans, dropping from fourth place in 2022 to 10th place last year. The virus was listed on 49,928 death certificates in 2023 — down from 186,552 in 2022 and a peak of 416,893 in 2021. A resident funeral director at an NYC funeral home moves … Read more

Dear Abby: My daughter’s biological mother told her I’m not her ‘real mom’

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Dear Abby: My daughter’s biological mother told her I’m not her ‘real mom’

DEAR ABBY: We adopted our daughter, “Opal,” at the age of 2. She is 6 now. Opal lived with us off and on as a newborn, but by age 1, she lived permanently with us. We live in a small community, so everyone knows everyone. Opal lived with her biological mom prior to adoption.  We … Read more

Dear Abby: My tenant isn’t vaccinated for COVID, what do I do?

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Dear Abby: My tenant isn’t vaccinated for COVID, what do I do?

DEAR ABBY: Several months ago, I let the 49-year-old son of a dear friend move into my basement. “Jason” pays me rent plus utilities.  Last week, he informed me that he is not vaccinated for COVID. He was drinking at the time. Since my husband passed away with COVID in his system two years ago, … Read more

Dear Abby: I’ve been dating my boyfriend for 6 years and he hasn’t proposed

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Dear Abby: I’ve been dating my boyfriend for 6 years and he hasn’t proposed

DEAR ABBY: I have been dating “Gary” for six years, but he has never proposed. I’m very independent. My husband died when my kids were small, and I had to raise them and keep a roof over our heads, which made me even more independent. In fact, there are times I don’t think I even … Read more

Dear Abby: My younger boyfriend and his new girlfriend live with me — he won’t have sex with me anymore

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Dear Abby: My younger boyfriend and his new girlfriend live with me — he won’t have sex with me anymore

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend is 18 years younger than I am. Our relationship hasn’t been perfect, but I love him to death. Unfortunately, I’m going through menopause and have all the side effects. Long story short, he found another girl. It was just supposed to be for sex, and he told me he wouldn’t get … Read more

72-year-old patient had COVID for record 613 days, accumulated over 50 mutations from virus before it killed him

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72-year-old patient had COVID for record 613 days, accumulated over 50 mutations from virus before it killed him

A Dutch man with the longest case of COVID infection ever recorded suffered from the sickness for a record 613 days, with the ailment mutating into a unique new variant that baffled medical researchers. The 72-year-old unnamed patient was diagnosed with the omicron variant in February 2022, according to Time, citing research from the University of Amsterdam. … Read more

Tuberculosis cases at highest level in a decade in US: report

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Tuberculosis cases at highest level in a decade in US: report

The number of U.S. tuberculosis cases in 2023 was the highest in a decade, according to a new government report. Forty states reported an increase in TB, and rates were up among all age groups, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. More than 9,600 cases were reported, a 16% increase from 2022 and … Read more

Post-pandemic marriage rates are climbing as divorce rates are falling: new CDC data

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Post-pandemic marriage rates are climbing as divorce rates are falling: new CDC data

Here comes the bride — and there go the divorce papers. Marriages have been on the rise since weddings and dates were put on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of marriages jumped from 5.1 per 1,000 people in 2020 to 6.2 by 2022 — the highest rate observed since 2018 — according to … Read more

Lucky couple gets VIP ‘private jet’ treatment as the only passengers on plane: ‘Like winning the lottery’

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Lucky couple gets VIP ‘private jet’ treatment as the only passengers on plane: ‘Like winning the lottery’

It was a poor man’s private jet. Commercial travel doesn’t always have to mean being crammed into a packed aircraft like sardines. A lucky UK couple became the envy of flyers everywhere after having a whole flight to themselves — essentially allowing them to enjoy the “private jet” experience for an economy price. While their … Read more

‘Polio Paul’ Alexander’s sad final days revealed as he battled COVID inside iron lung — before death at 78

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‘Polio Paul’ Alexander’s sad final days revealed as he battled COVID inside iron lung — before death at 78

“Polio Paul” Alexander spent his final days battling COVID while struggling to eat and drink, his social media manager has revealed. The polio survivor, famed for spending more than 70 years inside an iron lung, died Monday in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 78. While an official cause of death hasn’t been publicly disclosed, … Read more