#public-health-officials

#public-health-officials

(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)

With summer just ahead, federal safety officials are warning people about the risk of children drowning, and offering tips and precautions designed to prevent such tragedies.Summertime drowning deaths and nonfatal injuries are most common between May and August, with the majority of such deaths happening in swimming pools, according to a report released last week by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

State and federal officials are investigating an outbreak of 26 cases of salmonella infections in northeastern Illinois linked to ground beef.The source of the ground beef has not yet been identified, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Wednesday.The cases have been in Chicago and Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties, with people falling ill between April 25 and May 18.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Public health officials are urging beachgoers to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in the water at several Los Angeles County beaches during the Memorial Day weekend due to high levels of bacteria.Popular beaches were reported to have ocean bacteria levels that exceed California standards and could cause illness to swimmers, especially children and older adults, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

17 minutes ago17 minutes ago Myths and superstitions about HIV and AIDS are causing the disease to spread, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.HIV/AIDS is a viral infection that attacks the immune system, specifically immune cells, which are crucial for fighting off infections and diseases.The virus is primarily transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse or sharing contaminated needles.

(Mary Altaffer / Associated Press)

Late last summer, the mpox outbreak in California peaked, with the state reporting an average of nearly 100 new cases per day in August.Amid a robust vaccination campaign, new infections dropped sharply and quickly.By September, California was reporting an average of about 50 new cases per day, with that rate dropping below 10 by the end of the next month.

New York and federal health officials have issued a warning about two cases of a drug-resistant, highly contagious skin infection in New York City.The new report, published late last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, linked two local cases of ringworm rash to an aggressive strain of a fungus named Trichophyton indotineae.

A large snapping turtle dubbed Chonk has become a viral favorite of Chicago residents after the enormous reptile has been spotted repeatedly lounging by the once-toxic Chicago River.Look at the size of that thing!Joey Santore said as he filmed Chonkosaurus, or Chonk, as the giant creature lay atop of what appears to be an old rusty chain and tree snags.

It's no secret that air pollution is a serious problem facing the world today.Just how serious?A new study on global daily levels of air pollution shows that hardly anywhere on Earth is safe from unhealthy air.About 99.82% of the global land area is exposed to levels of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5)

China's "zero covid" policy initially saved lives, kept hospitals from being overwhelmed and gave the country time to disseminate vaccines.But it essentially pushed much of the pandemic's impact into the future.Now, that future has arrived.When China ended the drastic lockdowns and restrictions that were in place for the past three years, it triggered a surge of cases and deaths in a population with little natural immunity and low levels of vaccine boosting.

The Covid-19 pandemic has carried a key lesson for public health officials, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday: When talking to Americans, be clear that science is often a moving target.What we knew [about Covid-19] in January was very different from what we knew at the end of January, the beginning of February, and then very different from March, Fauci, who is stepping down next month after 38 years at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, told CNN's Jake Tapper.

NEW YORK CITY - Two cases of a highly contagious, drug-resistant form of ringworm have been detected in New York City, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The detections reported Thursday in a study are the first cases of Trichophyton indotineae - a fungal infection that has spread through South Asia - in the U.S.
"Health care providers who suspect T. indotineae infection should contact their state or local public health department for assistance with testing, which is available at certain public health laboratories and specialized academic and commercial laboratories," the study states.

The Chicago Department of Public Health announced on Friday it has begun monitoring for the polio virus in wastewater.No cases of polio have been identified in Chicago or Illinois, but the department said it's proactively testing the water from plants in the city and surrounding suburbs with several partnering agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A federal judge has put a hold on a new California law aimed at combating disinformation spread by doctors about COVID-19 and the masks and vaccines public health authorities urge to protect against it, which critics called a suppression of free speech and professional judgment.California physicians, some of whom practice in the Bay Area, sued over the law, AB 2098 by Assemblyman Evan Low, D-Cupertino, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it last fall, arguing it violates their free speech and due process rights.

US public health officials are bracing for a possible Covid-19 surge in the coming weeks following indoor holiday gatherings among a populace that has largely abandoned preventive measures.Concerns over this uptick come amid rising influenza and RSV cases in America.This so-called tripledemic, experts warn, could further strain the already overburdened US health system.

Local Price Meropol McMahon, 36, was a mother of two and a successful athlete.Price Meropol McMahon spent Sunday at her parent's house, taking in the final match of the World Cup and celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.On Monday night she began feeling feverish, according to The Boston Globe.The following morning she had trouble breathing.

For a second time this year, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tested positive for COVID-19 and is working from home, she announced in a statement.The mayor said she is not experiencing symptoms but is working from home, per guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.

Editor's Note: Want to sleep better?During Sleep Awareness Week, sign up for CNN's Sleep, But Better newsletter series.Our seven-part guide has helpful hints to achieve better sleep.One of the keys to keeping your child happy and healthy is making sure they get enough sleep consistently, a new study has found.

In a recent NFL game, the Indianapolis Colts led the Minnesota Vikings 33-0 at halftime.At that point, Las Vegas was offering odds better than 100-1 the Colts would win, but the Vikings staged a furious second-half rally and won on a field goal in overtime.It was one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history and proved once again that it is not always possible to predict the outcome of an event before it ends.

Johnny Thai, 11, receives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a pediatric vaccine clinic for children ages 5 to 11 set up at Willard Intermediate School in Santa Ana, Calif., Nov. 9, 2021.Jae C. Hong (AP) Children in California won't have to get the coronavirus vaccine to attend schools, state public health officials confirmed Friday, ending one of the last major restrictions of the pandemic in the nation's most populous state.

The release of 24,000 gallons of untreated sewage prompted the closures of several Los Angeles County beaches Wednesday, public health officials said.A blocked main line led to the sewage entering the storm drain system near Admiralty and Palawan ways in Marina del Rey, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a news release.