Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Emergency Management on Monday activated the city's heat emergency plan, which includes opening cooling centers, ramping up outreach to vulnerable populations and coordinating with utilities and healthcare providers.
Researchers from Ohio State University collected dust samples from several buildings, including schools, university residence halls, and office buildings. Using state-of-the-art tools, they analysed the samples for viruses. And worryingly, the results revealed 54 distinct bugs across the 27 dust samples. This includes SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19), influenza, norovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus.
Kaiser Permanente is still trying to determine the source of bacteria responsible for 19 recent cases of Legionella infection identified at a hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 19 infections were linked to Kaiser's medical center in Santa Clara. Most of those who fell sick are recovering at home, Kaiser said in a recent statement. The bacteria were identified through "robust routine internal monitoring processes," according to Kaiser.
In southern Pakistan throughout April and May, temperatures have risen far above seasonal norms. In Sindh, daytime temperatures have frequently crossed 44C to 46C, forcing residents indoors during peak afternoon hours and severely affecting outdoor labourers, transport workers and farming communities. India has also been experiencing intense heatwave conditions in recent weeks, particularly across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and parts of northern and central India, where temperatures in several cities have crossed 45C.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating a confirmed measles case in a resident who recently traveled internationally, the agency said in a release Saturday. This is the fifth measles case identified by the county this year as outbreaks increase across the U.S. and globally. The infected resident arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday on Alaska Airlines Flight 1354. Other travelers at Tom Bradley International Terminal B that day between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. may have been exposed to the virus, officials said.
The assembly member explained that paraquat is primarily used by fruit growers to prevent weed growth, adding that many other countries have already banned the chemical. More than 70 countries, including the countries where paraquat is manufactured, ban its use, she said. China has banned paraquat for use in its country, yet it is a prime manufacturer of the restricted-use chemical. In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided to keep allowing paraquat in the U.S. despite public concern and studies linking it to health risks.
The chief spokesman for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resigned on Wednesday in protest over the administration's push to allow major tobacco companies to begin selling flavored vapes that appeal to children. His departure came one day after the head of the Food and Drug Administration quit for the same reason.
Liberal use of antimicrobial drugs on farms - including those that produce fruit rather than meat - can result in pathogens becoming impervious to these essential medications. These drug-resistant organisms can cause infections in farm workers that are difficult to treat and can spread to other people. This situation has raised concerns among workers' rights groups and scientists studying the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
French health authorities have announced a quarantine for passengers on a cruise ship after it docked in Bordeaux following the death of one of the passengers who is believed to have have a gastro-intestinal illness. The cruise ship of the Ambassador Cruise Line arrived into Bordeaux on Tuesday evening and reported the death of the passenger, believed to be in his 90s. Health authorities say that about 50 people have shown symptoms of norovirus, and all passengers are currently confined on the ship while testing takes place.
The hantavirus scare on board the MV Hondius revived COVID-era questions about elite mobility, disease transmission and who bears the risks during global health scares. No one can stop the wealthy from taking their holidays. Whether coasting down snowy mountains or rubbing shoulders with fellow elites on luxury cruises, they will always find a way to indulge in leisure and excess, sometimes even on the cusp of an outbreak.
As the unforgiving summer heat soared above 40C, she had walked for miles, piling the sticks and fallen branches into a bundle on her head while sweat ran down her face. Just a few weeks ago, the 35-year-old had been preparing meals for her four children on a small gas stove with little fuss. But as the crisis in the Middle East has choked India's vital supplies of imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used by more than 60% of the country's population for cooking refills have been scarce and prices have risen far beyond what is widely affordable.
