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Public Health

Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns
Whooping Cough Cases Are Spiking, CDC Warns Cases of whooping cough are five times higher than at this time a year ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning. Officially known as pertussis, those infected have persistent, chronic fits of coughing followed by a “whoop” sound. "Reports of pertussis cases were lower than usual over the past few years, during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.," the CDC said in a new advisory. "However, the United States is beginning to return to pre-pandemic patterns where more than 10,000 cases are typically reported each year. It's likely mitigation measures used during the…
CT Town Official Charged With Sexual Assault; Placed On Paid Administrative Leave CT Town Official Charged With Sexual Assault; Placed On Paid Administrative Leave
CT Town Official Charged With Sexual Assault; Placed On Paid Administrative Leave A public health coordinator for a town in Middlesex County turned himself over to police on charges of sexual assault, authorities announced on Monday, Nov. 4.  Salvatore Nesci, 55, is charged with sexual assault in the fourth degree and disorderly conduct, Cromwell Police said. He was arrested on Halloween after he turned himself over to police.  He was released after posting a $5,000 bond, authorities said.  Police did not detail what led to the charges or any information about the case.  A representative from the Cromwell town manager's office said Nesci is on paid …
Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation
Euthanasia Of 'Peanut The Squirrel' Sparks Viral Outrage; Lawmaker Demands Investigation Outrage is swirling after New York wildlife officials seized and later euthanized beloved social media sensation “Peanut” the squirrel. Chemung County resident Mark Longo, of Elmira, took to Instagram Wednesday, Oct 30, telling his 581,000 followers that Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officers had seized the animal, which he rescued in 2017 after its mother was struck by a car. “Well internet, you WON. You took one of the most amazing animals away from me because of your selfishness,” he wrote. “To the people who called (DEC), there’s a special place in hell for you.” In a…
Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning
Rise In Walking Pneumonia Cases Prompts CDC Warning Cases of walking pneumonia have spiked significantly, especially among children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning in a brand-new advisory. The agency said increases in M. pneumoniae-associated pneumonia infections began late this past spring, peaked in August, and have remained high.  The CDC said it's using various surveillance tools "to better understand any differences in demographics, severity of illness, and outcomes as compared to M. pneumoniae infections prior to the COVID-19 pandemic." The agency said it's also contacting heal…
McDonald's IDs Source Of E. Coli Outbreak Tied To Quarter Pounders McDonald's IDs Source Of E. Coli Outbreak Tied To Quarter Pounders
McDonald's IDs Source Of E. Coli Outbreak Tied To Quarter Pounders Health officials have pinpointed the specific ingredient that triggered an E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s that killed one person and sickened dozens more across several states. Testing done by the Colorado Department of Agriculture eliminated Quarter Pounder beef patties as the source of the outbreak, McDonald’s confirmed on Sunday, Oct. 27. That leaves the restaurant’s slivered onions, which are primarily used on Quarter Pounder hamburgers, as the likely source of contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Earlier Report: E. Coli Outbreak Tied To McDonald'…
Frozen Waffle Listeria Recall Expands To 14+ Grocery Store Brands Frozen Waffle Listeria Recall Expands To 14+ Grocery Store Brands
Frozen Waffle Listeria Recall Expands To 14+ Grocery Store Brands A massive voluntary recall has been issued for frozen waffles sold by over 14 different grocery store chains nationwide due to the potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, TreeHouse Foods, Inc. announced on Friday, Oct. 18. Over 500 varieties of frozen waffles manufactured by TreeHouse Foods and sold with the branding of major retailers such as Walmart's Great Value and Target's Good & Gather have been recalled because of possible Listeria.  As stated in the release: "Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections …
10M Pounds Of Meat, Poultry Recalled Due To Listeria Concerns: Product List 10M Pounds Of Meat, Poultry Recalled Due To Listeria Concerns: Product List
10M Pounds Of Meat, Poultry Recalled Due To Listeria Concerns: Product List The product list has now been released for a nationwide recall of nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry products over fears they may be contaminated with Listeria. Click here for a new, updated story: New Update: Products Added To Recall Of 10M Pounds Of Meat, Poultry Due To Listeria Concerns The US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)  announced that BrucePac is recalling approximately 9,986,245 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. The ready-to-eat meat and poultry items were produced…
First Human Case Of Tick-Borne Illness Spotted In Connecticut First Human Case Of Tick-Borne Illness Spotted In Connecticut
First Human Case Of Tick-Borne Illness Spotted In Connecticut For the first time, a tick-borne illness normally found hundreds of miles away was detected in a person in Connecticut, causing concerns that the insect that spreads it has begun to thrive in new locations.  The disease rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, which is carried by the Gulf Coast tick, was recently discovered in someone in Connecticut, according to a report from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.  Authorities did not say where in the state the case was detected.  The disease is similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever but with milder symptoms, the report…
COVID-19: Free At-Home Tests Are Now Available To Order Online While Supplies Last COVID-19: Free At-Home Tests Are Now Available To Order Online While Supplies Last
Covid-19: Free At-Home Tests Are Now Available To Order Online While Supplies Last Free rapid tests for COVID-19 are now available to order online. As of Friday, Sept. 27, every American household may order four nasal swab tests through the Department of Health and Human Services program by visiting covid.gov/tests or covidtests.gov while supplies last. After orders are placed, a confirmation email will be sent to the household, with free shipping scheduled to start the week of Monday, Sept. 30, and email delivery updates available if requested. New COVID booster vaccines that became available at the start of September have been updated with a formula…
10th Death Reported In Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meats 10th Death Reported In Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meats
10th Death Reported In Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meats A new death, the 10th overall, has been reported from a Listeria outbreak linked to the recall of millions of pounds of Boar's Head deli meats.The person who died was a New York resident, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The breakdown by states of the fatalities since the outbreak began in mid-May is as follows: New York (two), South Carolina (two), and one each in New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, and New Mexico. Since the bacteria was first discovered in liverwurst produced at Boar's Head's plant in Jarratt, Virginia, 59 people have been…
Free COVID-19 At-Home Tests Will Soon Become Available Online Free COVID-19 At-Home Tests Will Soon Become Available Online
Free Covid-19 At-Home Tests Will Soon Become Available Online The Department of Health and Human Services will soon restart its program of offering free rapid tests for the virus through the mail. Every American household may order four nasal swab tests starting by the end of September by visiting covid.gov/tests or covidtests.gov. Both standard and more accessible COVID-19 tests will be available, while supplies last. The department did not announce what specific day and date requests will start to be processed. New COVID booster vaccines that became available at the start of September have been updated with a formula to more closely target cu…
NY Resident Dies From Rare Mosquito Virus With No Vaccine: 'Imminent Threat To Public' Declared NY Resident Dies From Rare Mosquito Virus With No Vaccine: 'Imminent Threat To Public' Declared
NY Resident Dies From Rare Mosquito Virus With No Vaccine: 'Imminent Threat To Public' Declared A New York resident has died days after contracting the state’s first human case of a rare but serious mosquito-borne virus in nearly a decade. The Ulster County resident died from complications stemming from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office confirmed on Monday, Sept. 23. It marks the first human case of EEE in New York State since 2015. Earlier Report: Human Case Of Severe Mosquito-Borne Virus Confirmed In Ulster County, First In NY Since 2015 “We’ve been informed this patient has passed away from EEE, we extend our sympathies and our hearts go out t…
3 Students Get Sick After Taking Weed Edibles At Middle School: Principal 3 Students Get Sick After Taking Weed Edibles At Middle School: Principal
3 Students Get Sick After Taking Weed Edibles At Middle School: Principal Administrators at a Connecticut middle school are investigating after three students got sick after consuming cannabis edibles on Monday, Sept. 16. Kerri-Lynn Major, principal at Slade Middle School in New Britain, sent a letter to parents on Tuesday, Sept. 17, that NBC Connecticut published. In it, Major says the students had a "severe reaction" to the drug but reiterated that everyone is now safe. The principal added that the students could face expulsion for the incident. (The Consolidated School District of New Britain) has strict policies against the possession, use, sale, or dist…
Boar's Head Shuts Down Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Will No Longer Make Liverwurst Boar's Head Shuts Down Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Will No Longer Make Liverwurst
Boar's Head Shuts Down Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Will No Longer Make Liverwurst The Boar’s Head plant at the center of a recall of millions of pounds of deli meat that has led to nine deaths due to Listeria contamination will be shut down.The company made the announce early Friday afternoon, Sept. 13. "Major deficiencies" at the facility in the rural southern Virginia town of Jarratt posed an “imminent threat” government inspectors warned after discovering "rusted equipment, condensation dripping on the floor and green mold on a wall" about two years before the initial recall on Friday, July 26, according to The Washington Post. But the US Agriculture Department did n…
COVID-19: New XEC Strain 'Just Getting Started' Sparks Concern Amid Summer Wave Of US Cases COVID-19: New XEC Strain 'Just Getting Started' Sparks Concern Amid Summer Wave Of US Cases
Covid-19: New XEC Strain 'Just Getting Started' Sparks Concern Amid Summer Wave Of US Cases A newly discovered more contagious COVID-19 strain spreading rapidly through Europe is sparking concerns among health authorities around the globe as the United States is experiencing its largest wave of cases in over two years. XEC, which was first identified in Germany, may eventually overtake the current dominant subvariant, KP.3.1.1, which is currently most common in the United States, accounting for about 42 percent of cases nationally according to data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Saturday, Aug. 31. XEC make take weeks or even months before it s…
Person Who Consumed Recalled Boar’s Head Products May Have Permanent Injuries, Lawsuit Says Person Who Consumed Recalled Boar’s Head Products May Have Permanent Injuries, Lawsuit Says
Person Who Consumed Recalled Boar’s Head Products May Have Permanent Injuries, Lawsuit Says A person in the New York metropolitan area who purchased and consumed recalled Boar's Head products is believed to have permanent injuries, a new lawsuit alleges. Manhattan-based injury and food safety attorney John Beatty has been retained to file the suit against Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc. for a client who suffered severe health consequences due to Listeria contamination. The person, whose precise place of residence has not been released, contracted Listeria, leading to a near-fatal case of meningitis and an almost month-long hospital stay, according to Beatty. "The client is belie…
Popular CT Thai Restaurant Has Liquor License Suspended Following Fight, Shooting Popular CT Thai Restaurant Has Liquor License Suspended Following Fight, Shooting
Popular CT Thai Restaurant Has Liquor License Suspended Following Fight, Shooting A fight and shooting inside a popular Connecticut Thai restaurant and bar has led the state Consumer Protection Commission to suspend the establishment's liquor license. Related: Fight At New Haven Restaurant Ends In Gunfire, With 2 Women Reportedly Shot: Police The incident occurred in New Haven at NOA by September in Bangkok at 196 Crown St. on Saturday, Aug. 31, during the morning early hours. The suspension resulted from a referral to the DCP Liquor Control Division from the New Haven Police Department regarding the fight and shooting, the commission said. According to Lt. Bren…
Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Report Says Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Report Says
Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, Report Says Inspectors at the Boar's Head plant tied to a deadly Listeria outbreak discovered mold, mildew and insects among dozens of violations, according to a report by CBS News. Dozens of violations at the plant in Jarratt, Virginia, were outlined in records released by the US Department of Agriculture, the report said. After an initial recall of around 200,000 pounds of deli meat due to possible Listeria contamination, the company expanded it to approximately seven million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products on Tuesday, July 30. Boar's Head's recall includes 71 p…
Spraying For Mosquitoes Set For CT State Park In Response To Deadly EEE Virus Spraying For Mosquitoes Set For CT State Park In Response To Deadly EEE Virus
Spraying For Mosquitoes Set For CT State Park In Response To Deadly EEE Virus While there have been no recent cases of eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE) in humans in Connecticut, the state will begin spraying a state park where the risk level remains elevated.  Earlier report - 41-Year-Old In New England Dies From Serious Mosquito Virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Mosquito Management Program will conduct insecticide spraying on the evening of Thursday, August 29 (weather permitting) in New London County. This area in eastern Connecticut has consistently detected mammal-biting …
6 More Dead, Over 50 Hospitalized After Eating Recalled Boar's Head Deli Meat 6 More Dead, Over 50 Hospitalized After Eating Recalled Boar's Head Deli Meat
6 More Dead, Over 50 Hospitalized After Eating Recalled Boar's Head Deli Meat The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says six more people have died from a listeria outbreak linked to Boar's Head deli meats since authorities issued a recall notice last month.  Over 50 people have been hospitalized.  Federal authorities warned about Boar's Head deli meats after people in 13 states reported getting sick after eating the products. That number has grown to 18 states, with new deaths being reported in New York, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, and South Carolina, the CDC said on Wednesday, Aug. 28.  The agency said it is the biggest listeria ou…
41-Year-Old In New England Dies From Serious Mosquito Virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis 41-Year-Old In New England Dies From Serious Mosquito Virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis
41-Year-Old In New England Dies From Serious Mosquito Virus Eastern Equine Encephalitis One person has died and two others in the Northeast have been infected this summer with a rare but serious mosquito-borne disease. Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is caused by a virus spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, similar to the West Nile virus. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, an adult from the town of Hampstead, in southeastern New Hampshire who tested positive for EEE died, the New Hampshire Department of Public Health announced. He had been hospitalized with the illness. The man has been identified by his family as 41-year-old Steven Perry, according to ABC…
NY County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues NY County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues
NY County's Mask Ban Causes 'Great Stress, Fear,' Federal Lawsuit Argues A New York county’s controversial mask ban is already facing legal challenges. Click here for a new, updated story: Mask Ban Arrest: Hicksville 18-Year-Old First Person Charged Under Controversial Law In a class action lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of New York on Thursday, Aug. 22, Disability Rights of New York argued that Nassau County’s law barring face coverings in public violates federal law and discriminates against people with disabilities. The filing came a little more than a week after Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, signed the “Mask Transparenc…
Walmart Issues Massive Recall For Juice Product Sold In 23 States, Including CT Walmart Issues Massive Recall For Juice Product Sold In 23 States, Including CT
Walmart Issues Massive Recall For Juice Product Sold In 23 States, Including CT Apple juice sold at Walmart has been recalled due to high arsenic levels. The US Food and Drug Administration says 9,535 cases of the company's  Great Value brand 100 percent apple juice were sold in six-packs of 8-ounce plastic bottles bearing this expiration date: Best if Used by DEC2824 CT89-6, and a UPC code of 0-78742-29655-5. According to the FDA, the product contains inorganic arsenic above the action level set in industry guidance (13.2 parts per billion). They were sold in 23 states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia,…
FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines: Here's When They Will Be Available FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines: Here's When They Will Be Available
FDA Approves Updated Covid-19 Vaccines: Here's When They Will Be Available The US Food and Drug Administration has just approved new COVID-19 vaccines.It marks the third time the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna have been updated to match circulating strains since the original shot. The shots should be available within days, the FDA said in making the announcement Thursday afternoon, Aug. 22. The new vaccines have been updated with a formula to more closely target currently circulating variants and provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID, including hospitalization and death. “Vaccination continues to be the cornerstone of COVID-19 preventi…
First Human West Nile Case Of Season Confirmed In Connecticut First Human West Nile Case Of Season Confirmed In Connecticut
First Human West Nile Case Of Season Confirmed In Connecticut It's time to protect yourself from mosquitoes, as the first case of the West Nile virus in a person in the state has been confirmed.  On Friday, Aug. 16, the Connecticut Department of Public Health announced that a New Haven County resident had tested positive for the virus. A woman between 60–69 became ill during the first week of August with a WNV infection and has since recovered, the department said.  “Symptoms include fever, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, rash, or gastrointestinal symptoms for non-neuroinvasive disease, while neuroinvasive signs and symptoms can include high…
Third Death From Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meat Third Death From Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meat
Third Death From Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meat A person from Virginia has become the third person to die during an ongoing Listeria food poisoning outbreak linked to millions of pounds of Boar's Head deli meats that were recalled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an update on Thursday, Aug. 8 advising that there have been nine more cases reported in connection to the recall, bringing the total to 43 hospitalized - three of which who died, including one from Virginia. No details about the person who died in Virginia have been released. Two others in the state have also been sickened with Listeria amid the outbr…
Massive, Parasite-Carrying Snail Found In New York Park Massive, Parasite-Carrying Snail Found In New York Park
Massive, Parasite-Carrying Snail Found In New York Park Although a large, squirrel-sized snail found in a New York park may have looked harmless, it posed enough of a danger to people and the environment that its discovery prompted a police response.  The invasive giant African land snail was discovered within Brooklyn's Prospect Park in early May following a report from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  After it was seen in the park, it was surrendered to the City Parks department in a box, officials said, promoting a response from …
NY County Criminalizes Mask Wearing Amid Bump In COVID-19 Cases NY County Criminalizes Mask Wearing Amid Bump In COVID-19 Cases
NY County Criminalizes Mask Wearing Amid Bump In Covid-19 Cases Lawmakers in a New York county approved a controversial bill criminalizing mask wearing amid a summer bump in COVID-19 cases. On Long Island, the Republican-controlled Nassau County Legislature passed the “Mask Transparency Act” by a vote of 12-0 on Monday night, Aug. 5. All seven Democrats abstained from voting. The bill makes it a misdemeanor for anyone 16 and older to wear a face mask in public spaces in the county. It also gives private businesses the right to prohibit masks on their premises. It grants exceptions for health or religious reasons, though that distinction will be determ…
NY Mom Claims To Find Human Blood In Daughter's Burger King Meal: 'She Is Traumatized' NY Mom Claims To Find Human Blood In Daughter's Burger King Meal: 'She Is Traumatized'
NY Mom Claims To Find Human Blood In Daughter's Burger King Meal: 'She Is Traumatized' A New York mother is considering a lawsuit against Burger King after claiming she found human blood in her daughter’s meal. Erie County resident Tiffany Floyd, of the hamlet of Getzville, recounted the horrifying incident in a now-viral TikTok video posted Friday, July 26. In the clip, Floyd recounts how she stopped by a Getzville Burger King for lunch with her 4-year-old daughter and went through the drive-through. “Obviously, I’m a busy mom, I just gave her the bag to eat the food,” she said. “And I heard, ‘Mom, I don’t want ketchup.’” Floyd then grabbed the bag of hamburger and fries, …
Boar's Head Expands Deli Meat Recall To Include 7 Million Extra Pounds Boar's Head Expands Deli Meat Recall To Include 7 Million Extra Pounds
Boar's Head Expands Deli Meat Recall To Include 7 Million Extra Pounds Boar's Head has expanded a recall of deli meat products due to possible Listeria contamination. Click here for a new, updated story: Boar's Head Facing Lawsuit Over Deli Meat Recall  The company said on Tuesday, July 30, that it is now recalling approximately seven million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.  This expansion includes 71 products produced between Friday, May 10, and Monday, July 29, 2024, under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said. They have “s…
Court Dismisses Lawsuit Filed By Greenwich Woman Claiming Finger Was Found In Salad At Eatery Court Dismisses Lawsuit Filed By Greenwich Woman Claiming Finger Was Found In Salad At Eatery
Court Dismisses Lawsuit Filed By Greenwich Woman Claiming Finger Was Found In Salad At Eatery A court has discontinued a lawsuit filed against a restaurant chain by a Connecticut woman who claimed she found herself chewing on part of a severed human finger while eating a salad served at one of the company's locations in New York.  The lawsuit, filed against Rye Brook-based Chop't Creative Salad Company LLC by Fairfield County resident Allison Cozzi of Greenwich, was discontinued by the Westchester County Supreme Court on Thursday, July 11.  Cozzi, who brought the suit against Chop't in November, claimed she found part of a severed finger inside her meal…