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Schools
COVID-19: CT School To Close For Week After More Than Half Of Its Staff Members Test Positive COVID-19: CT School To Close For Week After More Than Half Of Its Staff Members Test Positive
Covid-19: CT School To Close For Week After More Than Half Of Its Staff Members Test Positive A school in Connecticut will be closed for the rest of the week after being hit with a fresh wave of COVID-19 cases that knocked out more than half of its staff members. In Hartford County, the Henry Barnard Elementary School in Enfield will be closed on both Thursday, May 5, and Friday, May 6 after 40 of its 75 staff members tested positive for COVID-19, Superintendent Christopher Drezek announced. Related story - COVID-19: More Than 30 Staff Members Test Positive At School In Enfield “Although we have tried to cover the building with staff members from other schools, we have reached…

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by Zak Failla
News
Death Confirmed Days After CDC Issues Nationwide Alert For Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreak Death Confirmed Days After CDC Issues Nationwide Alert For Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreak
Death Confirmed Days After CDC Issues Nationwide Alert For Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreak Just days after the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention issued a national alert to doctors over a mystery hepatitis outbreak, the death of a child has now been confirmed, the World Health Organization announced. At least 169 cases have now been reported in the United States and 11 other countries, the WHO said, adding that the cases range from those in the ages of 1 month to 16 years old. The CDC notified clinicians and public health authorities on Thursday, April 21 about a cluster of children identified with hepatitis and adenovirus infection, asking all physicians to be on …

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by Joe Lombardi
News
CDC Issues Nationwide Alert After Hepatitis Outbreak Of Unknown Origin CDC Issues Nationwide Alert After Hepatitis Outbreak Of Unknown Origin
CDC Issues Nationwide Alert After Hepatitis Outbreak Of Unknown Origin The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has issued a national alert to doctors over a mystery hepatitis outbreak. The CDC notified clinicians and public health authorities on Thursday, April 21 about a cluster of children identified with hepatitis and adenovirus infection, asking all physicians to be on the lookout for symptoms and to report any suspected cases of hepatitis of unknown origin to their local and state health departments. The CDC said it is currently working with the Alabama Department of Public Health to investigate a cluster of nine cases of hepatitis of unknown ori…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: UConn Reinstates Mask Mandate Amid Rise In Cases COVID-19: UConn Reinstates Mask Mandate Amid Rise In Cases
Covid-19: UConn Reinstates Mask Mandate Amid Rise In Cases The University of Connecticut is reinstating its mask mandate amid a rise in COVID-19 cases across the state and region. Officials announced that facial coverings will be required for students and staff through the remainder of the school ear due to the spring surge of new cases of the virus. According to officials, the school will begin requiring masks beginning on Monday, April 18, for all instructional settings, workspaces, and indoor events exceeding 100 people. Instructional settings include classrooms, labs, studios, rehearsal rooms, and clinics, they said. The mandate will remain i…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Guida's Dairy Says Diluted Sanitizer Made Its Way Into Small Batch Of Milk Cartons Guida's Dairy Says Diluted Sanitizer Made Its Way Into Small Batch Of Milk Cartons
Guida's Dairy Says Diluted Sanitizer Made Its Way Into Small Batch Of Milk Cartons An investigation has been launched in Connecticut after an incident involving contaminated milk cartons that contained diluted sanitizer. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture Bureau of Regulatory Services announced that it is investigating an incident involving Hartford County-based Guida’s Dary in New Britain regarding 1 percent low-fat half-pint milk cartons that could be a health hazard. Officials said that the cartons subject to the alert have a sell-by date of “APR 11” and contain diluted sanitizer, though the preliminary investigation is limited. “Out of an abundance of caution …

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by Zak Failla
Business
Health Alert Issued For Ready-To-Eat Chicken Products Sold At Supermarkets In Northeast Health Alert Issued For Ready-To-Eat Chicken Products Sold At Supermarkets In Northeast
Health Alert Issued For Ready-To-Eat Chicken Products Sold At Supermarkets In Northeast Federal health officials have issued a public health alert due to concerns that a component of ready-to-eat chicken breast meal kits sold in supermarkets throughout the Northeast was misbranded and could contain undeclared allergens. The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that the kits may contain wheat and soy, known allergens, which are not declared on the product labels. FSIS said it is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed. Specifically, these chicken breast meal kit…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Popular Body Lotion Recalled Due To Potential Bacteria Popular Body Lotion Recalled Due To Potential Bacteria
Popular Body Lotion Recalled Due To Potential Bacteria A popular lotion product sold nationwide is being recalled due to the potential presence of bacteria. Kao USA announced a voluntary recall of Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer in 3- and 10-ounce packages that could show the presence of Pluralibacter gergoviae, a bacterium that poses a potential health risk to some. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pluralibacter gergoviae poses little medical risk to healthy people, though some who have certain health problems or are immunocompromised could potentially become infected. “Kao USA is urging consumers to discontinue use of …

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by Zak Failla
News
Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Strain Found In Backyard Flock In CT Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Strain Found In Backyard Flock In CT
Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Strain Found In Backyard Flock In CT Connecticut officials have confirmed that a serious strain of bird flu was found in a non-commercial backyard flock in the state. Samples from a flock in New London County tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to an announcement from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, March 2. The department said avian influenza doesn't present an immediate public health concern, and there haven't been any human cases of this strain in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also said recent detections of this strain among…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Purdue Pharma Reaches $6B Settlement With US States Over Thousands Of Opioid-Related Lawsuits Purdue Pharma Reaches $6B Settlement With US States Over Thousands Of Opioid-Related Lawsuits
Purdue Pharma Reaches $6B Settlement With US States Over Thousands Of Opioid-Related Lawsuits OxyContin creators Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family have reached a $6 billion settlement over their roles in the ongoing opioid crisis plaguing the country. The announcement comes following an earlier deal made with Purdue, headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, that was ultimately appealed by eight states and the District of Columbia until the Sacklers kicked in more cash to get the deal done. Earlier story - NY, Other States Reach $4.5B Settlement With Purdue Pharma Over Its Role In Opioid Epidemic The $6 billion will be paid out over the course of 18 years, with larger payments fro…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Infection Rate Dips Near 2 Percent In CT; Here's Latest Breakdown Of Cases, Deaths COVID-19: Infection Rate Dips Near 2 Percent In CT; Here's Latest Breakdown Of Cases, Deaths
Covid-19: Infection Rate Dips Near 2 Percent In CT; Here's Latest Breakdown Of Cases, Deaths Connecticut hit a new COVID-19 milestone as the state recorded its lowest daily positivity rate of 2022 for the second straight day. In his latest update to begin the month of March, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said that the state administered nearly 11,000 COVID-19 tests on Tuesday, March 1, resulting in just 253 laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus. The 2.31 daily positivity rate is the lowest recorded in Connecticut in 2022, down from 2.42 percent the previous day. In mid-January, the state saw the infection rate hovering above 20 percent before spiking near 25 percent. After weeks …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Here's Percentage Of CT Schools Who Have Dropped Mask Mandates COVID-19: Here's Percentage Of CT Schools Who Have Dropped Mask Mandates
Covid-19: Here's Percentage Of CT Schools Who Have Dropped Mask Mandates Most school districts in Connecticut are ditching mandatory COVID-19 masks for students and staff members now that the statewide mandate has been lifted. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said this week that approximately 85 percent of school districts across the state have elected to drop mandatory facial coverings as the mandate expired on Monday, Feb. 28. Earlier story - COVID-19: Masking Decision Now Up To School Districts As CT Mandate Expires However, while the state is loosening up restrictions as the country recovers from the Omicron spike of COVID-19 infections, Lamont advised that some…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Two CT Towns Rescind Mask Mandates COVID-19: Two CT Towns Rescind Mask Mandates
Covid-19: Two CT Towns Rescind Mask Mandates Two Connecticut towns will be ditching the mask mandate as the state continues to see improved COVID-19 numbers. In New Haven County, Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett announced that the emergency mask mandate will no longer be in effect as of Friday, Feb. 25 after saying that she consulted with health experts and professionals. The mask mandate in Hamden had been in effect since Dec. 11, 2021, which required all employees and visitors in town buildings to mask up, as per the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Related story - COVID-19: CDC Expected To Greatly Ease In…

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by Zak Failla