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Winter Is Coming: Flu Cases Rapidly Rising Nationwide Just One Month Into Fall Season Winter Is Coming: Flu Cases Rapidly Rising Nationwide Just One Month Into Fall Season
Winter Is Coming: Flu Cases Rapidly Rising Nationwide Just One Month Into Fall Season Flu cases are soaring nationwide just a month into the fall season, and health officials are sounding the alarm now that it could be a dangerous winter. Some are citing the end of many of the COVID-19 pandemic precautions that have been in effect for two-plus years as a possible cause. "Early increases in seasonal influenza activity have been reported in most of the United States, with the southeast and south-central areas of the country reporting the highest levels of activity," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. In the Northeast, New York is already reporting…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Alarming Surge In Kids Hospitalized With Non-COVID Virus Putting Strain On Hospitals Alarming Surge In Kids Hospitalized With Non-COVID Virus Putting Strain On Hospitals
Alarming Surge In Kids Hospitalized With Non-covid Virus Putting Strain On Hospitals An alarming surge in potentially serious respiratory illnesses among children is sparking concern nationwide, and in the region. Cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a common cold virus that can be associated with severe disease in young children as well as older adults, are now rising in 32 states, including New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The non-COVID-19 related virus, common among children, is now appearing earlier in the season and more frequently. Connecticut has been especially affected, seeing an unprecedented number of children infected by the illnes…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Public Health Alert Issued For Ground Beef Products Due To E. Coli Concerns Public Health Alert Issued For Ground Beef Products Due To E. Coli Concerns
Public Health Alert Issued For Ground Beef Products Due To E. Coli Concerns A public health alert has been issued due to concerns that ground beef products may be associated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) illness, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.  A recall for the products contained in HelloFresh meal kits was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The meal kits containing ground beef for this public health alert were shipped to consumers from Saturday, July 2 to Thursday, July 21.  The following products are subject to the alert: 10-oz. plastic vacuum-packed pack…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: New Booster Shots Targeting Omicron Variant Approved By FDA COVID-19: New Booster Shots Targeting Omicron Variant Approved By FDA
Covid-19: New Booster Shots Targeting Omicron Variant Approved By FDA It’s time to roll up your sleeve and get another COVID-19 vaccine. On Wednesday, Aug. 31, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated versions of COVID booster shots made by Pfizer and Moderna that target the highly contagious BA.5 Omicron subvariant. The updated vaccine boosters are designed to give people broad protection against COVID and can help protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death, the FDA said in a statement. Pfizer’s modified booster was authorized for people ages 12 and older, while Moderna’s shot was approved for those 18 and up. People who…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Wendy's Grows, CDC Says E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Wendy's Grows, CDC Says
E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Wendy's Grows, CDC Says A multi-state E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce in sandwiches at Wendy's has grown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There have now been 55 more reported infections in the outbreak, bringing the total number of cases to 84, and hospitalizations to 34, the CDC announced Thursday, Aug. 25. In its initial report on the outbreak, about three dozen people were sickened, with 10 hospitalized, in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. Wendy's said in a statement that it's "fully cooperating with public health authorities on their ongoi…

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by Joe Lombardi
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E. Coli Outbreak Sickening Dozens May Be Linked To Wendy's In 4 States, CDC Says E. Coli Outbreak Sickening Dozens May Be Linked To Wendy's In 4 States, CDC Says
E. Coli Outbreak Sickening Dozens May Be Linked To Wendy's In 4 States, CDC Says An E. coli outbreak in four states that may be linked to Wendy's has sickened at least 37 people and put 10 in the hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A specific food has not yet been confirmed as the source of this outbreak, but many sick people reported eating sandwiches with romaine lettuce at Wendy’s restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania before getting sick, the CDC said. An illness related to the outbreak was also reported in Indiana. Wendy's said in a statement that it's "fully cooperating with public health authorities on their o…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: CDC Announces Sweeping New Guidance, Including For Schools, Quarantines COVID-19: CDC Announces Sweeping New Guidance, Including For Schools, Quarantines
Covid-19: CDC Announces Sweeping New Guidance, Including For Schools, Quarantines Federal health officials have announced sweeping new COVID-19 guidelines, including for schools and quarantines for those infected. In the updated guidance unveiled on Thursday, Aug. 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was no longer recommending that unvaccinated people quarantine after possibly being exposed to the virus. Instead, the CDC said they should wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested five days after they were exposed. The agency had previously said unvaccinated people and those who haven't received their booster shots should q…

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by Michael Mashburn
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WHO Issues Warning After Reports Of Fatal Attacks On Monkeys Amid Monkeypox Outbreak WHO Issues Warning After Reports Of Fatal Attacks On Monkeys Amid Monkeypox Outbreak
WHO Issues Warning After Reports Of Fatal Attacks On Monkeys Amid Monkeypox Outbreak As fears grow over the monkeypox outbreak, health officials are reporting an increasing number of violent attacks on monkeys. During an update Tuesday, Aug. 9, the World Health Organization (WHO) urged the public not to attack monkeys following reports that the animals have been poisoned, shot, or otherwise harmed in the weeks since the disease began making headlines. At least 10 marmoset or capuchin monkeys in Brazil were found to be suffering from poisoning or physical harm, according to reports. Seven of them died. Brazilian authorities believe the attacks were carried out over a mispl…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
First US Monkeypox Cases In Children Confirmed: Here's New State-By-State Breakdown First US Monkeypox Cases In Children Confirmed: Here's New State-By-State Breakdown
First US Monkeypox Cases In Children Confirmed: Here's New State-By-State Breakdown The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the first case of monkeypox among children in the United States. Those two cases are part of a record outbreak of nearly 2,900 infections nationwide. The unrelated cases, in an infant and a toddler -- one in California and the other in Washington, DC -- are unrelated and likely the result of household transmission, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told The Washington Post on Friday, July 22. New York accounts for about 31 percent of the nation's 2,891 monkeypox cases with 900, followed by California (356). For a state-by-sta…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Reported Illnesses Lead To Recall Of Lentil-Based Product, FDA Says Reported Illnesses Lead To Recall Of Lentil-Based Product, FDA Says
Reported Illnesses Lead To Recall Of Lentil-Based Product, FDA Says A United States Food & Drug Administration investigation is ongoing after officials received hundreds of reports of consumers getting sick after eating a lentil-based product. The FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other agencies are investigating complaints from consumers about gastrointestinal illness and abnormal liver function that could be related to eating Daily Harvest French Lentil & Leek Crumbles frozen product, according to an FDA report.  As of Thursday, July 14, the FDA has received 277 reports and consumer complaints about the product, which&…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
COVID-19: Return Of Mask Mandates? Uncertainty Surrounds Climb In Omicron-Fueled Reinfections COVID-19: Return Of Mask Mandates? Uncertainty Surrounds Climb In Omicron-Fueled Reinfections
Covid-19: Return Of Mask Mandates? Uncertainty Surrounds Climb In Omicron-Fueled Reinfections More places are bringing back indoor mask mandates as the now dominant COVID-19 Omicron strain is not only reinfecting many who have already had the virus but those who have been vaccinated and boosted. The BA.5 variant (the official name for Omicron) made up about 65 percent of US cases in the weeklong period ending Saturday, July 16, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And the wave is being felt nationwide. The Staten Island Ferry has reduced service due to an increasing number of workers being out sick. In Boston, with cases up around 40 percent in a…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
CDC Releases State-By-State Rundown Of Monkeypox Cases CDC Releases State-By-State Rundown Of Monkeypox Cases
CDC Releases State-By-State Rundown Of Monkeypox Cases Amid the largest monkeypox outbreak ever in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a rundown of cases by state. As of 2 p.m. Friday, July 8, there were a total of 767 confirmed cases in the US. That's a big jump from the 72 cases identified nationally in mid-June. New York currently has the most monkeypox cases of any state with 153, followed by California (136) and Illinois (91). Massachusetts has the second-highest number of cases in the Northeast with 32 cases, followed by Pennsylvania (23), New Jersey (8), and Connecticut (3). Click here t…

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by Joe Lombardi