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Public Health

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…
Rabies Alert Issued After Raccoon Tests Positive For Virus Near Virginia Park Rabies Alert Issued After Raccoon Tests Positive For Virus Near Virginia Park
Rabies Alert Issued After Raccoon Tests Positive For Virus Near Virginia Park An alert has been issued by the Alexandria Health Department advising that a raccoon tested positive for rabies after being collected at an area park. On Sunday, Oct. 27, officials say that a raccoon came into contact with a dog in the area near Sanger Avenue along a Dora Kelley Nature Park trail, which later tested positive for the virus. The raccoon is dead, the dog is isolated, but there is an increased risk in the area, health officials are cautioning. Rabies is a viral disease that mainly infects mammals (warm-blooded animals who nurse their young) and is spread through the saliva of …
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…
Boar's Head Shuts Down VA Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, No Longer Making Liverwurst Boar's Head Shuts Down VA Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, No Longer Making Liverwurst
Boar's Head Shuts Down VA Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak, No Longer Making 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…
Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Virginia Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak: Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Virginia Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak:
Mold, Mildew, Insects Found At Virginia Boar’s Head Plant Tied To Deadly Listeria Outbreak: 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…
Walmart Issues Massive Recall For Juice Product Sold In 23 States, Including Virginia Walmart Issues Massive Recall For Juice Product Sold In 23 States, Including Virginia
Walmart Issues Massive Recall For Juice Product Sold In 23 States, Including Virginia 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,…
Person From Virginia Third To Die From Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meat Person From Virginia Third To Die From Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meat
Person From Virginia Third To Die 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…
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…
2 Dead, 28 Sickened In Multistate Deli Meat Listeria Outbreak, CDC Says 2 Dead, 28 Sickened In Multistate Deli Meat Listeria Outbreak, CDC Says
2 Dead, 28 Sickened In Multistate Deli Meat Listeria Outbreak, CDC Says Two people died, and dozens of others sickened in a Listeria outbreak tied to deli meats in several states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twenty-eight people across 12 states had been sickened between late May and mid-July, the CDC says. The deaths occurred in New Jersey and Illinois, health officials said. All 28 individuals had been hospitalized as of Friday, July 19. According to the CDC map, seven illnesses were reported in New York; six in Maryland; two in New Jersey; two in Virginia; two in Massachusetts; and one in Pennsylvania. Click here for the…
Alert Issued For Possible Measles Exposure At Virginia Grocery Store, DC Locations Alert Issued For Possible Measles Exposure At Virginia Grocery Store, DC Locations
Alert Issued For Possible Measles Exposure At Virginia Grocery Store, DC Locations The Arlington County Public Health Division has issued an alert after being notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who visited a grocery store earlier this month.  An out-of-state resident reportedly visited Harris Teeter on North Glebe Road between noon and 4 p.m. on Monday, July 1, and the health department is cautioning that some shoppers may have been exposed. The same person may have also reportedly visited CVS and a LabCorp site in the 2200 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW the following day, investigators are warning. "Measles is a contagious vaccine-preventable vi…
Popular Ice Cream Products Recalled Over Listeria Concerns, FDA Says Popular Ice Cream Products Recalled Over Listeria Concerns, FDA Says
Popular Ice Cream Products Recalled Over Listeria Concerns, FDA Says Approximately 70 ice cream products sold by multiple brands including Friendly's and Hershey's are being recalled due to a possible presence of listeria, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. The brands were recalled this week by Totally Cool, Inc. based in Owings Mills, MD, which has stopped the production and distribution of the affected products due to FDA sampling. Some of the most popular items recalled include: Friendly's 60 fl oz Celebration Ice Cream Cake 40 fl oz Strawberry Krunch Ice Cream Cake; Hershey's 38 fl oz vanilla and chocolat…
Dollar Tree Sold Lead-Infused Applesauce Pouches For Weeks After Recall, FDA Says Dollar Tree Sold Lead-Infused Applesauce Pouches For Weeks After Recall, FDA Says
Dollar Tree Sold Lead-Infused Applesauce Pouches For Weeks After Recall, FDA Says Despite a recall notice and multiple warnings from the Food and Drug Administration, Dollar Tree continued to sell applesauce pouches containing lead for weeks, federal officials say. The popular retail chain was issued a letter from the FDA this month regarding the WanaBana fruit puree pouches, distributed by Negasmart. "As described below, laboratory analysis of multiple lots of WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches, including finished product samples collected from Dollar Tree stores, detected extremely high concentrations of lead," the letter reads.  "... you conti…
E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Popular Northern Virginia Lake, State Health Officials Say E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Popular Northern Virginia Lake, State Health Officials Say
E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Popular Northern Virginia Lake, State Health Officials Say A cluster of stomach viruses including some people who have been diagnosed with E. coli has been linked to a Northern Virginia lake, state health officials said. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) said it is investigating a cluster of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses in people who were in the Lake Anna area over Memorial Day weekend.  E. coli infection causes stomach cramps and diarrhea (often watery or bloody), and symptoms can also include vomiting, fever, and chills. In severe cases, the infection can damage organs, such as the kidneys, and lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS…
Cucumbers Shipped To 14 States Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination Cucumbers Shipped To 14 States Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination
Cucumbers Shipped To 14 States Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination A Florida-based company is recalling whole cucumbers that were shipped to 14 states, but may be contaminated with Salmonella, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced. According to the FDA, the cucumbers subject to recall are dark green, between 1.5 inches and two inches thick and between five to nine inches long. Officials made note that mini cucumbers and English cucumbers are not included in the recall. FDA The recalled cucumbers were shipped in bulk cartons between Friday, May 17 and Tuesday, May 21 to retail distribution centers, wholesalers, and food service distributor…
Bacterial Infection With Unusual, Serious Symptoms Prompts CDC Warning Bacterial Infection With Unusual, Serious Symptoms Prompts CDC Warning
Bacterial Infection With Unusual, Serious Symptoms Prompts CDC Warning A bacterial infection is appearing nationally with unusual and serious symptoms according to federal authorities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just issued a Health Alert warning that the rare illness, caused by a strain of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, has a higher fatality rate than normally seen with meningococcal infections. As of Monday, March 25, 143 cases have been reported to CDC for the current calendar year, an increase of 62 cases over the 81 reported as of this date in 2023.  Cases caused by this strain are disproportionately occurring i…
Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA
Deadly Cheeses Prompt Massive Recall Nationwide: CDC, FDA, USDA Dairy products linked to deaths and serious illness — sold nationwide at many major retailers — are being recalled, the Center for Disease Control, the US Department of Agriculture, and the Food And Drug Administration announced in multiple releases over the first week of February.  Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. is recalling over 50 products after 26 illnesses, 23 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths, according to the CDC.  The California-based company issued the recall following the report of Listeria monocytogenes contamination causing illnesses in 11 states. Listeria monocytogene…
Supplements Sold Nationwide Being Recalled Due To Presence Of 'Gas Station Heroin' In Products Supplements Sold Nationwide Being Recalled Due To Presence Of 'Gas Station Heroin' In Products
Supplements Sold Nationwide Being Recalled Due To Presence Of 'Gas Station Heroin' In Products Federal Health officials are cautioning consumers to avoid certain products that may contain an ingredient known as "gas station heroin."  Neptune Resources LLC announced a voluntary recall of all lots of "Neptune's Fix Elixir," "Neptune's Fix Extra Strength Elixir," and Neptune's Fix Tablets due to the possible presence of tianeptine, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced. Tianeptine, which has been called "gas station heroin" by some, is not FDA-approved for any medical use, and its presence in the products prompted the nationwide recall. "The presence of tianepti…
Traveler With Measles Passed Through Dulles, Reagan Airports In Virginia: Health Officials Traveler With Measles Passed Through Dulles, Reagan Airports In Virginia: Health Officials
Traveler With Measles Passed Through Dulles, Reagan Airports In Virginia: Health Officials Health officials are cautioning about potential measles exposure in Northern Virginia airports.  The Virginia Department of Health was notified about a person who returned stateside after an international trip and traveled through Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport earlier this month and may have exposed other travelers to the virus. VDH was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who traveled through Northern Virginia when returning from international travel. Out of an abundance of caution, VDH is informing people who were at vari…
First Pediatric Flu-Related Death Of New Season Reported In Virginia First Pediatric Flu-Related Death Of New Season Reported In Virginia
First Pediatric Flu-Related Death Of New Season Reported In Virginia The Virginina Department of Health confirmed that the state's first reported flu-death of the 2023-2024 season has been reported. Health officials announced that a child between the ages of 5 and 12 in Virginia's Eastern region died from complications related to influenza.  No additional information is being provided by the department due to the victim's age and to protect the family. With temperatures dropping, Virginia is seeing an increase in new flu cases,  For the week ending on Saturday, Dec. 23, emergency department and urgent care visits due to flu-like illness represent…
Packaged Spinach Sold To Stores In Virginia Recalled Due To Concerns Of Listeria Contamination Packaged Spinach Sold To Stores In Virginia Recalled Due To Concerns Of Listeria Contamination
Packaged Spinach Sold To Stores In Virginia Recalled Due To Concerns Of Listeria Contamination Federal officials announced a recall of popular spinach products that were sold in Virginia due to concerns of Listeria contamination. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Fresh Express is recalling eight-ounce packages of "Fresh Express Spinach" and nine-ounce bags of "Publix Spinach" that have a product code of "G332" due to the potential health risk. Publix Spinach FDA Officials said that the recall was announced after a routine inspection by the Florida Department of Agriculture produced a positive result for Listeria monocytogenes in a single randomly sele…
Kale, Spinach, Collard Green Products Produced In MD Subject To Listeria Recall Kale, Spinach, Collard Green Products Produced In MD Subject To Listeria Recall
Kale, Spinach, Collard Green Products Produced In MD Subject To Listeria Recall A Maryland-based company announced a recall of kale and other similar products that were shipped up and down parts of the East Coast and could be contaminated with Listeria. Lancaster Foods is voluntarily recalling three brands of Robinson Fresh, Lancaster, and Giant brand kale, spinach, and collard green products after a random sample tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes by the New York Agriculture and Markets Food Safety Division. Items subject to the recall were distributed to retailers and distributors in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. …
JUUL Ordered To Pay $15.2M To DC After Contributing To Teen Vaping Epidemic JUUL Ordered To Pay $15.2M To DC After Contributing To Teen Vaping Epidemic
Juul Ordered To Pay $15.2M To DC After Contributing To Teen Vaping Epidemic JUUL Labs, Inc. has been ordered to pay $15.2 million to the District of Columbia after a massive settlement across several states. The settlement is the largest litigated settlement that the DC Office of the Attorney General has secured under the Consumer Protection Procedures Act, officials said. JUUL Labs, Inc. is the maker of the popular nicotine vape JUUL, which quickly rose in popularity amongst young adults and teenagers over the last ten years, initially available in fruity and mint flavors that were later banned due to highly-addictive qualities. At least 50 percent of the settlem…
Virginian Among Those Sickened By Eating Raw Flour Amid Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak Virginian Among Those Sickened By Eating Raw Flour Amid Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak
Virginian Among Those Sickened By Eating Raw Flour Amid Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak Federal investigators are working to identify a specific brand of flour that is linked to a salmonella outbreak that sickened at least one person in Virginia. A salmonella outbreak connected to raw flour has infected 12 people in 11 different states, with three forced to be hospitalized due to their illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Aside from Virginia, illnesses have also been reported in: New York; Ohio; Tennessee; Illinois (two); Missouri; Iowa; Minnesota; Nebraska; Oregon; California. The breakdown of illnesses reported amid the salmonell…
Suicides Of Sailors Assigned To Same Navy Ship Were Not Connected: Military Suicides Of Sailors Assigned To Same Navy Ship Were Not Connected: Military
Suicides Of Sailors Assigned To Same Navy Ship Were Not Connected: Military After a string of suicides hit the USS George Washington, the Navy is saying that they are not connected. Three USS George Washington Sailors died by suicide in April 2022, with the Navy saying that the Sailors had no social or working relationships with one another, and that each Sailor was experiencing "unique and individualized life stressors" that led to their deaths, according to a statement made by the United State Fleet Forces Command. “We have diligently worked to determine the facts and understand the circumstances surrounding these tragic events with the hope that this will not on…
Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Small Turtle Sales Hits Virginia Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Small Turtle Sales Hits Virginia
Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Small Turtle Sales Hits Virginia At least 21 people, including one person from Virginia, have been impacted by a multi-state Salmonella outbreak linked to the purchase of small turtles, the CDC reports.  Five people reported getting sick after buying pet turtles with shells smaller than four inches long from an online store known as myturtlestore.com, the CDC said. That number has since grown to 21 with eight being hospitalized.  The first reported illness was on January 3, 2022, according to CDC data. It is unclear as to when the Virginia resident became infected and where they live.  In the Unit…
Health Officials Report First Polio Case In US In Nearly A Decade Health Officials Report First Polio Case In US In Nearly A Decade
Health Officials Report First Polio Case In US In Nearly A Decade State health officials have confirmed a case of polio in New York, the first time the disease has been seen in the United States in nearly a decade. The case was confirmed in Rockland County, the New York State Department of Health announced Thursday, July 21. State and county health officials said they were advising medical practitioners and healthcare providers to be on the lookout for additional cases. Today NYSDOH notified NYers of a case of polio in Rockland County, identified through sequencing at Wadsworth, confirmed by @CDCgov. Working with @rockhealth & @nychealthy, we wil…
Leesburg Teenager Missing, Police Worried About Her Safety Leesburg Teenager Missing, Police Worried About Her Safety
Leesburg Teenager Missing, Police Worried About Her Safety Authorities are looking for a missing Loudoun County teenager who they say could be in danger.  Brianna Flores Loy, 17, of Leesburg, went missing early Tuesday morning, June 28, from her home on Lost Corner Road, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies say they are worried about her well-being because of a health or physical problem.  The Sheriff's Office describes Brianna as 4-feet-11-inches tall and weighing 118 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.  The Sheriff's Office asks anyone with information on Brianna's whereabouts or disappearance to contact deputies …
Coyote That Attacked People, Pets At Fairfax County Park Had Rabies, Tests Show Coyote That Attacked People, Pets At Fairfax County Park Had Rabies, Tests Show
Coyote That Attacked People, Pets At Fairfax County Park Had Rabies, Tests Show Tests on the remains of a coyote that bit several people and a police officer over the weekend confirmed what authorities had suspected: it was rabid.  The Fairfax County Health Department received the test results on Monday evening, June 6. Officials ask anyone who came in contact with a coyote on Saturday or Sunday in the Lake Accotink Park area in Springfield to contact the health department. They may need to receive medical treatment for the virus.  The coyote attacked three people and two dogs on Saturday. A day later,  the animal bit a policeman who was searching for it…
Virginia Farm Responds To E. Coli Outbreak Allegedly Linked To Baby Goats Virginia Farm Responds To E. Coli Outbreak Allegedly Linked To Baby Goats
Virginia Farm Responds To E. Coli Outbreak Allegedly Linked To Baby Goats A dairy farm in Virginia has responding to a claim made in a press release posted by the Loudon County officials about an E. coli investigation.  Several E. coli cases were traced back to Georges Mill Farm in Lovettsville, from people who visited between March 6 and April 20, The Loudoun County Health Department said. Farm owner Molly Koiz said she and other farm workers "feel horrible" both that visitors got sick, and that the Loudoun County Health Department considers contact with the baby goats as the source of the illness. The Loudon County Health Department hung up on Daily Voice whe…