The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced the second confirmed case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States. The agency says that it expects there will be additional reports of the virus in the US in coming weeks, but that it considers the overall risk of this outbreak to the American public to be 'low' at this point in time.
Though it been managed far better than the SARS outbreak that happened years ago, the ongoing outbreak of a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China has raised global concerns over the potential for the virus to spread internationally and infect a large number of people. Health agencies and organizations around the world have mobilized to address the matter; here's the latest on what they're doing and what you can expect in the immediate future.
Only days after reports of the virus appearing in Thailand and Japan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced the first case of the mysterious coronavirus behind an outbreak in Wuhan, China, has been confirmed in the United States. The CDC revealed the case in a briefing on Tuesday, explaining that the unnamed patient is located in Washington state and recently returned from a trip to Wuhan.
If you plan to go to a pet store at some point in the near future, avoid petting the adorable puppies that may be present. That's according to the CDC, which reports that it has linked a multistate drug-resist infection involving Campylobacter jejuni with puppies located at certain pet stores. Symptoms include stomach cramps, fever, and more.
The Centers for Disease Control has detailed four new case studies that strengthen the link between lung injury outbreak EVALI and a thickening agent called vitamin E acetate. According to the agency, the number of emergency room visits related to EVALI-like symptoms has been decreasing following a peak this past summer. The studies also detail instances of rehospitalization and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published its latest update on the outbreak of EVALI lung injury cases associated with electronic cigarettes and THC vapes. According to the agency, public health officials have found that products from multiple brands, including a number of counterfeits, were likely responsible for the outbreak. Officials also say that vitamin E acetate may not be the only compound contributing to the condition.
The CDC reports that yet another E. coli outbreak has been linked to romaine lettuce. The agency is warning the public to avoid consuming romaine lettuce that originates from the Salinas, California, area due to the risk of contracting the illness. As of November 22, the agency was aware of 40 reported E. coli cases across 16 states, including 28 hospitalizations. Another romaine lettuce recall has been initiated.
Public health officials with the FDA and CDC have linked a hepatitis A outbreak to the consumption of blackberries purchased from a natural food marketplace with stores in the Midwest. Federal experts have been working with public health officials from three states on investigating a hepatitis A outbreak currently involving 11 cases and six hospitalizations.
Cigarette smoking rates have declined in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control, as vaping rates increase. Last year saw the lowest ever recorded levels of smoking among adults in the United States at only 13.7-percent, a huge drop of around two-thirds since the agency started collecting information on smokers in 1965. However, vaping has introduced new public health concerns in its place.
The CDC has announced the potential cause of EVALI, the lung injury that has appeared in people who report recent vape use. The concerning ingredient is vitamin E acetate, the compound previously leaked as a finding under the agency's investigation. Though the CDC had advised, at the time of the leak, that it was too early to implicate the compound, it is now back warning that vitamin E acetate may be deadly when inhaled.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published a new advisory stating that the United States can improve overall public health by reducing the number of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which include everything from having a parent in prison to witnessing traumatic events and being abused. These experiences have been linked to increased risk of health issues, including chronic illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a salmonella outbreak in six states involving a strain that is 'more severe than expected.' Ten people infected with this particular strain have been reported, according to the agency, eight of whom where hospitalized. In addition, the CDC says that one person in California has died as a result of infection from this outbreak.