A potentially deadly insect that bites people around the mouth is making its way farther north from South and Central America.
Source: Dangerous ‘kissing bug’ spreading north from South America, CDC warns | WPXI
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A potentially deadly insect that bites people around the mouth is making its way farther north from South and Central America.
Source: Dangerous ‘kissing bug’ spreading north from South America, CDC warns | WPXI
There are 695 cases in 22 states. HHS Secretary Alex Azar said the spike was “avoidable” and he called measles vaccines “among the most extensively studied medical products we have.”
The agency attributed the high number of cases primarily to a few large outbreaks — one in the state of Washington and two others in New York City and New York state. The New York outbreaks are among the largest and longest lasting since 2000.
“The longer these outbreaks continue, the greater the chance measles will again get a sustained foothold in the United States,” the CDC said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said, in a statement, said the rise in measles cases is “avoidable.”
“Measles is not a harmless childhood illness, but a highly contagious, potentially life-threatening disease,” he said. “We have the ability to safely protect our children and our communities. Vaccines are a safe, highly effective public health solution that can prevent this disease. The measles vaccines are among the most extensively studied medical products we have, and their safety has been firmly established over many years in some of the largest vaccine studies ever undertaken.”
Source: CDC Reports Largest U.S. Measles Outbreak Since Year 2000
Americans are becoming increasingly sedentary, spending almost a third of their waking hours sitting down, and computer use is partly to blame, a new study found.
Over almost a decade, average daily sitting time increased by roughly an hour, to about eight hours for U.S. teens and almost 6 1/2 hours for adults, according to the researchers. That includes school and work hours, but leisure-time computer use among all ages increased too.
By 2016, at least half of American kids and adults spent an hour or more of leisure time daily using computers. There are many services like this Managed IT Services Chicago who are bringing in courses which can help people understand and develop on the skill. The biggest increase was among the oldest adults: 15% of retirement-aged adults reported using computers that often in 2003-04, soaring to more than half in 2015-16.
Source: Americans getting more inactive, computers partly to blame
Human exposure to the toxins has previously been associated with lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and COPD.
“Finding these toxins in e-cigarette products adds to the growing concerns that we have about the safety of e-cigarettes,” said Dr. David Christiani, study author and professor of environmental genetics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public in Boston.
The researchers examined 75 popular e-cigarette products — 37 single-use cartridges and 38 e-liquids from 10 top selling U.S. brands. The products were classified into four different flavor categories: tobacco, menthol, fruit, and other; and screened for the presence of endotoxin and glucan, toxic inflammatory substances that damage the lungs.
They found that 17 of 75 products, 23%, contained traces of endotoxin, a potent inflammatory molecule found in bacteria, and 61 of 75 products, 81%, contained traces of glucan, a toxic substance found in the cell walls of most fungi. Exposure to these microbial toxins has been associated with a myriad of health problems, including asthma, reduced lung function, and inflammation.
Source: Popular e-cigarette products contaminated with bacterial and fungal toxins, study finds
Whenever a new medication or other consumable chemical enters the market, adverse health effects will follow. Cannabis is no different.
Source: Much more must happen to make cannabis safe, public health expert says – nj.com
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will introduce legislation to raise the federal minimum age to buy tobacco to 21 from 18.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will introduce legislation to raise the federal minimum age to buy tobacco to 21 from 18, he announced Thursday.
McConnell will introduce the legislation, called the McConnell bill, in May, he said. The bill will cover all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. McConnell’s backing marks the strongest support yet in Congress for what’s been dubbed “T21.”
“For some time, I’ve been hearing from the parents who are seeing an unprecedented spike in vaping among their teenage children,” McConnell said in a statement. “In addition, we all know people who started smoking at a young age and who struggled to quit as adults. Unfortunately it’s reaching epidemic levels around the country.”
Source: McConnell to introduce bill for a minimum age to buy tobacco of 21
You may want to check your eggs as more than 200 million are being recalled because of potential salmonella contamination.
The eggs that are part of the recall can be identified by the plant number, P-1065, with the Julian date range of 011 through 102 printed on either the side portion or the principal side of the carton or package.
The FDA urges consumers to stop using the recalled eggs right away and return them to the store you bought them from for a full refund.
According to the FDA, the recalled eggs may be contaminated with salmonellabraenderup, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals can experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Weed for Warriors Project was started in the San Francisco Bay Area by an OEF United States Marine Corps Veteran who found relief from his service connected disabilities through medical marijuanaand the fellowship of other like minded Veterans within the cannabis community. Weed for Warriors Project is able to provide Veterans with medical marijuana information, a safe place to fellowship with other Veterans and safe access to free medicine with proof of service/ current medical recommendation.
Source: Weed for Warriors Project: Advocating for Veteran’s Rights to Cannabis
McDonald’s is reportedly cooperating with the investigation being conducted by local and state agencies.
A McDonald’s employee in Kentucky could have potentially infected several customers with hepatitis A, local health officials report.
Officials are warning people who may have eaten at the Berea, KY, fast food chain or come into contact with the food handler on March 23 to be aware of any symptoms that may indicate they have been infected with the disease, such as fever, fatique, nausea or joint pain, among others.
“Hepatitis A is caused by a virus that is passed person to person through fecal-oral contact,” officials at the Madison County health department said, Bloomberg reported. “The risk to patrons who ate at McDonald’s is very low. However, individuals who ate there on March 23rd should watch for signs and symptoms of hepatitis A from April 7th to May 12th.”
Source: McDonald’s customers warned they could have hepatitis because of infected food handler | Fox News
PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA FACE MISDEMEANOR CHARGES FOR FEEDING THE HOMELESS
Largest pet retailer in U.S. conducting an internal investigation after a trio of canine fatalities in the Garden State
The dog’s demise came the same day that officials raided a PetSmart store in Nashville and confiscated six small animals suspected of being abused. Lauren Bluestone, director of the city’s Metro Animal Care and Control department, said in an email that criminal charges are expected to be filed next week.
“The six animals finally were released into our custody from the small animal vet specialist,” she said, adding that “all animals are currently being treated but are doing much better.”
The death of Crawford’s dog follows the deaths of two dogs and the injury of another at a PetSmart in Flemington, N.J., during an eight-day period in December. Those deaths were not related, according to PetSmart.
Source: PetSmart faces another dog death
Scruffles was a healthy, 8-year-old Bulldog when he died during a grooming at the Flemington PetSmart on Dec. 29, 2017, owner Danielle DiNapoli said. (Photo courtesy Danielle DiNapoli)
An E. coli outbreak in New Jersey has a 100 percent hospitalization rate and is possibly linked to eating at Panera Bread, based on patient interviews.
Although state health officials did not specifically name Panera Bread in an undated statement posted this weekend, local officials have told media in New Jersey that their investigation includes Panera Bread.
“The department is investigating a possible association with a chain restaurant, but the association may be broader than a single chain restaurant. The department is in the process of gathering food history data from those who became ill,” according to the statement from the New Jersey Department of Health.
All eight people confirmed with E. coli infections had symptoms so severe that they required hospitalization. Three of them were still in the hospital as of this weekend.
Source: All victims in New Jersey E. coli outbreak admitted to hospitals | Food Safety News
Does your child suffer from food allergies? Baby wipes may be the cause, according to a new report.
Researchers from Northwestern University recently conducted a study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, to determine the environmental and genetic factors associated with the allergy.
To do so, they examined clinical evidence on food allergies. They learned that 35 percent of those with them have three gene mutations that diminish the skin’s barrier, which can expose the body to allergens.
However, they learned not everyone with the mutations develop food allergies. After exposing mice with similar mutations to food allergens like peanuts, they discovered the nuts alone had no effect.
“Then I thought about what are babies exposed to,” lead author Joan Cook-Mills said in a statement. “They are exposed to environmental allergens in dust in a home. They may not be eating food allergens as a newborn, but they are getting them on their skin. Say a sibling with peanut butter on her face kisses the baby. Or a parent is preparing food with peanuts and then handles the baby.”
Source: Food allergies may be linked to baby wipes, study says
The Allegheny County Health Department issued a consumer alert for an East Liberty store on Tuesday.
The Dollar Tree at 6009 Penn Ave. was found to have a “significant mouse infestation,” the department said in a report.
The inspector found droppings “too numerous to count” throughout the store, including near cash registers and in one food aisle. The inspector also found packages of food that appeared to have been gnawed.
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Source: County: East Liberty Dollar Tree has ‘significant mouse infestation’
Classical singer Ciara Harvie was eating at a McDonald’s in Edinburgh, Scotland, when she discovered the dead spider.
A spokeswoman for McDonald’s said in a statement to the Mirror:
“We are sorry to hear about this customer’s experience. Food quality and safety are of the utmost importance to us and we place great emphasis on quality control, following rigorous standards in order to avoid any imperfections. At the time, we apologized to the customer and provided her with a replacement McChicken Sandwich. We have since spoken again with the customer to apologize once more and offer another replacement meal, which was declined.”
Source: Woman finds spider in McDonald’s chicken sandwich | Fox News
The city had 21 fatal overdoses last year, surpassing the county’s largest municipality, Hempfield Township, which had 19. Yet Hempfield has more than 41,300 residents, more than quadruple Jeannette’s 9,300.
“When you look at the populations … it is amazing. Usually it’s Hempfield, Derry and Unity townships with the higher populations that have had the most,” Coroner Ken Bacha said.
Source: Jeannette leads Westmoreland in overdose deaths, officials look to reverse trend | TribLIVE