Author: Claudinne Miller
COVID tests: Do at-home tests work on newer variants?
Harvard Health If you develop respiratory symptoms, you may worry that you have COVID-19. One easy way to check is with an at-home COVID test. These tests are widely available at drugstores, supermarkets, and online retailers like Amazon. Here’s a closer look at at-home COVID tests: how they work, when to test, and how to get […]
Jan 8, 2025
France identifies first case of new mpox variant
Reuters rance has identified its first case of the new mpox variant, news agency AFP reported on Monday, citing a statement from the country’s health ministry. The patient had not traveled to Central Africa, where the new form of the virus originated but was in contact with two people who had returned from that region, […]
Jan 8, 2025
Avian flu suspected in deaths of 200 snow geese in eastern Pennsylvania
WGAL The Pennsylvania Game Commission said avian influenza is suspected to have caused the deaths of about 200 snow geese in the greater Allentown area. Dead birds were recovered Monday from two sites – one in Lower Nazareth Township in Northampton County and another in Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County. Continue reading
Jan 8, 2025
Vaccine Stocks Jump on U.S. Bird-Flu Death
WSJ Shares of vaccine makers including Moderna, Novavax and CureVac rose Tuesday after U.S. health officials confirmed the first American death caused by the H5N1 bird flu. Continue reading
Jan 8, 2025
New research from Univ of Minnesota targets HPAI’s impact on wildlife
MeatPoultry Minnesota Governor Tim Walz approved $1.267 million in funding from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) to support research on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). With the funding, researchers at the University of Minnesota’s (U of M) College of Veterinary Medicine will collaborate with state, federal and local partners to ramp up testing […]
Jan 8, 2025
Extended Paxlovid May Relieve Long Covid Symptoms
Neuroscience News Extended courses of Paxlovid may alleviate symptoms in some patients with long Covid, though its effectiveness varies widely. Of 13 patients studied, five experienced sustained improvements, while others reported temporary or no benefits. This complexity underscores the challenge of treating long Covid, a condition with over 200 symptoms ranging from brain fog to […]
Jan 8, 2025
As 1st bird flu death reported in US, what could happen with virus in 2025?
ABC In the nearly nine months since the first human case of bird flu was detected in the United States, the virus has continued to spread. The outbreak infected hundreds of herds and millions of birds before it spread to humans. As of Jan. 6, there have been 66 human cases of bird flu reported […]
Jan 8, 2025
It feels like everyone has a stomach bug. A new norovirus strain might be to blame, CDC data suggests
CBS A new strain of norovirus now makes up a majority of outbreaks nationwide, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new strain’s emergence, found spreading throughout the country and on cruise ships, offers a possible explanation for the past month’s steep wave of infections from the stomach bug. Scientists call this winter’s […]
Jan 8, 2025
Evidence of Influenza A(H5N1) Spillover Infections in Horses, Mongolia
CDC Recent outbreaks of influenza A(H5N1) have affected many mammal species. We report serologic evidence of H5N1 virus infection in horses in Mongolia. Because H3N8 equine influenza virus is endemic in many countries, horses should be monitored to prevent reassortment between equine and avian influenza viruses with unknown consequences. Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) of the […]
Jan 7, 2025
Why The U.S. Could Be Making The Same Mistakes With Bird Flu As It Did With COVID-19
Forbes The first severe case of bird flu occurred last month in a Louisiana man hospitalized after having had contact with sick birds in a backyard flock. In addition, the state of California recently declared a state of emergency as the bird flu virus continues to spread among livestock in the state. To date, there have been […]
Jan 7, 2025