Category: Featured Headlines
A trifecta of viruses in the D.C. region has health officials worried
Washington Post A surge in coronavirus and flu infections in recent weeks, driven upward as more people have come into contact with one another during the holidays, has health officials in the Washington region worried about a potential strain on area hospitals. Virginia health officials on Thursday announced the state’s first reported child death due to the […]
Jan 2, 2024
Testing negative but still feeling sick? Doctors explain why
The Hill You’ve got the sore throat, runny nose and cough (or any of the other common COVID-19 symptoms right now), but when you swab your nose and take a test, it comes out negative. Is there a chance you still have COVID-19? Could it be something else? The answer – to both questions – is yes. “If […]
Jan 2, 2024
Why do people get sick with viruses in the winter?
Medical Express Respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and influenza surge in the colder months. And it’s not just because people are spending more time indoors. Dr. Matthew Binnicker, director of the Clinical Microbiology Molecular Lab and co-director of the Clinical Virology Lab at Mayo Clinic, explains what other factors promote virus spread in the winter. “It’s […]
Jan 2, 2024
New coronavirus variant JN.1 is spreading fast. Here’s what to know.
Washington Post The rapid growth of the coronavirus subvariant JN.1 during the holiday season could fuel winter waves of illness in the United States and beyond, public health authorities warn. JN.1 caused nearly half of new U.S. coronavirus infections in the two weeks leading up to Christmas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. The World Health […]
Jan 2, 2024
Respiratory virus activity is high and rising across the United States, CDC data shows
CNN As seasonal virus activity surges across the United States, experts stress the importance of preventive measures – such as masking and vaccination – and the value of treatment for those who do get sick. Tens of thousands of people have been admitted to hospitals for respiratory illness each week this season. During the week […]
Jan 2, 2024
Mouse Fever: What To Know About The Virus “Mowing Down” Putin’s Soldiers Fighting In Ukraine
Forbes A disease spread by rodents that causes vomiting and bleeding from the eyes called “mouse fever” is tearing through Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, according to Ukrainian intelligence, illustrating the poor conditions soldiers face as the war edges towards stalemate and nears the two-year mark. “Mouse fever” is reportedly “mowing down” Russian troops “en masse” near […]
Dec 27, 2023
Health workers struggle to prevent an infectious disease ‘disaster in waiting’ in Gaza
NPR In Gaza, the World Health Organization warns that illness may ultimately kill more people than Israel’s offensive. Infectious diseases are “soaring,” says the WHO. Over 100,000 cases of diarrhea have been reported, with rates among children 25 times higher than before the war. War has shattered Gaza’s health-care system, including its disease surveillance capabilities. So […]
Dec 26, 2023
Pediatric RSV Led to Higher Hospitalization Rates than Omicron or Flu
MedPageToday A retrospective study revealed that hospital admission rates were far higher for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) than for the Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 or influenza A/B in children presenting at Swedish emergency departments (EDs) from August 2021 to September 2022. Hospitalization rates were 81.7% for RSV, 31.5% for Omicron, and 27.7% for influenza, Pontus […]
Dec 26, 2023
Why Covid is still flooring some people
BBC What is it like to catch Covid now? It is a question I have been pondering since a friend was surprised by how roughed up they were by it. Their third bout of Covid was significantly worse than the previous time they caught it. “I thought every time you catch an illness it’s supposed […]
Dec 19, 2023
Yes, a Lot of People Are Getting Sick Right Now
NYT Welcome to sick season. According to the CDC, New York City — along with New Jersey and at least 16 other states — is now experiencing “high” to “very high” levels of respiratory-illness activity as measured by the number of weekly visits to health-care providers and emergency rooms by people having symptoms of fever, cough, and sore […]
Dec 19, 2023
