Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
2 Catch Legionnaires' Disease, 1 Dies After Visiting A NH Resort
Two people contracted Legionnaires’ disease – and one of them died – after recent stays at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in Whitefield, according to New Hampshire health officials. (Cuno-Booth, 1/2)
Henry Kruschwitz said his wife, Barbara Kruschwitz, 71, had gone swimming in the pool and at the hot tub at the resort, but he hadn't. He said he believes more should have been done after his wife died to prevent a second person from potentially getting sick. (Mitropoulos, 12/31)
In other health alerts —
At least 22 people were hospitalized after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building in Utah on New Year's Eve, officials said. The Sevier County Sherriff's Office (SCSO) said it received two medical calls from the building in Monroe East, about 170 miles south of Salt Lake City. ... The cause of the carbon monoxide poisoning is currently unknown, but church officials said they are investigating and working to resolve the problem, according to the sheriff's office. (Kekatos, 1/2)
The Lung Association said the gas comes up from the ground so areas like a basement could be impacted and if your house is built on a slab, that doesn't mean you're in the clear either. Radon is the result of naturally present uranium breaking down. Outside, that's not a problem. The issue is when it's trapped in a building in high quantities. "People can be exposed to really high levels and not know it," said Kevin Steward, the American Lung Association's director of environmental health. (Hoffman, 1/2)
State health officials are issuing a salmonella warning after a Minnesotan fell ill from eating a Busseto's Charcuterie Sampler, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. That person was not hospitalized but reported becoming sick after eating food from a package. Officials don't yet know what parts of the sampler were the source of contamination and whether other similar products might be affected. (Kahner, 1/2)
About 7,000 pounds of ground beef products are being recalled due to E. Coli concerns, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDS) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The FSIS announced Wednesday that approximately 6,768 pounds of raw ground beef produced by Valley Meats, LLC on December 22, 2023, may be contaminated with E. coli. (Walrath-Holdridge, 1/2)
