Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Some Public Health Websites Haven't Been Updated Since Shutdown Ended
Some closely watched federal health websites and datasets that went dark during the government shutdown haven't been updated since the reopening. The pause in critical information leaves the public and providers in the dark about threats with the holidays approaching. (Bettelheim and Goldman, 11/18)
Health officials on Monday linked for the first time the measles outbreak that began in Texas with another in Utah and Arizona, a finding that could end America’s status as a nation that has eliminated measles. The news came in a phone call, a recording of which was obtained by The New York Times, among officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments. (Mandavilli and Rosenbluth, 11/17)
Early uptake of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine rose rapidly in Texas infants after the start of the state's measles outbreak in January, even before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged vaccination for this age-group, researchers note in JAMA Network Open. (Van Beusekom, 11/17)
Also —
The outbreak of infant botulism tied to infant powder formula has grown by eight cases in just three days, according to the latest updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The multistate outbreak, which is linked to ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, now stands at 23 cases, all involving hospitalization. Infants in thirteen states have been affected, which means one new state is now affected. No deaths have been reported. (Dall, 11/17)
Out on his farm in Dundee Township, Cliff McConville sees geese landing in the fields where his turkeys and chickens graze. It’s a sight that often unnerves poultry producers, as migratory waterfowl carry and spread a highly infectious strain of bird flu that has been resurging in the United States for the last three years. (Perez and Malon, 11/17)
The San Francisco Department of Public Health on Monday confirmed a case of active tuberculosis in an individual connected to Archbishop Riordan High School. Health officials said the person is in isolation and emphasized that the risk to the broader public remains low. They did not specify whether it was a student or a faculty member. (Vaziri, 11/17)
