Possible Measles Exposure Reported at LAX and Orange County Children's Hospital Health officials are warning that people who were at Los Angeles International Airport and Children’s Hospital of Orange County in recent days may have been exposed to measles. Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
CBS News: U.S. Reports Record-Breaking Whooping Cough Cases Over Thanksgiving
At least 364 pertussis infections were reported to health authorities last week, according to figures published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, marking the worst Thanksgiving week for whooping cough in recent decades. This tops the previous Thanksgiving record of 228 cases of pertussis which were reported for the week ending Nov. 27, 2010. That year there were 27,550 cases reported by the end of 2010, below the 28,167 already tallied so far this year. (Tin, 12/5)
The Washington Post: CDC Finds Splash Pads Linked to Thousands of Waterborne Disease Cases
Splash pads found in public parks across the United States are linked to thousands of cases of waterborne diseases that leave a calling card of diarrhea, fever and vomiting, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week. More than 10,000 children became ill from 1997 to 2022 after using splash pads, and most of those outbreaks were attributed to cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes diarrhea and spreads through contaminated water. (Malhi, 12/4)
The Guardian: Study Shows Most Teenagers Recover from Long Covid Within Two Years
Most teenagers who have suffered from long Covid recover within two years, according to the largest study of its kind. But the researchers said more work was needed to understand why some children still had ongoing health problems two years after infection. (12/4)
ABC News: RSV and Flu Cases Rising Among Young Children in the U.S. as Respiratory Virus Season Begins
Cases of flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are ticking up across the United States even as overall respiratory virus activity remains low. Flu activity is increasing slightly among children while RSV activity is elevated in the southern, central and eastern U.S., according to data updated Monday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of the week ending Nov. 23, the latest date for which data is available, 0.6% of emergency department visits were for flu and 0.4% were for RSV. (Kekatos and Benadjaoud, 12/3)
KPBS Public Media: Kaiser Mental Health Workers' Strike Leaves Patients Struggling to Access Care
Alana Molino has been a Kaiser patient since 2018. She said it’s frustrating to have to restart therapy with temporary providers. "It’s hard enough trying to admit that you need therapy," Molino said. "You have to start pretty much from scratch with the new therapist and uncover all the trauma again that you’ve just worked out with someone else." (de Marco, 12/5)
Becker's Hospital Review: Travel Nurse Salaries by State
Average weekly travel nurse pay in the U.S. in November was $2,286.34, up 0.65% from the previous month and down 3.34% from November 2023, according to data shared with Becker's from Vivian, a healthcare career marketplace. Here is the average weekly travel nurse pay for each state as of November 2024, along with the percentage difference between November and October. (Gooch, 12/3)
The Wall Street Journal: Why the Number of Male Nurses Has Tripled Since the Early 2000s
The number of men in the U.S. with the job of registered nurse has nearly tripled since the early 2000s. Many come to the field after working in the military or in jobs, such as paramedics or firefighters, that exposed them to the work of nurses. “What I hear a lot from female students is, ‘I’ve always wanted to be a nurse, I like helping people,’ where the men tend to look more at job security and job stability,” said Jason Mott, president of the American Association for Men in Nursing. (Torry, 11/30)
Los Angeles Times: Biden Seeks to End Law Permitting Low Wages for Disabled Workers
The Biden administration’s Department of Labor is moving to phase out a controversial program that allows some employers to pay disabled employees less than the federal minimum wage, the department announced Tuesday. Enacted in 1938 during the late years of the Great Depression, the measure was intended to increase employment opportunities for workers with disabilities but has been denounced by advocates who say it amounts to legalized discrimination. The measure is part of the Fair Labor Standards Act and based on the premise that disabled employees are less productive. (Petrow-Cohen, 12/3)
The Hill: Cervical Cancer Is Preventable — So Why Are Rates Rising Among Women in Their 30s and 40s?
Overall, cervical cancer rates have been dropping in the United States since the early 1990s thanks to more widespread screening and the release of the first HPV vaccine in 2006. Those vaccinations and routine screenings, coupled with follow-up treatment when needed, can prevent “nearly all” cervical cancers, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). But not all women take those precautionary steps — or are able to. Health experts theorize cervical cancer cases are climbing among 30- and 40-something women due to two things: low HPV vaccination rates among women over 30 and decreasing cervical cancer screening in the United States. (O'Connell-Domenech, 12/2)
Los Angeles Times: Button Batteries in Household Items Can Be Life-Threatening
The round batteries, small as buttons and shiny as coins, are prized for the energy they pack at their size. In households, they have become commonplace, powering remote controls, hearing aids, toys, electric tea lights, wristwatches, greeting cards that play music and other familiar items. But doctors warn that such “button batteries” can maim and kill. Pop one into your mouth and swallow — as thousands of children do annually — and they can quickly cause devastating injuries. (Alpert Reyes, 11/29)