ABC Health

Measles cases are rising in the US, mainly among those who are unvaccinated: Health officials

Wednesday, February 12 by ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- Measles cases are rising in the U.S. with infections confirmed in at least five states so far this year.Cases have been reported in Alaska, Georgia, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas, mostly among individuals not vaccinated for measles, according to... Read More.

Weight loss drug Semaglutide may reduce alcohol cravings, heavy drinking and smoking, new study finds

Wednesday, February 12 by ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- Semaglutide, a medication widely used for diabetes and weight loss, may offer another unexpected benefit -- it could help people drink less alcohol.A study published in JAMA Psychiatry enrolled 48 adults between ages 21 and 65 who had been diagnosed with alcohol... Read More.

Billions of NIH scientific research dollars set to be cut by federal government

Tuesday, February 11 by ABC News

(WASHINGTON) -- The federal government has drastically lowered some of the funding that universities and research institutions receive from medical and scientific grants.News of the cuts rattled the scientific community with many scientific institutions set to lose millions of dollars in funding annually.The National... Read More.

Doctors visits for flu highest in 15 years, most since swine flu pandemic: CDC

Saturday, February 8 by ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- Outpatient health care visits for flu illnesses are at their highest levels in 15 years, according to data updated Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Nearly 8% of outpatient health care visits for respiratory illnesses are due to flu-like illness,... Read More.

Cancer research group calls on Trump administration to restore data access

Saturday, February 8 by ABC News

(WASHINGTON) -- Medical groups are expressing deep concern about the sudden removal or alteration of government data sets and webpages from agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the behest of President Donald Trump's... Read More.

Dairy cows infected with 2nd form of bird flu for the 1st time: USDA

Friday, February 7 by ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- A second type of bird flu has been found in dairy cows for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Wednesday.Until recently, all dairy herd detections in the U.S. had involved a form of bird flu, or avian... Read More.

Percentage of emergency visits related to fire, smoke inhalation rose eightfold after LA wildfires: Report

Friday, February 7 by ABC News

(LOS ANGELES) -- The percentage of emergency department (ED) visits related to fire and smoke inhalation rose dramatically in the days immediately after the Los Angeles wildfires last month, new data published Thursday shows.The wildfires broke out in the Pacific Palisades and in Eaton... Read More.

Long COVID impacting more than 1 million children: CDC study suggests

Monday, February 3 by ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- More than 1 million children may have been affected by long COVID in 2023, new federal data published Monday suggests.Long COVID, a condition that occurs when patients still have symptoms at least three months after clearing infection, has been well-documented in... Read More.

Multiple health agency websites on HIV, contraception taken down to comply with executive orders

Sunday, February 2 by ABC News

(WASHINGTON) -- Government agency webpages about HIV, LGBTQ+ people and multiple other public health topics were down as of Friday evening due to President Donald Trump's executive orders aimed at gender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion.Some of the terms being flagged for removal... Read More.

5 years since COVID declared public health emergency in US, still killing thousands

Saturday, February 1 by ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- Friday marks five years since the COVID-19 virus was declared a public health emergency by the United States. But five years later, the virus is still killing thousands, according to experts."One of the things we have learned is that COVID came to... Read More.