Mystery illness in Congo has killed more than 50 people hours after they felt sick
KINSHASA, Congo — An unknown illness first discovered in three children who ate a bat has rapidly killed more than 50 people in northwestern Congo over the past five weeks, health experts say. The interval between the onset of symptoms — which include fever, vomiting and internal bleeding — and...
Does lip balm help chapped lips? Here’s what to know
NEW YORK — A tube of lip balm may seem like the perfect antidote to dry, cracked lips. But do these over-the-counter products soothe flaking or can they make it worse? Though dry lips can happen year-round, they’re most common during the winter. The cold outdoors paired with the low-humidity...
Pennsylvania hostage-taking and shootout highlight rising violence against U.S. hospital workers
A man who took hostages in a York County hospital during a shooting that killed a police officer and wounded five other people highlights the rising violence against U.S. healthcare workers and the challenge of protecting them. Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, carried a pistol and zip ties into the intensive care...
Cranberry mother and daughter reunite with surgeon who saved them both more than 18 years ago
When Dani Jo McLane noticed some blood in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy with her second child, she went to her doctor multiple times. Tests were done, then a biopsy was taken. Hearing the diagnosis of cervical cancer caused concern — but not for her own health. The...
Life coach Sunny Mann uses mindfulness, resilence and compassion to reach goals
Mental health challenges affect millions of Americans each year. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, as of 2021 around 22.8% of adults — or 57.8 million people — in the United States faced a mental health challenge. In a recent study done by the Department of Psychiatry and...
Westmoreland veterans health clinic will expand with move to Greensburg
An expanded outpatient clinic for Westmoreland County veterans is expected to open in two years at a new location in Greensburg. VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System announced Friday that its Westmoreland clinic will be moving about one mile west, from its space behind Westmoreland Mall to a site that will be...
Yearslong shortage of popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs is resolved, FDA says
Shortages of Ozempic and Wegovy that have been in place for more than two years have been resolved, as supplies of the popular diabetes and obesity treatments continue to improve, federal regulators said Friday. The drugmaker Novo Nordisk can meet present and future demand in the U.S., the Food and...
Black Brilliance at Pittsburgh Public Theater centers Black mental health and wellness
The Pittsburgh Public Theater is championing Black wellness through its event Black Brilliance on Saturday. This is the second year for the wellness celebration, which takes place between two productions about Black stories. Pittsburgh Public Theater has put on a production called “Trouble in Mind,” and New Horizon Theater is...
Rise in flu cases spurs alternative treatments
Flu cases are spiking in Western Pennsylvania and hospitals are dealing with increased patient traffic. Some people have tried to fight the flu by turning to alternative practices. While most homeopathic remedies are ineffective, there are some practices that can shorten your sick time, experts say. Megan swift joins host...
Trump officials want to ban junk food from SNAP. Past efforts show it’s not easy
A push to ban sugary drinks, candy and more from the U.S. program that helps low-income families pay for nutritious food has been tried before — but it may soon get a boost from new Trump administration officials. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly confirmed health and human services secretary,...
Trump signs order to study how to expand IVF and calls for ‘radical transparency’ from government
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order to study how to expand access to in vitro fertilization and make it more affordable. The order calls for policy recommendations to “protect IVF access and aggressively reduce out-of-pocket and health plan costs for such treatments,”...
Texas measles cases are up, and New Mexico now has an outbreak. Here’s what you need to know
The measles outbreak in rural West Texas has grown to 58 cases as of Tuesday, and eight people in neighboring eastern New Mexico also have been diagnosed with measles. New Mexico health department spokesman Robert Nott said Tuesday that the agency hadn’t “identified any direct contact” between cases in its...
Elderberry remedy: Is there any true homeopathic flu antidote?
Sick with the cold or flu and symptoms seem everlasting? With flu cases running rampant, it’s no surprise that Americans turn to alternative remedies to try and feel better in a pinch. However, not all methods work, according to experts. Lately, people have been drinking herbal supplements like elderberry as...
Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions
WASHINGTON — Republicans are weighing billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, threatening health care coverage for some of the 80 million U.S. adults and children enrolled in the safety net program. The signing up of millions of additional Americans for taxpayer-funded health care coverage like Medicaid and the Affordable...
Trump administration cuts reach FDA employees in food safety, medical devices and tobacco products
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s effort to slash the size of the federal workforce reached the Food and Drug Administration this weekend, as recently hired employees who review the safety of food ingredients, medical devices and other products were fired. Probationary employees across the FDA received notices Saturday evening that...
‘It’s a wake-up call’: Researchers, companies say NIH funding changes could be lethal to innovations
During her medical training, Dr. Miriam Cremer watched a woman suffering from advanced cervical cancer bleed to death in Arcatao, El Salvador. That preventable tragedy is what sowed the seeds of her Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, she said. Basic Health International’s mission is to develop ways to diagnose and treat cervical cancer....
Texas measles outbreak rises to 48 cases, the state’s worst in nearly 30 years
The ongoing measles outbreak in West Texas has doubled in size to 48 cases, mostly in children and teens, making it the state’s worst in nearly 30 years. State health officials said Friday in a news release those who are infected are either unvaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown....
Major Michigan insurer in talks to settle lawsuits over fired workers and covid-19 vaccine
DETROIT — A major Michigan insurance company is in talks to possibly settle more than 100 lawsuits by employees who were fired after declining to get a covid-19 vaccination, court records show. The disclosure comes three months after a jury awarded more than $12 million to a woman who had...
Independence Health plans change in behavioral health services
Independence Health System is working to expand and consolidate inpatient behavioral health services at its Latrobe Hospital as part of ongoing changes at its three hospital campuses in Westmoreland County. Brian Fritz, president of Independence Health’s Westmoreland, Latrobe and Frick hospitals, said an adolescent behavioral health unit is expanding from...
Child welfare agencies are buckling under staffing shortages as Pa. debates using opioid money to help
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania counties are tapping into opioid settlement money to support child welfare programs as they face staff shortages, increased risks for children, and other challenges. Most of these initiatives have received approval from a powerful state oversight board — including efforts to train staff, support parents in treatment,...
Bird flu cases on the rise in Pa. as the state expands testing, containment efforts
BELLEFONTE — Pennsylvania has given $13.5 million to hundreds of farmers over the past three years to help them pay for bird flu testing, recover lost revenue, and implement biosecurity measures. These are the tentpoles of the state’s special grant program helping farmers respond to the aggressive virus, which is...
UPMC walks back mask requirements
Two days after issuing a mask mandate for its facilities, UPMC has softened its language, stating that masks are recommended, not required. On Monday, UPMC issued a statement that masks would be required for people at all its facilities in an attempt to curb the spread of respiratory viruses. On...
10 new cases of measles reported in West Texas county and New Mexico
SANTA FE, N.M. — Public health authorities said Tuesday that an outbreak of measles in western Texas has expanded, while a new case was confirmed nearby across state lines in New Mexico. The Texas Department of State Health Services has identified 24 measles cases in connection with the onset of...
Some canned tuna recalled in Pennsylvania due to risk of foodborne illness
Do you eat canned tuna? It might be a good idea to check your stash of products at home. Tri-Union Seafoods issued a recall of select Genova, Van Camp’s, H-E-B and Trader Joe’s tuna cans due to potential foodborne illness — and products in Pennsylvania at Trader Joe’s, Walmart and...
What to know about proposals to ban abortion pills and punish women who seek abortion
Lawmakers in some states where abortion is already banned are seeking to explicitly bar abortion pills or take a step that most leading anti-abortion groups oppose: punish women who seek to end their pregnancies. It’s too early in some legislative sessions to know whether the measures will get serious consideration....
