New Florence mosquito tests positive for virus similar to West Nile
A mosquito sample taken in New Florence has tested positive for a rare disease that first cropped up in Colorado in 1961 and has been known to cause severe conditions including infection of the brain and spinal cord. There haven’t been any reported cases of the Jamestown Canyon virus being...
The U.S. will pay Moderna $176 million to develop an mRNA pandemic flu vaccine
The U.S. government will pay the vaccine maker Moderna $176 million to accelerate development of a pandemic influenza vaccine that could be used to treat bird flu in people, as concern grows about cases in dairy cows across the country, federal officials announced Tuesday. Moderna already has a bird flu...
Dengue fever confirmed in Florida Keys as U.S. on watch for rise in mosquito illness
MIAMI — Two people have fallen ill with dengue fever in the Florida Keys after being bit by infected mosquitoes, prompting health officials to issue an alert for the island chain. The alert comes just days after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory warning...
U.S. miners’ union head: Republican effort to block silica dust rule ‘attack’ on workers
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The head of the national mine workers’ union Friday condemned what he characterized as an effort by House Republicans to block enforcement of a long-awaited federal rule directed at curbing workers’ exposure to poisonous, deadly rock dust, calling it “a direct attack on the health and safety...
Regulations on pharmacy benefit managers pass in state House, head to Senate
Regulations on pharmacy benefit managers — third-party intermediaries who work with drug manufacturers, pharmacies and insurance providers — took a leap forward Friday at the state level. House Bill 1993 would put pharmacy benefit managers under more intense state scrutiny and limit certain practices that pose some of the greatest...
Research gives more reassurance milk pasteurization kills bird flu, officials say
NEW YORK — A new study that recreated commercial pasteurization in a government lab provides reassurance heat treatment kills bird flu virus in cows’ milk, U.S. officials said Friday. When the bird flu known as H5N1 first was detected in U.S. dairy cows this year, there were no studies of...
Gen Z’s skincare craze: Balancing beauty routines and rising health concerns
Adelle Hayes, 15, of Peters Township, likes how she feels after her skin care routine. She enjoys caring for her skin and watching TikTok influencer Katie Fang’s “Get Ready With Me” multi-step skincare routines. “Her skin is incredibly clear, and I haven’t seen a pimple yet,” Hayes said. Skin care...
Cochlear implants transformed audiologist’s life, now she’s expanded her business to Wilkins
For Suzanne Yoder, who grew up hearing impaired and now owns her own audiology practice, getting cochlear implants changed her life. “I don’t like to use the word ‘miracle’ too lightly, but for me, it was a miracle — because it gave me back my independence,” she said. Cochlear implants...
World FSHD Day resolution introduced on Capitol Hill
After years of advocating for a cure for the rare disease that has limited his mobility, Mark Christman has made his way to Capitol Hill. Christman, a retired attorney and board member of Trib Total Media, was diagnosed with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, or FSHD, in 1977 at age 16. One...
Health officials tell U.S. doctors to be alert for dengue
NEW YORK — U.S. health officials Tuesday warned doctors to be alert for dengue cases as the tropical disease breaks international records. The virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, has been surging worldwide, helped by climate change. In barely six months, countries in the Americas have already broken calendar-year records...
Getting rid of poison ivy is a serious matter — what you should and shouldn’t do
For all the time I spend digging, planting, pulling and weeding, one would think I’d have some poison ivy horror stories to tell, but I do not. I can’t say for sure whether I’m immune to the rash that tortures so many of my fellow gardeners or if I’ve just...
U.S. surgeon general declares gun violence a public health emergency
WASHINGTON — The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the fast-growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country. The advisory issued by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation’s top doctor, came as the U.S. grappled with another summer weekend marked...
Mutual Aid EMS planning July 5 blood drive
Mutual Aid EMS is hosting a blood drive July 5, two months after paramedics became the first in Westmoreland County to carry blood to emergencies. The drive, in partnership with the American Red Cross, will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the agency’s EMS base at 561 W....
Dr. Iulia Vann nominated as new Allegheny County health director
Allegheny County could soon have a new health director after a six-month search. Dr. Iulia Vann was nominated by the Allegheny County Board of Health Monday in an unanimous vote from the nine-member board. Vann, a Romanian native, has served as public health director for Guilford County, N.C., since 2020....
IUP inks deal with Punxsutawney Area Hospital for medical school
Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Monday signed an affiliation agreement with Punxsutawney Area Hospital to provide clinical training to students of IUP’s proposed college of osteopathic medicine. Having access to clinical settings is among the requirements to be accredited by the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. The...
Supreme Court rejects covid vaccine appeals from nonprofit founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected two appeals related to covid-19 vaccines from Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine nonprofit founded by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The justices did not comment in letting stand rulings against the group from the federal appeals courts in New Orleans...
5 things to know about covid this summer
Some parts of the country are reporting an increase in cases of covid-19 as the U.S. enters the summer months. Pennsylvania saw a 14.7% increase in emergency room visits with covid for the week ending June 15, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While wastewater covid-19 data...
Children more susceptible to health risks during heat wave, doctors say
Heat waves like the one sizzling across Western Pennsylvania are dangerous for everyone’s health, but young children are markedly more susceptible to hazards associated with prolonged exposure, experts say. “The younger the child is, the less likely they are going to be able to deal with the heat,” said Dr....
Permitting problem halts part of UPMC Presbyterian hospital tower construction
A portion of construction work at the new UPMC Presbyterian hospital tower was halted Thursday after a Pittsburgh inspector found the project did not have all the necessary permits, according to a city spokeswoman. Maria Montaño, a spokesperson for Mayor Ed Gainey, said UPMC did not have the required electrical...
Does expired sunscreen still work?
It’s that time of year when everyone’s looking forward to some fun in the sun. Too much sun can be dangerous, though. Exposure to UV radiation from the sun damages your skin, and children are especially vulnerable because they tend to spend more time outdoors and can burn easily. Skin...
Online Zyn nicotine pouch sales suspended
The online sales of Zyn nicotine patches have been suspended nationwide this week, Reuters reported. Zyn is an oral pouch that contains nicotine powder and flavorings like mint, coffee and citrus, according to the Associated Press, and they have been the fastest-growing product in the tobacco industry. Users stick them...
Fete-Fete’s Reset invites Black entrepreneurs to explore movement as a form of liberation
The midweek has become a little more relaxing thanks to Jacquelin Walker, a yoga facilitator and founder of Fete-Fete. Fete-Fete, founded in Brooklyn and based in Pittsburgh, is an organization centered around art, life and culture. It hosts Reset at Emerald City on Smithfield Street. Reset is a community movement...
1st recipient of UPMC breast cancer vaccine is hopeful it will help others
As a young girl, Maria Kitay visited the hospital when her cousin, Clara Carbone Caputo, had breast cancer. “She put her back up against the wall, and she said, ‘It’s so painful to have this,’ ” Kitay said, tearing up at the memory. Her cousin later died of her illness, and...
Dollar Tree left lead-tainted applesauce pouches on store shelves for weeks after recall, FDA says
Dollar Tree failed to effectively recall lead-tainted applesauce pouches linked to reports of illness in more than 500 children, leaving the products on some stores shelves for two months, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. The FDA sent a warning letter to Dollar Tree this month and placed Negasmart,...
California governor wants to restrict smartphone usage in schools
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that he wants to restrict students’ usage of smartphones during the school day, citing the mental health risks of social media. The announcement, which was first reported by Politico, comes a day after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress...
