Author: Elizabeth B

FAIRFAX, Va. (7News) — The Fairfax County Health Department reports that cases of whooping cough disease, also known as pertussis, are on the rise in Fairfax, Virginia, and across the nation.Whooping cough is a bacterial disease that spreads from person to person through the air, and health officials say it spreads easily when people spend long periods of time together or share the same spaces.Read | Dr Anthony Fauci hospitalized with West Nile Virus, now recovering at homeHealth officials said that whooping cough resembles the common cold, with symptoms including a runny nose, slight fever and a mild cough, followed…

Lynn Massey, the eldest granddaughter of legendary country singer Loretta Lynn, has passed away.The late singer’s official social media pages shared the news of her death along with a photo of Massey.”Loretta’s first grandchild, Betty Sue’s daughter Lynn Massey, passed away this week after a long and difficult illness. Our family is so grateful for the prayers and love that continues to be showered upon us.”Multiple media outlets, including AL.com, listed Massey’s age as 64. Lynn Massey (right), the eldest grandson of the late Loretta Lynn (left), has passed away after a “long and difficult health battle,” according to his…

Researchers have warned that the animals we eat could become a major source of pandemics due to antimicrobial resistance, sparking a wave of deadly superbugs. The World Health Organisation predicts that drug-resistant diseases could kill 10 million people a year by 2050. One study has highlighted Southeast Asia as a key region for this issue, with researchers from RMIT University making six key policy recommendations for ASEAN countries to tackle antimicrobial resistance and residues in food animals. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Researchers point to the risk of a pandemic of antimicrobial resistance originating from food animals in Southeast Asia affecting global health…

ALBANY, GA (WALB) – ASPIRE Behavioral Health Mental Health Clubhouse serving adolescents and young adults held its first annual Field Day on Albany State University’s West Campus. The Aspire Games were held to celebrate children’s mental health awareness. ASPIRE Clubhouse wants to eradicate the stigma surrounding mental health issues and illnesses in children and young people. To start a conversation about mental health among South Georgia families, ASPIRE Clubhouse hosted an Olympic-style athletics day packed with food, music, relay races and other games. “We’re just competing. It’s a friendly competition to raise awareness, and of course the winner gets a…

Vytalize Health, a risk-bearing provider assistance platform, ranked No. 1 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. The company’s co-founders, CEO Faris Ghawi, MBA, and Chief Medical Officer Amer Alnajar, MD, recently spoke with Healthcare Innovation about the company’s business model and impressive growth rate. Founded in 2014 and serving more than 2,500 primary care physicians in 36 states, the company earned the top spot with revenue of $1.5 billion in 2023 and three-year revenue growth of 90,778 percent. The Hoboken, New Jersey-based company has raised more than $200 million from healthcare investors.…

The Virginia Department of Health is reminding residents under a “Do Not Use Water” advisory and those who receive bulk water from the Orange County Water Distribution Center that large amounts of water should be boiled before using it for cooking or drinking. To boil water safely, boil water for at least one minute and then allow it to cool before using. Boil water instructions only apply to large quantities of water. Residents under a water do-not-use advisory should not attempt to treat tap water themselves. Boiling, freezing, filtering, adding chlorine or other disinfectants, or standing will not make water…

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — A case of West Nile Virus was confirmed in a Rock Hill resident on Friday, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health.With this confirmation, health officials want to step up education and control measures regarding the virus. Residents are encouraged to eliminate standing water, use insect repellent, cover their skin and keep windows and doors closed to prevent mosquito bites.Additionally, mosquito repellent is being sprayed within a one-mile radius of Constitution Boulevard, Westerwood Drive and Fargo Street in an effort to control the area’s current mosquito population. This is expected to begin at 9pm…

Teachers in the Lubbock Independent School District, one of the city’s largest employers, will pay more for health insurance next year, following a school board vote Thursday.The Lubbock Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to approve employee premiums for the district’s self-funded health plan for the next school year. All premiums will increase in January. Under the original proposal, premiums would have been more than double the current cost in some cases, but the board opted to spread the increases over two years.School officials said the district’s budget is tight and the increase is necessary to avoid other budget…

(KMAland) — A recent poll shows that these are the best of times and the worst of times to be a Missourian.The Missouri Health Foundation’s “Speak up MO” poll found that while residents value deep connections to their community, they also struggle with major challenges, including the cost of living, access to adequate health care and drug and alcohol use in Missouri.Sheldon Weisgrau, vice president of health policy and advocacy at MFH, said the poll confirms that health care costs are indeed the underlying issue.”And by addressing that issue, Missourians’ lives can improve in many other areas. If we can…

Cairo — Multiple Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 30 Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip, health officials said on Saturday, while officials including a Hamas delegation were meeting in neighboring Egypt for high-level ceasefire talks.Nasser Hospital said 11 family members, including two children, were among those killed in an airstrike that hit their home in Khan Younis. The hospital received a total of 33 bodies after three airstrikes in and around the city, including attacks on tuk-tuks and passers-by. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said it had received three bodies in a separate airstrike.The Israeli army said it was investigating the…