High rates of multidrug-resistant bacteria found in West Bank hospitals in 2023. More than one third of the 10,007 bacterial isolates collected from 13 West Bank hospitals were classified as multidrug-resistant in 2023. aricjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

If you want to switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan to regular Medicare, check carefully! There is no guarantee you can buy Medigap supplemental coverage for deductibles & copays. You can be rejected for pre-existing conditions in most states.

Reminder. If you have Part D Medicare for prescriptions, check your coverage now for 2026. Premiums change and so do the drugs each plan will & won't cover. The Plan D you choose now will be for all of 2026. Choose carefully.

Anchorage be careful if driving today. After our first significant snowfall of the season yesterday (6-8"), Anchorage police have responded to 42 crashes and another 49 vehicles in distress so far. The first day is always a gotcha.

While other federal and military retirees will be paid during the shutdown, NOAA and USPHS (Public Health Service) retirees like us will not get their pensions. So if you know someone retired from USPHS or NOAA, check on them, please. They may need your help. www.militarydefense.com/pending-clas....

Sequence of chronic conditions before COVID-19 infection rather than any single condition may best predict development of long-COVID. Most common trajectories involved mental illnesses & neurologic, respiratory, and metabolic or digestive disease. www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/ord...

UCLA meta-analysis ties viruses (flu, COVID-19, Hep C, shingles) to dramatically higher risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack & stroke in the weeks after infection, & viruses that linger in the body like HIV can raise long-term risk. www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenza-ge...

Dr. Jay Butler, a nationally recognized expert in infectious diseases has been selected to head the College of Health at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He recently left his position as deputy director for infectious diseases at the CDC. alaskapublic.org/news/educati...

COVID vaccination cuts risk of long-term symptoms in teens by over 1/3, data suggest. COVID-19 vaccine is unique in having this effect on progression to a chronic condition despite infection, Mass General researchers say. www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/cov...

Today 66,000 Alaskans woke up without SNAP benefits, leaving over 9% of our state hungry. It's a public health emergency. And a crying shame.

"Whoever is hungry, let him come and eat." To those in Anchorage who will not receive WIC/SNAP tomorrow, go here to find food assistance. TO THE REST OF US fortunate enough to have a full pantry, GIVE!! Give $, give food, open your door & your heart & your table. anchoragefood.org?utm_source=c...

Louisiana officials waited more than 3 months after 2 whooping cough deaths to issue a statewide health alert about deadly pertussis outbreak, investigation finds. www.npr.org/sections/sho...

We asked people who lived in homeless encampments that were cleared out in city “sweeps” to write about what object was the hardest for them to lose. “They took my baby pictures and my moms obituaries,” a man in California wrote. (Published Dec. 2024)

Iceland confirmed discovery of 3 Culiseta annulata mosquitoes The mosquitoes are 1st mosquitoes in Iceland's history. They likely arrived by freight and appeared to be able to withstand Iceland's climate. www.npr.org/2025/10/22/n...

Sorry. Clinical trial finds that the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine is no better than placebo in terms of functional capacity, respiratory function, symptoms such as depression or fatigue, or inflammation in long-COVID patients 1 year after infection. www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/onc...

RSV vaccine for older adults 92% protective against poor outcomes, real-world study estimates. Adjusted effectiveness against emergency department visits/hospitalizations was 95% among patients aged 75 and older. www.cidrap.umn.edu/respiratory-...

The CDC dashboards may be gone, but wastewater testing for diseases continues & timely local and national data is available online to the public. Thanks, WastewaterSCAN. data.wastewaterscan.org?plantId=2d6e...

Monday, Alaska Division of Public Assistance said the federal government directed it to stop issuing SNAP (food stamps) benefits to 66,471 Alaskans on Nov 1 due to insufficient funds, even if they are authorized to receive them. alaskabeacon.com/briefs/more-...

COVID-19 mRNA vaccination significantly improves survival in advanced lung or melanoma skin cancer patients who had started taking immunotherapy drugs within the past 100 days, suggests data presented yesterday by University of TX MD Anderson Cancer Center. cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/esmo2025/att...

Los Angeles County documents 2nd case of locally acquired clade 1 Mpox. The county announced the detection yesterday, and it involves an adult with no recent travel to mpox-endemic area. www.cidrap.umn.edu/mpox/los-ang...

MEASLES. Were you at the Ted Stevens Anchorage Airport on Monday Oct 13? Or SeaTac? Or Las Vegas? You may have been exposed to measles! Infectious & unvaccinated person flew to Las Vegas-Seattle-Anchorage. Questions call Anchorage Health Department 907-903-9783 or AK Epidemiology 907-269-8000.

The 1st locally acquired US case of more severe clade 1 Mpox identified in California in person with no recent travel history. If you may be at risk, get vaccinated now, before this spreads to your community because it will. www.longbeach.gov/press-releas...

Maldives has become 1st country in the world to achieve elimination of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, HIV, and syphilis, latter 2 in 2019 and now hepatitis B. www.who.int/news/item/13...

Live H5N1 avian flu can survive in raw-milk cheese for up to 6 months. The infectious virus persisted throughout the cheese-making process and aging in cheeses made with raw milk at pH levels above 5.0. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The 10 locally transmitted malaria cases identified in 4 states (FL, TX, AR, MD) in the summer of 2023 were the first in the US in 20 years! jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Thames Water in Lindon has cleared a 100-metric-ton fatberg from a collection system in Feltham, London. The mass, comprising mainly of wet wipes, fat, oil and grease, was more than 32 feet below street level and took more than a month to remove. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Pleased to announce the publication of the new CDC Guideline for tularemia (treatment & prophylaxis) for which I was a contributor. I know - weird disease for which to be an expert. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes...

Israel reported measles death of 6th child—an unvaccinated toddler—in the country’s ongoing outbreak. Four were over the past week. All were younger than 30 months old. 24 have been hospitalized, mostly children younger than 6 who are NOT vaccinated. 7 are in the ICU. www.gov.il/en/pages/280...

South Carolina announces new measles case, NY notes wastewater detection Elsewhere, Israel has now reported 6 child deaths from measles, 4 of them over the past week. www.cidrap.umn.edu/m...

CDC's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) has reduced pathogen monitoring to only Salmonella & Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), citing limited resources as reasons for cutting surveillance on pathogens like Listeria, Shigella, & Vibrio. www.wafb.com/2025/09/16/f...

Nearly 7 in 10 COVID survivors tested didn't know they had a dulled sense of smell. Even if they don't notice it, COVID-19 survivors' sense of smell may remain impaired for years after infection, reported yesterday in JAMA Network Open. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Animal Health Alert issued following H5N1 severe illnesses and deaths of 2 indoor-only cats in Los Angeles after eating commercially sold raw pet food. Samples available for one of the cats revealed the B3.13 genotype. publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/docs/AHA...

FDA recalling more than 85,000 bags of frozen Kroger, Kroger Mercado, AquaStar shrimp products sold in 30+ states including AK & GA due to possible radioactive contamination with Cesium-137. www.fda.gov/safety/recal...

FDA recalls Costco's Kirkland Signature brand poke tuna sold in 33 states after green onions tested positive for listeria. www.fda.gov/safety/recal...

Today, ACIP unanimously recommended limiting Covid shots to people >65 & those with underlying health conditions, based on an individual decision. The panel rejected a separate recommendation to encourage states to require a prescription. Shame. Shame. www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...

People in at least eight states have been infected with Chagas from local kissing bugs, according to the new report, which was published in the CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal. CA, AZ, TX, TN, LA, MO, MS, and AR. /1 wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/...

Does acetaminophen use during pregnancy increase children’s risk of neurodevelopmental disorders? NO. Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analyses. edhub.ama-assn.org/jn-learning/...

Older women using vaginal estrogen tablets do NOT face an increased risk for recurrent ischemic stroke, a finding that adds to growing calls for removal of the FDA boxed warning on these products. www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...

Confirmed measles case in unvaccinated resident of Fulton County-Atlanta GA who exposed many at Ga State University, soccer games & practice, Sweetgreen Restaurant. Check your exposure here: dph.georgia.gov/press-releas...

CDC has posted notice about a Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak linked to meals from Metabolic Meals, a home delivery company. At least 16 people in 10 states, including CA & GA, have been sickened, with 7 people requiring hospitalization. No deaths have been reported. www.cdc.gov/salmonella/o...

URGENT - only a few days left! CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is is accepting public comments only until September 13 for their scheduled meeting on September 18-19 to address several vaccines, including those for COVID-19, measles-mumps-rubella-varicella, hepatitis B and RSV. /1

Four more H9N2 avian flu cases confirmed in China by Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection. China has reported 19 H9N2 cases in past 6 months from different provinces. At least 13 cases have been young children. In 2024, the country reported only 11 total H9N2 cases. www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/20...

Yesterday, Pfizer announced results of Phase 3 clinical trial showed at least a 4-fold increase in LP.8.1-neutralizing antibody titers with LP.8.1-Adapted COVID-19 Vaccine 2025-2026 Formula in adults 65+ and 18-64 with at least 1 risk condition. Get your booster now. www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...

Recent sporadic borealpox cases in Alaska in 5 adults & 1 child is spillover from small mammals. Human population immunity to such viruses has been waning globally since smallpox was eradicated, which is likely why they are being seen more often. www.cidrap.umn.edu/borealpox/si...

Now you don't have to teach young doctors how to detect murmurs & AFib. You can just buy a $500 electronic stethoscope. You don't even need the doctor.

RFKJr's "MAHA Report," was based on false & flawed interpretations of science, medicine, and public health. Defend Public Health believes it is important to outline some key policies that would truly improve Americans’ health. Read our report and join us. www.defendpublichealth.org/resource/imp...

Please read this entire post as it may answer some questions & save a life. CVS is not offering the COVID vaccine at all in MA, NV, and NM. CVS requires a prescription in the following states AZ, CO, FL, GA, KY, LA, MN, NY, NC, PA, UT, VA, WV, & Washington DC. Walgreens appears to require 1/