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⬆️ Bird flu in mice & cats 🐱

Plus, WY is testing all lactating dairy cows before moving them to fairs and exhibits, and the CDC is tracking a new dual-mutant flu strain that may not respond to current antivirals

June 14, 2024

Bird Flu News:

  • USDA reported 36 more H5N1 avian flu cases in house mice, all in the same New Mexico county, as well as four more cases in domestic cats. (CIDRAP)
  • Harris County Public Health says the Houston area is one of nine Texas cities where H5N1 was detected in wastewater samples. (Houston Chronicle)
  • Wyoming is the 12th state to report bird flu in dairy cows. (WDA)
  • The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture announced that lactating dairy cows must be tested for influenza A before being moved to fairs and exhibits to prevent the spread of H5N1. (CIDRAP)

Health News:

  • The CDC is tracking a new dual-mutant flu strain that may not respond to current antivirals. (CBS)
  • For some high-risk groups, the CDC now recommends taking post-sex antibiotics to help fight STIs. (STAT)
  • The FDA issued a warning that shellfish originating from Oregon may cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. (TIME)
  • The CDC warned that psychoactive mushroom-laced chocolate bars are causing serious health complications, with ten people hospitalized so far. (CDC)
  • A new study shows that many more people may be taking statins (up to 40%) than really need them.  (JAMA)
  • The color of your child’s swimsuit can play a role in their safety in the pool. Avoid light blue, gray, or green suits that can blend in with the water. (CNN)
  • Infants may spread C. diff, the nasty infection that causes diarrhea and can be life-threatening. (CIDRAP)
  • The FDA has expanded who is eligible for the RSV vaccine to include those ages 50-59 with underlying medical conditions. (GSK)
  • Having symptoms after getting a COVID vaccine may indicate a robust immune response. (CIDRAP)
  • And having had COVID might reduce your risk of the common cold by nearly half. (AP News)
  • Thousands of Taylor Swift concertgoers in Madrid are now reporting COVID.  (Salon)
  • A Texas rancher developed a rare case of anthrax after butchering a dead lamb. (MedPage Today)

Mental Health & Substance Use News:

  • Artists and community organizations around the world are increasingly turning to art to heal and create positive social change. (NY Times)
  • Washington State launched a one-of-a-kind statewide hotline specifically for kids to get help for issues like bullying, suicidal thoughts, and threats of violence. (KOIN Seattle)

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call 988 or message the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. 

Best Questions:

Does it even matter if employers talk to their teams about broad public health issues like bird flu or mpox? 

Employers have a key role to play in public health communication. At a time when people distrust the media, government, and science more than ever, the key is to find what YLE’s Katelyn Jetelina calls “trusted messengers.” These are members of the community that have credibility, who can relate to the people they’re talking with about these issues and seem genuine. With bird flu, for example, there’s a huge role for employers who operate poultry and dairy farms, but we think there’s also a role for everyone from C-level executives to individual managers who can understand the needs and risks of their specific teams and communicate what we know and don’t know in a way that makes sense for them. That means deeper and more nuanced conversations, which we think could also be key to depolarizing some of the public health issues that are so politically toxic right now. This Executive Briefing newsletter is one way we work to be a trusted messenger to you all, to help “translate and disseminate public health information” to you, but there’s a role here within companies, as well. Consider how sharing good, nuanced health information with members of your team could help them become trusted messengers to their employees. If you can find a few great, trusted messengers in your organization, now’s the time to partner with them and give them tools to work toward a healthier, safer community. And as always, if you have questions for us, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Source: YLE

What is the difference between norovirus and food poisoning? 

Norovirus is a virus spread from person to person or via contaminated food, water, or surfaces. “Food poisoning” is generally used to refer to illness caused by food contaminated with bacteria, like E. coli or Salmonella, for example. Both involve vomiting and diarrhea, and the primary differences are in onset time and duration. Norovirus symptoms generally kick in 24-48 hours after exposure, while food poisoning from E. coli-contaminated food can take 3-4 days before symptoms develop, and illness from Salmonella can range from 12 hours to 4 days or even longer. The incubation period ranges based on what bacteria is causing the infection. If a lot of people in your community have suddenly “eaten something bad” or claim to have food poisoning, chances are it’s actually norovirus, which spreads easily from person to person. Food poisoning, on the other hand, tends to be related to outbreaks linked to specific contaminated food items. 

Sources: CDC, Cleveland Clinic

Best Read:

With Bird Flu Tests hard to find, how will we know to sound the alarm?