Bird Flu News:

• Cambodia reported its second human H5N1 case this week. (CIDRAP)
• Bird flu is now confirmed in 179 dairy cow herds in 13 states. (USDA)
• A polar bear died in Alaska after H5N1 infection, likely from contact with sick or dead wild birds. (EID)
  ‍

Health News:

• The risk of Eastern Equine Encephalitis is high in the area south of Boston after mosquitoes tested positive for the virus. (Boston Globe)
• COVID wastewater activity is high across the country, with highest levels in the West. (CDC)
• CVS COVID tests are sold out in locations across Houston, Austin, and Reno, NV. (Bloomberg)
• Oysters from MA were recalled due to potential contamination with Campylobacter. (FDA)
• Amid rumors that swimming in the Seine made Olympic athletes sick, experts urge caution in determining the cause of illness until more info is available. (MedPage Today)
• The Pan American Health Organization issues an alert for rising Oropouche virus cases, with Brazil as a hotspot. (CIDRAP)
• Galveston County, TX, has issued a warning after an increase in flesh-eating Vibrio cases. (Houston Chronicle)
• Washington state confirmed its first case of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a deer. (CIDRAP)
• The WHO and CDC are considering stronger warnings as mpox cases rise in Africa. (ABC)
• Native American public health officials can’t respond effectively when state and federal agencies restrict or delay data that should be available to them. (KFF Health News)
• The Boar’s Head Listeria recall has prompted a lawsuit in New York. (USA Today)
  

Mental Health & Substance Use News:

• MDMA clinical trials, currently being evaluated by the FDA, missed the suicidal thoughts of some subjects. (WSJ)
• Boston’s public transit is now stocking Narcan to reverse overdoses at some MBTA stops. (Boston Globe)
• Patients with chronic pain have mental health needs that are often unmet. (Washington Post)

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call or text 988.‍

Best Questions:

‍

How will recent Supreme Court rulings like Chevron affect public health? 

There’s no doubt that public health regulation will be affected by the recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the Chevron decision, along with three others that will have a major impact on the regulatory landscape. In the past, Congress could regulate broadly - like the right to clean air - and then let experts within federal agencies make the specific regulations needed to make that happen. Now, agencies like the CDC and FDA may struggle with enforcing regulations (like emergency response to a major outbreak, for example) if courts don’t defer to their expertise. They’ll also likely be tied up with new lawsuits, with new health and safety regulations delayed as they work their way through the courts. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this as things play out in courts over the next few years. 

Source: The Guardian 

‍

How can we protect employees against poor air quality? 

As we learn more about the human body, it’s becoming clearer than ever that poor air quality has an enormous impact on us, from lower productivity to higher rates of heart disease and cancer. Wildfires are burning across the West, producing harmful smoke that causes short-term and long-term health issues, including thousands of premature deaths per year. Even indoor workers are at risk from poor air quality if there’s not enough ventilation and air filtration. First, make sure you have a high-quality HVAC system that filters outdoor air before it circulates indoors. For outdoor workers, provide proper N95 masks and even eye protection on days with particularly low air quality. If the AQI is very high, consider adjusting the work schedule to reduce or eliminate time outside, especially if you’re dealing with an acute incident like wildfire smoke. If you have employees driving, have them use air conditioning with recirculation rather than open windows. Over time, this will continue to worsen, so thinking ahead as you build new locations with design features that allow employees to spend more time in clean air will be a worthwhile investment for your company. 

Sources: HAA, The Atlantic, CDC

‍

Best Read:

‍

The Bird Flu Doom Loop - Vox

‍