Health Headlines
Measles cases linked to outbreak in Texas reach 309, surpassing nationwide total in 2024
Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images(AUSTIN, Texas) -- The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in western Texas has grown to 309, with 30 cases reported over the last three days, according to new data released Friday.This means the total number of Texas cases linked to the outbreak in roughly two months has surpassed the number confirmed for the entirety of last year in the U.S., which saw 285 cases nationwide, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown. At least 40 people have been hospitalized so far, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).Just two cases ... Read More
As measles cases rise across the US, who may need another vaccine dose?
Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- As measles cases continue to spread across the United States, many Americans may be asking themselves if they need a measles vaccine booster to enhance protection.An outbreak in western Texas has grown to 279 cases, mostly among those who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Meanwhile, an outbreak in nearby New Mexico has also increased, reaching 38 cases as of Wednesday.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that people receive two vaccine doses, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.Most vaccinated adults don't need another vaccine dose, said Dr. Paul Offit, ... Read More
HHS appears to delete Surgeon General gun violence advisory webpage
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Find Your Light Foundation(WASHINGTON) -- The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) appears to have taken down a webpage from the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG) that included an advisory on gun violence.In June 2024, then-U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory declaring gun violence to be a public health crisis in America, calling for an evidence-based approach to public health change as well as a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines for civilian use."Firearm violence is an urgent public health crisis that has led to loss of life, unimaginable pain, and profound grief for far too many Americans," Murthy said in a statement at the time.The OSG issued a press release ... Read More
Gender-affirming care may lower depression risk, study finds, but many are losing access
Nathan Morris/NurPhoto via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Transgender adults who received gender-affirming hormone therapy had a significantly lower risk of moderate-to-severe depression over four years compared to those who did not receive such care, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open.The study tracked 3,592 transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse adults and found that those prescribed hormones like estrogen or testosterone had a 15% lower risk of depression symptoms, reinforcing the mental health benefits of this treatment.The findings "support the mental health-promoting role of hormones" and their status as "a medically necessary treatment,” said Sari Reisner, an associate professor of epidemiology at University of Michigan School of Public Health and one of the study’s authors. "Hormones play a vital ... Read More
Frontline health care workers reflect on early days of COVID 5 years after WHO declared pandemic
(Phil Fisk/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Dr. Kimberly Shriner remembers the first COVID-19 patient who came into Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California, in March 2020.He was a 35-year-old man who arrived at the hospital short of breath."He went straight to our intensive care unit. We were very suspicious that he had COVID," Shriner, an infectious disease specialist and the hospital's medical director of infectious disease and infection prevention, told ABC News.Testing was minimal at the time, but eventually the results came back and confirmed that he had COVID. The patient was eventually sedated and intubated, and he died 24 hours later. Shriner said the next few patients admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 followed similar trajectories, becoming more and more short ... Read More
Measles cases linked to Texas outbreak grows to 259, with just 2 among fully vaccinated people
Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images(GAINES COUNTY, Texas) -- The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in western Texas has grown to 259, with 36 cases reported over the last three days, according to new data released Friday.Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown. Two cases have occurred in persons vaccinated with two doses, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Breakthrough infections, when a vaccinated person is infected are rare, as the measles vaccine provides up to 97% protection after 2 doses.At least 34 people have been hospitalized so far.In the Texas outbreak, children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 make ... Read More
Former CDC director argues for stronger, nationwide guidance on infant measles vaccine dose
Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The former director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called for stronger, nationwide guidance on infant vaccine doses for measles prevention in a new opinion paper published Friday.In the face of a growing measles outbreak -- with more than 200 cases confirmed in western Texas -- the federal health agency issued an alert on March 7 saying parents in the outbreak area should consider getting their children an early third dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.The CDC currently recommends people receive two vaccine doses, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. The third early dose would occur starting at 6 months ... Read More
Europe saw highest number of measles cases last year in more than 25 years: WHO
Lian Yi/Xinhua via Getty Images(LONDON) -- Europe saw the highest number of measles cases last year in more than 25 years, according to a new report published Thursday from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.There were an estimated 127,350 measles cases in the European region last year, which is double the number of cases for 2023 and the highest number since 1997. The region consists of 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia.Children under 5 years old accounted for more than 40% of cases in the region, and more than half of the cases required hospitalization, according to the report. Additionally, a total of 38 deaths were reported based on preliminary numbers.The European region accounted for one-third of all measles cases ... Read More
Texas measles cases grow to 223, mostly among children and teens
Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto via Getty Images(AUSTIN, Texas) -- The measles outbreak in western Texas is continuing to grow with 25 cases confirmed over the last five days, bringing the total to 223 cases, according to new data published Tuesday.Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown, with 80 unvaccinated and 138 of unknown status, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). At least 29 people have been hospitalized so far.Just five cases have occurred in people vaccinated with one dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to the data.The new data in Texas comes as the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) reported two "probable" cases of ... Read More
5 years ago, the WHO declared COVID a pandemic. Here’s a look at the disease by the numbers
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Tuesday marks five years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak of COVID-19 to be a pandemic.Since then, millions of Americans have been hospitalized, and more than 1.2 million people have died.Additionally, millions of adults and children are still feeling the effects of their illness and have been diagnosed with long COVID.Here's a look at the disease in the U.S. by the numbers.HospitalizationsIn the last 28 days, ending about Feb. 16, 2025, about 3,800 Americans were hospitalized due to COVID-19, according to data from the WHO.DeathsSince the pandemic began, more than 1.22 million Americans have died from COVID-19 as of March 6, 2025, according to the latest CDC data. The U.S. crossed the ... Read More
What we still don’t know about COVID 5 years after the WHO declared a pandemic
TPG/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Five years ago, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a pandemic, leading to stay at-home orders and shutdowns across the U.S. and world.The nation looks much different since then, and scientists and researchers have learned a lot about the virus, including how it infects people, the best forms of treatment and what puts someone at risk for long COVID.There are still many questions, however. Health care professionals are working to find answers, such as how many people have truly died, how long the virus spread undetected in the U.S. and its origins."We know this emerged in China, around the city Wuhan. That's very clear," Dr. Cameron Wolfe, an infectious diseases specialist and a ... Read More
CDC asks researchers to assess how their projects align with Trump administration priorities
Jessica McGowan/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a survey on March 6 asking some federally funded researchers to assess how their work aligns with the priorities of President Donald Trump's administration, according to documents obtained by ABC News.CDC-funded researchers were asked whether their research would help combat "Christian persecution," defend women and children against "gender ideology extremism" or help curb illegal immigration.They were also surveyed about whether their research included any diversity or climate change initiatives -- among other questions that roughly align with recent executive orders.On Friday, the agency clarified that the survey was only applicable to CDC partners doing work outside the United States.It's not clear how many researchers received the email, which ... Read More
40 new cases of measles reported in Texas as outbreak grows to 198: Officials
Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images(GAINES COUNTY, Texas) -- The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in western Texas has grown to 198, with 40 cases reported over the last three days, according to new data released Friday.Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown, with 80 unvaccinated and 113 of unknown status. At least 23 people have been hospitalized so far, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).Just five cases have occurred in people vaccinated with one dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.Children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 make up the majority of cases, followed by children ages 4 ... Read More
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