Health Headlines
US measles cases surpass 2,000 for the 2nd year in a row: CDC
Human crowd surrounding an injectable measles vaccine bottle on purple background. Horizontal composition with copy space. ( MicroStockHub/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Measles cases in the United States have surpassed 2,000 for the second year in a row, according to data updated Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).So far in 2026, 2,030 confirmed cases have been recorded in 38 states and the District of Columbia, CDC data shows.Cases have been confirmed in: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin ... Read More
New guidelines could help millions more Americans get colon cancer testing
(STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- New guidelines from the American Cancer Society are expanding colon cancer screening options beyond colonoscopies and established stool-based tests.The recommendations still call for colorectal cancer screening in people at average risk starting at age 45 and continuing through age 75 for those with a life expectancy of 10 more years.And colonoscopy is still considered the gold standard test.But for the first time, the updated guidelines now include a blood-based screening test done in a doctor’s office. They also add new stool sample kits and a recently FDA-approved at-home test that looks for blood and different molecular markers in stool samples.Experts note that offering more choices is critical to address gaps in screening for this highly ... Read More
Texas reports state’s 1st human case of West Nile virus this year
Female Aedes mosquitoes, including the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) and the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), are observed feeding on human blood in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on May 01, 2026. These mosquitoes are known to transmit diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever, and West Nile virus. Rising temperatures are contributing to their survival. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)(TEXAS) -- Texas health officials on Tuesday confirmed the state's first human West Nile virus case this year, an indication that mosquito season is beginning in the United States. Public health officials have been warning that rising temperatures have allowed mosquitoes to thrive, increasing the risk of the diseases that they spread, including West Nile. Last year, the U.S. reported 2,076 ... Read More
As Ebola outbreak spreads in DRC and Uganda, what is risk to US?
Health supplies are seen as healthcare workers receive training on administering the Ebola vaccine in a study carried out with the support of the World Health Organization as part of the fight against the Ebola virus in Kampala, Uganda on February 14, 2025. (Nicholas Kajoba/Anadolu via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- A deadly Ebola outbreak is continuing to spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with officials on Tuesday saying there were more than 600 confirmed and suspected cases and more than 100 suspected deaths.The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, and at least one American in the DRC has tested positive, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ... Read More
Hantavirus doesn’t linger, requires close contact: Officials
Medical staff direct some of the last passengers to be evacuated from the MV Hondius on May 11, 2026, in Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands, Spain. (Chris Mcgrath/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Health experts tell ABC News that the current science behind the hantavirus that circulated throughout the MV Hondius does not show the same levels of transmission as with COVID-19, while acknowledging that the scenario may seem similar to the beginning of the 2020 pandemic."Our current understanding is that person-to-person transmission of Andes virus is relatively rare and generally associated with prolonged close contact," the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public health assessment said. "There is also no documented evidence of presymptomatic transmission."Officials around the globe have taken major steps ... Read More
At least 65 dead after Ebola outbreak confirmed in Democratic Republic of the Congo, officials say
Healthcare workers walk outside the Ebola treatment centre in Beni, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. (2019). (Photo by Sally Hayden/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) - An Ebola outbreak has been confirmed in the Ituri province in Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.As of the latest update, about 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported, mainly in Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, officials said.Africa CDC said that preliminary lab results from the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) have detected Ebola virus in 13 of 20 samples tested. Four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases.The latest outbreak comes around five months after Congo's last Ebola outbreak was declared ... Read More
RFK Jr. spokesman resigns over fruit-flavored e-cigarette concerns, letter says
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during an event on advancing health care affordability in the Oval Office of the White House, April 23, 2026 in Washington. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)(WASHINGTON) -- One of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s top public affairs spokespeople resigned from his post over the FDA's fruit-flavored e-cigarettes authorization and its potential impact on minors, according to a resignation letter to President Donald Trump reviewed by ABC News.In the letter, Richard Danker, the former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, accuses senior agency officials in Kennedy's immediate office of approving e-cigarette flavors that would allegedly expose children to "nicotine addiction, lung damage, and a ... Read More
Dr. Marty Makary intends to resign as FDA commissioner: Sources
Marty Makary attends an executive order signing in the Oval Office on April 18, 2026.(Allison Robbert/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)(WASHINGTON) -- Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary intends to resign on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.His departure was in the works after he clashed publicly with lawmakers, major pharmaceutical companies and President Donald Trump himself. He was scheduled to testify on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.Trump was asked by reporters about Makary's possible resignation on Tuesday and signaled that Deputy Commissioner Kyle Diamanta would temporarily take on the role.The president said, "Marty is a great guy," but added that he was "having some difficulty." "Everybody wants that job," Trump said.The FDA and White ... Read More
‘Some human-to-human transmission’ possible in suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard cruise ship: WHO official
The logo of the WHO is seen on panel in front of the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 23, 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Robert Hradil/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- An epidemiologist at the World Health Organization (WHO) said that there may be some person-to-person spread in the suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship.As of Monday, there have been seven cases reported aboard the MV Hondius, of which two are laboratory-confirmed and five are suspected. Among those seven, there have been three deaths, including a married couple from the Netherlands, one of whom has been confirmed to have been infected with hantavirus."We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that's happening among the really close ... Read More
What to know about a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship
Stock photo of a colorized electron micrograph of the Hantavirus. (Alfred Pasieka/Science Photo Lib/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- A rare rodent-borne disease may be behind an outbreak aboard a cruise ship.The World Health Organization (WHO) says there has been one laboratory confirmed case and five suspected cases. Of those six people, three have died.The deaths occurred between April 11 and May 2 and the variant of hantavirus identified in at least one patient who is currently in intensive care, according to the WHO.The WHO ?said on Monday that investigations into the deaths and illnesses are ongoing, including further laboratory testing.The outbreak was reported on the MV Hondius, run by Oceanwide Expeditions, which was traveling between Argentina and the Canary Islands via ... Read More
FDA approves 1st non-antipsychotic medication for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease
The Food and Drug Administration headquarters is shown in White Oak, Md. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images, FILE)(NEW YORK) -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug Auvelity this week for the treatment of agitation in adults with Alzheimer's dementia.The extended-release tablet is the first FDA-approved medication for this condition that is not an anti-psychotic.Anti-psychotics carry serious risks including stroke, sedation and increased death in older adults, according to the FDA. Having a non-antipsychotic option may be safer for patients, experts say."We've needed a drug like this for decades, because agitation related to Alzheimer's disease is one of the most challenging, disheartening symptoms that we manage," Dr. Richard Issacson, director of research at the Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases in Florida, ... Read More
After nearly 1,000 cases, here’s how South Carolina officials beat back a measles outbreak
A sign outside a mobile clinic offering measles and flu vaccinations on February 6, 2026 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- A few months ago, a measles outbreak seemed poised to overwhelm the northern region of South Carolina.More than 100 infections were being reported every week, with the total eventually surpassing that of last year’s record-setting outbreak in Texas.However, after six months and nearly 1,000 cases, the outbreak took a dramatic turn in the right direction.Over the weekend, the South Carolina Department of Public Health said no new cases had been confirmed for 42 days, leading to an announcement on Monday that the outbreak is officially over.Public health experts told ABC News that the combination of a ... Read More
Push for raw milk intensifies across the US, despite illness outbreaks and scientists’ warnings
(AP) - Backers of raw milk are pushing to make the potentially dangerous product more widely available and easier to obtain, even as a new disease outbreak — one of at least five in the past year — sickens U.S. children. More than three dozen bills supporting raw milk have been introduced in statehouses across the nation, The Associated Press found. A growing number of states are making it legal to sell. Dairy farmers say they can barely keep it in stock, even though prices can exceed $10 or $20 a gallon. Top government officials and internet influencers are helping drive this momentum. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downed shots of raw milk at the White House last ... Read More
CDC warns additional measles cases in US are expected amid upcoming travel season
Signs point the way to measles testing in the parking lot of the Seminole Hospital District across from Wigwam Stadium on February 27, 2025 in Seminole, Texas. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- With a busy travel season approaching, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that additional measles cases in the U.S. can be expected over the next few months.The agency sent the alert to state and local health departments, reminding them to report measles cases to the CDC within 24 hours and to have measles cases reported in hospitals and to public health authorities.The CDC has encouraged public health departments to conduct contact tracing for exposed individuals as well as perform outreach to under-vaccinated communities. "With continued measles transmission in ... Read More
As heart, kidney and metabolic health worsen, cancer risk may rise: Study
Stock image of doctor and patient. (Westend61/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- As heart, kidney and metabolic problems progress to more advanced stages, a person's risk of developing several cancers also rises sharply, a new study finds.Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome is a disorder that occurs when heart disease, kidney problems and metabolic issues including obesity and diabetes all happen together, according to the American Heart Association.About one in three U.S. adults have at least three risk factors for CKM syndrome, the AHA says.Researchers used a claims database in Japan that included individuals with available health check-up data and insurance claims between April 2014 and August 2023.People diagnosed with stage 3 CKM syndrome at the start of the study were 25% more likely to be diagnosed with ... Read More
UK passes bill that will eventually ban cigarette purchases
LONDON (AP) — Opponents of smoking got a breath of fresh air as Parliament passed a bill that will put cigarettes out of reach for future generations. “The end of smoking, and the devastating harm it causes, is no longer uncertain — it’s inevitable,” Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said after a decades-long campaign in favor of legislation approved Tuesday. Children born after Dec. 31, 2008, will be banned from ever buying cigarettes under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The legislation that needs approval by King Charles III — a formality — before taking effect will also allow the government to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including flavors and packaging. It is currently illegal ... Read More
Acting AG Todd Blanche signs order reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as less dangerous drug
Close up of senior woman using cannabis at home (Getty/Emilija Manevska)(WASHINGTON) -- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order on Thursday reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana as a less dangerous drug.The order moves marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, putting state-licensed medical marijuana in the same category as some pain medications, ketamine and testosterone.Schedule I drugs are defined as "drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse" while Schedule III drugs are defined as "drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence," according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).While this change aligns federal guidelines with many state laws, marijuana is still illegal at the federal level. It does not remove ... Read More
More Americans breathing unhealthy air, new American Lung Association report finds
An air quality health advisory has been issued for New York City and the tri-state area due to high ozone levels, the National Weather Service announced on June 5, 2025, in United States. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Nearly half of Americans -- 152.3 million people -- now live in places with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution (PM2.5), two of the most dangerous air pollutants.The American Lung Association's 2026 "State of the Air" report finds that more than 129 million people live in counties with failing grades for ozone pollution. This type of pollution forms when sunlight interacts with compounds emitted from cars, industry and chemicals, creating harmful ground-level ozone in the air.About 62 million people ... Read More
Kennedy restores staffing at 9/11 health program ahead of Capitol Hill testimony
Robert Kennedy Jr. appears before the Senate Finance Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on September 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)(WASHINGTON) -- Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. heads to Capitol Hill Thursday after restoring staffing at the World Trade Center Health Program, a move that could ease one of the most persistent points of bipartisan criticism he has faced for months.Program advocates and lawmakers said they received an email from the secretary on Wednesday approving hiring for 37 long-vacant positions. This will raise staffing from its current 83 employees to the federally authorized level of 120. The move comes after nearly a year of bipartisan criticism that staffing shortages were slowing care ... Read More
Trump admin touts new dietary guidelines, but will your child have healthier school lunches next fall?
Kids eating lunch at school (Tetra Images/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- As President Donald Trump's administration touts its new federal dietary guidelines, experts and officials suggest there's a long road ahead before America’s students have healthier school meals.With the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services partnering to address chronic disease -- aiming to place whole, nutrient-dense food at the center of diets -- the administration believes it has taken a major step toward solving America's youth health crises.From Secretaries Brooke Rollins and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary, there’s a full-scale push to make school meals healthier by next school year, but the USDA’s former Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Cindy Long said ... Read More
Weekly ER visits for tick bites reach highest level in nearly a decade. Will this season be worse?
Photo of tick (rbkomar/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Weekly visits to emergency rooms for tick bites are at the highest level since at least 2017, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).During the most recent week, 71 per 100,000 ER visits were due to tick bites, compared to the average of about 30 per 100,000 ER visits for this time of year, more than double from what is typical this time of year.Currently, the Northeast is reporting the most ER visits for tick bites, followed by the Midwest, Southeast, West and South Central regions, respectively, CDC data shows."We're running well above historic average and even well above last year," Dr. John J. Halperin, chair of the ... Read More
Tylenol during pregnancy has no link to autism, large study finds
In this stock image, an open bottle of Tylenol Extra Strength pain reliever is shown. (STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Taking acetaminophen, also known by the brand name Tylenol, during pregnancy had no effect on children developing autism, according to a study of over 1.5 million children in Denmark published this week. The study was published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers analyzed 1.5 million children born between 1997 and 2022. About 1.8% of those who were exposed to Tylenol during pregnancy developed autism compared to 3.0% of those who were not exposed to Tylenol.A prior study out of Sweden looked at siblings, finding no causal link between autism and Tylenol exposure during pregnancy. There are genetic associations and environmental triggers that are likely involved, but neither Tylenol nor vaccines has been shown to be ... Read More
Growing number of trauma, brain injuries linked to e-bikes and e-scooters at 1 hospital: Study
Stock photo of people commuting on e-bikes and scooters. (Maskot/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- E-bikes and e-scooters led to a growing number of trauma injuries at one New York City hospital, according to a new study published Wednesday.About 7% of all trauma visits between 2018 and 2023 at Bellevue Hospital Center were due to micromobility injuries. Micromobility is the use of small, lightweight and low-speed modes of transportation such as bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters.The study showed a growing share of patients who sustained these injuries had accidents linked to e-bikes or e-scooters.Hospital data showed that, by 2023, over half of all trauma cases related to bikes or scooters involved an e-bike or e-scooter, an increase from just 8% in 2018, according to ... Read More
Smoking rate among US adults drops to record low as vape use rises: CDC
Signage outside the Center for Disease Control (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Megan Varner/Bloomberg via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Cigarette smoking among U.S. adults continues to fall to record low levels as e-cigarette use rises, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published early Thursday.Nearly 10% of adults in the U.S. smoked cigarettes in 2024, the report found. This is down from about 11% in 2023, CDC data shows.Rates of cigarette use have dramatically fallen since a landmark 1964 Surgeon General report warned about the dangers of cigarette smoking and linked it to lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and other serious diseases.The 1964 report also found a 70% higher mortality rate ... Read More
Doctors say Pfizer’s Lyme disease vaccine trial results ‘encouraging’ after more than 70% efficacy shown
Pfizer logo (Photo Illustration by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Earlier this week, pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its partner Valneva announced that an experimental Lyme disease vaccine showed more than 70% efficacy in late-stage clinical trials.The candidate, PF-07307405, showed 73.2% efficacy in reducing confirmed cases of Lyme disease cases after the fourth and final dose was administered when compared to a placebo.However, the companies said there were fewer than anticipated cases of Lyme disease during the trial period and the study missed an important benchmark.The trial did not reach its primary endpoint to provide an idea of how the results of this vaccine would turn out in a much larger population of people. Only with re-analyzing the data were researchers ... Read More
1 in 10 ACA enrollees dropped their coverage due to rising health care costs: Poll
The healthcare.gov website on a laptop arranged in Norfolk, Virginia, US, on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- When Jessica Chamberlain went to sign up for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for 2026, she not prepared for the sticker shock.Last year, Chamberlain was paying $59.67 in monthly premiums. This year, she would be paying nearly $100.The 43-year-old mother of two from Illinois said she was floored to see her monthly premiums were nearly doubling."I can't afford that as a single mom with two kids," she told ABC News.After carefully weighing her options, Chamberlain decide to forego health insurance and is currently uninsured."What do I sacrifice [to pay for health insurance]? I'm ... Read More
Judge temporarily blocks RFK Jr.’s efforts to reshape childhood vaccine policy
(MASSACHUSETTS) -- A Massachusetts judge ruled on Monday in favor of medical organizations in their litigation against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his changes to federal vaccine policy.The judge temporarily blocked changes to the childhood vaccine schedule that were made at the beginning of this year, in which Kennedy reduced the number of recommended shots from 17 to 11. The judge also suspended the appointments of the 13 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee, who were all appointed unilaterally by Kennedy after he fired all the preceding members. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. ... Read More
Many military members may get care at hospitals at risk of financial distress — partly due to Trump cuts
Bo Zaunders/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- As many as 724,000 service members, their families and veterans may rely on health care at hospitals that face financial vulnerability, partly due to cuts in President Donald Trump's megabill, according to a new analysis.The bill, known as HR.1, was signed into law in last summer and included sweeping changes to health care including Medicaid. Strict work requirements, reduced federal funding and tightening provider tax rules impacts hospitals that are dependent on Medicaid, increasing their risk of uncompensated care and reducing revenue.Service members and their families -- many of whom are covered by the military health insurance program TRICARE -- rely heavily on civilian hospitals for health care, particularly in areas without military treatment facilities.The ... Read More
Wyoming governor signs ‘fetal heartbeat’ abortion ban into law
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon testifies during the House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Thursday, June 15, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill into law on Monday banning abortion in the state after a "fetal heartbeat" has been detected.HB 126, or the Human Heartbeat Act, prohibits abortion once cardiac activity is identified, which is around six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they're pregnant.If cardiac activity is detected, an abortion can only be performed in the case of a medical emergency, meaning if the life of the mother is in danger or if continuing the pregnancy would cause serious or irreversible impairment of a major bodily function, according to ... Read More
Acetaminophen use dropped among pregnant women in ERs after White House claim linked drug to autism
Tylenol (Acetaminophen) tablets are sold in a drugstore in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 17, 2026. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images)(NEW YORK) -- Acetaminophen orders in emergency rooms for pregnant patients fell in the weeks after a White House briefing last year linked its use during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism, a new analysis finds.Researchers at Harvard and Brown University looked at data from an electronic health records system with more than 294 million patient records from more than 1,600 hospitals and 37,000 clinics across the United States.They found that orders for acetaminophen, also known by the brand name Tylenol, fell 10% between the briefing on Sept. 22, 2025 and Dec. 7, 2025, according to the analysis, published on ... Read More
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