Although fewer United States high school students declare themselves smokers, tobacco use as well as the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes worries the CDC, federal health officials announced on Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has just released data suggesting that 22.9 percent of all high schools students have smoked tobacco or used tobacco products in the previous … [Read more...]
Is Chagas Disease Becoming the New U.S. Public Health Threat?
Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine in Huston have been studying Chagas Disease and their results show that the southern US may be facing a real yet unrecognized risk of contracting the disease. Their results were presented on the 4th of November during the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) in New Orleans. Two additional studies … [Read more...]
Ebola Health Worker Blood Samples Retrieved by Coast Guard
A blood sample from the Dallas health care worker aboard the Carnival Magic cruise ship, which just returned to Galveston, was retrieved by the Coast Guard on Saturday. The Texas-based cruise ship had attempted to approach Belize’s shore, however, Belize authorities did not allow the health worker to come on shore. The woman being monitored for Ebola is believed to pose no risk for several … [Read more...]
Obama Insists that Americans Don’t Give in to Ebola Hysteria
President Obama is having a particularly difficult time convincing American citizens to not give in to the “hysteria” surrounding the Ebola virus’ spread, especially after the three confirmed cases in the U.S. The president explained that the flight ban that many lawmakers were insisting on would be counterproductive and that he would not give into these demands. "We can't just cut ourselves off … [Read more...]
Central American Country Issues Travel Ban; Airline Contacts Passengers Fearing Exposure
Fueled by Ebola fears, governments the world over are taking measures to ensure the safety of their citizens. A Central American country has just announced that it has closed its borders to people coming from affected territories while airlines were scrambling to inform over 800 passengers that they had been on the same aircraft with a possible Ebola patient. Frontier Airlines contacted all … [Read more...]
Texas and Ohio Close Schools in Fear of Possible Ebola Outbreak
Several Ohio and Texas schools have been shut by district officials on Thursday after receiving information that two students had been on the Cleveland to Dallas flight with Amber Joy Vinson, the nurse infected with Ebola. Apart from the two students, a school employee may have later flown on the same aircraft. According to a statement released by the Belton Independent School District’s … [Read more...]
White House Scrambles to Address Ebola Crisis While Lawmakers Call for Change
After a second Texas hospital worker tested positive for the Ebola virus, the White House began scrambling on Wednesday to ease concerns over the apparent uncontrolled spread of the virus. In the meantime, lawmakers warned that their patience was wearing thin with the inadequacy of the current response and called for change. Amidst an unprecedented situation, where all U.S. citizens are being … [Read more...]
Second Health Official Tests Positive for Ebola at Dallas Hospital
After a nurse tested positive for the Ebola virus at the hospital where Thomas Eric Duncan had been treated, a second female health worker tested positive for the same virus. The information was confirmed on Wednesday by Texas health officials, who are now preparing for more cases. “We are preparing contingencies for more and that is a very real possibility,” Dallas County Judge, Clay … [Read more...]
U.S. Forced to Rethink Approach on Ebola CDC Says
The case of the Dallas nurse who also contracted the Ebola virus while working with the Liberian patient who developed the illness after entering the U.S. shows that health officials need to rethink how to properly address the infection and control a possible outbreak. The virus is clearly spreading beyond West Africa, top U.S. heath officials said in a Monday statement. According to Dr. Thomas … [Read more...]
Significant Concerns Raised after Texas Health Worker Tests Positive for Ebola
One of the health workers treating a Liberian patient who died of Ebola at the Texas Health Presbyterian hospital last week has tested positive for the hemorrhagic fever virus. This new case raises serious concern about the United States medical guidelines which should, in theory, stop the spread of the virus. Authorities are now investigating whether these guidelines were respected. The infected … [Read more...]