Carolyn Crist

The Safer Alternatives for Emergency Response (SAFER) program provides a safe supply of substances to prevent drug overdose deaths, according to a new report.

The program has been operating in Vancouver, British Columbia, since April 2021. So far, the program has enrolled 58 participants who have reported benefits from having new options when other forms of treatment or harm reduction didn’t work. In addition, doctors who work with the program have reported increased medication adherence among the participants, as well as better chronic disease management.

Similar safe supply programs are being implemented or considered in other places across Canada. Since 2019, Health Canada has funded 18 safe supply pilot programs.

“When we look at the number of overdose deaths, it should be zero. These are preventable deaths,” author Christy Sutherland, MD, medical director at the PHS Community Services Society, Vancouver, which operates the SAFER program, told this news organization.

PHS Community Services Society

Safe supply programs

Between January 2016 and June 2021, more than 24,000 people died from opioid toxicity in Canada, according to the authors. A key driver of the ongoing public health crisis has been the introduction of illicit fentanyl and other dangerous substances into the unregulated drug supply.

In recent years, several harm-reduction options and substance use disorder treatment programs have been introduced in Canada to stem overdose deaths. However, they haven’t been sufficient, and the number of deaths continues to rise.

“In 2010, methadone worked, but now even high doses don’t keep people out of withdrawal due to the infiltration of fentanyl,” Dr. Sutherland said. “It’s clinically not working anymore. People are now going through benzodiazepine withdrawal and opiate withdrawal at the same time.”

The changes have led doctors to call for programs that provide legal and regulated sources of psychoactive substances, also known as “safe supply” programs. In particular, low-barrier and flexible options are necessary to meet the needs of various people in the community.

In Vancouver, the SAFER program provides medications that are prescribed off-label as substitutes to the illicit drug supply. A multidisciplinary team oversees the program, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and people who have experience living with substance use.

The program’s approach is akin to the use of medications as treatments for substance use disorder, such as opioid-agonist therapy. However, instead of promoting abstinence, the goal of SAFER is to prevent overdose deaths and other consequences by decreasing reliance on the unregulated drug market.

Enrolled participants can access medications, including opioids such as hydromorphone and fentanyl, as a substitute for the unregulated substances that they consume. A notable aspect of SAFER is the offer of fentanyl – with a known potency and without dangerous adulterants found in the local drug supply.
 

Promoting participant autonomy

Given the increasing rate of overdose deaths involving stimulants in Canada, the program also offers prescribed psychostimulants, such as methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine.

The program focuses on harm reduction and promoting participant autonomy. SAFER doesn’t have a predetermined schedule for medication access, which allows participants to return as they need.

“Creating this program has required patience to change our practices,” Dr. Sutherland said. “As you learn more and do more, you’re always growing because you care about your patients and want to help them, especially vulnerable people with a high risk for death.”

The SAFER program is integrated into health care and social services, and participants have access to on-site primary care from clinicians trained in addiction medicine. The program is located alongside a low-barrier prevention site, where supplies such as syringes, take-home naloxone kits, and drug-checking services are available.

The SAFER program will undergo a scientific evaluation, led by two of the co-authors, which will include about 200 participants. During a 2-year period, the evaluation will assess whether the program reduces the risk for overdose deaths and supports access to primary care, harm reduction, and substance use disorder treatment. In addition, the researchers will analyze other key outcomes, such as fatal versus nonfatal overdoses, medication adherence, and the qualitative lived experience of participants.
 

The end of prohibition?

“We’ve had the same challenges with people buying illegal drugs on the street for almost 30 years, but about 5 years ago, that all changed when fentanyl became a prominent drug, and overdose deaths skyrocketed,” Mark Tyndall, MD, a public health professor at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, said in an interview.

University of British Columbia

Dr. Tyndall is also executive director of the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and executive director of MySafe Society, a safe supply program in Canada for those with opioid addiction. He is not involved in the SAFER program.

SAFER and MySafe Society are positioned as low-barrier programs, he said, meaning that the public health response is primarily focused on preventing deaths and helping people to get access to medication that won’t kill them. The idea is to meet people where they are today.

However, these programs still face major barriers, such as limitations from federal regulators and stigmas around illicit drugs and harm-reduction programs.

“These beliefs are entrenched, and it takes a long time to help people understand that prohibition means that dangerous drugs are on the street,” he said. “I don’t think way more people are using than 10 years ago, but there was a supply of heroin that was stable in potency back then, and people weren’t dying.”

Ultimately, Dr. Tyndall said, drug policy experts would like to create a regulated supply, similar to the supply of cannabis. The political and regulatory process may take much longer to catch up, but he believes that it’s the most ethical way to reduce overdose deaths and the unregulated drug supply.

“The harshest critics of harm reduction often go to the liquor store every weekend,” he said. “It’s going to be a long process before people think this way, but having fentanyl and other dangerous drugs on the street has signaled the end stage of prohibition.”

The SAFER program is operated by PHS Community Services Society in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health and funded through Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addiction Program. Dr. Tyndall reported no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The Safer Alternatives for Emergency Response (SAFER) program provides a safe supply of substances to prevent drug overdose deaths, according to a new report.

The program has been operating in Vancouver, British Columbia, since April 2021. So far, the program has enrolled 58 participants who have reported benefits from having new options when other forms of treatment or harm reduction didn’t work. In addition, doctors who work with the program have reported increased medication adherence among the participants, as well as better chronic disease management.

Similar safe supply programs are being implemented or considered in other places across Canada. Since 2019, Health Canada has funded 18 safe supply pilot programs.

“When we look at the number of overdose deaths, it should be zero. These are preventable deaths,” author Christy Sutherland, MD, medical director at the PHS Community Services Society, Vancouver, which operates the SAFER program, told this news organization.

PHS Community Services Society

Safe supply programs

Between January 2016 and June 2021, more than 24,000 people died from opioid toxicity in Canada, according to the authors. A key driver of the ongoing public health crisis has been the introduction of illicit fentanyl and other dangerous substances into the unregulated drug supply.

In recent years, several harm-reduction options and substance use disorder treatment programs have been introduced in Canada to stem overdose deaths. However, they haven’t been sufficient, and the number of deaths continues to rise.

“In 2010, methadone worked, but now even high doses don’t keep people out of withdrawal due to the infiltration of fentanyl,” Dr. Sutherland said. “It’s clinically not working anymore. People are now going through benzodiazepine withdrawal and opiate withdrawal at the same time.”

The changes have led doctors to call for programs that provide legal and regulated sources of psychoactive substances, also known as “safe supply” programs. In particular, low-barrier and flexible options are necessary to meet the needs of various people in the community.

In Vancouver, the SAFER program provides medications that are prescribed off-label as substitutes to the illicit drug supply. A multidisciplinary team oversees the program, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and people who have experience living with substance use.

The program’s approach is akin to the use of medications as treatments for substance use disorder, such as opioid-agonist therapy. However, instead of promoting abstinence, the goal of SAFER is to prevent overdose deaths and other consequences by decreasing reliance on the unregulated drug market.

Enrolled participants can access medications, including opioids such as hydromorphone and fentanyl, as a substitute for the unregulated substances that they consume. A notable aspect of SAFER is the offer of fentanyl – with a known potency and without dangerous adulterants found in the local drug supply.
 

Promoting participant autonomy

Given the increasing rate of overdose deaths involving stimulants in Canada, the program also offers prescribed psychostimulants, such as methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine.

The program focuses on harm reduction and promoting participant autonomy. SAFER doesn’t have a predetermined schedule for medication access, which allows participants to return as they need.

“Creating this program has required patience to change our practices,” Dr. Sutherland said. “As you learn more and do more, you’re always growing because you care about your patients and want to help them, especially vulnerable people with a high risk for death.”

The SAFER program is integrated into health care and social services, and participants have access to on-site primary care from clinicians trained in addiction medicine. The program is located alongside a low-barrier prevention site, where supplies such as syringes, take-home naloxone kits, and drug-checking services are available.

The SAFER program will undergo a scientific evaluation, led by two of the co-authors, which will include about 200 participants. During a 2-year period, the evaluation will assess whether the program reduces the risk for overdose deaths and supports access to primary care, harm reduction, and substance use disorder treatment. In addition, the researchers will analyze other key outcomes, such as fatal versus nonfatal overdoses, medication adherence, and the qualitative lived experience of participants.
 

The end of prohibition?

“We’ve had the same challenges with people buying illegal drugs on the street for almost 30 years, but about 5 years ago, that all changed when fentanyl became a prominent drug, and overdose deaths skyrocketed,” Mark Tyndall, MD, a public health professor at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, said in an interview.

University of British Columbia

Dr. Tyndall is also executive director of the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and executive director of MySafe Society, a safe supply program in Canada for those with opioid addiction. He is not involved in the SAFER program.

SAFER and MySafe Society are positioned as low-barrier programs, he said, meaning that the public health response is primarily focused on preventing deaths and helping people to get access to medication that won’t kill them. The idea is to meet people where they are today.

However, these programs still face major barriers, such as limitations from federal regulators and stigmas around illicit drugs and harm-reduction programs.

“These beliefs are entrenched, and it takes a long time to help people understand that prohibition means that dangerous drugs are on the street,” he said. “I don’t think way more people are using than 10 years ago, but there was a supply of heroin that was stable in potency back then, and people weren’t dying.”

Ultimately, Dr. Tyndall said, drug policy experts would like to create a regulated supply, similar to the supply of cannabis. The political and regulatory process may take much longer to catch up, but he believes that it’s the most ethical way to reduce overdose deaths and the unregulated drug supply.

“The harshest critics of harm reduction often go to the liquor store every weekend,” he said. “It’s going to be a long process before people think this way, but having fentanyl and other dangerous drugs on the street has signaled the end stage of prohibition.”

The SAFER program is operated by PHS Community Services Society in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health and funded through Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addiction Program. Dr. Tyndall reported no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The Safer Alternatives for Emergency Response (SAFER) program provides a safe supply of substances to prevent drug overdose deaths, according to a new report.

The program has been operating in Vancouver, British Columbia, since April 2021. So far, the program has enrolled 58 participants who have reported benefits from having new options when other forms of treatment or harm reduction didn’t work. In addition, doctors who work with the program have reported increased medication adherence among the participants, as well as better chronic disease management.

Similar safe supply programs are being implemented or considered in other places across Canada. Since 2019, Health Canada has funded 18 safe supply pilot programs.

“When we look at the number of overdose deaths, it should be zero. These are preventable deaths,” author Christy Sutherland, MD, medical director at the PHS Community Services Society, Vancouver, which operates the SAFER program, told this news organization.

PHS Community Services Society

Safe supply programs

Between January 2016 and June 2021, more than 24,000 people died from opioid toxicity in Canada, according to the authors. A key driver of the ongoing public health crisis has been the introduction of illicit fentanyl and other dangerous substances into the unregulated drug supply.

In recent years, several harm-reduction options and substance use disorder treatment programs have been introduced in Canada to stem overdose deaths. However, they haven’t been sufficient, and the number of deaths continues to rise.

“In 2010, methadone worked, but now even high doses don’t keep people out of withdrawal due to the infiltration of fentanyl,” Dr. Sutherland said. “It’s clinically not working anymore. People are now going through benzodiazepine withdrawal and opiate withdrawal at the same time.”

The changes have led doctors to call for programs that provide legal and regulated sources of psychoactive substances, also known as “safe supply” programs. In particular, low-barrier and flexible options are necessary to meet the needs of various people in the community.

In Vancouver, the SAFER program provides medications that are prescribed off-label as substitutes to the illicit drug supply. A multidisciplinary team oversees the program, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and people who have experience living with substance use.

The program’s approach is akin to the use of medications as treatments for substance use disorder, such as opioid-agonist therapy. However, instead of promoting abstinence, the goal of SAFER is to prevent overdose deaths and other consequences by decreasing reliance on the unregulated drug market.

Enrolled participants can access medications, including opioids such as hydromorphone and fentanyl, as a substitute for the unregulated substances that they consume. A notable aspect of SAFER is the offer of fentanyl – with a known potency and without dangerous adulterants found in the local drug supply.
 

Promoting participant autonomy

Given the increasing rate of overdose deaths involving stimulants in Canada, the program also offers prescribed psychostimulants, such as methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine.

The program focuses on harm reduction and promoting participant autonomy. SAFER doesn’t have a predetermined schedule for medication access, which allows participants to return as they need.

“Creating this program has required patience to change our practices,” Dr. Sutherland said. “As you learn more and do more, you’re always growing because you care about your patients and want to help them, especially vulnerable people with a high risk for death.”

The SAFER program is integrated into health care and social services, and participants have access to on-site primary care from clinicians trained in addiction medicine. The program is located alongside a low-barrier prevention site, where supplies such as syringes, take-home naloxone kits, and drug-checking services are available.

The SAFER program will undergo a scientific evaluation, led by two of the co-authors, which will include about 200 participants. During a 2-year period, the evaluation will assess whether the program reduces the risk for overdose deaths and supports access to primary care, harm reduction, and substance use disorder treatment. In addition, the researchers will analyze other key outcomes, such as fatal versus nonfatal overdoses, medication adherence, and the qualitative lived experience of participants.
 

The end of prohibition?

“We’ve had the same challenges with people buying illegal drugs on the street for almost 30 years, but about 5 years ago, that all changed when fentanyl became a prominent drug, and overdose deaths skyrocketed,” Mark Tyndall, MD, a public health professor at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, said in an interview.

University of British Columbia

Dr. Tyndall is also executive director of the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and executive director of MySafe Society, a safe supply program in Canada for those with opioid addiction. He is not involved in the SAFER program.

SAFER and MySafe Society are positioned as low-barrier programs, he said, meaning that the public health response is primarily focused on preventing deaths and helping people to get access to medication that won’t kill them. The idea is to meet people where they are today.

However, these programs still face major barriers, such as limitations from federal regulators and stigmas around illicit drugs and harm-reduction programs.

“These beliefs are entrenched, and it takes a long time to help people understand that prohibition means that dangerous drugs are on the street,” he said. “I don’t think way more people are using than 10 years ago, but there was a supply of heroin that was stable in potency back then, and people weren’t dying.”

Ultimately, Dr. Tyndall said, drug policy experts would like to create a regulated supply, similar to the supply of cannabis. The political and regulatory process may take much longer to catch up, but he believes that it’s the most ethical way to reduce overdose deaths and the unregulated drug supply.

“The harshest critics of harm reduction often go to the liquor store every weekend,” he said. “It’s going to be a long process before people think this way, but having fentanyl and other dangerous drugs on the street has signaled the end stage of prohibition.”

The SAFER program is operated by PHS Community Services Society in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health and funded through Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addiction Program. Dr. Tyndall reported no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

President Joe Biden said Monday that he didn’t believe quarantines to prevent the spread of monkeypox in the United States would be necessary.

He said the United States has enough vaccine doses available to stop any serious outbreaks and to “deal with the likelihood of the problem,” according to The Washington Post .

“I just don’t think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with COVID-19, and the smallpox vaccine works for it,” Biden said during a news conference in Japan.

The World Health Organization has identified monkeypox cases in at least a dozen countries where the disease isn’t typically considered endemic. Generally found in Central and West Africa, the illness has been reported in several European countries, as well as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

On Sunday, Biden told reporters that monkeypox is a “concern in that if it were to spread, it would be consequential.” Administration officials have said the president has been briefed on the disease, the newspaper reported.

Monkeypox spreads through droplets and bodily fluids but doesn’t pass easily between humans and is less contagious than the coronavirus, the Post reported. The CDC has reported that the smallpox vaccine is 85% effective against monkeypox, and the U.S. has licensed two smallpox vaccines that could help in potential outbreaks, including one that specifically targets monkeypox.

Mandatory monkeypox quarantine in Belgium

Belgium is the first country to put a mandatory 21-day quarantine in place for monkeypox patients as cases spread globally, according to CNBC. Health authorities announced the quarantine on Friday after the country recorded its third case.

The quarantine only applies to patients with a confirmed infection. Close contacts aren’t required to self-isolate but are encouraged to be careful and watch for symptoms, especially if they spend time with vulnerable people who could contract a serious illness, CNBC reported.

The United Kingdom has published guidelines to assess risks of monkeypox infection and provide guidance on self-isolation and monitoring. Health officials have said that those who have high exposure risks should self-isolate for 21 days, which includes household contacts or medical professionals who have worked with infected patients.

As of Saturday, the WHO has received reports of 92 confirmed monkeypox cases and 28 suspected cases across 12 countries where the virus isn’t typically found. No deaths linked to the cases have been reported so far.

The outbreaks have caused concern among health officials because most cases don’t have travel links to endemic countries. So far, many cases have spread between men who have sex with men, and the cases have been identified as patients seek care in primary care and sexual health clinics, the WHO reported.

“The identification of confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox with no direct travel links to an endemic area represents a highly unusual event,” the WHO said. “Available information suggests that human-to-human transmission is occurring among people in close physical contact with cases who are symptomatic.”

White House health official doesn’t foresee major outbreak

Ashish Jha, MD, a top Biden administration health official who serves as the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said Sunday that he doesn’t expect monkeypox to have widespread effects in the U.S.

“I feel like this is a virus we understand,” he said on ABC News’s This Week.

The virus has been monitored for decades, and there are treatments for it, Dr. Jha said.

“We have vaccines against it. We have treatments against it,” he said. “It’s not as contagious as COVID. So, I am confident we’re going to be able to keep our arms around it.”

At the same time, Dr. Jha agreed that health officials should keep an eye on the situation. Cases have been confirmed in recent days in several countries, as well as the United States.

“I would not be surprised if we see a few more cases in the upcoming days,” he said. “Any time we have an infectious outbreak like this, we should all be paying attention.”

Dr. Jha also stressed ongoing caution amid the COVID-19 pandemic as cases once again surpass 100,000 daily infections. Variants will continue to evolve, he said, and ongoing outbreaks will reinfect people who have been vaccinated or had a previous infection.

“What we know is that this virus is evolving very quickly, and every iteration of it has more and more immune escape,” he said. “That makes it harder for this virus to be contained unless we continue vaccinating people and keeping people up to date.”

Third possible U.S. monkeypox case found in Florida

The CDC said Sunday that it may have found a third monkeypox case in the United States and is running tests on a patient in South Florida, according to Reuters.

The person is in Broward County and remains isolated. The case appears to be related to international travel, the CDC told Reuters.

Health officials are doing tests to confirm if the patient has the disease, with results expected “soon.” No other cases have been identified in Florida so far.

The first monkeypox case in the United States was reported in Massachusetts last week. The patient had recently traveled to Canada.

The second U.S. case was reported in a New York City resident who tested positive on Friday.

The disease, which is like human smallpox but milder, is a viral infection that was first found in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1970s. Symptoms include fever, headaches, and a skin rash across the body.


A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

President Joe Biden said Monday that he didn’t believe quarantines to prevent the spread of monkeypox in the United States would be necessary.

He said the United States has enough vaccine doses available to stop any serious outbreaks and to “deal with the likelihood of the problem,” according to The Washington Post .

“I just don’t think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with COVID-19, and the smallpox vaccine works for it,” Biden said during a news conference in Japan.

The World Health Organization has identified monkeypox cases in at least a dozen countries where the disease isn’t typically considered endemic. Generally found in Central and West Africa, the illness has been reported in several European countries, as well as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

On Sunday, Biden told reporters that monkeypox is a “concern in that if it were to spread, it would be consequential.” Administration officials have said the president has been briefed on the disease, the newspaper reported.

Monkeypox spreads through droplets and bodily fluids but doesn’t pass easily between humans and is less contagious than the coronavirus, the Post reported. The CDC has reported that the smallpox vaccine is 85% effective against monkeypox, and the U.S. has licensed two smallpox vaccines that could help in potential outbreaks, including one that specifically targets monkeypox.

Mandatory monkeypox quarantine in Belgium

Belgium is the first country to put a mandatory 21-day quarantine in place for monkeypox patients as cases spread globally, according to CNBC. Health authorities announced the quarantine on Friday after the country recorded its third case.

The quarantine only applies to patients with a confirmed infection. Close contacts aren’t required to self-isolate but are encouraged to be careful and watch for symptoms, especially if they spend time with vulnerable people who could contract a serious illness, CNBC reported.

The United Kingdom has published guidelines to assess risks of monkeypox infection and provide guidance on self-isolation and monitoring. Health officials have said that those who have high exposure risks should self-isolate for 21 days, which includes household contacts or medical professionals who have worked with infected patients.

As of Saturday, the WHO has received reports of 92 confirmed monkeypox cases and 28 suspected cases across 12 countries where the virus isn’t typically found. No deaths linked to the cases have been reported so far.

The outbreaks have caused concern among health officials because most cases don’t have travel links to endemic countries. So far, many cases have spread between men who have sex with men, and the cases have been identified as patients seek care in primary care and sexual health clinics, the WHO reported.

“The identification of confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox with no direct travel links to an endemic area represents a highly unusual event,” the WHO said. “Available information suggests that human-to-human transmission is occurring among people in close physical contact with cases who are symptomatic.”

White House health official doesn’t foresee major outbreak

Ashish Jha, MD, a top Biden administration health official who serves as the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said Sunday that he doesn’t expect monkeypox to have widespread effects in the U.S.

“I feel like this is a virus we understand,” he said on ABC News’s This Week.

The virus has been monitored for decades, and there are treatments for it, Dr. Jha said.

“We have vaccines against it. We have treatments against it,” he said. “It’s not as contagious as COVID. So, I am confident we’re going to be able to keep our arms around it.”

At the same time, Dr. Jha agreed that health officials should keep an eye on the situation. Cases have been confirmed in recent days in several countries, as well as the United States.

“I would not be surprised if we see a few more cases in the upcoming days,” he said. “Any time we have an infectious outbreak like this, we should all be paying attention.”

Dr. Jha also stressed ongoing caution amid the COVID-19 pandemic as cases once again surpass 100,000 daily infections. Variants will continue to evolve, he said, and ongoing outbreaks will reinfect people who have been vaccinated or had a previous infection.

“What we know is that this virus is evolving very quickly, and every iteration of it has more and more immune escape,” he said. “That makes it harder for this virus to be contained unless we continue vaccinating people and keeping people up to date.”

Third possible U.S. monkeypox case found in Florida

The CDC said Sunday that it may have found a third monkeypox case in the United States and is running tests on a patient in South Florida, according to Reuters.

The person is in Broward County and remains isolated. The case appears to be related to international travel, the CDC told Reuters.

Health officials are doing tests to confirm if the patient has the disease, with results expected “soon.” No other cases have been identified in Florida so far.

The first monkeypox case in the United States was reported in Massachusetts last week. The patient had recently traveled to Canada.

The second U.S. case was reported in a New York City resident who tested positive on Friday.

The disease, which is like human smallpox but milder, is a viral infection that was first found in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1970s. Symptoms include fever, headaches, and a skin rash across the body.


A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

President Joe Biden said Monday that he didn’t believe quarantines to prevent the spread of monkeypox in the United States would be necessary.

He said the United States has enough vaccine doses available to stop any serious outbreaks and to “deal with the likelihood of the problem,” according to The Washington Post .

“I just don’t think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with COVID-19, and the smallpox vaccine works for it,” Biden said during a news conference in Japan.

The World Health Organization has identified monkeypox cases in at least a dozen countries where the disease isn’t typically considered endemic. Generally found in Central and West Africa, the illness has been reported in several European countries, as well as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

On Sunday, Biden told reporters that monkeypox is a “concern in that if it were to spread, it would be consequential.” Administration officials have said the president has been briefed on the disease, the newspaper reported.

Monkeypox spreads through droplets and bodily fluids but doesn’t pass easily between humans and is less contagious than the coronavirus, the Post reported. The CDC has reported that the smallpox vaccine is 85% effective against monkeypox, and the U.S. has licensed two smallpox vaccines that could help in potential outbreaks, including one that specifically targets monkeypox.

Mandatory monkeypox quarantine in Belgium

Belgium is the first country to put a mandatory 21-day quarantine in place for monkeypox patients as cases spread globally, according to CNBC. Health authorities announced the quarantine on Friday after the country recorded its third case.

The quarantine only applies to patients with a confirmed infection. Close contacts aren’t required to self-isolate but are encouraged to be careful and watch for symptoms, especially if they spend time with vulnerable people who could contract a serious illness, CNBC reported.

The United Kingdom has published guidelines to assess risks of monkeypox infection and provide guidance on self-isolation and monitoring. Health officials have said that those who have high exposure risks should self-isolate for 21 days, which includes household contacts or medical professionals who have worked with infected patients.

As of Saturday, the WHO has received reports of 92 confirmed monkeypox cases and 28 suspected cases across 12 countries where the virus isn’t typically found. No deaths linked to the cases have been reported so far.

The outbreaks have caused concern among health officials because most cases don’t have travel links to endemic countries. So far, many cases have spread between men who have sex with men, and the cases have been identified as patients seek care in primary care and sexual health clinics, the WHO reported.

“The identification of confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox with no direct travel links to an endemic area represents a highly unusual event,” the WHO said. “Available information suggests that human-to-human transmission is occurring among people in close physical contact with cases who are symptomatic.”

White House health official doesn’t foresee major outbreak

Ashish Jha, MD, a top Biden administration health official who serves as the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said Sunday that he doesn’t expect monkeypox to have widespread effects in the U.S.

“I feel like this is a virus we understand,” he said on ABC News’s This Week.

The virus has been monitored for decades, and there are treatments for it, Dr. Jha said.

“We have vaccines against it. We have treatments against it,” he said. “It’s not as contagious as COVID. So, I am confident we’re going to be able to keep our arms around it.”

At the same time, Dr. Jha agreed that health officials should keep an eye on the situation. Cases have been confirmed in recent days in several countries, as well as the United States.

“I would not be surprised if we see a few more cases in the upcoming days,” he said. “Any time we have an infectious outbreak like this, we should all be paying attention.”

Dr. Jha also stressed ongoing caution amid the COVID-19 pandemic as cases once again surpass 100,000 daily infections. Variants will continue to evolve, he said, and ongoing outbreaks will reinfect people who have been vaccinated or had a previous infection.

“What we know is that this virus is evolving very quickly, and every iteration of it has more and more immune escape,” he said. “That makes it harder for this virus to be contained unless we continue vaccinating people and keeping people up to date.”

Third possible U.S. monkeypox case found in Florida

The CDC said Sunday that it may have found a third monkeypox case in the United States and is running tests on a patient in South Florida, according to Reuters.

The person is in Broward County and remains isolated. The case appears to be related to international travel, the CDC told Reuters.

Health officials are doing tests to confirm if the patient has the disease, with results expected “soon.” No other cases have been identified in Florida so far.

The first monkeypox case in the United States was reported in Massachusetts last week. The patient had recently traveled to Canada.

The second U.S. case was reported in a New York City resident who tested positive on Friday.

The disease, which is like human smallpox but milder, is a viral infection that was first found in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1970s. Symptoms include fever, headaches, and a skin rash across the body.


A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

A new law will ban certain infant sleep products blamed for the deaths of more than 200 babies in the United States.

On May 16, President Joe Biden signed legislation that prohibits the manufacture and sale of crib bumpers or inclined sleepers for infants, due to the risk of suffocation, according to CBS News.

H.R. 3182, or the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021, notes that sleepers and bumpers will be considered “banned hazardous products” under the Consumer Product Safety Act. It gives manufacturers and retailers 180 days to comply with the new rule.

“The dangers posed to babies have been apparent for years,” Teresa Murray, who directs the consumer watchdog office for the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, said in a statement.

“It’s unfortunate that this law could take months to take effect,” she said. “Parents and caregivers need to recognize the dangers of these products and get them out of their homes now.”

H.R. 3182 defines inclined sleepers as products that have a sleep surface slanted greater than 10 degrees and are intended for babies up to 1 year old. Crib bumpers include any material that is designed to cover the sides of a crib, which includes padding or vinyl bumper guards but not non-padded mesh crib liners.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has received reports of more than 113 deaths involving crib bumpers between 1990 and 2019, as well as 113 nonfatal incidents between 2008 and 2019, according to a report from the commission.

More than 100 babies have died from infant-inclined sleep products, according to the commission, which has recalled numerous versions in recent years. But older models are still in circulation, CBS News reported.

Last year, the commission approved a federal safety rule that bans several types of sleep products for babies under 5 months old. Set to take effect next month, the rule requires products marketed for infants to meet the same federal safety standards as required for cribs and similar products.

Parents and advocates have called for a ban on these products for decades, according to CBS, since they can lead to suffocation when an infant’s nose and mouth are covered by a bumper or become stuck between a bumper and crib mattress.

Sudden unexpected infant death, or SUID – which includes sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS – is the leading cause of injury death in infancy, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group’s recommendations for safe sleep advise that infants should sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface without any extra padding, pillows, blankets, stuffed toys, bumpers, or other soft items in the sleep space.


A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

A new law will ban certain infant sleep products blamed for the deaths of more than 200 babies in the United States.

On May 16, President Joe Biden signed legislation that prohibits the manufacture and sale of crib bumpers or inclined sleepers for infants, due to the risk of suffocation, according to CBS News.

H.R. 3182, or the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021, notes that sleepers and bumpers will be considered “banned hazardous products” under the Consumer Product Safety Act. It gives manufacturers and retailers 180 days to comply with the new rule.

“The dangers posed to babies have been apparent for years,” Teresa Murray, who directs the consumer watchdog office for the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, said in a statement.

“It’s unfortunate that this law could take months to take effect,” she said. “Parents and caregivers need to recognize the dangers of these products and get them out of their homes now.”

H.R. 3182 defines inclined sleepers as products that have a sleep surface slanted greater than 10 degrees and are intended for babies up to 1 year old. Crib bumpers include any material that is designed to cover the sides of a crib, which includes padding or vinyl bumper guards but not non-padded mesh crib liners.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has received reports of more than 113 deaths involving crib bumpers between 1990 and 2019, as well as 113 nonfatal incidents between 2008 and 2019, according to a report from the commission.

More than 100 babies have died from infant-inclined sleep products, according to the commission, which has recalled numerous versions in recent years. But older models are still in circulation, CBS News reported.

Last year, the commission approved a federal safety rule that bans several types of sleep products for babies under 5 months old. Set to take effect next month, the rule requires products marketed for infants to meet the same federal safety standards as required for cribs and similar products.

Parents and advocates have called for a ban on these products for decades, according to CBS, since they can lead to suffocation when an infant’s nose and mouth are covered by a bumper or become stuck between a bumper and crib mattress.

Sudden unexpected infant death, or SUID – which includes sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS – is the leading cause of injury death in infancy, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group’s recommendations for safe sleep advise that infants should sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface without any extra padding, pillows, blankets, stuffed toys, bumpers, or other soft items in the sleep space.


A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

A new law will ban certain infant sleep products blamed for the deaths of more than 200 babies in the United States.

On May 16, President Joe Biden signed legislation that prohibits the manufacture and sale of crib bumpers or inclined sleepers for infants, due to the risk of suffocation, according to CBS News.

H.R. 3182, or the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021, notes that sleepers and bumpers will be considered “banned hazardous products” under the Consumer Product Safety Act. It gives manufacturers and retailers 180 days to comply with the new rule.

“The dangers posed to babies have been apparent for years,” Teresa Murray, who directs the consumer watchdog office for the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, said in a statement.

“It’s unfortunate that this law could take months to take effect,” she said. “Parents and caregivers need to recognize the dangers of these products and get them out of their homes now.”

H.R. 3182 defines inclined sleepers as products that have a sleep surface slanted greater than 10 degrees and are intended for babies up to 1 year old. Crib bumpers include any material that is designed to cover the sides of a crib, which includes padding or vinyl bumper guards but not non-padded mesh crib liners.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has received reports of more than 113 deaths involving crib bumpers between 1990 and 2019, as well as 113 nonfatal incidents between 2008 and 2019, according to a report from the commission.

More than 100 babies have died from infant-inclined sleep products, according to the commission, which has recalled numerous versions in recent years. But older models are still in circulation, CBS News reported.

Last year, the commission approved a federal safety rule that bans several types of sleep products for babies under 5 months old. Set to take effect next month, the rule requires products marketed for infants to meet the same federal safety standards as required for cribs and similar products.

Parents and advocates have called for a ban on these products for decades, according to CBS, since they can lead to suffocation when an infant’s nose and mouth are covered by a bumper or become stuck between a bumper and crib mattress.

Sudden unexpected infant death, or SUID – which includes sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS – is the leading cause of injury death in infancy, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group’s recommendations for safe sleep advise that infants should sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface without any extra padding, pillows, blankets, stuffed toys, bumpers, or other soft items in the sleep space.


A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its recommendations for doctors and public health officials regarding the unusual outbreak of acute hepatitis among children.

As of May 5, the CDC and state health departments are investigating 109 children with hepatitis of unknown origin across 25 states and territories.

More than half have tested positive for adenovirus, the CDC said. More than 90% have been hospitalized, and 14% have had liver transplants. Five deaths are under investigation.

This week’s CDC alert provides updated recommendations for testing, given the potential association between adenovirus infection and pediatric hepatitis, or liver inflammation.

“Clinicians are recommended to consider adenovirus testing for patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology and to report such cases to their state or jurisdictional public health authorities,” the CDC said.

Doctors should also consider collecting a blood sample, respiratory sample, and stool sample. They may also collect liver tissue if a biopsy occurred or an autopsy is available.

In November 2021, clinicians at a large children’s hospital in Alabama notified the CDC about five pediatric patients with significant liver injury, including three with acute liver failure, who also tested positive for adenovirus. All children were previously healthy, and none had COVID-19, according to a CDC alert in April.

Four additional pediatric patients with hepatitis and adenovirus infection were identified. After lab testing found adenovirus infection in all nine patients in the initial cluster, public health officials began investigating a possible association between pediatric hepatitis and adenovirus. Among the five specimens that could be sequenced, they were all adenovirus type 41.

Unexplained hepatitis cases have been reported in children worldwide, reaching 450 cases and 11 deaths, according to the latest update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The cases have been reported in more than two dozen countries around the world, with 14 countries reporting more than five cases. The United Kingdom and the United States have reported the largest case counts so far.

In the United Kingdom, officials have identified 163 cases in children under age 16 years, including 11 that required liver transplants.

In the European Union, 14 countries have reported 106 cases collectively, with Italy reporting 35 cases and Spain reporting 22 cases. Outside of the European Union, Brazil has reported 16, Indonesia has reported 15, and Israel has reported 12.

Among the 11 deaths reported globally, the Uniyed States has reported five, Indonesia has reported five, and Palestine has reported one.

The cause of severe hepatitis remains a mystery, according to Ars Technica. Some cases have been identified retrospectively, dating back to the beginning of October 2021.

About 70% of the cases that have been tested for an adenovirus have tested positive, and subtype testing continues to show adenovirus type 41. The cases don’t appear to be linked to common causes, such as hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D, or E, which can cause liver inflammation and injury.

Adenoviruses aren’t known to cause hepatitis in healthy children, though the viruses have been linked to liver damage in children with compromised immune systems, according to Ars Technica. Adenoviruses typically cause respiratory infections in children, although type 41 tends to cause gastrointestinal illness.

“At present, the leading hypotheses remain those which involve adenovirus,” Philippa Easterbrook, a senior scientist at the WHO, said May 10 during a press briefing.

“I think [there’s] also still an important consideration about the role of COVID as well, either as a co-infection or as a past infection,” she said.

WHO officials expect data within a week from U.K. cases, Ms. Easterbrook said, which may indicate whether the adenovirus is an incidental infection or a more direct cause.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its recommendations for doctors and public health officials regarding the unusual outbreak of acute hepatitis among children.

As of May 5, the CDC and state health departments are investigating 109 children with hepatitis of unknown origin across 25 states and territories.

More than half have tested positive for adenovirus, the CDC said. More than 90% have been hospitalized, and 14% have had liver transplants. Five deaths are under investigation.

This week’s CDC alert provides updated recommendations for testing, given the potential association between adenovirus infection and pediatric hepatitis, or liver inflammation.

“Clinicians are recommended to consider adenovirus testing for patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology and to report such cases to their state or jurisdictional public health authorities,” the CDC said.

Doctors should also consider collecting a blood sample, respiratory sample, and stool sample. They may also collect liver tissue if a biopsy occurred or an autopsy is available.

In November 2021, clinicians at a large children’s hospital in Alabama notified the CDC about five pediatric patients with significant liver injury, including three with acute liver failure, who also tested positive for adenovirus. All children were previously healthy, and none had COVID-19, according to a CDC alert in April.

Four additional pediatric patients with hepatitis and adenovirus infection were identified. After lab testing found adenovirus infection in all nine patients in the initial cluster, public health officials began investigating a possible association between pediatric hepatitis and adenovirus. Among the five specimens that could be sequenced, they were all adenovirus type 41.

Unexplained hepatitis cases have been reported in children worldwide, reaching 450 cases and 11 deaths, according to the latest update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The cases have been reported in more than two dozen countries around the world, with 14 countries reporting more than five cases. The United Kingdom and the United States have reported the largest case counts so far.

In the United Kingdom, officials have identified 163 cases in children under age 16 years, including 11 that required liver transplants.

In the European Union, 14 countries have reported 106 cases collectively, with Italy reporting 35 cases and Spain reporting 22 cases. Outside of the European Union, Brazil has reported 16, Indonesia has reported 15, and Israel has reported 12.

Among the 11 deaths reported globally, the Uniyed States has reported five, Indonesia has reported five, and Palestine has reported one.

The cause of severe hepatitis remains a mystery, according to Ars Technica. Some cases have been identified retrospectively, dating back to the beginning of October 2021.

About 70% of the cases that have been tested for an adenovirus have tested positive, and subtype testing continues to show adenovirus type 41. The cases don’t appear to be linked to common causes, such as hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D, or E, which can cause liver inflammation and injury.

Adenoviruses aren’t known to cause hepatitis in healthy children, though the viruses have been linked to liver damage in children with compromised immune systems, according to Ars Technica. Adenoviruses typically cause respiratory infections in children, although type 41 tends to cause gastrointestinal illness.

“At present, the leading hypotheses remain those which involve adenovirus,” Philippa Easterbrook, a senior scientist at the WHO, said May 10 during a press briefing.

“I think [there’s] also still an important consideration about the role of COVID as well, either as a co-infection or as a past infection,” she said.

WHO officials expect data within a week from U.K. cases, Ms. Easterbrook said, which may indicate whether the adenovirus is an incidental infection or a more direct cause.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its recommendations for doctors and public health officials regarding the unusual outbreak of acute hepatitis among children.

As of May 5, the CDC and state health departments are investigating 109 children with hepatitis of unknown origin across 25 states and territories.

More than half have tested positive for adenovirus, the CDC said. More than 90% have been hospitalized, and 14% have had liver transplants. Five deaths are under investigation.

This week’s CDC alert provides updated recommendations for testing, given the potential association between adenovirus infection and pediatric hepatitis, or liver inflammation.

“Clinicians are recommended to consider adenovirus testing for patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology and to report such cases to their state or jurisdictional public health authorities,” the CDC said.

Doctors should also consider collecting a blood sample, respiratory sample, and stool sample. They may also collect liver tissue if a biopsy occurred or an autopsy is available.

In November 2021, clinicians at a large children’s hospital in Alabama notified the CDC about five pediatric patients with significant liver injury, including three with acute liver failure, who also tested positive for adenovirus. All children were previously healthy, and none had COVID-19, according to a CDC alert in April.

Four additional pediatric patients with hepatitis and adenovirus infection were identified. After lab testing found adenovirus infection in all nine patients in the initial cluster, public health officials began investigating a possible association between pediatric hepatitis and adenovirus. Among the five specimens that could be sequenced, they were all adenovirus type 41.

Unexplained hepatitis cases have been reported in children worldwide, reaching 450 cases and 11 deaths, according to the latest update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The cases have been reported in more than two dozen countries around the world, with 14 countries reporting more than five cases. The United Kingdom and the United States have reported the largest case counts so far.

In the United Kingdom, officials have identified 163 cases in children under age 16 years, including 11 that required liver transplants.

In the European Union, 14 countries have reported 106 cases collectively, with Italy reporting 35 cases and Spain reporting 22 cases. Outside of the European Union, Brazil has reported 16, Indonesia has reported 15, and Israel has reported 12.

Among the 11 deaths reported globally, the Uniyed States has reported five, Indonesia has reported five, and Palestine has reported one.

The cause of severe hepatitis remains a mystery, according to Ars Technica. Some cases have been identified retrospectively, dating back to the beginning of October 2021.

About 70% of the cases that have been tested for an adenovirus have tested positive, and subtype testing continues to show adenovirus type 41. The cases don’t appear to be linked to common causes, such as hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D, or E, which can cause liver inflammation and injury.

Adenoviruses aren’t known to cause hepatitis in healthy children, though the viruses have been linked to liver damage in children with compromised immune systems, according to Ars Technica. Adenoviruses typically cause respiratory infections in children, although type 41 tends to cause gastrointestinal illness.

“At present, the leading hypotheses remain those which involve adenovirus,” Philippa Easterbrook, a senior scientist at the WHO, said May 10 during a press briefing.

“I think [there’s] also still an important consideration about the role of COVID as well, either as a co-infection or as a past infection,” she said.

WHO officials expect data within a week from U.K. cases, Ms. Easterbrook said, which may indicate whether the adenovirus is an incidental infection or a more direct cause.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The Food and Drug Administration announced on May 10 that it is taking several steps to improve the supply of baby formula in the United States.

The nationwide formula shortage has grown worse in recent weeks due to supply chain issues and a recall of certain Abbott Nutrition products, including major labels such as Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare.

“We recognize that many consumers have been unable to access infant formula and critical medical foods they are accustomed to using and are frustrated by their inability to do so,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, said in a statement.

“We are doing everything in our power to ensure there is adequate product available where and when they need it,” he said.

About three-quarters of babies are fed formula for the first 6 months of their lives as a substitute for human milk, Axios reported.

In mid-February, the FDA warned consumers not to use certain powdered infant formula products from Abbott’s facility in Sturgis, Mich. Since then, the FDA has been working with Abbott and other manufacturers to increase the supply in the U.S. market.

“In fact, other infant formula manufacturers are meeting or exceeding capacity levels to meet current demand,” the FDA said in the statement. “Notably, more infant formula was purchased in the month of April than in the month prior to the recall.”

The FDA released a list of steps the agency is taking to increase supply, such as meeting with major infant formula makers to increase output and prioritize product lines in high demand, particularly specialty formulas for infants with allergies or specific diet needs.

But other manufacturers have struggled to quickly increase production because their operations tend to focus on a steady level of supply, according to The New York Times.

“Some industries are very good at ramping up and ramping down,” Rudi Leuschner, PhD, an associate professor of supply chain management at Rutgers Business School, Newark, N.J., told the newspaper.

“You flip a switch and they can produce 10 times as much,” he said. “Baby formula is not that type of a product.”

The FDA is also keeping an eye on the infant formula shortage by using the agency’s 21 Forward food supply chain continuity system. The system was developed during the pandemic to provide a full understanding of how COVID-19 is impacting food supply chains, the FDA said.

The FDA is compiling data on trends for in-stock rates at national and regional levels to understand where infant formula is available and where it should go.

Products are also being brought in from other countries, the FDA said. The agency is trying to speed up the process to get more formula into the U.S. and move it more quickly around the country.

For babies on a special diet, the FDA has decided to release some Abbott products that have been on hold at the Sturgis facility to those who need an urgent supply of metabolic formulas, on a case-by-case basis.

“In these circumstances, the benefit of allowing caregivers, in consultation with their health care providers, to access these products may outweigh the potential risk of bacterial infection,” the FDA said in the statement.

The FDA continues to advise against making homemade infant formulas and recommends talking to the child’s health care provider for recommendations on changing feeding practices or switching to other formulas, if necessary.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMd.com.

The Food and Drug Administration announced on May 10 that it is taking several steps to improve the supply of baby formula in the United States.

The nationwide formula shortage has grown worse in recent weeks due to supply chain issues and a recall of certain Abbott Nutrition products, including major labels such as Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare.

“We recognize that many consumers have been unable to access infant formula and critical medical foods they are accustomed to using and are frustrated by their inability to do so,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, said in a statement.

“We are doing everything in our power to ensure there is adequate product available where and when they need it,” he said.

About three-quarters of babies are fed formula for the first 6 months of their lives as a substitute for human milk, Axios reported.

In mid-February, the FDA warned consumers not to use certain powdered infant formula products from Abbott’s facility in Sturgis, Mich. Since then, the FDA has been working with Abbott and other manufacturers to increase the supply in the U.S. market.

“In fact, other infant formula manufacturers are meeting or exceeding capacity levels to meet current demand,” the FDA said in the statement. “Notably, more infant formula was purchased in the month of April than in the month prior to the recall.”

The FDA released a list of steps the agency is taking to increase supply, such as meeting with major infant formula makers to increase output and prioritize product lines in high demand, particularly specialty formulas for infants with allergies or specific diet needs.

But other manufacturers have struggled to quickly increase production because their operations tend to focus on a steady level of supply, according to The New York Times.

“Some industries are very good at ramping up and ramping down,” Rudi Leuschner, PhD, an associate professor of supply chain management at Rutgers Business School, Newark, N.J., told the newspaper.

“You flip a switch and they can produce 10 times as much,” he said. “Baby formula is not that type of a product.”

The FDA is also keeping an eye on the infant formula shortage by using the agency’s 21 Forward food supply chain continuity system. The system was developed during the pandemic to provide a full understanding of how COVID-19 is impacting food supply chains, the FDA said.

The FDA is compiling data on trends for in-stock rates at national and regional levels to understand where infant formula is available and where it should go.

Products are also being brought in from other countries, the FDA said. The agency is trying to speed up the process to get more formula into the U.S. and move it more quickly around the country.

For babies on a special diet, the FDA has decided to release some Abbott products that have been on hold at the Sturgis facility to those who need an urgent supply of metabolic formulas, on a case-by-case basis.

“In these circumstances, the benefit of allowing caregivers, in consultation with their health care providers, to access these products may outweigh the potential risk of bacterial infection,” the FDA said in the statement.

The FDA continues to advise against making homemade infant formulas and recommends talking to the child’s health care provider for recommendations on changing feeding practices or switching to other formulas, if necessary.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMd.com.

The Food and Drug Administration announced on May 10 that it is taking several steps to improve the supply of baby formula in the United States.

The nationwide formula shortage has grown worse in recent weeks due to supply chain issues and a recall of certain Abbott Nutrition products, including major labels such as Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare.

“We recognize that many consumers have been unable to access infant formula and critical medical foods they are accustomed to using and are frustrated by their inability to do so,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, said in a statement.

“We are doing everything in our power to ensure there is adequate product available where and when they need it,” he said.

About three-quarters of babies are fed formula for the first 6 months of their lives as a substitute for human milk, Axios reported.

In mid-February, the FDA warned consumers not to use certain powdered infant formula products from Abbott’s facility in Sturgis, Mich. Since then, the FDA has been working with Abbott and other manufacturers to increase the supply in the U.S. market.

“In fact, other infant formula manufacturers are meeting or exceeding capacity levels to meet current demand,” the FDA said in the statement. “Notably, more infant formula was purchased in the month of April than in the month prior to the recall.”

The FDA released a list of steps the agency is taking to increase supply, such as meeting with major infant formula makers to increase output and prioritize product lines in high demand, particularly specialty formulas for infants with allergies or specific diet needs.

But other manufacturers have struggled to quickly increase production because their operations tend to focus on a steady level of supply, according to The New York Times.

“Some industries are very good at ramping up and ramping down,” Rudi Leuschner, PhD, an associate professor of supply chain management at Rutgers Business School, Newark, N.J., told the newspaper.

“You flip a switch and they can produce 10 times as much,” he said. “Baby formula is not that type of a product.”

The FDA is also keeping an eye on the infant formula shortage by using the agency’s 21 Forward food supply chain continuity system. The system was developed during the pandemic to provide a full understanding of how COVID-19 is impacting food supply chains, the FDA said.

The FDA is compiling data on trends for in-stock rates at national and regional levels to understand where infant formula is available and where it should go.

Products are also being brought in from other countries, the FDA said. The agency is trying to speed up the process to get more formula into the U.S. and move it more quickly around the country.

For babies on a special diet, the FDA has decided to release some Abbott products that have been on hold at the Sturgis facility to those who need an urgent supply of metabolic formulas, on a case-by-case basis.

“In these circumstances, the benefit of allowing caregivers, in consultation with their health care providers, to access these products may outweigh the potential risk of bacterial infection,” the FDA said in the statement.

The FDA continues to advise against making homemade infant formulas and recommends talking to the child’s health care provider for recommendations on changing feeding practices or switching to other formulas, if necessary.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMd.com.

Coronavirus-related hospital admissions and deaths in the United States are projected to increase over the next four weeks, according to a national forecast used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The national model also predicts that about 5,000 deaths will occur over the next two weeks, with Ohio, New Jersey, and New York projected to see the largest totals of daily deaths in upcoming weeks.

The numbers follow several weeks of steady increases in infections across the country. More than 67,000 new cases are being reported daily, according to the data tracker from The New York Times, marking a 59% increase in the past two weeks.

In the Northeast, infection rates have risen by nearly 65%. In the New York and New Jersey region, infection rates are up about 55% in the past two weeks.

Hospitalizations have already begun to climb as well, with about 19,000 COVID-19 patients hospitalized nationwide and 1,725 in intensive care, according to the latest data from the Department of Health and Human Services. In the last week, hospital admissions have jumped by 20%, and emergency department visits are up by 18%.

The CDC forecast shows that 42 states and territories will see increases in hospital admissions during the next two weeks. Florida, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin will see some of the largest increases.

On average, more than 2,200 COVID-19 patients are entering the hospital each day, which has increased about 20% in the last week, according to ABC News. This also marks the highest number of COVID-19 patients needing hospital care since mid-March.

Public health officials have cited several factors for the increase in cases, such as states lifting mask mandates and other safety restrictions, ABC News reported. Highly contagious Omicron subvariants, such as BA.2 and BA.2.12.1, continue to spread in the United States and escape immunity from previous infections.

The BA.2 subvariant accounts for 62% of new national cases, according to the latest CDC data. The BA.2.12.1 subvariant makes up about 36% of new cases across the United States but 62% in the New York area.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Coronavirus-related hospital admissions and deaths in the United States are projected to increase over the next four weeks, according to a national forecast used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The national model also predicts that about 5,000 deaths will occur over the next two weeks, with Ohio, New Jersey, and New York projected to see the largest totals of daily deaths in upcoming weeks.

The numbers follow several weeks of steady increases in infections across the country. More than 67,000 new cases are being reported daily, according to the data tracker from The New York Times, marking a 59% increase in the past two weeks.

In the Northeast, infection rates have risen by nearly 65%. In the New York and New Jersey region, infection rates are up about 55% in the past two weeks.

Hospitalizations have already begun to climb as well, with about 19,000 COVID-19 patients hospitalized nationwide and 1,725 in intensive care, according to the latest data from the Department of Health and Human Services. In the last week, hospital admissions have jumped by 20%, and emergency department visits are up by 18%.

The CDC forecast shows that 42 states and territories will see increases in hospital admissions during the next two weeks. Florida, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin will see some of the largest increases.

On average, more than 2,200 COVID-19 patients are entering the hospital each day, which has increased about 20% in the last week, according to ABC News. This also marks the highest number of COVID-19 patients needing hospital care since mid-March.

Public health officials have cited several factors for the increase in cases, such as states lifting mask mandates and other safety restrictions, ABC News reported. Highly contagious Omicron subvariants, such as BA.2 and BA.2.12.1, continue to spread in the United States and escape immunity from previous infections.

The BA.2 subvariant accounts for 62% of new national cases, according to the latest CDC data. The BA.2.12.1 subvariant makes up about 36% of new cases across the United States but 62% in the New York area.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Coronavirus-related hospital admissions and deaths in the United States are projected to increase over the next four weeks, according to a national forecast used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The national model also predicts that about 5,000 deaths will occur over the next two weeks, with Ohio, New Jersey, and New York projected to see the largest totals of daily deaths in upcoming weeks.

The numbers follow several weeks of steady increases in infections across the country. More than 67,000 new cases are being reported daily, according to the data tracker from The New York Times, marking a 59% increase in the past two weeks.

In the Northeast, infection rates have risen by nearly 65%. In the New York and New Jersey region, infection rates are up about 55% in the past two weeks.

Hospitalizations have already begun to climb as well, with about 19,000 COVID-19 patients hospitalized nationwide and 1,725 in intensive care, according to the latest data from the Department of Health and Human Services. In the last week, hospital admissions have jumped by 20%, and emergency department visits are up by 18%.

The CDC forecast shows that 42 states and territories will see increases in hospital admissions during the next two weeks. Florida, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin will see some of the largest increases.

On average, more than 2,200 COVID-19 patients are entering the hospital each day, which has increased about 20% in the last week, according to ABC News. This also marks the highest number of COVID-19 patients needing hospital care since mid-March.

Public health officials have cited several factors for the increase in cases, such as states lifting mask mandates and other safety restrictions, ABC News reported. Highly contagious Omicron subvariants, such as BA.2 and BA.2.12.1, continue to spread in the United States and escape immunity from previous infections.

The BA.2 subvariant accounts for 62% of new national cases, according to the latest CDC data. The BA.2.12.1 subvariant makes up about 36% of new cases across the United States but 62% in the New York area.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

 A new toolkit provides coping strategies for people who are anxious about climate change. These strategies include volunteering, building a community, discussing emotions with others, practicing mindfulness, and seeking therapy.

The toolkit, which was developed by nursing experts at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, also offers reflection questions and a film with diverse voices for people to examine their values, emotions, and behaviors in relation to the environment.

“Many people have a hard time understanding the relationship between climate change and mental health and are experiencing high levels of stress about climate change,” Natania Abebe, MSN/MPH, RN, a registered nurse and graduate student at UBC who developed the toolkit, told this news organization.

“Youth, in particular, appear to have higher levels of consciousness regarding climate change because they’re the ones who are going to inherit the planet,” she said. “A big part of why they have mental health issues is that they feel trapped in sociopolitical structures that they didn’t agree to and didn’t necessarily create.”

The toolkit was published online on April 20.

Empowering agents for change

Ms. Abebe was inspired to create the toolkit after giving guest lectures on climate change and mental health as part of UBC’s Nursing 290 course. Her faculty advisor, Raluca Radu, MSN, a lecturer in the School of Nursing at UBC, developed the course in 2020 to teach students about the broad impacts of climate change on communities.

As the course has grown during the past 2 years, Ms. Abebe wanted to create a coping framework and engaging film for health educators to use with students, as well as for everyday people.

The toolkit includes contributions from three Canadian climate change experts, as well as six students from different backgrounds who have taken the course.

“I wanted to center the voices of youth and empower them to think they can be agents for change,” Ms. Abebe said. “I also wanted to highlight diverse voices and take a collaborative approach because climate change is such a big problem that we have to come together to address it.”

Ms. Abebe and Ms. Radu also noticed an increase in climate anxiety in recent years because of the pandemic, worldwide food and energy shortages, and extreme weather events that hit close to home, such as wildfires and floods in British Columbia.

“With the pandemic, people have been spending more time online and thinking about our world at large,” Ms. Abebe said. “At the same time that they’re thinking about it, climate change events are happening simultaneously – not in the future, but right now.”

Economic, social, and political shifts during the past 2 years have also prompted people to question standard practices and institutions, which has created an opportunity to discuss change, Ms. Radu told this news organization.

“It’s a pivotal time to question our values and highly consumerist society,” she said. “We’re at a point in time where, if we don’t take action, the planetary health will be in an irreversible state, and we won’t be able to turn back time and make changes.”

Our psyches and nature

The toolkit includes three main sections that feature video clips and reflective questions around eco-anxiety, eco-paralysis, and ecological grief.

In the first section, eco-anxiety is defined as a “chronic fear of environmental doom,” which could include anxiousness around the likelihood of a severe weather event because of ongoing news coverage and social media. The reflective questions prompt readers to discuss eco-anxiety in their life, work through their emotions, understand their beliefs and values, and determine how to use them to address climate change anxiety.

The second section defines eco-paralysis as the powerlessness that people may feel when they don’t believe they can do anything meaningful on an individual level to address climate change. Paralysis can look like apathy, complacency, or disengagement. The questions prompt readers to observe how paralysis may show up in their lives, explore the tension between individual versus collective responsibility, and consider ways to address their sense of helplessness about climate change.

In the third section, ecological grief centers around “experienced or anticipated ecological losses,” which could include the loss of species, ecosystems, and landscapes because of short- or long-term environmental change. The questions prompt readers to explore their feelings, beliefs, and values and feel empowered to address their ecological grief over climate change.

The toolkit also includes recommendations for books, journal articles, websites, podcasts, and meditations around mental health and climate change, as well as ways to get involved with others. For instance, health care practitioners can register with PaRx, a program in British Columbia that allows providers to prescribe time in nature to improve a client’s health. The program is being adopted across Canada, and people with a prescription can visit local and national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas for free.

“This is about recognizing that there is a connection between our psyches and nature, and by talking about it, we can name what we’re feeling,” Ms. Abebe said. “We can take action not only to handle our emotions, but also to live kinder and more sustainable lifestyles.”

Future work will need to focus on population-level approaches to climate change and mental health as well, including policy and financial support to address environmental changes directly.

“We need to start thinking beyond individualized approaches and focus on how to create supportive and resilient communities to respond to climate change,” Kiffer Card, PhD, executive director of the Mental Health and Climate Change Alliance and an assistant professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., told this news organization.

Dr. Card, who wasn’t involved in developing the toolkit, has researched recent trends around climate change anxiety in Canada and fielded questions from health care practitioners and mental health professionals who are looking for ways to help their patients.

“Communities need to be ready to stand up and respond to acute emergency disasters, and government leaders need to take this seriously,” he said. “Those who are experiencing climate anxiety now are the canaries in the coal mine for the severe weather events and consequences to come.”

The toolkit was developed with funding from the Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Ms. Abebe, Ms. Radu, and Dr. Card reported no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

 A new toolkit provides coping strategies for people who are anxious about climate change. These strategies include volunteering, building a community, discussing emotions with others, practicing mindfulness, and seeking therapy.

The toolkit, which was developed by nursing experts at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, also offers reflection questions and a film with diverse voices for people to examine their values, emotions, and behaviors in relation to the environment.

“Many people have a hard time understanding the relationship between climate change and mental health and are experiencing high levels of stress about climate change,” Natania Abebe, MSN/MPH, RN, a registered nurse and graduate student at UBC who developed the toolkit, told this news organization.

“Youth, in particular, appear to have higher levels of consciousness regarding climate change because they’re the ones who are going to inherit the planet,” she said. “A big part of why they have mental health issues is that they feel trapped in sociopolitical structures that they didn’t agree to and didn’t necessarily create.”

The toolkit was published online on April 20.

Empowering agents for change

Ms. Abebe was inspired to create the toolkit after giving guest lectures on climate change and mental health as part of UBC’s Nursing 290 course. Her faculty advisor, Raluca Radu, MSN, a lecturer in the School of Nursing at UBC, developed the course in 2020 to teach students about the broad impacts of climate change on communities.

As the course has grown during the past 2 years, Ms. Abebe wanted to create a coping framework and engaging film for health educators to use with students, as well as for everyday people.

The toolkit includes contributions from three Canadian climate change experts, as well as six students from different backgrounds who have taken the course.

“I wanted to center the voices of youth and empower them to think they can be agents for change,” Ms. Abebe said. “I also wanted to highlight diverse voices and take a collaborative approach because climate change is such a big problem that we have to come together to address it.”

Ms. Abebe and Ms. Radu also noticed an increase in climate anxiety in recent years because of the pandemic, worldwide food and energy shortages, and extreme weather events that hit close to home, such as wildfires and floods in British Columbia.

“With the pandemic, people have been spending more time online and thinking about our world at large,” Ms. Abebe said. “At the same time that they’re thinking about it, climate change events are happening simultaneously – not in the future, but right now.”

Economic, social, and political shifts during the past 2 years have also prompted people to question standard practices and institutions, which has created an opportunity to discuss change, Ms. Radu told this news organization.

“It’s a pivotal time to question our values and highly consumerist society,” she said. “We’re at a point in time where, if we don’t take action, the planetary health will be in an irreversible state, and we won’t be able to turn back time and make changes.”

Our psyches and nature

The toolkit includes three main sections that feature video clips and reflective questions around eco-anxiety, eco-paralysis, and ecological grief.

In the first section, eco-anxiety is defined as a “chronic fear of environmental doom,” which could include anxiousness around the likelihood of a severe weather event because of ongoing news coverage and social media. The reflective questions prompt readers to discuss eco-anxiety in their life, work through their emotions, understand their beliefs and values, and determine how to use them to address climate change anxiety.

The second section defines eco-paralysis as the powerlessness that people may feel when they don’t believe they can do anything meaningful on an individual level to address climate change. Paralysis can look like apathy, complacency, or disengagement. The questions prompt readers to observe how paralysis may show up in their lives, explore the tension between individual versus collective responsibility, and consider ways to address their sense of helplessness about climate change.

In the third section, ecological grief centers around “experienced or anticipated ecological losses,” which could include the loss of species, ecosystems, and landscapes because of short- or long-term environmental change. The questions prompt readers to explore their feelings, beliefs, and values and feel empowered to address their ecological grief over climate change.

The toolkit also includes recommendations for books, journal articles, websites, podcasts, and meditations around mental health and climate change, as well as ways to get involved with others. For instance, health care practitioners can register with PaRx, a program in British Columbia that allows providers to prescribe time in nature to improve a client’s health. The program is being adopted across Canada, and people with a prescription can visit local and national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas for free.

“This is about recognizing that there is a connection between our psyches and nature, and by talking about it, we can name what we’re feeling,” Ms. Abebe said. “We can take action not only to handle our emotions, but also to live kinder and more sustainable lifestyles.”

Future work will need to focus on population-level approaches to climate change and mental health as well, including policy and financial support to address environmental changes directly.

“We need to start thinking beyond individualized approaches and focus on how to create supportive and resilient communities to respond to climate change,” Kiffer Card, PhD, executive director of the Mental Health and Climate Change Alliance and an assistant professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., told this news organization.

Dr. Card, who wasn’t involved in developing the toolkit, has researched recent trends around climate change anxiety in Canada and fielded questions from health care practitioners and mental health professionals who are looking for ways to help their patients.

“Communities need to be ready to stand up and respond to acute emergency disasters, and government leaders need to take this seriously,” he said. “Those who are experiencing climate anxiety now are the canaries in the coal mine for the severe weather events and consequences to come.”

The toolkit was developed with funding from the Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Ms. Abebe, Ms. Radu, and Dr. Card reported no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

 A new toolkit provides coping strategies for people who are anxious about climate change. These strategies include volunteering, building a community, discussing emotions with others, practicing mindfulness, and seeking therapy.

The toolkit, which was developed by nursing experts at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, also offers reflection questions and a film with diverse voices for people to examine their values, emotions, and behaviors in relation to the environment.

“Many people have a hard time understanding the relationship between climate change and mental health and are experiencing high levels of stress about climate change,” Natania Abebe, MSN/MPH, RN, a registered nurse and graduate student at UBC who developed the toolkit, told this news organization.

“Youth, in particular, appear to have higher levels of consciousness regarding climate change because they’re the ones who are going to inherit the planet,” she said. “A big part of why they have mental health issues is that they feel trapped in sociopolitical structures that they didn’t agree to and didn’t necessarily create.”

The toolkit was published online on April 20.

Empowering agents for change

Ms. Abebe was inspired to create the toolkit after giving guest lectures on climate change and mental health as part of UBC’s Nursing 290 course. Her faculty advisor, Raluca Radu, MSN, a lecturer in the School of Nursing at UBC, developed the course in 2020 to teach students about the broad impacts of climate change on communities.

As the course has grown during the past 2 years, Ms. Abebe wanted to create a coping framework and engaging film for health educators to use with students, as well as for everyday people.

The toolkit includes contributions from three Canadian climate change experts, as well as six students from different backgrounds who have taken the course.

“I wanted to center the voices of youth and empower them to think they can be agents for change,” Ms. Abebe said. “I also wanted to highlight diverse voices and take a collaborative approach because climate change is such a big problem that we have to come together to address it.”

Ms. Abebe and Ms. Radu also noticed an increase in climate anxiety in recent years because of the pandemic, worldwide food and energy shortages, and extreme weather events that hit close to home, such as wildfires and floods in British Columbia.

“With the pandemic, people have been spending more time online and thinking about our world at large,” Ms. Abebe said. “At the same time that they’re thinking about it, climate change events are happening simultaneously – not in the future, but right now.”

Economic, social, and political shifts during the past 2 years have also prompted people to question standard practices and institutions, which has created an opportunity to discuss change, Ms. Radu told this news organization.

“It’s a pivotal time to question our values and highly consumerist society,” she said. “We’re at a point in time where, if we don’t take action, the planetary health will be in an irreversible state, and we won’t be able to turn back time and make changes.”

Our psyches and nature

The toolkit includes three main sections that feature video clips and reflective questions around eco-anxiety, eco-paralysis, and ecological grief.

In the first section, eco-anxiety is defined as a “chronic fear of environmental doom,” which could include anxiousness around the likelihood of a severe weather event because of ongoing news coverage and social media. The reflective questions prompt readers to discuss eco-anxiety in their life, work through their emotions, understand their beliefs and values, and determine how to use them to address climate change anxiety.

The second section defines eco-paralysis as the powerlessness that people may feel when they don’t believe they can do anything meaningful on an individual level to address climate change. Paralysis can look like apathy, complacency, or disengagement. The questions prompt readers to observe how paralysis may show up in their lives, explore the tension between individual versus collective responsibility, and consider ways to address their sense of helplessness about climate change.

In the third section, ecological grief centers around “experienced or anticipated ecological losses,” which could include the loss of species, ecosystems, and landscapes because of short- or long-term environmental change. The questions prompt readers to explore their feelings, beliefs, and values and feel empowered to address their ecological grief over climate change.

The toolkit also includes recommendations for books, journal articles, websites, podcasts, and meditations around mental health and climate change, as well as ways to get involved with others. For instance, health care practitioners can register with PaRx, a program in British Columbia that allows providers to prescribe time in nature to improve a client’s health. The program is being adopted across Canada, and people with a prescription can visit local and national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas for free.

“This is about recognizing that there is a connection between our psyches and nature, and by talking about it, we can name what we’re feeling,” Ms. Abebe said. “We can take action not only to handle our emotions, but also to live kinder and more sustainable lifestyles.”

Future work will need to focus on population-level approaches to climate change and mental health as well, including policy and financial support to address environmental changes directly.

“We need to start thinking beyond individualized approaches and focus on how to create supportive and resilient communities to respond to climate change,” Kiffer Card, PhD, executive director of the Mental Health and Climate Change Alliance and an assistant professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., told this news organization.

Dr. Card, who wasn’t involved in developing the toolkit, has researched recent trends around climate change anxiety in Canada and fielded questions from health care practitioners and mental health professionals who are looking for ways to help their patients.

“Communities need to be ready to stand up and respond to acute emergency disasters, and government leaders need to take this seriously,” he said. “Those who are experiencing climate anxiety now are the canaries in the coal mine for the severe weather events and consequences to come.”

The toolkit was developed with funding from the Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Ms. Abebe, Ms. Radu, and Dr. Card reported no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Tuberculosis cases are increasing in Washington, which has put public health officials on “heightened alert,” according to a recent announcement from the Washington State Department of Health.

Widespread disruptions in health care and missed tuberculosis diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic have likely added to the increase – both locally and globally.

“It’s been 20 years since we saw a cluster of TB cases like this,” Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, MD, the state’s chief science officer, said in the announcement.

“The pandemic has likely contributed to the rise in cases and the outbreak in at least one correctional facility,” he said. “Increased access to TB testing and treatment in the community is going to be key to getting TB under control.”

Case numbers appeared to fall in Washington during the first year of the pandemic, possibly because of less reporting and missed diagnoses. But in 2021, cases rose quickly. The state reported 199 cases, marking a 22% increase from 2020.

So far this year, 70 cases have been reported, including 17 new cases that all have connections with each other and several state prisons.

The state’s Department of Corrections, Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working together on testing and decreasing spread, MaryAnn Curl, MD, the chief medical officer for the Department of Corrections, said in the statement.

Tuberculosis cases are increasing worldwide. For the first time in more than a decade, TB deaths increased to about 1.5 million, according to the World Health Organization’s 2021 Global Tuberculosis Report.

Across the U.S., the number of reported TB cases significantly declined at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 but increased again in 2021, according to a recent CDC study.

The Kansas Department of Health also reported an outbreak of TB cases in March, according to USA Today.

At the beginning of the pandemic, some people with TB may have been diagnosed with COVID-19 because both are infectious diseases that attack the lungs and have similar symptoms, the Washington Health Department said.

Like COVID-19, tuberculosis can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. But unlike COVID-19, TB typically requires that you have prolonged exposure to become infected.

Symptoms of tuberculosis can include chest pain and coughing, with or without blood, as well as fever, night sweats, weight loss, and fatigue.

Tuberculosis is preventable, treatable, and curable, the Washington Health Department said. Those who travel to countries where TB is more common face higher risks for exposure, as well as those who live or work in settings where TB may spread, such as homeless shelters, prisons, jails, and nursing homes.

People can develop inactive TB, also called latent TB, which doesn’t have any symptoms and isn’t contagious. If people with inactive TB don’t get quick diagnosis or treatment, the infection can become active TB and cause symptoms. State health officials estimated that about 200,000 people in Washington have inactive TB.

Tuberculosis treatment can take a minimum of 6 months, and if it’s not followed carefully, symptoms can become more severe, the Health Department said. Incomplete treatment can also contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Tuberculosis cases are increasing in Washington, which has put public health officials on “heightened alert,” according to a recent announcement from the Washington State Department of Health.

Widespread disruptions in health care and missed tuberculosis diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic have likely added to the increase – both locally and globally.

“It’s been 20 years since we saw a cluster of TB cases like this,” Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, MD, the state’s chief science officer, said in the announcement.

“The pandemic has likely contributed to the rise in cases and the outbreak in at least one correctional facility,” he said. “Increased access to TB testing and treatment in the community is going to be key to getting TB under control.”

Case numbers appeared to fall in Washington during the first year of the pandemic, possibly because of less reporting and missed diagnoses. But in 2021, cases rose quickly. The state reported 199 cases, marking a 22% increase from 2020.

So far this year, 70 cases have been reported, including 17 new cases that all have connections with each other and several state prisons.

The state’s Department of Corrections, Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working together on testing and decreasing spread, MaryAnn Curl, MD, the chief medical officer for the Department of Corrections, said in the statement.

Tuberculosis cases are increasing worldwide. For the first time in more than a decade, TB deaths increased to about 1.5 million, according to the World Health Organization’s 2021 Global Tuberculosis Report.

Across the U.S., the number of reported TB cases significantly declined at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 but increased again in 2021, according to a recent CDC study.

The Kansas Department of Health also reported an outbreak of TB cases in March, according to USA Today.

At the beginning of the pandemic, some people with TB may have been diagnosed with COVID-19 because both are infectious diseases that attack the lungs and have similar symptoms, the Washington Health Department said.

Like COVID-19, tuberculosis can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. But unlike COVID-19, TB typically requires that you have prolonged exposure to become infected.

Symptoms of tuberculosis can include chest pain and coughing, with or without blood, as well as fever, night sweats, weight loss, and fatigue.

Tuberculosis is preventable, treatable, and curable, the Washington Health Department said. Those who travel to countries where TB is more common face higher risks for exposure, as well as those who live or work in settings where TB may spread, such as homeless shelters, prisons, jails, and nursing homes.

People can develop inactive TB, also called latent TB, which doesn’t have any symptoms and isn’t contagious. If people with inactive TB don’t get quick diagnosis or treatment, the infection can become active TB and cause symptoms. State health officials estimated that about 200,000 people in Washington have inactive TB.

Tuberculosis treatment can take a minimum of 6 months, and if it’s not followed carefully, symptoms can become more severe, the Health Department said. Incomplete treatment can also contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Tuberculosis cases are increasing in Washington, which has put public health officials on “heightened alert,” according to a recent announcement from the Washington State Department of Health.

Widespread disruptions in health care and missed tuberculosis diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic have likely added to the increase – both locally and globally.

“It’s been 20 years since we saw a cluster of TB cases like this,” Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, MD, the state’s chief science officer, said in the announcement.

“The pandemic has likely contributed to the rise in cases and the outbreak in at least one correctional facility,” he said. “Increased access to TB testing and treatment in the community is going to be key to getting TB under control.”

Case numbers appeared to fall in Washington during the first year of the pandemic, possibly because of less reporting and missed diagnoses. But in 2021, cases rose quickly. The state reported 199 cases, marking a 22% increase from 2020.

So far this year, 70 cases have been reported, including 17 new cases that all have connections with each other and several state prisons.

The state’s Department of Corrections, Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working together on testing and decreasing spread, MaryAnn Curl, MD, the chief medical officer for the Department of Corrections, said in the statement.

Tuberculosis cases are increasing worldwide. For the first time in more than a decade, TB deaths increased to about 1.5 million, according to the World Health Organization’s 2021 Global Tuberculosis Report.

Across the U.S., the number of reported TB cases significantly declined at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 but increased again in 2021, according to a recent CDC study.

The Kansas Department of Health also reported an outbreak of TB cases in March, according to USA Today.

At the beginning of the pandemic, some people with TB may have been diagnosed with COVID-19 because both are infectious diseases that attack the lungs and have similar symptoms, the Washington Health Department said.

Like COVID-19, tuberculosis can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. But unlike COVID-19, TB typically requires that you have prolonged exposure to become infected.

Symptoms of tuberculosis can include chest pain and coughing, with or without blood, as well as fever, night sweats, weight loss, and fatigue.

Tuberculosis is preventable, treatable, and curable, the Washington Health Department said. Those who travel to countries where TB is more common face higher risks for exposure, as well as those who live or work in settings where TB may spread, such as homeless shelters, prisons, jails, and nursing homes.

People can develop inactive TB, also called latent TB, which doesn’t have any symptoms and isn’t contagious. If people with inactive TB don’t get quick diagnosis or treatment, the infection can become active TB and cause symptoms. State health officials estimated that about 200,000 people in Washington have inactive TB.

Tuberculosis treatment can take a minimum of 6 months, and if it’s not followed carefully, symptoms can become more severe, the Health Department said. Incomplete treatment can also contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

The World Health Organization and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund are warning about a heightened risk of measles spreading and triggering larger outbreaks in 2022.

Worldwide cases are up nearly 80% so far over 2021, the groups reported. More than 17,300 measles cases were reported worldwide in January and February, compared with 9,600 cases at the beginning of 2021.

In the last 12 months, there have been 21 “large and disruptive” measles outbreaks, particularly in Africa and the East Mediterranean region. The actual numbers are likely higher because of underreporting and disruptions to surveillance systems.

“Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases,” the organizations said.

As cities and countries relax COVID-19 restrictions, measles outbreaks are becoming more likely, they noted.

“It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from COVID-19 to return to more social activities. But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles,” Catherine Russell, executive director for UNICEF, said in the statement.

In the past year, the largest measles outbreaks have occurred in Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia. The main reason for outbreaks is a lack measles vaccine coverage, the organizations said.

About 23 million children missed childhood vaccinations in 2020, the groups said. Childhood vaccination campaigns were hindered because of the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Afghanistan.

Overall, 57 campaigns targeting vaccine-preventable diseases across 43 countries that were scheduled to take place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic are still postponed, the groups said, which could affect 203 million people. Among those, 19 are measles campaigns, which could put 73 million children at risk of measles because of missed vaccinations.

Vaccine coverage of 95% or higher with two doses of the measles vaccine can provide protection, according to the organizations. But the five countries that had the highest measles cases in the last year had first-dose coverage between 46% and 68%.

In the United States, measles vaccinations in kindergarten students dropped from about 95% to 93.9% for the 2020-2021 school year, according to CNN.

Vaccination coverage also dropped from 95% to 93.6% for diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, and varicella. Even though the decreases appear small, it means tens of thousands of children across the United States started school without their common childhood vaccinations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

“We are concerned that missed routine vaccinations could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, which are extremely contagious and can be very serious, especially for babies and young children,” Shannon Stokley, DrPH, deputy director of the CDC’s immunization services division, told CNN.

The numbers show a “concerning decline in childhood immunizations that began in March 2020,” she said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

The World Health Organization and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund are warning about a heightened risk of measles spreading and triggering larger outbreaks in 2022.

Worldwide cases are up nearly 80% so far over 2021, the groups reported. More than 17,300 measles cases were reported worldwide in January and February, compared with 9,600 cases at the beginning of 2021.

In the last 12 months, there have been 21 “large and disruptive” measles outbreaks, particularly in Africa and the East Mediterranean region. The actual numbers are likely higher because of underreporting and disruptions to surveillance systems.

“Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases,” the organizations said.

As cities and countries relax COVID-19 restrictions, measles outbreaks are becoming more likely, they noted.

“It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from COVID-19 to return to more social activities. But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles,” Catherine Russell, executive director for UNICEF, said in the statement.

In the past year, the largest measles outbreaks have occurred in Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia. The main reason for outbreaks is a lack measles vaccine coverage, the organizations said.

About 23 million children missed childhood vaccinations in 2020, the groups said. Childhood vaccination campaigns were hindered because of the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Afghanistan.

Overall, 57 campaigns targeting vaccine-preventable diseases across 43 countries that were scheduled to take place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic are still postponed, the groups said, which could affect 203 million people. Among those, 19 are measles campaigns, which could put 73 million children at risk of measles because of missed vaccinations.

Vaccine coverage of 95% or higher with two doses of the measles vaccine can provide protection, according to the organizations. But the five countries that had the highest measles cases in the last year had first-dose coverage between 46% and 68%.

In the United States, measles vaccinations in kindergarten students dropped from about 95% to 93.9% for the 2020-2021 school year, according to CNN.

Vaccination coverage also dropped from 95% to 93.6% for diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, and varicella. Even though the decreases appear small, it means tens of thousands of children across the United States started school without their common childhood vaccinations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

“We are concerned that missed routine vaccinations could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, which are extremely contagious and can be very serious, especially for babies and young children,” Shannon Stokley, DrPH, deputy director of the CDC’s immunization services division, told CNN.

The numbers show a “concerning decline in childhood immunizations that began in March 2020,” she said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

The World Health Organization and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund are warning about a heightened risk of measles spreading and triggering larger outbreaks in 2022.

Worldwide cases are up nearly 80% so far over 2021, the groups reported. More than 17,300 measles cases were reported worldwide in January and February, compared with 9,600 cases at the beginning of 2021.

In the last 12 months, there have been 21 “large and disruptive” measles outbreaks, particularly in Africa and the East Mediterranean region. The actual numbers are likely higher because of underreporting and disruptions to surveillance systems.

“Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases,” the organizations said.

As cities and countries relax COVID-19 restrictions, measles outbreaks are becoming more likely, they noted.

“It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from COVID-19 to return to more social activities. But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles,” Catherine Russell, executive director for UNICEF, said in the statement.

In the past year, the largest measles outbreaks have occurred in Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia. The main reason for outbreaks is a lack measles vaccine coverage, the organizations said.

About 23 million children missed childhood vaccinations in 2020, the groups said. Childhood vaccination campaigns were hindered because of the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Afghanistan.

Overall, 57 campaigns targeting vaccine-preventable diseases across 43 countries that were scheduled to take place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic are still postponed, the groups said, which could affect 203 million people. Among those, 19 are measles campaigns, which could put 73 million children at risk of measles because of missed vaccinations.

Vaccine coverage of 95% or higher with two doses of the measles vaccine can provide protection, according to the organizations. But the five countries that had the highest measles cases in the last year had first-dose coverage between 46% and 68%.

In the United States, measles vaccinations in kindergarten students dropped from about 95% to 93.9% for the 2020-2021 school year, according to CNN.

Vaccination coverage also dropped from 95% to 93.6% for diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, and varicella. Even though the decreases appear small, it means tens of thousands of children across the United States started school without their common childhood vaccinations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

“We are concerned that missed routine vaccinations could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, which are extremely contagious and can be very serious, especially for babies and young children,” Shannon Stokley, DrPH, deputy director of the CDC’s immunization services division, told CNN.

The numbers show a “concerning decline in childhood immunizations that began in March 2020,” she said.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Paxlovid works as a treatment for COVID-19 but not as a preventive measure, particularly if you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus through a household member who is infected, according to a new announcement from Pfizer.

In a clinical trial, the oral antiviral tablets were tested for postexposure prophylactic use, or tested for how well they prevented a coronavirus infection in people exposed to the virus. Paxlovid somewhat reduced the risk of infection, but the results weren’t statistically significant.

“We designed the clinical development program for Paxlovid to be comprehensive and ambitious with the aim of being able to help combat COVID-19 in a very broad population of patients,” Albert Bourla, PhD, Pfizer’s chairman and CEO, said in the announcement.

“While we are disappointed in the outcome of this particular study, these results do not impact the strong efficacy and safety data we’ve observed in our earlier trial for the treatment of COVID-19 patients at high risk of developing severe illness,” he said.

The trial included nearly 3,000 adults who were living with someone who recently tested positive for COVID-19 and had symptoms. The people in the trial, who tested negative and didn’t have symptoms, were given either Paxlovid twice daily for 5 or 10 days or a placebo. The study recruitment began in September 2021 and was completed during the peak of the Omicron wave.

Those who took the 5-day course of Paxlovid were found to be 32% less likely to become infected than the placebo group. Those who took the 10-day treatment had a 37% risk reduction. But the results weren’t statistically significant and may have been because of chance.

“Traditionally, it’s been difficult to use small-molecule antivirals for true prophylaxis because the biology of treating infection is different from the biology of preventing infection,” Daniel Barouch, MD, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, told STAT News.

He also noted that the Omicron variant could have played a role.

“That hyperinfectiousness probably makes it more difficult to prevent infections,” Dr. Barouch said.

The safety data was consistent with that of previous studies, Pfizer said, which found that the treatment was about 90% effective at preventing hospitalization or death in COVID-19 patients with a high risk of severe illness if the pills were taken for 5 days soon after symptoms started.

Paxlovid is approved or authorized for conditional or emergency use in more than 60 countries to treat high-risk COVID-19 patients, Pfizer said. In the United States, the drug is authorized for emergency use for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in those aged 12 and older who face high risks for severe disease, hospitalization, or death.

The full study data will be released in coming months and submitted to a peer-reviewed publication, the company said. More details are on the ClinicalTrials.gov website (NCT05047601).

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Paxlovid works as a treatment for COVID-19 but not as a preventive measure, particularly if you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus through a household member who is infected, according to a new announcement from Pfizer.

In a clinical trial, the oral antiviral tablets were tested for postexposure prophylactic use, or tested for how well they prevented a coronavirus infection in people exposed to the virus. Paxlovid somewhat reduced the risk of infection, but the results weren’t statistically significant.

“We designed the clinical development program for Paxlovid to be comprehensive and ambitious with the aim of being able to help combat COVID-19 in a very broad population of patients,” Albert Bourla, PhD, Pfizer’s chairman and CEO, said in the announcement.

“While we are disappointed in the outcome of this particular study, these results do not impact the strong efficacy and safety data we’ve observed in our earlier trial for the treatment of COVID-19 patients at high risk of developing severe illness,” he said.

The trial included nearly 3,000 adults who were living with someone who recently tested positive for COVID-19 and had symptoms. The people in the trial, who tested negative and didn’t have symptoms, were given either Paxlovid twice daily for 5 or 10 days or a placebo. The study recruitment began in September 2021 and was completed during the peak of the Omicron wave.

Those who took the 5-day course of Paxlovid were found to be 32% less likely to become infected than the placebo group. Those who took the 10-day treatment had a 37% risk reduction. But the results weren’t statistically significant and may have been because of chance.

“Traditionally, it’s been difficult to use small-molecule antivirals for true prophylaxis because the biology of treating infection is different from the biology of preventing infection,” Daniel Barouch, MD, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, told STAT News.

He also noted that the Omicron variant could have played a role.

“That hyperinfectiousness probably makes it more difficult to prevent infections,” Dr. Barouch said.

The safety data was consistent with that of previous studies, Pfizer said, which found that the treatment was about 90% effective at preventing hospitalization or death in COVID-19 patients with a high risk of severe illness if the pills were taken for 5 days soon after symptoms started.

Paxlovid is approved or authorized for conditional or emergency use in more than 60 countries to treat high-risk COVID-19 patients, Pfizer said. In the United States, the drug is authorized for emergency use for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in those aged 12 and older who face high risks for severe disease, hospitalization, or death.

The full study data will be released in coming months and submitted to a peer-reviewed publication, the company said. More details are on the ClinicalTrials.gov website (NCT05047601).

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Paxlovid works as a treatment for COVID-19 but not as a preventive measure, particularly if you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus through a household member who is infected, according to a new announcement from Pfizer.

In a clinical trial, the oral antiviral tablets were tested for postexposure prophylactic use, or tested for how well they prevented a coronavirus infection in people exposed to the virus. Paxlovid somewhat reduced the risk of infection, but the results weren’t statistically significant.

“We designed the clinical development program for Paxlovid to be comprehensive and ambitious with the aim of being able to help combat COVID-19 in a very broad population of patients,” Albert Bourla, PhD, Pfizer’s chairman and CEO, said in the announcement.

“While we are disappointed in the outcome of this particular study, these results do not impact the strong efficacy and safety data we’ve observed in our earlier trial for the treatment of COVID-19 patients at high risk of developing severe illness,” he said.

The trial included nearly 3,000 adults who were living with someone who recently tested positive for COVID-19 and had symptoms. The people in the trial, who tested negative and didn’t have symptoms, were given either Paxlovid twice daily for 5 or 10 days or a placebo. The study recruitment began in September 2021 and was completed during the peak of the Omicron wave.

Those who took the 5-day course of Paxlovid were found to be 32% less likely to become infected than the placebo group. Those who took the 10-day treatment had a 37% risk reduction. But the results weren’t statistically significant and may have been because of chance.

“Traditionally, it’s been difficult to use small-molecule antivirals for true prophylaxis because the biology of treating infection is different from the biology of preventing infection,” Daniel Barouch, MD, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, told STAT News.

He also noted that the Omicron variant could have played a role.

“That hyperinfectiousness probably makes it more difficult to prevent infections,” Dr. Barouch said.

The safety data was consistent with that of previous studies, Pfizer said, which found that the treatment was about 90% effective at preventing hospitalization or death in COVID-19 patients with a high risk of severe illness if the pills were taken for 5 days soon after symptoms started.

Paxlovid is approved or authorized for conditional or emergency use in more than 60 countries to treat high-risk COVID-19 patients, Pfizer said. In the United States, the drug is authorized for emergency use for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in those aged 12 and older who face high risks for severe disease, hospitalization, or death.

The full study data will be released in coming months and submitted to a peer-reviewed publication, the company said. More details are on the ClinicalTrials.gov website (NCT05047601).

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.