WEATHER ALERT
CDC warns public of emerging deadly drug 100 times stronger than fentanyl
Read full article: CDC warns public of emerging deadly drug 100 times stronger than fentanylThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sounding the alarm about carfentanil, a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more lethal than fentanyl.
Listeria outbreak tied to Yu Shang Food leaves California infant dead and 10 people sick
Read full article: Listeria outbreak tied to Yu Shang Food leaves California infant dead and 10 people sickU.S. health officials said a California infant has died and at least 10 other people have been sickened in an outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that include chicken feet, duck neck and pork hock, feet and tongue.
How to reverse prediabetes before it becomes Type 2
Read full article: How to reverse prediabetes before it becomes Type 2According to the CDC, more than 38 million Americans have diabetes, with 90% to 95% of those having Type 2 diabetes. And on top of that, another 98 million Americans have prediabetes.
Clay County Fire Rescue to host community Paramedicine’s Narcan events in October
Read full article: Clay County Fire Rescue to host community Paramedicine’s Narcan events in OctoberClay County Fire Rescue will host several Paramedicine Narcan events throughout Clay County in October to promote overdose prevention and understanding of narcotics.
The first 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine reach Congo. But it's a fraction of what is needed
Read full article: The first 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine reach Congo. But it's a fraction of what is neededAuthorities in Congo say the first batch of mpox vaccine has arrived in Congo’s capital, three weeks after the World Health Organization declared mpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.
Africa has almost 4,000 new mpox cases in a week, but the wait for vaccines continues
Read full article: Africa has almost 4,000 new mpox cases in a week, but the wait for vaccines continuesAfrica's public health body is seeing a rapid increase in mpox cases, with almost 4,000 reported on the continent in the last week.
Lower blood pressure naturally
Read full article: Lower blood pressure naturallyHigh blood pressure can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and other serious health conditions. The CDC says high blood pressure contributed to more than 691 thousand deaths in the US in 2021. So how can you lower your blood pressure without medication?
Up in Smoke: The dangerous truth behind vaping
Read full article: Up in Smoke: The dangerous truth behind vapingAlthough fewer teens are lighting up a cigarette these days, more and more are turning to vaping. In fact, about one of every five high school students vape. But is it safer than cigarettes?
US measles cases are up in 2024. What's driving the increase?
Read full article: US measles cases are up in 2024. What's driving the increase?There have been 17 times as many U.S. measles cases in the first three months of this year compared with the average number seen in the first three months of the previous three years.
Duval County ranks 3rd among Florida counties with most cases of gonorrhea: CDC
Read full article: Duval County ranks 3rd among Florida counties with most cases of gonorrhea: CDCA large number of a common, but potentially dangerous sexually transmitted infection, is affecting several Northeast Florida counties, especially Duval County residents, according to the CDC.
Measles: ‘It’s not a matter of whether we will have an outbreak in Northeast Florida, it’s a matter of when’
Read full article: Measles: ‘It’s not a matter of whether we will have an outbreak in Northeast Florida, it’s a matter of when’A measles outbreak at a South Florida elementary school has health officials warning of a rise in cases.
Billboard in Jacksonville highlights dangers of maternal syphilis rates during pregnancy
Read full article: Billboard in Jacksonville highlights dangers of maternal syphilis rates during pregnancyA new billboard around Jacksonville is bringing awareness to maternal syphilis rates during pregnancy, which according to the CDC more than tripled from 2016 to 2022.
CDC issues food safety alert after multi-state outbreak of Listeria linked to dairy products
Read full article: CDC issues food safety alert after multi-state outbreak of Listeria linked to dairy productsTwenty-six people from seven states, including two people in Florida and Georgia, have been infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Florida Surgeon General calls for end of COVID-19 vaccines based on mRNA
Read full article: Florida Surgeon General calls for end of COVID-19 vaccines based on mRNAFlorida Surgeon General Joseph Ladopo called for a halt to the use of COVID-19 vaccines based on mRNA and said the vaccines could result in an illness.
CDC data shows spike in respiratory illnesses during holiday season and its burden on the healthcare system
Read full article: CDC data shows spike in respiratory illnesses during holiday season and its burden on the healthcare systemThe latest data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revealed tens of thousands of people are being admitted to hospitals each week for one of three sicknesses, the flu, COVID-19, or RSV.
The Duval County infant mortality rate is higher than the Florida rate. New legislation aims to change that
Read full article: The Duval County infant mortality rate is higher than the Florida rate. New legislation aims to change thatThe Jacksonville City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on an initiative that aims to improve local rates of infant mortality.
More powerful MRI option helps doctors pinpoint hard-to-find lesions that cause epilepsy
Read full article: More powerful MRI option helps doctors pinpoint hard-to-find lesions that cause epilepsyAlmost three and a half million people suffer from epilepsy – a disorder of the brain that can cause seizures. For some, these seizures can be controlled with medication, others will need brain surgery, which can be risky. But now, new technology is helping doctors pinpoint what’s causing the seizures better than ever before.
I’m a psychiatrist and this is my mental health toolkit for myself
Read full article: I’m a psychiatrist and this is my mental health toolkit for myselfMore people are seeking mental health treatment than ever before. The CDC reports more than 21 percent of people are seeing a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, counselor, or social worker. But what keeps our mental health professionals sane? And what can we learn from them?
Guns killed record number of children in 2021: CDC report
Read full article: Guns killed record number of children in 2021: CDC reportChildren in the United States are more likely to die at the hands of a gun than in a car crash, from a drug overdose or cancer. That's just one of the troubling statistics in a new Centers for Disease Control study--- that found firearms killed a record number of children in 2021.
I-TEAM: Can first responders exposed to fentanyl accidentally overdose? Doctors and deputies disagree
Read full article: I-TEAM: Can first responders exposed to fentanyl accidentally overdose? Doctors and deputies disagreeMany in the medical community and law enforcement are split on if first responders are in danger by fentanyl exposure alone.
Foods to boost bone and joint health
Read full article: Foods to boost bone and joint healthWhat if there is a way to prevent your bones and joints from deteriorating? You may not need to spend money on expensive supplements, as you may be able to strengthen your bones and joints with what’s already in your kitchen.
Suicide rates reach record high; one local woman is trying to help with murals across Jacksonville
Read full article: Suicide rates reach record high; one local woman is trying to help with murals across JacksonvilleSuicide deaths reached a record high in the U.S. last year. Data from the CDC shows at least 49,449 lives were lost due to intentional self-harm in 2022.One local woman is working to raise awareness for mental health with murals all across Jacksonville that direct people to get help. The latest mural is in San Marco Square and is one of eleven in the city.
FDA, FTC tell sellers of edible Delta 8 to stop marketing products to young children
Read full article: FDA, FTC tell sellers of edible Delta 8 to stop marketing products to young childrenThe FTC and FDA are sending cease and desist letters to sellers of edible Delta 8 products and telling them to stop marketing products that may entice young children.
Fentanyl testing strips now legal in Florida after being classified as ‘drug paraphernalia’
Read full article: Fentanyl testing strips now legal in Florida after being classified as ‘drug paraphernalia’Fentanyl test strips are now legal in the state of Florida after a bill signing this week formally decriminalizing the strips.
Fear to conversation: How organizations are working to shatter stigma on sexual health
Read full article: Fear to conversation: How organizations are working to shatter stigma on sexual healthThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2.5 million cases of STDs in 2021. Health experts continue their focus on outreach in both metropolitan and rural areas.
1 person killed every 45 minutes in alcohol-related crash, CDC report finds
Read full article: 1 person killed every 45 minutes in alcohol-related crash, CDC report findsA report shows 32 people in the United States are killed every day in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver. That's one death every 45 minutes.
Proposed sleep bill prevents schools from starting early in the morning
Read full article: Proposed sleep bill prevents schools from starting early in the morningKids needing more shut eye before school is the rationale behind a new bill making its way through Tallahassee.This bill would prevent middle schools from starting before eight and high schools before 8:30 a.m.
Travel Bugs: 5 dirty little secrets hiding in your hotel
Read full article: Travel Bugs: 5 dirty little secrets hiding in your hotelPrior to the pandemic, the dirtiest place in the hotel was the bathroom. Now, a study from the journal “Emerging Infectious Diseases” found COVID-19 germs are still rampant in the bathrooms.
CDC survey on youth mental health should be a wake-up call to parents, school administrators, expert says
Read full article: CDC survey on youth mental health should be a wake-up call to parents, school administrators, expert saysAlmost 60% of U.S. high school girls reported feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness in 2021, representing a 60% increase in these emotions among girls over the past 10 years, according to a newly-released survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Duval schools youth risk behavior survey terminated by state
Read full article: Duval schools youth risk behavior survey terminated by stateThe Commissioner of Education sent a letter to the Duval Schools’ Superintendent, Dr. Diana Greene, “strongly urging” that the district needs to end its participation in a CDC youth-risk behavior survey (YRBS) and instead participate in a new one developed by the state.
A panel of experts answer questions about the COVID-19 booster shot during an FDA meeting
Read full article: A panel of experts answer questions about the COVID-19 booster shot during an FDA meetingHow often should Americans get their booster shot against COVID-19, and how important is the booster to you if you’ve already been infected with COVID-19? Those are questions a panel of experts set out to answer during an FDA meeting, the information will be passed on to the CDC.
Study tries to see if child vaccines and asthma are linked
Read full article: Study tries to see if child vaccines and asthma are linkedA federally funded study has found a possible link between aluminum in some childhood vaccines and persistent asthma, but experts say the study has several shortcomings.
WHO again considers declaring monkeypox a global emergency
Read full article: WHO again considers declaring monkeypox a global emergencyThe World Health Organization is convening its emergency committee to consider for the second time within weeks whether the expanding outbreak of monkeypox should be declared a global crisis.
Federal agencies helping Florida investigate listeria outbreak linked to ice cream
Read full article: Federal agencies helping Florida investigate listeria outbreak linked to ice creamThe Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is helping the Florida Department of Health and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services investigate a listeria outbreak linked to ice cream, the FDA said Tuesday.
Fact-checking claim in Stacey Abrams ad: Are guns the leading cause of death for young people in Georgia?
Read full article: Fact-checking claim in Stacey Abrams ad: Are guns the leading cause of death for young people in Georgia?The News4JAX Trust Index team is taking a look at a claim in a political commercial for Georgia Democratic candidate for governor Stacey Abrams.
Doctors are ‘frustrated’ because they haven’t received vaccines for children under 5 since Florida declined to pre-order
Read full article: Doctors are ‘frustrated’ because they haven’t received vaccines for children under 5 since Florida declined to pre-orderOut of all the states, Florida was the only one to not pre-order more COVID-19 vaccines to give to kids.
‘Not going away’: Northeast Florida COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations rising
Read full article: ‘Not going away’: Northeast Florida COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations risingFlorida is averaging more than 10,000 new cases daily. With the rapidly growing amount of cases, people are encouraged to be cautious around others.
Why is infant mortality higher for minority women in Florida? A UF Health study aims to find out
Read full article: Why is infant mortality higher for minority women in Florida? A UF Health study aims to find outCertain communities in Florida face greater health challenges than others, according to former Florida Surgeon General and CDC Deputy Director Doctor Celeste Philip.
Epidemiologist weighs in on FDA’s approval of COVID-19 booster shot for children ages 5 to 11
Read full article: Epidemiologist weighs in on FDA’s approval of COVID-19 booster shot for children ages 5 to 11The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved children ages 5 to 11 to get a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
CDC restates recommendation for masks on planes, trains
Read full article: CDC restates recommendation for masks on planes, trainsU.S. health officials are restating their recommendation that Americans wear masks on planes, trains and buses, despite a court ruling last month that struck down a national mask mandate on public transportation.
COVID vaccine can help children avoid ‘devastating consequences’ of MIS-C, study finds
Read full article: COVID vaccine can help children avoid ‘devastating consequences’ of MIS-C, study findsA new study from the CDC is offering encouraging news for parents about preventing a debilitating condition caused by COVID in kids.
DeSantis blames Florida’s skyrocketing housing costs on Biden. Is it all the president’s fault?
Read full article: DeSantis blames Florida’s skyrocketing housing costs on Biden. Is it all the president’s fault?Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday weighed in on affordable housing and inflation in the state as rent and home prices continue to spike.
When to get tested for COVID-19 as omicron variant spreads
Read full article: When to get tested for COVID-19 as omicron variant spreadsIf you’re experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with the virus, the CDC said you should get tested. But, what if you can’t get access to a test right away due to the high demand?
CDC preparing to update mask information, director says
Read full article: CDC preparing to update mask information, director saysThe head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the agency is preparing to update information on its website about face masks but continues to recommend that everyone wear some type of mask.
CDC warns against cruise ship travel, regardless of vaccination status
Read full article: CDC warns against cruise ship travel, regardless of vaccination statusIn a potentially ominous message for Florida’s cruise-ship industry, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that people should avoid cruise travel “regardless of vaccination status” because of the spread of COVID-19.
White House COVID-19 Response Team stands by shorter isolation, quarantine recommendations
Read full article: White House COVID-19 Response Team stands by shorter isolation, quarantine recommendationsNew cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. have soared to their highest level on record at over 265,000 per day on average, a surge driven largely by the highly contagious omicron variant.
Duval now a low transmission county for COVID-19, health officials say
Read full article: Duval now a low transmission county for COVID-19, health officials sayThe Florida Department of Health in Duval County said Monday morning the county is now considered to be a low transmission county as the number of cases continues to fall.