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U.S. health and agriculture officials have allocated nearly $200 million to
address a bird flu outbreak affecting dairy cows in nine states, with over
40 herds affected. The funding includes $101 million for prevention, testing,
and treatment efforts, and about $98 million to support individual farms in
testing cattle and enhancing biosecurity measures. Dairy farmers will
receive compensation for milk production losses, and incentives are
provided for farm workers to participate in testing and workplace studies,
aiming to mitigate reluctance among farmers and workers.
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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is contemplating a mandate
for blood banks to adopt a new test capable of detecting malaria
parasites in donors' blood, seeking input from its independent advisers
on strategies to prevent transfusion-related malaria cases while
ensuring blood donation accessibility. Although malaria isn't considered
a significant threat to the US blood supply, approximately 28 million US
residents travel annually to malaria-endemic regions worldwide, with
concerns rising due to increasing travel and climate change
potentially
facilitating malaria spread within the US. The FDA recently approved the
Cobas malaria test, capable of detecting malaria RNA and DNA in donor
blood, acknowledging the potential severity of transfusion-transmitted
malaria infections, which can be fatal.
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A cyberattack on the Ascension health system, affecting 140 hospitals
across 19 states in the US, led to ambulance diversions, delays in medical
tests, and disrupted online access to patient records. While Ascension
acknowledged "unusual activity" on its network, it refrained from
confirming whether the attack involved ransomware or if any ransom was
paid, engaging Mandiant, a leading cybersecurity responder, for
assistance. The incident, exhibiting ransomware characteristics, prompted
precautionary measures such as disconnecting electronic medical record
systems to contain the spread.
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A recent survey by KFF reveals that approximately 1 in 8 adults in the
United States have used GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic or Mounjaro, with
around 6% of adults currently prescribed these medications, totaling
over 15 million individuals. The demand for these drugs has surged,
leading to shortages reported by the US Food and Drug Administration,
particularly for Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, as manufacturers
struggle to keep pace. While most adults use GLP-1 drugs to manage
chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease, about 40% of
respondents admit to using them solely for weight loss.
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The U.S. government has implemented new regulations regarding the
importation of dogs from other countries, aimed at preventing the
spread of rabies. Effective August 1, these rules mandate that all dogs
entering the country must be at least 6 months old, microchipped for
rabies vaccination verification, and have completed a new CDC import
form. These requirements apply to dogs brought in by breeders, rescue
groups, or traveling with their U.S. owners. Additional restrictions and
prerequisites may apply based on the dog's location in the previous six
months, potentially including blood testing from CDC-approved labs.
The
regulations aim to address the evolving landscape of international pet
travel, with approximately 1 million dogs entering the U.S. annually.
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