More U.S. children have died this flu season than at any time since the swine flu pandemic 15 years ago, according to a federal report. The 216 pediatric deaths reported by the CDC eclipse the 207 reported last year. It's the most since the 2009-2010 H1N1 global flu pandemic. It's a startlingly high number, given that the flu season is still going on. The final pediatric death tally for the 2023-2024 flu season wasn't counted until autumn.
Weekly measles cases have set a new record, according to figures published by the CDC, topping the peak of an outbreak in 2019 that ranked as the worst since the 1990s. The number of cases that had their symptoms start during the week of March 30 has grown to 111, according to the agency's latest update. Authorities backdate newly reported measles cases based on when their rash began, to account for delays in reporting and diagnosis.
Google Chief Health Officer Karen DeSalvo, MD, says she will be retiring. DeSalvo's career at the company has spanned nearly 6 years and has witnessed some of the most crucial and historical milestones in healthcare, both for the organization and society as a whole.
North America's three biggest measles outbreaks continue to balloon, with more than 2,500 known cases; three people have died in the U.S. and one in Mexico. It started in the fall in Ontario, Canada; then took off in late January in Texas and New Mexico; and has rapidly spread in Chihuahua state, which is up to 786 cases since mid-February.
A new approach may prevent repeat surgeries. Using a fluorescent imaging system, surgeons can see — while still in the operating room — whether cancer cells remain after a tumor is removed. If so, they can remove the residual cancer immediately.