What we know about the US resident who died from the plague
This fatality occurred amid a significant die-off of prairie dogs near Flagstaff, prompting Coconino County officials to investigate the link and collect fleas for testing.
Plague remains rare in modern America, with an average of seven human cases annually, primarily affecting rural areas of the Western U.S.
Symptoms include fever, chills, and swollen lymph nodes, but prompt antibiotic treatment, ideally within 24 hours, offers a high survival rate for bubonic plague.
Public health officials urge residents to report sick or dead rodents, use flea control on pets, and seek immediate medical care if symptoms develop after potential exposure.
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The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
Experts warn caffeine pouches are the latest stimulant aimed at teens
Last summer, a TikTok user shared a video responding to a commenter asking if 13-year-olds can use caffeine pouches. The pouches, which are placed between your cheeks and gums to absorb the stimulant directly, have become increasingly popular amongst teens. 'Yes, guys, you can literally pregame recess with these,' the video creator says, holding up a tin of LyvWel 'Cherry Blast' caffeine pouches. There are a lot of similar videos all over TikTok. 'Can a 13-year-old use or buy upper-deckies from the TikTok shop? Yeah, of course you can,' a different user said, referencing the popular online nickname for pouch products. 'These are literally just caffeine pouches.' There is no national age restriction on caffeine in the U.S., so anyone can purchase products that contain the stimulant. Caffeine use in kids can even result in a hospital trip, which is rare but on the rise. The number of children ages 11 to 14 who had to visit the emergency room due to a caffeine overdose doubled between 2017 and 2023, according to a November 2024 study. And experts are getting increasingly concerned about the impact of caffeine on children, and the marketing tactics that could expose kids to these products. Dr. Michael Garcia, an internal medicine doctor with a focus on nutrition at UCLA Health, told The Independent that 'less is more' when it comes to caffeine for adolescents. Long-term use among teens can increase blood pressure, worsen anxiety and impact sleep, he explained. 'We know caffeine is one of those things our body can develop tolerance to,' Garcia said. 'So little by little, maybe use increases as that tolerance develops. And it's like any other stimulant or substance that gives us some sort of immediate effect, we then depend on it ... long-term.' The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests 100mg as the upper limit for kids 12-18, which is about the equivalent of a cup of drip coffee, about two cans of Diet Coke, or one energy drink. There are several other companies that sell caffeine pouches, including Deckiez, Rebel Pouches, and Wip, a caffeine pouch start-up founded by Richard Mumby, a strategic investor and marketing executive who worked with the e-cigarette company Juul. Different brands have different amounts of caffeine: many of LyvWel's pouches contain 56mg per pouch, which is roughly equivalent to a can of soda. Deckiez sells pouches with 40mg and 50mg of caffeine. Wip sells products with 100mg and 200mg of caffeine per pouch, with 15 pouches per package. Wip's Instagram features influencers over 18 promoting the products while doing athletic activities, including surfing, skateboarding and weightlifting. Rebel Pouches' Instagram shows men playing golf, softball and running, amongst other sports. Deckiez, founded by a teenager and his father, shows the now-college student founder talking with other young men, and shows people snowboarding and playing softball. LyvWel's focuses on discount prices and flavor variety. Dr. Robert Jackler, founder of the Stanford Research Into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising group, tells The Independent he's concerned social media marketing tactics could make teens eager to try the products, pointing out Wip's use of sports teens are particularly attracted to. 'These videos of the skateboarder doing his tricks…I mean, there may be 50-year-olds and 30-year-olds who are interested in that, but it clearly has a differential interest amongst young people,' he said. Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a developmental psychologist at Stanford Medicine, also argued that using influencers and sporty imagery indicates it's 'clearly being marketed to young people.' 'You could talk about users on the way to the office, on the way to a business meeting…that would be much more obvious that you're targeting adults,' she said. 'There's nothing that I can see of the sort here. It is all fun and games.' However, caffeine pouch companies claim that they only aim their products to over-18s and, there's age-related warnings on the tin. Wip rejects any suggestion that they have advertised to underage children, with the company noting that its packaging is designed to appeal to adults and that hiring influencers is normal marketing practice. The product also includes age and usage recommendations, including a warning that says Wip is intended for people 18 and older. 'Wip has adopted an exceptionally proactive and responsible marketing approach, grounded in and exceeding official health authority guidelines,' the company said in a statement to The Independent. Deckiez founders Dean and Mike Herkenrath noted that their product was created 'as a healthier alternative to the huge spike in nicotine pouch use' and pointed out that caffeine has some health benefits for adults. For instance, studies have shown that adult coffee drinkers are less likely to develop heart failure, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. 'Many of our customers have quit or heavily reduced their nicotine pouch consumption and we're very proud of that,' the Herkenraths said in a statement. 'Our social media content is indented for success minded young adults to ageless at heart seeking to energize their goals!' LyvWel said in a statement to The Independent that the TikTok creators encouraging 13-year-olds to try their caffeine pouches are not affiliated with the company, and appear to be using 'TikTok's Affiliate Program, which allows any user regardless of age to tag and promote TikTok shop products without brand involvement or approval.' The company says it has tried to report 'several inappropriate videos,' but some haven't been taken down. The Independent has contacted TikTok for comment. As interest in caffeine pouches grows, Dr. Grace Kong, a psychiatry professor at Yale Medicine who specializes in child and adolescent psychology, told The Independent that adolescents don't have all the tools they need to make informed decisions about caffeinated products, especially those they find on social media. 'There is an issue if we're targeting that kind of advertising or marketing to teens for those substances, because teens are still minors,' she told The Independent. 'There still needs to be protection in some way about the decision-making.' She noted that she thinks caffeine pouches are too similar in design to nicotine pouches, which could encourage young people to try them. 'It could be a gateway, or it could really normalize pouch use,' Kong said. There's also concern about how the caffeine is being delivered through these pouches, Dr. Taylor Argo, an adolescent medicine fellow at the University of Michigan, told The Independent. 'There are lots of blood vessels right there, and so that caffeine is being absorbed directly into the bloodstream…we hypothesize that when you put medicines directly into your mouth that way, or other substances, it's absorbed a little faster,' she said. The 'biggest risk factor' for teens when using high levels of caffeine is irregular heart rates, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, Argo said. 'I actually have not heard of any of my patients using these, and I care for teens every day…I do worry about the amount of caffeine that is in it and how it's being delivered,' she added. Garcia encourages parents to talk about caffeine products with their teens and learn why they might want to use them. 'I think as adults, we are always inclined to provide a solution, but I think there's a lot of value in listening,' he said.
The Independent
42 minutes ago
- The Independent
Got the sniffles? Here's what to know about summer colds, COVID-19 and more
Summer heat, outdoor fun ... and cold and flu symptoms? The three may not go together in many people's minds: partly owing to common myths about germs and partly because many viruses really do have lower activity levels in the summer. But it is possible to get the sniffles — or worse — in the summer. Federal data released Friday, for example, shows COVID-19 is trending up in many parts of the country, with emergency department visits up among people of all ages. Here's what to know about summer viruses. How much are colds and flu circulating right now? The number of people seeking medical care for three key illnesses — COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV — is currently low, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu is trending down and RSV was steady this week. But COVID-19 is trending up in many mid-Atlantic, southeast, Southern and West Coast states. The expectation is that COVID-19 will eventually settle into a winter seasonal pattern like other coronaviruses, but the past few years have brought a late summer surge, said Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at University of California Davis Children's Hospital. Other viruses circulating this time of year include the one that causes 'hand, foot and mouth' disease — which has symptoms similar to a cold, plus sores and rashes — and norovirus, sometimes called the stomach flu. Do viruses spread less in the summer? Many viruses circulate seasonally, picking up as the weather cools in the fall and winter. So it's true that fewer people get stuffy noses and coughs in the summer — but cold weather itself does not cause colds. It's not just about seasonality. The other factor is our behavior, experts say. Nice weather means people are opening windows and gathering outside where it's harder for germs to spread. But respiratory viruses are still around. When the weather gets too hot and everyone heads inside for the air conditioning, doctors say they start seeing more sickness. In places where it gets really hot for a long time, summer can be cold season in its own right. 'I grew up on the East Coast and everybody gets sick in the winter,' said Dr. Frank LoVecchio, an emergency room doctor and Arizona State University researcher. 'A lot of people get sick in the summer here. Why is that? Because you spend more time indoors.' Should you get another COVID-19 booster now? For people who are otherwise healthy, timing is a key consideration to getting any vaccine. You want to get it a few weeks before that big trip or wedding, if that's the reason for getting boosted, doctors say. But, for most people, it may be worth waiting until the fall in anticipation of winter cases of COVID-19 really tick up. 'You want to be fully protected at the time that it's most important for you,' said Dr. Costi Sifri, of the University of Virginia Health System. People at higher risk of complications should always talk with their doctor about what is best for them, Sifri added. Older adults and those with weak immune systems may need more boosters than others, he said. Are more younger kids getting sick with COVID-19? Last week, the CDC noted emergency room visits among children younger than 4 were rising. That makes sense, Blumberg said, because many young kids are getting it for the first time or are unvaccinated. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in May that the shots would no longer be recommended for healthy kids, a decision that health experts have said lacks scientific basis. The American Academy of Pediatrics still endorses COVID-19 shots for children older than 6 months. How else can I lower my risk? The same things that help prevent colds, flu and COVID any other time of the year work in the summer, doctors say. Spend time outside when you can, wash your hands, wear a mask. And if you're sick, stay home. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Geeky Gadgets
2 hours ago
- Geeky Gadgets
Unlock Your Health Data: A Complete Guide to the Apple Health App
The Apple Health app is a powerful and versatile tool that goes far beyond simple step tracking. Designed to help you monitor and manage various aspects of your health, it offers features ranging from sleep tracking to medication management. Despite its potential, many users fail to explore its full range of capabilities. By taking the time to understand and customize its features, you can transform your iPhone into a personalized health hub, empowering you to take a proactive approach to your physical and mental well-being. Below, we delve into 13 essential features that can help you maximize the app's utility. The video below from Proper Honest Tech shows us how to get the most out of the app. Watch this video on YouTube. Customizing Your Summary Page The Summary page serves as your personalized health dashboard, offering a quick overview of the metrics that matter most to you. To tailor this page to your needs, tap the 'Edit' button or navigate to the 'Browse' section. From there, you can pin key metrics such as steps, heart rate, or sleep data to the top of the page. This customization ensures that your most relevant health information is always easily accessible, allowing you to stay focused on your goals. Automating Your Sleep Schedule Quality sleep is a cornerstone of good health, and the Health app provides tools to help you establish and maintain consistent sleep routines. The sleep schedule feature allows you to set bedtime reminders, wake-up alarms, and even create separate schedules for weekdays and weekends. Additionally, the 'Wind Down' mode minimizes distractions by dimming your screen and suggesting calming activities, such as meditation or reading, to help you relax before bed. These features work together to promote better sleep hygiene and overall well-being. Tracking Your Mental Health Mental health is an integral part of overall wellness, and the Health app includes features to help you monitor it effectively. You can log your mood and emotions throughout the day, set reminders for regular mental health check-ins, and review trends over time. By identifying patterns and potential triggers, these tools provide valuable insights into your emotional well-being, allowing you to take proactive steps toward maintaining a balanced mental state. Managing Medications The medication management feature ensures you never miss a dose. You can add your medications, set reminders, and log doses with ease. Visual cues and notifications help you stay on track, while customizable schedules allow the system to adapt to your specific needs. This feature is particularly useful for managing complex medication regimens or making sure consistency in daily routines. Setting Up an Emergency Medical ID The Medical ID feature could prove lifesaving in an emergency. By setting it up in the Health app, you enable first responders to access critical information—such as allergies, medical conditions, and emergency contacts—directly from your lock screen. This ensures that vital details are readily available when they are needed most, providing peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Storing Vision Prescriptions Keeping track of your vision prescriptions is made simple with the Health app. You can log details such as sphere, cylinder, and expiration dates for your glasses or contact lenses. This feature ensures that your prescription information is always at your fingertips, whether you're ordering new lenses or visiting an eye doctor. Tracking Symptoms If you experience recurring symptoms like headaches, joint pain, or fatigue, the app allows you to log them with details such as severity, duration, and timing. Over time, this data can help you identify patterns and provide valuable insights to your healthcare provider. This feature supports more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment plans, enhancing your overall care. Monitoring Hearing Health Protecting your hearing is easier with the app's hearing health tools. It tracks headphone audio levels and alerts you to potentially harmful exposure. Additionally, you can manually log hearing test results or upload scanned documents, creating a comprehensive record of your hearing health. These features help you take proactive steps to preserve your auditory well-being. Detecting Sleep Apnea For those concerned about sleep apnea, the Health app offers valuable monitoring tools when paired with a compatible Apple Watch. It tracks breathing disturbances during sleep, providing early indicators that may prompt you to seek medical advice. Addressing these issues early can lead to better outcomes and improved sleep quality. Tracking Daylight Exposure Exposure to natural light is essential for maintaining mood, regulating sleep, and supporting eye health. The Health app tracks your daily daylight exposure, helping you ensure you're getting enough sunlight. This feature is particularly beneficial if you spend long hours indoors or live in regions with limited daylight during certain seasons. Sharing Health Data Securely The Health app allows you to share selected health metrics with trusted individuals or healthcare providers. Whether you're managing a chronic condition or simply keeping loved ones informed, this feature ensures your data is both accessible and secure. By allowing seamless communication, it supports better collaboration and care. Logging Menstrual Cycles The menstrual cycle tracking feature is a valuable tool for reproductive health. You can log periods, symptoms, and fertility data, and receive notifications for cycle predictions or irregularities. These insights help you stay informed about your health and provide a clearer understanding of your body's rhythms. Enhancing Features with Apple Watch Integration Pairing the Health app with an Apple Watch unlocks advanced capabilities, such as respiratory tracking, heart rate monitoring, and daylight exposure tracking. This integration provides a more detailed and comprehensive view of your health, making the app even more powerful. Together, these tools offer a seamless and enriched health management experience. Discover other guides from our vast content that could be of interest on iPhone Health app features. Source & Image Credit: Proper Honest Tech Filed Under: Apple, Apple iPhone Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
