At-home health tests are here. But they aren't always the best option
You can now do self-administered tests for everything from thyroid function to HIV in the privacy of your own home — and that list continues to grow, as the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first at-home cervical cancer test .
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Measles outbreak that sickened more than 700 declared over in Texas
A measles outbreak in Texas that infected more than 700 people has officially been declared over, state health officials announced on Monday. The outbreak was the largest in the state in more than 30 years and led to the deaths of two unvaccinated school-aged children. Health officials declared the outbreak over after more than 42 days without a new case, a cut-off based on the time between when a person is exposed to when they get sick. MORE: Measles cases in US over 4.5 times higher than all of last year In late January, a cluster of cases was reported in western Texas near Gaines County -- near the border with New Mexico -- which had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state. A total of 762 cases were recorded with more than two-thirds of infections among children, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Nearly 100 people were hospitalized. Infections spread to other parts of the state as well as New Mexico, where another unvaccinated person died after contracting measles. "I want to highlight the tireless work of the public health professionals across the state who contributed to the containment of one of the most contagious viruses," Dr. Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the DSHS, said in a press release. "We arrived at this point through a comprehensive outbreak response that included testing, vaccination, disease monitoring and educating the public about measles through awareness campaigns." Texas health officials warned that the state is likely to experience additional cases this year given ongoing outbreaks in other parts of the U.S. and the world. "The end of this outbreak is certainly encouraging, but measles remains one of the most contagious viruses we face, and continued vigilance is critical given ongoing outbreaks both in the U.S. and globally," said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and ABC News medical contributor. Nationally, over 1,350 cases of measles have been reported across at least 40 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is the highest number of measles cases seen in the U.S. since 1992. MORE: Amid growing Texas outbreak, how contagious is measles? The virus was declared eliminated by health officials in 2000 after a full year of no continuous spread, but declining vaccination rates have led to a growing number of outbreaks annually, experts say. An estimated 92% of cases nationally this year are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status. "Vaccination rates in many communities remain far too low, leaving large pockets of children vulnerable to measles and other preventable diseases -- and that's why we're likely to continue seeing outbreaks," Brownstein said. The 2024-2025 school year had a record number of non-medical vaccine exemptions, with an estimated 286,000 kindergarteners attending school without documentation of receiving the shot that protects against measles, according to CDC data. "Measles isn't happening in isolation -- we're seeing a broader resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, from pertussis to polio threats, which underscores the urgent need to maintain high vaccination coverage and public trust in immunization," Brownstein added. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is recommended for children in the U.S. to receive after their first birthday, followed by a second dose in between ages four and six. Two doses of the vaccine have been shown to be 97% effective against infection. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Woman who is a quadruplet becomes 1st-time mom to quintuplets
A Texas woman became a first-time mom to not just one but five babies at once when she gave birth to quintuplets two months ago. "It's surreal, scary at the same time, because it's zero to five, immediate. It's an instant family, but it's beautiful," Theresa Troia of El Paso told ABC News. What makes Troia's story even more interesting is that the 36-year-old is a quadruplet herself. Troia has three brothers, Joseph Troia, Matthew Troia and Thomas Troia. "To me, the normal is multiples, you know, because I don't obviously know any different, but it was nice growing up and always having a sibling there," Theresa Troia said. Troia said she's excited to care for her quintuplets and live out her dream of being a mom. Family that welcomed quintuplets now expecting another baby "My mom passed away 10 years ago, so I haven't been able, you know, I can't talk to her about it, but now, I get to see what it was for her, which I think is a beautiful thing," said Troia. Troia, a nurse consultant, said she didn't undergo any fertility treatments and is no longer in a relationship with her former partner but learned she would be having quintuplets in January. She said that although she experienced bleeding during her first trimester, her pregnancy overall went "great." "I didn't have any nausea, vomiting, cravings, anything like that. I didn't have any swelling. So I was really lucky," Troia said. Couple welcomes quintuplets after years of infertility During the pregnancy, Troia and her care team learned that two of the quintuplets -- Isabella and Viviana -- were identical monochorionic-diamniotic or Mo-Di twins, meaning they shared a placenta but were in separate amniotic sacs. Troia delivered her quintuplets -- Kyla Rose, Joseph Anthony, Jaxon Thomas, Viviana Lily, and Isabella Gianna -- via cesarean section on June 3 at Las Palmas Medical Center. One of Troia's doctors, Dr. Aaron Poole, an OB-GYN and maternal-fetal medicine specialist with HCA Healthcare's Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare, told ABC News that the Troia babies happen to be the first set of quintuplets born at the El Paso hospital. "The birth of Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare's first set of quintuplets is a rare and special moment, and we're proud to have provided the high-level of care necessary to support Theresa and her babies from delivery through recovery," Poole said in a statement. "Bringing five newborns safely into the world took thoughtful planning and close coordination, demonstrating the expertise and commitment our maternal and neonatal teams bring to every patient," Poole added. "Our Level III [neonatal intensive care unit] at Las Palmas Medical Center is equipped to manage high-risk, complex pregnancies with around-the-clock care, experienced specialists and advanced technology. We are honored to be part of Theresa's story and to welcome some of El Paso's newest residents." The quintuplets were born at 28 weeks and one day. Ten weeks later, three of the siblings -- Kyla, Isabella and Jaxon -- have gone home from the hospital NICU. "They're all doing great and they're all growing," Troia said. "You would never know that they were premature babies or quintuplets, because they're doing so, so good. They're so healthy." Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Housing crunch: Nova Scotia opens rental units for health-care workers in South Shore
LUNENBURG — Nova Scotia's government says it has opened the first phase of a housing project dedicated to help health-care workers find homes in the South Shore. Susan Corkum-Greek, member of legislature for Lunenburg, N.S., says the project will allow the province to recruit health staff who wouldn't have otherwise come to the area because of the difficulty in finding homes. The project at the former Wheelhouse Motel in Lunenburg has 13 rental units that are a mix of studio apartments and units with one, two and three bedrooms. The province says it has so far spent $4.1 million on the project, and expects another three apartment units to be opened this fall at the site. The Housing Trust of Nova Scotia is overseeing the rental units and managing applicants. As part of Nova Scotia's housing for health-care initiative, renters must have at least one member of their household on a list of eligible health professions. The housing trust says all its units are rented at market rate, but tenants may qualify for a small return if the rent is more than 30 per cent of their combined household income. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2025. The Canadian Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
