Latest news with #E.H
Newsweek
06-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Hepatitis A Outbreak in Los Angeles: Everything We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Health officials in Los Angeles County have declared a community-wide outbreak of hepatitis A following a sharp rise in cases, including among people with none of the traditional risk factors. The outbreak, which began more than a year ago, has already resulted in seven deaths and is now being called the largest surge of the disease in the region in over a decade. Newsweek has contacted the county's Department of Public Health outside of regular hours for comment and additional updates. Why It Matters Hepatitis A is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause liver damage and, in severe cases, death. The virus is typically transmitted through contaminated food or drink, and is also found in the blood and stool of an infected person, so using drugs with, caring for, or having certain types of sexual contact with someone who is infected with the disease can spread infection. Although unhoused individuals are at higher risk for contracting hepatitis A infection because they often have limited access to handwashing and toileting facilities, most new cases have been among individuals who are not homeless, have not traveled recently, and do not use illicit drugs. A microscope image made available by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a group of hepatitis virions. A microscope image made available by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a group of hepatitis virions. E.H. Cook, Jr/CDC via AP What To Know The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said 165 hepatitis A cases were recorded in 2024, more than triple the number reported the previous year and the highest total seen in Los Angeles County in at least 10 years. A further 29 cases have been confirmed in the first three months of 2025, double the number from the same period last year. Officials believe these figures underrepresent the true scope of the outbreak, as many cases go undiagnosed. "While the risk to the general public remains low, community-wide protection actions are needed to ensure that transmission of hepatitis A is reduced," the department said. Symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, nausea, fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) and dark urine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that while most adults suffering from hepatitis A will exhibit symptoms, children may not. While most patients recover, hepatitis A can result in liver failure, particularly among older adults or those with existing liver conditions. The strain of the virus linked to this outbreak has been identified mostly in Los Angeles County, with a few cases also found in Orange and San Bernardino counties, Dr. Prabhu Gounder, medical director of the county's viral hepatitis unit said, according to the Los Angeles Times. The CDC recommends all children receive the hepatitis A vaccine at one or two years of age, and that unvaccinated older children and adults also get the two-dose series. However, because California does not require hepatitis A vaccination for school or child care entry, many remain unvaccinated. What People Are Saying Dr. Sharon Balter, director of the county's Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, told the Los Angeles Times: "We definitely think that the outbreak is bigger than the numbers imply." Dr. Muntu Davis, the Los Angeles County health officer, said in a statement Monday: "The ongoing increase in hepatitis A cases signals that quick action is needed to protect public health. The hepatitis A vaccine is safe, effective, and offers long-term protection. Getting vaccinated is simple, and it's one of the most important things you can do for your own health and the health of our entire community. It is also important for residents to wash their hands with soap and water regularly and especially before eating and preparing food and after using the bathroom." Dr. Stanley Lemon, a professor of medicine at the UNC School of Medicine, North Carolina, told Newsweek: "Community-wide, sustained outbreaks of hepatitis A have been associated in the past with homelessness and a resulting lack of sanitary toileting facilities, as well as transmission of the virus among persons who use drugs, or men who have sex with other men. However, the virus is very stable in the environment and once introduced into a household, it can often spread quite easily among other family members if they have not received the hepatitis A vaccine in the past. It's difficult to predict how many more cases of hepatitis A may occur in Los Angeles County, but it is certainly worrisome that the virus is now being detected in wastewaters." Discussing what residents in Los Angeles should do to protect themselves, he said: "Good handwashing before preparing meals, and after visiting the toilet, and getting immunized if a person has not received the vaccine previously. Older persons are particularly at risk in the U.S., and unlikely to have been immunized. The vaccine has been proven to be safe and highly protective against the disease in multiple studies in which it was compared against a placebo (sham) injection." What Happens Next Health officials are ramping up vaccination efforts and continuing to monitor wastewater to track the spread of the virus. They are especially encouraging vaccination among people experiencing homelessness and those who use drugs.
Forbes
04-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Buffalo Trace Adds E.H. Taylor To Its Coveted Antique Collection
E.H. Taylor Bottled-and-Bond This fall, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) is getting its first new addition in nearly two decades—and it's a big one. Buffalo Trace Distillery has officially confirmed that E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon will be joining its prestigious annual lineup, making its debut as part of the 2025 BTAC Collection. The move marks the first addition to BTAC since Thomas H. Handy was introduced back in 2006. And for longtime fans of Buffalo Trace's heritage-rich portfolio, this update feels more like destiny than surprise. The Bottled-in-Bond expression pays tribute to Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr., widely considered the 'Father of Modern Bourbon,' and the driving force behind one of the most significant milestones in whiskey history: the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. 'As a founding figure who helped define bourbon quality — not just for Buffalo Trace, but for the entire industry — it's only fitting that Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr.'s namesake brand takes its place among the collection,' Andrew Duncan, Global Brand Director, Buffalo Trace Distillery said in an emailed statement. 'With this release, we proudly pay tribute to Colonel Taylor's enduring legacy of innovation and craftsmanship.' Buffalo Trace Antique Collection The Antique Collection is known for its limited annual releases that highlight long-aged, high-proof, and meticulously selected barrels from Buffalo Trace's extensive warehouses. It typically includes five expressions: These whiskeys are lauded not only for their complexity and rarity, but also for representing the pinnacle of Buffalo Trace's aging and blending programs. The inclusion of E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond—a 100-proof, single-season, federally bonded bourbon—signals a new chapter. While the standard Bottled-in-Bond expression remains a consumer favorite in the $40–60 range, this BTAC release is expected to reflect extended aging, increased rarity, and deeper barrel selection—placing it in direct conversation with the likes of Stagg and Weller in terms of prestige. E.H. Taylor Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr. purchased the O.F.C. Distillery (now Buffalo Trace) in 1869, and his impact on American whiskey cannot be overstated. He was a relentless innovator, responsible for modernizing the distillery with copper fermentation tanks, grain handling systems, and steam-heated warehouses—some of which are still in use today. More importantly, Taylor was a key figure behind the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, the first piece of federal legislation to establish standards for whiskey production and labeling. It defined what constituted a 'straight' whiskey, mandated a minimum of four years of aging, and required the spirit to be the product of one distillation season, one distiller, and one distillery—all bottled at 100 proof under federal supervision. This act essentially introduced the idea of government-regulated whiskey purity—a vital protection for consumers during an era rife with counterfeit and adulterated spirits. In homage to that legacy, the new BTAC release will bear Taylor's signature, just as his original bottles once did. E.H. Taylor Bottled-and-Bond label For collectors, the introduction of a new BTAC label is a rare event—only the second in over 20 years. With existing BTAC expressions already fetching high secondary market prices and being the subject of annual lotteries, this addition will only increase demand. The move also strengthens the long-term positioning of the E.H. Taylor brand as a cornerstone of Buffalo Trace's prestige portfolio. While Buffalo Trace has yet to release details on age statement, mashbill, or barrel selection, expectations are high. The standard Bottled-in-Bond release already draws from Mashbill #1 (a low-rye bourbon mash), and if this BTAC edition follows suit—with additional aging and BTAC-level curation—it could become one of the more balanced and historically resonant entries in the collection. Look for the 2025 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection—including the debut of E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond BTAC Edition—to begin arriving in extremely limited allocations this fall.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Iowa-licensed nurse accused of assaulting Texas patients surrenders license
(Photo courtesy of the Iowa Board of Nursing) An Iowa-licensed nurse accused of sexually assaulting multiple patients in Texas has agreed to surrender his license. On Jan. 16, 2025, the Iowa Board of Nursing agreed to accept Caleb Greer's voluntary surrender of his nursing license. Board documents indicate Greer was issued a warning and advised that he will not be able to apply for reinstatement for one year. The Iowa board's actions follow a November 2024 decision by the Texas Board of Nursing, which accepted Greer's surrender of his license to practice in that state as an advanced practice registered nurse. Texas board documents indicate that before and after Greer completed a family nurse practitioner program at Sioux City's Morningside College in 2019, he worked for several different entities in Iowa, Colorado and Texas — most recently as the owner of Dasein Health in West Lake Hills, Texas. The Texas board alleged that in July 2019, while treating a female patient identified as 'N.M.,' Greer told the woman she was 'MILFy,' began to massage her, and then kissed her on the lips and fondled her breasts and genitals. The board also alleged that in October 2020, Greer was seeing patient 'Y.C.' when he 'French kissed her, touched her private parts, took off his pants, and placed his penis in (her) hand.' When the patient later telephoned Greer to ask why he had sexually assaulted her, Greer allegedly replied, 'Because you're blocked sexually.' The Texas board also alleged that in 2022 and 2023, while running the Dasein Health clinic, Greer massaged the thighs of a female patient, 'E.H,' and then kissed her and fondled her while admitting that his 'carnal desire took over' and he had 'lost control.' The board alleges that in subsequent emails sent to the woman, Greer stated, 'I realize that I did not have your consent and that, yes, what I did was assault.' According to the Texas board, Greer was arrested in January 2024 on a charge of felony sexual assault related to his conduct with E.H. He later underwent a sexual offender psychological evaluation that allegedly concluded he posed an 'imminent and immediate risk of harm to the public.' The criminal case is still pending, according to board records. In addition to disciplinary charges of violating patient boundaries, the Texas board also charged Greer with multiple instances of improperly administering medications and improperly performing ketamine therapy on patients. Board documents indicate Greer denied all of the allegations, describing them as a 'gross exaggeration' of what had actually transpired. He subsequently agreed to surrender his Texas nursing license.
