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Newsweek
3 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Is the FDA Doing Enough About Food Additives?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Food additives have come under increasing scrutiny in recent months, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently announced a ban on eight frequently used food dyes from food and beverages. Two petroleum-based synthetic dyes are set to be phased out imminently, while the other six must be removed from products by the end of 2026. Kennedy Jr has been a vocal critic of food additives, based on their impact on health, particularly their potential neurological effect on children, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been approving alternative food dyes that come from natural, rather than synthetic, sources. Food dyes have been linked to a range of health effects, including increased cancer risk, behavioral issues in children, hormonal disruption, and a higher likelihood of obesity. However, the answer is not as simple as removing all additives from food. "Many additives are needed, are not harmful, and are an important part of food flavor, texture, and stability," Emily Broad Leib, director of both the Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School, told Newsweek. Although, that said, as "it has been so easy to create and add new additives to food," Broad Leib added, "we have really allowed companies to get out of hand with how many things they are adding, without having clear requirement that they benefit consumers and without enough knowledge about their impacts alone or cumulatively." What Is The FDA Doing About Food Additives? The FDA recently banned several food dyes: Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B, which will lose their authorization soon, and six FD&C dyes which are scheduled for removal by 2026, Green No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow Nos. 5 and 6, and Blue Nos. 1 and 2. The FDA has also requested that food companies remove FD&C Red No. 3 sooner than the 2027 to 2028 deadline previously required. Earlier this month, the FDA also approved the use of the color gardenia (genipin) blue in various foods, which is derived from the fruit of the evergreen, gardenia. This was the fourth naturally-derived color approved by the FDA for use in foods in the last two months. The FDA is also currently reviewing a number of other additives, with potassium bromate, propylparaben and titanium dioxide all on the FDA's list of "chemicals in the food supply under FDA review." According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), titanium dioxide has been associated with potential immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity, while potassium bromate is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Propylparaben is thought to be a hormone disrupter. More recently, the FDA added butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and azodicarbonamide (ADA) to its list for reviewing and has moved to ban brominated vegetable oil (BVO) . BHA is believed to increase risk of cancer and cause hormone disruption, while ADA is believed to form carcinogenic byproducts, and BVO is believed to harm the nervous system, reproductive system and thyroid hormone system, according to EWG. An FDA spokesperson told Newsweek the FDA has also recently released for public comment its Post-market Assessment Prioritization Tool for ranking chemicals in the food supply, enabling it to "determine which chemicals the agency would prioritize for post-market assessments." This will allow the FDA to "allocate resources more efficiently, ensuring that the agency focuses on food chemicals that may present the greatest potential public health risk, including risk to sensitive populations, and are of high public concern," they said. "Determining if a chemical—either one intentionally added to food or a contaminant that is not intentionally added—needs to be further evaluated based on new information takes a structured and science-based approach to ensure that the FDA's reviews are protective of the health of consumers," FDA spokesperson said. "The FDA is committed to radical transparency as the agency develops processes for prioritizing chemicals in food for a post-market assessment. These processes will help to ensure that FDA is taking a risk-informed approach in reviewing data and information about the safety of chemicals in the food supply to protect the health of consumers." Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty What States Are Doing About Food Additives California was the first state in the country to ban certain food dyes, and it has already enacted legislation banning the sale, distribution, and production of food products containing BVO. Since then, more states have followed suit with similar proposals. Many other states now have pending legislation introduced this year to ban food dyes and additives—particularly in school settings to protect children from potential health risks. Florida proposed legislation to ban schools serving food containing BHA, ADA, BHT and BVO, and many other additives. However, the bill (SB 560) died in the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 16. Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont and Washington, are also considering bans on BVO and other additives under FDA review in school meals, while New Jersey and Wisconsin are seeking to ban ADA as well as BVO and others. Pennsylvania is trying to ensure any products containing BHA come with a clear warning. Some states like Hawaii, Illinois, and Ohio have sought to ban the use of single-use food packaging and serving containers being intentionally manufactured to have "forever chemicals," known as PFAS, which are carcinogenic to humans. Broad Leib told Newsweek that some states, including Louisiana, are also trying to ban the use of aspartame, an artificial sweetener, cottonseed oil, and grapeseed oil. Does the FDA's Review of Food Chemicals Go Far Enough? Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics and environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Research Institute, told Newsweek it was "absolutely not" the case that the FDA's current process for regulating and reviewing additives in food went far enough. "We have some of the most lax regulations through generally recognized as safe (GRAS) provisions," she said. "While FDA focusing on dyes and these three additives is a good first step, it is very minuscule in the scope of the broader picture." "I think that FDA has been a little haphazard in their review of chemicals to date," Broad Leib said. Last fall, the agency introduced a discussion paper on how to better manage the process for post-market review of chemicals, however, Broad Leib said that, in her opinion, this "was not strong enough." The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic suggested in a comment to the FDA on its proposal that if a state or peer jurisdiction bans a chemical, it should trigger an immediate 120-day review period for FDA to assess the chemical in question. Broad Leib said that FDA has not yet issued any "general response to that docket and has not put out an updated discussion paper." Commenting on the agency's release of a new document for public comment on how to prioritize chemicals for review, Broad Leib said: "I think [it] shows that they are thinking about the issue and trying to get better at flagging chemicals of concern." Overall, despite the FDA's efforts, Broad Leib said that she thought "there are some serious gaps in FDA's review of chemicals, both premarket and post-market." She said that there is a "loophole" in premarket review, whereby companies can "self-designate a substance to be GRAS and thus avoid the additive process, avoid FDA oversight, and even avoid FDA notification." All of these processes are voluntary for GRAS substances, meaning that this enables many substances to sneak into food "without FDA even having them on its radar," she added. She said that the FDA "has long been without a strong process for transparently identifying substances of concern, quickly reviewing evidence, and then taking decisive action when needed."
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Michigan announces second measles outbreak as US hits 1,227 cases
Michigan has its second measles outbreak of the year, Utah has seven cases and health workers in New Mexico are rushing to contain an outbreak in a county jail. But for the first time in months, Texas confirmed no additional measles cases this week tied to a major outbreak that raged through the late winter and spring. There have been 1,227 confirmed measles cases this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. There are three other major outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,212 cases from mid-October through June 24. The province logged its first death June 5 in a baby who got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 1,122 as of Friday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 2,485 measles cases and eight deaths as of Thursday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks - which the CDC defines as three or more related cases - include Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota and Oklahoma. In the U.S., two elementary school-aged children in the epicenter in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died of measles this year. All were unvaccinated. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? Texas held steady Tuesday with 750 outbreak-related cases across 35 counties, most of them in West Texas, state data shows. Throughout the outbreak, 97 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases - fewer than 10 - were actively infectious as of Tuesday. Fifty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 413 cases since late January - just under 2% of its residents. The state also noted in its Tuesday update that there are 34 cases across 18 counties that don't have a clear link to the outbreak now, but may end up added to it after further investigation. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of "what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure." A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico had 86 measles cases Friday. Five new cases were confirmed this week in a jail in Luna County, which prompted health officials to urge locals to get vaccinated and halted in-person visits. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma held steady Friday for a total of 17 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Arizona? Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. They are linked to a single source, the county health department said June 9. All four were unvaccinated and had a history of recent international travel. How many cases are there in Colorado? Colorado has seen a total of 16 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of 10 related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May. Four of the people were on the flight with the first person diagnosed - an out-of-state traveler not included in the state count - while five got measles from exposure in the airport and one elsewhere. Health officials are also tracking an unrelated case in a Boulder County resident. The person was fully vaccinated but had "recently traveled to Europe, where there are a large number of measles cases," the state health department said. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. How many cases are there in Georgia? Georgia has an outbreak of three cases in metro Atlanta, with the most recent infection confirmed June 18. The state has confirmed six total cases in 2025. The remaining three are part of an unrelated outbreak from January. How many cases are there in Illinois? Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state. It grew to eight cases as of June 6, but no new cases were reported in the following weeks, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. How many cases are there in Iowa? Iowa has had six total measles cases in 2025. Four are part of an outbreak in eastern Johnson County, among members of the same household. County health officials said the people are isolating at home, so they don't expect additional spread. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas added one more case this week for a total of 80 across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but three of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many cases are there in Michigan? Health officials in Grand Traverse County in northern Michigan confirmed an outbreak of three cases Tuesday. The state declared an earlier outbreak of four cases in Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, over June 2. The state has had 16 cases total in 2025. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana had 23 measles cases as of Friday, an increase of one this week. Fifteen were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up - Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had four cases. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of June 6, but has held steady since. Two of the people have been hospitalized. All of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. How many cases are there in Utah? Utah had seven total measles cases as of Friday. At least three of the cases are linked, according to the state health department. State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen said she is aware of at least three different measles clusters in the state. She expects to see more cases because there are other unvaccinated people who were exposed. At least two of the people infected had to be hospitalized. Two are pregnant. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported this year in Alaska, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Health officials declared earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania over after six weeks of no new cases. Tennessee's outbreak also appears to be over. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year. Most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from "killed" virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have "presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates - above 95% - due to "herd immunity." But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Arizona officials confirm measles outbreak in Navajo County
Health officials in Arizona say there are four linked measles cases in Navajo County, marking the state's first outbreak this year. The U.S. logged 122 more cases of measles last week - but only four of them in Texas - while the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan officially ended. There were 1,168 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Health officials in Texas, where the nation's biggest outbreak raged during the late winter and spring, said they'll now post case counts only once a week - yet another sign the outbreak is slowing. There are three other major outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,009 cases from mid-October through June 3. The province logged its first death Thursday in a baby that got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 761 as of Thursday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 1,940 measles cases and four deaths as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks - which the CDC defines as three or more related cases - include Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma. In the U.S., two elementary school-aged children in the epicenter in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died of measles this year. All were unvaccinated. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? There were a total of 744 cases across 35 counties, most of them in West Texas, state health officials said Tuesday. Throughout the outbreak, 96 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases - fewer than 10 - are actively infectious. Fifty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 411 cases since late January - just under 2% of the county's residents. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of "what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure." A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico held steady Tuesday with a total of 81 cases. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma added one case Tuesday for a total of 16 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Arizona? Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. The cases are linked to a single source, the county health department said Monday. All four are unvaccinated and have a history of recent international travel. How many cases are there in Colorado? Colorado has seen a total of 14 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of eight related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May, and includes four cases in Arapahoe County, three in El Paso County and one in Denver, plus a person who doesn't live in Colorado. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. How many cases are there in Illinois? Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state, and it's grown to eight cases as of June 6, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas has a total of 71 cases across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but two of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana had 17 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up - Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had three case. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of Friday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. How many cases are there in Ohio? Ohio remained steady for a third week at 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents. The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 - 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors. Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each. How many cases are there in Tennessee? Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Tennessee's outbreak appears to be over, as health officials say there have not been any new cases in six weeks. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania were declared over by health officials after six weeks of no new cases. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year, and most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from "killed" virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have "presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates - above 95% - due to "herd immunity." But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Measles outbreaks in Michigan and Pennsylvania end, while Texas logs just 4 new cases
New York: The U.S. logged 122 more cases of measles last week - but only four of them in Texas - while the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan officially ended. There were 1,168 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Health officials in Texas, where the nation's biggest outbreak raged during the late winter and spring, said they'll now post case counts only once a week - yet another sign the outbreak is slowing. There are three other major outbreaks in North America. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,009 cases from mid-October through June 3. The province logged its first death Thursday in a baby that got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 761 as of Thursday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 1,940 measles cases and four deaths as of Friday, according to data from the state health ministry. Other U.S. states with active outbreaks - which the CDC defines as three or more related cases - include Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma. In the U.S., two elementary school-aged children in the epicenter in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico have died of measles this year. All were unvaccinated. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? There were a total of 742 cases across 35 counties, most of them in West Texas, state health officials said Friday. Throughout the outbreak, 94 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases - fewer than 10 - are actively infectious. Fifty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 411 cases since late January - just under 2% of the county's residents. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of "what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure." A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico added two cases in the last week for a total of 81. Seven people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Sandoval County near Albuquerque has six cases, Eddy County has three, Doña Ana County has two. Chaves, Curry and San Juan counties have one each. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma added one case last week for a total of 15 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Colorado? Colorado has seen a total of 12 measles cases in 2025, which includes one outbreak of seven related cases. The outbreak is linked to a Turkish Airlines flight that landed at Denver International Airport in mid-May, and includes three cases each in Arapahoe and El Paso counties and one in Denver, plus a person who doesn't live in Colorado. Other counties that have seen measles this year include Archuleta and Pueblo. How many cases are there in Illinois? Illinois health officials confirmed a four-case outbreak on May 5 in the far southern part of the state, and it's grown to eight cases as of June 6, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The state's other two cases so far this year were in Cook County, and are unrelated to the southern Illinois outbreak. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas has a total of 71 cases across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with three hospitalizations. All but two of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana had 17 measles cases as of Thursday. Ten were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up - Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead and Yellowstone counties had two cases each, and Hill County had three case. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn't seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of Friday. Two of the people have been hospitalized, and all of the people with confirmed cases were not vaccinated. There were 16 cases in Williams County in western North Dakota on the Montana border. On the eastern side of the state on the Minnesota border, there were 10 cases in Grand Forks County and seven cases in Cass County. Burke County, in northwest North Dakota on the border of Saskatchewan, Canada, had one case. How many cases are there in Ohio? Ohio remained steady for a third week at 34 measles cases and one hospitalization, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That count includes only Ohio residents. The state has two outbreaks: Ashtabula County near Cleveland has 16 cases, and Knox County in east-central Ohio has 20 - 14 among Ohio residents and the rest among visitors. Allen, Cuyahoga, Holmes and Defiance counties have one case each. How many cases are there in Tennessee? Tennessee has had six measles cases since early May, but no change since. Tennessee's outbreak appears to be over, as health officials say there have not been any new cases in six weeks. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Earlier outbreaks in Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania were declared over by health officials after six weeks of no new cases. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year, and most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from "killed" virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have "presumptive immunity." Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates - above 95% - due to "herd immunity." But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
Straits Times
30-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
US CDC keeps recommendation of Covid-19 vaccines for healthy kids
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr had earlier said the CDC would stop recommending routine Covid-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. PHOTO: REUTERS US CDC keeps recommendation of Covid-19 vaccines for healthy kids WASHINGTON - The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is still recommending Covid-19 vaccines for healthy children, according to its latest published immunisation schedule. The schedule, published late on May 29 by the public health agency, comes after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr - alongside the heads of the FDA and the National Institutes of Health - earlier this week said the CDC would stop recommending routine Covid-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. The makers of Covid-19 vaccines sold in the US - Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax - did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Mr Kennedy Jr, FDA commissioner Marty Makary and NIH director Jay Bhattacharya had said in a video that the shots were removed from the CDC's recommended immunisation schedule. The CDC, following its panel of outside experts, previously recommended updated Covid-19 vaccines for everyone aged six months and older, and current recommendations are in line with those made before. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
