Latest news with #U.S.CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention
Edmonton Journal
3 days ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Alberta reports 1,314 confirmed measles cases since March, surpassing U.S. number
Article content EDMONTON — Alberta has surpassed the United States in confirmed measles cases, after 30 new cases were diagnosed over the weekend. Article content The province reported Monday that it has seen 1,314 cases since the beginning of March. Article content Article content The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 1,288 cases so far this year across 39 states, though case numbers are updated weekly with the next update expected on Wednesday. Article content Article content The outbreak of the highly contagious disease hasn't led to any deaths so far in Alberta, but three people, including two children, have died in the United States. Article content Article content The U.S. has also seen more hospitalizations, with the CDC reporting 162 people, or 13 per cent of all cases, being hospitalized compared to 102 Albertans as of earlier this month. Article content Alberta's measles dashboard says two people are currently in hospital, including one person receiving intensive care. Article content Dr. Craig Jenne, an immunology and infectious disease professor at the University of Calgary, says once measles started spreading at the community level, Alberta's low vaccination rate meant it was only a matter of time before the province surpassed the U.S. in cases. Article content 'This was largely predictable,' he said in an interview. Article content 'It was pretty clear we were going to see growth, unfortunately, for several weeks to months.' Article content Article content Jenne said the speed at which measles has and continues to spread in Alberta is concerning. Last week, Alberta reached the highest per capita infection rate in North America, despite outbreaks in other jurisdictions like Ontario or Texas starting months earlier than in Alberta. Article content Article content 'It really is spreading quite easily here,' Jenne said. Article content 'And we've not yet seen significant mitigation of the spread that perhaps some other jurisdictions have been able to manage.' Article content Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist with the University of Alberta, said she expects Alberta's situation to get worse before it gets any better. Article content 'It's absolutely appalling and it shouldn't really happen, but it is where we are,' Saxinger said. Article content 'This whole thing is just really not where I thought we'd be in 2025.' Article content Both Jenne and Saxinger said the actual number of cases on either side of the border is likely much higher than what's been confirmed.
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Health
- Calgary Herald
With more than 1,300 cases, Alberta passes U.S. in confirmed measles count
Alberta has now surpassed 1,300 cases of photo Alberta's confirmed measles case count has officially surpassed the United States. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors After accruing 30 new cases over the weekend, the province now sits at more than 1,300. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's most recent update lists a confirmed total of 1,288. Dr. Craig Jenne, an immunology and infectious disease professor at the University of Calgary, said that both of those numbers represent, at best, the bare minimum number of cases. 'Unless individuals have actually sought medical attention or gone for testing, they won't be in either the U.S. statewide counts, or the Alberta provincial numbers,' Jenne said. 'To which degree is Alberta or the U.S. more accurate? We really don't know. But we do know that the numbers being reported are the absolute minimums and that the real numbers in both jurisdictions are likely higher.' Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again Jenne looked to Ontario as an important comparison for Alberta. While they have a higher number of total cases, at more than 2,000, 'we have exceeded the Ontario numbers per capita,' he said. He pointed to more proactive measures being taken by Ontario earlier in their outbreak that now has their case numbers growing slower than in Alberta — although they are still growing. Alberta has yet to see any deaths caused by the disease, but as the numbers continue to rise, Jenne said that the likelihood of the first increases. 'On average, we lose one to three people per thousand infections,' said Jenne. That likelihood is also increased due to Alberta having reached the point of community-level transmission, in which a disease has begun to spread amongst the general population rather than from individual, traceable outbreaks. 'When it's sustained community-level transmission, that becomes nearly impossible to keep virus out of the most vulnerable populations,' Jenne said. The U.S. has had three confirmed deaths due to measles so far this year. Canada has seen one death in Ontario, described by Health Canada as 'a congenital case of measles who was born pre-term and had other underlying medical conditions.' 'I think we as a society here in Canada have been very fortunate for the last several decades to really be spared what infectious disease can do, and whether that be measles or mumps, whooping cough or others we have tended to lose a little bit of appreciation of what these diseases can do,' Jenne said.
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Alberta reports 1,314 confirmed measles cases since March, surpassing U.S. number
EDMONTON — Alberta has surpassed the United States in confirmed measles cases, after 30 new cases were diagnosed over the weekend. The province reported Monday that it has seen 1,314 cases since the beginning of March. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 1,288 cases so far this year across 39 states, though case numbers are updated weekly with the next update expected on Wednesday. The outbreak of the highly contagious disease hasn't led to any deaths so far in Alberta, but three people, including two children, have died in the United States. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The U.S. has also seen more hospitalizations, with the CDC reporting 162 people, or 13 per cent of all cases, being hospitalized compared to 102 Albertans as of earlier this month. Alberta's measles dashboard says two people are currently in hospital, including one person receiving intensive care. Dr. Craig Jenne, an immunology and infectious disease professor at the University of Calgary, says once measles started spreading at the community level, Alberta's low vaccination rate meant it was only a matter of time before the province surpassed the U.S. in cases. 'This was largely predictable,' he said in an interview. 'It was pretty clear we were going to see growth, unfortunately, for several weeks to months.' Jenne said the speed at which measles has and continues to spread in Alberta is concerning. Last week, Alberta reached the highest per capita infection rate in North America, despite outbreaks in other jurisdictions like Ontario or Texas starting months earlier than in Alberta. 'It really is spreading quite easily here,' Jenne said. 'And we've not yet seen significant mitigation of the spread that perhaps some other jurisdictions have been able to manage.' Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist with the University of Alberta, said she expects Alberta's situation to get worse before it gets any better. 'It's absolutely appalling and it shouldn't really happen, but it is where we are,' Saxinger said. 'This whole thing is just really not where I thought we'd be in 2025.' Both Jenne and Saxinger said the actual number of cases on either side of the border is likely much higher than what's been confirmed. 'We have to remember that those are really the minimum number,' Jenne said. 'If kids don't require medical treatment, if they don't require hospitalization, there's a really good chance that they'll just be treated at home and they're not seen by a doctor and therefore they're not counted.' Saxinger said the undercounting of cases might be especially true in the U.S., given more severe outcomes like deaths have been reported. She noted that it's expected for every 1,000 cases, one to three people will die. 'Quite a large number — maybe even as many as one in five — will get a bacterial infection after measles,' she said. 'That's not nothing, that's a big deal.' Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the United Conservative government should step up public health awareness efforts before Alberta starts seeing its own severe outcomes. 'In a time where we have a massive public health outbreak, we are seeing absolute silence from this government,' Nenshi said. 'This is absolute dereliction of duty and it has very real consequences on children who are getting very, very ill.' Preventative Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange's office did not immediately respond to questions Monday. Saxinger also said she thought recent actions taken by U.S. President Donald Trump could be undermining the trustworthiness of U.S. data. In March, the Trump administration moved to cut more than US$11 billion in public health funding across dozens of states, though in May a federal judge granted an injunction to block the cuts after 23 states filed a lawsuit. 'I'm not sure … the data infrastructure is as reliable as it used to be,' Saxinger said about the United States. 'When you introduce a lot of chaos and disruption into a system that really relies on an organizational structure to make things happen properly, there's going to be problems.' The two professors said it's unlikely Alberta or other provinces dealing with measles outbreaks will be able to get transmission under control before the fall, which is when Canada could lose its long-held measles eradication status. Jenne said losing the status might not mean much for many Albertans when it comes to day-to-day life, though it could mean other countries might implement travel recommendations and vaccine requirements for those visiting Canada. 'Those things can impact things as far-ranging as tourism to amateur sport visits to even business meetings if Canada is seen as an infection risk to other countries' populations,' he said. 'This is something we really need to avoid, but it is not looking very likely that we will be able to avoid it, at least in the short term.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
UPI
3 days ago
- Health
- UPI
CDC says COVID-19 cases rising in 25 states
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 25 states are seeing growth in COVID cases as a summer wave appears to be starting, Adobe stock/HealthDay July 14 (UPI) -- COVID-19 cases are on the rise again across the United States, with the biggest increases in parts of the South, Southeast and West Coast. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 25 states are seeing growth in COVID cases as a summer wave appears to be starting, CBS News reported. Even though activity remains "low" nationwide - based on CDC wastewater data - it's up from "very low" the week before. Some of the biggest increases in emergency room visits for COVID have happened in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. In those areas, rates are now the highest they've been since February and March, CBS News added. Health experts had been watching for a possible summer spike, as new versions of the virus spread across the country. A recent CDC analysis shows that COVID now seems to follow a twice-a-year pattern: Cases usually peak once in the summer (July through September) and again in the winter (from December through February). "Our analysis revealed biannual COVID-19 peaks in late summer and winter, a pattern that is expected to persist as long as the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and cyclical S1 diversity continues," CDC scientists wrote. S1 diversity refers to ongoing changes in a key part of the virus's spike protein - specifically the S1 region, which helps the virus bind to human cells, CBS News reported. The CDC is also warning about another virus that's spreading more than usual right now: Parvovirus B19. Most people who catch this virus don't get very sick. But some develop flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches and a rash. Pregnant women are at higher risk for complications from parvovirus B19. The CDC says they should take extra steps to protect themselves such as wearing a mask in high-risk places. In Chicago, health officials said emergency rooms are seeing a spike in patients with this virus. "Several of the most recent weeks saw the highest percentage of B19-associated ED visits compared to the same week in all years since 2015," health officials said. Parvovirus B19 is not the same parvovirus that infects dogs and other canines. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on parvovirus B19. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
UPI
3 days ago
- Health
- UPI
Study: Obesity-related cancer deaths more than triple In United States
Deaths linked to the 13 types of obesity-related cancer rose to 13.5 deaths per million from 3.7 deaths per million between 1999 and 2020, researchers reported Sunday at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco. Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya/ Pexels July 14 (UPI) -- Cancer deaths linked to obesity more than tripled in the United States during the past two decades, a new study says. Deaths linked to the 13 types of obesity-related cancer rose to 13.5 deaths per million from 3.7 deaths per million between 1999 and 2020, researchers reported Sunday at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco. "Obesity is a significant risk factor for multiple cancers, contributing to significant mortality," said lead researcher Dr. Faizan Ahmed of Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune City, N.J. "This research underscores the need for targeted public health strategies such as early screening and improved access to care, especially in high-risk rural and underserved areas," Ahmed added in a news release. More than 40% of U.S. adults have obesity, and obesity-related cancers represent 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States each year, researchers said in background notes. These include esophageal, breast, colon, uterine, gallbladder, stomach, kidney, liver, ovarian, pancreatic, thyroid and brain cancers, as well as the blood cancer multiple myeloma, researchers said. For the new study, researchers used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track more than 33,500 deaths from obesity-related cancers. Overall, obesity-related cancer deaths rose by nearly 6% a year on average between 1999 and 2000, results show. Between 2018 and 2020 the death rate took a dramatic turn upward, rising by more than 19% on average, researchers said. The study revealed sharp increases in obesity-related cancer deaths among specific groups, including women, seniors, Black people, Native Americans, and folks living in rural areas. The Midwest had the highest rate of obesity-related cancer deaths at nearly 8 per million, while the Northeast had the lowest at under 6 per million, results show. Vermont, Minnesota and Oklahoma had the highest state-specific rates of obesity-related cancer deaths, while Utah, Alabama and Virginia had the lowest. "Given these trends, targeted public health interventions, including preventive measures, early screening, and equitable healthcare access, are pivotal," researchers concluded in their presentation abstract. Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on obesity and cancer. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
