Latest news with #USCentresforDiseaseControlandPrevention
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Travelling to these countries can put you at risk: CDC issues Level 2 alert for Germany, UK, and others amid rising poliovirus concerns
Federal health officials have issued an urgent warning about polio, a potentially crippling and deadly disease. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Poland, Spain, and other countries following the detection of poliovirus circulation. This highly contagious virus spreads through airborne droplets and fecal contamination, targeting the nervous system. While most infected individuals show no symptoms, severe cases can cause muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, paralysis, or even death if breathing muscles are affected. The CDC urges travellers to ensure they are up to date on polio vaccinations or get a booster before visiting these countries to reduce the risk of infection and prevent potential outbreaks. CDC issues travel warning as polio cases surge in popular countries Polio often remains undetected in infected individuals, with the majority showing no immediate symptoms. However, in severe cases, the virus can trigger: Muscle weakness and stiffness Painful spasms and difficulty swallowing Partial or full-body paralysis When polio affects the respiratory muscles, it can cause lung paralysis, making breathing impossible without medical assistance, and may lead to death. Polio was officially eradicated from the United States in 1979, following widespread vaccination campaigns launched in the 1950s. Since then, only sporadic cases have emerged, usually linked to international travel. Globally, polio has been detected in 39 countries and territories over the past year, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. In the affected European countries, routine vaccination is available, but virus traces may have been found in wastewater samples from individuals with no symptoms, indicating silent community spread. CDC's travel advisory and vaccination recommendations The CDC advises all Americans travelling to affected countries to take enhanced precautions: Ensure you are up to date on polio vaccinations Consider a booster shot before travel Maintain strict hand hygiene during your trip Polio vaccination in the US typically includes four doses by age six, offering lifelong protection. However, adults visiting high-risk areas may need an additional booster dose. Affected countries under poliovirus: Travel advisory alert These destinations are affected by circulating poliovirus: Afghanistan Algeria Angola Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Côte d'Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Ethiopia Finland French Guiana Gaza Germany Ghana Guinea Indonesia Israel Kenya Liberia Niger Nigeria Papua New Guinea Poland Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia South Sudan Pakistan Spain Sudan Tanzania Uganda United Kingdom Yemen Zimbabwe Past epidemics and present day warnings highlight the need for polio vigilance Before vaccines, polio was one of the most feared diseases worldwide. In 1947, outbreaks filled hospital wards with children in wheelchairs or confined to iron lungs. One well-known survivor, Paul Alexander of Texas, contracted polio at age six and lived most of his life inside an iron lung breathing machine before his death in 2024 at 78. In the US, the last confirmed case occurred in 2022 in an unvaccinated adult in Rockland County, New York. This case led to the discovery of 21 positive wastewater samples in surrounding counties, signaling ongoing low-level circulation. Global Outlook and Prevention Efforts While wild poliovirus has been eliminated from most developed nations, vaccine-derived strains can still appear in under-vaccinated populations. Public health experts stress that high immunization rates are the best defense. The CDC continues to urge travellers to complete vaccination schedules, get boosters if necessary, and practice good hygiene to help prevent polio's return on a global scale. How Polio spreads Poliovirus is transmitted primarily through: Airborne droplets from coughing or sneezing Fecal contamination, especially in areas with poor sanitation The virus targets the spinal cord and brain stem, destroying nerve cells and impairing muscle control. Even in regions declared polio-free, such as the European Union in 2002, virus traces have been detected in wastewater — as was the case in the UK in 2022. Also Read | This small European nation has no airport, no currency, yet is richer than most nations; the answer may surprise you; know more about the nation
1News
2 days ago
- Health
- 1News
US CDC shooter fixated on Covid vaccine, his father tells police
Content warning: This article discusses mental health. A Georgia man who opened fire on the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, shooting dozens of rounds into the sprawling complex and killing a police officer, had blamed the Covid-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press. The 30-year-old shooter also tried to get into the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta but was stopped by guards before driving to a pharmacy across the street and opening fire late Friday afternoon, the official said. He was armed with five firearms, including at least one long gun, the official said, speaking condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was mortally wounded while responding to the shooting. ADVERTISEMENT Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr, whose skepticism of vaccine safety has been a cornerstone of his career, voiced support for CDC employees Saturday. But some laid-off CDC employees said Kennedy shares responsibility for the violence and called on him to resign. Where to get help. (Source: 1News) CDC shooter identified The Georgia Bureau of Investigation named Patrick Joseph White as the shooter, but authorities haven't said whether he was killed by police or killed himself. The suspect's father contacted police and identified his son as the possible shooter, the law enforcement official told AP. The father said his son had been upset over the death of the son's dog and had also become fixated on the Covid-19 vaccine, according to the official. ADVERTISEMENT The family lives in Kennesaw, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb about 40 kilometres northwest of CDC headquarters. A voicemail left at a phone number listed publicly for White's family wasn't immediately returned Saturday morning. Employees at the CDC are shaken The shooting left gaping bullet holes in windows across the CDC campus, where thousands work on critical disease research. Employees huddled under lockdown for hours while investigators gathered evidence. Staff was encouraged to work from home Monday or take leave. At least four CDC buildings were hit, Director Susan Monarez said on X. Sam Atkins, who lives in Stone Mountain, said outside the CVS pharmacy on Saturday that gun violence feels like "a fact of life" now. "This is an everyday thing that happens here in Georgia." ADVERTISEMENT Kennedy reaches out to staff "We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC's Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose," Kennedy said Saturday. "We know how shaken our public health colleagues feel today. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others." US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attends a news conference, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska (Source: Associated Press) Some rejected the expressions of solidarity Kennedy made in a "Dear colleagues" email, and called for his resignation. "Kennedy is directly responsible for the villainization of CDC's workforce through his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust," said Fired but Fighting, a group of laid-off employees pushing back against changes to the CDC by President Donald Trump's administration. The group also called for the resignation of Russell Vought, pointing to a video recorded before Trump appointed him Office of Management and Budget director with orders to dismantle much of the federal government. ADVERTISEMENT "We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected," Vought said in the video, obtained by ProPublica and the research group Documented. "When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. We want their funding to be shut down." A request for comment from Vought's agency was not immediately returned. Fired workers blame the Trump administration CDC workers already faced uncertain futures due to funding cuts, layoffs and political disputes over their agency's mission."Save the CDC" signs are common in some Atlanta-area neighborhoods. This shooting was the 'physical embodiment of the narrative that has taken over, attacking science, and attacking our federal workers,' said Sarah Boim, a former CDC communications staffer who was fired this year during a wave of terminations. A distrust of Covid-19 vaccines A neighbor of White told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that White spoke with her multiple times about his distrust of Covid-19 vaccines. ADVERTISEMENT Nancy Hoalst, who lives in same cul-de-sac as White's family, said he "seemed like a good guy" while doing yard work and walking dogs for neighbors, but would bring up vaccines even in unrelated conversations. "He was very unsettled and he very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people." Hoalst told the Atlanta newspaper. "He emphatically believed that." But Hoalst said she never believed White would be violent: "I had no idea he thought he would take it out on the CDC." Slain officer leaves wife and 3 kids "This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father," DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said. Rose, 33, was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan, graduated from the police academy in March and "quickly earned the respect of his colleagues for his dedication, courage and professionalism," DeKalb County said. Sam Atkins, who lives in Stone Mountain, said outside the CVS on Saturday that gun violence feels like "a fact of life" now. ADVERTISEMENT "This is an everyday thing that happens here in Georgia." Growing security concerns Senior CDC leadership told some staff Saturday that they would do a full security assessment following the shooting, according to a conference call recording obtained by AP. One staffer said people felt like "sitting ducks" Friday. Another asked whether administrators had spoken with Kennedy and if they could speak to "the misinformation, the disinformation" that "caused this issue." Leadership said they are speaking with Kennedy's office but didn't say what Kennedy would do. It's clear CDC leaders fear employees could continue to be targeted. In a Saturday email to employees obtained by AP, CDC's security office asked employees to scrape old CDC parking decals off their vehicles. The security office said decals haven't been required for some time.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
CDC shooter believed COVID vaccine made him suicidal, his father tells police
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A Georgia man who opened fire on the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, shooting dozens of rounds into the sprawling complex and killing a police officer, had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on 30-year-old shooter also tried to get into the CDC 's headquarters in Atlanta but was stopped by guards before driving to a pharmacy across the street and opening fire late on Friday afternoon, the official said. He was armed with five guns, including at least one long gun, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the County Police Officer David Rose was mortally wounded while responding. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, whose skepticism of vaccines has been a cornerstone of his career, voiced support for CDC employees on Saturday. But some laid-off CDC employees said Kennedy shares responsibility for the violence and should shooter identifiedThe Georgia Bureau of Investigation named Patrick Joseph White as the shooter, but authorities have not said whether he was killed by police or killed suspect's father contacted police and identified his son as the possible shooter, the law enforcement official told AP. The father said his son had been upset over the death of the son's dog, and he had also become fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the official. The family lives in Kennesaw, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb about 40 kilometres northwest of CDC headquarters.A voicemail left at a phone number listed publicly for White's family was not returned on at the CDC are shakenThe shooting left gaping bullet holes in windows across the CDC campus, where thousands work on critical disease research. Employees huddled under lockdown for hours while investigators gathered evidence. Staff was encouraged to work from home on Monday or take least four CDC buildings were hit, Director Susan Monarez said on Atkins, who lives in Stone Mountain, said outside the CVS pharmacy on Saturday that gun violence feels like "a fact of life" now. "This is an everyday thing that happens here in Georgia."Kennedy reaches out to staff"We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC's Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose," Kennedy said on Saturday. "We know how shaken our public health colleagues feel today. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others."Some rejected the expressions of solidarity Kennedy made in a "Dear colleagues" email, and called for his resignation."Kennedy is directly responsible for the villainisation of CDC's workforce through his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fuelled a climate of hostility and mistrust," said Fired But Fighting , a group of laid-off employees opposing changes to the CDC by President Donald Trump 's Kennedy, CDC has laid off nearly 2,000 employees. Trump proposes cutting the agency's budget in half next year, moving some CDC functions into a new Administration for a Healthy America. Kennedy has a history as a leader in the anti-vaccine movement, but he reached new prominence by spreading distrust of COVID-19 vaccines. For example, he called it "criminal medical malpractice" to give COVID-19 vaccines to parlayed that attention into a presidential bid and endorsement of Trump, leading to Trump naming him secretary. Kennedy continues to undercut the scientific consensus for vaccines, ordering USD 500 million cut from vaccine development funding on say officials' rhetoric contributedFired But Fighting also called for the resignation of Russell Vought, noting a video recorded before Trump appointed him Office of Management and Budget director with orders to dismantle much of the federal government."We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected," Vought said in the video, obtained by ProPublica and the research group Documented. "When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains."A request for comment from Vought's agency was not shooting was the "physical embodiment of the narrative that has taken over, attacking science, and attacking our federal workers," said Sarah Boim, a former CDC communications staffer who was fired this year during a wave of terminations.A distrust of COVID-19 vaccinesA neighbour of White told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that White spoke with her multiple times about his distrust of COVID-19 Hoalst , who lives on the same street as White's family, said he seemed like a "good guy" while doing yard work and walking dogs for neighbours, but he would bring up vaccines even in unrelated conversations."He was very unsettled, and he very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people," Hoalst told the Atlanta newspaper, "He emphatically believed that."But Hoalst said she never believed White would be violent, "I had no idea he thought he would take it out on the CDC."Slain officer leaves wife and 3 kidsRose, 33, was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan, graduated from the police academy in March and "quickly earned the respect of his colleagues for his dedication, courage and professionalism," DeKalb County said."This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father," DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson security concernsSenior CDC leadership told some staff on Saturday that they would do a full security assessment following the shooting, according to a conference call recording obtained by the staffer said people felt like "sitting ducks" on Friday. Another asked whether administrators had spoken with Kennedy and if they could speak to "the misinformation, the disinformation" that "caused this issue."It is clear CDC leaders fear employees could continue to be targeted. In a Saturday email obtained by the AP, CDC's security office asked employees to scrape old CDC parking decals off their vehicles. The office said decals haven't been required for some time.
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First Post
3 days ago
- First Post
Police officer, suspect dead in shooting incident near US CDS building in Atlanta
A suspected shooter and a police officer were killed after law enforcement responded to reports of an active shooter near the adjoining campuses of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University read more An armed Police officer prepares near the scene of shooting at the Emory University in Atlanta on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. AP A suspected shooter and a police officer were killed after law enforcement responded to reports of an active shooter near the adjoining campuses of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University on Friday. The authorities noted that no civilians are believed to have been injured. However, several rounds of gunfire hit buildings on the CDC's sprawling campus, said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. According to the Associated Press, the officer who died in the incident 'received gunfire' during the shooting. While speaking to the reporters earlier, DeKalb County Police Chief Gregory Padrick said that the officer was critically injured at the scene and taken to the hospital. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, CDS employees circulated photos from inside the building that appear to show numerous windows with bullet impacts on them. A law enforcement official who asked to remain anonymous told Associated Press that the shooter was armed with a long gun, and authorities recovered three other firearms at the scene. The gunman was eventually found on the second floor of a building across the street from the CDS and died at the scene. A suspicious white car at the scene While speaking to the reporters, Schierbaum noted that a white car with an open trunk was part of the crime scene and was being searched. However, it remains unclear if the car belongs to the suspect or not. 'We do not know at this time whether that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted,' Schierbaum said. After conducting a search operation, authorities made it clear that there is no longer a threat to the public. Meanwhile, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the man's motive is not known because the investigation is still in the 'preliminary stages.' Staff at a nearby deli noted that they heard what sounded like a string of gunshots. 'It sounded like fireworks going off, one right after the other,' said Brandy Giraldo, the chief operating officer of The General Muir restaurant. Soon after the incident, Emory University announced in a post on X that the shelter-in-place order on campus had been lifted, but asked people to avoid the area. Governor Brian Kemp went on to laud the efforts of the first responders. 'Twice this week, deranged criminals have targeted innocent Georgians,' Kemp said, referring to the shooting at Fort Stewart. 'Each time, brave first responders rushed toward the danger to subdue the shooter and save lives, reminding us of just how crucial they are.' Meanwhile, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said, 'We're horrified by the news out of Emory University and praying for the safety of the entire campus community.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Americans get more than half their calories from ultraprocessed foods, CDC report says
Washington: Most Americans get more than half their calories from ultraprocessed foods , those super-tasty, energy-dense foods typically full of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, according to a new federal report. Nutrition research has shown for years that ultraprocessed foods make up a big chunk of the US diet, especially for kids and teens. For the first time, however, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed those high levels of consumption, using dietary data collected from August 2021 to August 2023. The report comes amid growing scrutiny of such foods by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who blames them for causing chronic disease . "We are poisoning ourselves and it's coming principally from these ultraprocessed foods," Kennedy told Fox News earlier this year. Overall, about 55 per cent of total calories consumed by Americans age 1 and older came from ultraprocessed foods during that period, according to the report. For adults, ultraprocessed foods made up about 53 per cent of total calories consumed, but for kids through age 18, it was nearly 62 per cent. The top sources included burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza and sweetened drinks. Young children consumed fewer calories from ultraprocessed foods than older kids, the report found. Adults 60 and older consumed fewer calories from those sources than younger adults. Low-income adults consumed more ultraprocessed foods than those with higher incomes. The results were not surprising, said co-author Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert. What was surprising was that consumption of ultraprocessed foods appeared to dip slightly over the past decade. Among adults, total calories from those sources fell from about 56 per cent in 2013-2014 and from nearly 66 per cent for kids in 2017-2018. Williams said she couldn't speculate about the reason for the decline or whether consumption of less processed foods increased. But Andrea Deierlein, a nutrition expert at New York University who was not involved in the research, suggested that there may be greater awareness of the potential harms of ultraprocessed foods. "People are trying, at least in some populations, to decrease their intakes of these foods," she said. Concern over ultraprocessed foods' health effects has been growing for years, but finding solutions has been difficult. Many studies have linked them to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, but they haven't been able to prove that the foods directly cause those chronic health problems. One small but influential study found that even when diets were matched for calories, sugar, fat, fiber and micronutrients, people consumed more calories and gained more weight when they ate ultraprocessed foods than when they ate minimally processed foods . Research published this week in the journal Nature found that participants in a clinical trial lost twice as much weight when they ate minimally processed foods - such as pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables - than ultraprocessed foods, even those matched for nutrition components and considered healthy, such as ready-to-heat frozen meals, protein bars and shakes. Part of the problem is simply defining ultraprocessed foods. The new CDC report used the most common definition based on the four-tier Nova system developed by Brazilian researchers that classifies foods according to the amount of processing they undergo. Such foods tend to be "hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fiber and contain little or no whole foods, while having high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats," the CDC report said. US health officials recently said there are concerns over whether current definitions "accurately capture" the range of foods that may affect health. The US Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department recently issued a request for information to develop a new, uniform definition of ultraprocessed foods for products in the US food supply. In the meantime, Americans should try to reduce ultraprocessed foods in their daily diets, Deierlein said. For instance, instead of instant oatmeal that may contain added sugar, sodium, artificial colors and preservatives, use plain oats sweetened with honey or maple syrup. Read food packages and nutrition information, she suggested. "I do think that there are less-processed options available for many foods," she said.
