Dec 08 The Christmas Eve bonfire tradition that almost wasn't By Roby Chavez A statewide burn ban, which was a response to unusually dry weather, threw into question whether this year’s 300-year-old tradition of lighting up bonfires would move forward in Louisiana. Continue reading
Dec 08 Gene therapies for sickle cell disease approved in U.S. By Laura Ungar, Associated Press Regulators on Friday approved two new gene therapies for sickle cell disease that doctors hope can cure the painful, inherited blood disorder that afflicts mostly Black people in the United States. Continue reading
Dec 08 Chronic fatigue syndrome is more common than previously understood, CDC says By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's number is larger than previous studies have suggested, and is likely boosted by some of the patients with long COVID. Continue reading
Dec 05 Students around the world suffered huge learning setbacks during the pandemic, study finds By Collin Binkley, Associated Press The state of global education was given a bleak appraisal in the Program for International Student Assessment, the first study to examine academic progress in dozens of countries during the pandemic. Continue reading
Dec 04 France's parliament considers a ban on single-use, disposable e-cigarettes By Associated Press The legislation aims to protect the health of youths and mitigate the environmental impacts of the increasingly popular disposable products known as "puffs."… Continue reading
Dec 04 Treasury announces strike force as U.S. and China pursue crackdown on illicit fentanyl trafficking By Fatima Hussein, Associated Press The Counter-Fentanyl Strike Force will bring together personnel and intelligence from throughout the Treasury Department to more effectively collaborate on stopping the flow of drugs into the country. Continue reading
Dec 03 Watch 4:03 How studying arctic ground squirrels can help advance human brain health By Kavitha George, Alaska Public Media When arctic ground squirrels hibernate for the winter, they can lower their body temperatures to freezing levels and stay dormant for up to eight months. Researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks are studying how these animals survive on the… Continue watching
Dec 02 Watch 7:24 How abortion restrictions affect the care Wisconsin doctors can give patients By Marisa Wojcik, Wisconsin Public Television While the number of legal abortions has risen nationwide since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a recent report from a group that supports reproductive rights says there have been sharp declines in states that imposed new restrictions. PBS… Continue watching
Dec 02 U.S. flu cases on the rise while RSV may be peaking, health officials say By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press Flu is picking up steam while RSV lung infections that can hit kids and older people hard may be peaking. But COVID-19 continues to cause the most hospitalizations and deaths among respiratory illnesses, said CDC director Dr. Mandy Cohen. Continue reading
Dec 02 How dozens of U.S. adolescents are dying of drug overdoses each month, shown in 3 charts By Ty Schepis, The Conversation Drug overdoses are killing young Americans in unprecedented numbers: The monthly total rose from 31 in July 2019 to 87 in May 2021, the period with the most recent data. Continue reading