Health News

(IDAHO) -- More than six months after Idaho's near-total abortion ban went into effect, a small town nestled in the state's northern mountain ranges lost its labor and delivery service -- and access to such care could now be imperiled further by looming Medicaid cuts.Bonner General Health, located in Sandpoint, Idaho, announced in March 2023 that it would no longer provide obstetrical care, citing the state's "legal and political climate" as one of […]

(WASHINGTON) -- More than 750 employees across the Department of Health and Human Services sent a signed letter to members of Congress and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday morning, calling on the secretary to stop spreading misinformation.The letter states the deadly shooting that occurred at the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 8 was "not random" and was driven by "politicized […]

Stock image of hospital patient. Sorrasak Jar Tinyo/Getty Images (SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.) -- A resident in South Lake Tahoe, California, has tested positive for plague, according to local health officials.The person is believed to have been bitten by an infected flea while camping, officials said.In a separate incident last month, a person in Arizona died from plague.Plague is a disease caused by a type of bacteria that usually results in […]

(NEW YORK) -- Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that makes it hard to fall asleep, stay asleep or get restful sleep. It affects nearly 15% of American adults each month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says the generally recommended insomnia treatments include medications, psychological therapy and behavioral modification. Until now, there was insufficient evidence to suggest that exercise and other […]

(NEW YORK) -- More than 14 million children around the world have not received a single dose of any vaccine, according to new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.This is 4 million more children than the 2024 target set by the WHO and 1.4 million more children than in 2019, which is the baseline year for measuring progress.About 25% of the world's infants live in 26 countries that […]

(ATLANTA) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said on Tuesday that children ages 6 months to 23 months should receive a COVID-19 vaccine, in contrast with federal health officials.The recommendations are part of the AAP's annual childhood immunization schedule, which includes guidance for COVID, flu and RSV vaccines for those aged 18 and younger.The AAP has been releasing its own recommendations since the 1930s, but in a rare occurrence, […]

(TEXAS) -- A measles outbreak in Texas that infected more than 700 people has officially been declared over, state health officials announced on Monday.The outbreak was the largest in the state in more than 30 years and led to the deaths of two unvaccinated school-aged children.Health officials declared the outbreak over after more than 42 days without a new case, a cut-off based on the time between when a person is exposed to […]

(NEW YORK) -- The draft of an upcoming government report suggesting ways to improve the health of American children does not recommend severe restrictions on pesticides and ultra-processed foods, according to a copy of the document obtained by ABC News.The draft's language, if left unchanged, would constitute a win for the agriculture industry and a potential setback for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his […]

(Texas) -- Central Texas is continuing to recover from one of the deadliest floods in the state's history, which killed more than 120 people, many of whom were children.While there is an economic toll from floods due to the damage it causes to property, commerce and transportation, there is a risk to public health as well.Although rainwater is not harmful, flooding increases the risk of injury, illness and death. Heavy rainfall can […]