Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
E. Coli Outbreak Spreads To New York, Kentucky
An E. coli outbreak that was first detected largely in the Midwest is growing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. There are now reported illnesses in New York and Kentucky in addition to those previously recorded in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. (Hernandez, 9/4)
In news about contaminated water 鈥
Baltimore officials are encouraging residents to boil water used for drinking or cooking after E. coli bacteria was detected in some samples of the water supply in parts of West Baltimore. The city Department of Public Works issued a series of tweets Monday informing residents that the bacteria, which is often spread during contact with feces, had been found in portions of the city鈥檚 ninth council district, which includes the Sandtown-Winchester and Harlem Park neighborhoods. (9/5)
Residents of a New York City public housing complex should avoid drinking or cooking with water from their taps after initial samples revealed unsafe levels of arsenic, Mayor Eric Adams鈥 office said. (Cavaliere, 9/3)
Workers on the front lines of the water crisis in Jackson, Miss., are 鈥渙ptimistic,鈥 but 鈥渨e are still in an emergency鈥 that won鈥檛 end soon, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said Sunday on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭his Week.鈥 ... A growing majority of residents had water pressure as of Sunday, but were still under a boil-water notice, the mayor said, saying workers are 鈥渙ptimistic about the progress that has been taking place.鈥 While drinkable water approved by the health department is 鈥渄ays, not weeks, away,鈥 the mayor said, 鈥渁n equitable water treatment facility is a much longer road ahead.鈥 (Olander, 9/4)
In news about brain-eating amoebas and Salmonella 鈥
Researchers at AdventHealth Central Florida have developed a test that can detect brain-eating amoebas in a patient鈥檚 body in about five hours. (Prieur, 9/2)
In an update yesterday on a Salmonella Stanley outbreak tied to small turtles, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said investigators have identified an online retailer as a source of the illnesses. Five patients reported buying turtles from myturtlestore.com before they got sick. (9/1)
