US drug overdose deaths fall for 3rd straight year: 5 notes

Kristin Kuchno / beckershospitalreview - An estimated 69,973 Americans died of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending December 2025, a 13.9% decline from the previous year and the third consecutive year that figure has dropped, according to CDC data published May 13. The decline marks the …

AI Summary: Provisional data show U.S. drug-overdose deaths fell for the third straight year, marking a welcome dip in a long-running crisis. Public-health experts caution the improvement masks shifting drug supplies, regional variation and policy gaps, urging sustained prevention, treatment access and surveillance to avoid backsliding.

U.S. Government Will Stop Paying for Test Strips to Detect Deadly Drugs

Jan Hoffman / nytimes - In a letter to states and other grant recipients, the Trump administration says the strips encourage drug use.

AI Summary: Public health officials have declared the South Carolina measles outbreak over after nearly 1,000 people fell ill, attributing containment to intensified vaccination campaigns and contact tracing. Authorities warn that immunity gaps still exist and stressed that preventable outbreaks will recur without sustained immunization efforts — a blunt reminder that vaccines remain the easiest way to avoid headline-making contagions.

Tick season off to a fast start, and some experts worry about future illnesses

abcnews - Tick season seems to be off to a fast start, with an unusually high number of bites already reported across the country

AI Summary: Tick season is starting early and with gusto: health officials are seeing an uptick in tick encounters and emergency-department visits, and experts warn that expanding tick range could drive more tick-borne illnesses in coming months. Public-health authorities urge vigilance, prompt removal, and better surveillance to avoid this season’s bite turning into a bigger problem.

CDC: Proportion of extensively drug-resistant Shigella isolates increasing

medicalxpress - The proportion of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Shigella isolates in the United States increased from 2011–2015 to 2023, according to research published in the April 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality…

AI Summary: Federal health officials report a worrying uptick in extensively drug‑resistant Shigella strains, complicating treatment and raising the risk of harder‑to‑control outbreaks. The data underscore the need for enhanced surveillance, hygiene measures, antibiotic stewardship and rapid public‑health responses as standard antibiotics lose reliability. Try not to spread it—literally.

Too young for the MMR shot, babies become 'sitting ducks' in measles outbreaks

medicalxpress - With baby Arthur too young for the measles vaccine and a sibling due in June, the Otwells grew nervous when the threat of the highly contagious virus started factoring into their grocery run.

AI Summary: Health reporting highlights that infants below the eligible age for the MMR vaccine remain highly vulnerable during measles outbreaks, effectively "sitting ducks" until immunization is possible. Public-health experts warn that gaps in community immunity and outbreak control measures disproportionately endanger these youngest children, underscoring the need for stronger herd-protection and targeted outbreak responses.

RFK Jr. launching health podcast to expose ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘corruption’

fiercehealthcare - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is starting a podcast. Unveiling the show on social media, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary framed the podcast as a response to public health problems that he said have made “many of us ... come to the conc…

AI Summary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is debuting a health-focused podcast promising to call out what he characterizes as hypocrisy and corruption in medicine and public health. The show aims to amplify skeptical takes on mainstream health institutions and policies, positioning itself as a combative platform for contrarian voices and investigations.

What you should know about the new COVID-19 'Cicada' variant

medicalxpress - A new COVID-19 variant that some have dubbed the "Cicada" variant is quietly spreading across the globe, carrying an unusually high number of mutations that could help it slip past existing immunity, public health experts say. The strain of SARS-CoV-2, ca…

AI Summary: A newly identified SARS‑CoV‑2 lineage nicknamed "Cicada" is showing signs of increased spread, prompting CDC tracking and expert concern. Public health officials advise heightened surveillance, updated testing and genomic sequencing to determine transmissibility, immune escape and clinical impact, while researchers rush to characterize the variant’s risks and inform any needed response.

F.D.A. Investigates 7 E. Coli Illnesses as Raw Dairy Farm Denies Any Link

Christine Hauser and Alice Callahan / nytimes - The outbreak has sickened people in California, Texas and Florida. The agency said Cheddar cheese products from Raw Farm are “the likely source,” but the company denies it and has not recalled them.

AI Summary: Federal investigators are probing seven E. coli infections across multiple states tied to cheddar cheese produced from raw milk. The implicated Raw Farm cheddar is the suspected source; the producer denies responsibility as public health officials trace exposures and warn consumers while urging caution around unpasteurized dairy.

Measles outbreaks could fuel rise in fatal complication, physicians warn

Mackenzie Bean / beckershospitalreview - As measles continues spreading across the U.S. at a pace not seen in decades, physicians are warning about a rare but often fatal neurological complication that can emerge years after initial infection, KFF Health News reported March 13. Subacute sclerosi…

AI Summary: Measles is resurging across the United States at levels not seen in decades, and clinicians warn this spike could drive an increase in a rare but often fatal neurological complication. Public‑health experts point to falling vaccination coverage and gaps in outbreak control as the drivers, urging renewed immunization efforts and vigilance.

Flu vaccines didn't work that well in the US, officials find

medicalxpress - As the U.S. flu season winds down, health officials say the flu vaccine didn't work very well, with one of its worst effectiveness rates in more than a decade.

AI Summary: Health officials report this season’s influenza vaccine performed poorly, with effectiveness among the lowest in recent years. A mismatch between vaccine strains and circulating viruses reduced protection, prompting calls for strain updates ahead of the fall program. Public health leaders still urge vaccination for partial protection and to blunt severe outcomes.

RFK Jr. names 2 new members to CDC vaccine panel

Erica Cerutti / beckershospitalreview - HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed two new members to the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee Feb. 27, ahead of a rescheduled meeting in mid-March where members are expected to review COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. Mr. Kennedy said Sean Downing…

AI Summary: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed two clinicians to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices just weeks before a rescheduled session, installing new voting members ahead of vaccine deliberations. The last‑minute nominations aim to ensure the panel is fully staffed for upcoming guidance discussions.

CMS freezes $260M in Medicaid funding to Minnesota, citing fraud concerns

Jakob Emerson / beckershospitalreview - CMS is freezing $259.5 million in federal Medicaid funding to Minnesota, citing unsupported or potentially fraudulent claims in the state’s program. “We have decided to temporarily halt certain amounts of Medicaid funding that are going to the state of Mi…

AI Summary: Officials confirmed avian influenza in elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo State Park, prompting the suspension of seal‑watching tours and an urgent wildlife response. Several pups have died; researchers are testing samples and authorities are warning the public to avoid contact while investigations continue.

CDC confirms 910 measles cases in 2026; South Carolina remains hardest hit

Paige Twenter / beckershospitalreview - Six weeks into 2026, the CDC has confirmed 910 measles cases. If the pace of transmission continues, this year could far outpace the 2,280 cases detected across the U.S. in 2025, as 2026’s total is already 40% of 2025’s. The hardest-hit state is South Car…

AI Summary: The CDC has confirmed a nationwide uptick in measles cases, tallying hundreds of infections and triggering local public-health responses. Hotspots include a large South Carolina outbreak, an over‑40‑case cluster at a Florida college and a Los Angeles County case involving visits to LAX eateries while infectious. Officials urge vaccination and vigilance.

N.I.H. Director Will Temporarily Run C.D.C. in Leadership Shake-Up

Sheryl Gay Stolberg / nytimes - Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will serve as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention until President Trump appoints a permanent director.

AI Summary: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, currently NIH director, has been appointed acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stepping into leadership amid recent departures. He will oversee CDC operations until a permanent nominee is confirmed, inheriting immediate pandemic and preparedness responsibilities — because who doesn’t love an unexpected federal acting role?