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New York reports 1st US polio case in nearly a decade

NEW YORK (AP) — An unvaccinated young adult from New York recently contracted polio, the first U.S. case in nearly a decade, health officials said Thursday. Officials said the patient, who lives in Rockland County, had developed paralysis. The person developed symptoms a month ago and did not recently travel outside the country, county health officials said. It appears the patient had a vaccine-derived strain of the virus, perhaps from someone who got live vaccine — available in other countries, but not the U.S. — and spread it, officials said. The person is no longer deemed ...

Minnesota joins rollout of 988 mental health crisis lifeline

A new nationwide three-digit dialing code is intended to streamline access to mental health crisis support is now in operation. Like 911, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 is a phone number people can remember and access in times of crisis. Services offered include an online chat feature and new texting option. The 988 dialing code will serve as a universal entry point, so people can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help regardless of where they live. Anyone can dial or text 988 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to reach crisis support or to use an online ...

Fentanyl major factor in 2021 record drug overdose deaths

Increasing prevalence of fentanyl thought to be a contributing factor Minnesota public health officials reported a record number of overdose deaths in 2021, following an alarming pattern seen in many other states in recent years. According to a new report issued last week by the Minnesota Department of Health, most overdose deaths in 2021 were associated with fentanyl, a powerful drug that continues to become more common across the country. The 1,286 overdose deaths reported to MDH last year represented a 22% increase from the 2020 total. This averages more than three people dying ...

Jill Biden, Selena Gomez lead talk on youth mental health

WASHINGTON (AP) — Selena Gomez joined first lady Jill Biden and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy at the White House on Wednesday for a conversation about youth mental health. The singer/actor has been public about her struggles and revealed in 2020 that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Biden, Murthy and Gomez held a conversation in the East Room with several young people, including a mother and a recent Rutgers college graduate, who shared how they had improved their mental outlook. The strategies they shared ranged from going through multiple therapists to find one ...

Parents alerted to watch children for hepatitis symptoms

MDH press release Prompted by a cluster of hepatitis cases of unknown origin among children in multiple states and countries, state health officials are asking parents to watch for signs of liver inflammation in their children — especially after bouts with either upper respiratory or stomach-intestinal illnesses. Signs of liver inflammation can include jaundice — a yellowing of the eyes or skin. While the cases are rare among children, in about 10% of those affected, the liver inflammation has led to liver failure and the need for a transplant. Epidemiologists with the ...

Resolve to self-care to improve mental health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. Despite this bold campaign that began 73 years ago, there is still difficulty in talking about and seeking help to address mental health issues. Living during a global pandemic has resulted in the need for even more and widespread mental health awareness. The month is represented by a green ribbon, with Brown County Public Health coordinating local efforts. Green ribbons will be on display ...