Latest California Healthline Stories
Daily Edition for Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Rare Strain Of Bird Flu Found In California: A new strain of bird flu — H5N9 — has been detected in Merced County at a commercial duck operation. California state veterinarian Annette Jones said the case “is not unexpected or alarming.” However, one virologist called the case “bad news” because it suggests that H5N1 may have combined with another bird flu virus. Read more from the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle.
Daily Edition for Monday, January 27, 2025
Rain Douses LA, Increasing Risk Of Toxic Runoff: Rain fell on parts of Southern California on Sunday and into today, boosting the risk of toxic ash runoff in areas scorched by Los Angeles-area wildfires. Officials cautioned that the ashes were a mix of incinerated cars, electronics, batteries, building materials, paints, pesticides, asbestos, plastics and lead. Read more from AP. Scroll down for more on the wildfires.
Daily Edition for Friday, January 24, 2025
Doxy-PEP Is Working: Fewer Gay Men In Calif. Catching Chlamydia, Syphilis: A pair of studies by San Francisco researchers found that rates for the two common STIs also fell in bisexual men and transgender women when doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis was prescribed after sex. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Daily Edition for Thursday, January 23, 2025
Californians 21 And Younger Could Get Cheaper Health Care: Up to 3 million Californians could see health care savings under legislation coming today that would end out-of-pocket costs for young patients. Assembly Member Mia Bonta, D-Alameda, said her first-in-the-nation bill would eliminate co-pays, deductibles, or cost-sharing on most health insurance plans in the state for patients 21 and younger. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Daily Edition for Wednesday, January 22, 2025
LA County Wants Database Of People With Disabilities In Order To Help Them During A Fire: Top L.A. County officials say they want to build a database of residents with disabilities who require help fleeing a neighborhood engulfed in flames. In Altadena, at least eight of the 27 fire victims to date were at least 80, and some had disabilities that hampered their efforts to evacuate. Read more from the Los Angeles Times. Keep scrolling for more wildfire news.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Trump Decree Says There Are No Transgender People, Only Women And Men: President Donald Trump signed executive orders Monday asserting that the U.S. government recognizes only two sexes that are “not changeable.” Read more from the Los Angeles Times and Advocate. He also cleared the way to ban transgender people from the military. Read more from The 19th.
Daily Edition for Friday, January 17, 2025
Stomach Virus Circulating Among Wildfire Evacuees: Health officials confirmed Thursday that a stomach bug is circulating among people at the wildfire evacuation center in Pasadena. They have been unable to determine the cause of the virus. However, norovirus is circulating throughout the wider Los Angeles County population. Read more from the Los Angeles Times and Palm Springs Desert Sun. Keep scrolling for more on the wildfires.
Daily Edition for Thursday, January 16, 2025
First Covid, Now Wildfires: California Teens Say Their Mental Health Is Suffering: The disaster has again disrupted the education and nutrition of thousands of children. In Pasadena alone, five school sites have been destroyed or severely damaged. “The pandemic took a really hard toll on my mental health, and getting back into a regular schedule and going to a campus ... was really healing,” said Kira Weibel, a senior at Aveson Global Leadership Academy. “And now all of it’s gone.” Read more from the Los Angeles Times. Scroll down for more news about the wildfires.
Daily Edition for Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Drinking Water In LA Area Unsafe Unless Told Otherwise, Utilities Say: As fires continue to burn across Los Angeles, several utilities have declared their drinking water unsafe until extensive testing can prove otherwise. Toxic chemicals in drinking water after a fire pose risks ranging from temporary nausea to cancer, experts say. Read more from AP.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Is Pink Fire Suppressant Harmful To Your Health?: Hundreds of thousands of gallons of pink fire suppressant have been dropped on Los Angeles hillsides and homes ahead of the flames in a desperate effort to stop the fires from spreading. The pink goop is generally a mixture of water, ammonium phosphate, and iron oxide. But is it safe? Read more from AP. Scroll down for more wildfire updates.