Aug 8, 2026
Michigan health officials cleared shoppers to resume normal lettuce consumption after cyclospora parasite infections linked to tainted lettuce began declining. The outbreak had prompted widespread warnings and consumer anxiety about salad greens.
The FDA apologized and confirmed that laboratory results showing cyclospora parasite in Taylor Farms lettuce samples were false positives after re-testing, as investigation into the outbreak affecting over 5,000 cases continues.
Heavy smoke from more than 800 wildfires burning across Canada spread south on July 16, 2026, darkening skies and creating hazardous air quality conditions across the US Midwest and East Coast. Officials warned millions of Americans, particularly elderly and medically vulnerable people, to stay indoors as unhealthy air readings were reported in at least 20 states.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a letter to infant formula manufacturers calling for enhanced supply chain oversight after two botulism outbreaks—the first in nearly 50 years linked to baby formula in the U.S.—and a global cereulide contamination event prompted multiple product recalls.
Scientists estimate that unprecedented heatwaves in May and June 2026 caused more than 2,700 excess deaths in England and Wales, with approximately 440 deaths per day during the June heatwave's three-day peak. Across Europe, the extreme heat resulted in over 10,000 excess deaths, with researchers attributing the severity to a 'heat dome' worsened by human-induced climate change.
The overall U.S. death rate reached its lowest point on record in 2025, according to provisional federal data, primarily due to a significant drop in drug overdose deaths and reduced COVID-19 mortality. The decline marks a major reversal in public health trends.
Health authorities are responding to separate salmonella contamination incidents: over 100 infections linked to flavored noodles in Europe, and the FDA upgrading a recall of Utz potato chip brands to its most serious level in the United States.
Brutal heat waves are striking Europe with increasing frequency, exposing the continent's lack of air conditioning infrastructure. Workers in cities like Paris struggle to cope with record-breaking temperatures, while cultural and practical factors keep AC adoption low compared to the US, Australia and Japan.
Lone star ticks and Asian longhorned ticks, both non-native species, have established populations in New Haven and Fairfield counties in Connecticut. The lone star tick is known for causing meat allergies and flu-like symptoms in humans.
Despite a mild and dry winter, Bay Area hikers are reporting widespread tick activity on local trails this spring, prompting parks districts to issue advisories recommending protective measures against tick bites and Lyme disease.
Michael Larkin of Shirley, Long Island, survived New York's first confirmed case of Bourbon virus after being bitten by ticks while landscaping in May 2021. The rare tick-borne illness caused severe symptoms including high fevers, headaches, and rash, requiring a five-day hospitalization.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health recommended patients at a Rittenhouse Square dental office get tested for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV after the office's license was suspended due to infection control violations.
A 9-year-old boy contracted measles during a family visit to Seminole, Texas in early 2025, then returned to Mexico where the disease spread rapidly among his classmates, ultimately forcing their school to shut down.
Largest measles outbreak in recent U.S. history has been officially declared over after sustained decline in new cases and containment of transmission chains, marking a key public health milestone while underscoring ongoing risks tied to vaccination gaps.
Analysis of human brain tissue shows microplastics and nanoplastics are present in both tumor and healthy samples, confirming their ability to cross into the brain, though their concentrations, distribution, and direct health effects remain uncertain and require further study.
Sacramento and Placer County health officials confirmed a growing measles outbreak in the community, with exposure reported at a pediatric care location. The outbreak comes amid declining vaccination coverage in California.
Research published in Nature Communications reveals that a common blood pressure medication can effectively treat infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, offering a potential new weapon against drug-resistant infections responsible for over 35,000 U.S. deaths annually.
Utah’s measles outbreak has reached 602 cases, with the majority reported in 2026, contributing significantly to a nationwide surge of 1,748 cases across multiple states, with most infections occurring among unvaccinated or unknown-status individuals.
Following the EPA/HHS announcement, PolitiFact published an expert-backed guide on how microplastics enter the body through food, water, and air, which organs they accumulate in, and what the science says about health risks — drawing on interviews with leading researchers and synthesizing the current state of evidence.