Source: County News Center

July 11, 2019 (San Diego) – As of July 10, 10 confirmed cases and one probable case have been reported in an outbreak of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) that may be related to contact with animals at the San Diego County Fair. Three people were hospitalized and one child has died.  All of the patients who became ill had visited the fair on or before June 22, says county spokesman Tom Christensen. The first cases were reported June 28 and the animal exhibits were shut down for the final days of the fair, which ended July 4.

July 4, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Why you should learn mental health first aid (CNN)
• Facebook wants to limit the reach of bogus medical ‘cures’ by treating them like spam (Washington Post)
• AMA Abortion Lawsuit Puts Doctors In The Thick Of Debate (Kaiser Health News)
• Incarceration, falling incomes may play a role in the US opioid epidemic, study says (CNN)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• SpaceX faces daunting challenges if it’s going to win the internet space race (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• A vast water reservoir has been discovered deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean (NBC News)
• U.S. judge blocks Qualcomm effort to put antitrust ruling on hold

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

County News Service

Photo: Jeddediah King Cabezuela, 2, from a GoFundMe site set up to help his famliy.

June 28, 2019 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Fair has shut down public access to all animal exhibits and the petting zoo after four children were sickened with E.Coli and 2-year-old Jeddediah King Cabezuela died.

The County’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) confirms four pediatric cases of Shiga-toxin-producing E. Coli (STEC) linked to contact with animals at the Fair. HHSA Epidemiology Program and the County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) are investigating the cluster of four infections. 

June 27, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH 

• ‘Urgent needs from head to toe’: This clinic had two days to fix years of ailments (Washington Post)
• Horns are growing on young people’s skulls. Phone use is to blame, research suggests (Washington Post)
• Legal weed is a danger to dogs. Here’s how to know if your pup got into pot. (NPR)
• Vape explodes in teen’s face, shatters his jaw (10 News)
• Breaking The Booze Habit, Even Briefly, Has Its Benefits (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Bill Gates is planning to create clean fuels from C02 captured from air (ReuseC02)
• U.S. meteorologists worry over 5G rollout (BBC)
• New software glitch found in Boeing's troubled 737 Max jet (ABC)
• Amazon Explores Having Its Drones Provide 'Home Surveillance' For Customers (NPR)
• Monarch Butterflies Born In Captivity Have Trouble Migrating South, Study Says (NPR)
• Narlugas are real, and the proof is in the DNA (Atlantic)
• More Bad Buzz For Bees: Record Numbers Of Honeybee Colonies Died Last Winter (NPR)

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By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office

June 20, 2019 (San Diego's East County) - Every 10 minutes, someone in the United States is treated for possible exposure to rabies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Once clinical signs develop, rabies is almost always fatal, however it is 100% preventable by making sure your pets are vaccinated, avoiding contact with wildlife and seeking immediate medical care after being bitten or scratched by an animal.

East County News Service

June 19, 2019 (La Mesa) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will present “Health Fair Saturday,” one of the largest annual free health fairs in San Diego’s East County Region, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 29 in the promenade area near the movie theater at the Grossmont Center mall, 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

June 14, 2019 (Sacramento) - California's new $214 billion budget, passed by the state Senate on Thursday, moves the Golden State closer to universal health coverage.

By Miriam Raftery

June 9, 2019 (Washington D.C.) — The FDA is warning consumers about hepatitis A virus (HAV) contamination of frozen packages of blackberries and triple berry medley products. The “private selection” products made by Kroger were sold in Kroger, Ralph’s, Food 4 Less, Dillons, Fred Meyer and other grocery chains across the U.S.

The contamination was found as part of an ongoing berry sampling.  The recalled products have a long shelf life with best-by dates through June and July of 2020:

East County News Service

June 4, 2019 (San Diego) – The California Poison Control System suggests being on the lookout for spiders which are increasingly active when temperatures rise. Spider bites can result in small puncture wounds, pain, redness, itching and swelling that can last a couple of days. Most bites are usually not serious. California Poison Control System received 2800 calls related to insect and spider bites in 2018.

May 29, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Cannabis can leave teenagers three years behind their classmates (Daily Mail)
• Aspartame Is Linked To Leukemia And Lymphoma In Landmark Study On Humans (Daily Health Post)
• Do You Really Need 10,000 Steps Per Day? (NPR)
• Free-Range Food Labels: Can My Groceries Really Help The Planet? (NPR)
• Lower-fat diet reduces women’s risk of dying from breast cancer, study says (Washington Post)

 SCIENCE AND TECH

• Experts warn 5G could disrupt weather forecasting (NBC San Diego)
• Farmers are using flowers instead of chemicals to beat back pests (GreenMatters)
• An (Even More) Inconvenient Truth - Why Carbon Credits For Forest Preservation May Be Worse Than Nothing (ProPublica)
• Hobbling Huawei: How America woke up to the threat from 5G (Reuters)
• Strange waves rippled around Earth. Now we may know why. (National Geographic)
• In Yemen Conflict, Some See A New Age Of Drone Warfare (NPR)

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By Miriam Raftery

May 24, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – Before you throw some steaks or burgers on the barbecue this Memorial Day weekend, be aware that over 62,000 pounds of raw beef products have been recalled. The meats may be contaminated with E. coli, a dangerous bacteria that can cause diarrhea, cramping, kidney failure or death.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

May 22, 2019 (San Diego) - In a salute to military members and their families, County Animal Services is offering them free animal adoptions May 24 through May 26. The department is taking part in the Animals for Armed Forces special adoption event over the Memorial Day weekend.

May 15, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• US states file lawsuit accusing drugs firms of inflating costs (BBC)
• Sunscreen Chemicals Enter Bloodstream at Potentially Unsafe Levels (U.S. News)
• Glucosamine supplements 'may cut heart risk' (BBC)
• Hepatitis A infections increased by nearly 300% over two years (CNN)
• Triclosan, a chemical used in antibacterial soap, is found to impair muscle function (Smithsonian)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Lyft hits record low as Uber slumps in Wall Street debut  (Reuters)
• An extinct bird species has evolved back into existence, study says (New York Times)
• Facebook restricts Live feature, citing New Zealand shooting (Reuters)
• The moon may be tectonically active, and geologists are shaken (National Geographic)

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UPDATE:  THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

East County News Service

May 9, 2019 (El Cajon) -- Grossmont High School will host a blood drive in partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank on Thurs., May

23 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the quad area. The school is located at 1100 Murray Dr.  in El Cajon.