Weekly Health Digest: E. coli, Bird Flu, Rising Plan B Orders, Pancreatic Cancer Worries, U.S. Vaccinations, South Asian Air Pollution

Dozens are sick in E. coli outbreak linked to carrots. Here’s what to know about symptoms and how it spreads

By Sam Tupper, CNN

A recent E. coli outbreak has led to a recall of several organic carrot products sold across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico by Grimmway Farms. The products include organic baby and whole carrots sold by popular brands such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Wegmans, and Target. These carrots were sold between August and October 2024. The recall also includes carrot-based products such as Whole Foods’ organic carrot sticks and Fabalish’s carrot falafel bites. So far, 39 illnesses, 15 hospitalizations, and one death have been linked to this outbreak.

The CDC and FDA urge anyone who purchased these products to dispose of them immediately and sanitize storage areas to prevent further spread. Symptoms of E. coli infection—severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, bloody stools, and vomiting—can appear 3 to 4 days after exposure and typically resolve within a week. Vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals, however, may face more severe complications, including kidney failure.

This recall underscores the importance of food safety vigilance, as many of the contaminated products may still be in consumers’ homes. Monitoring symptoms and seeking medical care for symptoms, especially if severe or prolonged, is crucial. Foodborne diseases can have severe health consequences, threatening the health of communities if precautionary measures are not addressed within our food systems.

— by Jaden Hayes

Alameda County child believed to be latest case of bird flu; source unknown

By Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times

A child in Alameda County, California tested positive for the bird flu this past Tuesday. The child was treated with antiviral medication. A sample of the virus was sent to the CDC for confirmatory testing, and the child is now recovering from mild respiratory symptoms. Health officials continue to look into possible contact between the child and wild birds. California’s state epidemiologist also reported that the child and their family tested positive for several other respiratory viruses, some of which are currently circulating throughout the state.

The incidence of bird flu cases is gradually increasing, with most cases occurring among dairy workers. Still, the risk to the public remains low, as there is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted by humans. California officials noted that the child attended a daycare while symptomatic, but those that the child may have had contact with have been notified and are being offered preventative antiviral medication and testing. The total number of confirmed human cases in the U.S. now stands at 54.

— by Rama Esrawee

Orders for Morning-After Pills and Abortion Pills Rise After Trump’s Election

By Pam Belluck, New York Times

Women have begun stocking up on emergency contraceptives in the wake of Donald Trump’s reelection.

Wisp, a telehealth provider that typically prescribes over 5,000 medications weekly for reproductive health, saw an unprecedented spike in orders receiving 10,000 requests the day after the election alone. Similarly, requests to the Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, which prescribes and ships abortion pills, skyrocketed. They handled about seven times their usual rate of requests following the election.

This surge in demand reflects widespread anxiety among women about reproductive healthcare amid uncertainty. Women across the country feared that this reelection could result in a national ban on reproductive healthcare products, following the overturn of Roe v Wade by Trump’s Supreme Court appointees.

Many women purchasing these medications are taking preemptive steps to ensure access, regardless of immediate need. For many, buying Plan B is not just about preparation but about reclaiming a sense of control and autonomy in an increasingly uncertain landscape for reproductive right.

— by Alya Khoury

Pancreatic Cancer Surge May Be Less Worrisome Than It Seemed

By Gina Kolata, New York Times

A new study suggests that the increase in pancreatic cancer cases is due to over-diagnosis in young people.

A monumental 2021 paper showed an unexpected rise in pancreatic cancer diagnoses from 2000 to 2018 in the United States, specifically among young people. A study published early this week, however, suggests this statistic was overblown.

The new study does not contest the rising rates of pancreatic cancer. In fact, they found that from 2001 to 2019, there truly was an increased rate of pancreatic cancer diagnosis and nearly a doubling of the pancreatic cancer surgery rate. This increase of pancreatic cancer diagnoses should have also led to an increase in deaths, but the death rate did not increase.

The paper’s authors found that this over-diagnosis wave could be explained by the two different types of pancreatic cancer, as statistics for cases include both adenocarcinomas and endocrine tumors. Adenocarcinomas are tumors that form in the pancreas without causing symptoms. It is often too late for treatment by the time most patients are diagnosed. Endocrine cancers, on the other hand, can take up to decades to grow, with only a small fraction becoming malignant.

Today’s diagnostic tools are more sensitive and can find tumors at earlier stages of development than ever before. Doctors tend to treat these tumors aggressively since there is no way of knowing how dangerous they may be. Both types of tumors are being detected by sensitive CT or MRI scans, which contributes to the rising surgical intervention rate. Doctors are divided over whether the best course of action is to remove these early-stage endocrine tumors or pursue alternative treatments. As continued research comes out, there is likely to be more clarity.

— by Diyya Ganju

The Stunning Success of Vaccines in America, in One Chart

By Dylan Scott, Vox

A new analysis has shown the effect of vaccines of some infectious diseases over time in the United States . The infectious diseases included in the report are: measles, diphtheria, mumps, rubella, smallpox, and polio. 

Many Americans are losing faith in vaccines, although vaccines are credited for eradicating smallpox and saving countless lives from measles and diphtheria. This trend may be exacerbated by President-Elect Donald Trump choosing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., well-known as a vaccine denier, to lead the country’s federal health agencies, such as the CDC and FDA.

Kennedy has supported anti-vaccine groups and has cast doubts on COVID-19 vaccinations on social media. Public health officials are concerned that Kennedy’s attitudes, combined with his leadership over the Department of Human Health and services, will exacerbate already existing animosity toward vaccines. 

Vaccination rates are also declining, leading to a greater burden of infectious disease. Notably, measles, a preventable infection due to vaccination, has quadrupled in case count the United States from 2023 to 2024. The risk of death from infectious diseases in the United States will increase if this downward trend in vaccination continues.

— by Joy Lee

Why is it still so hard to breathe in India and Pakistan?

By Umair Irfan, Vox

Last week, major cities in the Punjab province in Pakistan experienced record-breaking levels of air pollution. A province-wide lockdown was imposed to keep residents from breathing the contaminated air.

At the same time, the capital of India, New Delhi had an air quality index of 1185, about fifty times higher than the safe limit outlined by the World Health Organization. Gray smog decreased visibility for aircrafts, creating hundreds of airport delays. New Delhi residents, like those in Punjab, were issued a stay-at-home order.

The increase in air pollution worsens each year in metropolises across South Asia, despite being a major focus of Indian and Pakistani public health systems.

A combination of human and natural factors, such as construction, cooking fires, and automobile traffic, feed into pollutants into the air. The effect of pollution is felt far from its source, varying across distance. Even worse, the cool winter air holds the contaminated air closer to the ground.

This week has re-emphasized the need for improved air quality monitoring across South Asia . The governing body who is responsible for providing clean air may not be the same as one governing over the activities causing pollution, limiting past efforts to reduce residents’ exposure to contaminated air.

Officials at local, regional, and national levels must be aggressive to mitigate air pollution. Otherwise, there will be a rise in preventable health conditions, such as asthma, heart disease, and infection, due to the air pollution, creating strain on medical infrastructure.

— by Ananya Dash

Items summarized by: Jaden Hayes, Rama Esrawee, Alya Khoury, Diyya Ganju, Joy Lee, Ananya Dash