5 People In Florida Died From ‘Flesh-Eating’ Vibrio Infections This Year

Health News Florida:
Five People In The Tampa Region Have Died From ‘Flesh-Eating’ Vibrio In 2023

Five people in the greater Tampa Bay region have died this year because of the so-called “flesh-eating” bacterium found in warm, brackish seawater and undercooked seafood. The Florida Department of Health said this past week that 26 cases of Vibrio vulnificus were reported in the state so far in 2023, with two deaths in Hillsborough County, and one each in Pasco, Polk and Sarasota counties. (Mayer, 8/22)

CT Insider:
Four Cases Of Powassan Virus Infection Reported In Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Public Health announced Monday that four Connecticut residents have tested positive for Powassan virus. These are the first such cases to be identified in the state this year. … All of the patients became ill following a known tick bite and were hospitalized with a central nervous system infection. All patients have been discharged and are recovering from the infection. (Gabrielle, 8/21)

NBC News:
Mosquitoes That Spread Malaria Aren’t Tracked In The U.S.

A ninth case of malaria diagnosed in a person who had not traveled out of the U.S. has experts on alert — and calling for more surveillance of the mosquitoes that spread the illness. “The time to think about the next mosquito-borne disease is not when we find a sick person. It’s now,” said Dan Markowski, technical adviser to the American Mosquito Control Association, a nonprofit organization representing groups that monitor mosquito activity. (Edwards, 8/22)

The Washington Post:
The FAA Reauthorization Bill Would Preserve A Future For Leaded Gas

Controversial language in a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration would effectively require small airports to continue selling leaded gasoline, despite the health hazards of lead, a powerful neurotoxin. The provisions have sparked a fierce debate among lawmakers, public health advocates, pilots and fuel producers. The debate isn’t over whether to ditch leaded aviation gas, but how quickly to do so in light of safety concerns. (Joselow and Montalbano, 8/22)

AP:
No Harmful Levels Of PCBs Found At Wyoming Nuclear Missile Base As Air Force Investigates Cancers

No harmful levels of carcinogenic PCBs were found inside the missile launch facilities at F.E. Warren Air Force base in Wyoming, the service said Tuesday, as it looks for possible causes for cancers being reported among its nuclear missile community. (Copp, 8/22)