ABC News - Health

Equatorial Guinea is expanding an ambitious malaria elimination plan

Equatorial Guinea has tackled malaria with a successful strategy on Bioko Island

Kenya’s Ebola cases hit 8, with no community transmission yet

Ebola cases in Kenya rose to eight on Sunday after another person tested positive while in quarantine, having been identified as a contact of the first patient

Congo’s fast-moving Ebola outbreak spreads to eighth province

The Ebola outbreak in Congo has spread to an eighth province

Pope Leo tells faithful in St. Peter's Square he will gradually resume duties after cancer surgery

Pope Leo XIV has thanked the faithful in St. Peter’s Square for their prayers after his hospitalization for lung surgery

Kenya’s Ebola cases rise to 7, including health workers who cared for the first patient

Three Kenyan health workers tested positive for Ebola, Health Ministry says.

A new Medicare season begins, but some shifts will arrive in 2027

Open enrollment for Medicare plans begins Thursday, allowing people to choose between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans until Dec. 7

Malnutrition stalks the most vulnerable in Afghanistan as aid cuts leave millions helpless

Hunger and acute malnutrition are rising dramatically in Afghanistan, the result of overlapping crises

Pope Leo is eating, celebrating Mass and walking after cancer surgery, but trip is in question

The Vatican says Pope Leo XIV has celebrated Mass in a special room set up for him at the hospital after cancer surgery

Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer called adenocarcinoma. Here's what that means

Pope Leo XIV had the lower section of his right lung removed as doctors diagnosed him with the most common form of lung cancer

Congo's confirmed Ebola cases exceed 9,000 as containment efforts falter

Congo's Ebola outbreak has surpassed 9,000 confirmed cases, with over 4,300 deaths, according to government figures

What to know about Pope Leo’s planned lung nodule surgery

Pope Leo XIV is to have an operation to remove a localized lung nodule detected early

Mother's 3-day walk with sick child highlights Somalia's child malnutrition emergency

A Somali mother walked for three days carrying her severely malnourished 3-year-old daughter nearly 90 kilometers to a hospital in Kismayo

Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns opens up about grieving his mother

Towns is still grieving the loss of his mother six years ago to COVID-19.

Mystery surrounds young worker's death at Russia lab studying severe diseases

The World Health Organization says it still doesn't know what caused the death of a young worker at a Russian lab focused on plague and other illnesses

Stigma, funding cuts and Iran war put contraception out of reach for Africa’s girls

Zimbabwean teenager Kelly Nhedega once dreamed of finishing school and starting a career before having a family

Gruesome injuries throw spotlight on France's policing of high school protests

Police have arrested thousands of young people in France during protests demanding better school funding

FDA says its safety review of abortion pill will continue into next year

The Food and Drug Administration says its ongoing safety review of the nation’s main abortion pill will continue into next year

The plague never went away. Cases are reported in parts of Africa and the US nearly every year

The plague, a rare bacterial infection known for its deadly impact in 14th-century Europe, still exists today

Texas carries out nation’s first execution since Christa Pike’s failed lethal injection

A Texas man who fatally shot a convenience store clerk in 2000 has been executed, a week after a failed lethal injection in Tennessee

Zambia says it will sign $3.6B US health deal after stripping patient data clauses

Zambia plans to sign a revised health agreement with the United States that excludes controversial clauses about sharing patient data and specimens

Kenya confirms its first Ebola case and death in a man who traveled from Congo

A Kenyan citizen who had been living in Congo before returning to Nairobi over the weekend has become Kenya’s first confirmed case of Ebola and the country’s first death from the disease in the fast-moving outbreak

Russia reports a worker at a Siberian plague institute got pneumonia from an unknown cause and died

Russian authorities say a staffer at a plague research institute in Siberia contracted pneumonia of an unknown cause, and local state TV reported the woman died last week

Doctors, insurers sue Newsom over health insurance premium increases

Doctors and health insurers have filed suit alleging Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature violated the law when they approved a healthcare tax that could substantially increase insurance premiums

Doctors warn about the risks energy drinks pose to kids. What families need to know

Doctors nationwide have warned for years that energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine that can seriously harm children

An Ebola treatment center was burned down as the death toll in Congo passes 4,000

Congo's Ebola outbreak has resulted in over 4,000 deaths, with authorities struggling to contain the virus

The drug used in Tennessee's failed execution has come under past scrutiny

The lethal drug administered in Tennessee’s failed attempt to execute Christa Pike has been used in multiple states that carry out the death penalty

After an outfield collision left him paralyzed, every gain in rehab is a big win for A's Ryan Lasko

Ryan Lasko was a promising outfielder in the Athletics organization on a path he hoped would one day make him a major leaguer, having established himself in Double-A ball

3 GOP states go to US Supreme Court to challenge 3 Democratic-led states' abortion 'shield' laws

Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana have gone to the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge abortion “shield laws” in California, Massachusetts and New York that protect providers who prescribe abortion pills across state lines

Pennsylvania records a fifth measles death as the nation endures its worst year since 1991

Pennsylvania health officials have reported a fifth measles-associated death

The rise and fall of America's deadly love affair with the cigarette

Senate committee advances Dr. Nicole Saphier's nomination for surgeon general

Dr. Nicole Saphier, President Trump's third nominee for surgeon general, is moving closer to confirmation

As heat becomes more extreme, inmates are increasingly threatened by rising temperatures

When summer heat feels stifling, most people can cool off with a glass of ice-cold water, turning up the AC or opening a window

UN tries to build momentum on pandemic preparedness, but hits a speed bump

Six years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, the U.N. General Assembly’s leader and health officials are seeking to make sure that the lurking possibility of another worldwide disease emergency stays on the global agenda

Yemen’s civil war returns and overwhelms hospitals

Hospitals in Yemen are struggling as civil war returns to the Arab world's poorest nation

Senators to question FDA nominee about her views on abortion pill and vaccines

President Donald Trump’s pick to run the Food and Drug Administration will face questions from Senate lawmakers considering her nomination

OpenAI's breach of Australian health department website prompts rebuke from Albanese

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he is extremely concerned about OpenAI's security breach of a government website, and that the artificial intelligence company took too long to reveal the incident

Idaho case may be connected to the 1982 Tylenol murders, officials say

Authorities in Idaho say a man found dead in a church decades ago may be connected to unsolved poisonings in 1982 that were dubbed the Tylenol murders

Hayden Panettiere's death highlights risk of overdose death after stopping and resuming drug use

A coroner’s report notes that actor Hayden Panettiere had been in rehabilitation just weeks before she died from an accidental drug overdose

Man complained of lack of care for diabetes before death in ICE custody: Family

A 36-year-old Costa Rican man whose family says he complained of not receiving proper care for his diabetes is the third detainee in less than six months to die at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Louisiana

Judge strikes down a Trump policy barring some immigrants from Head Start preschools

A federal judge has struck down a Trump administration directive that would have barred some immigrants from accessing Head Start preschools, plus other federal programs

What to know about hospital deals with Trump to limit care for transgender children

At least six hospitals have reached agreements with President Donald Trump's administration to stop offering gender-affirming treatment for transgender minors

The centuries-old Japanese art of ikebana draws those seeking calm

Ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers, is a form of expression that dates back more than 500 years

What to know about USAID and the deadly impacts of US foreign aid cuts

The foreign aid landscape has changed dramatically since U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration dissolved the United States Agency for International Development, once the world’s largest humanitarian donor

Telehealth companies keep exposing their customers' medical data. What should they do?

It's not hard to explain why business is booming for telehealth companies

Florida confirms death from dengue as state struggles with recent outbreak

Florida is experiencing one of its worst surges of dengue in decades, and the toll now includes a death

Scientists warn of weakening health systems and urge stronger outbreak detection

West African laboratory scientists are urging governments to strengthen their capacity to detect disease outbreaks to prevent another major crisis

Kennedy tells anti-vaccine activists they have a friend in Trump's White House

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tells anti-vaccine activists from an organization he once chaired that they have a friend in the White House

WHO sees 'encouraging signs' in Congo Ebola fight, but warns cases in one eastern region are surging

The World Health Organization reports encouraging signs in the fight against an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo

Dr. Nicole Saphier, Trump's 3rd surgeon general pick, faces Senate grilling

A radiologist who's a former Fox News contributor will be facing lawmakers as President Donald Trump’s third nominee for surgeon general

A childhood rite moves indoors as kindergartners learn to ride bikes in school gyms

Learning to ride a bike, a classic childhood milestone, is now happening in school gyms and playgrounds

Massachusetts governor proposes improved postpartum healthcare after Clancy trial

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is proposing free home visits from nurses for every new parent in the state and expanded mental health screenings for new mothers

Inquiry blasts hospital for failure to protect babies after nurse Lucy Letby convicted of 7 murders

An English judge has issued a scathing report blaming dysfunctional management for failing to protect babies at the hospital where nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven infants

Chile validated as first South American country to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies

Chile has become the first South American country to eliminate dog-transmitted rabies to humans, according to the World Health Organization

Want to lower your risk of dementia? It doesn't involve a blood test

Trump promises $500 Obamacare rebate checks for 1M enrollees in 30 states

Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer asks the judge to spare her a second trial for killing her children

Congo’s Ebola outbreak rapidly spreading beyond epicenter, health body warns

Surrogate asks the Supreme Court to intervene over care for a sick baby

Coroner releases details of infants who died amid growing measles outbreak

Kenya's nurses end six-week strike after signing deal with government

Report says Australian study finds 31 rugby league players with brain disease CTE

Kenya's doctors threaten to join strike by nurses, citing increased workload in hospitals

Husband of Tanzania's president dies while undergoing hospital treatment

Congo’s Ebola burial teams battle community anger, fatigue and fear of infection

Carbon credit financing emerges as Africa’s biggest bet for expanding clean cooking

Vitamin A, While Helpful for Measles, Is Not a Replacement for Vaccination

This is a MedPage Today story. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend vitamin A for all patients with measles -- not just severe cases -- but experts warn that this shouldn't be seen as a replacement for vaccination. In a recent opinion piece for Fox News, HHS…

Historic Strike Involving Thousands of Oregon Healthcare Workers Comes to an End

This is a MedPage Today story. A strike involving nearly 5,000 healthcare workers at Providence Health in Oregon, which began Jan. 10, has come to an end. Late Monday, eight RN bargaining units voted overwhelmingly to ratify their contracts and end the strike, which was believed to be the largest involving healthcare…

Neurologic Complications of Flu in Kids May Be Up This Year

This is a MedPage Today story. Public health officials are looking into reports of a small potential uptick in neurologic complications of influenza in children -- particularly a rapidly progressing and dangerous condition called acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE). Adrienne Randolph, MD, MSc, of Boston Children's…

Doctor Stabbed in Chest; 'Hypnotic' Doc Faces Second Hearing; Nurse Assaulted

This is a MedPage Today story. A patient at Provident Hospital in Chicago allegedly stabbed an emergency physician in the chest. (FOX 32) A physician in the U.K. is facing a second hearing over sexual misconduct allegations that he talked to female patients in a "hypnotic way." (BBC News) A Florida nurse may lose her…

Here's the Extent of the Fallout From Trump's HHS Purge

This is a MedPage Today story. Thousands of employees of federal health agencies have been let go in a chaotic and slow-rolling Trump administration purge over the holiday weekend. While the total number of dismissed employees appears to be smaller than originally expected, the changes sowed confusion as some staffers…

Doctor wanted: Small town offers big perks to attract a physician

This is a MedPage Today story. HAVANA, Fla. -- For a rural community, this town of 1,750 people has been more fortunate than most. A family doctor has practiced here for the last 30 years. But that ended in December when Mark Newberry, MD, retired. To attract a new doctor, Havana leaders took out want ads in local…

House Cats With Bird Flu Could Pose a Risk to Public Health

This is a MedPage Today story. More than 80 domestic cats, among many other types of mammals, have been confirmed to have had bird flu since 2022 -- generally barn cats that lived on dairy farms, as well as feral cats and pets that spend time outdoors and likely caught it by hunting diseased rodents or wild birds…

Ad Attacks Cleveland Clinic for Being Too 'Woke'

This is a MedPage Today story. Cleveland Clinic officials fired back at a conservative organization's "Woke Alert" attack ad that asked if the large health system was "the wokest hospital in America," saying the ad's claims are "riddled with inaccuracies and lies." The ad, by Consumers' Research, says clinic officials…

Physician Suspected of 10 Murders; Doc Accused of Setting Fire to Another Doc's Home

This is a MedPage Today story. A German physician who was arrested last summer on suspicion of killing four patients is now suspected of killing 10, and in some cases he allegedly tried to cover up evidence by starting fires. (AP) Pediatrician Anita Damodaran, MD, has been accused of animal cruelty after a March 2024…

RFK Jr. Wrong on Medicare, Medicaid During Senate Confirmation Hearing

This is a MedPage Today story. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s statements before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday revealed a concerning lack of knowledge about the major health programs he'd oversee, should he be confirmed as HHS secretary. On several occasions during the 3.5-hour hearing, Kennedy seemed to conflate…

HHS Employees Sort Out Return-to-Office Mandate

This is a MedPage Today story. Employees at HHS and its various sub-agencies are struggling to figure out how to implement President Donald Trump's executive order requiring them to report in-person to their work sites full-time, and how the changes will affect them. An Early Executive Order The in-person work…

Long COVID Patients Frustrated That Federal Research Hasn't Found New Treatments

This is a MedPage Today story. Erica Hayes, 40, has not felt healthy since November 2020 when she first fell ill with COVID. Hayes is too sick to work, so she has spent much of the last 4 years sitting on her beige couch, often curled up under an electric blanket. "My blood flow now sucks, so my hands and my feet are…

What Is Spondylolisthesis, the Spine Condition Reported to Plague Luigi Mangione?

This is a MedPage Today story. Luigi Mangione, the person charged with murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, reportedly had spinal surgery for chronic back pain caused by spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis occurs when a vertebra slips forward out of place onto the vertebra below, explained Jessica Stark…

In Settling Fraud Case, N.Y. Medicare Advantage Insurer, CEO Will Pay Up to $100M

This is a MedPage Today story. A western New York health insurance provider for seniors and the CEO of its medical analytics arm have agreed to pay a total of up to $100 million to settle Justice Department allegations of fraudulent billing for health conditions that were exaggerated or didn't exist. Independent…