Public Health

Senators Tim Scott and Cory Booker have introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the nation's wastewater surveillance network. The PREDICT Act aims to detect infectious disease outbreaks earlier through sewage monitoring. It would enhance CDC grants and create a national dashboard for public health officials.

March 15, 2026 Reported by AI Fact checked

A narrative review in the World Journal of Pediatrics says melatonin use among children and adolescents has climbed sharply—especially where the hormone is sold over the counter—while long-term data on safety and effectiveness, particularly for typically developing children, remain limited. The authors also highlight concerns about inconsistent supplement dosing and increasing accidental ingestions in young children.

An international team has created a new method to predict where dangerous scorpions are most likely to be found, focusing on environmental factors like soil type and temperature. The study, centered on central Morocco, aims to improve prevention and treatment of scorpion stings, a global health issue affecting millions annually. Findings could guide awareness campaigns and medical responses in high-risk areas worldwide.

February 18, 2026 Reported by AI

A University at Buffalo study indicates that cannabis-infused beverages may help reduce alcohol consumption among users. Survey participants who switched to these drinks reported cutting their weekly alcohol intake nearly in half. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they reduced or stopped drinking alcohol after starting cannabis beverages.

Teacher Juliana Faustino Bassetto, 27, died after a swimming lesson at C4 Gym in Parque São Lucas, east zone of São Paulo, on February 7, 2026, due to suspected chlorine intoxication from improper handling. Six other people fell ill in the incident, and police indicted three gym partners for eventual dolous homicide. The probe highlights failures in pool maintenance, lacking operating permits.

February 07, 2026 Reported by AI Fact checked

Researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health used computer simulations to reconstruct how the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic expanded across U.S. metropolitan areas. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that both viruses were already circulating widely in many cities within weeks, with air travel playing a larger role than daily commuting. The authors said broader wastewater surveillance, paired with infection-control measures, could help slow early spread in future outbreaks.