There is a new trio of highly contagious COVID-19 variants making the rounds, known as the KP.2 and KP.3 variants, also known as the FLiRT strains, as well as the LB.1 variant. Because of this, COVID rates have rapidly increased throughout various parts of the country. According to the CDC, at least 21 states have very high levels of Covid, including Florida, New Mexico, Wyoming, Nevada, and Maryland. As the virus continues to mutate and our behaviors evolve, women in midlife face unique risks that demand attention.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a nationwide recall of Boar’s Head deli meats on July 26 that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall includes 207,528 pounds of Boar’s Head liverwurst and other deli meat products. A widespread Listeria outbreak in the United States has resulted in two deaths and 28 hospitalizations across 12 states.

It’s in the air, and now in the water. Samples from Southern Nevada’s wastewater have shown an increase of the COVID-19 virus in areas of the valley, indicating a possible summer surge of the illness that has spread across the country.

The Southern Nevada Health District is encouraging the community to “fight the bite” this summer, as the Southern Nevada Health District announced in May the detection of the first West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes in Clark County of the 2024 season.

Earlier this month, an assortment of Planters peanuts and mixed nuts were recalled over concerns they contained Listeria. Similarly, a variety of chocolate-covered pretzels and cookies were recalled due to fears the snacks were riddled with Salmonella. Recently, over 16,000 pounds of raw ground beef sold at Walmart were pulled from the shelves due potentially being contaminated with E. coli.

If you go on TikTok or Instagram, you’ll see legions of wellness influencers promoting the benefits of unpasteurized “raw” milk, which hasn’t been heated to kill off illness-causing microorganisms. Raw milk is risky business at the best of times, and despite what some influencers claim, there are no nutritional benefits to drinking it, according to the CDC. But it’s now also a vector for H5N1, the new bird flu spreading through cows.

Rats in New York City are becoming more than a nuisance. The New York City Department of Health has released a health advisory after recording six cases of human leptospirosis, an infection with Leptospira bacteria that can be spread through rat urine. In 2023, the city recorded 24 cases, the highest number in a single year.

A new study published by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) this week has found that using tap water to perform a nasal rinse increases the risk of contracting a rare but serious set of infections. In particular, the CDC reports that a type of amoeba known as acanthamoeba, can cause a range of symptoms and has a fatality rate of 82%. This infection is rare and is thought to only involve 3-12 people in the US each year.