Health
American honeymoon hotspot hit by highly contagious illness, health officials warn
While cases of measles continue to spread throughout the U.S., Hawaii is reporting a new type of infectious spread.
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is on the rise at a “worrying rate” in the Aloha State, the State of Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) confirmed last week in a news release.
As of May 15, there have been 108 cases of pertussis reported, already exceeding the 84 total cases in 2024.
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The DOH labeled pertussis a “highly contagious respiratory disease” that spreads through the air when an infected individual coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms often resemble a cold but can progress to “intense coughing fits.”
Pertussis complications can include pneumonia, seizures, apnea, encephalopathy and death. (iStock)
For children, these coughing fits can be followed by a “deep breath” that makes a “whooping” sound.
“Health complications can be serious and even life-threatening, especially for infants and young children who are not fully vaccinated,” the DOH warned.
Complications can include pneumonia, seizures, apnea, encephalopathy (a disease of the brain) and death.
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The most effective way to prevent pertussis is through vaccination, according to the DOH.
The DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine is administered to children under 7 years old and the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) vaccine is for older children and adults.
Multiple doses are generally recommended for infants, children and adults.
Hawaii has fallen below national averages in terms of childhood vaccinations, data shows. (iStock)
“High vaccination rates protect individuals and communities and prevent cases from becoming outbreaks,” the agency noted.
“However, vaccination rates for all routinely recommended vaccinations for school entry – including those for measles, pertussis, polio and varicella (chickenpox) – have declined nationally and in Hawaii since 2019.”
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Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel confirmed that Hawaii is below the national average in terms of childhood vaccines, noting that the DTaP vaccine is “highly effective” in children, with close to 100% protection with appropriate dosages.
“Pertussis is insidious, and can be easily mistaken for other respiratory diseases, including viruses,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
Children should receive the DTaP vaccine in five doses, starting at two months, with a booster at 4 to 6 years old, doctors suggest. (iStock)
“Pertussis, which is a bacteria, can be treated with antibiotics like doxycycline but is easily missed. The best protection is vaccination, including repeated boosters in teens and adults.”
Siegel explained that the “characteristic whoop” sound among children is caused by clogged airways that are not yet well-developed.
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About one-third of babies under 1 year who contract whooping cough are at risk of hospitalization, according to the doctor.
“The best protection is for everyone around them to be vaccinated,” he said. “Pertussis outbreaks are now connected to a drop-off in early childhood vaccination.”
“Pertussis outbreaks are now connected to a drop-off in early childhood vaccination.”
Neha Pathak, MD, WebMD chief physician editor, echoed that pertussis is “still a significant public health threat,” especially for infants and people with weakened immune systems.
“The DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccine offers strong protection to children — about 98 out of 100 children are protected for at least a year after the fifth dose, and about 70% are still protected for up to five years,” she said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
For adolescents and adults, the Tdap vaccine is given as a booster that offers 85% protection, “significantly reducing the spread,” according to an expert. (iStock)
While vaccines like measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) can provide lifelong protection, pertussis immunity decreases over time, which means boosters are necessary for adolescents and adults, Pathak noted.
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“The uptick in pertussis cases is concerning, but not surprising given what we are seeing with vaccine hesitancy,” she commented.
“Pregnant women should also get the Tdap vaccine during their third trimester to pass antibodies to their newborns, protecting them before they can be vaccinated,” the doctor suggested.
The Hawaii DOH stressed its “strong” recommendation for children and adults to stay up to date with recommended vaccinations for disease prevention. (iStock)
Hawaii confirmed two cases of measles in early April and concluded there was no further community spread.
Despite the current situation being under control, the health department warned that measles exposure is still a threat among travelers.
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“Measles cases in the United States continue to rise, with more than 1,000 cases already reported across 30 states this year,” the department noted.
“The risk remains high for future travel-related measles cases reaching Hawaii, and DOH recommends continued vigilance and efforts to increase the MMR vaccination rate.”
The DOH stressed its “strong” recommendation for children and adults to stay up to date with recommended vaccinations for disease prevention.
Health
Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
Health
One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
Health
I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take
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