MIAMI — There’s a growing measles outbreak in the country and public health experts say vaccination is the best way to reduce the spread.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and brain swelling.

So far, more than 300 measles cases have been reported in the U.S. within the first ...Read more

NEW YORK — Two cats in different households in New York City were infected with bird flu, the city’s health department announced.

Officials did not disclose the cats’ conditions and are still investigating how they contracted the virus, but urged pet owners not to let their felines roam outdoors or feed them raw food or raw milk — ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — A genetic mutation of the H5N1 bird flu virus — a mutation associated with increased infectiousness and disease severity — has been found in two cats, in what scientists say is another indication of the risks posed by the virus.

The fact that the cats have the mutation “is a continued example of how this virus is evolving ...Read more

DETROIT — Oakland County confirmed Michigan's first measles case of 2025 on Friday, county executive spokesman Bill Mullan said.

The case is associated with recent international travel and there are possible exposures, Mullan said. No additional information was available Friday afternoon.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ...Read more

California’s Medicaid program has borrowed $3.4 billion from the state’s general fund — and will likely need even more — to cover ballooning health expenses for 15 million residents with low incomes and disabilities.

The state Department of Finance disclosed the loan to lawmakers in a letter late Wednesday, noting funds were needed to ...Read more

Measles vaccination rates among kindergarten students in the Philadelphia region have been declining since the COVID-19 pandemic, and are now below the so-called herd or community immunity rate needed to keep the highly contagious virus from spreading.

Medical experts say that 95% of a community must be vaccinated against measles to keep the ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker proposed a $330 million budget cut last month to scale back an expansion of health care coverage for undocumented adult immigrants in his state, where a state audit found that services for certain age groups exceeded estimates by more than 280%.

California soon may face the same financial ...Read more

Limiting time spent watching television to no more than one hour each day may lower the risk of heart attack, stroke and other blood vessel diseases, even among people with a high genetic risk for Type 2 diabetes, new research finds.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, is one of the first to investigate how ...Read more

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear denounced the Republican-led effort to ban Medicaid from funding gender-affirming care for transgender Kentuckians and to undo his executive order restricting the practice of “conversion therapy” on LGBTQ people.

The governor called the practice “equivalent of torture” in comments shared ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — A conservative legal group representing Pennsylvania school districts and parents has sued Pennsylvania over rules barring discrimination based on gender identity — arguing the state illegally expanded the definition of sex.

In a lawsuit filed last week in Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, the plaintiffs — including a ...Read more

Kirk Vartan pays more than $2,000 a month for a high-deductible health insurance plan from Blue Shield on Covered California, the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace. He could have selected a cheaper plan from a different provider, but he wanted one that includes his wife’s doctor.

“It’s for the two of us, and we’re not sick,” ...Read more

I struggled with a sensitive stomach decades before reducing inflammation became the buzzy way to improve one’s health.

I believed I was simply prone to gastrointestinal upset. It got significantly worse after the birth of my second child. The recurrent pain got to a point that it forced me to pay attention and figure out what was going on ...Read more

It’s been a few days since we sprung forward, yet you’re still hitting snooze like it’s your full-time job. If you’ve been feeling sluggish, unfocused or just a little off, you’re not alone.

The shift to daylight saving time does more than steal an hour of sleep — it messes with your health.

How one hour throws everything off

Your...Read more

Researchers racing to develop bird flu vaccines for humans have turned to a cutting-edge technology that enabled the rapid development of lifesaving covid shots.

There’s a catch: The mRNA technology faces growing doubts among Republicans, including people around President Donald Trump.

Legislation aimed to ban or limit mRNA vaccines was ...Read more

ROCHESTER, Minn. — More than 90,000 people are on the waiting list for a kidney in the U.S. Unfortunately, less than a third of those waiting for a kidney transplant can expect to get one this year. This comes as rates of chronic kidney disease, which can lead to kidney failure, continue to climb across the globe. But there is a way to help. ...Read more

Scientists are sounding alarms about a genetic mutation that was recently identified in four dairy cow herds, nearly one year after H5N1 bird flu was first reported in Texas dairy cattle.

The change is one that researchers have dreaded finding because it is associated with increased mammal-to-mammal transmission and disease severity.

“That ...Read more

Q: What is coconut water, and are there benefits to drinking it?

A: Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young, green coconuts. Unlike coconut milk, which is made by blending coconut meat with water, coconut water is a natural beverage low in calories, fat-free, and rich in electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium.

One of coconut...Read more

If you’re one of the 51% of Americans with life insurance coverage, you might consider borrowing against your policy if you need quick access to cash. If you’re eligible, a life insurance policy loan might be right for you.

​Borrowing against your life insurance policy differs significantly from traditional unsecured loans. Typically, ...Read more

True, inflammation sounds painful and potentially dangerous. But before we dive into the topic of smoothies for inflammation-fighting, it’s important to note that not all inflammation is bad. “Inflammation is a necessary process that helps your body defend itself and heal,” explains Jenna Werner, R.D., creator of Happy Strong Healthy in ...Read more