As more cases of bird flu are reported across species and locations, states across the country are taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Hundreds of thousands of people will gather at the Pennsylvania Farm Show beginning later this week — a potential breeding ground for virus transmission, which the state ...Read more

THOMASVILLE, Ala. — It was a moonshot effort for a small Southern town: Open a brand-new rural hospital in the poorest region of one of the poorest states in the nation.

Thomasville, which has fewer than 4,000 residents, sits in the middle of Alabama’s Black Belt, so named for its rich, black soil. The rural, southern swath of Alabama is ...Read more

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, respiratory infections like colds, flu and RSV are rising across the U.S.

When you get sick, it’s helpful to understand how to manage your symptoms effectively, especially if you’re at higher risk for complications. Dr. Tina Ardon, a family medicine physician at Mayo Clinic, ...Read more

Since 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has protected employees who need to take time off from work to care for themselves or others. The federal law requires employers to provide workers up to 12 weeks off for medical leave, for the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care, or to care for an immediate ...Read more

Green beans have graced holiday tables and accompanied everyday meals for centuries.

The folklore

Native to Peru, green beans traveled via migrating Indian tribes through South and Central America and on to Europe by way of Spanish explorers. Whether you know them as haricots verts (green beans in French), string beans, or snap beans — green...Read more

It’s a sensation you may be all too familiar with — after eating a hearty and fibrous meal, that inevitable gassy feeling comes along. Although bloating and gas are a relatively normal part of the human experience, it’s often an uncomfortable and restraining sensation that you’d rather avoid altogether (or, at the very least, drastically...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I recently read that thyroid issues affect women more often than men. Can you explain what the thyroid is and how it affects my body? Can I do anything to prevent having issues with my thyroid as I age?

ANSWER: The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland at the neck’s base. The thyroid has a significant effect on the body ...Read more

The fate of a Canadian teenager who was infected with H5N1 bird flu in early November, and subsequently admitted to an intensive care unit, has finally been revealed: She has fully recovered.

But genetic analysis of the virus that infected her body showed ominous mutations that researchers suggest potentially allowed it to target human cells ...Read more

Leslee Cohen-Lavin and her family were feeling pretty good just before the holidays.

“Then all of a sudden, we each went down right when break started,” said Cohen-Lavin, of Highland Park. Her 5-year-old daughter got a fever and aches and lost her appetite. Soon, Cohen-Lavin developed a days-long fever. Finally, her husband got what felt ...Read more

ATLANTA — For decades, the corporate makers and users of “forever chemicals” used on carpet produced in Northwest Georgia have hidden the associated dangers, leading to a public health crisis, Murray County alleges in a new lawsuit.

In its complaint Monday, the county takes aim at chemical producers including 3M, Daikin and DuPont as well...Read more

LOS ANGELES — With the winter cold and flu season upon us, Americans should be on the lookout for another ultra-contagious virus: our most common stomach bug.

The U.S. experienced the largest December norovirus surge since at least 2012, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.

During the week of Dec. 5, state health ...Read more

CHICAGO — Each child had already undergone at least three open-heart surgeries.

They’d endured countless hours in doctors’ offices and hospitals after being born with a serious heart condition.

But this fall the kids tried a new, very different tactic to boost their wellness: They joined a choir. Fourteen children from ages 8 to 16 with ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The state Department of Employment and Economic Development has awarded a southeastern Minnesota city a $1 million grant to support the state’s first pig-to-human transplant center.

Stewartville will use the funding, announced Monday, to construct streets and public utilities around the Schumann Business Park, the future home ...Read more

Certain areas of the United States are seeing spikes in cases of norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug, health experts said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 91 outbreaks of norovirus during the week of Dec. 5, up 32% from the last week of November and the highest recorded number of outbreaks for this time period in ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — During the COVID-19 pandemic, Erin Booth’s 5-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia. She and her husband qualified for Medicaid under a program enacted during the health crisis and that federal insurance provided Landon all the medical treatment and therapy he needed.

The chemotherapy damaged Landon’s still-developing ...Read more

The ads on podcasts and social media were tantalizing: over-the-counter probiotic supplements that could ward off the worst effects of a hangover if taken before drinking.

As a bourbon reviewer who enjoys the flavor of spirits but has always been easily prone to hangovers, Eric Burke was intrigued. He ordered a few bottles of Pre-Alcohol, a ...Read more

BALTIMORE — Three municipal buildings in downtown Baltimore reopened for full service Monday after elevated levels of Legionella bacteria were detected in the water supply.

The city said in a Monday morning news release that it conducted flushing and chlorination treatments as well as other mitigation efforts over the weekend at City Hall, ...Read more

You're ready to ring in the new year with your special someone. Does that mean you're ready to make healthy resolutions together, too?

Focusing on health together is a good idea, but it can be tricky, experts say.

"Spouses or partners have powerful influences on one another's physical activity, dietary behavior and sleep in particular," said ...Read more

DENVER -- Over the last five years, Larimer County in northern Colorado has seen what appears to be a steady, sustained drop in its suicide rate — a potentially significant breakthrough in a state that consistently ranks in the top 10 nationally for its high rate.

How the county got there was a decade-long affair in which local officials, ...Read more