Measles is an airborne virus that can easily infect people in its path through simple sessions of coughs and sneezes. Patients manifest symptoms of fever, runny nose, inflamed eyes, and cough. However, the most recognizable sign is the red rash that spreads across the body in at least three days after the first symptoms. Authorities claim that measles vaccine which any child should receive is extremely effective. However, Europe is confronted at the moment with a deadly measles outbreak.

Romania Is the Hearth of a Deadly Measles Outbreak

Authorities warn European citizens that there were so far 35 deaths worldwide this year only. The cause of so many casualties is an epidemic of measles. The latest fatal case regards a 6-year-old Italian boy. This country saw at least 3,300 cases of measles and two deaths because of it in the past year only.

However, the most affected nation by far by this virus is Romania. This country is known to have low rates of immunization. This situation developed into the perfect medium for a deadly measles outbreak. The virus claimed 31 lives of children so far here.

The WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab accompanied the announcement with a wake-up call. She stated that this critical situation could have been entirely prevented since the measles vaccine is effective. The other casualties were from Portugal and Germany. Nonetheless, several other countries reported severe outbreaks as well. Unfortunately, America has to deal as well with a critical Minnesota measles outbreak.

“Although a safe, effective and affordable vaccine is available, measles remains a leading cause of death among children worldwide.”

Authorities Tracked Down the Scientific Papers that Linked Measles Vaccine to Autism

Romania is the second poorest country in UE and recorded 7,200 people infected with measles virus since 2016. However, the respiratory disease only scares patients with unthreatening red spots and other mild symptoms. On the other hand, 30% of patients might develop complications such as blindness, pneumonia, brain inflammation, diarrhea, and others.

Authorities discovered that many families refrain from resorting to the vaccine as they are afraid of contacting autism. This uncommon link originates from a 1998 paper whose author was Andrew Wakefield. Nonetheless, the same document was retracted in 2010 as Wakefield was found to have falsified data. No ulterior study managed to find any connection between measles vaccine and autism.

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While the United States sees less and less deadly cases of cancer with each year, not all parts enjoy the same rates of improvement. On the contrary, a new report indicates that rural regions go through a bigger impact of this condition than urban areas.

Rural Regions Are Harmed by a Limited Access to Health Care

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new study that shows villages are more susceptible to developing new cases of cancer than in other parts. Not only that, but their number of fatal cases is higher as well. The most widely spread types of cancer are those influenced by tobacco, such as laryngeal and lung cancer, and those types that can be prevented through routine checks like cervical or colorectal cancers.

The report suggests that such high differences between rural and urban regions are caused by certain agents. For instance, rural areas are more susceptible to certain risk factors such as obesity, poor physical condition, and smoking. However, the most influential feature stands in limited access to health care. Therefore, there are a fewer diagnoses made in time that can prevent a fatal end than in other parts.

Around 15% of American Population Lives in Rural Areas

Rural Americans have a lower percentage of insured citizens. Federal health data show that their insurance doesn’t cover preventive services so well. Therefore, the report doesn’t link cancer rates to geographical positioning but to access to health care. Treatment opportunities, preventive measures, and early diagnosis are key factors in battling aggressive conditions as cancer is.

The CDC paper is the first of its kind that describes cancer rates in urban and rural settings. At least 46 million Americans live in rural areas which means 15% of the population. The findings of the survey highlight the poor health care services that this percentage of citizens have at their disposal.

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The World Health Organization announced an aggressive outbreak of cholera. The location of the outburst is Yemen. There are already 1,500 lives lost to this disease. Other 246,000 people might be in danger of getting sick. The Yemen population was already weakened by a civil war that lasted for two years. This condition might have accelerated the spread of the cholera outbreak.

The New Cholera Outbreak Started in April and Claimed 1,500 Lives Already

World Health Organization’s representative in Yemen, Nevio Zagaria, made some breaking news declaring that since an outbreak of cholera started in April, there are around 246,000 suspected cases. The death toll reached 1,500 for the moment. Unfortunately, the organization claimed that a quarter of these fatal cases are children.

This week, WHO announced the halfway mark at 218,798 cases. There is already an emergency mobilization that managed to fade out the impact of such a phenomenon two months since its beginnings. The health care state in this country is in a deplorable condition. Medical staff hasn’t received payment in over six months. On the other hand, WHO managed to keep an active group of paramedics, doctors, nurses, and cleaners through incentives only. This cholera network is working relentlessly to put an end to this event.

WHO Intends to Add 5,000 Treatment Beds for This National Health Crisis

The World Bank sent financial support to this mobilization. WHO managed to organize health centers with up to 60 beds for each one of them. Each of these points has its own staff of 14 medical workers overseeing the place in shifts. The organization wants to put at the disposal of the country 5,000 beds to mitigate the cholera outbreak only.

The most worrying aspect of this phenomenon is the speed with which this illness develops. There are almost 5,000 new suspect cases with each passing day. Children have the riskiest chances in front of this health threat. Representatives aim to open the country again to health solutions, commercial flights, and economic opportunities.

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Scientists have always tried to decipher the results of Intelligence levels or IQ from various points of view. As of recently, they intercepted a connection between those kids who score great rates and their likelihood for a longer lifespan. It turns out after all that smart kids develop better chances for longevity.

Scottish Researchers Had 75,252 People Under Observation for 79 Years

A Scottish team of researchers succeeded to end a comprehensive study. They followed the path 75,252 men and women throughout their lives. All these people had in common was that they were born in the year of 1936. This means that the research took into consideration 94% of the generation that came into life that period in Scotland. All of them took standardized intelligence tests at the age of 11.

In the year of 2015, scientists were able to confirm the death of 25,979 of the people they had under observation. Out of 49,273 left, 30,464 were still living in Great Britain. The same team analyzed the group in all aspects that regarded their health, behavior, and socioeconomic status. After 79 years, they compared the subjects’ childhood IQ scores with their quality of life. They took into consideration health conditions such as lung cancer, strokes, heart disease, and stomach cancer.

Scientists Linked Smart Kids to Longevity, yet They Don’t Know the Causes

Most of these health indices of a long and prosperous lifestyle were linked to smoking habits. However, even after controlling this habit, the association between smart kids and longer lifestyle was still strong.

Some of the most suggestive findings of this paper point at a higher rate of death by accidents among adults that scored low in their IQ test as kids. On the other hand, the research lacked the necessary materials to surface any correlation between childhood intelligence and longevity.

The lead author of the study, Ian J. Deary, avoided labeling the causes of a longer life among bright children. However, the professor of differential psychology at the University of Edinburgh believes that deprivation, lifestyles, education, and genetics may influence longevity.

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Many people in today’s society are suffering from back pains. There is no clear explanation to what exactly triggers such affections. However, the 9 to 5 jobs mostly require office work which imposes standing at a desk for at least 8 hours. This can be one of the causes of a precarious health condition. Nonetheless, a new study pushes yoga practice forward as a viable solution to back pain alleviation.

The Practice of Yoga Turned into a Standalone Industry

Annals of Internal Medicine is a prestigious publication that released a new research paper on June 20 regarding a common condition. So far, there were sparse signs that indicated that treatments but physical therapy are effective to combat mild back pains.

However, this new study leveraged a recent health care trend inspired from the Indian culture. There’s a whole industry built around the practice of yoga with branches in retail, media, and studios. The good news is that there is one more scientific experiment that certifies certain benefits of yoga.

The team of scientists observed the evolution of 320 participants who were all adults of diverse races. However, all of them had one health condition in common which was moderate to severe chronic lower back pain. Around two-thirds of them received medication for their pain.

Afterward, they were randomly selected for three types of programs that lasted for 12 weeks. One of them required 15 sessions of one hour of physical therapy as well as home practice. The other one conscripted them to 12 sessions of yoga for 75 minutes each with extra practice at home. However, some participants in the study received no classes at all. Instead, their task was to read and listen to self-help texts.

The Experiment Showed Back Pain Alleviation for Both Yoga and Physical Therapy Practitioners

After the end of the 12 weeks, scientists kept contact with participants for another nine months. They offered them occasional support to continue their home sessions of reading, yoga or physical therapy.

The results indicated that those who practiced yoga and physical therapy showed greater improvements than those with passive tasks. However, there was not a clear comparison between the effectiveness of the two kinds of treatment for back pain alleviation. Nonetheless, the findings convey yoga more confidence in its medicinal benefits.

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Recent health trends lifted coconut oil to the level of a miracle ingredient. It can rejuvenate your skin and act as a cooking oil with no risks of getting fat at the same time. However, experts in the field don’t share the same view. The American Heart Association released a report to clarify once and for all the facts about healthy fats.

Peanut or Corn Can Offer a Better Health Alternative

To form the right view about present context, a recent New York Times survey discovered that 72% of U.S. citizens are under the belief that coconut oil is healthy. The same paper found that 37% of nutritionists share the same view. On the other hand, AHA has a completely different perception.

The American non-profit organization claimed that this type of oil is full of saturated fats. In fact, people would be better off if they replace this ingredient with peanut or corn. This way, they can slash the chances of getting cardiovascular disease by approximately 30%. This amount would be the equivalent of a cholesterol-lowering statin drug.

Coconut Oil Is Nothing More Than a Source of Saturated Fats According to AHA

Over recent years, people were led to believe that this cooking oil has almost supernatural benefits. Some of its presumable advantages include dementia prevention, anti-aging properties, and heart protection. However, it turns out that all these claims are just a construct of marketing efforts. In fact, 80% of this nutrient consists of saturated fats just like in butter. On the other hand, butter contains only 40% of such fats that contribute to the elevation of bad cholesterol in a person.

While the digital media was never able to reach a consent about the nature of this type of oil, the American Heart Association supported the same view ever since the 1960s. Through its recent statement, the association is just repeating the same overrated reviews of this aliment as it did so far. It encourages people with high cholesterol to consume only 5% of their daily intake from saturated fats. For people without this health difficulty, they are safe to increase the rate to 10%.

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A mother from North Carolina delivered two girls around ten months ago. The babies are healthy and happy, and their only difficulty was being conjoined at the level of their heads. This is an extremely rare situation, yet a certain team of surgeons wanted to offer the twins a simpler life. Therefore, they underwent months of preparations until they were ready for a rare surgery. The operation lasted 11 hours, but the result was a success.

An Embryo That Doesn’t Split Entirely Results in Conjoined Identical Twins

Last week, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia hosted a one of a kind operation. Surgeons of different specialties decided to collaborate on a rare joint surgery to separate two conjoined babies. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, this situation can appear only under extraordinary conditions.

Mothers can have identical twins when an embryo divides into two halves. However, the embryo might not split entirely. In these cases, the identical twins remain connected. Statistics show that this condition is extremely rare with only one case in 200,000 births. On top of that, craniopagus twins, those conjoined at the head, represent only 2% of such cases.

The Rare Surgery Case Needed 30 Specialists

As the connection is located in a vital part of the body, the surgery represented a high-risk operation. The procedure needs the help of plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, critical-care physicians, and anesthesiologists to carry on its numerous tasks. The most sensitive challenge is to separate the veins vital for the brain. On top of that, twins don’t get the same quality of veins.

After the successful rare surgery that needed the help from 30 specialists, the twins are now in medical care. However, they are not safe yet. The recovery period might require further surgeries. On the other hand, their case has few complications which means that the two sisters will get to return home by the end of this year.

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Health specialists always warn people that excesses and sudden disruptive demeanors are yielding great impact on our internal systems. A fresh study confirms these claims further through a new health condition, called social jet lag. Many people are causing these negative effects by themselves without their knowledge. It all comes down to the sweet days of weekends when many decide to sleep in longer than they usually do.

Social Jet Lag Induces Chronic Fatigue but also Long-Term Effects

A new study discovered a hidden source of chronic fatigue that is activated with every hour that people sleep longer during weekdays. Lead author, Sierra B. Forbush, stated that the findings of this health research indicate that sleep regularity is more important than we think. Besides mild mood changes, disrupting sleeping patterns can lead to long-term effects as well. These can materialize in increased chances of heart disease.

The results of the research suggest that with each prolonged hour of sleep, people add up 11% increase in heart disease risk. This health effect was linked to jet lag as both share multiple similarities. Participants in the study looked like they took the plane on Friday to travel on different time zones only to come back home on Monday. However, none of them walked outside during weekend, yet they slept in extra hours.

The Only Solution Is Acknowledgement at a Global Level

Unfortunately, around 85% of the population is suffering from this condition. The solution to this health issue would simply be a regular sleep schedule. However, it is more complex than it sounds. Scientists encourage people to listen to their biological clock. Most of the population showed signs that they would prefer to go to bed at 1 a.m. and sleep for eight hours straight.

On the other hand, work schedules coupled with extensive commuting endeavors makes it almost impossible to respect internal systems. Therefore, scientist Till Roenneberg who coined the term of social jet lag proposed one possible yet complex solution. The entire modern society has to acknowledge the importance of biological clock. This is the only way employers would design schedules to the benefit of their workers.

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Veteran Affairs hospitals have been offering tremendous medical support to veterans. Many specialists claimed that the programs here are outperforming the ones that the private sector offers. However, this medium might hide its own irregularities. The network of institutions is currently under serious investigations. Authorities suspect that employees are responsible for numerous drug thefts.

Employees from More Than 1160 VA Locations Are Suspected of Drug Thefts

The Association Press summoned the Freedom of Information Act to gather data across the network of VA hospitals. According to them, the drug thefts that happen within these institutions reached double the volume of that from the private sector.

Over the period between October 1 and May 19, there were a total of 36 cases filed by the office of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since then, such cases continued to rise in numbers until the present day. Unfortunately, there are numerous medical specialists whose names are mentioned in these lawsuits. More exactly, there are more than 160 medical centers and 1,000 clinics across the United States where some members of the staff are suspected of extracting drugs from their workplace.

These drug thefts end up serving personal interests. Not only that, but the illegally extracted medication can reach the streets. In the end, patients may end up suffering because of lack of required medical care. At the moment, there are 108 of ongoing criminal cases in regards to unauthorized extraction of drugs.

Medical Staff Cover Their Tracks by Administrating Less Medication than Prescribed

One of the most notorious cases concerned a nurse who worked at a VA hospital in Richmond, Virginia. She received criminal charges after she confessed that she used to steal fentanyl patches and oxycodone tablets from local dispensers. The method she employed to hide her tracks was administering fewer drugs to her patients than their prescriptions required. Afterward, she consumed the rests herself to support her addiction.

The VA announced at the beginning of this year that the officials recognized the magnitude of this issue and they plan to address it. Some of the applied strategies include drug tests for their employees and more inspection visits than before.

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Do you love cats? Can you move to Ireland? If the answer is yes for both of these questions, there is a job opening for you. Dublin’s Just Cats Veterinary Clinic & Cattery is hiring a professional cat cuddler. This really sounds like a dream job for people who love cats.

According to them, a cat cuddler must help cats feel calm when they are at the clinic. This person should be able to hold the pets and calm them down. This way, both the cats and their owners feel safer and more relaxed when coming to the clinic. It is a great way to help animals deal with the pressure of being in a veterinary clinic.

Those who want to apply for the position need to know that the person in charge needs to understand different types of purring. Yes, there are different types. Cats normally purr when they are happy, but they can also purr when they are afraid or stressed. Also, the cat cuddler needs to have a soft voice so that he or she doesn’t scare the animals.

“However, the essence of the job is having a staff member that is responsible for ensuring that our patients and guests have a pleasant experience while receiving their healthcare,” mentioned Veterinarian Aoife Caulfield to the HuffPost.

The salary is going to be between 20,000 and 25,000 euros. Yes, you cuddle cats and you also get paid for it. Researchers observed that usually, cats don’t get the care they should when visiting the vet’s office because they are too stressed. This is why pet owners bring their cats to the veterinarian only when there is an emergency.

A cat cuddler could show the animals they have nothing to fear. Their owners will also feel better about bringing them to the doctor. We have to tell you that this job is ultra-competitive and hundreds of people already sent their applications. We’ll have to see who is the best and gets the dream job.

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