Health category, Page 112
American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women encourages wearing of red
Days before she was to board a Walt Disney Cruise Line with her family two years ago, Rachel Brecht was told she couldn’t go. She needed heart surgery. “I said to my cardiologist, I am leaving for a cruise,” said Brecht, 44, from Bethel Park. “And he said, ‘No you’re...
Allegheny County records 2 more flu-related deaths
Two more Allegheny County residents have died from flu complications, bringing the county’s total flu-associated deaths this season to seven, the Allegheny County Health Department said Wednesday. Department spokesman Ryan Scarpino said one of the residents was in their 60s, while the other was in their 40s. The Health Department...
Italy, Turkey screen all arriving passengers for coronavirusVideo
ROME — Italy and Turkey said Wednesday they were taking the temperatures of all arriving airline passengers in new prevention measures aimed at halting the spread of a virus outbreak that has killed hundreds of people in China. Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said thermal cameras installed at Turkish airports...
Pennsylvania flu deaths increase by 7, cases up 24%
Pennsylvania recorded another increase in flu-associated deaths in a season that has hit Southwestern Pennsylvania particularly hard. As of the week ending Feb. 1, flu-associated deaths increased by seven for a total of 40 this flu season, according to data released Tuesday by the state Department of Health. Most of...
Girl’s fall into grease pit prompts W.Va. bill to hike fines
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After a 5-year-old girl fell into a restaurant grease pit and was rescued, West Virginia’s Senate has passed legislation that would toughen fines for restaurants that have unsecured lids on the containers. The state Senate passed the bill Tuesday, 33-0. One member was absent. It now goes...
Health Happenings: Week of Feb. 3
Blood drives • American Red Cross will host these blood drives: —1-5:30 p.m. Feb. 7, North Huntingdon Town House, 11279 Center Highway, North Huntingdon — Noon-4:30 p.m. Feb. 10, Excela Square Norwin, 8775 Norwin Ave., North Huntingdon — Noon-5:30 p.m. Feb. 11, Saint Vincent College, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Unity...
Cervical cancer is almost 100% preventable. And Chicago is making a move to eradicate it
CHICAGO — “It happens when you least expect it. … It was my last semester before it was time for me to graduate. That’s when I found out.” Morgan Park, Ill., resident Angela Williams was 40 years old in 2015 when she received a diagnosis of cervical cancer following a...
Sepsis: A team response to a potential killer
Our bodies are very good at fighting infection. The immune system reacts and attacks bacteria and viruses that make us sick. But sometimes the immune reaction is so strong that it damages the body. This is called a septic reaction or sepsis, and the mortality rate associated with it can...
What you may not know about carrots
How do you know when a carrot is dehydrated? Why should we care? I found the answer plus other interesting facts about my favorite vegetable in a recent article by registered dietitian Bethany Oxender in Food & Nutrition magazine, a publication of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. I’ve highlighted...
Pennsylvania health department officials say ‘coronavirus threat remains low’
While China has accused the U.S. of causing panic in its response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak, the Pennsylvania Department of Health is doing what it can to keep residents calm. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine reminded Pennsylvanians Monday that the threat from coronavirus remains low. There have been...
FDA approves first treatment for kids with peanut allergy
WASHINGTON — The first treatment for peanut allergies is about to hit the market, a big step toward better care for all kinds of food allergies — but still a long way from a cure. Friday’s approval by the Food and Drug Administration promises to bring some relief to families...
Latrobe presentation will focus on skin cancer
Skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the United States, will be the topic of an informational program Wednesday in Latrobe. The 6 p.m. presentation by Dr. Melissa Pugliano-Mauro, residency program director in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Dermatology, is part of an ongoing series of health-related...
U.S. reports 1st case of person-to-person spread of new virus
NEW YORK — Health officials Thursday reported the first U.S. case of person-to-person spread of the new virus from China. The man is married to the Chicago woman who got sick from the virus after she returned from a trip to Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak. There have...
For 1st time in 4 years, U.S. life expectancy rises — a little
NEW YORK — Life expectancy in the United States is up for the first time in four years. The increase is small — just a month — but marks at least a temporary halt to a downward trend. The rise is due to lower death rates for cancer and drug...
Allegheny County flu death toll reaches 5, Health Department confirms
Two more Allegheny County residents have died from flu complications, bringing this flu season’s county death toll to five, according to the county’s Health Department. The latest deaths were people in their 30s who had underlying medical conditions, according to the Allegheny County Health Department. All of those who have...
Pennsylvania reports 9 new flu-related deaths
After a two-week respite, Pennsylvania reported an increase in flu-related deaths in the past week, according to the state Department of Health. As of the week ending Jan. 25, a total of 33 flu-related deaths have been reported this flu season, which started Sept. 29. That’s up by nine from...
Latest UPMC South plans include smaller footprint in Jefferson Hills
UPMC has presented plans for a much smaller medical facility in Jefferson Hills than initially planned. While the health care giant still seeks to build a 63-bed hospital in the borough, some of the outpatient services initially planned for the medical center proposed near the intersection of Elliot Road and...
‘Hope Scarves’ bring joy, optimism to UPMC cancer patientsVideo
In the crowded lobby of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center on Tuesday, Lara MacGregor, founder of Hope Scarves, stepped to the microphone and told a story of friendship. During a trip to a cancer conference in 2009, MacGregor was taking a moment in the lobby of her hotel. She felt overwhelmed...
Westmoreland Manor water being tested for Legionnaires’ disease
State health officials confirmed Tuesday an investigation is ongoing at Westmoreland Manor for a suspected case of Legionnaires’ disease. Residents and employees at the county-owned nursing home in Hempfield have been using bottled water to drink and to clean with since Friday, when the investigation started. “The department is investigating...
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Dietary supplements useful in some situations, but also can be harmful
Dear Mayo Clinic: Why does my doctor want to know what supplements I’m taking, even if I don’t have any health problems and don’t take more than the recommended amounts? Answer: It’s important to tell your health care provider about any dietary supplements you take. Although you don’t need a...
Health Happenings: Week of Jan. 27
Classes/programs • Excela Health fitness classes for the mind, body and spirit at Westmoreland Hospital, 532 W. Pittsburgh St., Greensburg, unless otherwise noted: — Strength and Tone, 3:30-4:15 p.m. Mondays beginning Feb. 3 — Interval Training, 4:30- 5:30 p.m. Mondays beginning Feb. 3 — Chair Fit, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Mondays beginning...
Mixed blessing: Social media provides spread of health information, misinformation
Combine the vast power and reach of social media, the unlimited resources of websites and apps, and the unquenchable thirst for health information and motivation. The result is a powerful tool for researchers, health care providers and patients. But like many aspects of the internet, it can be a mixed...
Ben Schmitt: Here’s what I found during my Dry January experience
The concept of Dry January left me a bit wary. I generally savor the post-work beer or cocktail after a long day of juggling breaking news, meetings and headlines. But, like a lot of people, I did my fair share of imbibing over the holiday season. So, after waking Dec....
Pittsburgh planning aid for sister city of Wuhan, China, stricken with coronavirus
Pittsburgh is planning a care package for its sister city of Wuhan, China, ground zero for the deadly coronavirus that’s so far killed at least 80 people in China, Mayor Bill Peduto said Monday. The disease has sickened nearly 3,000 people, almost all in China. About a dozen other countries...
Too soon to tell if new virus as dangerous as SARS cousin
The new virus from China has the world on edge because it’s a close cousin to viruses that killed hundreds in separate outbreaks. While it’s too early to tell if this latest threat will prove as deadly, health authorities are drawing on lessons from that grim past. WHAT’S THE LINK...
