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Kentucky Recovers From February Flooding, Where 22 Lives Were Lost

Kentucky flood damage.

From February 15 to 16, seven inches of rain fell across Kentucky, causing the worst flooding the state has experienced since 2022. The February storms have caused 22 deaths, necessitated over 1,000 water rescues, and left over 14,000 residents without power. Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky, stated, “This is one of the most serious weather events that we’ve dealt with in at least a decade.” One month later, as the state rebuilds, storm warnings for this week threaten the progress communities have made. 

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Bird Flu Hits Dairy Industry, Sounds Alarms in Public Health

Chickens on a farm.

The H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu, is disrupting the dairy industry and prompting concerns about a potential outbreak. While the virus has primarily affected poultry in the past, its recent spread to cattle and documented cases in humans signal a growing epidemiological challenge. As for now, the bird flu has caught the public eye through its impact on egg prices, sensationalized by potential correlations to recent layoffs in public health agencies and promises by the current administration under President Donald Trump.

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Manasi Narayan’s Case Study on the Syrian Refugee Crisis

Children in a Syrian refugee camp.

The Syrian refugee crisis has lasted over a decade, forcing the displacement of over 7 million people. In 2011, teenagers were arrested for anti-government graffiti, which led to public demonstrations that grew into a civil war. The refugee crisis that followed has forced millions to flee, killed thousands of children, and has left 70% of the Syrian population in dire need of humanitarian assistance. 

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Afreen Khimani, Samantha Whitegeese, and Sara Merken’s Emergency Response Plan on Avian Flu in Michigan

Introduction: Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu H5N1 (HPAI) is a disease that is caused by the avian influenza Type A virus, which spreads in wild aquatic birds as well as domestic poultry, with rare, sporadic infections in humans. Avian flu is spread to humans through interaction with saliva, mucous, and feces of infected birds. Those with frequent contact with cows and birds are at higher risk for developing avian flu. In the United States between April 1, 2024 and May 29, 2024, there have been three human cases, all contracting avian flu after contact with dairy cows. In order to monitor H5N1 activity in humans, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is utilizing the flu surveillance system.

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Nicole Brandao’s Case Study on Inequity in Mining Practices in Panama

Map with a pin in Panama

This case study by Nicole Brandao examines the unethical and unsustainable practices of foreign industrial mining corporations in Panama in the context of colonialism. Brandao details the practices’ negative public health consequences on surrounding populations and narrates the events that had taken place in 2023 in response to these injustices.

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Incidence of Dengue Fever Rises in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Newborn mosquito

Rio de Janeiro has declared a public health emergency due to an outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever. This viral infection is transmitted from vector to human through the bite of an infected mosquito. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Dengue fever is often asymptomatic; however, possible symptoms of the illness include high fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and a rash. Symptoms only last a week, with some cases developing a more chronic form and the patients requiring further medical care.

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Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic for the 2024 Presidential Election

Busy street with people wearing masks

A recent article published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) reviews inadequacies and successes from the U.S. government’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights health policy areas in which improvements must be made to promote better health outcomes in the future. The article is a part of BMJ’s collection titled “US covid-19 lessons for future health protection and preparedness.”

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