4,205 Dead in Outbreak; Trump Admin Broke Federal Law; Viola Davis’ Shingles

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The Congo has confirmed 8,728 cases and 4,205 deaths in its Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced.

In the wake of the massive outbreak of diarrhea-causing cyclosporiasis, Americans’ confidence in food safety has fallen to a new low, according to a Gallup survey.

In related news, Taylor Farms — the company whose iceberg lettuce was linked to the largest cyclosporiasis outbreak — announced it would stop producing iceberg in Mexico during CDC’s defined cyclosporiasis season of May through the end of August.

Walgreens data showed that purchases of cold and flu medicines are up by over 20% from this time last year. (ABC News)

A scorecard released by Make America Healthy Again activists concluded that the Trump administration broke most of its promises on food, agriculture, and environmental health. (NBC News)

The Trump administration broke federal law by withholding research grant funding Congress appropriated for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, according to a Government Accountability Office report. (The Hill)

Compared with peer nations, access to healthcare isn’t the problem for Americans on Medicare but affordability is, a Commonwealth Fund survey found.

Health officials in Los Angeles are implementing a system to automatically screen and qualify low-income patients for financial aid so they can avoid crushing medical debt. (KFF Health News)

In an attempt to curb access to abortion pills, three Republican-led states filed lawsuits claiming medical providers are creating a public nuisance by mailing the drugs across state lines. (Reuters via AOL)

State officials and doctors engaged in a fierce debate over vaccine science during a meeting to discuss Florida’s planned removal of the varicella, hepatitis B, and other shots from the state’s childhood vaccine schedule. (Politico)

A clinical trial showed that use of a patient-facing conversational artificial intelligence-powered chatbot is feasible in an urgent care setting. (The Lancet)

Actress Viola Davis opened up on her bout with shingles. (NBC News)

An 18-year-old football player for the University of Missouri underwent a successful heart transplant. (ESPN)

ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith apologized for comments he made about the mental health of retired Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson. (USA Today)

The first suicide memorial by a U.S. archdiocese signals a compassionate shift by the Catholic Church. (AP)

Meanwhile, NPR examined rising suicide rates in Black Americans.

China nominated health official Song Li, MD, to lead the WHO, as Beijing seeks to expand its presence in international governing bodies. (AP)

In other news from the global health body, WHO announced a new roadmap to tackle hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia, and new guidance to help nations transitioning away from institutionalizing people for mental health conditions.

The U.S. government and Zambia signed a $2.49 billion health financing deal after agreeing to remove specimen-sharing and patient-data clauses that had stalled the conclusion of the pact. (AP)