3,901 Dead in Outbreak; 8 Hospitalized After Cheese Consumption; New FDA Approvals

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Congo’s record-breaking Ebola outbreak has now tallied 8,067 confirmed cases, including 3,901 deaths. (AP)

A state of emergency has been declared in Hillsborough County, Florida, as locally acquired cases of dengue fever reached 170. (The Hill)

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has grown to 890 cases. (New York Times)

FDA warned that 13 people have been sickened in a nine-state Escherichia coli outbreak linked to recalled raw-milk cheese from Sierra Nevada Graziers, including eight hospitalizations.

And FDA notices warned of recalls for a cinnamon seasoning product made by Lior due to potential elevated lead levels and alfalfa sprouting seeds from Berlin Seeds over potential E. coli or Salmonella contamination.

Thousands of unionized nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston voted to move forward with an open-ended strike. (ABC News)

The White House appears to be slow-walking a push from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and others to demand proof from food makers that certain ultraprocessed food ingredients are safe. (Washington Post)

The U.S. isn’t on board with a United Nations declaration on pandemic preparedness that aims for broader cooperation. (New York Times)

As work requirements kick in for Medicaid, some states are taking a tougher stance. (AP)

HHS hasn’t spent nearly any of the $101 million that Congress allocated for teen pregnancy prevention. (NPR)

A Blue Cross Blue Shield Association analysis estimated that hospital use of artificial intelligence (AI) cost the insurer an extra $942 million from 2023 to 2025.

Americans born with birth defects from in utero thalidomide exposure want recognition from the U.S. government. (NPR)

Owning a smartphone at age 12 was associated with eating disorder symptoms at age 14, a cohort study study suggested. (JAMA Network Open)

The FDA approved zilurgisertib (Atebrioz) for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva in patients 12 years and up, the third treatment for the rare condition where bone grows outside the skeleton.

Eli Lilly announced that FDA expanded the approval of baricitinib (Olumiant) in severe alopecia areata to include children ages 12 years and up.

And the agency also approved belzutifan (Welireg) plus lenvatinib (Lenvima) for previously treated advanced renal cell carcinoma with a clear cell component.

An investigational smartphone app reduced the severity of negative symptoms in schizophrenia, a randomized trial showed. (JAMA Network Open)

TikTok will pay the state of Alabama at least $100 million and must implement a slew of safety features for teens in the state as part of a settlement agreement reached just before the case was set to go to trial. (AP)

An oncology nurse working in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” detailed her concerns about the expected pollution from AI data centers planned in the state. (Dissent)

In a cluster randomized trial, a multipronged electronic health record-based intervention that promoted nonpharmacologic pain care after surgery helped reduce opioid prescriptions without worsening patient-reported outcomes. (JAMA Network Open)

STAT looked at five candidates for the next director-general of the World Health Organization.

Crystal meth is a culprit in the skyrocketing HIV rates in Fiji. (NPR)

Health workers in Africa say the Trump administration cut funding that would help reduce the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission, one of the administration’s stated goals. (CNN)

Mark Consuelos of “Live with Kelly and Mark” said he’s undergoing surgery for a painful arthritic toe. (People)