New York has recorded 178 measles cases this year. All 15 in Lewis County, where the child lived, were in unvaccinated people.
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A child in Lewis County, in rural northern New York, has died after contracting measles, the state's first known measles-associated death in more than 30 years, the New York State Department of Health and Lewis County Public Health said in a joint statement Monday, November 2. 'We extend our heartfelt condolences to the child's family and loved ones and ask that their privacy be respected during this difficult time,' the agencies said. No other details about the child were released.
New York had recorded 178 measles cases this year as of late October, 170 of them outside New York City, the state says; all 15 confirmed cases in Lewis County were in unvaccinated people, according to county records reported by WSYR. Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency in October that lets paramedics, midwives and others give measles vaccines and lets nurses order testing. 'Vaccination remains our best protection against the heartbreak of another family losing a child to measles,' she said. The federal Department of Health and Human Services said the CDC had sent epidemiologists to help at the state's request.
The CDC has confirmed three measles-associated deaths nationally this year, while state health departments have reported more; Pennsylvania alone has reported five. Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles.
The Yakima County resident had underlying conditions and was exposed at a dairy with infected cattle. The CDC found no changes in the virus that would help it spread between people.
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A Yakima County, Washington, resident who was hospitalized with severe bird flu after exposure at a dairy with infected cattle died Sunday, November 1, the Yakima Health District said; the person had underlying health conditions. It is the first U.S. death from H5 bird flu this year and the third since 2024, after deaths in Louisiana in January 2025 and in Washington in 2025.
The CDC analyzed the genetic sequence of the virus and found no changes that would make it spread more easily or cause more severe illness, a spokesperson told the Associated Press, and the agency still assesses the risk to the general public as low. More than 70 human infections have been reported in the U.S. since early 2024, almost all in people exposed to infected animals, with no known person-to-person spread.
Washington confirmed its first H5N1 infections in dairy cattle in early October; by October 29, the virus had been found in 34 dairy herds, 33 in Yakima County and one in Benton County, according to the state agriculture department. The county has reported three human cases tied to cattle exposure. Health officials advise against drinking raw, unpasteurized milk and recommend protective equipment for people who work with livestock.
With open enrollment underway, the Federal Trade Commission said October 29 that its staff are sending warning letters to 25 companies that market Affordable Care Act Marketplace plans or other health products, such as limited indemnity plans and medical discount programs, or that generate sales leads for them, warning them against deceptive claims, with more letters to follow. If you're shopping for 2027 coverage, compare plans on HealthCare.gov or your state's official marketplace, be wary of ads and callers that pressure you or promise unusually low prices, and know that limited indemnity plans and discount programs are not comprehensive insurance. Report misleading pitches at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
To be covered on January 1, pick a plan by December 15 on HealthCare.gov. Whether you can still enroll into January depends on your state, and reports differ, so don't wait.
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Open enrollment for 2027 health coverage through HealthCare.gov and state marketplaces begins Sunday, November 1. If you buy your own insurance, plan to pick a plan by December 15: that is the deadline for coverage starting January 1 on HealthCare.gov.
Whether the window stays open past December 15 is less clear than usual. A 2025 federal rule set a shorter enrollment period for 2027 coverage, ending no later than December 31, and several insurance sites list December 15 as the final deadline in HealthCare.gov states; others say a court blocked that change and that HealthCare.gov will again run through January 15. Check the official deadline for your state at HealthCare.gov or your state's marketplace, and treat December 15 as your target either way.
Before you renew automatically, compare: premiums and plans change every year, and prices for 2027 are expected to rise. Update your income estimate, since your premium tax credit depends on it, and check that your doctors and prescriptions are still covered. Free help is available from certified navigators through HealthCare.gov, and Medicare's separate open enrollment runs through December 7.
The outbreak of Bundibugyo virus, one of the Ebola viruses, has killed more than 4,600 people since May. WHO calls the risk very high in Congo but low globally, and a vaccine trial has begun.
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An outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus has reached 9,704 confirmed cases, including 4,687 deaths, across 66 health zones in eight provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of October 20, the World Health Organization said in its October 23 Disease Outbreak News. Nearly half of confirmed patients have died. Of the 482 deaths since WHO's previous update on October 8, 307 occurred in communities rather than treatment centers, which WHO said shows continuing problems detecting cases early and getting people to care.
The outbreak, declared May 15, has now reached five countries. Kenya reported its first imported case on October 6, in a person who traveled from Congo through Uganda; it had nine cases, including one death, by October 20, all among known contacts of the first patient, with no evidence of wider spread. Nigeria confirmed an imported case in Abuja on October 20, in a patient who had traveled from Uganda. Uganda and France have also had cases.
WHO assesses the risk as very high in Congo, high for neighboring countries and low for the rest of Africa and the world, and is updating that assessment. It advises against restrictions on travel or trade with affected countries. On October 23, a Phase 2/3 trial of vaccine candidates against Bundibugyo virus, called TUMAINI, enrolled its first participants in Bunia. There is no licensed vaccine for this species of Ebola. The disease spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people or contaminated materials, and people are not contagious before symptoms start.
Treasury and the IRS would limit the credit to citizens, nationals and certain lawfully present noncitizens, and add verification for advance payments. Comments close November 30.
By News Unc ·
The Treasury Department and the IRS have proposed regulations changing who can claim the Premium Tax Credit, the refundable credit that lowers the cost of health insurance bought through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. The rules carry out changes in the 2025 tax law and would take effect beginning in 2027.
Under the proposal, the credit would be limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and certain lawfully present noncitizens, and new verification requirements would apply before advance payments of the credit are made. The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to issue parallel rules covering how the marketplaces carry out the checks.
The administration presents the rules as closing eligibility loopholes and preventing improper claims; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said subsidies should be reserved for people eligible under federal law. The Federal Register notice sets out which categories of noncitizens would remain eligible and the full verification procedures.
Nothing changes for 2026 coverage, and enrollment for 2027 marketplace plans has not opened yet. Comments on the proposed rules are due November 30 through the Federal Register docket.
Kenya confirmed an imported case in a patient who had traveled from Congo through Uganda and died on October 5, WHO said October 8; contact tracing began in Kenya and Uganda. As of October 6, Congo had recorded 8,728 confirmed cases and 4,205 deaths across 64 health zones.
WHO declared the outbreak, first confirmed in May, a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola viruses; there is no licensed vaccine for it, and it spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people.
As of September 23, Congo had reported 7,890 confirmed cases, including 3,799 deaths, WHO said September 25. Two new health zones were affected: Bulu, in Sud-Ubangi in the northwest, a new province, and Dungu, in Haut-Uele near the border with South Sudan, which WHO said increases the risk of spread across borders.
WHO declared the outbreak, first confirmed in May, a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola viruses; there is no licensed vaccine for it, and it spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people.
As of September 7, Congo had reported 6,757 confirmed cases, including 3,267 deaths, across 61 health zones in six provinces, WHO said September 10. WHO pointed to persistent delays in detecting cases and getting patients to early care as reasons the death rate has stayed near 48 percent.
WHO declared the outbreak, first confirmed in May, a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola viruses; there is no licensed vaccine for it, and it spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people.
As of August 26, Congo had reported 5,794 confirmed cases, including 2,786 deaths, nearly half of all confirmed patients, across 60 health zones, WHO said August 28. The outbreak remains a public health emergency of international concern after WHO's emergency committee met on August 18, and updated recommendations to countries followed on August 24.
WHO declared the outbreak, first confirmed in May, a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola viruses; there is no licensed vaccine for it, and it spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people.
As of August 12, Congo had reported 4,665 confirmed cases, including 2,184 deaths, across 54 health zones in six provinces, WHO said August 14, calling it the largest Ebola outbreak in the country's history and one expanding faster than any previous Ebola outbreak. The same day, WHO rated the risk very high in Congo, high for neighboring countries and low globally.
WHO declared the outbreak, first confirmed in May, a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola viruses; there is no licensed vaccine for it, and it spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people.
As of July 30, Congo had reported 3,605 confirmed cases, including 1,587 deaths, a death rate of 44 percent, WHO said August 1, making it the largest Ebola outbreak ever reported in the country. First confined to the Mongbwalu health zone in Ituri province, it had spread to 49 health zones in five provinces, and the most recent full week brought the highest weekly totals yet, 567 cases and 296 deaths.
WHO declared the outbreak, first confirmed in May, a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola viruses; there is no licensed vaccine for it, and it spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people.
As of July 15, Congo had reported 2,124 confirmed cases, including 828 deaths, WHO said July 17. Germany confirmed a case on July 13 in an American humanitarian worker medically evacuated from Congo, the second U.S. citizen treated in Germany. Uganda's last patient was discharged on July 16, starting the 42-day countdown required before its outbreak can be declared over.
WHO declared the outbreak, first confirmed in May, a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola viruses; there is no licensed vaccine for it, and it spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people.
Congo had reported 1,460 confirmed cases, including 452 deaths, as of July 1, WHO said in its July 3 update. Uganda had 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths, plus one probable case who died, though it had reported no new cases since June 21. France confirmed a case on June 24 in a doctor who had returned from Congo.
WHO declared the outbreak, first confirmed in May, a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola viruses; there is no licensed vaccine for it, and it spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of sick people.