US flu season worsens as 44 states report high activity, CDC says

The U.S. flu season keeps getting worse. Health officials say 7.5% of outpatient medical visits last week were due to flu-like illnesses.

Indoor mask mandate may return if LA County reaches high COVID transmission, Ferrer says

Los Angeles County may once again bring back the indoor mask mandate. According to Director Barbara Ferrer, if the county reaches the CDC's high transmission category, masking may be required indoors – again.

New mom credits running for healthy pregnancy

Amanda Huneke ran the Shore A.C. 5K cross-country race in 22 minutes and 42 seconds — good enough for fourth place. And she was nine months' pregnant.

Why fall allergies can be so frustrating

Fall is a big season for allergies because of ragweed and, believe it or not, fallen leaves. Here is why and what you can do.

Mayor's involuntary hospitalization directive raises concerns over resources, accountability

Under a new policy, first responders in New York City will be able to take people with severe mental illness to a hospital for evaluation without their consent. But questions are being asked about resources and accountability.

DoorDash to cut 1,250 corporate jobs after COVID-19 pandemic hiring surge

Delivery company DoorDash is eliminating more than 1,200 corporate jobs, about 6% of its total workforce, saying it hired too many people when demand for its services increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Potatoes 'can be part of healthy diet,' help with weight loss, study says

The study found that participants who ate a diet rich in beans and potatoes — based on their personalized caloric needs — experienced reduced insulin resistance and weight loss.

Civil rights groups oppose NYC plan to force people in 'mental health crisis' off streets

New York City Mayor Eric Adams says the NYPD, FDNY, and other city agencies will start forcing homeless people who are determined to be suffering a "mental health crisis" off the streets and out of the subway system.

NYC to involuntarily commit people with severe mental illness, mayor says

New York state public health law allows authorities to involuntarily commit a person who seems to be a danger to themselves or others. The mayor's new program to sweep people with severe mental illness off the streets requires reinterpreting that law.

China’s meticulous contact tracing pinpoints jogger amid recent COVID-19 outbreak

Patient zero had gone on a 35-minute jog in a local park without a mask and ended up exposing 2,836 people to the virus, 39 of whom tested positive, health officials said.

Genes could be key to diagnosing Lyme disease, scientists say

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a tick bite. But the symptoms can present like those of other diseases, so a misdiagnosis can leave an infection to grow for years. That's why a breakthrough in diagnosing the disease is so important.

China's Xi Jinping faces threat from public anger over 'zero COVID' policy

Most protesters focused their anger on COVID-19 restrictions that confine families to their homes for months and have been criticized as neither scientific nor effective.

COVID-19 mutations found in NYC rats, study shows

COVID-19 mutations were found in NYC's massive rat population, and experts are concerned the mutation could jump from the vermin to humans.

WHO renames monkeypox as 'mpox,' citing racism concerns

The World Health Organization said it was concerned by the “racist and stigmatizing language” that arose after monkeypox spread to more than 100 countries.