Published26 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Sam CabralBBC News, WashingtonA US federal judge has overturned an Arkansas law that bars doctors from providing gender transition treatment for transgender youth.The southern state was the first in the nation to pass such a law blocking minors’ access to hormonal or surgical treatments. At least 19 other states have imposed similar bans in the two years since.But Tuesday’s ruling found Arkansas had failed to prove its law was about “protecting children”.The state’s leadership has vowed to appeal against the ruling.The decision, by US District Judge Jay Moody, may have implications for similar measures in other Republican-led states.During an eight-day trial over the ban, the judge heard from children, parents and physicians, who said the children’s lives had changed for the better as a result of transitioning treatment. The state meanwhile called four expert witnesses who questioned the safety of such treatment and the reliability of research on gender dysphoria, as well as two adults who had “de-transitioned”.In his ruling, Judge Moody wrote that the state had “failed to provide sufficient evidence that the banned treatments are ineffective or experimental”, while plaintiffs had shown that the care “can relieve the clinically significant distress associated with gender dysphoria in adolescents”.He said banning hormone treatment, puberty blockers or surgery for anyone under 18 violated the rights of transgender children and their families under the US Constitution.Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said the state would appeal, adding: “There is no scientific evidence that any child will benefit from these procedures, while the consequences are harmful and often permanent.” Arkansas Republicans brought in the law in April 2021, overriding a veto by then-Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican who criticised it as a “vast government overreach”.Supporters of the bill argued it was necessary to regulate medical decisions with “harmful and often permanent” consequences for young people.Non-profit group the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenged the law on behalf of four transgender teenagers, their families and two doctors.One plaintiff, 17-year-old Dylan Brandt, who testified at the trial, said he was “so grateful” to the judge.”My mom and I wanted to fight this law not just to protect my healthcare, but also to ensure that transgender people like me can safely and fully live our truths,” he said.Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she would challenge the ruling through an appeal.”This is not ‘care’ – it’s activists pushing a political agenda at the expense of our kids and subjecting them to permanent and harmful procedures,” she wrote on Twitter.”Only in the far-Left’s woke vision of America is it not appropriate to protect children.”Tuesday’s court ruling may set the precedent for the ACLU to challenge seven other state bans on hormonal or surgical treatments for transgender minors.Similar laws in Alabama, Florida and Indiana have also been held up in federal courts.”We hope that this sends a message to other states about the vulnerability of these laws and the many harms that come from passing them,” said Chase Strangio, the ACLU’s deputy director for transgender justice.

Published8 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Sam CabralBBC News, WashingtonAs North and South Carolina move to tighten abortion restrictions, women seeking to terminate pregnancies in the US south may be running out of options.As access has been severely curtailed, Virginia is poised to become the only state in the region to allow abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy.The latest restrictions are expected to force even more out-of-state patients to seek abortions in Virginia.That is putting pressure on already strained in-state abortion providers.Whole Woman’s Health, which operates two brick-and-mortar clinics and a telemedicine resource that provides abortion pills by mail, was seeing more women cross state lines to access its services even before the Supreme Court overturned the right to terminate pregnancies last June.”It started when Texas passed its six-week ban in 2021,” said founder and CEO Amy Hagstrom Miller. “We started to see people – believe it or not – coming all the way from Texas into Virginia.”That is a distance of about 1,200 miles (2,000km) – and the number of women arriving from other parts of the country has risen by more than 10% in the 11 months since the court’s ruling, according to Mrs Miller.Several have come from Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia – all of which border Virginia and which have outlawed nearly all abortions.In North Carolina, which borders Virginia to the south, the Republican-controlled state legislature on Tuesday overrode the Democratic governor’s veto of a bill that bans most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy.The law will go into effect on 1 July.South Carolina’s legislature – which is also Republican-controlled – is seeking to prohibit nearly all abortions after six weeks, although it is likely to face court challenges. A similar six-week ban is making its way through state courts in Florida.North Carolina bans abortion after 12 weeksFlorida governor signs 6-week abortion ban into lawMore than 6,000 women from other parts of the country have phoned Whole Woman’s Health clinics since the start of the year.In anticipation of more patients, the organisation has been working to fill a shortage of providers by bringing in new physicians and nurse practitioners from the Washington DC and Baltimore areas, and even from as far as California.Over the past year, it is also leaning more heavily on its virtual tele-health programmes and has created other resources to ease the burden of out-of-state patients, including helping them with funding.”Almost 70% of people seeking abortions are already working parents,” Mrs Miller told the BBC. “We’ve got child-friendly waiting rooms with toys and changing tables – things that maybe we didn’t need to think about as much when we were just serving folks locally.””People are very confused. They’re uncertain about their rights, they’re uncertain about where they can get an abortion,” she added. “We’re doing our best to try to get clear information to people and help as many as we can.”For Supreme Court, the abortion battle is just beginningThe expected surge in women seeking an abortion in Virginia is perhaps even more concerning for Planned Parenthood, which operates six clinics across the state and anticipates thousands of additional patients will seek its services in the coming months.Jamie Lockhart, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates for Virginia, said abortion bans in neighbouring states will have “a ripple effect” on her state.”This influx of patients will lead to longer wait times for Virginians,” she said.”These providers of abortion care also provide a whole range of sexual and reproductive healthcare as well as primary care,” she added. “So when there’s an increased need for abortion access, it’s also going to have implications for other healthcare that they provide.”Virginia currently allows abortions in the first and second trimesters – or, more precisely, up to 26 weeks and six days of pregnancy – while also allowing them in the third trimester if at least three doctors certify that the woman’s health is at risk.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.In January, Democrats in the state legislature blocked a 15-week abortion ban proposed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.Two-thirds of Virginians in a Washington Post-Schar School poll in April said they opposed tightening access to abortion.The state’s residents should recognise, however, that they are “one election away” from having restrictions similar to those in North Carolina, Ms Lockhart said.After the Supreme Court decision, abortions in North Carolina soared by nearly 40% – the single biggest percentage increase in any state – as women from the region saw access to the procedure in their own states curbed.But after a state representative switched from the Democratic party to the Republican party last month, it handed Republicans the veto-proof majority they needed to push through their six-week abortion proposal over the objections of Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat.By contrast, Governor Youngkin in Virginia has vowed to “happily and gleefully” sign anti-abortion legislation sent to his desk.While his previous effort was thwarted by an ultra-slim Democratic majority in the state Senate, every seat in the legislature will be on the ballot this November and, if the chamber flips to Republican control, Mr Youngkin will get his chance.More on this storyNorth Carolina bans abortion after 12 weeksPublished1 day agoFlorida governor signs 6-week abortion ban into lawPublished14 AprilFor Supreme Court, the abortion battle is just beginningPublished22 April

Published14 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Sam CabralBBC News, WashingtonThe first non-prescription birth control pill in the US is on the way to approval, after a thumbs-up from an advisory committee of drug regulators.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel’s unanimous vote is not binding, but means the agency is likely to formally approve the drug this summer.Opill has been available, but only by prescription, for the past 50 years.Over-the-counter birth control is available in over 100 countries, says Free the Pill, an advocacy group.The push for over-the-counter access in the US comes amid Republican-led efforts to restrict access to abortion and contraception at the national and state level.US considers over-the-counter birth control pillsUS retailers limit buying emergency contraceptivesTaking a risk with black-market abortion pillsBirth control pills are widely prescribed in the US, but nearly all US patients receive a pill that includes the oestrogen hormone.Opill is a progestin-only pill, meaning that it is made of a synthetic form of progesterone and does not include oestrogen. It is taken once daily and must be consumed at the same time every day.Seventeen outside experts from two FDA advisory panels met on Tuesday and Wednesday to deliberate over the safety and effectiveness of Opill.In briefing documents published last week, FDA officials had expressed scepticism over an updated analysis of the pill provided by the drug maker.They wrote that HRA Pharma appeared to have relied on low-quality studies, some dating back to when the drug was first approved in 1973.Despite these reservations, the panel voted 17-0 on Wednesday in support of switching the pill from prescription to over-the-counter.Advisors on the panel said they were mostly confident women of all ages would use the drug as appropriate without first consulting a healthcare provider.”In the balance between benefit and risk, we’d have a hard time justifying not taking this action,” said chairwoman Maria Coyle, an Ohio State University pharmacist.”The drug is incredibly effective, and I think it will be effective in the over-the-counter realm just as it is in the prescription realm.”HRA’s parent company Perrigo has told investors it expects the FDA to make a final decision within the next three months, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reports.If approved, Opill could be rolled out in pharmacies by the end of the year.

Published9 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Sam CabralBBC News, WashingtonUS First Lady Jill Biden has undergone surgery to remove two cancerous skin lesions, the president’s doctor has said.Both were consistent with basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, Dr Kevin O’Connor wrote in a memo on Wednesday.All cancerous tissue was fully removed from the lesions in a procedure known as Mohs surgery, it said.Mrs Biden is “in good spirits and is feeling well”, Dr O’Connor said.Following a routine skin cancer screening earlier this month, doctors recommended that a small lesion above Mrs Biden’s right eye should be excised out of “an abundance of caution”.The Wednesday morning procedure confirmed the lesion was basal cell carcinoma (BCC).Diagnosed in 3.6 million Americans every year, it is the the most frequently occurring form of all cancers, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. BCCs are slow-growing, curable and cause minimal damage if treated early.A second lesion, on the first lady’s left eyelid, and a third lesion, on the left side of her chest, were also excised. The latter had an appearance consistent with potential BCC.Mohs surgery involves surgeons cutting away and analysing thin layers of skin until no signs of cancer are found. Patients are typically discharged on the same day.Mrs Biden is said to be experiencing some facial swelling and bruising, but is expected back at the White House later on Wednesday.President Joe Biden accompanied his wife to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, some 15 miles from the White House, for the procedure, which came hours after their return to Washington from a trilateral summit in Mexico City.Mr Biden has had several non-melanoma skin cancers removed with Mohs surgery in the past, before he became president. In a 2021 summary of his health, Dr O’Connor wrote that the president’s lesions had been excised and “there are no areas suspicious for skin cancer at this time”.

Published18 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Sam CabralBBC NewsRetail pharmacies in the US can dispense the abortion pill mifepristone for the first time, under a new rule change by the Biden administration.Patients currently obtain mifepristone – part of a two-drug regimen that is safe and effective in inducing abortion – in person from a health provider.A prescription is still required under the new rule, but patients can now pick up the pill in-store or by mail order.The move could significantly expand access to abortion through medication.Abortion pills have become more sought after in the wake of last year’s Supreme Court decision overturning the federal right to abortion, with several states banning or sharply restricting access to abortion. More than half of US abortions are already done with pills rather than by surgery, according to the pro-choice Guttmacher Institute.In December 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had said it would permanently lift the requirement for patients to obtain a prescription in person via a healthcare provider, as part of its pandemic-driven move toward telemedicine.On Tuesday, the FDA updated its website with the new requirements, saying the drug “can be dispensed by certified pharmacies or by or under the supervision of a certified prescriber”.Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, the two US companies who make the drug, confirmed in separate statements that the agency had informed them of its decision.The move has been hailed as “an important step” forward by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.”Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug,” the organisation said in a statement.Mifepristone is taken in combination with a second drug called misoprostol, typically taken within 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy to induce what is known as medication abortion. Misoprostol, which is commonly used for miscarriage management, is not a restricted drug and can easily be obtained at pharmacies via prescription. Pharmacies – from large chains to corner drugstores – can now apply for certification to distribute mifepristone, which will allow them to directly service customers with a prescription from a certified prescriber. Drug chains CVS and Walgreens have both said they are reviewing the new requirements.But the political landmines surrounding abortion are likely to influence whether or not, and where, pharmacies will offer the pill.Women in the more than dozen states where abortion has been banned will also likely need to travel to other states to obtain medication abortion.

Published50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Sam CabralBBC NewsAmerican football star Damar Hamlin is in a critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest during a primetime US National Football League game.The Buffalo Bills player, 24, fell to the ground after colliding with an opponent during the first quarter of a match against the Cincinnati Bengals.He received on-field medical attention for more than 30 minutes before being taken to a local hospital.The NFL suspended the game for the night about an hour after the incident. His team, the Buffalo Bills later confirmed the cardiac arrest in a statement and added that his heartbeat was restored on the field.The emergency sparked an outpouring of support for Hamlin and brought attention back to the dangerous nature of America’s most popular sport as the NFL season approaches its climactic play-off stages.Hamlin was tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in the stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, when Higgins’ helmet appeared to hit Hamlin in the chest. After initially getting to his feet, he fell on his back.Players from both teams gathered around Hamlin as emergency medical staff gave CPR and oxygen. Several were seen visibly distressed, with many kneeling to pray and some in tears.Television coverage repeatedly broke away from the scene on the field, while the crowd in Cincinnati remained silent during the ordeal.Jordon Rooney, Hamlin’s representative, wrote on Twitter: “His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat. They are currently running tests. We will provide updates as we have them.”NFL games are rarely suspended because of injury. Commentators said the fact that gameplay had stalled was a sign of the shocking and severe nature of the emergency. The two teams are among the top Super Bowl contenders this year, with their head-to-head coming in the primetime Monday night slot in the penultimate week of the NFL’s regular season.The league’s players’ association wrote in a statement: “We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well-being.”Image source, USA Today Sports/ReutersHamlin, a native of McKees Rock, Pennsylvania, was drafted from the University of Pittsburgh by the Bills in 2021.He has drawn praise for hosting annual Christmas toy drives in his hometown since before he was a paid athlete.An online GoFundMe page for the toy drive was reshared after Hamlin collapsed on Monday and has raised nearly $3m (£2.5m).Buildings across Cincinnati were lit up in blue on Monday evening, including Paycor Stadium where the incident occurred.Image source, USA Today Sports/ReutersBlunt trauma is common in contact sports, but it’s rare that it causes heart issues like this. A direct hit to the chest can result in cardiac arrest. That’s when the heart stops beating properly and is unable to do its job of pumping blood around the body. It’s different to a heart attack, which happens when blood supply to the heart muscle is cut off. In Hamlin’s case, medics were able to quickly get his heart beating again. It’s not yet known what internal injuries he may have sustained from the incident and whether there has been any significant damage to his heart. Good wishes for the stricken player have poured in. Basketball star LeBron James said: “It was a terrible thing to see and I wish nothing but the best for that kid.”Arizona Cardinals defensive end JJ Watt wrote on Twitter: “Please be ok man. Please be ok”, while retired Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark told ESPN’s SportsCenter show: “This isn’t about a football player, this is about a human.” Bruce Sharpe, a Bills fan who was in the stadium when it happened, said it was “devastating”. “Everything got dead silent. Even the Bengals fans, you know, you don’t want to see anything like that,” he said. “We’re just praying that everything’s okay.”Additional reporting by Michelle Roberts of BBC’s health team

Published2 days agoSharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Sam CabralBBC NewsUS influenza hospital admissions have hit the highest rate in a decade as vaccinations sag, US officials say.They said adults have received five million fewer influenza jabs this year compared with the same time last year.Health experts are worried a so-called tripledemic of flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and coronavirus could swamp hospitals this winter.At least 730 people have died of flu this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).While older people are the most vulnerable age group, at least four children are among the dead.CDC data shows there have been at least 1.6 million flu cases overall and some 13,000 people have been taken to hospital. This season’s severity has not been matched at this point in the year since the H1N1 swine flu pandemic hit the US in 2009.”There’s no doubt we will face some challenges this winter,” Dawn O’Connell, the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) assistant secretary for preparedness and response, said at a media briefing on Friday.Flu season in the US typically peaks in December and January but has surged early and rapidly this year.Health officials said the coronavirus pandemic had sharply curbed the spread of flu and other respiratory viruses,So many young children are now encountering them for the first time, but may have little to no immunity, said the officials.The early arrival of flu season has been compounded by a rise in Covid hospital admissions, fuelled by the spread of different Omicron subvariants.It has also coincided with a country-wide surge in RSV, a cold-like infection that is estimated to claim more than 14,000 lives annually in the US, mostly among older Americans.

Published3 days agoSharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesThe governor of New York has declared a state of emergency over polio as evidence emerges that the virus is spreading across the state.Health officials say wastewater samples in New York City and four adjacent counties have tested positive for a poliovirus that can cause paralysis.Although only one case has so far been confirmed, it was the first in the country in nearly a decade.Polio was largely eradicated from the US by vaccinations that began in 1955.By 1979, the US was declared polio-free.But according to New York officials, vaccination rates are too low in parts of the state. Friday’s emergency declaration is aimed at boosting flagging immunisation rates.There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented by the vaccine. Mostly affecting children, the virus typically causes muscle weakness and paralysis, and in the most serious cases permanent disability and death.New York’s state health department said it aims to boost vaccination rates from the current state-wide average of about 79% to above 90%.”On polio, we simply cannot roll the dice,” Health Commissioner Dr Mary Bassett said in a statement. “If you or your child are unvaccinated or not up to date with vaccinations, the risk of paralytic disease is real.”She added that “for every one case of paralytic polio observed, there may be hundreds of other people infected”.An inactivated polio vaccine is used in both the US and the UK as part of the routine childhood programme. In the US, about 93% of toddlers have received at least three doses of the polio jab, according to vaccination data from the CDC.Officials began monitoring wastewater in the state for poliovirus after an unvaccinated man in Rockland County, just north of New York City, contracted the virus in July – the first recorded case since 2013 – and suffered paralysis.The case was later genetically linked to paralytic polio found in a wastewater sample collected from nearby Nassau County in August.Wastewater samples in Orange County, Sullivan County and the five boroughs of New York City have also tested positive for paralytic polio.The emergency order issued on Friday by Governor Kathy Hochul is the state’s third this year, in addition to similar orders issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic and monkeypox.It empowers emergency medical workers, midwives and pharmacists to join the network of providers who can roll out the polio vaccine.More on this storyWhat is polio and how can you protect yourself?10 AugustUS doctor warns of many undiagnosed polio cases9 AugustPolio virus found in New York wastewater2 August

Published16 hours agoSharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesThe US declared monkeypox a public health emergency late last week. It follows weeks of concern that more needs to be done to contain the virus.On a private daily Zoom call, adult gay men who have contracted monkeypox compare notes.They share their frustrations over trying to get tested or treated but being turned away by healthcare professionals.They throw around tips on how to manage pain that gets worse with each new blister on your body and leaves you unable to do anything.And, to keep from going stir-crazy as they wait for the lesions to heal, they bond over a shared experience none of them asked for.The first US monkeypox case this year was detected on 18 May in the state of Massachusetts. Since then, more than 10,000 cases have been reported across the country, in every state except Wyoming.Although anybody can contract the virus through direct contact with an infected person or surface, men in recent sexual contact with other men have accounted for the vast majority of cases.What is monkeypox and how do you catch it? Monkeypox: Can we still stop the outbreak?LGBT groups demand more action on monkeypox Last Thursday, the federal government declared a public health emergency over the outbreak, a move that is expected to speed up the distribution of vaccines, treatments and related federal resources.Those who’ve already endured a bout of the virus wish the help had come a lot sooner.”It’s a very traumatic experience,” said Jeffrey Galaise, who hosts the Zoom meetings. “I’m a different person having been through this.””If you haven’t lived through it, you have no idea the kind of pain that this is, and the red tape that’s attached to trying to get help and support.”Image source, Jeffrey GalaiseThe New York native, 41, began feeling sick on the day he was supposed to get his vaccine.Currently on day 25 of the illness, he has experienced practically every symptom, from the lesions and swollen lymph nodes to an extended high fever.Although public awareness is rising, vaccines remain in short supply and the Biden administration has said it will stretch the limited number of jabs available by administering only a fifth of one full dose.But the virus is spreading quickly in larger states like New York, Florida and California. In San Francisco, one state senator said seeking out the vaccine feels “a little bit like the Hunger Games”, a reference to the dystopian Hollywood movie trilogy in which people fight to the death for food and supplies.Mr Galaise also claims that information on how to treat the virus after you’ve got it is still sparse.”People are really suffering and nobody knows what to do,” he said.Gay men from all over the country drop in to his hour-long Zoom conversations, which have become a de facto support group and shared space for resources.Silver Steele, an adult entertainer from Texas, has joined a couple of sessions.His monkeypox ordeal lasted nearly a month. Lesions developed all around his mouth, making eating difficult, and he lost some 13Ibs (5.8kg) in weight.Aside from taking an oral anti-viral drug known as Tpoxx, which has been in short supply, “all you can really do is pain management”, he said.Yet the 42-year-old considers himself lucky, as he has heard “horror stories” from other patients – about anal lesions that make you feel like you’re excreting needles and penile lesions that become bacterial infections of their own.”Even though my face looked really disfigured, I didn’t have anything below the waist,” he said.”I will gladly take it on the lip for the world to see as long as I don’t have to deal with any of that garbage.”Image source, Silver Steele / TwitterMonkeypox is not a new virus; in fact, it is endemic to parts of western and central Africa.But the 2022 outbreak’s prevalence in the gay community has exposed public health flaws, as other demographics – including women and children – also now fall ill.Yvonne Phan ran into roadblock after roadblock when she tried to get tested for monkeypox in Colorado three weeks ago.The first doctor she spoke to misdiagnosed the large red wheals on her skin as contact dermatitis.A sexual health clinic declined to test her, sceptical that a woman, with no recent sexual history, could have contracted the virus.Others redirected the 33-year-old to the state’s department of public health or transferred her call to various specialists, with nobody taking an authoritative stance on what she should do.”It was like trying to ask your mom for permission for something, and she says ‘go ask your dad’, and then your dad says ‘go ask your mom’,” said Ms Phan. “I couldn’t seem to get an answer.”Ms Phan did test positive for monkeypox when she finally secured a swab test, but she does not know how. She still wears a mask in public and avoids large gatherings as a Covid-19 precaution. The only way she could have caught monkeypox, she claims, is from the clinic where she gets her allergy shots.Public health experts have dragged their heels in explaining why this outbreak has affected mostly gay and bisexual men – but it has led many to draw parallels with how the gay community felt abandoned during the AIDS crisis of the 1970s and 80s.”There’s a lot of layered issues that have come up that are very heavy,” said Mr Galaise of his Zoom conversations.”You have people who lived through AIDS suffering from PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], people that are in extended isolation for 25 to 30 days, people dealing with stigma from their community.”So patients who are already experiencing the immense pain caused by the virus have had their suffering compounded by the slow response of elected officials and public health experts, and a lack of financial and mental health resources, he said.Silver Steele, the sex worker, documented his illness daily on social media.Many of his posts went viral, some attracting hateful and ignorant comments, he alleged.”So many people just look at what we’re going through and think ‘oh look, its HIV part two.””I noticed the emergency was declared after some children tested positive,” he continued.”It wasn’t an emergency while it was just the gay guys.”This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.More on this storyWhat is monkeypox and how do you catch it?6 days agoMonkeypox: Can we still stop the outbreak?6 days agoLGBT groups demand more action on monkeypox7 days ago

Published8 hours agoSharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesA young adult in New York has become the first US resident in nearly a decade to contract polio, state health officials say.The unnamed patient in Rockland County is said no longer to be contagious, but has developed paralysis from the virus.Officials say the person was unvaccinated, and was probably exposed to an individual who received a vaccine that contains the weakened live virus.The last known US case of the highly contagious virus was recorded in 2013.What is polio and how can you protect yourself?Polio virus detected in London sewage samplesThe truth behind polio rumours spreading onlineOnce feared across the nation, the disease was largely eradicated by a national vaccination campaign that began in 1955.Annual cases quickly fell from fewer than 100 in the 1960s to fewer than 10 in the 1970s – and the US was declared polio-free by 1979.In the decades since, isolated cases of polio infection have been brought into the country by foreign travellers.Mostly affecting children, the virus causes muscle weakness and paralysis, and in the most serious cases permanent disability and death.Americans are typically vaccinated with a three- or four-dose regimen that begins at two months old. About 93% of toddlers have received at least three doses of the polio jab, according to vaccination data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.But whereas the US and other countries use jabs made with an inactivated version of the virus, some countries orally administer a vaccine that uses the virus in a weakened live form.That weakened virus may, in rare instances, mutate and risk a fresh outbreak.Like the patient in Rockland County, the last reported polio case in the US – a seven-month-old child who moved from India to the state of Texas in 2013 – was a vaccine-derived strain.The news has prompted local officials to schedule vaccination clinics in New York state for Friday and Monday.”We want shots in the arms of those who need it,” Rockland County health commissioner Dr Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said at a Thursday news conference.Polio is endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but has also recently been reported in other parts of the world.Health officials in the UK called on parents last month to vaccinate their children, warning that the virus had been found in London sewage samples.More on this storyWhat is polio and how can you protect yourself?23 JunePolio virus detected in London sewage samples22 JuneThe truth behind polio rumours spreading online25 June