Flu cases reached nearly 19 million last week across the United States, with flu related deaths spiking.

After an early start to the season in places like Louisiana and Puerto Rico, the virus is nationwide. According to the CDC, as of early February the number of infections of flu B and flu A are about equal. The hospitalization rate for flu infections is 35.5 per 100,000, which is normal at this stage of the season. The percentage of influenza and pneumonia deaths is at 7.1%, falling just below the epidemic threshold of 7.2%.

The group suffering the most from this flu season is children. An increase of pediatric deaths in recent weeks brought the total to 78 this season.

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Do you remember your first bout with the flu? Probably not, since it happened decades ago.

But, your body remembers very well, at least according to a new study from the University of Arizona. The study showed the first flu virus your body encounters as a young child indicates how well your body will protect itself against the flu in the future.

This research is important, because recent flu seasons have been more dangerous than previous seasons.

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The human papillomavirus (HPV) remains the most common sexually transmitted infection. According to the CDC, about 79 million Americans are currently infected and around 14 million become infected with HPV each year.

Although, unlike with many other common illnesses, we have a way to prevent HPV. The widely-available HPV vaccine is nearly 100% effective against nine strains.

Upon infection, the virus can cause a wide range of health problems.

For most, it won’t show any symptoms, one of the reasons the STI is so commonly spread. But, HPV can also lead to symptoms like genital warts or something much more severe, such as cervical cancer.

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The rest of the world has taken strides in cholera prevention, but last week Haiti reached a milestone in their battle with cholera. The Caribbean nation has now been cholera-free for an entire year after a nine-year outbreak. Lasting most of the last decade, the outbreak caused around 820,000 cases and nearly 10,000 deaths.

According to the United Nations News, the last confirmed case occurred in January 2019. Since that boy under the age of five was infected, there have been no confirmed cholera cases.

The outbreak, which began in October 2010, was the country’s worst medical emergency since the 2010 earthquake that struck in January. For nine years, the outbreak would continue to be the worst medical emergency in Haiti.

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On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global public health emergency. With a health emergency as large as this, there were immediate calls for a vaccine. And yet, we not only lack a vaccine for coronavirus, but treatment as well.

There are over 8,000 confirmed cases globally, with six of those cases in the United States. The CDC has also confirmed the first human-to-human transmission in the U.S.

“This is nothing to be either surprised or concerned about,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, president of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the CDC. Freiden mentioned a need to focus on how the virus is spreading in China. By looking at the virus where it started, they can better understand it and slow the outbreak.

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