Researchers link severe disasters and loss of health care facilities
The analysis, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, looked at what happened to hospitals, pharmacies and ambulatory — or outpatient — care facilities after climate-related disasters.
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Highly infectious disease with initial runny nose symptom is spreading
A "highly infectious" disease is sweeping through the region, with a runny nose often being one of the initial symptoms. Schools have sent out warnings to parents and guardians, while Sefton Council has issued a reminder about available vaccination dates in parts of the borough throughout July. Margaret Jones, Sefton Council's Director of Public Health, has contacted headteachers, parents, and carers across the Borough regarding the ongoing measles outbreak in Merseyside, according to a council spokesperson. READ MORE: Woman, 33, told forehead pimple was just a bite diagnosed with cancer READ MORE: Teacher who 'lost control' and slapped child, 6, avoids classroom ban The correspondence emphasises that measles is a severe illness that can affect both children and adults, and stresses that the MMR vaccine offers the best defence. Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp Early signs of the disease include a runny or blocked nose, high temperature, coughing, sneezing, and red, sore, watery eyes. Typically, a rash surfaces a few days later, beginning on the face and behind the ears before spreading across the body. The rash spots may be slightly raised and merge into blotchy patches, although they usually don't itch. On white skin, the rash appears brownish or reddish, but it might be less visible on darker skin tones, as per NHS advice, which also notes: "It's very unlikely to be measles if you've had both doses of the MMR vaccine or you've had measles before." If you suspect that you or your child may have measles, if your child is under one year old and has been in contact with someone who has measles, or if you've been in close contact with someone who has measles and are pregnant or have a weakened immune system, it's crucial to contact 111 or request an urgent GP appointment. Urgent medical advice should also be sought if you or your child have a high temperature that hasn't subsided after taking paracetamol or ibuprofen; if you or your child are experiencing difficulty breathing – feeling more short of breath than usual; if your baby or young child isn't feeding well, or taking fewer feeds or fluids than usual; if you or your child are urinating less than usual (or your baby has fewer wet nappies); if you or your child feel extremely unwell, or if you're concerned that something is seriously wrong. Anyone diagnosed with measles should refrain from work, school or nursery for at least four days from when the rash first appears, and try to avoid close contact with babies and anyone who is pregnant or has a weakened immune system. Children and adults of any age can contact their GP to receive a free MMR vaccination.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Medicare data breach exposes 100,000 Americans' info
Healthcare data continues to be a top target for cybercriminals. In June alone, two major breaches compromised over 13 million patient records. Now, a newly confirmed Medicare data breach has affected more than 100,000 Americans. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent letters this week to those affected, confirming that hackers accessed sensitive data linked to accounts. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my Over 8M Patient Records Leaked In Healthcare Data Breach The breach traces back to suspicious activity starting in late 2023. According to CMS, cybercriminals used stolen personal data from external sources to fraudulently create accounts. That information included: Read On The Fox News App Full names Dates of birth ZIP codes Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) Medicare coverage details CMS began receiving alerts in May 2025 when people reported receiving account confirmation letters for accounts they had not created. This triggered an internal investigation. Hackers not only created unauthorized accounts but, in some cases, accessed additional sensitive data such as: Home addresses Provider and diagnosis codes Services received Plan premium details CMS has deactivated all affected accounts and is mailing new Medicare cards to the estimated 103,000 individuals affected. The agency says no confirmed identity theft cases have been reported yet. CMS stressed the action is being taken out of "an abundance of caution," but the breach raises questions about federal cybersecurity safeguards. If you're one of the people affected by the Medicare data breach: Watch your mailbox for a replacement Medicare card Monitor your account for suspicious activity Report unauthorized services or charges immediately CMS is still investigating how the attackers obtained such accurate personal data and whether more individuals may be at risk. What Is Artificial Intelligence (Ai)? So far, CMS has not identified the attackers. However, the use of valid personal information suggests that the hackers may have obtained data from prior breaches or leaks on other platforms. This breach reveals a troubling vulnerability in the federal healthcare system, where hackers can exploit existing data to create legitimate-looking accounts and access deeply personal medical information. Here are five important steps you can take right now to protect your Medicare information and reduce your risk of identity theft after the breach. Regularly check your Medicare and healthcare accounts for changes you did not make. Be cautious of unfamiliar services, charges or communications from providers you don't recognize. In light of the Medicare data breach, where bad actors used valid personal details to create fake accounts, enrolling in a trusted identity theft protection service can offer an extra layer of defense. These services monitor your Social Security number, email, phone number and other sensitive data to alert you if it's being sold on the dark web or used to open fraudulent accounts. Many top-rated services also help you freeze your credit and bank accounts and offer expert support if your identity is compromised. My top pick includes up to $1 million in identity theft insurance to cover stolen funds and legal fees, plus access to a U.S.-based fraud resolution team that helps you recover faster. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Never share your Medicare number or card details with anyone over the phone or email, unless you initiated the contact and trust the source. Treat it like a credit card. If you believe your information is being misused, remove it from the internet. A personal data removal service can help you remove all this personal information from the internet. It has a very clean interface and will scan 195 websites for your information and remove it and keep it removed. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: If you notice suspicious activity, report it directly by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report Medicare fraud. Also, file a report at to create a recovery plan with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This not only helps you recover faster but also contributes to broader investigations that protect others. This Medicare breach may not have resulted in confirmed cases of identity theft so far, but that does not mean the situation should be taken lightly or dismissed as low risk. It took malicious actors less than two years to create over 100,000 fake Medicare accounts using valid personal information, which suggests a significant weakness in how sensitive data is being protected and monitored at the federal level. Do you think healthcare organizations are doing enough to protect your data? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights article source: Medicare data breach exposes 100,000 Americans' info
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scientists Identify a Trait in Speech That Foreshadows Cognitive Decline
Early signs of Alzheimer's disease may be hidden in the way a person speaks, but it's not yet clear which details of our diction are most critical for diagnosis. A study from 2023 suggests that as we age, how we say something may matter more than what we say. Researchers at the University of Toronto think the pace of everyday speech may be a better indicator of cognitive decline than difficulty finding a word. Lethologica, also known as 'tip of the tongue' phenomenon, is experienced by young and old alike. But as we grow older, finding the name for things can become more challenging, especially over the age of 60. To explore why that is, researchers at the University of Toronto asked 125 healthy adults, between the ages of 18 and 90, to describe a scene in detail. Related: Next, the participants were shown pictures of everyday objects while listening to audio that was designed to confirm or confuse them. For instance, if participants were shown a picture of a broom, the audio might say 'groom', which helps them recall the word through rhyme. But on the flip side, the audio might also offer a related word like 'mop', which can lead the brain astray, momentarily. The faster a person's natural speech in the first task, the more quickly they came up with answers in the second task. The findings align with the 'processing speed theory', which argues that a general slowdown in cognitive processing lies at the very center of cognitive decline, not a slowdown in memory centers specifically. "It is clear that older adults are significantly slower than younger adults in completing various cognitive tasks, including word-production tasks such as picture naming, answering questions, or reading written words," explained a team led by University of Toronto psychologist Hsi T. Wei. "In natural speech, older adults also tend to produce more dysfluencies such as unfilled and filled pauses (e.g., "uh" and "um") in between speech and have a generally slower speech rate." In a 2024 piece for The Conversation, dementia researcher Claire Lancaster said that the study from Toronto "has opened exciting doors… showing that it's not just what we say but how fast we say it that can reveal cognitive changes." Recently, some AI algorithms have even been able to predict an Alzheimer's diagnosis with an accuracy of 78.5 percent using speech patterns alone. Other studies have found that patients with more signs of amyloid plaque in their brain are 1.2 times more likely to show speech-related problems. Amyloid plaques are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. In 2024, researchers at Stanford University led a study that found longer pauses and slower speech rates were also associated with higher levels of tangled tau proteins, another hallmark of Alzheimer's. Related: "This suggests that speech changes reflect development of Alzheimer's disease pathology even in the absence of overt cognitive impairment," the authors of the study concluded. The groundwork is still being laid, but scientists are getting closer to decoding the nuances of human speech to figure out what our words are saying about our brains. The 2023 study was published in Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition. Massive 16-Year Study Links Wellbeing to Stronger Memory in Aging Your Brain's Youthfulness (or Lack of It) Could Predict How Long You Live This Foot Scan Could Stop Your Small Cut From Costing You a Limb
