Health Insider Arizona ranks among states with highest measles cases Lillian Donahue
PHOENIX — Recent data from Johns Hopkins finds Arizona has the sixth-highest number of measles cases among a nationwide increase, in which cases have reached a more than three-decade high. This year, Maricopa County has reported 25 cases. The county said this number is “significantly higher than the annual average of one case per year […]
Local News Doctor explains: Can your body really get used to the heat? Adam Klepp
PHOENIX — Many Arizonans say they love the heat and are even “used to it.” But can you really “get used to” the extreme temperatures? ABC15’s Adam Klepp spoke to a Valley emergency room doctor, Dr. Doug Doehrman, who treats patients who come in with heat-related illnesses. As it turns out, there is such a thing as “heat acclimatization,” […]
Health Insider Protecting kids in extreme heat: Phoenix ER physician describes signs, symptoms Jamie Warren
Nearly 3,000 people in Arizona have been hospitalized with signs of heat-related illness so far this year, according to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services. At least 145 of those cases involved children 17 and younger. With summer temperatures soaring, ABC15 asked Jaron Smith, a physician at Phoenix Children’s, how to best make […]
Local News Poultry at Hickman’s Family Farms tests positive for avian flu abc15.com staff
MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ — The Arizona Department of Agriculture says poultry at a Maricopa County commercial farm have tested positive for avian flu. The birds reportedly began showing signs of avian influenza last week, prompting samples to be taken and sent to laboratories for testing. Positive confirmation of avian flu was received on Tuesday. The […]
Health Insider WATCH: What SPF makes a difference in protecting your skin abc15.com staff
PHOENIX — Arizona summer is around the corner, and it’s that time of year to start taking skin health seriously every day! On sunny days now through the rest of the summer, the sun’s rays could be strong enough to burn your skin in 15 minutes or less during the middle of the day! ABC15 […]
3 COVID-19 vaccine doses can improve immunity in solid organ transplant recipients, study shows
An extra boost of a vaccine may mean more protection for organ transplant recipients in their fight against COVID-19, a new study finds. Solid organ transplant recipients, including kidney, liver, heart and lungs, are part of a larger group of immunocompromised individuals, or those with weaker immune systems. Unlike the robust immune response and protection […]
Child hospitalized after rattlesnake bite in Scottsdale, prompting warning about snake activity
SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Watch where you step — Scottsdale fire officials are urging Arizonans to use caution after a child was bitten by a rattlesnake on Granite Mountain Thursday morning. The 3-year-old boy was reportedly bitten in the leg. He is in stable condition at a local hospital. Snakes are expected to emerge from the […]
Newly approved Alzheimer’s drug met with mixed reactions
PHOENIX — There’s new hope for the more than six million people suffering from Alzheimer’s across the country. This week, the FDA approved a new drug that targets the disease in a way we’ve never seen before. But some in the medical community have their doubts about its success and the breakthrough isn’t without controversy. […]
Anxious about returning to ‘normal?’ You’re not alone, experts say
You’re vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there’s no need for you to wear a mask, but if the idea of going without a mask is making you feel anxious, you are not alone. Because the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to remain socially distant, getting social again may feel uncomfortable. In an […]
How a 5-year-old ingested fentanyl in her kindergarten classroom
When Addison Mott found a small, white pill in her kindergarten classroom in October 2021, it piqued her curiosity. The tiny tablet was smaller than the tip of her pinkie finger, she said, and for some reason, the 5-year-old decided to put it in her mouth. “I don’t know what I was thinking,” Addison, now […]