2022 was a deadly (but hopeful) year in America’s opioid crisis
Ed Byrne, Homeland Security investigations agent, left, and Lt. Ken Impellizeri of the San Diego Police leave the scene of a fatal fentanyl overdose by a 39-year-old woman in San Diego, Calif., on Nov. 10. Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images When the history of America’s long, devastating opioid crisis is finally written, 2022 […]
St. Cloud police warn of rise in overdose deaths
Police in St. Cloud are warning people about the dangers of fentanyl after an unprecedented number of fatal overdoses. Nineteen people have died of overdoses in St. Cloud so far this year. Of those, 16 involved fentanyl. St. Cloud Police Chief Jeff Oxton said it’s unlike anything he’s experienced in his 28 years in law […]
State report: Black Minnesotans killed at disproportionate rate in police encounters
Black people are much more likely than white people to die from use of force by law enforcement, according to a new study by the Minnesota Department of Health. The report released Friday says Black Minnesotans are only 7 percent of the population but were 27 percent of the deaths by use of force. Most […]
With over 3,000 COVID deaths in Minnesota this year, threats remain
Now that we have reached year’s end, it is time to take stock. In terms of COVID-19 data, Minnesota ends the calendar year with: 670,000 confirmed cases. This is higher than the state’s 639,000 cases in 2021 and 428,000 in 2020 (starting with the first official case on March 5, 2020). Over 27,000 hospitalizations. This […]
In memoriam: Female trailblazers who leapt over barriers to fight for their sisters
Adrienne Germain, a women’s health and human rights activist, was once on a small plane returning from a visit to a family planning clinic in a remote part of Brazil. A thunderstorm and loss of air-to-ground communication resulted in an emergency crash landing in the Amazon. Unfazed, Germain, already bruised from a head-on car collision […]
China faces bumpy road to normal as infections surge
After three years of quarantines pushed them close to shutting down, restaurant owner Li Meng and his wife are hoping for business to rebound after China rolled back severe anti-virus controls. As sales slowly revive, they face a new challenge: Diners are wary about the country’s wave of infections. On Wednesday night at 8 p.m., […]
U.S. will require travelers from China to show negative COVID test before flight
Inbound travelers wait for hours to board buses to leave for quarantine hotels and facilities from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport in southern China’s Guangdong province on Dec. 25. Emily Wang Fujiyama/AP The United States will require travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau to show a negative COVID-19 test before entering the U.S. as restrictions lessen […]
It’s not too late to get a COVID booster — especially for older adults
Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are readied for use at a clinic in Richmond, Va., Nov. 2022. Just 15 percent of eligible Americans have gotten the most recent booster shot, according to the CDC. Steve Helber/AP The U.S. has come a long way from two years ago when COVID-19 vaccines first became available and people were cutting […]
COVID-19 isn’t done with us yet, U’s Osterholm warns
INTERVIEWER: There is an explosion of COVID cases in China that’s making news as that country lifts restrictions. Meanwhile, health officials in this country are warning of COVID spikes because of the holidays. COVID is still very much with us. Joining us for the latest and a look ahead is Michael Osterholm. He’s an epidemiologist […]
What to do if you notice signs of memory loss in your older relatives
As families gather for the holidays, you may notice worrying signs of memory problems in your older relatives. Maybe your mom missed the steps of a familiar recipe. Your dad might have had trouble with the TV remote. Or your aunt might have seemed confused why she was even at the family gathering in the […]