How billions in COVID relief aid was stolen or wasted
Much of the theft was brazen, even simple. Fraudsters used the Social Security numbers of dead people and federal prisoners to get unemployment checks. Cheaters collected those benefits in multiple states. And federal loan applicants weren’t cross-checked against a Treasury Department database that would have raised red flags about sketchy borrowers. Criminals and gangs grabbed […]
Minnesota shifts COVID tracking focus to severe cases
The Minnesota Department of Health has stopped reporting COVID-19 cases, a change aligned with similar measures at the federal level following the end of the national Public Health Emergency last month. The department noted in an email, “we are focusing our surveillance more on measures of severe disease and mortality rather than overall case counts/rates.” […]
3 lessons from the Western U.S. for dealing with wildfire smoke
Wildfire smoke filling the New York City skyline was a familiar sight to communities in the Western U.S., who have had to learn to live with the effects of more extreme fires. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images When New York City’s skyline turned an eerie orange color with smoke from widespread wildfires in Canada, it […]
Allina to pause controversial practices for people with medical debt
Updated: 4:45 p.m. Allina Health is putting a pause on billing practices that allegedly forced people with medical debt to pay it off in full before they could make new appointments, the system announced Friday. “Allina Health will take a thoughtful pause on any new interruptions to non-emergent, outpatient clinic scheduling while we re-examine our […]
For UMN researchers, finding a better way to educate about cancer starts in the community
On a hot day in late May, Abdifatah Ali walks through a community health and wellness fair at Currie Park in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis. As kids run in the fountains and play in the bounce house, Ali, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, is searching for someone who might be willing […]
New study from UMN researchers says an existing drug is a promising treatment for long COVID
Metformin, a medication typically used as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes, has shown promise as an effective treatment for long COVID, according to a study by University of Minnesota researchers published Thursday in The Lancet. But researchers caution that more study is needed before the drug can be prescribed as a treatment for people […]
As Medicaid sign-up deadline looms, Minnesota health officials urge recipients to act now
State and federal health leaders on Thursday had a message for Minnesotans: Please open your mail. Ahead of the first-phase deadline for Medicaid recipients to re-up their enrollment or risk losing coverage, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra made a trip to Minneapolis to highlight what’s at stake. During the COVID-19 pandemic, recipients […]
FDA advisers endorse new RSV antibody drug for babies
RSV is a seasonal virus that lands tens of thousands of young children in the hospital every year. On Thursday, advisors to the FDA voted in favor of approving a long-acting antibody that protects infants from RSV. Christoph Soeder/Picture Alliance via Getty Images A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration have recommended […]
Popular Dakota County lake to reopen Friday after suspected norovirus outbreak
Dakota County park officials say a popular swimming beach will reopen Friday, after a weeklong closure due to a suspected norovirus outbreak. Schulze Lake at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan, Minn. was closed June 2 after dozens of people reported getting sick after swimming. State health officials said the symptoms and timing pointed to […]
Pope Francis is getting a hernia-related surgery in Rome
Pope Francis went to a hospital in Rome Wednesday for abdominal surgery. He’s seen here in the popemobile, leaving his general audience at St. Peter’s Square in The Vatican before heading to the hospital. Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images Updated June 7, 2023 at 1:05 PM ET Pope Francis underwent abdominal surgery Wednesday afternoon after […]