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CDC Sounds Dengue Fever Alarm

CDC Sounds Dengue Fever Alarm

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
June 26, 2024

Good Wednesday morning. Coming soon to a streaming device near you: A reality television game show where people who believe the earth is flat try to convince skeptics in order to win money. Best of luck, we guess? Have a great day.

In Today’s Brief

Oklahoma: Religious school ruling
Trudeau: Staying put
New York: Bowman defeated
Credit card fees: $30B settlement nixed
NBA draft: Starts tonight

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Fever pitch

U.S. health officials issued a warning about a tropical disease that can be deadly.

The news: A Center for Disease Control and Prevention alert said doctors should be vigilant of potential dengue fever infections in their patients. Health professionals are encouraged to know the symptoms, survey patients about recent travel and consider ordering dengue tests if needed as infections surge around the globe to record levels.
Catch up: Dengue is caused by a virus spread through mosquitoes in warm weather regions. The disease’s geographic reach has grown as temperatures rise internationally. The World Health Organization declared an emergency last December, Puerto Rico declared one in March and U.S. cases, while still rare, have jumped 300% YoY.
Big picture: Many infected people don't get sick, but some can have flu-like symptoms. Severe cases can cause bleeding, shock and death. There are four types of dengue and people develop antibody resistance when they are infected. But repeat infections with different strains can be dangerous and vaccine options are limited with questionable efficacy. Doctors say most cases result from international travel and the disease is not prevalent in the mainland U.S.

2) Chaos in Kenya

A protest against pending Kenyan tax laws turned deadly.

What happened: At least five people died after demonstrators attempted to storm Kenya's parliament in Nairobi andpolice opened fire. The building was also partially set on fire. There were protests in the capital city and elsewhere against a bill that would raise taxes in the African nation. Former President Barack Obama's half-sister, Auma Obama, was among the protesters.
The fallout: Kenyan President William Ruto said the country's tax debate had been "hijacked by dangerous people" and pledged to restore order after the "treasonous events." Police also used rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons and the country's military was deployed to deal with the unrest. Medical officials said 31 people were injured and 13 were hit with live bullets.
Big picture: The incident, as well as what happens next, is of importance to President Joe Biden. He hosted Ruto for a state visit in May and named Kenya a major non-NATO ally as the U.S. strives to maintain influence on the continent amid growing Chinese and Russian involvement. Kenya is also leading a peacekeeping mission in Haiti after Biden decided against sending troops to the violence-plagued Caribbean nation. But now Ruto faces opposition calls to resign and questions about the use of force on protesters amid economic struggles in his country.

3) Small wonders

Protecting a relatively minuscule portion of the Earth may save thousands of species.

The study: Analysis published in Frontiers on Science concluded if 1.2% of the world's surface is protected for nature, it would be enough to save the most threatened species from extinction. Researchers have identified about 17K sites they suggest be the focus of conservation efforts in the next five years to prevent imminent extinctions.
Biggest impact: International governments pledged to conserve 30% of the planet in 2022 as part of a series of United Nations biodiversity goals. The UN said about 17% of the world was protected at the time. But the analysis found just 7% of new protected sites are home to the most endangered species.
Big picture: The analysis said about 40% of the suggested immediate conservation sites are within 1.5 miles of alreadyprotected areas. Five countries -- Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Madagascar and The Philippines -- are home to over half the sites. So the possibility for quick action exists.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

Oklahoma's Supreme Court ruled a religious charter school that receives public funds is unconstitutional. A state agency approved the virtual Catholic school last year; the court found the decision violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause (More)
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a national public health crisis. The top doctor said approaches similar to how the federal government addressed tobacco-related disease and motor vehicle crashes are necessary (More)
Puerto Rico is suing at least 30 former government officials accused of corruption. The U.S. territory is seeking trebled damages and wants to claw back over $30M in public funds that were misused (More)

World News

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not plan to resign. The embattled leader is facing renewed pressure to step down after his Liberal Party lost a parliamentary byelection for a Toronto-area seat it held for 30 years (More)
Israel's High Court ruled ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students must be drafted into the country's military. The unanimous decision said there is no law to continue decades-long blanket exemptions; the move could further strain Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition (More)
Ursula von der Leyen reportedly secured a second term as European Commission President. The European Union's centrist parties have reached a deal on top roles, but it still must be approved at a bloc summit (More)

Campaign News

Progressive New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman lost his Democratic primary race in the 16th Congressional District. Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert won her Republican primary after switching districts (More)
A New York judge loosened former President Donald Trump's gag order in his hush money case. The former president is now permitted to criticize the jury and witnesses following his conviction; he cannot comment on prosecutors and their families until his July 11 sentencing (More)
Trump could name his running mate this week, according to NBC News. The report comes after the former president said he had made his pick and the person would attend tomorrow's presidential debate (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed mixed yesterday. Federal Reserve Gov. Michelle Bowman said she does not believe the central bank will see enough progress against inflation to cut interest rates this year (Dow -0.76%, Nasdaq +1.26%, S&P 500+0.39%).
A federal judge rejected a $30B credit card fee antitrust settlement involving Visa and Mastercard. The companies may face trial if the revised terms are not more favorable to merchants (More)
Tesla has recalled its Cybertruck for the fourth time. The electric vehicle manufacturer has identified issues with trim pieces and the front windshield wipers on the polarizing pickups; the recall impacts about 11K vehicles (More)

Entertainment & Sports

The NBA Draft starts tonight (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN). French forward Zaccharie Risacher is expected to go No. 1 overall to the Atlanta Hawks; the league is adopting a two-day format for the first time with the second round tomorrow (More)
Hallmark and the NFL will produce a football-themed Christmas movie. Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Storywill begin filming next month and be released later this year (More)
Briarcliff Entertainment is closing in on a U.S. distribution deal for The Apprentice. The film focused on former President Trump's formative years; it was well-received at the Cannes Film Festival (More)

Quick Hitters

Real Hero: A Rhode Island boy noticed a classmate was struggling to swim on a school trip. The 12-year-old jumped into the lake, grabbed his pal and treaded water until lifeguards arrived.
Fun Stuff: You can get a llama to be your caddy at a golf course in North Carolina. While they cannot read the greens, they can haul your clubs around with ease. And we assume they take chow for tips.
Go Deep: It feels like everyone has stopped using headphones in public. But why?
Take Note: Flying can take a toll on your body, especially on long hauls during the summer months. Here are a dietician's recommendations for good health while traveling.
Life Hacks: These simple cheat codes can help improve your life without much effort. The tip about adapting to make each alarm wake-up easier stands out.
OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.”

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