Category Archives: Medical

Medical

Health Alert:

Health Alert: Measles Cases on the Rise in New Brunswick

Public Health officials have confirmed two additional cases of measles in the Upper Saint John River Valley, bringing the total number of cases in the province to five since October 24. The recent cases add to the growing concerns in areas like Fredericton and surrounding regions.

What You Need to Know:

  • Location of Cases: Concentrated in Fredericton and Upper Saint John River Valley areas.
  • Symptoms to Watch For: High fever, cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes, followed by a red rash that typically begins on the face and spreads.
  • Prevention Tips: Measles is highly contagious but preventable with vaccination. Officials urge residents to ensure vaccinations are up-to-date, especially for children and those who may have missed previous doses.

Public Health encourages anyone experiencing symptoms to contact a healthcare provider immediately and limit exposure to others to prevent further spread.

Stay safe, stay informed, and let’s work together to keep our communities healthy!

Medical

COVID-19 and Influenza Claim Lives

Tragic Loss in New Brunswick: COVID-19 and Influenza Claim Lives

The year-end festivities, usually a time of joy and celebration, have taken a somber turn in New Brunswick. The recent toll of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and influenza outbreak has brought forth heart-wrenching news. Regrettably, 17 more beloved individuals from our community have succumbed to these relentless diseases, with six of these precious lives lost during the holiday season.

These losses have left a deep impact, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of these viruses. The statistics paint a grim picture: among those lost to COVID-19, two were individuals aged between 45 and 64, while the remaining 15 were aged 65 or older. Moreover, the grasp of the virus spared no age group, affecting even our youngest members. Shockingly, three children under the tender age of four found themselves among the hospitalized.

Speaking of hospitalizations, the figures are unsettling. A total of 174 individuals required hospital care due to COVID-19 during the recent three-week period. These hospitalizations, encompassing various age groups, involved 12 individuals aged 20 to 44, 26 aged 45 to 64, and a staggering 132 individuals aged 65 or older. The severity of the situation is further underscored by the fact that 11 of these patients needed intensive care, battling against the cruel grip of this virus.

Adding to this tragic narrative, the influenza outbreak has claimed the lives of nine more individuals. This compounded loss, alongside the ongoing battle with COVID-19, underscores the crucial importance of public health measures and the need for continued vigilance within our communities.

Each of these numbers represents a life cherished, leaving behind a void in families and communities across New Brunswick. As we collectively navigate these trying times, it is imperative that we remain steadfast in our commitment to safety measures. Vaccination, adherence to health guidelines, and empathy towards one another are crucial elements in safeguarding our communities against these devastating losses.

Let these numbers not just be statistics but a clarion call for unified action. May the memory of those lost be a poignant reminder of our collective responsibility to protect and support each other through these challenging times. Together, with resilience and solidarity, we can strive towards a safer, healthier future for New Brunswick.

Medical

Decongestant in Cold Medicines Doesn’t Work

 

 

A Decongestant in Cold Medicines Doesn’t Work at All, an F.D.A. Panel Says

The agency now must decide whether products containing the ingredient, like some Sudafed and NyQuil products, should no longer be sold or perhaps give companies lead time to substitute other ingredients.

Tylenol and Benadryl packages line a shelf in a drugstore.
If the F.D.A. orders the removal of phenylephrine, medicine makers warn that some versions of popular products like Tylenol, Mucinex and Benadryl might become scarce for a time.Credit…Ed Rooney/Alamy
Tylenol and Benadryl packages line a shelf in a drugstore.

By Christina Jewett and Roni Caryn Rabin

An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration agreed unanimously on Tuesday that a common decongestant ingredient used in many over-the-counter cold medicines is ineffective.

The panel’s vote tees up a likely decision by the agency on whether to essentially ban the ingredient, phenylephrine, which would result in pulling hundreds of products containing it from store shelves.

If the F.D.A. ordered their removal, a trade group warned that numerous popular products — including Tylenol, Mucinex and Benadryl cold and flu remedies — might become unavailable as companies race to reformulate them.

Agency officials generally follow the recommendations of the advisory panels, though not always, and it could take some months before a final decision is made. And the findings could be contested, prolonging any move toward product substitutions or removing certain stock at stores.

In the meantime, experts advised consumers not to panic or toss out all the drugs in their medicine cabinet. Even though the agency’s advisers have decided the ingredient, phenylephrine, doesn’t work to relieve nasal congestion when taken orally, it is not dangerous, and the products do contain other ingredients that will work to ease cold symptoms.

The panel’s vote followed its review on Monday and Tuesday of several existing studies, with the advisers largely concluding that the research settled the question that the ingredient was useless and no better than a placebo.

Several advisers noted that patients taking the drug were merely delaying their journey to a useful remedy.

“I think we clearly have better options in the over-the-counter space to help our patients, and the studies do not support that this is an effective drug,” said Maria Coyle, the chairwoman of the panel and an associate professor of pharmacy at Ohio State University.