From medieval plague ships to hantavirus: How outbreaks at sea helped to shape the international public health system
Passengers on the the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius watch epidemiologists board the boat in Praia, Cape Verde, on May 6, 2026. AP Photo/Uncredited ~~~~~ Cruise ships are convenient floating hotels by which to see far-flung parts of the world – but as an epidemiologist, I know they are also everything an infectious pathogen could want: thousands of strangers packed into enclosed spaces for days or weeks, sharing dining rooms and high-touch surfaces such as elevator buttons and handrails, breathing recirculated air. Each new port of call where passengers can explore for a few days is an opportunity for germs to embark – and once they do, they encounter a highly efficient setting...
What addiction does to the brain
Q&A — Behavioral neuroscientist Marina Wolf Changes in neural connections due to substance use and withdrawal are long-lasting, and craving can peak well into abstinence. Understanding this process could inspire drugs to support recovery. “Relapse is a part of recovery”: That’s a common refrain among professionals who treat substance use disorders. Many people who have completed treatment programs return to substance use and reenter treatment multiple times, after days, weeks or even years of sobriety. Marina Wolf, a behavioral neuroscientist at the Oregon Health & Science University, studies how cells in the brain respond to drug exposure in ways that can lead people to develop...
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HHS’ Healthy Food Agenda Puts Hospitals on Notice About Patients’ Meals
(Heidi de Marco/KFF Health News) ~~~~~ Complaints about hospital food are certainly not new, and Jell-O and fruit juice are often the butt of related jokes. But the Trump administration has recently upped the ante. It is urging the public to report hospitals and nursing homes that serve sugary drinks, nutrition shakes, or meals that it says don’t meet dietary guidelines established last year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with officials vowing to withhold millions of dollars in federal funding if violations occur. The initiative from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is spurring backlash from some doctors and medical providers who say it fails to account for...
Broward Health breaks ground on new medical office building at Broward Health North
Broward Health has broken ground on a new medical office building at Broward Health North, 201 East Sample Road in Deerfield Beach, which will expand access to high-quality specialty care and outpatient services in northern Broward County. The event welcomed more than 100 dignitaries, including many elected officials from three municipalities (Deerfield Beach, Lighthouse Point and Pompano Beach), as well as numerous business and community leaders from across the region to celebrate Broward Health’s newest development. “Yesterday’s groundbreaking marks an important milestone for Broward Health,” said Shane Strum, President and CEO of Broward Health. “This facility reinforces our commitment...
