In 2000, the United States declared measles eradicated in the country due to the development of a vaccine. Yet, recent data has shown a measles resurgence in the United States with an outbreak in New York in 2019 and a larger outbreak this year in Texas and New Mexico.
An outbreak of tuberculosis within Kansas City in the United States has been ongoing since Jan. 2024 and has highlighted new trends of TB in the United States. According to March 2025 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, the TB rate in Kansas increased by 148% from 2024–25.
There’s a new term to describe the rise of respiratory illnesses this season: “quad-demic.” The “quad” in quad-demic refers to four diseases that are part of the outbreak: respiratory syncytial virus, COVID-19, influenza and norovirus. The suffix “-demic,” stemming from the word “epidemic,” signifies a large occurrence of a disease or illness in a community or specified area. Knowing pertinent information, keeping up with available data and learning how to prevent these illnesses are three key steps in managing and ending this quad-demic.
With the beautiful colors on Prez Lawn and parties galore on weekends, we are in the peak of fall frenzy. However, with fall comes many respiratory illnesses and the continuation of the “freshman flu.” So, what actually is the freshman flu that is so often spoken about? The “freshman flu” is a common umbrella term used among university students to describe the variety of respiratory illnesses that first-year students contract during their first few months at college.
In August 2024, a man from Worcester County was infected with the Eastern equine encephalitis virus, the first human case in Massachusetts since 2020. The virus, also known as Triple E, can severely impair the human nervous system and cause illness, potentially proving fatal.
