Florida’s Department of Health removes 4 vaccines from required list for public schools

Key Points:

• The CDC reported 3,285 new Cyclospora infections in 2026, raising the total to 17,180 cases, with an additional 11,844 cases under investigation; the largest outbreak occurred in Michigan linked to tainted iceberg lettuce, resulting in at least two deaths and 922 hospitalizations.
• From 1999 to 2023, the US age-adjusted adult death rate from influenza and pneumonia declined by 29.2%, attributed to advances in prevention and public health investment, although adults aged 55 to 64 experienced a slight increase in crude death rates.
• Death rates from flu and pneumonia remain higher in men than women, with Black adults showing the most significant relative reduction over time; rural areas consistently have higher death rates than metropolitan areas, and the highest crude death rates are among adults 85 and older.
• A new position paper from the Infectious Diseases Society of America and other groups outlines comprehensive recommendations to improve sepsis outcomes, emphasizing rapid diagnostics, antimicrobial management, surveillance, and infection prevention beyond early recognition and treatment.
• The panel highlights that while early sepsis recognition and treatment are critical, hospitals need systems supporting accurate diagnosis, optimal therapy, source control, and continuous quality improvement to reduce sepsis mortality effectively.