Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• US lowers cutoff for lead poisoning in kids

  May 16, 2012 in Nation/World ATLANTA — For the first time in 20 years, U.S. health officials have lowered the threshold for lead poisoning in young children. 4

• No end to obesity epidemic, forecast shows

  May 7, 2012 in Nation/World WASHINGTON — The obesity epidemic may be slowing, but don’t take in those pants yet. Today, just over a third of U.S. adults are obese. By 2030, 42 percent will … 10

• Measles has biggest year in U.S. since 1996

  April 19, 2012 in Nation/World ATLANTA — Last year was the worst year for measles in the U.S. in 15 years, health officials said today. There were 222 cases of measles, a large jump from … 10

• Sacred Heart eliminates bacteria, lifts water restrictions

  May 19, 2011 in City on Page A5 Water restrictions were lifted Wednesday afternoon at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center after successful efforts to eradicate bacteria that can cause Legionnaires’ disease from the hospital’s water supply. Three patients …

• Precautions at Sacred Heart

  April 29, 2011 in City on Page A7 Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center is restricting showers, serving bottled water and replacing parts of its water system after three patients tested positive for the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease. …

• Fungus infection spreads in West

  July 23, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A1 ATLANTA – A fungus usually found in the tropics has taken root in the Pacific Northwest and has been blamed in the deaths of 15 people over the last six … 1

• Idaho teen meth use drops 52% from 2007 to 2009

  June 15, 2010 in Idaho The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest youth risk survey shows methamphetamine use among Idaho teens dropped 52 percent between 2007 and 2009.

• Study shows rhythm method gaining popularity with teens

  June 3, 2010 in Nation/World on Page A3 ATLANTA – A growing number of teen girls say they use the rhythm method for birth control, and more teens also think it’s OK for an unmarried female to have …

• CDC reports signs of flu in 1 in 5 kids

  October 23, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A14 ATLANTA – About 1 in 5 U.S. children had a flu-like illness earlier this month – and most of those cases likely were swine flu, according to a new government …

• Scientists call for new approach to swine flu

  July 14, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A2 MILWAUKEE – An international team of scientists led by a University of Wisconsin-Madison virologist has produced a highly detailed portrait of the swine flu virus that has killed 211 people …

• Private insurance at 50-year low, CDC says

  July 2, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A3 ATLANTA – The percentage of Americans with private health insurance has hit its lowest mark in 50 years, according to two new government reports. About 65 percent of non-elderly Americans …

• Obama taps NYC health commissioner to head CDC

  May 15, 2009 in Nation/World President Barack Obama on Friday appointed Dr. Thomas Frieden as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, turning to a health commissioner who led the campaign to ban … 1

• CDC: New virus lacks genes of 1918 killer flu

  May 1, 2009 in Nation/World The new swine flu virus lacks genes that made the 1918 pandemic strain so deadly, a U.S. health official said Friday.

• Developments on swine flu worldwide

  May 1, 2009 in Nation/World Key developments on swine flu outbreaks, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and government officials. 1

• Gregoire: No known cases still in Washington

  April 29, 2009 in City OLYMPIA – There are no known cases of swine flu in Washington, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Wednesday, as health officials elsewhere confirmed dozens of cases – including one toddler death …

• CDC expects swine flu to cause deaths in U.S.

  April 29, 2009 in Nation/World on Page A14 WASHINGTON – As the number of confirmed U.S. swine flu cases jumped from 45 to 66 on Tuesday, a federal health official said it’s only a matter of time before …

• No swine flu cases reported in Wash. or North Idaho

  April 27, 2009 in City, Idaho President Barack Obama said Monday the threat of spreading swine flu infections is matter of concern but “not a cause for alarm.” The United States and other countries across the …