Health

ATLANTA – The U.S. appears headed for its worst year for whooping cough in more than five decades, with the number of cases rising at an epidemic rate that experts say may reflect a problem with the effectiveness of the vaccine. Nearly 18,000 cases have been reported so far – more than twice the number seen at this point last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. At this pace, the number for the entire year will be the highest since 1959, when 40,000 illnesses were reported.

Blue-green algae is no longer a threat to recreation at Fernan Lake, the Panhandle Health District says.

DEAR DOCTOR K: I’m trying to lose weight. How can I figure out how many calories I should be eating every day?

LOS ANGELES – Most patients diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer will live just as long if they simply watch their cancers rather than have them surgically removed, according to the results of a landmark clinical trial that could upend the medical approach to a disease that affects 1 in 6 men. The study, which focused on cancers confined to the prostate, should reassure patients who want to avoid potential side effects of surgery – such as urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction – but still protect their lives, cancer experts said. If embraced by patients and doctors, the new information stands to radically change prostate cancer management in the U.S., where the majority of early prostate cancers are treated aggressively with surgery or radiation therapy.

A federal agency is accusing operators of an adult day care center and group homes in eastern Idaho of failing to provide enough safeguards against violence for their employees.

A weight-related question will remain on a wellness questionnaire for Oregon state workers, but employees next year will be given an alternative to sharing their waist size.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Seven attorneys general trying to block the federal health care law’s requirement for contraception coverage saw their lawsuit dismissed Tuesday by a federal judge who said they didn’t have standing to file it. U.S. District Court Judge Warren K. Urbom ruled that the states failed to prove they would suffer immediate harm once that part of the law is enacted. The Nebraska federal judge also noted that President Barack Obama’s administration has agreed to work with religious groups to try to address their concerns.

LOS ANGELES – California is cracking down on more than a dozen businesses accused of selling and distributing costume jewelry containing dangerous levels of lead despite repeated warnings. State investigators uncovered hundreds of lead-laced trinkets marketed to children and adults, including some pieces contaminated with lead levels more than 1,000 times the legal state limit.

WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a new weight loss drug from Vivus Inc. that many doctors consider the most effective therapy in a new generation of anti-obesity pills designed to help patients safely shed pounds. The agency cleared the pill Qsymia for adults who are obese or overweight and have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.

New listings Blood Drive at Colfax Library – July 24, 2:30-5:30 p.m., at 102 S. Main St., Colfax. All donors will receive a free summer T-shirt. Make an appointment by calling (509) 397-4366 or visiting www.inbcsaves.org. Walk-ins accepted on a first-come, first-served basis with photo ID required. Call (800) 423-0151 for eligibility criteria.