FAMILY DOWNSIZING – As the birth rate in America has dropped to a historic low, experts offer theories on why more adults are opting out of having kids. Continue reading…

‘ALARMING TREND’ – 17 cancer types are more common in Gen X and millennials, a new study finds. An oncologist provides guidance on ways to reduce the risk. Continue reading…

PRICE OF FREEDOM – After Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and American veteran Paul Whelan were released from Russia on Thursday in a large prisoner swap, experts say they may struggle with the effects of trauma. Continue reading…

Former prisoners Paul Whelan, left, and Evan Gershkovich, right, were released from Russia on Aug. 2, 2024. (Getty Images)

THE ART OF LISTENING – A new Gallup poll finds that teens most want to vent to their parents about their stresses, but don’t necessarily want advice. Continue reading…

OZEMPIC AND OPERATIONS – Patients who are taking GLP-1 medications for diabetes and obesity could face risks during surgery, doctors warn. Continue reading…

EARLY DETECTION – The FDA has approved a new blood test that can screen for colon cancer in routine health care settings. Experts weigh in on the potential impact for patients. Continue reading…

Shield, made by Guardant Health in California, is the first approved blood test that is considered a primary screening option for the disease and meets Medicare coverage requirements, the company stated. (Guardant Health)

FRACTURED PLANS – Aerosmith has announced the end of their farewell tour due to frontman Steven Tyler’s throat injury. A specialist explains what causes a laryngeal fracture and why it can be life-threatening. Continue reading…

‘GOTTA DO IT’ – Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, shares his colonoscopy experience and encourages men to get screened. Continue reading…

MINING THE MIND – Artificial intelligence is fast-tracking dementia diagnoses by tapping into ‘hidden information’ in brain waves, researchers say. Continue reading…

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures electrical activity in the brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached to the scalp. This activity shows up as wavy lines on an EEG recording. (iStock)

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A woman in Dallas County, Texas, has died after being diagnosed with West Nile virus.

The patient, whose name and age were not released, contracted a severe neuroinvasive form of the disease, according to a Tuesday press release from the Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS).

The female patient had “underlying health issues,” officials stated.

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This was the county’s first West Nile death in 2024.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss,” said Dr. Philip Huang, director of DCHHS, in the release.

“This heartbreaking tragedy underscores the critical importance of safeguarding against mosquito bites, which can transmit several diseases, including West Nile virus.”

What to know about West Nile

Since the West Nile virus first entered the U.S. in 1999, it has become the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In most cases, the West Nile virus — a flavivirus in the same family as yellow fever, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and the Zika virus — is spread when Culex mosquitoes bite infected birds and then bite people and other animals, per the CDC’s website.

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The virus is not transmitted through eating or handling infected animals or birds — nor is it spread through physical contact, coughing or sneezing.

A vast majority — around 80% — of the people who contract the virus will not experience any symptoms, the CDC states on its website.

The West Nile virus — a flavivirus in the same family as yellow fever, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and the Zika virus — is spread when Culex mosquitoes bite infected birds and then bite people and other animals. (iStock)

“It causes a rash and other symptoms, including swollen lymph nodes, which other viruses in its class do not exhibit,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.

“It only affects the nervous system 1% of the time and is rarely fatal.”

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Around one in five people will develop febrile illness, which is marked by a fever along with body aches, headache, joint pain, diarrhea, rash and/or vomiting. 

These symptoms usually go away on their own, but some people may have lingering weakness and fatigue months after infection.

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In rare cases — about one in every 150 infected people — the virus can lead to serious conditions affecting the nervous system, such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord), the CDC states on its website.

Around one in five people will develop febrile illness, which is marked by a fever along with body aches, headache, joint pain, diarrhea, rash and/or vomiting.  (iStock)

Those who develop serious illness may experience headache, stiff neck, high fever, disorientation, vision loss, muscle weakness, convulsions, tremors, coma or paralysis, which occur when there is viral infection of the central nervous system. 

Among people who have this invasive form of the illness, around 10% will die.

“It affects the nervous system 1% of the time and is rarely fatal.”

While anyone can potentially develop severe illness, the highest-risk groups include those over 60 years of age, people who have had organ transplants and those with diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, kidney disease, immune disorders and other certain medical conditions.

“The virus’ effects can be quite serious in the elderly,” Siegel noted.

Diagnosis and treatment

Those who think they might have been infected with WNV should be assessed by a health care provider, the CDC states.

Diagnosis of the infection can be made based on evaluation of symptoms, recent exposure to mosquitoes and testing of blood or spinal fluid.

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Health care providers will typically recommend treating symptoms with over-the-counter pain medications and getting plenty of rest and fluids.

Those who experience severe illness may need to be hospitalized for supportive care.

When spending time outdoors, it is recommended that people apply insect repellent containing DEET or other EPA-approved ingredients. (iStock)

As of Aug. 6, there were 103 West Nile virus cases in the U.S. across 26 states, per the CDC.

Sixty-eight of those cases were neuroinvasive (severe).

Preventing the virus

There is currently no vaccine for West Nile virus.

“The virus can be contained through public health measures including more insect repellent with DEET, longer sleeves and less stagnant water in our backyards,” Siegel said.

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Trying to kill adult mosquitoes by spreading too much insecticide can be problematic, the doctor warned. 

“Animals, people with asthma and insects that would otherwise kill the mosquitoes are affected.”

Officials recommend eliminating standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. (iStock)

Dallas County health officials are urging local residents to take steps to protect themselves amid high mosquito activity, emphasizing the importance of the “four Ds” outlined below.

DEET: When spending time outdoors, people should apply insect repellent containing DEET or other EPA-approved ingredients.

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Dress: Minimize exposed skin by wearing long, loose clothing, officials recommend.

Drain: Eliminating any standing water can help prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

Dawn to dusk: Those at highest risk can minimize outdoor time during peak mosquito hours (just before and after sunset, and in the early morning before sunrise).

• The World Health Organization Director-General said he would ask independent experts to advise WHO on whether the increasing spread of the mpox virus in Africa should be declared a global emergency.
• The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that cases are up 160% and deaths have jumped by 19% compared with the same time period last year.
• Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of the deadlier version of mpox in Congo, which can kill up 10% of people.

The head of the World Health Organization said Wednesday he will convene an expert group to determine if the increasing spread of the mpox virus in Africa warrants being declared a global emergency.

At a press briefing in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that given the increasing spread of mpox cases beyond Congo, he has decided to ask independent experts to advise WHO “as soon as possible.”

Last week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that mpox, also known as monkeypox, has now been detected in 10 African countries this year including Congo, which has more than 96% of all cases and deaths. Compared with the same time period last year, the agency said cases are up 160% and deaths have jumped by 19%.

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Officials at the Africa CDC said nearly 70% of cases in Congo are in children younger than 15, who also accounted for 85% of deaths.

Mpox was reported last week in Burundi and Rwanda for the first time while other countries including Kenya and the Central African Republic also identified cases.

WHO’s Tedros said the agency has released $1 million from its emergency fund to support the response to mpox.

Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of the deadlier version of mpox, which can kill up 10% of people, in a Congolese mining town that they feared might spread more easily among people. Mpox spreads via close contact with infected people, including via sex.

In 2022, WHO declared mpox to be a global emergency after it spread to more than 70 countries, mostly affecting gay and bisexual men. Before that outbreak, the disease had mostly been seen in sporadic epidemics in central and West Africa when people came into contacted with infected animals.

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Western countries mostly shut down the spread of mpox with the help of vaccines and treatments, but very few of those have been available in Africa.

Maria Van Kerkhove, who leads WHO’s outbreak department, said there were numerous concerning issues in Africa’s mpox epidemic and called for a more urgent response.

“We do not want the world to sit and watch and wait,” she said. “The time (to act) is now.”

A new Gallup survey explored how young Americans cope with stress, anxiety and other big emotions – and the results were mostly positive.

The research was done in partnership with the Walton Family Foundation and Dr. Lisa Damour, a bestselling author and clinical adolescent psychologist who served as a consultant on Pixar’s movie “Inside Out 2.”

Ohio-based Damour and the rest of the team dove deep into the Gen Z experience, exploring the relationship between teens and their parents and other support systems.

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The researchers surveyed 1,675 children between ages 10 and 18, along with their parents or guardians.

The data revealed that young Gen Zers are using a “range of healthy coping mechanisms” to deal with challenging feelings, according to a press release.

More than half of Gen Z respondents reported listening to music as a coping mechanism, while 45% said they play video games, 45% connect with friends and 39% talk about their feelings.

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Only 20% of teens reported that they turn to social media when upset. 

The emotional lives of preteens and teens are “marked by more ups than downs,” according to the Gallup poll.

Listening to music is a “really effective way to manage emotions,” a psychologist told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

A whopping 94% of teens said they felt happiness “a lot on the prior day” — while 45% said they also felt stressed, 38% felt anxious and 23% felt sad.

Helping teens handle emotions

The survey explored how parents and guardians can help teens manage their emotions as they start to seek more independence.

More than 60% of Gen Zers said they want their parents to listen to them when upset. Only 28% want their parents to give advice.

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Younger Gen Z respondents are more likely to search for parental reassurance and physical comfort — but teenagers are 20% more likely to want their parents to give them space when they are upset, the survey found.

Young people who feel the need to be perfect are 23% to 30% more likely to feel anxious, sad and stressed.

Among the parents surveyed, 35% reported their teens having “very intense emotions,” but more than eight in 10 parents said they feel “confident in their ability to comfort and communicate with their children.”

The survey also found that one-third of Gen Z kids feel pressure to be perfect, a sentiment that is particularly higher among 13- to 15-year-olds (38%) and girls (40%).

“Social media may be shifting the landscape a little bit, but perfectionism in young people, and certainly in girls, has been on the scene for a long time,” the expert said. (iStock)

Young people who feel the need to be perfect are 23% to 30% more likely to feel anxious, sad and stressed, the research found.

“These new findings suggest that the negative emotions many Gen Zers feel are closely related to the pressure they feel to be perfect,” Stephanie Marken, Gallup senior partner, wrote in a statement. 

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“Prior Gallup research has found that children who frequently experience negative emotions are more likely to say that they also struggle in school, so helping Gen Z to cope with these emotions – as well as their underlying causes – is critically important to their academic and future success,” Marken added.

Damour expressed how “delighted” she was to see how “strong and common” positive emotions were in young people. (iStock)

‘Surprisingly’ positive

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Damour expressed her surprise at the large number of young Gen Zers who reported positive emotions and coping techniques.

“I think our results will surprise a lot of people, because the headlines over the last several years have focused on mental health concerns and unwanted emotions,” she said. 

“We are hearing from young people that, above all, they want to be heard and taken seriously.”

While 23% of children reported feeling envy and sadness, 29% experienced anger, 38% reported anxiety and worry, and 45% said they were stressed, a majority reported feeling enjoyment (91%) and happiness (94%).

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“The takeaway here is that teenagers have downs, but they also have ups,” Damour said. “And in terms of what they’re telling us, their ups are far more common than their downs.”

While teenagers tend to have complicated emotions and intense feelings, they’re not always negative, she pointed out.

The low number of teens who turn to social media when upset, according to a new poll, reflects their “own awareness” that it “does not help them feel better,” the psychologist said. (iStock)

The expert also offered guidance for parents whose teens may have perfectionist tendencies.

“We want to go out of our way as adults to remind young people that everyone has shortcomings,” she said. “The goal is not to be perfect, but to acknowledge and work on our shortcomings while still feeling good about ourselves overall.”

‘Listening goes a long way’

As the new school year kicks off, Damour encouraged parents to focus on listening rather than always providing solutions.

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“Well-meaning adults will often lead with some suggestions or guidance when a teenager brings painful emotions their way – and though it may come from a loving place, we are hearing from young people that, above all, they want to be heard and taken seriously,” she said.

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“Listening to teenagers and taking their feelings very seriously goes a long way to helping them feel better,” Damour added.

Parents should gauge how best to support their children based on their individual needs, the survey suggests. (iStock)

By stepping back instead of rushing in to help, adults may find that teenagers can effectively manage their own upset feelings, she said.

“We’re in a moment where parents are very, very anxious about teenagers and very, very anxious about their kids becoming teenagers,” the psychologist noted.

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“Teenagers want to be heard by and taken seriously by adults, they are very thoughtful about how they manage emotions, and they know what doesn’t help them feel better.”

You really can think so hard about something that it hurts, according to a new study.

The American Psychological Association recently published new research proving that mental exertion leads to negative feelings and irritation.

The study was published Monday in the APA’s monthly journal, Psychological Bulletin.

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Data collected from a wide variety of professions across 29 countries shows that mental efforts can be seen as aversive, and that unpleasantness appears to apply to specific populations with certain characteristics. Painful thinking seemed to have less effect on those in Asian countries than other populations.

The study, titled “The unpleasantness of thinking: A meta-analytic review of the association between mental effort and negative affect,” meta-analyzed 170 studies to draw its conclusions.

The studies were conducted from 125 articles published from 2019 to 2020, and involved 4,670 unique subjects.

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The results proved a strong positive association between mental effort and “negative affect.” However, this could vary depending on the type of task and the feedback received.

Additionally, whether the subject had completed a college education or not also affected results.

A frustrated businesswoman having headache and crumpling paper

The professions studied, including healthcare workers, military employees, amateur athletes and college students, featured a variety of vocations.

The 358 tasks studied varied in their perceived mental effort. Across all participants and all tasks, the greater the mental effort, the greater the unpleasantness.

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The study concludes that employers and education professionals find it “sensible to support or reward” students and employees engaged in mentally difficult tasks.