Health
Second child dies of measles as Texas outbreak worsens
A second child has died from measles as an outbreak of the highly contagious virus continues to grow in western Texas. The school-aged child was not vaccinated, had no underlying health conditions and was in hospital suffering complications from measles, Aaron Davis, the vice-president of UMC Health System, told the BBC. Health Secretary Robert F […]
A second child has died from measles as an outbreak of the highly contagious virus continues to grow in western Texas.
The school-aged child was not vaccinated, had no underlying health conditions and was in hospital suffering complications from measles, Aaron Davis, the vice-president of UMC Health System, told the BBC.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has faced a backlash over his handling of the outbreak, visited Texas on Sunday in the wake of the death.
The state reported more than 480 cases of measles this year as of Friday, a jump from 420 earlier in the week. The outbreak has extended to neighbouring states.
“This unfortunate event underscores the importance of vaccination,” Mr Davis said in a statement. “Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious complications, particularly for those who are unvaccinated.”
The child – an eight-year-old girl – died early on Thursday.
The BBC contacted the state health department and the US Department of Health and Human Services for comment. Both agencies did not list the death in their case counts on Friday.
In a statement, Kennedy confirmed the girl’s death.
“My intention was to come down here quietly to console the families and to be with the community in their moment of grief,” he said in the statement.
He also said he was engaging with officials there to “support Texas health officials and to learn how our HHS agencies can better partner with them to control the measles outbreak”. Kennedy said he was deploying a team – as he did in March – to help distribute vaccines, medications and other supplies, among other support services.
“The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine,” Kennedy wrote.
In February, an unvaccinated six-year-old girl in the local Mennonite community was the first child to die of measles in the US in a decade. In March, an unvaccinated man died in New Mexico after contracting the virus, though his cause of death is still under investigation.
The US has recorded more than 600 cases of measles this year, many related to the outbreak that began in western Texas. Cases in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas are likely linked to the original outbreak, public health experts say.
Nearly all the cases are in unvaccinated people.
The virus – which can cause a fever, red rash, cough and other symptoms – is associated with a host of complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling and death.
The US declared measles eliminated from the country in 2000. But outbreaks have grown since then with a rise in anti-vaccine sentiment.
Two shots of the immunization – proven safe – are 97% effective at preventing the virus and reduce severe infections. To achieve herd immunity – when enough of a group is immune to a disease, limiting its spread and protecting the unvaccinated – around 95% of the population must have the shots.
The outbreak originated in a religious community that strongly rejects vaccines. Local health officials in western Texas have told the BBC they have seen limited progress in attempts to improve vaccination rates.
Kennedy’s early response to the worsening outbreaks was muted, drawing criticism from health experts.
Kennedy, a vaccine sceptic, initially described the situation as “not unusual”. He changed his tune after the first child measles death, but stopped short of recommending that parents vaccinate their children. He instead encouraged them to talk to their doctors about the shot.
On Sunday, Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican who represents Louisiana, called for stronger messaging. Cassidy is also a doctor and has previously criticised Kennedy for his sceptical attitude towards vaccination.
“Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles,” Cassidy wrote on social media platform X. “Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies.”
Kennedy has also at times promoted Vitamin A as a treatment for measles, which doctors say should only be provided in certain cases under the guidance of a physician.
In Lubbock, Covenant Children’s Hospital has treated several children for Vitamin A toxicity after they were sent to the hospital for measles complications.
Health
BYU women's basketball guard injures ACL twice
Many people look up to athletes, but people hardly talk about the challenges they go through. Arielle Mackey-Williams tells her story of how her injury impacted her life and mental health. “There’s been a lot of nights where I’m at home trying to go to sleep and I’m just crying myself to sleep because it […]
Many people look up to athletes, but people hardly talk about the challenges they go through.
Arielle Mackey-Williams tells her story of how her injury impacted her life and mental health.
“There’s been a lot of nights where I’m at home trying to go to sleep and I’m just crying myself to sleep because it just really hurts,” Mackey-Williams said.
10% of college athletes experience severe injuries according to the national athletic trainers association.
This is the second time that BYU women’s basketball player Arielle Mackey-Williams has injured her ACL. It has kept her from playing in another season.
“My first ACL injury, I went in to do a backdoor cut and my leg went inwards,” Mackey Williams-said. “The second time I definitely knew I tore my ACL again.”
Mackey-Williams said that staying positive has been more challenging during her second injury.
Newly-named BYU women’s basketball head coach Lee Cummard said he saw the mental toll the injury took on Mackey-Williams.
“On the court, Ari is a fierce competitor,” Cummard said. “The second time around, you can see it wearing on her a little bit more.”
Others close to her, including her mother and former coach, Mary Dawn described her firsthand experience.
“The hardest thing was, I couldn’t simply hug her and let her cry out loud and embrace that pain,” Dawn said.
BYU’s assistant athletic director of clinical mental health, Holly Binks, said athletes face tough challenges physically and mentally when they are dealing with an injury.
“There has to be almost a mourning period where they have to have grief, because they’ve had like a loss of like dreams of playing,“ Binks said.
Binks said that injuries are more than just a physical setback, they can impact scholarships and grades.
Binks and Cummard said that the sports culture is evolving to include a greater focus on mental health.
“Having a optimistic but a real point of view of where they’re at will really help,” Cummard said.
Dawn offered advice on how parents of athletes can support their mental health.
“Be a source of emotional support,” Dawn said. “Validate the feelings and remind them it’s okay to feel upset.”
Mackey-Williams said she has grown throughout her mental health journey.
“I think my injuries helped me just to be more grateful for knowing not only just basketball, but just the little things in life,” Mackey-Williams said.
Mackey-Williams said she has been able to maintain her mental health through this challenge while finding joy in the little things in life.
Health
QUOTES
Story Links Recap: Terps Beat Georgetown Maryland Postgame Quotes “Really proud of our guys. Kind of had a feeling it would feel like a Big Ten game, and that’s really what it was. Obviously give credit to Kevin Warne and Georgetown on a great year. They’ve been playing as hot as anybody and certainly their […]
Maryland Postgame Quotes
“Really proud of our guys. Kind of had a feeling it would feel like a Big Ten game, and that’s really what it was. Obviously give credit to Kevin Warne and Georgetown on a great year. They’ve been playing as hot as anybody and certainly their future is bright there. The crowd was phenomenal. Navy is such a good host for this game. I think I heard the attendance was 17-18,000 and they were awesome. We felt them all game long. Just a gritty performance. Defensively, (associate head coach) Jesse Bernhardt always does a great job with the game plan and these guys do a great job executing it. And then offensively, just kind of grinded. Not our best but when we needed to make plays we did.”
On the defense
“Jesse put together a really good plan. We have really good parts, but really smart parts. We have good athletes down there, but also guys who understand how play, not only on the ball, but off the ball. The combination of having a really good scout team and guys that buy into that role, which is not easy, then guys who know how to play and also a really good game plan put it all together.”
“We played this game like a Big Ten game, like we have played all year. Don’t change anything. It is going to be a grind; don’t flinch. We talked about it with these guys, breaking the game down and each possession matters. Don’t overthink it. We did put a big emphasis on starting strong. The first five minutes for us was huge, because if you watch the Duke game, they came out hot. Everyday at practice, the first five minutes was a focus.”
Jack MacDonald
On the pace of the game
“The prior experiences, playing Rutgers, playing Michigan, playing Penn State and all of the Big Ten teams gave us a great trial run for today. And I think we were ready. I think we knew what was coming with Georgetown; it was going to be a slower game, kind of a rock fight we called it all week. And we were prepared. We knew we were going to have to play a lot of defense, but we love it.”
On the defensive plan
“It starts with coach Bernhardt. We go over all week putting together a game plan and then watching an extensive amount of film as a group and that’s when you get to know the opposing side so well. I think that’s where we get our edge.”
“I definitely felt we left some (goals) out there. I was super thrilled with how we finished the game (offensively). Coach Warne does a great job with their defense and Georgetown as a whole. I have a lot of respect for what he’s doing over there and how that defense plays so tight knit. They slide and recover real well. We found some opportunities late, but we should play better.”
On playing against his brother Jacob
“It is hard to get emotional because we shared a big stage today. I’m super proud of him and all that he is doing at Georgetown and the player he is going to be. He has a bright future. It was a great stage and fun to share it with him. It was cool for my family to experience that, but I’m definitely happy big brother came out on top.”
Health
New training facility opens in Reading for athletes' mental and physical advancement
READING, Pa. – A training facility in Reading is officially open. Athlete’s IQ Institute celebrated their grand opening earlier on Saturday. The facility operates as a space to train athletes in almost every area – mentally and physically. The goal? Help shape them into a “total package” athlete. “Training that we deliver here… …that you […]
READING, Pa. – A training facility in Reading is officially open.
Athlete’s IQ Institute celebrated their grand opening earlier on Saturday.
The facility operates as a space to train athletes in almost every area – mentally and physically.
The goal? Help shape them into a “total package” athlete.
“Training that we deliver here…
…that you need to be for an athlete,” said Avory Cole, lead trainer/performance coach for Athlete’s IQ Institute.
Athletes IQ also partners with local colleges for tutoring and mentorship programs for their trainees.
Health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month – WTVQ 23 hours ago 6
Health
Why Personal Growth Drives Business Success
About Icebug Icebug is a Swedish footwear brand on a mission to empower people to get outside — regardless of the season. Founded in 2001, the company is best known for its innovative traction technologies, making it a go-to for runners, hikers, and outdoor lovers facing slippery or challenging terrain. As the first outdoor footwear […]
About Icebug
Icebug is a Swedish footwear brand on a mission to empower people to get outside — regardless of the season. Founded in 2001, the company is best known for its innovative traction technologies, making it a go-to for runners, hikers, and outdoor lovers facing slippery or challenging terrain. As the first outdoor footwear brand to become climate positive, Icebug leads with bold sustainability actions, transparency, and a commitment to doing business differently. Headquartered in Jonsered, just outside Gothenburg, Icebug combines nature-first values with cutting-edge design and a deep respect for the planet.
CEO David Ekelund believes this connection to nature is essential for both mental health and in-novative thinking. With mandatory “Wellness Hours” three times a week, all employees spend at least an hour outside — whether walking, running, or simply breathing fresh forest air. It’s part of a bigger shift: a commitment to inner development and new ways of working in a changing world. As Ekelund shares on a walk through the forests of Västra Götaland, breaking with business-as-usual has helped Icebug thrive — from the inside out.
It’s quite difficult to isolate where mental issues are coming from. Is it really because of work? Or can it be a parent who is ill or a child having problems at school? But it’s for sure, that you’re not one person at work and then you’re another person in your private life. We are basically one person.
The underlying assumption is, that people get more dusk worn down at work. They need the weekend or a vacation to rest. I think it’s not a really good way of having it. What if instead, we can make the workplace the place where actual health and well-being are increased? Where people can develop towards their full potential.
David Ekelund gave valuable insights about his vision for the sports industry.
Image credit:
Thomas Plettenberg/Messe München
We know that physical activity also gives mental well-being, but that’s only one part of it. About 3 years ago, we decided that we wanted to work on inner development. This was really a departure from business as usual.
The core idea of business as usual being professional at work. But we all have strong sides and weak sides. And if we go to work, spending a lot of time trying to hide our weak side and always show our strong side, our “better side”, we lose a lot of opportunities to learn. Instead spending a lot of energy doing that, we could use it to develop together.
(via @Washington/IG)
