Health

Health
Flu is flying: Twin Cities sees highest weekly hospitalizations in past four years
Data released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health shows flu activity continuing to soar. Statewide, 877 people were hospitalized due to influenza in the week ending Jan. 4.
‘Winter bug’ norovirus surges in Minnesota with unusually high number of cases
Sometimes referred to as the “winter vomiting bug,” noroviruses are the leading cause of foodborne illness in the state for people of all ages. Minnesota is seeing around four times as many cases this season than is typical.
FDA bans red dye No. 3 from foods
Food and Drug Administration officials on Wednesday granted a 2022 petition filed by consumer advocates. The move comes nearly 35 years after the dye was barred from cosmetics such as lipsticks because of potential cancer risk.
The FDA calls for at-a-glance nutrition labels on the front of packaged foods
The FDA wants front-of-package nutrition labels required on packaged foods. The labels would tell consumers if the product has Low, Medium or High levels of saturated fat, sodium and added sugar.
University of Minnesota gets fast-tracked funding to survey wildlife for bird flu
Researchers in the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine will work with wildlife rehabilitators, tribal biologists and other partners across the state to collect 9,000 samples from a variety of birds and mammals. 
U of M researchers examine preparedness for possibility of CWD jump to humans
A new University of Minnesota report examines whether there have been sufficient preparations for chronic wasting disease, which is always fatal in deer, making the jump to other animals, including humans.
Milk from Minnesota dairy farms to undergo mandatory testing for bird flu
Avian influenza has been confirmed in dairy cattle in 16 states, including Minnesota, which had nine cases last year. The USDA says the goal of the testing is to gain a clearer picture of the presence of the virus in dairy herds, and help inform response efforts to prevent it from spreading further.