Health Highlights: May 20, 2016

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Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Doctors Would Face Felony Charges for Abortions Under Oklahoma Bill

A bill that would effectively ban abortions was passed Thursday by the Oklahoma Legislature.

Under the bill, doctors who perform abortions would be subject to felony charges and the loss of their medical licenses. It’s the first of its kind in the United States, The New York Times reported.

The measure was passed by the Republican-dominated Senate by a vote of 33-12 and now goes to Republican Gov. Mary Fallin. She will have five days to sign it, veto it, or allow it take effect without her signature.

If the bill becomes law, it will quickly be challenged in state or federal court and likely declared unconstitutional, according to legal experts. That’s because the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that women have a right to abortions until the fetus is viable outside the womb, The Times reported.

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Massive Recall of Frozen Fruits and Vegetables From CRF Frozen Foods

Millions of packages of more than 400 frozen fruit and vegetable products from CRF Frozen Foods have been recalled due to possible listeria contamination.

The products were distributed in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico and sold under more than 40 different brand names at retailers such as Safeway, Target, Costco and Trader Joe’s, the Associated Press reported.

To date, eight people have been sickened by listeria that’s genetically similar to that found in CRF frozen vegetables, and two have died, but listeria was not the primary cause of death.

An initial recall of 11 frozen vegetable products from CRF was announced April 22. But the recall was expanded May 2 to include all frozen organic and traditional fruit and vegetable products made or processed at the company’s plant in Pasco, Washington since May 1, 2014.

“Unquestionably, this is a lot of product. … It reflects the severity of listeria as an illness, the long duration of illnesses and the outbreak and the long shelf life of the products,” Matthew Wise, leader of the outbreak response team at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the AP.

Of the eight people who became ill, six were in California. The two deaths occurred in Maryland and Washington. The CDC is monitoring state illness reports for any additional cases linked to the recalled products, Wise said.

A list of the recalled CRF products is on the FDA website. Consumers should view the list and check their freezers for the recalled products, FDA spokeswoman Lauren Sucher said. She added that it’s important to follow label directions for cooking frozen foods.

The CRF plant closed two weeks ago and the company is trying to identify the source of the contamination, according to company spokesman Gene Grabowski.

Listeria poses the greatest threat to people over 65 with weakened immune systems and pregnant women. Listeria causes about 1,600 cases of illness each year in the U.S., but only half are reported. About 18 percent of patients die, the AP reported.

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