Health Highlights: July 20, 2018

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

EPA Should Boost Oversight of State Drinking Water Systems: Report

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency needs to boost its oversight of state drinking water systems, the agency’s inspector general says in a new report.

It also called on the EPA to act more quickly when there are public health emergencies, such as when tap water in Flint, Michigan became contaminated with lead after officials switched from the Detroit system to the Flint River to save money, the Associated Press reported.

EPA inspector general Arthur Elkins noted “oversight lapses” by federal, state and local officials in response to the Flint water crisis.

In a statement, the EPA said it agrees with the inspector general’s recommendations and is adopting them “expeditiously,” the AP reported.

However, the inspector general says the EPA’s plans for increasing oversight don’t go far enough.

The Trump administration wants to cut the EPA’s budget, including some drinking-water programs, and to reduce federal environmental regulation overall and transfer more oversight of some programs to the states, the AP reported.

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Salmonella Outbreak in 26 States Linked to Raw Turkey Products

A salmonella outbreak that’s sickened 90 people in 26 states has been linked to a variety of raw turkey products, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Illnesses in this outbreak began between Nov. 20, 2017 and June 29, 2018. To date, 40 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

The outbreak strain of salmonella has been detected in a number of raw turkey products, including ground turkey, turkey patties, and pet food. It’s also been found in live turkeys.

No connection has been made between the outbreak and a single, common supplier of raw turkey products or live turkeys, the CDC said.

The agency is not advising consumers to avoid eating properly cooked turkey products, or for retailers to stop selling raw turkey products.

Consumers should wash their hands thoroughly after handling raw turkey and cook turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, the CDC advised.

It said that Illness (diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps) from salmonella begins 12 to 72 hours after swallowing the germ. Most people recover within a week, but some cases last longer and are more severe.

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