Health Highlights: June 19, 2015

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

South Korea MERS Outbreak Easing: Official

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in South Korea seems to be easing, according to a government official.

In an update Friday, Kwon Deok-cheol said there had been just one new case of MERS, as well as the 24th death from the disease, The New York Times reported.

“As things stand now, we believe that the outbreak is easing,” Kwon, a top coordinator of policy for the government’s response to the outbreak, said. “But we need to watch those hospitals under our scrutiny to see if there will be further transmissions.”

The MERS outbreak in South Korea is the largest outside Saudi Arabia. Since May 20, there have been 166 confirmed cases of MERS in South Korea, with the number of new cases a day peaking at 23 on June 7. Since then, the number of new cases has generally declined, The Times reported.

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World’s Oldest Person, 116, Dies in Michigan

A Michigan woman who was the world’s oldest person died Wednesday.

Jeralean Talley, who turned 116 last month, died at her home in Inkster, a suburb of Detroit. Her death was confirmed by her daugher, Thelma Holloway, NBC News reported.

Talley — born in Montrose, Ga. in 1899, was recently hospitalized and treated for fluid in her lungs, but had returned home, “just where she wanted to be,” Holloway said.

Susannah Jones, of Brooklyn, N.Y., turns 116 in July and the Gerontology Research Group believes she is now the world’s oldest person, NBC News reported.

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Hundreds Arrested Nationwide for Medicare/Medicaid Fraud

Hundreds of people have been charged after health care fraud sweeps were made across the United States, the federal government said Thursday.

The 243 doctors, nurses, pharmacy owners and others who were arrested are accused of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid of about $712 million, the Associated Press reported.

The crackdown ranged from Dallas to Brooklyn, N.Y. and from Miami to Los Angeles, with the arrests made earlier this week.

Prescription fraud was a main focus of the investigation. More than 40 of those arrested were alleged to be involved in scams focused on Medicare’s drug benefit, the AP reported.

Some of the accused also billed for care that wasn’t needed, services that weren’t rendered, and equipment that wasn’t provided.

The sweeps included the Health and Human Services inspector general’s office, the FBI, U.S. attorneys’ offices across the country, and state Medicaid fraud units, the AP reported.

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