Health Highlights: May 15, 2015

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

B.B. King Dies at Age 89

Blues legend B.B. King died Thursday night at his home in Las Vegas. He was 89.

Two weeks ago, King announced that he was in home hospice care, CNN reported.

King lived with type 2 diabetes for decades and became ill last October after a show at Chicago’s House of Blues. That led to a rare cancellation of the remainder of his tour.

The Mississippi native was hospitalized for dehydration in April in Las Vegas, CNN reported.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s reign as “king of the blues” lasted more than six decades and he influenced many blues and rock musicians, including Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

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Bullying in U.S. Schools Declines: Survey

Fewer American students say they are being bullied at school, according to an Education Department survey released Friday.

The national poll found that 22 percent of students ages 12-18 said they were bullied in 2013, which is a 6 percent decline from 2011 and the lowest level since the National Center for Education Statistics began surveying students on bullying in 2005, the Associated Press reported.

Victims of bullying were more likely to be girls than boys and more likely to be white than a member of a minority.

Bullying was reported by 24 percent of girls and 20 percent of boys, and by 24 percent of whites, 20 percent of blacks, 19 percent of Hispanics and 9 percent of Asians, the AP reported.

The most common types of bullying were being made fun of, called names, being insulted, being the subject of rumors, and being threatened with harm, according to the survey.

Cyberbullying in school or outside of school was reported by 9 percent of girls and 5 percent of boys. The most common form of cyberbullying was unwanted text messages, followed by hurtful information posted online, the AP reported.

“Even though we’ve come a long way over the past few years in educating the public about the health and educational impacts that bullying can have on students, we still have more work to do to ensure the safety of our nation’s children,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said.

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Blue Bell Announces Listeria Monitoring Agreement with States

In new agreements with Texas and Oklahoma, Blue Bell Creameries pledged to tell health officials in those states about any positive test results for listeria in its products or ingredients.

The Texas-based ice cream maker has plants in both states. The company also said it is drafting a similar agreement with health officials in Alabama, where it also has a plant, USA Today reported.

In late April, Blue Bell recalled all its products due to possible listeria contamination. Its ice cream was linked to 10 illnesses in four states, including three deaths.

“We are committed to meeting the high standards and expectations of our customers and our regulatory agencies,” Paul Kruse, Blue Bell chief executive and president, said in a statement released Thursday.

“State and federal regulatory agencies play an important role in food safety, and we hope that it will be reassuring to our customers that we are working cooperatively with the states of Texas and Oklahoma in taking the necessary steps to bring Blue Bell Ice Cream back to the market,” Kruse said.

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