MMWR News Synopsis

Deaths from Falls Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years – United States, 2007-2016

CDC Media Relations
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The rate of deaths from older-adult falls is increasing across the United States. Falls are preventable and should be discussed during annual physical exams. Deaths from falling among older adults increased from about 18,000 in 2007 to almost 30,000 in 2016. Deaths from falling increased in both older men and older women and among most races/ethnicities. They increased steadily in 30 states and the District of Columbia. If deaths from falls continue to increase at this rate, the U.S. can expect 59,000 older adult fall deaths in 2030.

Enterovirus and Parechovirus Surveillance – United States, 2014-2016

CDC Media Relations
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Enteroviruses and parechoviruses are divided into types, some of which are associated with specific clinical manifestations. Tracking trends in the circulation of these virus types from year to year requires consistent and complete surveillance from laboratories nationwide. Reports of enterovirus and parechovirus circulation in the United States during 2014-2016 were dominated by enterovirus D68, which accounted for 68 percent of cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Enterovirus Surveillance System. Enterovirus D68 was associated with a large nationwide outbreak of respiratory illness in 2014. Infections caused by enteroviruses and parechoviruses are associated with a variety of clinical manifestations including hand, foot, and mouth disease; respiratory illness; myocarditis; meningitis; and sepsis and can result in death. Annual circulation of these viruses is highest during the summer and early fall months, and the predominant viral types vary from year to year. Therefore, tracking trends in enterovirus and parechovirus circulation requires consistent and complete surveillance from laboratories nationwide.

Tobacco Cessation Interventions and Smoke-Free Policies in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities – United States, 2016

CDC Media Relations
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Full integration of tobacco cessation treatment into behavioral health treatment, coupled with tobacco-free campus policies in behavioral health treatment facilities, could decrease tobacco use and tobacco-related disease and death while improving behavioral health treatment outcomes among people with mental and substance use disorders. To assess tobacco-related policies and practices in mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities (i.e., behavioral health treatment facilities) in the 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration analyzed data from the 2016 National Mental Health Services Survey and the 2016 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services. In 2016, tobacco screening was the most commonly implemented tobacco-related practice in these facilities, and cessation counseling was the most commonly offered tobacco dependence treatment. Approximately 1 in 4 treatment facilities offered nicotine replacement therapy and about 1 in 5 offered non-nicotine medications. Approximately 1 in 2 mental health and 1 in 3 substance abuse treatment facilities reported having smoke-free campuses.

Progress Toward Polio Eradication – Worldwide, January 2016-March 2018

CDC Media Relations
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In 2016-2017 there was progress toward global eradication of wild poliovirus (WPV). To date in 2018 (as of April 24) there have been more reported WPV than in  the same time period in 2017. Identifying and vaccinating every last child remains challenging, but is necessary to end WPV transmission in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan and to prevent outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV). Progress continued toward global eradication of wild poliovirus (WPV) in 2016-2017. WPV transmission continues in three countries — Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Reported WPV cases worldwide decreased from 37 in 2016 to 22 in 2017; to date in 2018 (as of April 24), eight WPV cases have been reported, compared to five during the same time period in 2017. Areas with low vaccination coverage, frequently due to inaccessibility and conflict, are at risk for not only WPV but also circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV). Stopping WPV transmission and prevention of cVDPV outbreaks will require reaching all unvaccinated children in hard-to-reach areas globally. As long as polio exists anywhere, it remains a threat everywhere. All countries must maintain high population immunity and strong poliovirus surveillance.

Access to Syringe Services Programs – Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia, 2013-2017

CDC Media Relations
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Between 2013 and 2017, the combined number of operational syringe services programs (SSPs) increased from 1 to over 50 in Kentucky, North Carolina and West Virginia — with dramatic increases in the number of annual visits to these services. Collaborators from all three states and CDC found substantial surges in both new SSPs and client visits to SSPs in the four year period. Expansion of SSPs is especially important in areas heavily impacted by the opioid crisis and injection drug use (IDU), as SSPs are a proven part of comprehensive community-based prevention services to stop the spread of HIV and viral hepatitis and to increase the chance a person will be linked to substance use treatment.

• Diarrhea and Acute Respiratory Infection, Oral Cholera Vaccination Coverage, and Care-Seeking Behaviors of Rohingya Refugees – Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, October-November 2017

• Age-Adjusted Death Rates from Unintentional Falls Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years, by Race/Ethnicity – National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2001-2016

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.