Health Archives

Planned Parenthood pushes back against Missouri AG’s cease-and-desist

March 12, 2025 6:14 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued a cease-and-desist order against Planned Parenthood facilities in the state, prohibiting them from performing medication abortions without an approved complication plan from state health officials. However, Planned Parenthood officials contend they are not currently offering medication abortions and have complied with state requirements. Abortion appointments resumed

Mass NOAA layoffs spark concerns among meteorologists, emergency officials

February 28, 2025 9:45 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Hundreds of weather forecasters and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees were fired Thursday in the latest wave of cuts from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, sparking concern among local forecasters and emergency officials. The Associated Press reports that the cuts appear to be happening in two phases, with roughly 1,300

Measles vaccination rates decline in Missouri and across U.S.

February 27, 2025 11:29 AM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Measles vaccination rates are declining in Missouri and across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the 2023-24 school year 90.4% of kindergarten students were vaccinated for the measles compared to 91.3% during the 2022-2023 school year, according to the CDC. The Missouri Department of Health and

Republicans continue efforts to stop abortion in Missouri as Columbia Planned Parenthood gets ready to offer procedure again

February 26, 2025 6:15 PM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Republicans are continuing their efforts to stop abortions in the state as the Columbia Planned Parenthood location is preparing to start the procedure again. Planned Parenthood will begin offering abortion care at its Columbia clinic on Monday, according to a Planned Parenthood Great Plains spokesperson. The clinic is currently offering appointments.

USDA details new plan to tackle bird flu and lower egg prices

February 26, 2025 8:53 AM CNN Newsource

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — Soaring egg prices have consumers boiling, and on Wednesday, the United States Department of Agriculture blamed rising costs on the bird flu epidemic and said it will take new steps to quell the outbreak. The new plan appears to have refocused the department’s efforts around the goal of lowering

MU Health Care recommends Anthem patients apply for ‘Continuity of Care’ as contract deadline looms

February 19, 2025 10:56 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) MU Health Care wrote in an email to patients who use Anthem Blue Cross Shield to apply for “Continuity of Care” in case the two sides don’t come to an agreement. The email recommends Anthem customers call the insurance giant at the number on the back of their insurance cards to learn

Frostbite risk high in Missouri as temperature drops

February 17, 2025 6:51 PM Haley Swaino

When the wind chill is -15°F or lower, people can get frostbite in 30 minutes or less, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A Cold Weather Advisory has been issued in Mid-Missouri for Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. through Thursday at 12:00 p.m. for wind chills as low as 20 below.

An intense flu season is filling hospitals with severely ill patients

February 14, 2025 8:22 AM CNN Newsource

By Brenda Goodman and Neha Mukherjee, CNN (CNN) — The US is in the throes of an unusually intense and severe flu season, with hospitalization rates topping the levels seen with Covid-19 at some points of the pandemic. On top of the flu infection itself, doctors say they’re seeing large numbers of patients with some

Nearly 350 calls made during 911 outage in Boone County, 59 were for emergencies

February 4, 2025 7:51 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Boone County Joint Communications says it received nearly 350 calls during a phone outage on Monday night and Tuesday morning, but all emergency services were dispatched efficiently. BCJC stopped receiving 911 calls around 6:40 pm Monday night. An alert was sent to the public just before 8 p.m., reporting that Brightspeed believed

Human brain samples contain an entire spoon’s worth of nanoplastics, study says

February 3, 2025 11:06 AM CNN Newsource

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Cognitively normal human brain samples collected at autopsy in early 2024 contained more tiny shards of plastic than samples collected eight years prior, according to a new study. Overall, cadaver brain samples contained seven to 30 times more tiny shards of plastic than their kidneys and liver, said co-lead

Flu activity on the upswing in Missouri

January 31, 2025 12:07 PM Haley Swaino

The Missouri Health Department posts updated flu numbers to its website every Friday. Data released Friday brought the Influenza-like Illness Activity Level to moderate.

There were 5,414 influenza cases reported in Missouri between Jan. 24, 2025 and Jan. 31. 2025, according to the department.

Missouri now 10th state to offer prison nursery program

January 31, 2025 5:56 PM Erika McGuire

VANDALIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri is now the 10th state to offer a prison nursery to incarcerated mothers. The Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center in Vandalia has launched a new program and newly renovated wing that provides mothers with resources to bond with their newborns and prepare for life after incarceration. “Life skills, trauma

Flu outbreak causes Climax Springs Schools to use AMI day on Friday

January 30, 2025 4:51 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A significant portion of the student population at a Camden County school has caused it to call off in-person classes on Friday. The Climax Springs R-4 School District will have its fourth AMI day after about 30% of its 186 students are experiencing flu-like symptoms, a school official said on Thursday. The

WHAT’S GOING AROUND: Doctors seeing cases of flu, respiratory virus and norovirus

January 29, 2025 12:00 PM Erika McGuire

A look at illnesses circulating in Mid-Missouri this week.

Price of eggs on the rise, experts attribute the increase to bird flu

January 26, 2025 4:30 AM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA Mo. (KMIZ) Americans can expect to pay more for eggs in 2025, as Avian flu continues to hurt commercial and backyard livestock nationwide. According to the US Department of Agriculture, egg prices are predicted to increase by 20.3% in 2025. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average cost of eggs increased from

FDA disappoints child advocates with its new limit on lead in baby food

January 6, 2025 11:50 AM CNN Newsource

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — For the first time in history, the US Food and Drug Administration has established guidance for levels of lead in processed baby foods that are sold on supermarket shelves and online. The agency’s action, announced Monday, only provides guidance to industry and is not enforceable. Under the new guidelines,

MU Health Care sees violence against health care workers ‘level off’ after implementing preventative programs

December 11, 2024 7:15 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) MU Health Care’s Chief Operating Officer Tonya Johnson says violence against health care workers from patients increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she claims it has leveled out after implementing preventative programs. Conversations on the safety of health care workers following the highly publicized United Healthcare CEO shooting. Following the shooting, Arrow

Public health organizations remind people of safe food handling tips for the holidays

November 27, 2024 12:43 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) According to the USDA, foodborne germs cause 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths nationwide. Due to its size and commonly frozen nature, the USDA has specific tips on how to cook a turkey in time for Thursday’s holiday. When choosing a turkey, the FDA recommends 1 pound of turkey per

Tiger Pantry executive director says almost one-third of University of Missouri students experience food insecurity

October 30, 2024 10:54 AM Morgan Buresh

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) It has been almost one year since The Food Bank Market opened its doors on Business Loop 70 in Columbia, and The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri said it’s seen immense growth over that timeframe. The Food Bank Spokesperson Katie Adkins said the number of people the market serves is

DEA says new ‘pink cocaine’ is still uncommon in Missouri

October 25, 2024 6:40 PM Morgan Buresh

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As “pink cocaine” makes headlines following the death of a One Direction member, the Drug Enforcement Administration said the substance is still uncommon in Missouri. A toxicology report revealed the substance was found in the body of singer Liam Payne after he fell from a balcony and died last week, KABC reports.