January 10 News: Alcohol deaths double, new coronavirus identified, cancer deaths drop

Healthline – Alcohol-related deaths have doubled since 1999, here’s why

A new study finds that the number of alcohol-related deaths per year among people ages 16 and older has doubled in the U.S., reaching almost 73,000 in 2017.

The Washington Post – China identifies new strain of coronavirus as source of pneumonia outbreak

Chinese researchers investigating the cause of a mysterious pneumonia outbreak have discovered a new strain of coronavirus.

Stat News — U.S. cancer death rate drops by largest annual margin ever, report says

Researchers on Wednesday reported the largest-ever one-year decline in the U.S. cancer death rate, a drop they credited to advances in lung-tumor treatments.

BBC News — DR Congo measles: More than 6,000 dead in world's worst outbreak

The number of people killed by a measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has passed 6,000, the World Health Organization has said. The epidemic is the world's largest and fastest moving.

KYMA — Mental health a top priority after Puerto Rico earthquakes

Puerto Ricans are continuing to recover from several earthquakes in the recent weeks, and mental health is becoming a top priority. Local authorities are doing as much as they can to help families cope with the natural disaster.

The New York Times – Vaping kills a 15-year-old on Texas

Cases of lung illness and deaths from vaping have tapered off since peaking in September, health officials said on Thursday, but the outbreak also reached a grim new milestone: The youngest death, of a 15-year-old, was reported by Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Associated Press – As wildfires get worse, smoke spreads, stokes health worries

Increasingly intense wildfires are scorching forests from across the Western U.S. to Australia, stoking concern about long-term health impacts from smoke exposure.

Kaiser Health News – 5 things to know as California starts screening children for toxic stress

Starting this year, routine pediatric visits for millions of California children may include screening for adverse childhood experiences if the patient is covered by the state’s Medicaid program.