Health & Science Story Archives - Page 3 of 297 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

New Report Finds W.Va. Among Cleanest States For Air Pollution

The Charleston Metro Area ranked among the nation’s cleanest cities for ozone pollution in a report released Wednesday.

The American Lung Association released its annual “State of the Air” report, which grades exposure to unhealthy levels in the air quality.

“It grades exposure to unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone, air pollution, which you and I might think of a smog, annual particle pollution, which we might think of as soot, and short-term spikes in particle pollution over a three-year period,” said Aimee Van Cleave, the advocacy director for the American Lung Association in West Virginia.

While the Charleston Metro Area earned an A grade, the Wheeling Metro Area earned a B grade, its best result for year-round particle pollution.

“It’s doing really well,” Van Cleave said. “So we’re finding really positively that folks in West Virginia are breathing some of the cleanest air in the country.”

The report looked at levels of ozone, or smog, the air pollutant affecting the largest number of people. Cities are ranked based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days.

The Charleston metro area had zero unhealthy days per year. The Wheeling metro area had an average of 0.3 unhealthy days per year.

While West Virginia scored well, the rest of the nation did not. The report found that nearly four in 10 people live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution.

Van Cleave said exposure to particle pollution can lead to lung cancer, asthma episodes, heart attacks, strokes, preterm births and impaired cognitive functioning later in life.

“We can encourage folks to go to airnow.gov, where you can see if you are having a poor-quality day, and then you can take precautions such as rolling up your car windows, not exercising outside, putting your air conditioner on recirculate,” Van Cleave said. “And then of course, taking extra precautions for children and people with lung disease.”

Van Cleave said climate change is making air pollution more likely to form and more difficult to clean up. She said people should check the air quality in their area before exercising outside and take action by signing a petition.

“What we’re asking folks to do to improve air quality, there are a number of things including calling on the EPA to set long overdue, stronger national limits on ozone pollution,” Van Cleave said. “Folks can also just look at the air quality in their area and make personal choices like biking or walking rather than using the car, those kinds of things.”

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

Deer Test Positive For Chronic Wasting Disease In Harpers Ferry

Two deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, marking the disease’s first documented occurrence in the park.

Two white-tailed deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, marking the first time the disease was detected in a West Virginia national park.

CWD affects several deer, elk and moose species across North America, and is fatal to infected animals, with no known cure or treatment.

There have been no reported instances of CWD infecting humans, but the World Health Organization advises against the consumption of CWD-infected animals.

All venison from the deer infected with CWD was destroyed, according to a Tuesday press release from the National Park Service (NPS).

NPS said it detected the instances of CWD during ongoing efforts to reduce deer populations “to protect and restore native plants, promote healthy and diverse forests and preserve historic landscapes.”

Similar deer population reduction efforts are being conducted in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., according to NPS.

In March, three white-tailed deer tested positive for CWD in Maryland’s Antietam National Battlefield and Monocacy National Battlefield, located less than 20 and 25 miles away, respectively.

This also marked the disease’s first documented occurrence in either battlefield, according to NPS.

CWD can cause “drastic weight loss, stumbling, listlessness and other neurological symptoms, though it can take more than a year for these symptoms to present, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The NPS will continue to participate in monitoring of collected deer for CWD and will destroy venison testing positive for CWD,” NPS said. “If you see sick or dead wildlife, avoid contact with the animal and notify a National Park Service employee as soon as possible.”

State Health Officials Announce Completion Of Medicaid Unwinding

The West Virginia Department of Human Services Bureau for Medical Services released updated data following the completion of the state’s Medicaid unwinding period.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicaid benefits were expanded and restrictions loosened to help immediate needs across the country.

Federal lawmakers reigned in this spending in December 2022 with the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, returning eligibility to pre-pandemic levels.

“Completing the Medicaid unwinding process represents a significant milestone for West Virginia’s health care system,” said Cynthia Beane, West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) Bureau for Medical Services Commissioner. “Throughout this period, the department has remained dedicated to ensuring that every West Virginian received the care they required, when they needed it most.”

The DoHS Bureau for Medical Services released updated data following the completion of the state’s Medicaid unwinding period, from April 2023 to March 2024.

During that time, the bureau conducted 520,729 Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) renewals.

According to a press release, from April 2023 through the end of December 2023, 279,952 individuals were approved for ongoing coverage and 207,674 were not.

The 90-day follow-up on pending and incomplete renewals from January 2024 through March 2024 is not yet available.

The bureau said that of those not eligible for Medicaid or WVCHIP, 14,561 individuals have been transferred to the federal marketplace to be determined eligible for a health plan.

Medicaid enrollment at the beginning of the COVID-19 public health emergency was 504,760 in March 2020. Due to the continuous eligibility provision, Medicaid enrollment increased to 665,010 in March 2023. Medicaid enrollment as of April 1, 2024, was 516,500.

CHIP enrollment in June 2020 was 22,025; it went down to 18,138 in April 2023. WVCHIP enrollment, as of March 31, 2024, was 25,663 due to a net gain of 6,049 children to the WVCHIP program from the Medicaid program during the unwinding period.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

Justice Calls For More CPS Reporting, Funding In Wake Of Child’s Death

Reports surfaced last week of the death of a 14-year-old girl leading to her mother’s arrest. Gov. Jim Justice said Tuesday that this was not a CPS case.

Reports surfaced last week of the death of a 14-year-old girl found emaciated, and of her mother’s subsequent arrest. Gov. Jim Justice said Tuesday that this was not a Child Protective Services (CPS) case.

According to reporting from Eyewitness News, Julie Anne Stone Miller, 49, of Morrisvale in Boone County was arrested and charged with child neglect causing death last week.

The girl’s grandmother told Chief Deputy Mark Abbott that the girl had not attended school since late 2019 or early 2020 and had barely been out of the house in years.

This detail prompted the media to ask Justice during his weekly media briefing if the girl had been homeschooled and if so, why an academic assessment hadn’t brought attention to her condition.

“I think the answer just got to be just one thing,” Justice said. “The CPS folks, from what I understand, [had] no idea about this, about this child, no idea whatsoever.”

Department of Human Services Cabinet Secretary Cynthia Persily released a statement Monday. The press release provided no further information on the minor who passed away, but in the headline, she called the incident a criminal case.

Justice also said more funding for staffing at Child Protective Services was necessary.

“The more money we have, the better we’ll do,” Justice said. “The more workers we’ll have, the absolute better we’ll do. You know, we have got to understand that we’ve got to step up in every way, and try to do more.”

According to the Child Welfare Dashboard, child welfare positions are 88 percent filled in the state. Most vacancies remain in the Child Protective Service Worker category with 78 vacant positions. Earlier this year, the Department of Human Services announced an easing of the staffing shortages.

Justice asked the public to speak up and speak out if they see something suspicious.

“This is a tragedy that, I mean, it’s unthinkable,” Justice said. “I mean, it’s totally unthinkable. But stuff like this happens. And really, and truly, we got a lot of people out there that may have known of this kid, or whatever, this child, and speak up. I mean, yeah, this, really and truly, this is no different than being diligent, you know, in every way, from the standpoint of, you see somebody that looks suspicious, something that may be possibly going on, speak up. Tell us about all this.”

First Measles Case In 15 Years Announced In W.Va.

West Virginia’s first case of measles in 15 years was reported Monday afternoon.

West Virginia University Hospitals announced Monday that an adult patient who had been seen at an outpatient clinic last week has tested positive for measles (rubeola).

After receiving confirmation of the positive test, WVU Hospitals notified the Monongalia County Health Department.

According to the Department of Health, the Monongalia County resident was “under-vaccinated” and had recent international travel.

According to the Bureau for Public Health, West Virginia’s most recent case of measles was in 2009.

Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children. Children younger than 5 years of age and adults older than 20 years of age are more likely to suffer from complications.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can lead to complications like pneumonia, swelling of the brain and even death.

The virus spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90 percent of the people in close contact will also become infected if they are not protected through vaccination.

“The measles vaccine is the most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones from this preventable disease. Those who receive the vaccine are usually considered protected for life,” Secretary of the Department of Health Sherri Young said.

The measles vaccine is typically given in two doses with the first recommended between 12 and 15 months of age. The second dose is recommended between four and six years and, in West Virginia, is required before entering Kindergarten.

“The threat of measles exposure in the United States has been growing over the last decade. We strongly encourage individuals to follow the CDC’s immunization schedule and get their children fully vaccinated as soon as they are able,” said Dr. Matthew Christiansen, state health officer. “A recent measles outbreak in Pennsylvania sickened nine individuals, almost all of whom were unvaccinated.”

Measles symptoms appear seven-to-14 days after contact with the virus and typically include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

DoHS Responds To Minor’s Death

West Virginia Department of Human Services Cabinet Secretary, Cynthia Persily released a statement on the recent death of a minor.

West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) Cabinet Secretary, Cynthia Persily released a statement on the recent death of a minor in the state.

The press release provided no further information on the minor who passed away, but in the headline, she called the incident a criminal case.

Persily called the situation “tragic” and said her thoughts are with those affected by the loss.

“Our dedicated CPS staff work tirelessly on the front lines each and every day, often under very challenging circumstances, to protect vulnerable children and families across our state,” Persily wrote. “CPS staff adhere to stringent policies and procedures outlined in state and federal law to ensure that every report of abuse or neglect is thoroughly assessed and investigated with the utmost care and diligence.”

Persily said in the statement that CPS cannot prevent every instance of abuse or neglect but that the department strives to investigate every qualified report and intervene within legal authority and statute.

“DoHS remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing child abuse throughout West Virginia and urges residents to report any suspected cases to our Centralized Intake for Abuse and Neglect hotline,” Persily wrote. “Let us honor the memory of this young victim by supporting the tireless efforts of our CPS workers and working together as a community to create a safer environment for all children.”

Per West Virginia Code, all records and information concerning a child or juvenile that are maintained by the Department of Human Services, a child agency or facility, or court or law-enforcement agency, are confidential and may not be released or disclosed to anyone, including any federal or state agency.

Legislative efforts to provide more CPS transparency and oversight, while still keeping confidentiality, failed in the recent regular legislative session.