Deli Meats and Listeria; Medical Examiner Murder-Suicide; Masks Cut COVID Spread

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A listeria outbreak that sickened 16 persons in six states and resulted in one death is linked to deli meats and cheeses, according to the CDC.

With the surge in the number of children hospitalized with respiratory ailments, Toronto’s public health board is asking the city’s top doctor to “urgently explore” reissuing mask mandates in schools. (Toronto Star)

Despite its location in one of the most remote locations in the world, a COVID-19 outbreak hit a U.S. research station in Antarctica with at least 98 people testing positive out of 993 workers since the beginning of October. (ABC News)

The two persons who died as a result of an apparent murder-suicide at the Dallas County medical examiner’s office have been identified. (NBC DFW)

The World Health Organization said the 9,400 COVID-related deaths reported globally last week represent a drop of 90% compared with last February, when weekly deaths surpassed 75,000. (CBS News)

With the demand for COVID vaccines declining in the U.S. and the fact the market is being served by mRNA shots, AstraZeneca is withdrawing its application for FDA approval of its vaccine. (Reuters)

Meanwhile, with Thanksgiving just 2 weeks away, health officials are urging Americans to get an updated COVID booster to get more protection before the holiday. (CNN)

France is on “high” alert for bird flu, with Europe in the midst of its worst-ever bird flu outbreak. (Reuters)

Mindfulness-based stress reduction was not inferior to escitalopram (Lexapro) in treating anxiety, a randomized trial showed. (JAMA Psychiatry)

Lifting masking requirements in Boston last February was associated with an additional 45 COVID cases per 1,000 students and staff during the next 15 weeks. (New England Journal of Medicine)

An epidemiologist is warning about the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and possible links to autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. (USA Today)

Uganda ordered an early end to the school year in order to prevent the further spread of Ebola among schoolchildren. (NPR)