U.S. Faces Potential Loss of Measles Elimination Status Amidst Global Weather Extremes and Government Shutdown
The United States is on the verge of losing its measles elimination status as a significant outbreak in South Carolina continues to spread rapidly, according to NPR News. This development coincides with extreme weather events across the globe, including severe snowstorms in the U.S. and a record-breaking heat wave in Australia, as reported by Time. Adding to the complex situation, the federal government entered a partial shutdown late Friday, a lapse expected to last through the weekend, according to Time.
South Carolina has confirmed 847 measles cases since October, surpassing the case count of a previous outbreak in Texas in a significantly shorter timeframe, according to NPR News. Dr. Linda Bell, South Carolina's state epidemiologist, noted that it took only 16 weeks for South Carolina to exceed Texas's case count, which grew over seven months.
Meanwhile, extreme weather is impacting both ends of the world, according to Time. In the U.S., Winter Storm Fern broke snow records, followed by a prolonged cold-air outbreak. A bomb cyclone is expected to hit the southeast over the weekend. In Australia, a heat dome has caused temperatures to reach 120F, marking the country's most severe heat wave in 16 years. Gary Lackmann, professor at the deparment of Time, stated that while it's difficult to attribute any single weather event to climate change, a warming planet could lead to more frequent and simultaneous extreme events.
The partial government shutdown occurred despite the Senate's efforts to pass a bipartisan spending package that would fund most of the government through the end of the fiscal year, according to Time. The package also aimed to provide two more weeks to negotiate new limits on immigration enforcement tactics. However, with the House out of session until Monday, lawmakers acknowledged that sending the bill to President Donald Trump before the deadline was impossible, making a short shutdown unavoidable. The pressure is now on the House to decide whether to ratify the Senate plan or reopen a deeper fight.
In other news, a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump, titled "Melania," premiered at the Trump Kennedy Center, according to Time. The documentary, produced by Melania Trump and purchased by Amazon MGM Studios for $40 million, had many members of the Trump Administration in attendance, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr..
Furthermore, in Minnesota, a red hat inspired by a symbol of resistance to Nazi occupation has gained traction, according to NPR News. The hats, handmade with the phrase "Melt the ICE," are being created and worn as a form of protest. Paul Neary, an employee at a Minneapolis yarn store, noted a "collective exhaustion" among knitters, reflecting widespread concerns.
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