Articles about Deaths

Health secretary says ‘I had nothing to do with the measles outbreak’ and claims to support measles and MMR vaccinesHealth secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr faced intense questioning from several US senators on Wednesday during a hearing largely focused on how the administration has responded to the measles outbreak and the spread of vaccine misinformation.In his opening remarks to the Senate finance committee, the senator Ron Wyden criticized Kennedy’s messaging on vaccines, saying: “When it comes to vaccines, Robert Kennedy has used this once-in-a-lifetime platform to make parents doubt themselves and doubt their doctors,” before adding: “The secretary has ducked, bobbed and weaved without taking the responsibility of saying what needs to be said: vaccines save lives in America.” Continue reading...

Calls for ‘urgent, sustained action’ over rising number of children who do not have permanent homeLiving in temporary accommodation has contributed to the deaths of 104 children in England in the past six years, 76 of whom were under the age of one, according to data.Statistics also show there were 64 stillbirths and 27 neonatal deaths involving mothers living in temporary accommodation (TA) in the UK in 2024. Experts say the housing crisis is pushing families into conditions that endanger their lives. Continue reading...

• Between 2009 and 2023, the US recorded at least 402 tetanus cases with 37 deaths, primarily among those unvaccinated or overdue for boosters. • None of the fatalities involved individuals with three or more doses of tetanus-containing vaccine, highlighting booster importance every 10 years. • The analysis underscores ongoing risks from this bacteria despite effective vaccines, with many cases in people lacking full primary series.

Camp’s medical officer testified at a hearing as state health agency reviews camp’s application to reopen this summerSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe medical officer for Camp Mystic, the Christian summer camp in Texas where 27 girls and counselors were killed in a catastrophic flood last year, testified this week she has still not officially reported the deaths to the state health agency reviewing the camp’s application to reopen.Mary Liz Eastland, a member of the family that owns and operates the camp, appeared in court this week as part of a hearing tied to a lawsuit brought by the family of eight-year-old camper Cecilia “Cile” Steward, whose body has not been found. The family is seeking to temporarily close off the camp’s flooded areas to preserve the damage as evidence while their lawsuit proceeds. Continue reading...

Sheinbaum has recently been taking a firmer stance with the US, defying pressures where other countries have cavedThe Mexican government has voiced concern about the deaths of its citizens in US custody, with Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum also pushing back against the Trump administration’s decision to impose an energy blockade on Cuba.The progressive Mexican leader has walked a careful line with Trump for more than a year, addressing provocations with a measured tone and meeting US requests to crack down on cartels more so than her predecessors, in an effort to offset threats of tariffs and US military action against gangs. Continue reading...

Bereaved parents say review of nine deaths is too narrow and will urge health secretary to add 60 more casesAn inquiry into the preventable deaths of babies in Sussex will fail to learn the lessons as it “systematically” excluded dozens of families, Wes Streeting has been warned ahead of a meeting with bereaved parents.The health secretary has ordered a review of nine infant deaths at the University Hospitals Sussex NHS foundation trust amid maternity scandals across England. However, families are calling on Streeting to expand the investigation to include more than 60 babies who died between 2019 and 2023 and might have survived with better care. Continue reading...

Sudanese national Alnour Mohamed Ali, accused of piloting small boat, is charged with endangering life A man accused of piloting a small boat carrying four people who drowned trying to cross the Channel has been charged over their deaths.Alnour Mohamed Ali, a Sudanese national, was charged with endangering life after two men and two women died trying to board a small boat crossing the Channel on Thursday, the National Crime Agency said. Continue reading...

• The US measles outbreak has accelerated in 2026 with cases now reported in more than half of the states, marking a resurgence 20 years after official eradication, driven primarily by declining vaccination rates. • Last year, the US reported over 2,000 measles cases (2,213 confirmed) and three pediatric deaths, with the mortality rate matching historical data of approximately one death per 1,000 infected children. • Oregon has diagnosed 13 measles cases so far in 2026 with hundreds of potential exposures in the past week; health experts note that official case counts likely underestimate true infection rates due to unreported cases and undetected transmission indicated by wastewater data.

• A March 31, 2026, Bioethics Public Policy Report states 14,446 Americans have died by physician-assisted suicide since 1997, with Aging with Dignity estimating the actual number is higher due to underreporting. • The report provides state-by-state analysis of assisted dying trends and policies. • Findings underscore ongoing debates in end-of-life care and public policy.

A 26-year old man died in a cell in Darwin on Saturday morning, and a 25 year-old man died in a police car on TuesdayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA 26-year-old man died at Darwin correctional centre on Saturday, Northern Territory police said.It was the territory’s second reported death in custody in just a matter of days. Continue reading...

• A study analyzing electronic health records from nearly 4 million pediatric hospital admissions from 2016 to 2023 found that 18% of deaths among hospitalized children in the US were linked to sepsis. • Sepsis emerged as a leading cause of mortality in this large dataset, highlighting ongoing challenges in early detection and treatment in pediatric care. • The findings underscore the need for improved sepsis protocols in US hospitals to reduce preventable child deaths, as rates remain significant despite medical advances.

• Peer-reviewed research in Science Advances identifies 155,000 uncounted COVID-19 deaths in 2020-2021, raising official U.S. toll from 840,000 to nearly 1 million that period. • AI analysis of mortality data shows 16% undercount, totaling 1.2 million U.S. COVID deaths over six years. • Undercounts disproportionately affect Hispanic and communities of color, often from non-hospital deaths, impacting public health policy accuracy.

Families, advocates and lawmakers say poor care, opaque investigations and bureaucracy leave deaths unexplainedSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe circumstances of many of the record number of deaths in US immigration custody under the second Trump administration have left loved ones often searching in vain for answers amid a lack of transparency over key investigations.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reports mandated by Congress, autopsy reports and 911 calls collected by the Guardian raise questions about the quality of medical care, allegedly inadequate or haphazard responses to emergencies, and contraction of diseases and infections inside detention facilities that in some cases contributed to detainee deaths. Continue reading...

• Researchers using AI analyzed death certificates and estimated 155,000 additional unrecognized COVID-19 deaths outside hospitals in 2020-2021, raising the official toll of 840,000 by 16%. • The study compared symptomology of hospital deaths with those outside care, highlighting dramatic disparities in uncounted fatalities nationwide. • This undercounting underscores ongoing challenges in pandemic mortality tracking and public health surveillance across the U.S.

Nigeria had largest increase in terrorism-related deaths, ranking fourth in global index behind Pakistan, Burkina Faso and NigerJihadist violence rose sharply in Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo last year, even as global deaths from terrorism dropped to their lowest level in a decade, according to a new report.Nigeria recorded the largest increase in terrorism deaths globally in 2025, with fatalities rising by 46% from 513 in 2024 to 750, placing it fourth in the Global Terrorism Index, behind Pakistan, Burkina Faso and Niger. Continue reading...

Fentanyl-related overdose deaths fell by nearly 30 per cent in the space of a year in the US, which could represent a significant turning point in the country's opioid addiction crisis

A Colorectal Cancer Alliance survey finds only 50% of US adults know about at-home colorectal cancer screenings, contributing to it becoming the leading cancer killer for those under 50 with rising death rates. One-third of Americans, and nearly half under 45, report doctors dismissing stomach or bowel symptoms, while over 25% skip recommended screenings due to cost, fear, or lack of knowledge. More than 60% would screen if better informed of personal risk, prompting calls for awareness during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The nonprofit urges action to reverse trends where colorectal cancer deaths climb unlike most others.