• A recent study demonstrates that an updated vaccine formulation reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations among healthy adults by approximately 50 percent during the past season.
• This significant efficacy improvement represents a major advancement in vaccine development and public health protection strategies.
• The findings contribute to the evolving landscape of U.S. vaccine policy, as documented in CIDRAP's latest state of vaccine policy report from April 28, 2026.
• Medicare underpayments to hospitals totaled more than $100 billion in 2024, according to testimony provided to the House Ways and Means Committee by the American Hospital Association.
• Hospitals are managing significant cost pressures while treating a sicker, more medically complex, and aging patient population, with persistent misalignments between care provision and reimbursement rates.
• The financial strain reflects broader healthcare system challenges as providers struggle with inadequate government reimbursement alongside rising operational costs.
Transition and legal handover of hospital from private operator Healthscope to NSW Health occurs at 7am on WednesdayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSydney’s Northern Beaches hospital is officially entering the public system, ending a troubled eight-year public-private partnership, although uncertainty about the future of private services remains.The transition and legal handover of the hospital from private operator Healthscope to New South Wales Health will occur at 7am on Wednesday. The New South Wales health minister, Ryan Park, said it was a “historic day”. Continue reading...
Man, 51, arrested after allegedly assaulting multiple people at Prince of Wales hospitalFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA patient has been shot with a Taser after allegedly attacking several people at a Sydney hospital, including a nurse who was left seriously injured.Police restrained a 51-year-old patient after the Saturday night melee at Sydney’s Prince of Wales hospital, which left a nurse in hospital. Continue reading...
Officials say the suspect in the shooting, which left another officer in critical condition, has been taken into custodyA shooting at a Chicago hospital on Saturday morning has left a police officer dead and another critically injured, according to NBC 5 Chicago.The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, is in custody, according to Andre Vasquez, alderperson for the city’s 40th ward. Continue reading...
• The U.S. daily COVID-19 case average increased by 13.3% over the past week, though hospitalizations continue to decline according to federal data.
• About 48,000 patients are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, representing a decrease of nearly 104,000 patients over the past eight weeks, with hospital admissions down 11.7% weekly.
• Alaska has the highest infection rate in the nation, followed by Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming, while Puerto Rico, Florida, and Hawaii report the lowest rates.
Suspect is one of three ex-senior leaders also arrested last year on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughterA former boss at the hospital where Lucy Letby worked has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.Police arrested the suspect on Wednesday as part of an investigation into allegations of gross negligence manslaughter by ex-senior leaders at the Countess of Chester hospital. Continue reading...
Christina Snow was one of two women injured when gunman opened fire on a family in Shreveport, killing eightSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe mother of three children killed over the weekend in a mass shooting in Louisiana is reportedly recovering in hospital with a bullet still lodged in her face.Jamarckus Snow told NBC News that his cousin, Christina Snow, was one of the two women who were shot and injured early Sunday when a gunman opened fire on his family in Shreveport. Police described the shooting as a “violent domestic incident” in which 31-year-old Shamar Elkins fatally shot eight children – including seven of his children and a cousin. Continue reading...
• Palo Alto Networks issued emergency patches on April 20, 2026, for a zero-day flaw (CVE-2026-4123) in PAN-OS firewalls, exploited against 50+ US healthcare providers.
• Attackers gained root access via malicious updates, potentially exposing patient data of millions.
• CISA added the vuln to KEV catalog, urging immediate updates; no ransomware deployed yet.
Governments spending $2.13bn annually on low quality food in public settings, report saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastReptile remains, believed to be from a crocodile, have been found dumped on the side of the road in Adelaide.A spokesperson for the state’s environment and water department confirmed in a statement that department staff had “collected the remains of a reptile at Waterloo Corner.” They said:The remains, which were dumped on the side of the road at Coleman Road, will be analysed in an effort to confirm the species and any other information.“It is not currently known how the remains came to be located at the site.A different approach can increase the use of fresh, local produce, redirect spending to Australian farmers and producers, support the people working in public food service kitchens, and generate real benefits for Australia.Better public food procurement is not about spending more, it’s about spending smarter. The evidence is clear, public support is strong, and the solutions exist. Given the threat to our food system caused by the global fuel and fertiliser crisis, now is the moment for leadership. Continue reading...
