Yes, it absolutely sucks balls that I have to research and write about this.
Rapid fire as that is the only way I can stomach it.
The cyclosporiasis outbreak? Yeah, that one. The one that has led to lettuce distrust and also severe GI symptoms? The one that every comic is making shitty jokes about? The first TWO deaths have been announced in Michigan. The suspected source company had been named and then, just as quickly, declared innocent for the “false positive”. The outbreak is still spreading. (NBC News)
Covid is making its annual summer return. According to the CDC, infections are growing in 41 states. North Carolina is one of them. You know what I am going to say next. Stay home if you feel ill, stay 6 feet away from others who are ill. Mask if you have to go out. WASH YOUR HANDS!
All the covid era nurses I know are now dealing with resurgent PTSD from last week’s hearing. Again, you know the one. I, myself, am so very bleeping angry. A showman amount of bullshit from people who weren’t there and never were. And then the blow-up on Sunday between the DHHS secretary and Dana Bash was icing. He claimed that ICUs were empty of covid patients during 2020 and the hospital workers, nurses and respiratory therapists and doctors and more, all spoke with one voice “What the fuck did you just say?”
More performative theater on DHHS’s part.
Ebola is still very much a thing. As of July 30th, there have been a total of 3605 confirmed cases with 1587 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Do the math- that is a 44% death rate. (WHO)
Tick borne diseases are on the rise, because, you guessed it, climate change is allowing the ticks to migrate somewhere where they shouldn’t be.
And then there is all the smoke. From the wildfires in Canada and much of the lower 48. It is less of a what’s on fire now and more of a what isn’t on fire question. Wear a mask if the air is unhealthy due to air quality standards, stay inside, don’t do heavy exercise or work outside.
Who am I kidding? The same anti mask idiots will be out in force for this too.
ugh
I’m sure there is more.
Like the heat and drought everywhere. Can’t wait to see the outcomes from a self-injury like that.
double ugh
Edit August 4, 2026 @1742
Yep, I forgot measles.
What else is there to say besides screaming into the void.
The US is on the cusp of losing the measles eradication status. And it is deserved.
The total number of measles cases for 2026 surpasses all of 2025. In AUGUST.
And also 2025 was the most measles cases that the US has clocked in THREE decades. Thirty fucking years.
Congratulations, you idiots.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 