Some experts worry XBB.1.5 could drive a surge in cases in the coming weeks. The speed of its increase is reminiscent of other variants that previously caused high numbers of cases, said Vineet Menachery, who studies coronaviruses at the University of Texas Medical Branch. “This seems like the next big wave,” he said. “I don’t know that it’ll be as big as previous waves, but I do think we’re looking at a high rate of infection, and that’s what the experience of the last couple years suggests is going to happen.” Many other online news sites reprinted this article.

Kathryn Cunningham, director of the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Center for Addiction Research, said Galveston County and Texas are in a fentanyl crisis and there’s no clear evidence the problem is improving. “Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022,” Cunningham said. “If you look per capita, the overdose deaths here are more than Harris County,” she said, referring to Galveston County and noting the data was two years old.

One of the organizations that is pushing for more testing and information is the Texas Health and Environment Alliance, or THEA. They’ve teamed up with researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch, UTMB, to test the water and air at 55 properties – both inside and outside the EPA’s official boundaries. Lance Hallberg with UTMB said the goal is to have data for the community. “The purpose of whatever we find whether good or bad is for them to be able to utilize that in requesting any additional services from EPA if necessary,” he said.

People with Medicare Part D can receive all recommended vaccines without paying a dime. Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp explained it in their recent Vaccine Smarts column.

“This is huge,” said Michael Laposata, chairman of the pathology department at UTMB, who toured the new building on Wednesday. “The (former) facility was subpar, and it was clear that we had to do something to make an up-to-date facility happen.”

Dr. Kathryn A. Cunningham, a professor of Pharmacology, vice chairman in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and director of the Center for Addiction Research at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said she was worried more people were going to die during the hard partying on New Year’s Eve. Cunningham had this message: “No street drug is safe right now,” she said. “None.”

Dr. Charles Mouton, interim president at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, discussed leadership, women’s health and health disparities on this podcast episode.