Pedestrian Deaths Surge: Marijuana and Smartphone Usage Could be Factors

Pedestrians need to be more careful than ever as pedestrian death rates surge. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) released a report in 2018 showing that just under 6,000 pedestrians were killed in accidents involving motor vehicles in the U.S. in 2017. While that is the same number of pedestrians killed in 2016, the death toll is the highest it has been in 25 years.

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Medical Malpractice: FDA Issues Warning that Certain Antibiotics May Cause Aortic Aneurism

On Thursday, December 20 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautioned that the benefits of fluoroquinolone antibiotics do not outweigh the risks for certain patients. This warning came after a review of studies on patient problems published between 2015 and 2018 concluded that these antibiotics double the risk of a deadly aortic aneurysm for patients with certain symptoms or characteristics.

The patients with the highest risk of aortic aneurism from taking these antibiotics are the elderly, people with high blood pressure and/or who have a history of blockages of the aorta or other blood vessels, and patients who have certain genetic syndromes. The FDA advises physicians treating patients with these risk factors to consider an alternate source of treatment.

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Ferndale Man Killed in Hit and Run as Hit and Run Accident Deaths at All-Time High

A Ferndale man was killed after a hit and run accident in Ferndale, Washington on Grandview Road at Atwood Road, east of the northbound I-5 on and off-ramps. A statement by Washington State Patrol (WSP) stated that the accident happened in the early morning hours of Thursday, December 20.

A 911 call was made just after 3 a.m. Ferndale Police and aid crews were dispatched to the scene of the accident where they found the victim – 51-year-old Daniel W. Holcomb – face down in the roadway. First responders performed CPR until aid crews arrived but the man was ultimately declared dead at the scene.

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Whatcom County Sheriff’s Son Seriously Injured in I-5 rollover crash

A single-vehicle rollover crash on northbound I-5 near Alger late Tuesday, December 18 sent the son of Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo, William J. Elfo, 27, to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition. Elfo was airlifted to Harborview and checked into the intensive care unit upon arrival.

According to the Washington State Patrol (WSP) report on the crash, Ferndale resident William J. Elfo was driving a white 2002 Subaru Legacy about 11:22 p.m. near milepost 240 when the car entered the median. He overcorrected in an effort to get back onto the road causing the car to roll over several times across both lanes before landing in the grass between the freeway and the exit.

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Medical Malpractice: Study Finds Women Less Likely to Receive Life Saving Treatment for Heart Issues

New research published in the December issue of Women’s Health Issues reveals that sexism in healthcare is literally killing women. Researchers at George Washington University measured gender bias in emergency situations by analyzing data from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) database. The dataset included about 2.4 million people total; 1.2 million of them were women. Patients were spread across 46 states and focused on people over the age of 40 with a higher risk of heart disease and cardiac arrest. They found that women are less likely than men to be resuscitated (1.3 percent), given aspirin (2.8 percent), receive cardiac defibrillation (8.6 percent) or rushed to the hospital in ambulances using lights and sirens (4.6 percent). The bottom line is that women’s lives are more often put in danger than men in emergency health situations.

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Bellingham Police Department Renews Focus on Distracted Driving

On Friday, December 14 the Bellingham Police Department held a patrol for distracted driving on Bellingham roads between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. As a result of the patrol, Bellingham police made 43 traffic stops and issued 20 tickets; six tickets were for drivers using their cell phones. Other infractions included drivers applying makeup, eating breakfast, shaving and using an iPad while driving.

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Risk of Permanent Kidney Damage Causes Voluntary Product Recall ofLiquid Infant Ibuprofen

A voluntary product recall for three liquid infant ibuprofens sold at Walmart, CVS and Family Dollar has been issued because of the possibility that they could cause permanent kidney damage. The issue with these three lots of infant’s Ibuprofen Concentrated Oral Suspension stems from potentially higher concentrations of ibuprofen. New Jersey based pharmaceutical manufacturer Tris Pharma Inc. stated there is a “remote possibility” infants, who are more susceptible to a higher potency level of the drug, may be more vulnerable to permanent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-associated kidney injury. Other potential reactions include headache, abdominal pain or diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, gastrointestinal bleeding and tinnitus. There are no reports of children sickened by the recalled products but parents and caretakers should return or dispose of any of the liquid infant ibuprofens on the recall list.

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Jimmy Dean Sausage Recalled after Pieces of Metal Found

CTI Foods LLC was forced to recall 29,028 pounds of Jimmy Dean frozen, ready-to-eat (RTE) pork and poultry sausage links products after five customers reported finding metal in their meals. Specifically, the contaminated meat is in the 23.4-oz. pouches of Jimmy Dean Heat ‘n Serve Original Sausage Links Made with Pork & Turkey. The product has a January 31 use-by date with case code A6382168 and establishment number EST. 19085. The meat was made on August 4 and sent to Tennessee.

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JBS Ground Beef Recall Expands to 12 Million Pounds

Since October 4, 2018, JBS Tolleson Inc. has expanded its ground beef recall twice due to a Salmonella outbreak that has made almost 250 people sick since August. More illnesses are expected because it can take four or more weeks for a person exposed to the bacteria to become sick, be diagnosed, confirmed and reported to the CDC. The latest expansion – announced on December 4, 2018 – brings the total nationwide recall to more than 12 million pounds. The recall notice said: “The scope of this recall expansion now includes an additional 5,156,076 pounds of raw beef products, which were produced and packed from July 26, 2018, to Sept. 7, 2018. FSIS is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers…”

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