First case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever or RMSF, which is a tick-borne disease has been confirmed in Quebec. The case has been confirmed by the doctor on Monday and the patient, infected in the Eastern Townships is said to have responded well with the treatment.

As per Dr Alex Carignan, an infectious disease microbiology and professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Sherbrooke, since the temperatures are rising and warming up, more of such cases could be infected. He told Le Devoir, "It is worrying because it is an infection with significant severity."

What Is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RMSF is a bacterial disease spread through the bite of infected tick. As per the National Institute of Health (NIH), US, it is an acute febrile tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, and is most severe and most common form of the rickettsial infections in North America.

The disease can be treated with antibiotics, however if not treated in time, it could be fatal too. The NIH notes that the R. rickettsia transmits into human hosts by the bite of an infected tick. Humans are not a natural reservoir of disease. The Rickettsia does not harm the tick.

Common Symptoms Of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever:

• High fever
• Headache
• Muscle Pain
• Stomach Pain
• Lack of appetite
• Skin lesion in forms of red spots

The symptoms appear within few hours of being bitten.

Is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Contagious? How Does It Spread?

CDC notes that in the US, the most common source is the American dog tick or the Dermacentor variabilis. In parts of southwestern United States and Mexico, it is also spread by the Brown dog tick or the Rhipicephalus sanguineus. There is another source the Rocky Mountain wood tick or the Dermacentor andersoni, which is also a significant source of RMSF.

In terms of Canada, Dr Carignan notes that the tick species has been present in Quebec for several years now. "We expected to see the first cases appear within five to ten years. But it's finally now. So, we have to adapt accordingly," he told Le Devoir.

Is This Same As The Lyme Disease?

No, it is not. Unlike the black-legged tick, the American dog tick does not transmit Lyme disease. In addition to affecting humans, the Rocky Mountain spotted fever can also affect animals.

Prevention

Dr Carignan notes: "Taking a shower fairly quickly can also help dislodge any ticks that my be settling in."

The doctor advises that people must wear long clothing, use insect repellent, and check for ticks after they have been outdoors.

However, there is no vaccine to prevent RMSF, notes the CDC. The most common time for such cases, notes the CDC is between April to September.

The diagnosis is not too complicated. Your healthcare provider may order blood tests to look for evidence of RMSF, the results, however, can take a few weeks.

It is treated with antibiotic doxycycline, which, notes the CDC, has been approved for all ages. The NIH, US, notes that without prompt antibiotic treatments, the mortality rates could go as high as 20 to 30% in the case of RMSF.

True Fru product recall: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Tru Fru, LLC is voluntarily recalling certain Tru Fru freeze-dried products due to the possible presence of metal. The recall was prompted by Georgia Nut Company, which manufactures these products for Tru Fru, after a customer raised concerns.

Tru Fru produces chocolate-covered fruit snacks, including freeze-dried and frozen fruits like strawberries, bananas, and pineapple, coated in dark, milk, or white chocolate, and some varieties with peanut butter.

True Fru Product Recall: How To Recognize the Recalled Items?

The FDA published the recall notice on September 29, 2025. It covers specific batches of Tru Fru Freeze-Dried Strawberries in Dark & White Chocolate and Strawberries & Crème, available at major retailers nationwide, including Albertson’s, CVS, Food Lion, H-E-B, Hungryroot, Ingles Markets, Kroger, Stew Leonard’s, and Target, as per All Recipes.

To check if your product is affected, look for the 10-digit manufacturing code on the back of the package. The first four characters of the code identify the recalled batches.

Affected Products Include:

1) Tru Fru Freeze-Dried Strawberries in Dark & White Chocolate (3.4 oz)

UPC: 850048358270 | Item #: 10300458

Manufacturing codes starting with: 517B–532B (see full list above)

2) Tru Fru Freeze-Dried Strawberries in Dark & White Chocolate (1.7 oz)

UPC: 850048358331 | Item #: 10300442

Manufacturing codes starting with: 514A–526A

3) Tru Fru Freeze-Dried Strawberries in Dark & White Chocolate (13 oz)

UPC: 850048358379 | Item #: 10300474

Manufacturing codes starting with: 515A–516C

4) Tru Fru Freeze-Dried Strawberries & Crème (3.4 oz)

UPC: 850048358249 | Item #: 10300455

Manufacturing codes starting with: 520B–524E

True Fru Product Recall: What Did The Company Say?

The company warned that hard or sharp foreign objects in their food products could cause injuries, including cuts or punctures to the mouth, tongue, throat, stomach, or intestines, as well as damage to teeth and gums. The recall affects products distributed across the U.S. at major retailers such as Albertson’s, CVS, Food Lion, H-E-B, Hungryroot, Ingles Markets, Kroger, Stew Leonard’s, and Target. The recall was prompted by a customer report, and so far, no injuries or illnesses have been reported according to the FDA.

True Fru Product Recall: What to Do If You Have A Recalled Product?

Do not eat any of the recalled items. They should be discarded immediately. Customers seeking compensation can fill out Tru Fru’s online form to receive a coupon. No injuries have been reported so far, but if you have any concerns, contact your doctor. Swallowing metal pieces can cause cuts or tears in the mouth, throat, stomach, or intestines, and can damage teeth or gums.

Tru Fru is not the only recent recall due to foreign object risks. The USDA recently issued a health alert for a ready-to-eat pasta meal sold at Walmart because of possible listeria contamination.

The recalled product is Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs and Marinara Sauce, sold in 2 oz plastic trays. The affected “best if used by” dates are September 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, and October 1, 2025. These were sold nationwide at Walmart. Consumers are advised not to eat the pasta and should either throw it away or return it for a full refund.

The province of Alberta has reported its first death linked to measles since the highly contagious virus resurfaced in Canada. An infant died shortly after birth when the mother had contracted measles during pregnancy. This tragic event follows a similar case in Ontario in June. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange called the loss "heartbreaking" and urged the public to take protective steps, emphasizing the extreme risks posed by measles to certain groups.

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) explains that measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. This virus lives in the mucus found in a sick person's nose and throat.

Measles spreads very easily through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Up to 90% of people nearby who haven't had the vaccine will likely get infected. A sick person can spread measles to others starting four days before the rash appears and for four days after it appears.

Are Measles Cases Rising?

According to the Government of Alberta, measles is back, and it's spreading quickly. Since March, there have been nearly 2,000 cases reported in Alberta. This is a huge number for a disease that was supposed to be gone from the country since 1998.

Most of the sickness is happening in the southern and northern parts of Alberta. More than 150 people have been so sick they needed to be admitted to the hospital. Out of those, 15 people needed care in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Who is Getting Infected With Measles?

The vast majority of the people who have gotten sick are children and teenagers. The data shows that 89% of those infected had not been vaccinated against measles. Measles spreads so easily that just one sick person can infect up to 18 people who haven't had their shots.

How Serious Is Measles?

The NFID explains that about 1 out of 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles will need to be hospitalized. This risk is highest for children under age five.

• 1 out of every 1,000 people with measles will get brain swelling, which can cause permanent brain damage.
• As many as 1 out of 20 children with measles will get a serious lung infection called pneumonia.
• Sadly, 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 people who get measles will die.

The number of cases has been high recently. As of October 2025, there have been 1,544 confirmed cases across 42 US states, with three confirmed deaths. This is the highest number of cases since the disease was eliminated (gotten rid of) in the U.S. in the year 2000. Most of these recent cases (92%) were in people who were not vaccinated.

Measles Symptoms and Immune System Risk

Measles is one of the easiest viruses to catch because it travels through the air. You can get it just by breathing the air near a sick person.

The symptoms to watch for are:

• A very high fever.
• A cough, a runny nose, or red, watery eyes.
• A classic rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body.

Measles can give your immune system "amnesia," which means it wipes out the memory of old infections. You become vulnerable again to common sicknesses like the flu or colds that you had already fought off and beaten in the past. This makes you more likely to get seriously ill from other things for months or even years after you recover from the measles.

How Can You Prevent Measles?

The best defense against measles is the vaccine. The shot is very good at stopping the infection and is free in Alberta.

Before Getting Pregnant

If you are planning to have a baby, you should make sure you have had two doses of the measles vaccine before you get pregnant. You cannot get the shot while pregnant.

Check Your Status

If you don't know if you've been vaccinated, you can call 811 (Health Link) for free information.

The Trump administration has quietly approved a new generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, a move announced by the Food and Drug Administration this week that has drawn sharp criticism from anti-abortion leaders.

The decision comes less than two weeks after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary confirmed a review of abortion pill safety, a review initially welcomed by anti-abortion activists. Now, those same leaders are questioning the administration’s commitment to their cause, marking one of the first notable pushbacks Trump has faced from his usually loyal socially conservative base.

Trump Administration Quietly Approves Generic Mifepristone, Sparking Backlash

Federal regulators have approved a new generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, a routine regulatory step that immediately drew criticism from anti-abortion groups and politicians aligned with the Trump administration.

The approval was announced by Evita Solutions, the drugmaker, on its website. The company’s low-cost version of mifepristone is approved for ending pregnancies up to 10 weeks gestation. Students for Life Action, an anti-abortion organization, responded to the news calling the move “a stain on the Trump presidency” and describing it as further evidence that the “deep state at the FDA must go.”

The decision shows the ongoing tension between expanding access to abortion medication and opposition from socially conservative groups who remain critical of regulatory agencies’ role in approving such drugs.

What Is Mifepristone?

According to the FDA, mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone, which is essential for a pregnancy to continue. Used in combination with misoprostol, it can safely end an intrauterine pregnancy up to ten weeks gestation (70 days or less since the first day of the last menstrual period).

The approved dosing schedule is:

• Day 1: 200 mg of mifepristone taken orally
• 24–48 hours later: 800 mcg of misoprostol taken buccally (in the cheek) at an appropriate location
• 7–14 days later: follow-up with a healthcare provider

Mifepristone: Who Will Make It?

The generic version will be produced by Evita Solutions LLC, a company that says its mission is to “normalize abortion” and make it “accessible to all.” The FDA confirmed the approval, stating that the submitted application contained sufficient data to meet federal standards.

Mifepristone: Safety and Controversy

Decades of peer-reviewed studies show that serious adverse reactions to mifepristone occur in fewer than 0.5 percent of patients, and the drug has been FDA-approved and widely used for over 20 years.

Despite this, earlier this year, a report by the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a right-wing think tank, questioned the safety of the pill, claiming serious complications were 22 times higher than previous estimates and urging the FDA to reconsider its approval.

This latest approval underscores the ongoing tensions in U.S. abortion politics, as the Trump administration’s decision to quietly greenlight generic mifepristone clashes with the expectations of socially conservative supporters.