Virginia health officials confirm measles case at major international airport

Virginia officials announced there was a confirmed case of measles at Washington Dulles International Airport last week, and now they are trying to track down anyone who may have been exposed to the highly contagious virus.

The Virginia Department of Health said Sunday that it was notified of the confirmed case, which involved an individual returning from an international trip on March 5.

Officials added that the potential exposure site includes Terminal A, transportation to the main terminal and the baggage claim area, all between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. that day. 

Health officials are working to identify anyone who may have been exposed to the virus, which involves individuals at the airport and passengers on specific flights.

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This is the latest incident involving measles, which is spreading across the U.S.

A student in Miami-Dade County, Florida, tested positive for the disease last week, and on Wednesday, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said it was possible there "may be more" cases.

Meanwhile, Texas has reported the highest number of measles cases since January, marking 198 infected people as of Friday morning, which includes 23 hospitalizations, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

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Most of the cases were detected in unvaccinated, school-aged children — which included one child who died from the disease.

New Mexico also reported its first measles death on Thursday in an unvaccinated adult, according to state officials.

In a recent Fox News Digital op-ed, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. shared his "deep concern" about the measles outbreak and its rapid escalation.

Kennedy noted that while there is no approved antiviral for measles, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement last week supporting the administration of vitamin A under physician supervision as supportive care.

Previous research published in the International Journal of Epidemiology has shown that vitamin A, in conjunction with the measles vaccine, can be an effective intervention in preventing measles mortality in children.

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Kennedy reiterated the importance of maintaining good nutrition and consuming various vitamins — like A, B12, C, D and E — as the "best defense against" chronic and infectious illness.

He also told Fox News that he recommends measles vaccines for community immunity during the outbreak, but he also continues to advocate for personal choice. 

"We’re going to do what’s right for the American people," Kennedy told Marc Siegel, Fox News' senior medical analyst. 

"We’re going to be honest with the American people for the first time in history about all the tests, about all the studies, what we know, what we don’t know, and that’s going to anger some people who want an ideological approach to public health,'" the HHS secretary continued. 

Still, the CDC recommends "all children get two doses of MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine," according to its website, adding that adults who don’t have "presumptive evidence of immunity should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine." 

Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson and Angelica Stabile contributed to this report.

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Improve your sleep with this specific exercise, new study says

Exercise has proven benefits in all areas of physical and mental health, and that includes sleep quality.

One specific type of exercise — strength training — has been linked to insomnia prevention in older adults, according to a new study.

Researchers analyzed data from 25 randomized trials that measured the effects of physical exercise on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which is a questionnaire that assesses respondents’ sleep quality over a one-month period.

The studies included 2,170 people who were 60 or older.

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Strength training — "exercises that increase muscle strength by making muscles work against a weight or force and using anaerobic metabolism, such as lifting weights, arm curls, wall push-ups and resistance" — were found to have the biggest positive effect on sleep, raising sleep scores by 5.75 points.

In comparison, aerobic (cardio) — such as running, jogging, cycling, dancing, hiking, swimming, gardening and brisk walking — improved sleep scores by 3.76 points.

Combination exercise (a mix of aerobic, strengthening, balance and flexibility exercises) only boosted scores by 2.54 points.

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"Exercise that strengthens muscles, rather than aerobic or combination exercises, is the most effective way to enhance sleep quality," the researchers concluded.

Sleep quality has been shown to decline with age, the study noted.

Between 30% and 48% of seniors complain of sleepiness, while 12% to 20% suffer from insomnia.

Lorna Kleidman, a certified personal trainer and founder of LornaFit in New York, agrees that strength training can improve sleep.

"I’ve seen it firsthand with my midlife female clients, who previously had trouble sleeping because of hormonal changes," Kleidman, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

"Resistance training improves insomnia because it helps regulate the circadian rhythm, the sleep/wake cycle," she went on. "Sleep quality is enhanced by reducing stress hormones and promoting the release of fatigue-inducing adenosine."

The physical exertion also helps the body naturally wind down, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep, Kleidman added.

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Certified personal trainer Regis Pagett, the founder and owner of R Personal Fitness in New York City, agreed that a 30-minute moderate-intensity strength training workout can show an improvement in sleep that same night. 

"Strength training on a regular basis requires your body to need higher quality rest in order to recover," the expert, who also was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. 

"It helps you to regulate your body temperature, have a better resting heart rate, and to fall into a deeper sleep, faster."

Improved sleep quality, reduced daytime sleepiness and lower severity of sleep apnea are all benefits, according to Pagett.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults strive for a minimum of two strength training sessions per week. 

"In order to maximize the benefits, I personally recommend that people look to incorporate strength training three to four times a week," Pagett advised.

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Kleidman recommends completing squats, deadlifts, lunges, pressing, pulling and rotation, with two to three sets of all movements. 

"Add a few minutes of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and you’ve got a thorough session for strength, bone health and fat-burning," she said.

Strength training becomes more important with age, both experts agreed.

"Resistance training is the first thing women should think of when they plan their workout sessions," said Kleidman.

"It’s imperative to maintain the muscle we lose because of declining estrogen, along with maintaining bone mass and keeping our metabolism stoked."

Men also need to maintain muscle that can be lost with declining testosterone, Kleidman added.

Pagett pointed to previous studies that show around 30% of adults over 70 have trouble walking, getting out of a chair or climbing steps. 

"These trends in physical limitation are directly linked to higher rates of falls, chronic disease, nursing home admission and mortality," he said.

The timing of exercise matters as well, Pagett noted.

"For one to two hours after exercise, your body releases endorphins that give you a kick of adrenaline that can elevate your energy levels, so I recommend trying to exercise at least three hours before you intend to sleep," he advised.

"I also recommend eating plenty of protein-focused meals throughout the day, with the biggest intakes coming at breakfast and directly after exercise," Pagett said. 

"This helps to minimize soreness and will help aid in your recovery."

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The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.

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Excessive phone and screen use tied to manic symptoms for one group, study finds

A recent study from the University of California, San Francisco, indicates that pre-teens with greater exposure to certain types of tech use could be at a higher risk of developing manic symptoms.

Published in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, the study analyzed a nationwide sample of 9,243 children in the U.S. between 10 and 11 years old.

Young people who spent more time engaged with social media, texting, videos and video games were more likely to have "inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, rapid speech, racing thoughts and impulsivity — behaviors characteristic of manic episodes, a key feature of bipolar-spectrum disorders," a press release noted.

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"This study underscores the importance of cultivating healthy screen use habits early," said co-author Kyle Ganson, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, in the release. 

"Future research can help us better understand the behaviors and brain mechanisms linking screen use with manic symptoms to help inform prevention and intervention efforts."

To mark the Global Day of Unplugging (March 7), Verizon hosted its first-ever "digital wellness summit" in New York City to share insights with the public about the safe use of technology.

Sowmyanarayan Sampath, CEO of Verizon Consumer Group, discussed the importance of setting digital boundaries, especially for kids.

"Digital wellness should be for every age, but really we need a new blueprint as parents, because we've never been through this before," Sampath said at the event in the Big Apple. 

"This digital age is new to us all. There's no time in history we can reclaim how we handle that."

In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Sampath shared compelling statistics on phone use, including findings from Verizon’s 2024 Consumer Connections Report.

Kids and teenagers use social media for four to five hours a day and receive between 250 and 275 notifications daily, the report revealed.

Kids were also found to touch and pick up their phones about 150 times per day. 

A quarter of these events occurred during school hours.

"This is what sparked us to think there is a healthier relationship people can have," Sampath said.

Dr. Keneisha Sinclair-McBride, attending psychologist at Boston's Children's Hospital and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, also spoke at a panel at the Verizon event and in a follow-up interview with Fox News Digital.

The expert noted that kids spending "hours and hours" of their free time on their phones can be "problematic," especially considering the possibility that they'll experience threats such as cyberbullying and hate speech.

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"We know that these are associated with depressive symptoms and other mental health concerns," she said. 

"We also know that there's so much positive for social connection, learning and fun, so we have to balance those two things."

She pointed out that some social media apps are "designed to keep you stuck" through the loop of an algorithm.

This problematic use can lead to poorer functioning at work or school and can negatively impact sleep and relationships, Sinclair-McBride warned.

"Are they able to live their life and do the things they want and need to do in a positive way? If there are concerns in any of those areas, that's usually a sign of something needing to be reassessed."

Sinclair-McBride encouraged parents and grandparents to learn about the apps children are using and teach them to be "critical consumers" of content by training them to detect scams, misinformation or AI-generated content.

"Slowing down and being more thoughtful and mindful about what you're doing is, I think, the first step in modeling that as a parent," she told Fox News Digital.

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"Parents can also look at their own use and [ask], ‘Am I on my phone too much? Am I too addicted to social media?’"

The CEO also urged adults to set boundaries involving phone use, whether it's limited to certain spaces in the home or specific times of day.

Sampath shared simple advice for families to ensure a healthy balance between tech use and unplugged activities.

"Go for a movie. Go for a walk. Go and play a game or just hang out with friends. Or just hang out with your family in your kitchen and do fun things," he suggested.

"I think kids are going to have to be comfortable sometimes doing nothing … reading a book, just hanging out," he said. 

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"Kids are going to have to get way more comfortable doing that – that's part of a healthy boundary, and it's part of a good relationship with technology."

Sampath also encouraged Americans to take advantage of living in areas with "some of the best weather" and "the best natural sights in the world" by exploring outdoor spaces and moving more.

"You want to create space to have fun. You want to create space to play. You want to create space to have physical activity, to have real relationships," he said. 

"It has long-term benefits on mental health … When you do things in real life, you feel happier."

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Sinclair-McBride echoed the advice to get outside and "touch grass."

"The time that people spend with digital technology needs to be balanced with real-life stuff, whether it's sports, the arts, creative activities, reading or actual hands-on, tangible things," she said. 

"I think people are in this mindset that this generation only wants to do digital, digital, digital," she added. 

"They still like other stuff, too. We have to give them options, space and freedom to have that time."

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Lingering lung disorders 5 years post-COVID: Here's what to know

The COVID-19 pandemic engulfed the U.S. five years ago this month, leaving not only lingering mental health effects but also long-term physical symptoms.

One of those included a condition known as post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis, which involves scarring of the lungs that can worsen over time and may require a lung transplant, according to pulmonologists.

Early infection caused extensive inflammation in many different body systems, noted Dr. Scott Scheinin, MD, director of lung transplantation for Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.

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"Once they cleared that infection, a lot of people were left with some amount of lung tissue being destroyed," Scheinin told Fox News Digital during an interview.

Scheinin provided medical care on the frontlines in New York City in the first wave of the pandemic.

"The early COVID experience in New York was the worst thing I've ever experienced in my life. It was just horrible," he recalled.

One of Scheinin’s patients was a pastor in his mid-50s who was infected with COVID-19 in March 2020.

Pastor Benjamin Thomas of East Meadow, Long Island, spent nearly 100 days in the hospital — 54 of which were on a ventilator — and six weeks in a medically induced coma. 

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He was discharged in July 2020 with an oxygen tank. Despite overcoming the initial infection, Thomas’ condition deteriorated. 

In 2022, the pastor noticed that his daily activity tolerance diminished dramatically and he required more oxygen for simple tasks.

"I couldn't take a shower for more than 30 seconds without being on oxygen," he told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Scheinin said the pastor had no underlying conditions before contracting COVID. A lung biopsy showed that Thomas’ symptoms were consistent with post-inflammatory pulmonary fibrosis due to the COVID-19 infection.   

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Thomas’ story was remarkable in that he survived the first bout with COVID, but two years later, his lungs had deteriorated so badly from the scarring that he needed a double lung transplant, Scheinin shared.

After spending seven months on the wait list, Thomas opted to settle for one lung since that would be faster than waiting for two. His surgery was performed on Feb. 28, 2023.

Now, two years after his lung transplant, Thomas says he no longer needs oxygen supplementation and is back to performing his daily pastoral activities at his church in Queens Village, New York, albeit at a slower pace than before. 

The pastor has returned to long-distance driving and can now walk for about 30 minutes. He attributes his successful recovery to the efforts of his Mount Sinai medical team, his faith and prayers from his congregation.

A healthy lung allows for the normal exchange of gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, when one breathes air, Scheinin told Fox News Digital.

The inflammatory response sparked by early mutations of the novel coronavirus led to scarring of lungs in many individuals. 

In certain cases, the doctor said, the lungs no longer function as well as they did before the infection.

"The normal gas exchange is impeded because now you have areas of the lung tissue that are scarred, and therefore they're not functioning normally," he said. 

"If it's a small area, it may be insignificant and unnoticeable, but as more of the lung tissue becomes scarred, more of the normal lung function is destroyed, [and] the patient becomes short of breath." 

This could lead to future issues, especially if the patient is exposed to other respiratory ailments.

"The flu and any other illness would be exacerbated because of the underlying scarring of the lung," Scheinin said. "I think it just makes the lungs more susceptible to injury."

Symptoms of post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis can mimic other types of interstitial lung diseases, which are disorders that cause progressive scarring and inflammation of lung tissue.

If a person who previously had a COVID infection continues to experience shortness of breath, chronic cough and change in their exercise tolerance — or if they smoke or have an underlying condition such as emphysema — they should see their physician or a pulmonologist, according to Scheinin.

Testing for this condition is relatively non-invasive, typically including a cat scan or X-ray to check for structural lung damage, as well as blood tests and a pulmonary function test, the doctor told Fox News Digital.

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Not everyone infected with COVID will develop pulmonary fibrosis, and the condition can vary in severity and recovery, the lung specialist noted. 

In some cases, a person may have been susceptible to developing lung fibrosis due to an underlying condition and the COVID-19 infection may accelerate the fibrotic progression.

It is important to get checked out by a medical professional if you have symptoms, Scheinin said, especially shortness of breath.

Risk factors for post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis typically include an underlying chronic condition, older age, and the use of mechanical ventilation during the acute phase of COVID, according to previous studies.

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Researchers are investigating the use of antifibrotic medications to treat the condition, along with steroids and other anti-inflammatories that are currently used to treat other lung diseases.

Besides medications, treatment may also include pulmonary rehabilitation, exercise training and behavioral modifications, according to lung specialists.

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International effort seeks new treatments for pediatric heart disease

Australia's Murdoch Children's Research Institute is helping scientists use stem cell medicine and artificial intelligence to develop precision therapies for pediatric heart disease, the leading cause of death and disability in children.

Around 260,000 children die from heart disease around the world each year. In the U.S., a child is born with a heart defect every 15 minutes.

"We're really interested in understanding how kids develop heart disease and where we can interfere to stop it progressing," Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) Heart Disease Group Leader David Elliott said.

Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, the mother of Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch, helped found Australia’s MCRI. The institute is partnering with Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco for the Decoding Broken Hearts Program.

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Amelia and Elijah Mallinson are two kids who could benefit from this research. The siblings live in Melbourne and have the same genetic heart condition.

"We took her to our local emergency because she woke up, she was swollen," Amelia and Elijah’s mother, Ebony Mallison, said. "We thought she was just sleepy, but turns out she was in and out of consciousness."

Amelia was two years old when doctors discovered her condition.

"After they'd done a chest X-ray, they realized that her heart was a lot larger than it should have been, and they realized she was in heart failure," Mallison said.

Amelia waited almost a year for a heart transplant. After successful treatment, she lives a mostly normal life. Her brother Elijah’s condition was discovered during a precautionary checkup.

"It was quite a shock because we weren't aware of anything that would cause him to also have a heart condition. It was very much a let's get him checked just to completely rule out that there's nothing wrong," Mallison said. "I feel like that was kind of more scary because we could anticipate the bad. But he's been really stable and really healthy so far, hasn't really needed any treatment or therapies yet, which is great."

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Elliott said the goal is to find diagnoses and treatments before kids like Elijah ever need a transplant.

"For many, the disease would be absolutely critical if you could correct the problem in-utero," said Elliott. "Those who have very severe heart disease will need three surgeries before they’re five. And it's very draining for the families involved. And so, what we really like to do is really progress that and allow those children a much more effective life."

MCRI is part of the Royal Children’s Hospital, which treats around 700 heart conditions each year. Every case is enrolled in the Decoding Broken Hearts program.

"We can use a special technology called reprogramming. So we take a small sample of this child's blood," Elliott said. "From that, we can create a heart cell. And in that heart cell is an exact replica up here in the laboratory of the child's heart cell."

Researchers then create additional small heart replicas to alter the function and find possible treatments for the patients at Royal Children’s.

"We're trying to use all of those different tools and technologies to understand how the disease develops and where we can look for new therapies using precision medicine to help kids with heart disease," Elliott said.

One of the newest tools with the help of Gladstone Institutes is artificial intelligence.

"Gladstone brings the expertise and the computational know-how that's built up around the Bay area to use AI to study the disease," Elliott said. "What AI allows us to do is millions and millions of experiments in the computer before we bring them into the cell, and that really allows us to target in and look at the ideal spot to interfere, to help cure disease."

Amelia and Elijah have also participated in studies to further advance treatments for conditions like theirs.

"If it even helps one family, it's worth it," Mallinson said. "Every staff member that you come in contact with at the hospital and doing research, they all make a huge difference in the lives of the kids and everyone in the families of these kids."

If you would like to donate or learn more about the Decoding Broken Hearts Program you can visit go.fox/MCRI.

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CDC to launch study into vaccines and autism, possible links: report

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is in the process of launching a large study into possible links between autism and vaccines, sources familiar told Reuters.

The study has not been confirmed, and it is unclear how the study will be carried out, the outlet reported. 

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A Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "The American people expect high quality research and transparency and that is what CDC is delivering."

"As President Trump said in his Joint Address to Congress, the rate of autism in American children has skyrocketed. CDC will leave no stone unturned in its mission to figure out what exactly is happening," said the HHS spokesperson.

The CDC acknowledges there is parental concern about possible connections between autism and vaccines.

"To date, the studies continue to show that vaccines are not associated with ASD [Autism Spectrum Disorder]. CDC knows some parents and others still have concerns," reads the agency's site.

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Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Fox News medical contributor, told Fox News Digital the decision to launch research into a potential link is a "notable shift, likely spurred by ongoing public debate and pressure for transparency."

"Historically, the agency has maintained that no such connection exists, citing robust, but outdated studies," she said.

"This move could signal an effort to address persistent skepticism, though it’s bound to reignite controversy."

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"The outcome hinges on the study’s design — rigorous, unbiased and transparent methodology will be key to settling the science, one way or another. Whether the results will sway anyone’s predetermined opinion on the matter, however, is the biggest unknown," Saphier added.

In his recent op-ed on the measles outbreak, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. wrote, "…we have a shared responsibility to protect public health. This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated."

"We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them," Kennedy added. 

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Florida alerts first measles case of year in public school as experts stress vaccination

A case of measles has been detected in Florida for the first time in 2025.

One student at Palmetto Senior High School tested positive for the disease, according to local sources and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Superintendent Dr. Jose Dotres addressed the measles case in a news conference on Thursday, noting that the vaccine rate at the school is 99.7%.

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"Everything is very stable," he stated. "We have no other incident regarding the measles at this point."

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo also confirmed the measles case in a press conference in Tampa on Wednesday, noting that it's possible there "may be more of them."

"Obviously, we wish the best for everyone’s health," he said. 

Amid remarks on a variety of topics, Ladapo acknowledged that measles is "extremely contagious." He said "it's one of the most contagious diseases around" — and confirmed that the Florida Department of Health has been in communication with the school about the case.

"We’ve provided information about options that parents have," he said.

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"One of those — it’s very important — is communicating that their preferences and choices for their healthy kids are going to be respected," he said. 

He also said, "We also have measles vaccines available … for any parent who wants them. So that option is there also, and we provide education there."

Texas, meanwhile, has reported the highest number of measles cases since January, marking 198 infected people as of Friday morning, including 23 hospitalized, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). 

Most of the cases were detected in unvaccinated, school-aged children — which included one child who died from the disease.

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New Mexico also reported its first measles death on Thursday in an unvaccinated adult, according to state officials.

The DSHS in Texas has stated on its website that the best way to prevent sickness is to receive two doses of the vaccine against measles, "primarily administered" as the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization.

Ladapo also mentioned using vitamin A as a treatment for measles for some people, as suggested recently by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which has proven effective in some research.

While this option can work for people who are deficient in vitamin A, according to experts, vaccination is the only way to prevent measles, as vitamin A is not an alternative.

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In a recent opinion piece for Fox News Digital, RFK Jr. noted, in part, "As healthcare providers, community leaders and policymakers, we have a shared responsibility to protect public health. This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated. We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them."

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Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, told Fox News Digital that inappropriate dosing of vitamin A can result in toxicity and a condition known as hypervitaminosis.

"Thus, people should not be administering generic vitamin A supplements purchased at a pharmacy or health food store to their children," he said.

Neil Maniar, PhD, MPH, professor of public health practice at Northeastern University, stressed that the MMR vaccine is the "most powerful tool" in preventing and controlling outbreaks.

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"It is vital that we work in partnership with communities to educate individuals and families about the importance of the MMR vaccine and ensure that this vaccine is available to all who need it," he told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital reached out to Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Miami-Dade Public Schools, Palmetto Senior High School and the Florida Department of Health for further comment.

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