#california-public-health

#california-public-health

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Two former senior officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including one fired by the Trump administration, will join California as public health consultants, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday. Susan Monarez was fired as the CDC's director and Dr. Debra Houry resigned as the agency's chief medical officer and deputy director over disputes about changes at the agency. The two will work with California's public health department to help build trust in "science-driven decision-making," Newsom's office said.

A parasitic disease endemic to Latin America has now been confirmed in California, according to state health officials, and experts are worried it could come to the Bay Area soon. Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasite that is typically spread via the triatomine bug, also known as the kissing bug. The infection spreads when an insect that contains the parasite feeds on a host and their feces gets into the bite site.