Trending News Today: Samoa Shuts Down Government Due to Measles Outbreak

The government of Samoa shut down on Thursday and Friday and redeployed civil servants to help with a deadly measles outbreak, according to CNN: Health. Fifty-three people, 48 of whom were children younger than 4 years of age, have been killed by the disease in Samoa in recent weeks. A total of 3728 cases had been recorded as of today, according to the government. None of the victims were vaccinated, CNN reported.

At least 6 drug companies have received subpoenas from federal prosecutors for their alleged role in the opioid epidemic, according to The Washington Post. Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceutical, Johnson & Johnson, and Amneal Pharmaceuticals, as well as wholesale drug distributors McKesson and AmerisourceBergen have acknowledged receiving subpoenas for information. This development most likely indicates a broad criminal investigation of the industry’s role in the opioid epidemic, according to the article.

A new study from the Duke University Medical Center has found that diet and exercise could slow the development of cognitive impairment in older adults, according to MD Magazine. The randomized clinical trial found that aerobic exercise and a healthy diet improved patients’ ability to function and to think, remember, and make decisions. Aerobic exercise was defined as 35 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise 3 times a week for 6 months.