• Georgia: The United States could soon lose its measles elimination status after 25 years as an ongoing outbreak of the disease continues to spread. According to the New York Times, a measles outbreak began in January near the western edge of Texas, which then spread to Oklahoma and New Mexico. As of Nov. 13, CDC has confirmed 1,723 cases nationwide, with 87% of these cases associated with a record 45 outbreaks. Currently, an outbreak in Utah and Arizona is the largest in the country, with over 180 measles cases. If measles continues to spread, the United States could lose its elimination status by the end of January 2026. Countries can lose their elimination status, which is determined by the World Health Organization, after 12 months of sustained transmission. In November, Canada lost its elimination status after 27 years due to an outbreak that began in October 2024. "It would not surprise me in the least if there's continued spread across these next several months," said David Kimberlin, a physician who is part of a panel of experts that analyzes data for the United States' elimination status review. (Mandavilli/Rosenbluth, New York Times, 11/19)
• Illinois: Oak Street Health is planning to lay off 219 workers in the first two months of 2026. Of the affected employees, 80 are in Illinois while the remainder are out of state but report to someone who works in the company's Chicago office. According to a company spokesperson, most of the layoffs are corporate roles. "These changes will help drive high performance, reduce costs, and best position us for continued success going forward," the spokesperson said. "CVS Health remains committed to value-based care and Oak Street Health with its proven care model for older patients." Affected employees will be able to apply for open positions within CVS Health. (DeSilva, Modern Healthcare, 11/18)
• New Jersey: Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has agreed to acquire clinical stage biotechnology company Halda Therapeutics for $3.05 billion in cash — a deal that helps bolster J&J's oncology pipeline. According to J&J, the deal will give the company access to Halda's propriety platform to develop oral, targeted treatments for several types of solid tumors, including prostate cancer. J&J also highlighted Halda's lead drug candidate, HLD-0915, saying that it could transform patient outcomes for prostate cancer. "This acquisition further strengthens our deep oncology pipeline with an exciting lead asset in prostate cancer and a platform capable of treating multiple cancers and diseases beyond oncology, providing a potential mid- and long-term catalyst for growth," said Jennifer Taubert, J&J's chair of innovative medicines. "We look forward to combining Halda's pipeline, platform and people with our world class R&D, commercial and manufacturing capabilities and advancing our goal of bringing these therapies to patients around the world." (Kellaher, Wall Street Journal, 11/17; Liu, Fierce Biotech, 11/17)

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness, and as more cases are reported in the United States, health experts are underscoring the importance of vaccination to protect yourself and others from potential infection.