St. Louis Public School employees who work at the district headquarters in downtown St. Louis are working from home after an employee tested positive for Legionnaire’s disease. Environmental testing at the downtown building found bacteria in the cooling system. Legionnaires’ disease is a severe type of pneumonia that can be treated with antibiotics. It is not transmitted from person to person, but spreads through drinking contaminated water or breathing contaminated air droplets. In some people cases can be severe and lead to death. The bacteria that cause the disease can grow in pipes, cooling systems, or appliances like humidifiers if they aren’t properly cleaned.

The U.S. now has over 3,000 data centers. About 38% of Americans live within 5 miles of one. Most are located in rural areas, where many residents rely on well water. Some communities near data centers have raised concerns about local water quality. Residents claim that data center construction has led to sediment buildup in private wells causing cloudy brown water. Others are concerned about polluted water being discharged into the environment after being used for evaporative cooling in data centers. More research and water testing is needed in communities to understand the impacts data centers might have on water quality.

In 4 out of 5 regions of the U.S., ER visits for tick bites in April 2026 were higher than any April since 2017. The increase is likely due to a rising tick population and greater public awareness of tick-related illnesses. Removing a tick within 24 hours can help prevent Lyme disease and other tick related illnesses such as alpha-gal and rocky mountain spotted fever. Protect yourself by avoiding tall grass, checking for ticks after spending time in brushy areas, and using EPA registered insect repellant and permethrin treated clothing. Protect pets with medication or pet safe repellants.

At least 10 products have been recalled because they use a powdered milk ingredient made by California Dairy Inc. that may have been contaminated with salmonella. Products sold in Missouri include Blackstone brand parmesan ranch seasoning, Bob Gourmet Pizza’s Taco Pizza, Mama Cozzi's pizza, Pork King Good-sour cream & onion pork rinds, and Great Value stuffed crust chicken bacon ranch frozen pizza. The full list of recalled products can be found at FSIS.usda.gov. People who have these products should throw them away or check the company website to see if they can receive a refund.

As of June 9th, five cases of New World Screwworm (NWS) have been confirmed in U.S. cattle, a goat, and a dog. Screwworm is a fly larva that causes severe wounds by burrowing into the skin of warm-blooded animals. Adult flies lay eggs on open wounds or near soft tissue as is found around the eyes and mouth and the larva burrows into the skin. Cases of screwworm in people are rare, but screwworm can significantly harm livestock. The confirmed cases are in Texas and New Mexico. The USDA states overall risk to animals and people in the United States remains low as they work to contain the current outbreak.