Search for Missing Doctor Continues; New Variant From China? Kids’ Strep Cases Rise

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Police in Michigan continue to search for a missing doctor who was last seen on Thursday. (WILX 10)

In New York, police arrested a suspect in the fatal stabbing of a Rockland County doctor and other attacks. (News 12 Westchester)

And this is the mysterious case of a physician who vanished at sea. (New York Times)

As COVID cases soar in China, could that raise the possibility of a new variant? (AP)

In the wake of abandoning its zero-COVID policy, China is dropping COVID quarantine requirements for inbound travelers. (Reuters)

And Japan moved to mandate COVID tests for all visitors from China days after the World Health Organization expressed concern about a rising number of severe infections in China. (AP)

Surging COVID infections in Beijing have led to overcrowded hospitals and shortages of medical resources. (NPR)

In the U.S., public health officials are bracing for a COVID surge following holiday gatherings. (The Guardian)

In particular, a COVID “senior wave” is driving up hospitalizations. (CNN)

The CDC released a health advisory warning of a recent increase in pediatric invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infections.

Three years into the pandemic, here’s what the experts didn’t see coming. (STAT)

Do Epstein-Barr virus or fat cells play roles in long COVID? (AP)

COVID was notably absent from this year’s top health-related Google searches, but these terms were at the top of the list. (CNN)

In the fight against mpox, the White House is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. (Politico)

Measles and chickenpox are having a resurgence in the U.S. Vaccine hesitancy is fueling it. (Washington Post)

This is why the ICU nurse is a symbol of endurance. (New York Times)

The FDA updated the label on one of the most popular emergency contraceptive pills, Plan B One-Step, to make clear that it does not prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb. (New York Times)

Could personal nurses help stem maternal deaths in the U.S.? (NPR)

Here are some tips to improve mental health in the New Year. (New York Times)

In Indiana, a judge ordered that a hospital that was days away from shuttering its emergency department must instead keep its doors open, at least for the time being. (AP)

Looking for trending DIY dental hacks on TikTok? Dentists urge caution. (NBC News)