Health Highlights: May 24, 2019

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

WHO Releases Snake Bite Strategy

The World Health Organization's first worldwide strategy on snake bites seeks to halve the number of people killed or disabled by snakes by 2030.

Increased access to anti-venom and other treatments are among the measures included in the strategy, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

Every year, nearly 3 million people worldwide suffer bites by potentially poisonous snakes, causing as many as 138,000 deaths.

Doctors Without Borders said in a statement that it's "cautiously optimistic" WHO's strategy could be a "turning point" in tackling snake bites, the AP reported.

Snake bites are "a hidden epidemic," according to the agency.

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More Than 62,000 Pounds of Raw Beef Products Recalled

More than 62,000 pounds of raw beef products have been recalled by Aurora Packing Company, Inc., of Illinois, due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said Wednesday.

The products, which were packaged on April 19, 2019, and have the number "EST. 788" inside the USDA mark of inspection, were distributed across the United States.

More than 40 products are included in the recall, and most are cuts of steak, like ribeyes, as well as ribs and brisket cuts, CNN reported.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness related to the recalled products, according to FSIS.

For more information about the recall, consumers can call the company at 630-897-0551.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly type of bacteria that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 28 days (34 days, on average) after exposure, FSIS said.

Most people recover within a week, but some develop kidney failure. This is most common in children younger than 5 and in older adults, and it is marked by easy bruising, pallor and decreased urine output. People who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately, FSIS said.

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Cancer Death Rates Down, Heart Disease Death Rates Up for American Adults

Cancer deaths among middle-aged adults are falling in the United States, but heart disease deaths have increased in recent years, a new federal government report released Thursday finds.

From 1999 to 2017, there was a 19% drop in cancer deaths among adults aged 45 to 64. Heart disease deaths in this age group fell 22% between 1999 and 2011, but increased 4% by 2017, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CNN reported.

Both women and men had similar patterns of decline in cancer deaths and recent rises in heart disease deaths.

The largest increase (12%) in heart disease deaths was in white women, while Hispanic women had a decline. Blacks had the highest rates among women, and blacks had the largest increase among men, CNN reported.

During the study period, cancer death rates were still higher than heart disease death rates.

Cancer and heart disease are the leading causes of death among middle-aged Americans, accounting for about half of all deaths, according to the CDC.