For Friday, May 19, WGN’s Medical Reporter Dina Bair has the latest on new information, including the following:

Drug overdose deaths surge in the US

Nearly 110,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2022. According to early estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that’s the highest number of deaths recorded in a calendar year.

The pandemic and proliferation of synthetic opioids helped to fuel the rise in deadly overdoses.

Final data on drug overdose deaths won’t be available for months.

Mpox cases rising in Chicago ahead of summer

Health officials say cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, are on the rise again in Chicago.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday confirmed at least 24 monkeypox cases, with two additional cases probable, since March 24. According to health officials, all cases were among symptomatic men, a majority of whom had received two doses of the monkeypox vaccine.

IDPH urged those at risk to take precautions and get vaccinated before summer. Monkeypox is transmitted primarily through close, sustained physical contact.

New study aims to find individuals’ responses to foods

The National Institute of Health is pushing to learn more about people’s individual responses to foods.  

This week, researchers began enrolling people to take part in a study.  

The initiative aims to use data from a million participants to understand how differences in biology, lifestyle and environment can affect one’s health.  

As part of the study, some participants will live in a dormitory-style setting for two-week stretches where they will rotate through three different types of diets.