medical

Hundreds of Central Minnesotans will hit the pavement this Sunday for the annual Walk MS fundraiser. There's still time for you join in the fun and fight Multiple Sclerosis.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The number of people in Minnesota diagnosed with HIV or AIDS declined in 2010. But state health officials say the 11 percent drop in cases doesn't tell the whole story.

State and local officials joined with parents to spread the word on the importance of childhood immunizations today. The Minnesota Department of Health's program, held at CentraCare Health Plaza this morning, gave parents like Shannon Duffy the chance to share stories highlighting the importance of vaccinating children against seemingly harmless illnesses like the Chicken Pox.

A new level of detail about nonprofit health plans that get more than $3 billion in annual state business is now online.

The goal of "Women's Health 101" is to provide a day of information, presentations and screenings geared toward healthy living for women. Presentations by health professionals will be going all day, and include such diverse topics as eating well on a tight budget, alternative medicine and emotional healing through art therapy.

Opponents of a bill that would criminalize human cloning say it would halt potentially life-saving research on a wide range of illnesses. More than 50 people gathered in a conference room at the State Office Building in St. Paul to say why they oppose the bill.

A St. Cloud high school senior played his last prep basketball game just a day after donating bone marrow to his sister, who has leukemia. Ibrahim Abukar underwent surgery to remove the bone marrow from his spine at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital Tuesday morning. His sister, Zamzam, had the transplant right after the marrow was removed from her brother.

Police say the mother, a Wisconsin resident, was leaving Stillwater Medical Group just after 10 a.m. Thursday. Sgt. Jeff Stender tells reporters she had strapped a 3-year-old into a safety seat in the vehicle and then got into the SUV, apparently forgetting about the younger child.

An investigation at St. Cloud Hospital is underway following the development of an unusual blood infection in 23 patients, all in the same hospital ward. Linda Chmielewski, the Vice President of Hospital Operations for St. Cloud Hospital, says the infection is believed to have been caused by a nurse piping narcotic pain killers from patients' IV bags.

A national immunization survey shows Minnesota has become less vigilant about vaccinating its children. The federal National Immunization Survey shows Minnesota has dropped 13 spots in two years - from seventh in 2007 to 20th in 2009 for the primary series of shots given children age 19 months to 35 months.