Health

The newly-discovered cases of monkeypox in the U.S. are growing at a concerning rate ... and health officials might've found the first cases that involve person-to-person contact within our borders.

Four more monkeypox cases have been detected in the U.S., with one in Colorado being looked at as a "close contact" of another infected person they examined the day before.

Another close contact was found in California, with someone who had been around an infected patient 3 days prior.

Infection cases have risen to 14 people across 8 states ... as you know, 24 countries around the globe have seen spikes in cases, with the World Health Organization upgrading the crisis threat level to "moderate."

As we reported, the first case of monkeypox in the United States this year was detected on May 17 when a Massachusetts man tested positive after coming back from Canada ... the Massachusetts Department of Public Health says he's hospitalized in good condition.

Monkeypox transmits from animals to humans when an infected animal, usually a primate or rodent, bites or scratches a human. It can also come from preparing wild game or hunting wild animals.

Transmission between humans happens through skin-to-skin contact and an infected person's droplets.

Master P is mourning the death of his daughter, Tytyana Miller.

The 52-year-old rapper took to social media Sunday night to announce his 29-year-old daughter had passed away.

"Our family is dealing with an overwhelming grief for the loss of my daughter Tytyana," Master P wrote on Instagram. "We respectfully request some privacy so that our family can grieve. We appreciate all of the prayers love and support."

He continued ... "Mental illness & substance abuse is a real issue that we can't be afraid to talk about. With God, we will get through this. #MyAngel."

Master P's son, and Tytyana's older brother, Romeo Miller also took to Instagram to mourn her death.

"Our family is dealing with an overwhelming grief for the loss of my little sister Tytyana. We respectfully request some privacy so that our family can grieve."

He went on ... "We appreciate all of the prayers, love, and support, and although this is sad times, I'm forever grateful for the memories I did have with my amazing sister. Love on your loved ones, life is short. The silver lining, I know she's in a way better place and finally at peace and free. God Bless. - RM"

The cause of death has not been revealed.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... paramedics got an emergency call around 2:30 AM Saturday and responded to a home in the San Fernando Valley. It appears she was pronounced dead on scene -- she was not taken to a hospital.

Tytyana is one of MP's middle children -- she's also one of 4 daughters.

She's been featured on the family's reality show, "Growing Up Hip Hop," and her struggles with substance abuse have been well-documented ... including a dramatic moment where Romeo and P were encouraging her to enter rehab.

As for Tytyana, she had pursued an acting career, and appeared in "A Mother's Choice."

Tytyana was 29.

HBO is being dragged to court over a fire that destroyed a set on a show ... because the folks who live next door claim the blaze ruined their homes.

HBO and the star, Mark Ruffalo, are being sued over the May 2019 fire that destroyed an upstate New York car dealership being used as a filming location for the miniseries, "I Know This Much Is True."

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, a handful of folks who say they live near the burned down property claim the fire exposed them to harmful toxins and carcinogens, and damaged their homes.

What's more, the neighbors say the production team and HBO haven't done much to clean up the site of the blaze ... they say it's remained an "uncovered and unabated debris pile, toxin spill and wind-driven dust and gaseous dispersion."

The neighbors say HBO and Mark, who also serves as an executive producer are to blame for the fire ... claiming the film set was a powder keg due to kerosene, heating oil and other flammable materials being stored at the filming location.

In the docs, the neighbors say they suffered and continue to suffer physical and emotional injuries ... and they're seeking millions in damages.

Bo Hopkins -- famous from "American Graffiti" and other '70s cult classic films -- has died.

His wife, Sian, shared the sad news with THR Saturday ... saying BH had passed away a few weeks ago at a hospital in Van Nuys, CA after suffering a heart attack.

Hopkins had some legendary roles throughout his 7-decade career ... mostly carving out a rep as a supporting actor and a great on-screen villain/scoundrel, especially in 'AG' -- where he played Joe, the leader of the Pharaohs' greaser gang at the center of the flick.

'Graffiti' certainly helped put Hopkins on the map, but he'd already been making a name for himself in earlier films -- including a standout performance in "The Wild Bunch," where he played one of the zany outlaws looking to pull a big heist.

There were several other movies in which Hopkins left his mark -- including "Midnight Express," "The Getaway," "The Killer Elite," "The Nickel Ride," "The Only Way Home," "The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing," "Posse," "A Small Town in Texas" "Tentacles" and "White Lightning" -- just to name a few.

He also had a lot of TV roles as well -- having appeared in hit shows such as "Doc Elliot," "Hawaii Five-O," 'Mod Squad,' "Bonanza," "Gunsmoke,"  "Manhunter," "Barnaby Jones," "The Rockford Files," "Charlie's Angels," "The Fall Guy," "Dynasty," "Murder, She Wrote," and others.

Hopkins kept working well into the 2000s -- sometimes even doing voice acting, but for the most part, stuck with gun-slinging characters -- and his last job was in 2020's "Hillbilly Elegy" opposite Glenn Close and Amy Adams.

All in all, he's got over 130 acting credits under his belt ... and is regarded as one of the great supporting actors of his time.

Bo was 80.

Meghan Markle's caused her father a ton of stress over the years and now it's taking a toll on his health ... at least that's how Thomas Markle's other daughter sees things.

Meghan's half-sister, Samantha Markle, tells TMZ ... their dad is in the hospital recovering from a stroke, and she thinks his health is failing due to the tremendous amount of stress in his life from Meghan.

Samantha seems to be drawing a direct link between Thomas' stroke and Meghan ... she thinks it's a byproduct of Meghan's refusal to have a relationship with her pops.

As we reported ... Thomas was rushed to a hospital Monday night, being reduced to writing his symptoms down on a piece of paper because he couldn't use his voice.

Samantha says TM is having mobility issues on his left side, is unable to move the muscles in his face, can barely use his left hand and is learning to speak again with the help of a physical therapist.

It's the latest health problem for Thomas, who has said he suffered 2 heart attacks right before Meghan's 2018 wedding to Prince Harry.

Those heart attacks happened while Thomas was in a tense standoff with Meghan and the Royals over allegedly staged pics in the media of him getting ready for the nuptials ... with some folks accusing Thomas of faking a medical emergency for sympathy. Thomas ended up missing the wedding.

Samantha believes Thomas' heart attacks are also related to stress from Meghan ... and she says he would not be in the hospital now if Meghan was a loving daughter.

Thomas is going to be 78 in July, and Samantha says there will be a long recovery from his stroke ... and she's hoping Meghan wakes up to the possibility her father won't be alive for long and will make a change.

Samantha isn't holding her breath ... she says life's short and thinks if Meghan hasn't regretted the non-existent relationship with their dad by now, MM probably never will.

And, get this ... Samantha says Meghan "better stay the f*** away from a funeral and not use it as a photo opportunity" if Thomas dies soon.

"Little Women: Atlanta" star Ms. Juicy Baby is on the mend after suffering a serious stroke.

She says she's out of the hospital and back home, but still not 100%. She confirmed what we've reported ... that she suffered a stroke and was in intensive care for days.

Ms. Juicy Baby and her team haven't given any medical updates on what doctor's say triggered the stroke or the impact it had on her physical and/or mental functions, but it was clearly serious.

Ms. Juicy's sister, Tanya Evans, had been crowdsourcing for medical bills she says have been piling up since Juicy's stroke ... with a GoFundMe seeking $25,000.

Kyrie Irving has been ripped to shreds over his COVID-19 vaccine stance, but John Salley is coming to his defense ... telling TMZ Sports he tips his hat to the Nets star for standing up for what he believes in.

We spoke with Salley -- who won 4 NBA titles -- out in NYC this week ... and the former Detroit Piston spoke glowingly about Irving, who faced immense backlash this year for refusing to get the jab.

"I think Kyrie Irving is the premier athlete -- professional," Salley said. "I think he's conscious. I think he thinks it through. I think it's very important that people pay attention too, he's not into the lies, the glitz. He's into taking care of his body."

Salley said he knows Irving is into science and does his own research, but because his stance differs from the views of mainstream society ... people hate Kyrie because of it.

"I'm the biggest Kyrie fan," Salley added. "Everything he does, I take my hat off to him."

Of course, Kyrie received a lot of heat for his personal decision to remain unvaccinated despite being forced to miss games ... drawing criticism from the likes of Howard Stern and Chris Rock.

But, Salley isn't in the same camp -- he says the Nets did the right thing by standing by Kyrie amid the vaccine drama this season.

"You have a guy who didn't get the virus, and everybody who talked about smack about him got it really bad," Salley said. "He had a very strong immune system."

It's unclear if the Nets -- or Nike -- will commit to a long-term relationship with Irving in the future ... but either way, Salley thinks the 30-year-old is an exceptional talent.

The husband Irma Garcia, of one of the teachers who was murdered at Robb Elementary School, was videotaped placing flowers on a cross bearing his wife's name just hours before he died.

Joe Garcia was seen carrying the bouquet, riddled with grief, as he walked to the cross, placed the flowers next to it and walked away.

As Joe left, he looks stoic ... although he was clearly anything but.

He died later that night of a heart attack. A relative said the family believes he died of a broken heart. His nephew, John Martinez, posted, "EXTREMELY heartbreaking and come with deep sorrow to say that my Tia Irma's husband Joe Garcia has passed away due to grief, I truly am at a loss for words for how we are all feeling, PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FAMILY, God have mercy on us, this isn't easy."

Joe and Irma were married for 24 years and had 4 kids.

An 11-year-old student at the Robb Elementary School in Texas went into what a relative called "survival mode" after seeing a classmate who was fatally shot by the gunman, and smeared the other girl's blood all over her body to make it appear she too was dead.

It's horrific to even imagine, but Miah Cerrillo is now suffering extreme trauma after taking measures to save her life.

Her aunt, Blanca Rivera, went on KPRC and explained how her niece "played dead."

According to Rivera, the 4th grader grabbed the phone of her teacher -- who was also shot and killed -- and called 911.

Rivera says around midnight the day of the shooting, she got a call from Miah's mom saying her daughter was having a panic attack.

The massacre was made all the worse for survivors after learning law enforcement didn't enter the building for more than an hour after the initial attack. Authorities have not given clear answers explaining the delay, because there were officers present almost immediately but they did not enter until reinforcements came with body armor.

Ruby Barker, one of the stars of the massive Netflix hit "Bridgerton," has opened up about her mental struggles that have landed her in the hospital.

Ruby posted a video Thursday revealing her struggle, saying, "It's time to be transparent."

The 25-year-old didn't hold back ... "I have been really unwell for a really long time. I want to be honest with everyone. I have been struggling."

Ruby wasn't specific about where she's being treated, saying, "I am in hospital at the minute and I am going to be discharged soon and hopefully get to continue with my life."

Her message came during Mental Health Awareness Week in the U.K., so the timing is not coincidental ... "I am going to take a little bit of a break for myself and I would encourage others, if you are struggling, do yourself a favor and take a break. Stop being so hard on yourself."

Ruby explained what symptoms had manifested that made her aware she needed help, saying she was "rage-filled" with "intergenerational trauma bundled up inside me."

She went on... "I was carrying the weight of the world on my back and now I am at the point where I can have a diagnosis ... I can't carry on the way that I was. I need to change so that is what I am trying to do. I want to survive and I will survive. I am going to."

In what was already a nightmare situation for the family of a teacher killed in the Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooting -- more heartbreak -- as the woman's husband has now reportedly died of a heart attack.

Irma Garcia was one of two teachers killed in Tuesday's mass shooting, and now her family has announced her husband of 24 years, Joe Garcia, is dead too.

Garcia's nephew, John Martinez, posted, "EXTREMELY heartbreaking and come with deep sorrow to say that my Tia Irma's husband Joe Garcia has passed away due to grief, I truly am at a loss for words for how we are all feeling, PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FAMILY, God have mercy on us, this isn't easy."

Local reporter, Ernie Zuniga, says Garcia suffered a fatal heart attack ... and that the two had 4 children together. A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family.

Irma had reportedly died trying to protect the children in her classroom. As we told you, 19 children and 2 teachers were killed in the mass shooting, carried out by an 18-year-old armed with an AR-15 which he purchased legally in the state of Texas.

Even the "Kings of Pain" have a limit when it comes to voluntarily being bitten by poisonous animals ... telling us rattlesnakes are a no-go.

History Channel stars Adam Thorn and Rob Alleva joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and told us why they're down to keep getting bitten by animals whose poisonous venom is geared towards defensive purposes, and where the cutoff lies.

The guys puked and were hospitalized following a bite from a Mexican beaded lizard, and they say that's about as much as they can handle ... because if they were to cross into deadly venom territory, the stakes are obviously much higher.

The way Adam and Rob see it -- rattlesnakes, for example, are on the attack when they take a poisonous bite -- and those bites can have potentially life-changing consequences, or even result in death.

In the second season of their show, they're bitten by lizards, urchins, piranhas, lionfish, centipedes and this scary beast ... the tarantula hawk wasp.

Adam and Rob are all about pushing their boundaries ... but some animals are clearly out of bounds.

Soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimović says he went through hell the past six months while playing with "no ACL" in his left knee ... revealing Thursday he had "20 injections" in the leg and "never suffered so much."

The AC Milan superstar added the knee that he injured roughly one year ago required weekly drainage ... and he had to take painkillers daily in order to compete on the field with his squad this past season.

"I was only able to train with the team 10 times in the last six months," Zlatan said in a social media post Thursday morning.

"Barely slept for six months because of the pain. Never suffered so much on and off the pitch."

Zlatan, though, had the ligament repaired on Wednesday -- and despite his team saying he'd be out for roughly the next eight months -- he seemed to be in good spirits while reflecting on everything he did in 2022 to help his squad win the Serie A title.

"I made something impossible to something possible," said Zlatan, who was somehow able to score eight goals in 27 appearances this season despite the injury.

"In my mind I had only one objective, to make my teammates and coach champions of Italy because I made them a promise."

"Today I have a new ACL and another trophy."

A Celebrity Cruises passenger says her medical emergency while onboard became an absolute nightmare for her, because the ship's medics gave her a blood transfusion from someone who had HIV.

The woman was on a 7-day cruise that started Dec. 4, 2021, and on the 5th day she had to go to the medical center because she was suffering rectal bleeding ... and it was really bad. In a new federal lawsuit, she says the doctors diagnosed a gastrointestinal hemorrhage and she would need an emergency blood transfusion just to survive.

According to the suit, obtained by TMZ, the medical staff solicited blood from passengers ... announcing over the ship's PA system that they needed Type A-negative blood. The woman says 4 passengers stepped up to donate blood, and she got the transfusion.

Sometime later, she's not specific in the documents, the woman says she was diagnosed with HIV ... and she believes she got it from the transfusion. In her suit, she calls out Celebrity Cruises doctors for not properly screening the donated blood before pumping it into her.

The passenger is suing the cruise line for unspecified damages.

What's interesting is she says the cruise doctors told her she would have died without the transfusion. On the one hand, the doctors -- and her fellow passengers who donated blood -- clearly saved her life. However, she now has to live with HIV, which is very much treatable these days, but still incurable.

Jaromir Jagr -- one of the best NHL players ever -- says he's fortunate to be alive today ... after his car collided with a tram at a high rate of speed.

The Pittsburgh Penguins legend explained the terrifying accident in a post on his social media page Wednesday ... saying it was all his fault.

In his post, which was written in Czech, Jagr said he was trying to cross the road, and ultimately didn't see a tram that was coming at him at "high speed."

"I thought it was my end," the 50-year-old said.

In a photo of his car following the accident, you can see the tram hit Jagr's driver's side door -- leaving a huge dent. The hockey player, though, said he somehow escaped just fine.

"I climbed out without injury," he said.

According to Czech news website iSport.cz, authorities said Jagr's alcohol tests were negative.

"I thank everyone for their understanding," Jagr said, "and also for the help to those who intervened on the spot."

"Kings of Pain" star Adam Thorn signed up to get bitten by a venomous lizard, and while he survived ... the pain was so unbearable he ended up vomiting.

Adam put his arm, and as it turns out his stomach, on the line for his History Channel show -- getting bitten on the arm by a Mexican beaded lizard. The critter has a venomous bite, but it hasn't been studied as much as its more famous relative, the Gila monster, making this a scary situation for Adam.

The guy's a real 'King of Pain' ... Adam's been bitten and stung by countless animals, and nearly strangled by a reticulated python, but this is the first time one of these encounters made him hurl.

Adam uses a 30-point pain index to rate his stings and bites ... and he's giving the Mexican beaded lizard a 26.5, which is higher than last season's 25.75 for the reticulated python.

The pain index includes intensity, duration and damage, and Adam experienced it all. The lizard's bite debilitated him so much, he couldn't handle the lizard when it came time for his co-star Rob Alleva's bite.