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COVID-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Identified In 10 States COVID-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Identified In 10 States
Covid-19: Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Now Identified In 10 States A newly identified COVID-19 strain with around 30 mutations has now been identified in 10 states. Cases of the BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, have been confirmed in:  Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, New York,  Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington. The Michigan case, the first in the US, was an older woman who had recently returned from Japan who reportedly had mild symptoms. Related story - COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US At a World Health Organization (WHO) news briefing late last month, authorities said …
COVID-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year COVID-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year
Covid-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year There's always plenty of anxiety at the start of a new school year, but that's especially true now due to increased COVID-19 cases. COVID-related hospitalizations have increased in the US for six straight weeks, with a 19-percent increase reported in the most recent week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The White House announced that First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID on Monday morning, Sept. 5, and is experiencing “mild symptoms." Three school districts in Kentucky and Texas briefly suspended in-person classes after surges of COVID cases. T…
COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US
Covid-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US The most likely symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant with around 30 mutations are expected to be similar to the highly contagious Omicron strain based on reports so far. COVID-related hospitalizations have increased in the US for six straight weeks, with a 19-percent increase reported in the most recent week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, has now been identified in five states: New York, Texas, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. The strain was first detected in Israel around Sunday, Aug. 20, and cases have also been identif…
COVID-19: First Case Of Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Confirmed In NY COVID-19: First Case Of Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Confirmed In NY
Covid-19: First Case Of Highly Mutated Pirola Variant Confirmed In NY A newly identified COVID-19 strain with around 30 mutations is spreading in the nation and around the world, with a fourth state in America and several more countries confirming cases. Click here for a new, updated report - COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US The BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, has now been identified in four states: New York, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio.  New York became the latest state to report the presence of the variant this week after wastewater samples tested positive for the strain. "While we have yet …
COVID-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns COVID-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns
Covid-19: New Variant With 30 Mutations May Cause Breakthrough Infections, CDC Warns A newly identified COVID-19 strain with around 30 mutations may cause breakthrough infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BA.2.86 strain, now known as Pirola, has been identified in three states: Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. The Michigan case, the first in the US, was an older woman who had recently returned from Japan. "BA.2.86 may be more capable of causing infection in people who have previously had COVID-19 or who have received COVID-19 vaccines," the CDC said in a Risk Assessment Summary. "Scientists are evaluating the effectiveness of the f…
Here's Where McDonald's Has Pulled Large Fries From Menu Due To Shortage Here's Where McDonald's Has Pulled Large Fries From Menu Due To Shortage
Here's Where McDonald's Has Pulled Large Fries From Menu Due To Shortage Some McDonald’s locations won’t be asking customers if “you’d like some fries with that.” A growing global potato shortage has started to slowly spread, forcing some chains to pull large fries from their menu to help ration the popular potato product. Some restaurants “are facing a fry-tening supply crunch on French Fries,” which limits some chains’ ability to supply large fries, something the company dubbed a “sacra-fries.” Rationing first began in Japan in December, where the company could only supply small fries to customers, a move that extended through January due to “delays in the …
COVID-19: Fauci Offers New Prediction On When Omicron Wave May Break COVID-19: Fauci Offers New Prediction On When Omicron Wave May Break
Covid-19: Fauci Offers New Prediction On When Omicron Wave May Break Things could get worse before they get better as the Omicron COVID-19 variant begins to take over, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical advisor, said that the US will likely hit one million daily new COVID-19 cases, though there could be relief in a few weeks until the number of new infections begins to plateau. “I would hope - I can’t predict accurately, because no one can - but I would hope that by the time we get to the fourth week in January - end of the third week, beginning of the fourth week – that we will start see thi…
COVID-19: Omicron Doesn't Attack Lungs As Strongly As Other Variants, Studies Show COVID-19: Omicron Doesn't Attack Lungs As Strongly As Other Variants, Studies Show
Covid-19: Omicron Doesn't Attack Lungs As Strongly As Other Variants, Studies Show Brand-new studies are suggesting why the highly contagious COVID-19 strain Omicron is not as severe as other variants of the virus. Omicron is milder because it doesn't attack the lungs as strongly as other variants, according to the studies. Omicron produced less damaging infections, often limited largely to the upper airway - the nose, throat, and windpipe - in testing conducted on mice and hamsters, The New York Times reports. “The variant did much less harm to the lungs, where previous variants would often cause scarring and serious breathing difficulty," the report says. The findings…
COVID-19: One Sign You May Have Omicron Could Show Up On Your Skin COVID-19: One Sign You May Have Omicron Could Show Up On Your Skin
Covid-19: One Sign You May Have Omicron Could Show Up On Your Skin A sign that you may have become infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant may show up on your skin. A ZOE study conducted in the United Kingdom analyzed thousands of reports of Omicron symptoms uploaded to an app by the British public. The top five symptoms recorded were: Runny nose, Headache, Fatigue (both mild or severe), Sneezing, Sore throat. Loss of appetite and brain fog were both also reported as common symptoms in the survey. A skin rash should also be considered as a key sign of COVID, according to a report in the Daily Express. "The most common skin signs of Covid seem t…
COVID-19: As Omicron Spreads, Two New Signs Emerge You May Be Infected With Virus COVID-19: As Omicron Spreads, Two New Signs Emerge You May Be Infected With Virus
Covid-19: As Omicron Spreads, Two New Signs Emerge You May Be Infected With Virus Considering its rapid spread across the globe, it may seem hard to believe that it's only been about five weeks since the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant was reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa.That happened on Wednesday, Nov. 24 after the first sample of the strain formally known as B.1.1.529 came on Tuesday, Nov. 9. Related story - COVID-19: Omicron May Be Milder, But Variant Can Still Lead To Long-Term Symptoms, Fauci Says Since Omicron's emergence, a series of studies as well as anecdotal evidence from those infected, have provided a set …
COVID-19: Fauci Predicts When Omicron Surge Will Peak In US COVID-19: Fauci Predicts When Omicron Surge Will Peak In US
Covid-19: Fauci Predicts When Omicron Surge Will Peak In US Dr. Anthony Fauci has shared his prediction for when the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the Omicron variant will reach its peak in the United States. The prediction comes as new COVID-19 cases soar across the country, reaching record levels in recent daily updates. “I would imagine, given the size of our country and the diversity of vaccination versus not vaccination, that it likely will be more than a couple of weeks, probably by the end of January, I would think,” Fauci said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell” when asked when the latest coronavirus surge will start to wane. Fauci no…
COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning
Covid-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning A pediatrician who is an expert on disease and vaccine development is sounding the alarm about the ability of schools to resume in-person learning during the height of the new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked by a surge of cases from the highly contagious Omicron variant. Connecticut native Dr. Peter Hotez is the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. "Here's the problem," Hotez said in an interview on MSNBC Wednesday morning, Dec. 29. "We're kind of going off ol…
COVID-19: Study Reveals How Long It Takes Omicron Symptoms To Surface COVID-19: Study Reveals How Long It Takes Omicron Symptoms To Surface
Covid-19: Study Reveals How Long It Takes Omicron Symptoms To Surface Click here for a new, updated story - COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning Details are now emerging on how long it takes for symptoms of the highly transmissible COVID-19 Omicron strain to show up. A survey following an outbreak of 111 confirmed or probable Omicron cases among mostly fully vaccinated guests at a Christmas party at a closed location in a restaurant in Oslo, Norway found symptoms surfaced at a relatively fast rate. The party was held on Friday, Nov. 26, two days after one of the attendees returned from South …
COVID-19: Study Reveals How Likely Omicron Patients Are To Be Hospitalized Compared To Delta COVID-19: Study Reveals How Likely Omicron Patients Are To Be Hospitalized Compared To Delta
Covid-19: Study Reveals How Likely Omicron Patients Are To Be Hospitalized Compared To Delta While the wildly spreading Omicron COVID-19 variant is believed to be more transmissible than previous strains, a new study found that patients are less likely to be hospitalized with severe infections if they contract it. Researchers found that those who contract the Omicron variant are 80 percent less likely to be hospitalized, compared to other strains, according to a new study released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Once admitted to the hospital, the risk of severe disease doesn’t differ from other variants; however, the researchers led by scientists Nicole Walter…
COVID-19: Info Released On First US Omicron Death; Biden To Announce 500M Free At-Home Tests COVID-19: Info Released On First US Omicron Death; Biden To Announce 500M Free At-Home Tests
Covid-19: Info Released On First US Omicron Death; Biden To Announce 500M Free At-Home Tests Less than three weeks after the first case of the highly transmissible Omicron COVID-19 variant was identified in the United States, the first death in the nation connected to the strain has been confirmed in the Houston, Texas area. The patient was a man in his 50s who was not vaccinated and had an underlying health condition, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said, according to KHOU-11, a CBS-affiliated television station in Houston. Houston Methodist said on Monday, Dec. 20 that 82 percent of its new cases are omicron after just three weeks of testing for it, KHOU reported. Omicron …
COVID-19: Omicron Now Dominant Variant In US; CDC Reveals Percentage Of New Cases COVID-19: Omicron Now Dominant Variant In US; CDC Reveals Percentage Of New Cases
Covid-19: Omicron Now Dominant Variant In US; CDC Reveals Percentage Of New Cases Less than three weeks after the first case of the highly transmissible Omicron variant was identified in the United States, it's now the nation's most dominant strain of the COVID-19 virus. Omicron accounted for 73 percent of new infections last week, federal health officials announced Monday, Dec. 20. That's nearly a six-fold increase in only one week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. The first Omicron-related death in the United States was confirmed in Harris County, Texas - a man in his 50s. It has not been reported whether he was vaccinated or had any pre-exis…
COVID-19: Omicron Confirmed In CT Resident With Family Member Who Attended NYC Convention COVID-19: Omicron Confirmed In CT Resident With Family Member Who Attended NYC Convention
Covid-19: Omicron Confirmed In CT Resident With Family Member Who Attended NYC Convention Omicron, the new strain of COVID-19 that has caused worldwide alarm the last week, has now been detected in Connecticut and Massachusetts. "This evening we confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant in CT," Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced Saturday night, Dec. 4. "This is not a cause for alarm. We have life-saving tools available and I urge everyone to take the necessary precautions to fight this pandemic. Get your vaccination. Get your booster." The case involves a man in his 60s from Hartford County who developed mild symptoms on Saturday, Nov. 27. An at-home COVID-19 test…
COVID-19: Three More NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant COVID-19: Three More NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant
Covid-19: Three More NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant Omicron, the new strain of COVID-19 that has caused worldwide alarm the last week, has now been detected in eight New York residents. On Saturday, Dec. 4, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced three more cases have been identified, two days after the state announced its first five cases. So far, the cases appear unrelated and have been confirmed through sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to the New York State Health Department.  All three of the new cases are from New York City. Nationally, a total of 23 people have been infected in 11 states: Utah, California, Minneso…
COVID-19: Number Of US Omicron Cases Now At Nine; Here's Info On Conditions Of Those Infected COVID-19: Number Of US Omicron Cases Now At Nine; Here's Info On Conditions Of Those Infected
Covid-19: Number Of US Omicron Cases Now At Nine; Here's Info On Conditions Of Those Infected Omicron, the new strain of COVID that has caused worldwide alarm the last week, has now been detected in five states, with a total of nine cases. New York is the only state with multiple infections so far. Here's a rundown, with the number of cases in parentheses following the name of the state: New York (5): Four of the five infected are from New York City and the other was a 67-year-old Long Island woman who lives in Suffolk County and had recently traveled to South Africa, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced early Thursday evening, Dec. 2. All five had mild symptoms, Hoc…
COVID-19: Five NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant COVID-19: Five NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant
Covid-19: Five NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant Omicron, the new strain of COVID that has caused worldwide alarm the last week, has now been detected in five New York residents. Four are from New York City and the other was a 67-year-old Long Island woman who lives in Suffolk County and had recently traveled to South Africa, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced early Thursday evening, Dec. 2. All five had mild symptoms, Hochul said.  The vaccination status has only been determined for one of the five -- the Suffolk County woman who was fully vaccinated. She tested positive on Tuesday, Nov. 30, Hochul said. Two of the other fo…
COVID-19: Man Who Went To NY Conference Tests Positive For Omicron Variant COVID-19: Man Who Went To NY Conference Tests Positive For Omicron Variant
Covid-19: Man Who Went To NY Conference Tests Positive For Omicron Variant A day after the first case of the new COVID-19 variant was identified in the United States, it has been announced that a man from the Midwest who attended a conference in New York City has tested positive for the Omicron COVID-19 strain. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday, Dec. 2 that the Department of Health in Minnesota alerted her that a constituent tested positive for the variant after spending time at the conference held at the Javits Center in Manhattan. Earlier story - COVID-19: First Case Of New Omicron Variant Identified In United States Hochul noted that the pe…
COVID-19: First Case Of New Omicron Variant Identified In United States COVID-19: First Case Of New Omicron Variant Identified In United States
Covid-19: First Case Of New Omicron Variant Identified In United States Omicron, the new strain of COVID that has caused worldwide alarm the last week, has been detected in the United States for the first time. Health officials had been bracing for the first such Omicron case for days, and early Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 1, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention confirmed a person in California has been infected with the new strain. The San Francisco Department of Health said the individual was a traveler who returned from South Africa on Monday, Nov. 22, and tested positive for COVID on Monday, Nov. 29. The individual was fully vaccinated and experi…
COVID-19: Be 'Vigilant' Over New Variant, Lamont Tells CT Residents COVID-19: Be 'Vigilant' Over New Variant, Lamont Tells CT Residents
Covid-19: Be 'Vigilant' Over New Variant, Lamont Tells CT Residents With concern growing across the country over the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said residents should be vigilant. "While there have been no cases of the Omicron variant reported here in Connecticut or the United States to date, we still must be vigilant," Lamont said.  Related story - COVID-19: First Cases Of New Variant Identified In North America The variant, which first surfaced in South Africa recently, has garnered significant attention as its spread has been found in Europe, Canada, and Asia.  While little is known about Omicron, the World …
COVID-19: First Cases Of New Variant Identified In North America COVID-19: First Cases Of New Variant Identified In North America
Covid-19: First Cases Of New Variant Identified In North America The new strain of COVID-19 that has caused worldwide alarm the last week has been detected in North America for the first time. Two cases of the Omicron variant were confirmed in Canada. Both were in Ottawa, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said in a statement released Sunday evening, Nov. 28. The two infected people had traveled from Nigeria and have been isolated, Elliott said. The Omicron variant, whose name comes from the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet, is spreading fast in Europe after the first case was identified by scientists in South Africa on Tuesday, Nov. 9. In…
COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says
Covid-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says Why are scientists so concerned about the new strain of COVID-19? Simply stated, when it comes to Omicron, it's all about the sheer numbers -- as in the number of mutations. "The main thing that has us focused on this and has caused us to be sort of 24-7 on Zoom calls the last four days is that it has so many mutations," Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said Sunday morning, Nov. 28 on CNN. "Omicron has more than 50 variants that make it different from the original virus, including more than 30 that are in the spike protein." The spike proteins …
COVID-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear COVID-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear
Covid-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear Updated story - COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says A new COVID-19 variant that could be worse than the Delta strain is sparking concerns among scientists. The B.1.1.529 strain, now known as Omicron, could become a "variant of concern" as soon as Friday, Nov. 26, when the World Health Organization holds an emergency meeting. It is now spreading rapidly in parts of South Africa after first being detected in neighboring Botswana.  The new variant has already shown a large number of mutations, and scientists fear it…
COVID-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says COVID-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says
Covid-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says A new variant of COVID-19 might be more transmissible, and it may evade some protection from vaccines, according to a new study. Business Standard reported that researchers in South Africa said the variant was discovered in May.  Since then, the variant, C.1.2, has been reported in China, New Zealand, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and several other countries, the news outlet reported. The researchers reportedly found that the new variant has a mutation rate about twice as fast as that of other COVID-19 variants, and it could evade the antibodies people have developed…
COVID-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say COVID-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say
Covid-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say Scientists are warning that it's possible to contract two COVID-19 strains at the same time following the death of an unvaccinated woman who was infected by different variants. The woman, age 90, was admitted to a Belgium hospital to treat injuries from a fall and tested positive for COVID that day, according to a report by the European Congress on Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. Though she did not display symptoms when admitted and displayed good oxygen saturation, she quickly developed rapidly worsening respiratory problems and died less than a week later. When resp…
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans COVID-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued new COVID-19 travel guidance for Americans. The guidance "better differentiate countries with severe outbreak situations" from those where the virus is "sustained, but controlled." The CDC has grouped countries into four levels, with those in Level 4, the highest threat level. In those countries, there have been 500 cases for every 100,000 residents in the last 28 days. Brazil and India are among the Level 4 countries. The CDC is advising Americans to avoid traveling to Level 4 countries. Those in Level 3, with a high…
COVID-19: More Contagious Variant From India Now Spreading In United States COVID-19: More Contagious Variant From India Now Spreading In United States
Covid-19: More Contagious Variant From India Now Spreading In United States The more transmittable COVID-19 strain that came to the United States from India is becoming more prevalent as the country continues its recovery from the pandemic. New data found that the India variant is rapidly spreading across the US and now makes up approximately 7 percent of all new COVID-19 cases, according to a new report on Outbreak.info. At the beginning of May, the India variant only accounted for approximately 1 percent of new cases. The data shows that the variant - which is believed to be at least 60 percent more transmissible than the original strain from Wuhan, China - pea…
COVID-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US COVID-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US
Covid-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US As COVID-19 deaths mount in India, health officials in the United States are now contending with a new strain of the virus that has been reported stateside. One day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 variant from India was a “cause of global concern,” it was announced that the strain had spread to dozens of countries, including the United States. The so-called B.1617 variant made its first domestic appearance after it was discovered in a patient in Arizona being treated for COVID. According to researchers, the India variant, like several others that have …