Tag:

Virus Transmission

COVID-19: Virus Levels Now Surging In These States COVID-19: Virus Levels Now Surging In These States
Covid-19: Virus Levels Now Surging In These States Parts of the nation are experiencing a notable increase in COVID-19 cases, raising concerns among health officials. The increase in activity picked up just ahead of the holiday season. Experts attribute this resurgence to several factors, including the emergence of new variants. The XEC variant, an off-shoot of the highly contagious Omicron strain, now accounts for 45 percent of cases in the US after first being identified in Europe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  States with "very high" current wastewater viral activity are shown in the darker sh…
First US Case Of Monkeypox This Year Reported In New England First US Case Of Monkeypox This Year Reported In New England
First US Case Of Monkeypox This Year Reported In New England Health officials in New England have confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the United States this year. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced on Wednesday, May 18, that it has confirmed a  single monkeypox virus infection in the state.  The man who tested positive for monkeypox had recently traveled to Canada, health officials said. DPH said it is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the patient's health care providers to identify those who may have been in close contact with the man. "This contact tracing approach is the mos…
COVID-19: New Study Finds Significant Virus Spread Among Deer Population COVID-19: New Study Finds Significant Virus Spread Among Deer Population
Covid-19: New Study Finds Significant Virus Spread Among Deer Population A new study has found widespread COVID-19 infections among deer populations in Iowa. Researchers from the Penn State University found that more than 80 percent of white-tailed deer sampled in parts of Iowa between December of 2020 and January of 2021 tested positive for COVID-19, according to an announcement from the university on Wednesday, Nov. 3. “We found that 80 percent of the sampled deer in December were positive for SARS-CoV-2, which proportionally represents about a 50-fold greater burden of positivity than what was reported at the peak of infection in humans at the time,” said Sur…
COVID-19: Those Who Test Positive After Recovering Are Not Contagious, Study Says COVID-19: Those Who Test Positive After Recovering Are Not Contagious, Study Says
Covid-19: Those Who Test Positive After Recovering Are Not Contagious, Study Says A new study found that people who recovered from COVID-19 after testing positive did not transmit the virus to others in close proximity. Researchers evaluated more than 3,500 NBA players and staff who were in a “bubble” for last season’s playoff run to evaluate who contracted COVID-19, recovered, and were contagious. In total, researchers studied the data of 3,648 players, staff, and vendors who were forced to undergo daily COVID-19 testing between June 11, and Oct. 19 last year. During the 2020 NBA playoffs, the league created an isolation zone at Walt Disney World in Florida that was l…
COVID-19: Four 'Red' Western Mass Cities At High Risk, Town-By-Town Trends, Rates COVID-19: Four 'Red' Western Mass Cities At High Risk, Town-By-Town Trends, Rates
Covid-19: Four 'Red' Western Mass Cities At High Risk, Town-By-Town Trends, Rates Keeping with the trend of declining COVID-19 infections, the Pioneer Valley has only 4 “red” communities - cities and towns with the highest risk of virus transmission. On Thursday, March 4, Massachusetts unveiled its latest weekly update on COVID-19 incidents by the municipality.  Red communities in Western Massachusetts for the week of March 4 are: Chicopee with a rate of 33.4, Hadley, 32 Ludlow, 33.4, and Springfield, 40.3. Springfield was the only city out of the four that was in the red but experienced a decline in COVID-19 incidents, according to state data. Statewide, the…
COVID-19: Dinner Parties, Other Casual Gatherings Cited As Fueling Surge Of Cases COVID-19: Dinner Parties, Other Casual Gatherings Cited As Fueling Surge Of Cases
Covid-19: Dinner Parties, Other Casual Gatherings Cited As Fueling Surge Of Cases With the holiday season rapidly approaching, scientists are cautioning that casual gatherings of friends and families in recent weeks may be the leading cause of the recent record-breaking surge in COVID-19 cases across the country. After “flattening” the COVID-19 curve over the summer, states across the country have seen a surge in new cases as some have grown lax in socially distancing and wearing masks, particularly when in the company of close friends and family at gatherings such as dinner parties, game nights, or sleepovers. At the outset of the pandemic, most of the clusters were li…