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COVID-19: New ‘Arcturus' Variant Causing Symptom Not Typically Seen COVID-19: New ‘Arcturus' Variant Causing Symptom Not Typically Seen
Covid-19: New ‘Arcturus' Variant Causing Symptom Not Typically Seen A new COVID-19 variant fueling a rise in cases is causing a new symptom that has not been associated with the virus during the three-plus years of the pandemic. The so-called Arcturus strain — officially known as XBB.1.16 — is believed to be one of the most infectious versions of the Omicron variant to date.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) variant tracker, XBB.1.16 United States cases have doubled in the last week. Itchy, red eyes not seen in earlier waves "are symptoms of the new Omicron variant," according to a brand-new report by the Mayo Clinic. …

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant First Detected In NY Now Identified In 27 States COVID-19: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant First Detected In NY Now Identified In 27 States
Covid-19: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant First Detected In NY Now Identified In 27 States Click here for a new, updated story - COVID-19: New ‘Arcturus' Variant Causing Symptom Not Typically Seen A new COVID-19 variant first detected in New York in January has now been identified in 27 states. The so-called Arcturus strain — officially known as XBB.1.16 — is believed to be one of the most infectious versions of Omicron to date.  Shortly after the World Health Organization began monitoring the variant in late March, cases had been reported in about two dozen countries. Arcturus has been sparking a surge of cases in India, prompting  Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
3 Students From Universities In Connecticut ID'd As Those Killed In Western Massachusetts Crash 3 Students From Universities In Connecticut ID'd As Those Killed In Western Massachusetts Crash
3 Students From Universities In Connecticut ID'd As Those Killed In Western Massachusetts Crash Authorities have identified the three people who died following a two-car crash in Western Massachusetts. The victims were identified as Prem Kumar Reddy Goda, age 27, Pavani Gullapally, age 22, and Sai Narasimha Patamsetti, age 22, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office reports. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.  Authorities determined all three were international students from India who were studying in Connecticut at either the University of New Haven or Sacred Heart University in the town of Fairfield. The crash occurred when a northbound Toyota Si…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
Medford Drowning Victim Being Kept Alive After Pulled From Wright's Pond Medford Drowning Victim Being Kept Alive After Pulled From Wright's Pond
Medford Drowning Victim Being Kept Alive After Pulled From Wright's Pond A 28-year-old man is being kept alive after he was pulled from the water at a Medford pond over the weekend, authorities said.  Police responded to a report of a drowning at Wright's Pond around 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 7, Medford Police said. The caller said their friend went under the water and did not resurface.  Upon arrival, police and fire crews did not immediately locate the victim in the area to which the caller was referring. They eventually located the victim on the other side of the pond, which was not a designated swimming area, police added. The victim, whose …

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by David Cifarelli
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COVID-19: Return Of Mask Mandates? Uncertainty Surrounds Climb In Omicron-Fueled Reinfections COVID-19: Return Of Mask Mandates? Uncertainty Surrounds Climb In Omicron-Fueled Reinfections
Covid-19: Return Of Mask Mandates? Uncertainty Surrounds Climb In Omicron-Fueled Reinfections More places are bringing back indoor mask mandates as the now dominant COVID-19 Omicron strain is not only reinfecting many who have already had the virus but those who have been vaccinated and boosted. The BA.5 variant (the official name for Omicron) made up about 65 percent of US cases in the weeklong period ending Saturday, July 16, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And the wave is being felt nationwide. The Staten Island Ferry has reduced service due to an increasing number of workers being out sick. In Boston, with cases up around 40 percent in a…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: Newly Emerging Omicron Mutant Strain Sparking Concerns Among Scientists COVID-19: Newly Emerging Omicron Mutant Strain Sparking Concerns Among Scientists
Covid-19: Newly Emerging Omicron Mutant Strain Sparking Concerns Among Scientists More people are contracting the Omicron strain of COVID-19 multiple times in quicker sequences compared to other subvariants, and a newly emerging mutant of the strain is sparking concerns among scientists. The BA.5 strain is now the most dominant COVID variant in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  A new mutation of the Omicron strain -- identified as BA.2.75 -- is being described as perhaps the most contagious yet. "Previous infections from Omicron are not giving us the same antibody protection against the newer variants," Dr. Alok Patel of St…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Meet Willow: White House Has A Cat For First Time In More Than 12 Years Meet Willow: White House Has A Cat For First Time In More Than 12 Years
Meet Willow: White House Has A Cat For First Time In More Than 12 Years Call it the Oval Pawffice. First lady Jill Biden announced that America’s first family has welcomed Willow, a 2-year-old, gray-and-white feline to the White House, making her the first cat in the Oval Office in more than a decade. Biden, a community college professor, said that she named the cat after her hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. “A farm cat from Pennsylvania, Willow made quite an impression on Dr. Biden in 2020 when she jumped up on the stage and interrupted her remarks during a campaign stop," Biden spokesperson Michael LaRosa said. "Seeing their immediate bond, the owner…

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by Zak Failla
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COVID-19: 'Stealth Omicron,' A New Version Of Variant, Identified In US COVID-19: 'Stealth Omicron,' A New Version Of Variant, Identified In US
Covid-19: 'Stealth Omicron,' A New Version Of Variant, Identified In US A new sub-variant of the dominant COVID-19 Omicron strain could be on the rise, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The new strain, dubbed the “stealth” Omicron variant because it’s difficult to identify due to a lack of certain genetic characteristics, appears to be on the rise, with confirmed cases of the virus in at least 40 countries, including the United States. According to the WHO, Omicron, which is known as B.1.1.529, has three sub-variants: the original BA.1 that remains the dominant strain, the “stealth” BA.2, which is picking up steam, and the more elusive BA.3. Re…

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by Zak Failla
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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…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: Cape Cod Cluster Among Vaccinated Led To Mask Shift; 'The War Has Changed' CDC Says COVID-19: Cape Cod Cluster Among Vaccinated Led To Mask Shift; 'The War Has Changed' CDC Says
Covid-19: Cape Cod Cluster Among Vaccinated Led To Mask Shift; 'The War Has Changed' CDC Says A cluster of hundreds of COVID-19 cases on Cape Cod, many involving vaccinated people, prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to change its policy on mask-wearing this week. The July 4th outbreak in Provincetown, Massachusetts showed that vaccinated people infected with the Delta variant could spread the virus. A total of nearly 900 infections have been linked to the cluster. The high viral load of the Delta variant, which was first discovered in India late last year, makes it possible for vaccinated who become infected through breakthrough cases to spread the virus i…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Delta Variant As Contagious As Chickenpox, Internal CDC Document Says COVID-19: Delta Variant As Contagious As Chickenpox, Internal CDC Document Says
Covid-19: Delta Variant As Contagious As Chickenpox, Internal CDC Document Says The Delta variant, which now accounts for about 85 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the United States, is as contagious as chickenpox, according to internal documents by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Details of those documents were reported on Friday, July 30 by both The Washington Post and New York Times. The high viral load of the Delta variant makes it possible for vaccinated who become infected through breakthrough cases to spread the virus in some cases, the CDC now says. “We have studies that have now shown that even on the first swab on somebody with a…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: New Variant May Be More Resistant To Vaccines Than Other Strains, Scientists Say COVID-19: New Variant May Be More Resistant To Vaccines Than Other Strains, Scientists Say
Covid-19: New Variant May Be More Resistant To Vaccines Than Other Strains, Scientists Say A new strain of the COVID-19 virus may be more resistant to vaccines than other variants, scientists are now warning. The C.37 strain, known as the Lambda variant, was first identified in Peru in December 2020, when it accounted for less than one percent of new cases. It now accounts for about 80 percent of new infections in Peru and has spread to about 27 countries in the last month, according to a report in the Financial Times. The World Health Organization said the strain carries a number of mutations that may have prompted potential increased transmissibility or possible increased resi…

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by Joe Lombardi