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Omicron

CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth As Omicron Offshoot Variant Drives Summer Spike CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth As Omicron Offshoot Variant Drives Summer Spike
CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth As Omicron Offshoot Variant Drives Summer Spike Fueled by a fast-growing new variant, COVID-19 infections are regaining ground just as summer travel peaks. New CDC transmission estimates released Friday, Aug. 1 show the effective reproduction number, or Rt, above one in 40 states, meaning overall US infections are again expanding. In 28 states the agency assigns its highest confidence category — “growing” — while another 12 fall into the “likely growing” bucket. No state is currently classified as declining, and nine are holding steady. For more info, view the CDC's interactive map here, and click on a specific state. Nationally, the R…
COVID-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States COVID-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States
Covid-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States New surveillance shows COVID-19 is quietly heating up at the height of summer, fueling concerns about travel plans and back-to-school prep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) time-varying reproductive number dashboard, seven states now have a rate above 1.2, meaning each infected person is, on average, passing the virus to more than one other individual.   Louisiana tops the list with an Rt of 1.28, followed closely by Florida (1.24), Nevada (1.22), and Hawaii (1.21). Texas, Mississippi and Alabama are hovering just above the 1.15 mark, signaling sus…
COVID-19: New Variant From China Spreading In US With Painful Symptom COVID-19: New Variant From China Spreading In US With Painful Symptom
Covid-19: New Variant From China Spreading In US With Painful Symptom A painful new symptom is drawing attention from doctors as another COVID-19 variant begins to spread across the US. The sore throat has been described as “razor-blade throat” — an intensely sharp, uncomfortable sensation that can be an early warning sign of infection.  Lately, it’s been linked to a newly identified strain: NB.1.8.1, also called Nimbus, a descendant of the Omicron subvariant JN.1. The World Health Organization has labeled NB.1.8.1 a Variant Under Monitoring, and public health officials say existing vaccines are still expected to protect against severe illness. The var…
COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Identified In Five States COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Identified In Five States
Covid-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Identified In Five States 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: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant Detected In Maryland COVID-19: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant Detected In Maryland
Covid-19: Highly-Infectious 'Arcturus' Variant Detected In Maryland A new COVID-19 variant first detected in New York in January has now been identified in 27 states, including Maryland. 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. The WHO says Arcturus is a "recombinant" of COVID subvariants BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75. In addition to New York, XBB.1.16 has also been confirmed in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virgi…
CDC Tracking More Immune-Evasive COVID-19 Variant Growing In Northeast CDC Tracking More Immune-Evasive COVID-19 Variant Growing In Northeast
CDC Tracking More Immune-Evasive Covid-19 Variant Growing In Northeast With more than 300 COVID-19 Omicron sublineages circulating around the globe, a new potentially more contagious variant called XBB is being closely monitored by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). XBB is considered more immune-evasive than other Omicron variants, Chief White House medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said last week. But government officials said they don't think XBB will become a threat at the level of Omicron, which first emerged on the global scene almost exactly a year ago. Though XBB now accounts for just over 3 percent of new cases in t…