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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…

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by Joe Lombardi
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COVID-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed COVID-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed
Covid-19: First US Case Of Pirola Variant With 30 Mutations Confirmed The first case of the newly identified COVID-19 variant with 30 mutations has been identified in the United States. The World Health Organization (WHO) upgraded BA.2.86 to a “variant under monitoring," citing the "large number of mutations it carries." BA.2.86, which has now been nicknamed "Pirola," was first detected in Israel, and cases have also been identified in the United Kingdom and Denmark. The initial case in the US has been detected in Michigan. The patient, an older person with mild symptoms, is from Washtenaw County, the Michigan Department of Health and Hu…

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by Joe Lombardi
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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…

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by Joe Lombardi
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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…

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by Joe Lombardi
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Maryland Department Of Health Reports First Human Monkeypox-Related Death Maryland Department Of Health Reports First Human Monkeypox-Related Death
Maryland Department Of Health Reports First Human Monkeypox-Related Death With the COVID-19 threat looming on the back burner, the Maryland Department of Health has confirmed the first monkeypox-related death of a human statewide. On Friday, Oct. 21, the agency announced that an immunocompromised Maryland resident has died, and the virus was a contributing factor, made more severe by the person’s health. Officials said that the Department of Health "will not be providing additional information to protect patient confidentiality."  According to the Department of Health, “monkeypox is a rare but serious illness caused by infection with the monkeypox vir…

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by Zak Failla
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First Human Monkeypox Case Reported In St. Mary’s County First Human Monkeypox Case Reported In St. Mary’s County
First Human Monkeypox Case Reported In St. Mary’s County The first human monkeypox case has been confirmed in St. Mary's County. The St. Mary’s County Health Department has been notified of a human monkeypox virus infection in a local resident, officials announced on Monday, July 18. The person is isolating from others and is recovering, according to health officials. The Health Department has also begun the process of contact tracing and notifying anyone who may have been exposed to the virus. “The risk of transmission to the general community at this time is believed to be low,” officials said. "(The St. Mary's County Health Department) enco…

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by Zak Failla
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Gaithersburg Company Produces Nation's First Authorized Protein-Based COVID Vaccine Gaithersburg Company Produces Nation's First Authorized Protein-Based COVID Vaccine
Gaithersburg Company Produces Nation's First Authorized Protein-Based COVID Vaccine Novavax, a Gaithersburg-based company in Montgomery County, has received emergency use authorization from the FDA to distribute the first protein-based COVID-19 vaccination in the United States, officials say. The US Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Defense together announced a purchase of 3.2 million doses of the new vaccine, according to Montgomery County officials. The vaccine will be available free to states, jurisdictions, federal pharmacy partners, and federally qualified health centers. The protein-based vaccine is already widely used in other countries…

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by Annie DeVoe
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Federal Health Officials Confirm Second Case Of Human Monkeypox In Maryland Federal Health Officials Confirm Second Case Of Human Monkeypox In Maryland
Federal Health Officials Confirm Second Case Of Human Monkeypox In Maryland Federal health officials have confirmed a second human case of monkeypox in Maryland. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that a second Maryland resident has a confirmed case of the virus, while several others remain under investigation. Earlier in June, the Department of Health announced that a resident from the National Capital Region tested positive for monkeypox infection, though he presented mild symptoms and was not required to be hospitalized. No details were released regarding the second confirmed case, which the CDC announced on Monday, June 27. Sympto…

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by Zak Failla
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Three Presumed Cases Of Monkeypox Being Reported In Maryland: Report Three Presumed Cases Of Monkeypox Being Reported In Maryland: Report
Three Presumed Cases Of Monkeypox Being Reported In Maryland: Report There have now been three presumed human monkeypox cases identified in Maryland, according to a wbaltv.com report. Last week, the first presumed monkeypox infection was identified in a resident from the National Capital Region, though he presented only mild symptoms and did not require hospitalization. On Wednesday, June 22, the Maryland Department of Health reportedly announced that there have been additional potential cases identified, and all are isolated and recovering in their home. The Department of Health is working with federal health officials to confirm all three cases. No other…

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by Zak Failla
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First Presumed Monkeypox Infection Identified In Maryland Resident First Presumed Monkeypox Infection Identified In Maryland Resident
First Presumed Monkeypox Infection Identified In Maryland Resident The scourge of new monkeypox cases that have been spreading across the US has hit Maryland. A Maryland resident from the National Capital Region has been identified as the first presumed case of human monkeypox infection in the state, the Department of Health announced. The individual - whose name has not been released - presented mild symptoms, is currently recovering in isolation, and did not require hospitalization. Testing was conducted at the State Public Health Laboratory while the Maryland Department of Health waits for confirmation testing from the Centers for Disease Control and P…

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by Zak Failla
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WHO Renaming Monkeypox Amid Concerns Over Racism, Stigma WHO Renaming Monkeypox Amid Concerns Over Racism, Stigma
WHO Renaming Monkeypox Amid Concerns Over Racism, Stigma The World Health Organization will officially rename monkeypox to make clear that it isn’t African and remove the possibility of offending anyone by making a particular race or skin complexion the face of the disease. The concerns about racism and stigma are similar to those that convinced the WHO to rename SARS-CoV-2 after it became commonly called the China or Wuhan virus. With more than 1,600 reported human infections in over two dozen countries, the WHO is “working with partners and experts from around the world on changing the name of monkeypox virus, its clades and the disease it cau…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Here's Who Is Most At Risk Of Getting Monkeypox, WHO Says Here's Who Is Most At Risk Of Getting Monkeypox, WHO Says
Here's Who Is Most At Risk Of Getting Monkeypox, WHO Says More cases of monkeypox are expected to be identified in the coming days as surveillance is expanded in countries where the disease is not typically found, said the World Health Organization, which identified those most at risk of being infected. "The situation is evolving and WHO expects there will be more cases of monkeypox identified as surveillance expands in non-endemic countries," the WHO said in a statement on Saturday, May 21.  "Immediate actions focus on informing those who may be most at risk for monkeypox infection with accurate information, in order to stop further spread." …

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by Joe Lombardi
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Child Dies Days After CDC Issues Nationwide Alert For Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreak Child Dies Days After CDC Issues Nationwide Alert For Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreak
Child Dies Days After CDC Issues Nationwide Alert For Mysterious Hepatitis Outbreak Just days after the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention issued a national alert to doctors over a mystery hepatitis outbreak, the death of a child has now been confirmed, the World Health Organization announced. At least 169 cases have now been reported in the United States and 11 other countries, the WHO said, adding that the cases range from those in the ages of 1 month to 16 years old. The CDC notified clinicians and public health authorities on Thursday, April 21 about a cluster of children identified with hepatitis and adenovirus infection, asking all physicians to be on …

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by Joe Lombardi
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Omicron Mutant Variant 'XE' Could Be Most Transmissible Yet, WHO Says Omicron Mutant Variant 'XE' Could Be Most Transmissible Yet, WHO Says
Omicron Mutant Variant 'XE' Could Be Most Transmissible Yet, WHO Says The new mutant variant of Omicron, "XE." could be the most transmissible strain of Covid yet, Express reports citing the World Health Organization. A hybrid of Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2, XE is 10 percent more transmissible than the BA.2 subvariant and could be the most dominant strain of the virus in the near future. Currently. BA.2 — or the "Stealth Variant" — represents nearly 86% of all sequences cases, the WHO says. The BA.2 subvariant has caused surges in Asia and Europe, and could cause another one in the US, Reuters says. More research is still needed, the WHO said. Click…

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by Cecilia Levine
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COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US
Covid-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US With the new “stealth” COVID-19 sub-variant emerging from the shadows in the US and overseas, researchers are concerned that one subset of Americans could potentially lead to a possible new surge of infections. According to the World Health Organization (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. The new “stealth” variant - named for its difficulty to identify due to a lack of certain genetic characteristics - has been becoming more of a co…

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by Zak Failla