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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

COVID-19: Fast-Spreading JN.1 Variant Now Accounts For 86 Percent Of US Cases COVID-19: Fast-Spreading JN.1 Variant Now Accounts For 86 Percent Of US Cases
Covid-19: Fast-Spreading JN.1 Variant Now Accounts For 86 Percent Of US Cases There's a new dominant variant of COVID-19 in the United States, and it's way ahead of the rest of the pack. JN. 1, a highly contagious off-shoot of the Omicron strain, now makes up around 86 percent of COVID cases in the United States after accounting for less than 5 percent of infections nationally in early November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. It's also the most dominant across the globe. JN.1 cases in the US have doubled over the last month.  In late December, it caused 44 percent of cases in the US, after making up around 22 percent of inf…
COVID-19: Subvariant XBB Rapidly Spreading Statewide, Prompting NY Health Department Warning COVID-19: Subvariant XBB Rapidly Spreading Statewide, Prompting NY Health Department Warning
Covid-19: Subvariant XBB Rapidly Spreading Statewide, Prompting NY Health Department Warning As the new COVID-19 variant named XBB.1.5 rapidly spreads through New York, officials are urging people to receive their booster shots to protect themselves.  Earlier Report - COVID-19: Subvariant XBB Accounts For 70% Of Tristate NY Cases, Sparking Concerns Of New Wave The variant, which spreads more quickly than other currently circulating strains of the virus, is already making up more than 50 percent of cases in the state, making it the predominant strain, according to the New York Department of Health.  Although it is not yet clear if the XBB.1.5 variant is more se…
'Tripledemic' Concerns Grow As Surge In Flu Activity Strikes Amid Ongoing RSV, COVID-19 Cases 'Tripledemic' Concerns Grow As Surge In Flu Activity Strikes Amid Ongoing RSV, COVID-19 Cases
'Tripledemic' Concerns Grow As Surge In Flu Activity Strikes Amid Ongoing RSV, Covid-19 Cases Concerns of a so-called "Tripledemic" are growing amid the most widespread flu activity nationwide at this point in the season in over a decade while respiratory illnesses, particularly among children, are straining hospitals as COVID-19 is still an ongoing issue.  "There’s no scientific definition for this term," according to Yale Medicine. "It simply refers to a collision of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), flu, and COVID-19 to the extent that it might overwhelm hospital emergency departments." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that, so far this season…
COVID-19: Here's Name Of New Booster Targeting Omicron Strain, What To Know, How To Get Vaccine COVID-19: Here's Name Of New Booster Targeting Omicron Strain, What To Know, How To Get Vaccine
Covid-19: Here's Name Of New Booster Targeting Omicron Strain, What To Know, How To Get Vaccine Health experts are recommending the use of updated COVID-19 booster vaccines to protect people from the most prevalent subvariants of the virus currently circulating. The newly-approved boosters are officially named "bivalent vaccines" that target the original strain of COVID-19 and what is now the predominant subvariant of Omicron, BA.5., according to a report from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center with Dr. David Tweardy, the head of the Department of Infectious Diseases. “The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating C…
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Shift In Infection Rate, Cases; Latest Breakdown By County COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Shift In Infection Rate, Cases; Latest Breakdown By County
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees Shift In Infection Rate, Cases; Latest Breakdown By County The positive COVID-19 infection rate in the Hudson Valley is trending in the right direction after dropping for three straight days. In the region, over the past three days, the seven-day average percent of positive tests in the Hudson Valley dropped from 7.82 percent to 6.88 percent as of Monday, May 9, according to the latest update from the state Department of Health. Statewide, the average infection rate is also on the decline, dipping from 7.23 percent on Saturday, May 7 to 7.03 percent of those tested on May 9. Twenty-one new COVID-19-related deaths were reported in New York in the l…
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Uptick In Cases; Here's Latest Data By County COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Uptick In Cases; Here's Latest Data By County
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees Uptick In Cases; Here's Latest Data By County The positive COVID-19 infection rate in the Hudson Valley ticked down slightly, though the number of newly reported cases is on the rise. In the past week, the average seven-day average COVID-19 positive infection rate in the Hudson Valley rose from 2.27 percent on Monday, March 21 to 2.33 percent the following day before dropping slightly to 2.32 percent of those tested on Wednesday, March 23.  Statewide, the positivity rate is also surging, up from 1.78 percent to 2.02 percent during the same time frame. Just five new virus-related deaths were reported in New York, according to the …
COVID-19: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tests Positive COVID-19: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tests Positive
Covid-19: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tests Positive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who grew up in Northern Westchester County and now represents parts of the Bronx and Queens, has tested positive for COVID-19. "She is experiencing symptoms and recovering at home," Ocasio-Cortez's office said in a statement released early Sunday evening, Jan. 9. "The congresswoman received her booster shot this fall, and encourages everyone to get their booster and follow all CDC guidelines." The 32-year-old Ocasio-Cortez, a 2007 graduate of Yorktown High School, recently returned from a trip to Florida. A photo of her dining outdoors in Miami m…
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Slight Decline In Infection Rate; Here's Latest Rundown By County COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Slight Decline In Infection Rate; Here's Latest Rundown By County
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees Slight Decline In Infection Rate; Here's Latest Rundown By County The Hudson Valley saw a slight downtick in its positive infection rate for the second time in as many days, though it continues to be among the state's regions most plagued by the rise of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Since Tuesday, Jan. 4, the seven-day average percentage of positive test results in the Hudson Valley dipped from 23.31 percent to 23.10 percent the following day before hitting 23.08 percent of those tested on Thursday, Jan. 6, still among the highest of the state's 10 regions. Statewide, the positivity rate also dropped during that timeline, from 22.45 percent to 22.36 …
COVID-19: School District In Region Extends Winter Break Amid Case Surge COVID-19: School District In Region Extends Winter Break Amid Case Surge
Covid-19: School District In Region Extends Winter Break Amid Case Surge A school district in Connecticut is extending winter break for students as it assesses a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases. The announcement by the Westport School District came on Friday afternoon, Dec. 31. The district said it will extend the winter break by one day for all students and that Monday, Jan. 3 will not be a school day for students. All faculty and staff will report on Monday. "This will enable the district to work collaboratively to develop a range of responses to the changing conditions over the coming weeks," Westport Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice said …
COVID-19: Large Holiday Gatherings Are Not Safe — Even With Booster, Fauci Says COVID-19: Large Holiday Gatherings Are Not Safe — Even With Booster, Fauci Says
Covid-19: Large Holiday Gatherings Are Not Safe — Even With Booster, Fauci Says The nation’s top infectious disease expert is cautioning Americans against hosting large holiday parties or gatherings due to the increasing threat of the Omicron COVID-19 variant of the virus, even if precautions are taken. Dr. Anthony Fauci said that it's reasonable for Americans vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 can be with family over the holidays but attending large gatherings is not safe, even for those who received a booster dose. Fauci’s statement comes as the country is facing a winter surge of new COVID-19 infections amid the spread of the Omicron variant. “There are many …
COVID-19: These Will Be Key Signs When End To Pandemic Is Coming, CDC Director Says COVID-19: These Will Be Key Signs When End To Pandemic Is Coming, CDC Director Says
Covid-19: These Will Be Key Signs When End To Pandemic Is Coming, CDC Director Says The COVID-19 pandemic is now nearly two years old, and there's still no end in sight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says there are two key signs to look for down the line that are key indicators when the time comes that it does finally wind down. The first is a manageable number of hospitalizations, and the second is a significant drop in the number of daily deaths, she said in an interview with ABC News. To get there, Walensky emphasized the importance of relying on strategies that have proven to be effective, namely vaccines and mask…
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown By County COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown By County
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown By County One new case of the Omicron variant has been reported in the Hudson Valley, which saw another new rise in its COVID-19 positivity rate of those tested for the virus. While some parts of New York are making progress in the fight against the virus, the Hudson Valley has been trending in the wrong direction, with the seven-day average positive infection rate rising to 4.63 percent, according to the latest update from the state Department of Health. After seeing a slight downtick, the positivity rate statewide is also on the rise, up to 4.87 percent of those tested on Monday, Dec. 6. Each of …
NY Sees Increase In Flu Cases: Here Are Most Affected Counties NY Sees Increase In Flu Cases: Here Are Most Affected Counties
NY Sees Increase In Flu Cases: Here Are Most Affected Counties With all eyes concentrating on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, flu season has quietly snuck up on New Yorkers, which reported hundreds of new cases of influenza, according to the state Department of Health. In the latest update from the Department of Health, New York recorded 980 cases of influenza out of more than 49,000 tests that were conducted, marking the “first week widespread activity has been reported following one week of regional activity.” According to health officials, 47 counties reported cases of influenza, with just five having none. The hardest-hit areas, with more than 10 …
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increases In Number Of Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increases In Number Of Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increases In Number Of Cases, Infection Rate; Latest Breakdown The positive COVID-19 infection rate of those tested for the virus in the Hudson Valley has hit another new dubious milestone. According to the latest update from the state Department of Health, the average seven-day COVID-19 positive infection rate has spiked above 3.50 percent, from 3.30 percent to 3.51 percent over the last three days, following weeks of waves of new infections. Statewide, the average positivity rate also has been surging, from 3.95 percent to 4.12 percent during the same timeframe, with the numbers expected to continue trending in the wrong direction following the first…
COVID-19: New York's State Of Emergency To Be Lifted COVID-19: New York's State Of Emergency To Be Lifted
Covid-19: New York's State Of Emergency To Be Lifted The State of Emergency put in place in New York more than a year ago is set to expire as the state continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that as of Thursday, June 24, the State of Emergency will be lifted as the state went from one of the COVID-19 hotbeds in the world to the lowest infection rate in the country. “The State of Emergency expires tomorrow, and it will not be renewed,” Cuomo said during a COVID-19 briefing in Manhattan on Wednesday, June 23. “It will punctuate the end of the emergency we’ve been in because New Yorkers and essent…
COVID-19: 'My Child, My Choice' Rally Scheduled For Putnam County Courthouse COVID-19: 'My Child, My Choice' Rally Scheduled For Putnam County Courthouse
Covid-19: 'My Child, My Choice' Rally Scheduled For Putnam County Courthouse With New York looking to lift the majority of the restrictions put in place during the COVID pandemic, parents in Putnam County have organized a rally over masks and vaccines for children. The “My Child, My Choice” rally has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 9 at the Putnam County Historic Courthouse in Carmel by parents who oppose the state’s mask mandates in schools and do not believe children should be mandated to get vaccinated for the virus. On Monday, June 7, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that students will be required to continue wearing masks indoors, though they will…
COVID-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall COVID-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall
Covid-19: American Federation Of Teachers President Calls For Full School Reopenings In Fall The head of the second-largest teachers union in the United States is calling on a full return to five-day-a-week in-person learning at all schools in the fall, declaring that her organization was “all-in.” In an address posted on social media, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers said that with more and more Americans becoming eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, it is imperative that schools fully reopen for students and staff during the next academic year. “Conditions have changed,” she said. "We can and we must reopen schools in the fall for in-person te…
COVID-19: Vaccine Rivalry? Comparisons Between Moderna, Pfizer Doses Can Get Heated COVID-19: Vaccine Rivalry? Comparisons Between Moderna, Pfizer Doses Can Get Heated
Covid-19: Vaccine Rivalry? Comparisons Between Moderna, Pfizer Doses Can Get Heated Are you Team Moderna or Team Pfizer? A good-natured rivalry has been brewing between those receiving the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine versus the Pfizer vaccine as more doses have been made available to the majority of the public. Since Americans began receiving their initial doses of the two-shot Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, photos of vaccination cards and celebratory videos of successful shots have flooded social media, with some on both sides taking playful jabs at the other in the process. Related story - COVID:19: COVID-19: Brand-New Study Compares Side Effects Of Pfizer, Moderna Va…
COVID-19: Cases Of More Contagious South African Strain Have Now Been Reported In These States COVID-19: Cases Of More Contagious South African Strain Have Now Been Reported In These States
Covid-19: Cases Of More Contagious South African Strain Have Now Been Reported In These States The more transmittable COVID-19 variant from South Africa continues to make the rounds across the country, with newly confirmed cases of the strain being reported throughout the Northeast. The South African COVID-19 strain has now been reported in nine states, including New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and one territory, as the country works to vaccinate as many people as possible to prevent the spread of the virus. Other states reporting confirmed cases of the South African strain include: California; Texas; Illinois; Virginia; South Carolina; Maryland; The District of Col…
COVID-19: Cuomo Blames 'Incompetent Federal Government' After AG Report On Nursing Home Deaths COVID-19: Cuomo Blames 'Incompetent Federal Government' After AG Report On Nursing Home Deaths
Covid-19: Cuomo Blames 'Incompetent Federal Government' After AG Report On Nursing Home Deaths New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is taking some heat after attempting to shift the blame on the state’s COVID-19 nursing home deaths by placing the culpability on the “incompetent federal government" after Attorney General Letitia James issued a report that found that deaths may have been underreported by as much as 50 percent during the pandemic. Earlier story - COVID-19: NY AG Report Says Nursing Home Deaths May Have Been Undercounted By 50 Percent During an appearance on MSNBC earlier this week, Cuomo took another jab at the administration of former President Donald Trump, saying that “in…
COVID-19: NY Reduces Length Of Quarantine Period COVID-19: NY Reduces Length Of Quarantine Period
Covid-19: NY Reduces Length Of Quarantine Period In an effort to ensure that those instructed to quarantine due to possible COVID-19 exposure in New York are following the state’s guidance, health officials announced it will be amending its quarantine guidelines. State officials announced this week that New York would be following in the footsteps of the CDC, which reduced required COVID-19 quarantines from 14 to 10 days. Anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19 will be reached by contact tracers, who will then instruct that person to quarantine, while following up with them daily through text messages and phone calls. Earlier story…
COVID-19: New Rules Announced In These Cluster Zones, Including In Hudson Valley COVID-19: New Rules Announced In These Cluster Zones, Including In Hudson Valley
Covid-19: New Rules Announced In These Cluster Zones, Including In Hudson Valley New rules have been announced for COVID-19 hotspots in New York State that have cropped up in cluster zones in Brooklyn, Queens, and Broome, Orange and Rockland counties.  The new rules will be in effect for a minimum of 14 days. The state's plan was developed in consultation with national public health experts including Dr. Noam Ross of EcoHealth Alliance, Dr. Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota and former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden. The initiative is composed of three steps: Take dramatic action within the cluster. Take action in the area surrounding the cluster to …
COVID-19: Westchester School District Pushes In-Person Learning Into November COVID-19: Westchester School District Pushes In-Person Learning Into November
Covid-19: Westchester School District Pushes In-Person Learning Into November The school district in Westchester is hitting the pause button on the start of in-person instruction for more than a month due to the COVID-19 crisis. Mount Vernon Schools Superintendent Kenneth Hamilton said that the district was forced to adjust its plans to transition to a hybrid learning model due to “mitigating factors” that impacted their plans and “influenced their decisions.” The revised plan calls for the beginning of in-person learning in mid-November. “Our plan focuses on bringing students back to school while maintaining social distancing and recommendations from the CDC and …
COVID-19 And Your Child With Type 1 Diabetes:  What You Need to Know COVID-19 And Your Child With Type 1 Diabetes:  What You Need to Know
Covid-19 And Your Child With Type 1 Diabetes: What You Need to Know Presently, data shows that children, adolescents and young adults with well-managed endocrine conditions, such as diabetes, are not at increased risk of getting infected or becoming severely ill with the coronavirus. However, poorly controlled diabetes can weaken their immunity and thereby increase the risk of getting infected. There are some indications that otherwise healthy, but severely obese children are at increased risk of a more complicated lung infection due to COVID-19. New data is becoming available each day about the virus, but in the meantime, parents and caregivers of children w…
COVID-19: Nation's Food Supply Chain Is Breaking, Tyson Chairman Warns COVID-19: Nation's Food Supply Chain Is Breaking, Tyson Chairman Warns
Covid-19: Nation's Food Supply Chain Is Breaking, Tyson Chairman Warns The head of one of the nation’s largest companies in the food industry is cautioning that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic could be on the verge of “breaking the supply chain.” In a full-page ad published in The New York Times, Washington Post and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Tyson Foods board chairman John Tyson warned that there will be meat shortages and serious food waste issues due to the virus. According to Tyson, the company, headquartered in ‎Springdale, Arkansas‎, has been forced to close the doors of many of its processing plants due to COVID-19, leaving more tha…
COVID-19: The Fresh Market Now Requires Shoppers To Wear Face Coverings COVID-19: The Fresh Market Now Requires Shoppers To Wear Face Coverings
Covid-19: The Fresh Market Now Requires Shoppers To Wear Face Coverings Shoppers looking to pick up some groceries from The Fresh Market during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis will be turned away at the door if they don’t have proper face coverings. Citing new guidance from global health organizations, The Fresh Market announced this week that all shoppers inside their stores will have to wear face masks or coverings, starting on Tuesday, April 14. “When the CDC updated their guidance to recommend people wear cloth face coverings when in public settings, The Fresh Market modified their policy to require all team members to wear a face mask or cloth face…
Rockland Resident Is Second New Yorker To Die From COVID-19 Rockland Resident Is Second New Yorker To Die From COVID-19
Rockland Resident Is Second New Yorker To Die From Covid-19 Click here for an updated story: 'We Must Take Additional Action Locally,' Rockland County Exec Says After COVID-19 Fatality A Hudson Valley resident is New York state's second confirmed fatality as a result of the outbreak of the novel strain of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Late Saturday, March 14, Rockland County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Laura Carbone confirmed that the death of a resident in Suffern is connected to COVID-19. "The death we have been investigating within the Village of Suffern on Thursday, March 12,  has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19)," Carbone said…
Locations Released For Potential COVID-19 Exposure In Rockland Locations Released For Potential COVID-19 Exposure In Rockland
Locations Released For Potential Covid-19 Exposure In Rockland Two Rockland County residents who have been confirmed to have the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) potentially exposed others to the disease, Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert announced on Sunday, March 8. The time frame for the potential exposure of the disease is from Friday, Feb. 28 to Monday, March 2. Anyone who visited the following locations in Rockland County may have been exposed to COVID-19: 150 Remsen Avenue, Monsey: Friday, Feb. 28 between 11 a.m and 11:45 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 29, between 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The Atrium Ballroom, 4…
Here's Latest Info On Westchester Man Who Tested Positive For COVID-19 Here's Latest Info On Westchester Man Who Tested Positive For COVID-19
Here's Latest Info On Westchester Man Who Tested Positive For Covid-19 New details have emerged on the Westchester man who has tested positive for the second case of the novel coronavirus in New York State. The 50-year-old man, an attorney at a small law firm in midtown Manhattan who lives in New Rochelle, is now hospitalized, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday, March 3, at a news conference in Albany. Cuomo said the man has an underlying respiratory illness. Video: Westchester County Officials Provide Info On Positive COVID-19 Case, Detail Next Steps The man recently traveled to Miami, but no direct connection to China or any country on th…
New York City Declares Measles Public Health Emergency In Select ZIP Codes New York City Declares Measles Public Health Emergency In Select ZIP Codes
New York City Declares Measles Public Health Emergency In Select ZIP Codes New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency Tuesday, April 9, in select zip codes in Williamsburg, following a measles outbreak affecting the Orthodox Jewish community.  As part of the declaration, unvaccinated individuals living in those ZIP codes who may have been exposed to measles will be required to receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in order to protect others in the community and help curtail the ongoing outbreak, said the Mayor's office. Under the mandatory vaccinations, members of the City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will check th…
Popular Kellogg's Cereal Linked To Salmonella Outbreak Popular Kellogg's Cereal Linked To Salmonella Outbreak
Popular Kellogg's Cereal Linked To Salmonella Outbreak Did you buy it? An outbreak of 73 Salmonella infections from 31 states, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, has been linked to a popular Kellogg’s cereal, according to the CDC and USDA. The Kellogg Company recalled 15.3 oz. and 23 oz. packages of Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal on Thursday, June 14. The recalled 15.3 oz. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal has a UPC code of 38000 39103. The recalled 23.0 oz. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks cereal has a UPC code of 38000 14810. The UPC code is on the bottom of the box. If you purchased the recalled cereal, do not eat it. Either throw it away or …