Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
China’s Rapid Covid Reversal Sparks Whiplash as Cases Surge
(Bloomberg) Covid is rapidly spreading through Chinese households and offices after the country’s pandemic rules were unexpectedly unwound last week, sparking confusion on the ground as ill-prepared hospitals struggle to deal with a surge in cases.
Dec 12, 2022
Omicron subvariants that more easily dodge immunity are causing more than 70% of U.S. infections
(CNBC) The BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Covid subvariants are now responsible for 68% of new cases, while the XBB subvariant is causing 4.7% of new infections. Covid infections and hospitalizations are rising after Thanksgiving, with Christmas and the New Year holidays still around the corner. These subvariants are resistant to key antibody treatments, and studies indicate […]
Dec 12, 2022
The childhood diseases making a post-lockdown comeback
(BBC) RSV, Strep A, the flu: a range of familiar bugs are worrying doctors and parents with strange new patterns. What’s behind the outbreaks? As child after child gasping for air was admitted to the hospital, Rabia Agha gritted her teeth. In her role as director of the paediatric infectious diseases division at Maimonides Children’s […]
Dec 12, 2022
Authorities are urging indoor masking in major cities as the ‘tripledemic’ rages
(NPR) Public health officials are revisiting the topic of indoor masking, as three highly contagious respiratory viruses take hold during the holiday season. Over the past few weeks, a surge in cases of COVID, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus — known as RSV — has been sickening millions of Americans, overwhelming emergency rooms and […]
Dec 12, 2022
How to Help Prevent Flu and RSV? You Might Not Like the Answer.
(WSJ) As respiratory viruses surge across the country, a number of public-health officials and doctors are encouraging masking to protect against flu and RSV, in addition to Covid-19. Whether masks are enough—and whether people are willing to wear them after the country has largely moved on from pandemic precautions—is another matter.
Dec 9, 2022
Flu vaccine appears to be a very good match to circulating strains, CDC says
(KSL Utah) This year’s flu shot appears to be “a very good match” to the circulating strains, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at a news briefing Monday. However, she noted that flu vaccinations are lagging behind the pace of previous years. Through the end of October, CDC data shows that […]
Dec 9, 2022
Feeling forgetful after COVID? Study shows the virus can affect short-term memory
(The Conversation) Although it’s well known that COVID affects the respiratory system, it’s perhaps less well known that the virus can also affect cognitive function. Many people with COVID experience a phenomenon commonly called “brain fog”, which can include problems remembering, concentrating and performing daily tasks. Brain fog can also be a symptom of long COVID, […]
Dec 6, 2022
Where Did All the Monkeypox Go?
(MedPageToday) Testing, vaccination (Jynneos), treatment (tecovirimat, Tpoxx), community cooperation, and a mass targeted communications campaign that was particularly aimed towards LGBTQ+ communities slowed the virus such that the mpox epidemiology (epi) curve has returned to where it was in June. The Biden administration announced last week that mpox will no longer have health emergency status after January.
Dec 6, 2022
Why the Now-Dominant BQ COVID Strains Are Cause for Concern
(MedPageToday) The latest circulating COVID-19 variants have shown greater immune escape, which will likely lead to increasing cases over the coming months, experts said. New Omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 together now make up more than half of all COVID cases in the U.S. (30.9% and 31.9%, respectively), according to the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker, representing […]
Dec 6, 2022
CDC Sounds the Alarm on Rising Flu Hospitalizations
(MedPageToday)Influenza hospitalizations this early in the season are higher than they have been in a decade, according to the CDC, with 14 pediatric deaths reported so far. “Since October 1, there have already been at least 8.7 million illnesses, 78,000 hospitalizations, and 4,500 deaths from flu,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, on a […]
Dec 6, 2022