Coronavirus in USA

[sweep_shot]

Oregon reports 1,682 new COVID-19 cases, 9 deaths

State health officials reported 113,909 coronavirus cases and 1,477 deaths in 2020.

PORTLAND, Ore — The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported 1,682 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, Dec. 31. There have been 113,909 cases reported since the start of the pandemic.

Nine more people in Oregon died of coronavirus complications, raising the statewide death toll to 1,477 people.

Oregon has received 187,575 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. On Wednesday, 5,188 Oregonians were vaccinated for a total of 38,698 who've received the first of two doses.

OHA launched a dashboard on its website where people can keep track of the state's vaccine progress.

At this time, health care workers, long-term care residents and first responders are among the only people in the state who are eligible for vaccination.

The number of hospitalized coronavirus patients dropped to 488 on Thursday, 33 fewer than Wednesday. There are 106 coronavirus patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, four fewer than Wednesday.

Multnomah County (336) reported the most cases Thursday followed by Marion County (188) and Washington County (184). Rural Umatilla County (144) reported four more than urban Clackamas County (140).

RELATED: Portland firefighters, EMTs and paramedics receive COVID-19 vaccinations

Here are the counties with new cases:

Baker: 12
Benton: 22
Clackamas: 140
Clatsop: 4
Columbia: 9
Coos: 9
Crook: 6
Curry: 1
Deschutes: 68
Douglas: 21
Harney: 3
Hood River: 16
Jackson: 103
Jefferson: 32
Josephine: 29
Klamath: 34
Lake: 2
Lane: 120
Lincoln: 11
Linn: 56
Malheur: 33
Marion: 188
Morrow: 10
Multnomah: 336
Polk: 39
Tillamook: 5
Umatilla: 144
Union: 3
Wasco: 11
Washington: 184
Yamhill: 31

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...ered/283-78e34a3a-f0b6-42bb-93e0-d9964f940ec3.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- COVID-19 has claimed 13 more lives in Oregon, including Jefferson County's 18th death, raising the state’s death toll to 1,490, the Oregon Health Authority reported Friday.

A 70-year-old Jefferson County woman tested positive on Christmas Eve and died Wednesday at St. Charles Bend, the agency reported, adding that she had underlying conditions.

OHA also reported 1,446 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, bringing the state total to 115,339 cases.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/2021/01/01/or...d-19-deaths-including-jefferson-countys-18th/.

 

[sweep_shot]

Oregon health officials report 1,010 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,010 new coronavirus cases in the state on Saturday, and added two deaths to the state's death toll.

Hospitalizations in Oregon fluctuated only slightly since Friday's report. The OHA said a total of 468 people are hospitalized due to the virus--2 more than yesterday. Of the more than 400 patients, there are still 109 COVID-19 patients in Intensive Care Unit beds.

The new COVID-19 cases were documented in the following counties: Baker (2), Benton (18), Columbia (26), Crook (10), Curry (1), Deschutes (66), Douglas (11), Gilliam (2), Harney (2), Hood River (11), Jackson (22), Jefferson (28), Josephine (35), Klamath (78), Lane (101), Lincoln (16), Linn (35), Malheur (14), Marion (134), Morrow (4), Multnomah (197), Polk (37), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (53), Wallowa (1), Wasco (10), and Washington (91).

Additionally, the OHA released the following information about the two most recent deaths. The state's death toll is now at 1,492.

Source: https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-health-officials-report-1010-new-covid-19-cases-2-deaths.

 

[sweep_shot]

Oregon health officials reported eight more deaths due to COVID-19, bringing the state total to 1,500.

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...aths/283-55599c1b-dd83-4a86-94d1-32609f97760f.

 

[sweep_shot]

U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 350,000

Updated at 12:45 a.m. ET Sunday

The U.S. has hit another devastating milestone: COVID-19 has killed more than 350,000 people in the country, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker. The grim number comes as a new variant of the coronavirus is spreading across dozens of countries.

The coronavirus variant was first spotted last month in the U.K. and has now spread to dozens of countries, likely passed on by infected people who traveled around the world and unknowingly brought the microscopic invaders with them.

The variant is now in dozens of countries, including the United States, where it has infected people in Colorado, California and Florida.

Health care workers are bracing for a particularly deadly January, after the U.S saw record high numbers of infections in December. President-elect Joe Biden cautioned this week that "the next few weeks and months are going to be very tough, a very tough period for our nation — maybe the toughest during this entire pandemic."

Researchers say the new variant — dubbed B.1.1.7 — probably originated in the South East region of England in September, before being detected there in November. According to a new report from Imperial College London, Britain's November lockdown did little to curb its spread, which was most prevalent in young people under 20 years old. The World Health Organization says the new variant is responsible for more than half of new infections in the U.K.

Europe is riddled with the variant, which has been reported in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. It has also been detected in Asia, Australia, the Middle East and South America.

And the new version of the virus is already mutating — 17 mutations have been spotted, NPR global health correspondent Michaeleen Doucleff told Weekend Edition. "Mutations in viruses crop up all the time, when the virus grows inside a person — specifically when it reproduces and makes a bunch of copies of itself," Doucleff said. Mutations occur because of random mistakes as the virus gets copied.

"In the vast majority of cases, these mistakes are harmless or they even weaken the virus," Doucleff said. "But in rare instances, mutations can help the virus — they can give it this little boost, or advantage, over the other versions."

The good news is that the new variant doesn't appear to be more deadly. But it is much more contagious — researchers are still trying to determine exactly how much more, but many have estimated it could be 50% more transmissible than the original strain. That may be because it leads to an increased viral load inside a person's nose or respiratory tract — and so it gets dispersed more easily when people talk or cough. Another theory is that the new variant binds to human cells more easily.

The variant is helping drive the current increase in cases in the U.K., which saw a massive spike in recent weeks. According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, December set a record for new cases there, with more than 862,000 added that month.

The U.K. variant is but one of multiple mutations that scientists have discovered. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a variant that emerged in South Africa in October shares some of the same mutations as the U.K. variant. Yet another mutation has been found in Nigeria. Neither of the variants are believed to be more serious.

Source: https://www.vpr.org/post/us-covid-19-death-toll-tops-350000#stream/0.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — Oregon health officials reported 731 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the statewide case total to 118,456 since the pandemic began.

To date, more than 51,275 people have received the COVID-19 vaccine, including nine people who received second doses.

Source: https://katu.com/news/coronavirus/o...coronavirus-cases-as-vaccinations-surpass-50k.

 

[sweep_shot]

Dallas County reports 1,570 coronavirus cases, 17 deaths as Texas hospitalizations reach a new high

In Tarrant County, officials reported 2,199 new case and 17 additional deaths from COVID-19.

Source: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/pub...reports-1570-new-coronavirus-cases-17-deaths/.

 

[sweep_shot]

As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to reach "dire" levels across the state, Texas Health Resources announced it will postpone all outpatient elective and non-essential surgeries and procedures.

"Our inventory of PPE and ventilators is strong. We’re mainly concerned about our supply of healthcare workers and the many months of stressful work they’ve endured in the care of these patients," spokesperson Amanda Huffman said.

The pause at its "14 wholly-owned hospitals" is because the group is dealing with such a high number of COVID-19 patients. The disease is causing "a severe stress on inpatient and emergency department bed capacity and staffing resources," according to the spokesperson.

"This, along with record numbers of COVID-19 positive cases in our communities, demands that our hospitals initiate their surge plans to accommodate the increased volume," the spokesperson said.

The decision is in accordance with an order Gov. Greg Abbott issued in September. The order requires hospital groups to postpone such procedures in areas with high hospitalizations if those procedures would "deplete any hospital capacity needed to cope with the COVID-19 disaster."

The group says patients should contact their doctors with any questions.

Texas Health has 27 hospitals, more than 80 outpatient facilities, and more than 250 other community clinics and doctors' offices. Within those, the group operates around 3,400 available beds.

A spokesperson with Texas Health said this decision does not apply to all their 27 hospital locations and numerous outpatient centers because they do not necessarily keep patients overnight and are not treating COVID-19 patients.

Texas Health said these facilities perform procedures that do not impact their capacity to care for COVID-19 patients.

The news comes as the state reported its highest 7-day case average and largest number of hospitalizations since the pandemic began on Monday.

And experts believe a post-Christmas surge has not yet begun to be realized, which, when it arrives, will further tax the "already fatigued and courageous clinical staff in our hospitals."

"COVID-19 has filled our hospitals with very sick and dying people, and we have taken this step to help deal with this high volume of critically ill patients," Huffman said.

Several Texas Health hospitals that have been unusually busy with COVID-19 patients have already been postponing some procedures, the spokesperson said.

RELATED: Reports: Los Angeles ambulance crews told not to transport patients with little survival chance

"The models reflect a significant surge on top of our current surge in the next few weeks," said Stephen Love, the president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council.

Typically, people are hospitalized a week or two after testing positive for the virus.

State officials reported a combined 17,939 new cases Monday, along with 52 additional deaths.

RELATED: Surge feared as US coronavirus death toll hits 350,000

There are also an estimated 12,961 people currently hospitalized across the state, the highest number since the pandemic began.

Those numbers have continued to climb dramatically since the end of December, going from about 10,868 in hospitals on Christmas to those nearly 13,000 patients by Jan. 4.

Across the North Texas region, there were 3,982 COVID-19 patients hospitalized Monday, according to Love.

That was an "overwhelming 259-patient increase" from just the day before, he said.

And as the number of hospitalizations has risen each day, the number of available ICU beds has dropped.

"Our hospital bed capacity is being challenged, our workforce stretched to the ultimate and the expected surge forthcoming as a result of the recent holidays will only make the situation even more dire," Love explained.

From Sunday to Monday, an additional 81 ICU beds filled up across Texas, state data shows, leaving around 625 such beds available for the roughly 29 million people who live in Texas.

For those in the North Texas region, there are currently around 50 ICU beds available, according to Love.

While Dallas County has the most at 21 available ICU beds, Collin County has just two beds and Ellis County is at three. Tarrant and Denton counties have nine and 10 open ICU beds, respectively.

COVID-19 patients represent a little more than half of all patients currently in North Texas ICUs, Love explained. And overall, COVID-19 patients make up a little more than a quarter of total hospital capacity in the region.

"We are entering an extremely serious and critical timeframe regarding COVID-19 treatment in North Texas," he said.

Source: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/h...tion/287-e97a270e-f1c9-4b2a-8e6a-f86f32f21005.

 

[sweep_shot]

NJ Coronavirus Cases Break 500K: 1 in 20 Residents Have Tested Positive

New Jersey has hit the half-million mark in confirmed coronavirus cases as the state looks to expand the types of people getting vaccinated for COVID-19.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced more than 5,000 new positive PCR tests Wednesday to bring the statewide total since the start of the pandemic to 504,637. Another nearly 53,000 antigen tests have also been reported.

"More than 1 in 20 New Jerseyans have now tested positive," Murphy said.

Source: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/coronavirus/new-jersey-coronavirus-phil-murphy-4/2657564/.

 

[sweep_shot]

Coronavirus tracker: California reported 44,253 new cases, 456 new deaths

California reported 44,253 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of people who have been infected to 2,494,255, according to California public heath websites.

There were also 456 new deaths reported in California, bringing the total number of people who have died in the state to 27,466.

An additional 456 patients were admitted into California hospitals, making for 22,820 hospitalizations statewide.

Source: https://www.ocregister.com/2021/01/...rnia-reported-44253-new-cases-456-new-deaths/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) - The Oregon Health Authority reported 867 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, along with 10 additional deaths linked to the virus statewide.

There have now been 121,085 confirmed and presumptive cases of the coronavirus in Oregon since the start of the pandemic. There have been nearly 2.6 million negative tests in the state.

Source: https://www.kptv.com/news/oregon-he...cle_2d040eca-5144-11eb-aacb-7f270e7cf179.html.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon is reporting 1,755 new and presumptive cases of coronavirus Friday, brining the state total to 122,847 since the pandemic began.

Health officials also reported 7 coronavirus related deaths, bringing the state's death toll to 1,575.

Source: https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-reports-1755-new-coronavirus-cases-new-model-released.

 

[sweep_shot]

County now has reported 27 deaths; one-third of state vaccine doses given

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- COVID-19 has claimed 28 more lives in Oregon, including three Deschutes County residents, raising the state’s death toll to 1,603 and the county's to 27, the Oregon Health Authority reported Saturday.

The three Deschutes County deaths added Saturday were men ages 78 to 89 who died Tuesday and Wednesday at their homes. All had underlying conditions, the OHA said.

State health officials also added 1,643 new cases and 13,448 new vaccinations to the state’s totals.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...id-19-deaths-including-3-in-deschutes-county/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — On Sunday, the Oregon Health Authority reported 1,225 confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases. That brings the total number of coronavirus cases in the state since the pandemic began to 125,683.

In addition to the case count, the state reported two Oregonians died, raising the death toll to 1,605.

OHA reported 18 fewer hospitalizations on Sunday compared to the previous day. There are 84 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit beds, which is 3 more than yesterday.

On the vaccination front, health officials said 8,648 new doses of the coronavirus vaccine were added to the state’s immunization registry. Of that total, 6,505 vaccine doses were administered on January 9 and 2,143 were administered on previous days but entered by providers on January 9, OHA said.

Marion County and Multnomah County had the highest case counts reported Sunday. Here is a list of the cases per county: Baker (5), Benton (15), Clackamas (86), Clatsop (6), Columbia (17), Coos (11), Curry (1), Deschutes (51), Douglas (13), Hood River (10), Jackson (39), Jefferson (11), Josephine (18), Klamath (43), Lane (89), Lincoln (4), Linn (27), Malheur (1), Marion (233), Morrow (4), Multnomah (229), Polk (45), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (34), Union (6), Wallowa (4), Wasco (10), Washington (180), Yamhill (32).

Two more deaths were reported. Oregon’s 1604th COVID-19 death was a 96-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on December 29 and died on January 7 PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center—Riverbend. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1605th COVID-19 death was a 69-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on November 17 and died on January 9; the location of death is being confirmed. He had underlying conditions.

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...aths/283-3af34992-7036-4e1b-a81e-40c0604a36ba.

 

[sweep_shot]

COVID-19 W.Va. | 12 new deaths, more than 1,000 new cases reported

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The COVID-19 death toll increased by 12 in West Virginia Monday morning.

According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of January 11, there have been 1,654,561 total laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 102,282 total cases and 1,594 deaths.

1,070 new cases were reported overnight.

Officials say 29,257 cases are still considered active in the state.

As of Monday, the daily percent positivity rate was 8.77 percent.

DHHR data shows that 71,431 have recovered from COVID-19 complications so far.

Source: https://www.wsaz.com/2021/01/11/12-deaths-over-1000-new-covid-19-cases-in-wva/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) - The Oregon Health Authority reported 939 new cases of COVID-19 statewide on Monday.

The latest case count brings Oregon’s total cases during the pandemic to 126,607. There have been more than 2.6 million negative tests in the state.

OHA also reported 10 additional deaths linked to the coronavirus in Oregon on Monday.

Source: https://www.kptv.com/news/oregon-he...cle_872dc734-546d-11eb-ac66-8349033d1d24.html.

 

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 54 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, tying the daily record and raising the state's death toll to 1,667, the Oregon Health Authority reported Tuesday.

"The high number of deaths serves as a reminder that the pandemic continues to pose a threat to our friends, neighbors, co-workers and communities," the OHA's news release late Tuesday afternoon said.

The rising case count that surged in November and December is one factor attributed to Tuesday's record-tying high death count.

The counting of deaths from death certificates may take time to process because they are determined by physicians and then sent to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further review before the cause of death is ultimately determined.

Once this information is confirmed, the information is reported back with a final cause of death to states. This lagging indicator is now being captured Tuesday.

The OHA also reported 1,203 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 127,780.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...cord-tying-54-covid-19-deaths-1203-new-cases/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — Oregon saw 1,346 new confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases in the state as the case total reached 129,109 since the pandemic first began.

The state also reported another 41 new COVID-19-related deaths, raising Oregon's death toll to 1,708. The news comes as the U.S. coronavirus deaths hit another daily high at more than 4,300.

Source: https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-sees-41-new-coronavirus-deaths-as-us-deaths-hit-daily-high.

 

[Varun]

The hell is going on in the USA?

They're losing 4000+ people everyday but the news is talking about everything but this.

 

[sweep_shot]

OHA says they reached governor's goal of 12,000 vaccinations a day last week

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 29 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,737, along with 1,152 new cases and more than 16,000 new vaccinations, the Oregon Health Authority reported Thursday.

OHA reported 1,152 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Thursday, bringing the state total to 130,246.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...19-deaths-1152-cases-16000-plus-vaccinations/.

 

[sweep_shot]

N.J. reports 5,967 new COVID cases, 94 deaths as major vaccination expansion begins

Source: https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021...hs-as-major-vaccination-expansion-begins.html.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon health officials again reported more than 20 new deaths attributed to the coronavirus on Friday. Additionally, officials said 1,037 new COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed in the state. There have been 131,258 cases of the virus in Oregon since the pandemic began early last year.

With the 21 new deaths reported in the Oregon Health Authority's daily briefing, the state's death toll has risen to 1,758. Information on those recent deaths was not immediately provided. The OHA said details on those cases are being reviewed and will be released later.

Source: https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-reports-21-new-covid-19-deaths-and-1037-new-cases.

 

[sweep_shot]

DALLAS – A third confirmed case of a variant of the coronavirus was been reported Saturday in Texas by Dallas County Health and Human Services.

The agency reported that a Dallas man in his 20s with no history of travel outside the United States tested positive for the variant first identified in the United Kingdom and known as B.1.1.7.

Texas is among a handful of states with at least one known case of the new variant, but state health officials say there is no evidence it causes more severe disease and that current vaccines are expected to still be effective.

“The emergence of strain B.1.1.7, while inevitable given the mobility of the modern world and the fact that we are a major transportation hub, means that there is a strain that is 70% more contagious in our community and it will grow quickly," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said.

Texas reported a Houston-area man as its first case of a person infected with the new variant on Jan. 7.

The state health department on Saturday reported more than 240,000 new cases and 381 additional death and has reported more than 2 million cases and more than 31,00 deaths since the pandemic began.

Source: https://www.ksat.com/news/texas/2021/01/16/third-confirmed-coronavirus-variant-is-reported-in-texas/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — On Sunday, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported 799 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases. That brings the state's total to 133,205 cases since the pandemic began.

Health officials said on Sunday they surpassed 200,000 doses of COVID vaccine administered to Oregonians. That includes first and second doses of the vaccine.

OHA said they are meeting Gov. Kate Brown’s goal of administering 12,000 vaccinations per day. On Saturday, they administered 12,781 doses.

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...eath/283-ceda42f0-609f-43ba-9426-a85a529ee2db.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — Oregon health officials on Monday reported 666 new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths.

The state’s death toll is now 1,803 people.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) said as of Monday, 216,925 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given in Oregon. They were given at hospitals, long-term care facilities, emergency medical service agencies, urgent care facilities and local public health authorities.

Health officials said there are currently 342 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Oregon, 19 fewer than Sunday. There are 94 coronavirus patients in intensive care unit beds, which is one fewer than Sunday.

The number of known COVID-19 cases in Oregon is now up to 133,851.

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...aths/283-b98b1c0b-2315-4ffa-8bfc-9e73bb8c1b63.

 

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- COVID-19 has claimed five more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,808, the Oregon Health Authority reported Tuesday.

OHA also reported 637 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, bringing the state total to 134,468.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2021/01/19/oregon-reports-5-more-covid-19-deaths-637-new-cases/.

 

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PORTLAND, Ore — Health officials on Wednesday reported that 24 more Oregonians have died of complications from COVID-19.

The state's coronavirus death toll is now 1,832 people, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) said in its daily update.

OHA also reported 704 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. It's the third day in a row that Oregon has reported fewer than 1,000 new cases.

There have been 135,142 known cases in the state since the pandemic began.

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...ases/283-ddb1d115-05ea-4df9-8d5a-84442dff7b6b.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — Oregon health officials on Thursday reported 849 new COVID-19 cases and 11 new deaths.

The state’s death toll is now 1,843 people.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) said as of Thursday, 253,711 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given in Oregon. All of them were at hospitals, long-term care facilities, emergency medical service agencies, urgent care facilities and local public health authorities.

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...aths/283-7778d735-12b4-4e07-9130-e5a1a89bd0e6.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — Oregon health officials on Friday reported 22 more COVID-19 deaths and 877 new cases.

There have been 136,839 known cases in the state. The death toll is now 1,865 people.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) said as of Friday, 270,453 vaccine doses have been administered out of the 487,700 the state has received to date.

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...egon/283-3dcf856c-4538-44e0-9893-8e2f4f06d360.

 

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 13 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, including two Crook County residents, raising the state’s death toll to 1,877, the Oregon Health Authority reported Saturday.

OHA also reported 775 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday, bringing the state total to 137,600.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...-19-deaths-2-from-crook-county-775-new-cases/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are three new COVID-19-related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,880, along with 582 new cases, the Oregon Health Authority reported Sunday.

OHA also reported 582 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Sunday, bringing the state total to 138,168.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/oregon-northw...9-deaths-582-new-cases-vaccinations-top-300k/.

 

[sweep_shot]

The Oregon Health Authority has reported 435 new and presumptive COVID-19 cases and two new deaths.

The state has now seen a total of 138,587 COVID-19 cases, and the death toll has risen to 1,882.

The new confirmed and presumptive cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (4), Clackamas (46), Columbia (1), Coos (11), Crook (1), Deschutes (21), Douglas (12), Harney (1), Hood River (1), Jackson (25), Josephine (10), Lake (4), Lane (36), Lincoln (5), Linn (7), Marion (48), Morrow (1), Multnomah (105), Polk (6), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (20), Union (3), Wasco (6), Washington (50) and Yamhill (9).

Source: https://dailyhive.com/portland/oregon-coronavirus-cases-january-25.

 

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 22 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,904, the Oregon Health Authority reported Tuesday.

OHA also reported 796 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, bringing the state total to 139,355.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2021/01/26/oregon-reports-22-more-covid-19-deaths-796-new-cases/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 20 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,924, the Oregon Health Authority reported Wednesday.

OHA also reported 731 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, bringing the state total to 140,063. But the agency's weekly report showed a sharp drop in deaths, cases and hospitalizations last week.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...-19-deaths-731-new-cases-but-weekly-nos-fall/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. — Health officials on Thursday announced 750 new COVID-19 cases in Oregon and six more deaths.

It’s the 12th straight day the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has reported fewer than 1,000 new cases. There has been a decline in cases over the last couple weeks. OHA said there were 48% fewer cases reported last week than two weeks ago.

Of the 750 new cases, Multnomah County reported the most with 174, followed by Marion County with 90. Here is a county-by-county breakdown:

Benton: 15
Clackamas: 62
Clatsop: 6
Columbia: 4
Coos: 26
Crook: 2
Deschutes: 37
Douglas: 20
Harney: 2
Hood River: 5
Jackson: 25
Jefferson: 4
Josephine: 22
Klamath: 16
Lake: 3
Lane: 72
Lincoln: 6
Linn: 12
Malheur: 8
Marion: 90
Morrow: 2
Multnomah: 174
Polk: 12
Tillamook: 1
Umatilla: 24
Union: 3
Wasco: 12
Washington: 73
Yamhill: 12

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...y-28/283-6ae8a392-f03b-4104-8592-9e54bbb6721d.

 

[sweep_shot]

New Jersey health officials on Thursday reported another 3,962 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 82 additional deaths as hospitalizations continued to decline and vaccine doses administered topped 680,000.

The seven-day average for new confirmed cases declined to 4,306, down 4% from a week ago, but up 5% from a month ago. Hospitalizations declined to 3,121, the lowest since Nov. 30.

“I think we’re beginning to see light, but we need everyone to stay strong and stay vigilant,” Gov. Phil Murphy said at event on a solar project in Perth Amboy.

Source: https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021...-as-hospitalizations-continue-to-decline.html.

 

[sweep_shot]

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released their daily update involving COVID-19 cases within the state.

As of Friday, there are now 667,836 PCR positive cases and 78,623 antigen positive cases, 3,048 people hospitalized and 9,157 COVID-19 related deaths.

That is 6,959 new total cases and 111 additional deaths from Thursday. Hospitalizations in North Carolina also dipped Friday as there were 190 less hospitalizations reported.

A total of 8,731,816 total COVID-19 tests have been completed in North Carolina.

Source: https://www.wtkr.com/news/coronavir...ths-in-a-day-as-state-reports-6-959-new-cases.

 

[sweep_shot]

A North Texas family is mourning after the sudden loss of a nine-year-old boy who died from complications related to COVID-19.

The family of J.J. Boatman say he was known for his big bear hugs.

"He was a loving, caring little boy. Like, every time he would see you or any family member, he would run up and hug you," J.J.'s uncle, Gabriel Ayala said.

J.J. celebrated his ninth birthday just a few weeks ago with tacos and cake, according to family.

"We never knew this was going to be his last birthday," said Ayala.

Ayala says the little boy had asthma, but was still very active. He said the young boy was always playing with his cousins or older sisters.

"He was just running around and playing earlier that day, and by the nighttime he was yelling and crying to his mom that he couldn't breathe. His mom went over, and his face was blue already and his lips were blue," said Ayala.

According to his uncle, J.J. was care-flighted from his home in Vernon to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth.

By the time he arrived, his lungs were filled with fluid.

Ayala said the doctors told his mother that J.J. died from complications related to COVID-19.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children don't typically get as sick with COVID as adults, but it can happen.

"She didn't know that she was going to come home empty-handed without her son. It's just hard, of course. That was her baby boy. That was her only son," Ayala said.

J.J.'s uncle said he hopes people continue to take the threat of COVID seriously.

"We're going to miss his whole life. Going to miss his whole life. His life hadn't even started," said Ayala.

Source: https://www.kxxv.com/hometown/texas/nine-year-old-texas-boy-dies-from-covid-19-complications.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — Oregon reported 964 new confirmed and presumptive cases of coronavirus in the state, bringing the total cases to 143,373 since the pandemic first began.

OHA says Monday's report reflects new cases from Saturday and Sunday, as well.

The counties that saw the largest case counts include Multnomah County with 178 cases, Marion County with 137 cases and Washington County with 126 cases.

Source: https://katu.com/news/coronavirus/oregon-reports-964-new-coronavirus-cases-since-saturday.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 23 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,981, the Oregon Health Authority reported Tuesday.

OHA also reported 619 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, bringing the state total to 143,978.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...3-more-covid-19-related-deaths-619-new-cases/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 10 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, including one in Deschutes County, raising the state’s death toll to 1,991, the Oregon Health Authority reported Wednesday.

Oregon Health Authority reported 649 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, bringing the state total to 144,605.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...vid-19-deaths-1-in-deschutes-toll-nears-2000/.

 

[sweep_shot]

N.J. reports 101 new COVID deaths, 2,503 positive tests. More than 876K vaccine doses administered.

New Jersey health officials on Thursday reported another 2,503 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 101 additional deaths one day before restrictions on indoor dining, gatherings and other venues will be eased.

The seven-day average for confirmed positive tests dropped to 3,417, down 21% from a week ago and 22% from a month ago. That’s the lowest seven-day average for new cases since Nov. 14.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday that capacity limits for restaurants, gyms and other businesses will increase Friday from 25% to 35%. The move comes just before Super Bowl weekend and also eliminates the curfew ordering bars and restaurants to close at 10 p.m.

Source: https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021...ore-than-876k-vaccine-doses-administered.html.

 

[sweep_shot]

Oregon reports 5 more COVID-19 deaths as toll tops 2,000; 846 new cases

Baker County moved from 'Extreme Risk' to 'High Risk' category

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are five new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,002, the Oregon Health Authority reported Friday.

OHA also reported 846 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, bringing the state's total to 146,138.

COVID-19 related deaths top 2,000 in Oregon
“OHA is saddened today to report our 2,000th COVID-19 related death: a 90-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Feb. 1 and died on Feb. 2 at her residence,” said OHA Director Patrick Allen.

“At this stage of the pandemic, many of us have seen family, friends or neighbors die from COVID-19. Or we know people who have lost loved ones. Many of us at OHA grieve the loss of our own family or friends. Every loss weighs on us. I want to extend my deepest sympathies to every family who’s mourned a parent, sibling or child who died from a COVID-19 infection.”

Vaccinations in Oregon
OHA reported Friday that 22,724 new doses of COVID-19 vaccinations were added to the state immunization registry. Of this total, 12,898 doses were administered on Thursday and 9,826 were administered on previous days but were entered into the vaccine registry on Thursday.

Cumulative daily totals can take several days to finalize because providers have 72 hours to report doses administered and technical challenges have caused many providers to lag in their reporting. OHA has been providing technical support to vaccination sites to improve the timeliness of their data entry into the state’s ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS).

Oregon has now administered a cumulative total of 509,582 first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines. To date, 733,975 doses of vaccine have been delivered to sites across Oregon.

These data are preliminary and subject to change. OHA's dashboards provide regularly updated vaccination data, and Oregon’s dashboard has been updated Friday.

St. Charles Health System reported 22,559 COVID-19 vaccinations given by early Friday.

COVID-19 hospitalizations
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 238, which is 23 fewer than Thursday. There are 59 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is one more than Thursday.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

St. Charles Bend reported nine COVID-19 patients as of 4 a.m. Friday, two of whom were in the ICU on ventilators.

Additional testing results added to daily totals
Due to a delay in laboratory reporting, OHA received more than 1,800 electronic laboratory results (ELRs) on Wednesday. These newly added test results include information from Dec. 2, 2020 through Tuesday. As a result, daily ELR totals and percent positivity are higher for Wednesday than usual in seven counties: Clackamas, Jefferson, Lake, Malheur, Marion, Multnomah and Umatilla.

Baker County moves from Extreme Risk to High Risk level
Baker County’s risk level will drop from Extreme Risk to High Risk, effective Feb. 5. In working with Baker County’s Local Public Health Authority, OHA found discrepancies in Baker County’s percent positivity data related to electronic laboratory results submitted from Idaho health systems. In addition, from Jan. 10 through Jan. 23, there were 12 adults in custody newly reported to have COVID-19. As these individuals do not interact with members of the broader community, the numbers are being subtracted from Baker County’s total cases of COVID-19 for determination of county risk level, bringing the number of cases in the two week period down to 54.

Based on the corrected data, Baker County was found to qualify for High Risk immediately. This move allows some businesses and facilities to resume offering indoor services, with health and safety measures and capacity limits in place.

Cases and deaths
The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported Friday are in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (20), Clackamas (42), Clatsop (6), Columbia (10), Coos (19), Crook (8), Curry (5), Deschutes (25), Douglas (26), Harney (9), Hood River (2), Jackson (36), Jefferson (16), Josephine (17), Klamath (4), Lake (15), Lane (83), Lincoln (9), Linn (20), Malheur (21), Marion (132), Morrow (5), Multnomah (136), Polk (15), Tillamook (1), Umatilla (31), Union (12), Wallowa (1), Wasco (4), Washington (92) and Yamhill (23).

NOTE: Oregon’s 768th and 1,416th COVID-19 related deaths, reported on Nov. 17 and Dec. 25, are the same person. Because of this error, we are renumbering our reported deaths starting with 1,998 Friday.

Oregon’s 1,998th COVID-19 death is a 65-year-old man in Linn County who tested positive on Jan. 11 and died on Feb. 2 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,999th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old woman in Hood River County who tested positive on Jan. 19 and died on Feb. 2 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,000th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Feb. 1 and died on Feb. 2 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,001st COVID-19 death is a 69-year-old man in Josephine County who tested positive on Feb. 4 and died on Feb. 1 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 2,002nd COVID-19 death is an 82-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Jan. 8 and died on Jan. 15 at Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations
To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit our web page, which has a breakdown of distribution and other useful information.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...id-19-deaths-as-toll-tops-2000-846-new-cases/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority reported 17 new coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday, bringing the state's death toll to 2,019. Health officials also reported 624 new cases, both confirmed and presumptive. There have been a total of 146,741 cases of the virus diagnosed in Oregon since the pandemic began.

Meanwhile, vaccination efforts pushed forward. On Friday, the state passed the half-million mark of vaccine doses administered.

Source: https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-reports-17-new-coronavirus-deaths-624-new-cases.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are four new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,023, the Oregon Health Authority reported Sunday.

OHA also reported 393 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Sunday, bringing the state total to 147,122.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...4-more-covid-19-related-deaths-393-new-cases/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — Oregon health officials on Monday reported 305 new COVID-19 cases and one new death.

Monday’s case count is the lowest since Oct. 19 2020, when Oregon reported 266 new cases.

The number of known COVID-19 cases in Oregon is now up to 147,419.

Multnomah County had the highest number of new cases on Monday with 66, followed by Washington County with 51.

Source: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/he...egon/283-ceeb277e-66b6-4df5-8cc9-e302d1564c0f.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore — Seven more people have lost their lives due the coronavirus in Oregon, raising the death toll to 2,031.

The Oregon Health Authority also reported 529 new COVID-19 cases, including presumptive and confirmed. Tuesday's report brings the statewide case total to 147,932 since the pandemic first began.

Source: https://katu.com/news/coronavirus/oregon-reports-529-new-coronavirus-cases-7-new-deaths.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are 13 new COVID-19 related deaths in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 2,044, the Oregon Health Authority reported Wednesday. But it also released its weekly report that showed a significant drop in deaths, hospitalizations and cases.

OHA reported 555 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, bringing the state total to 148,475.

Source: https://ktvz.com/news/coronavirus/2...ated-deaths-but-sharp-drop-in-weekly-tallies/.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority reported 621 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, both confirmed and presumptive. The new report brings the state total to 149,082 cases since the pandemic began.

Health officials also reported 12 new coronavirus-related deaths as the state's death toll rose to 2,056.

Source: https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-reports-621-new-coronavirus-cases-as-total-nears-150000.

 

[sweep_shot]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Four Oregonians who are fully vaccinated – meaning more than 14 days passed since their second dose – have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Oregon Health Authority made the announcement during a weekly media briefing on Friday. The state’s epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger said two of the cases were in Yamhill County and two were in Lane County.

Sidelinger said he did not know the dates of the positive cases but confirmed they were more than two weeks after the patient’s second dose of the vaccine. They were tested because they had symptoms or other reasons, he said.

He stressed that all of the cases had mild or no symptoms.

“Again, not to be unexpected in a vaccine that while phenomenal, with 95% percent effectiveness, still means 5% may still be infected.”

Sidelinger said 160,000 Oregonians have received their second dose of the shot. Oregon has now administered a cumulative total of 649,602 first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Oregon reported 517 new COVID cases across the state on Friday. There were 38 new COVID-19 related deaths, raising the state’s death toll to 2,094.

Source: https://www.wfla.com/community/heal...-positive-for-coronavirus-after-vaccinations/.

 

[sweep_shot]

Coronavirus: Texas moves to lift mask mandate and ease Covid rules

Texas will lift its mask mandate and allow businesses to reopen at full capacity next week, Governor Greg Abbott has announced.

"It is now time to open Texas 100%," the Republican said on Tuesday.

Texas is the largest US state to end its mask mandate. Mr Abbott has faced criticism from his party over the measure, which was imposed last July.

But the administration of US President Joe Biden has made it clear coronavirus restrictions are still necessary.

Texas has recorded more than 43,000 deaths related to Covid-19, the third highest state toll in the US.

Mr Abbott announced he was lifting of the restrictions in a speech at the Chamber of Commerce in the city of Lubbock on Tuesday.

"Too many Texans have been sidelined from employment opportunities," he said. "Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills. This must end."

He said that with increased vaccinations and improved treatment for Covid, the state was "in a far better position now".

"Covid has not suddenly disappeared," he added, "but state mandates are no longer needed."

Mr Abbott's new executive order, which is to take effect on 10 March, rescinds most of his earlier executive orders related to the coronavirus crisis.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56255701.

 

[sweep_shot]

Coronavirus: US Senate passes major $1.9tn relief plan

President Joe Biden's relief bill aimed at helping Americans deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has cleared a major hurdle.

The $1.9tn (£1.4tn) plan was approved in the Senate on Saturday despite every Republican senator voting against.

The House of Representatives - controlled by Mr Biden's Democrats - is expected to approve it next Tuesday.

Mr Biden described the Senate vote as "one more giant step forward" in delivering the promise to help people.

America's worst public health crisis in a century has left nearly 523,000 people dead and 29 million infected, with a current unemployment rate of 6.2%.

The relief package - the third in the US since the start of the pandemic - envisages one-off payments worth $1,400 to be sent to most Americans. Mr Biden said such payments could start being distributed later this month.

Republicans say the plan is too costly. Some Democrats have also voiced criticism of certain provisions and the party's leadership was forced to make a number of compromises, notably the lowering of federal unemployment benefit from $400 to $300 a week. The benefit will be extended until 6 September under the plan.

"It obviously wasn't easy. It wasn't always pretty. But it was so desperately needed, urgently needed," President Biden said.

He added that he hoped for a quick passage of the bill in the House so that he could sign it into law.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56307889.

 

[sweep_shot]

Covid pandemic: Biden eyes 4 July as ‘Independence Day’ from virus

President Joe Biden says there is a "good chance" Americans could hold small gatherings on 4 July, if people get Covid-19 vaccinations.

He made the announcement in his first primetime address as president.

Mr Biden has ordered states to make all adults eligible for vaccinations by 1 May. Current measures prioritise people by age or health condition.

His speech comes a year to the day the Covid-19 outbreak was classified as a pandemic.

"If we do this together, by 4 July, there is a good chance you, your family and friends can get together in your backyard and celebrate Independence Day," Mr Biden said.

He added that the country would be able to not only celebrate Independence Day but also "independence from this virus".

As part of the plans to expand vaccinations, the number of places where people can be immunised will be increased with veterinarians and dentists among those also allowed to vaccinate people.

Mobile units will travel into local communities to provide vaccinations in underserved communities, the president said.

Mr Biden set a target of 100m vaccinations by his 100th day in office but in his address, he said this target would be reached on day 60.

He called on people to maintain social distancing measures, hand washing and wear a mask.

"Beating the virus and getting back to normal relies on national unity," he said.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56368328.

 

[sweep_shot]

Covid-19: Miami Beach imposes emergency curfew over spring break 'chaos'

A state of emergency has been declared in the US city of Miami Beach over concerns large crowds gathering for spring break pose a coronavirus risk.

A 20:00-06:00 curfew has been announced in the island city that will remain in effect until at least 12 April.

Traffic restrictions are in place during the curfew, while businesses in the busy South Beach area must close.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said thousands of tourists had brought "chaos and disorder" to the city.

"It feels like a rock concert, wall-to-wall people over blocks and blocks," Mr Gelber told CNN. "If you're coming here to go crazy, go somewhere else."

Spring break is a holiday period for schools and universities in the US that usually takes place in March or April. It attracts thousands of students to Florida and other warm-weather destinations around the country.

Officials warned tourists to "vacation responsibly or be arrested" prior to the holiday period, and a county-wide midnight coronavirus curfew was already in place due to the pandemic.

But the Miami Beach area was thronged with revellers over the weekend, and many did not appear to be wearing masks or socially distancing.

One city official described South Beach, which includes the world-famous Ocean Drive, as being "overwhelmed" by crowds on Saturday.

"You couldn't see pavement and you couldn't see grass," city manager Raul Aguila said.

He added that the emergency measures were "necessary not only to protect our residents but our visitors, including our spring breakers who we want to keep safe".

On Sunday, Miami Beach police told CNN they had arrested at least a dozen people after the curfew had come into force. The Miami Herald newspaper said police used pepper-spray balls to enforce the curfew.

Until the measures are lifted, police will prevent pedestrians and vehicles from entering the South Beach area's main party strips.

On Sunday, the Miami Beach city commission voted to extend the curfew and other measures for up to three more weeks.

At an emergency meeting, Mayor Gelber told the commission South Beach had become "a tinder over the last couple of weeks".

He said tourists had flooded into the city since Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the state an "oasis of freedom" from coronavirus restrictions late last month.

Florida continues to be a coronavirus hotspot in the US. The state has recorded nearly two million of the country's 29 million infections since the pandemic began.

The latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows Florida has recorded about 4,300 new infections a day on average over the past week.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56476904.

 

[sweep_shot]

Covid: US rules out federal vaccine passports

The White House has ruled out introducing mandatory federal Covid-19 vaccination passports, saying citizens' privacy and rights should be protected.

Schemes to introduce such passports have been touted around the world as a way to enable safe circulation of people while fighting the pandemic.

But critics say such documents could be discriminatory.

The US said it did not and would not support a "system that requires Americans to carry a credential".

The country has reported more than 550,000 deaths linked to the virus and nearly 31 million cases, the highest numbers in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Addressing reporters, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said there would be no "federal vaccinations database" or a "federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential".

"The government is not now, nor will be, supporting a system that requires Americans to carry a credential," she said. "Our interest is very simple from the federal government, which is Americans' privacy and rights should be protected, and so that these systems are not used against people unfairly."

Countries around the world are looking at the introduction of so-called vaccine passports, which would be used to show that a person has been inoculated against Covid-19, as a way of safely reopening mass gatherings and travel.

In England, a "Covid status certification" scheme is being developed to enable concerts and sports matches to take place. It would record whether people had been vaccinated, recently tested negative, or had already had and recovered from Covid-19.

The European Union is also working on plans to introduce certificates, while in Israel a "Green Pass" is already available to anyone who has been fully vaccinated or has recovered from Covid-19, which they have to show to access facilities such as hotels, gyms or theatres.

The World Health Organization on Tuesday said it did not currently support requiring vaccination passports for travel, because of uncertainty over whether inoculation prevents transmission, and discrimination concerns.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he had brought forward to 19 April the date by which all American adults will be eligible for a Covid vaccine.

"We have to ramp up a whole-of-government approach that rallies the whole country and puts us on a war footing to truly beat this virus," he said.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56657194.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-turning-corner-coronavirus-pandemic-white-houses-zients-2021-05-09/

The United States is closer to getting the coronavirus pandemic under control and health officials are focused on the next challenge: getting more Americans vaccinated, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said on Sunday.

"I would say we are turning the corner," Zients said in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union."

Zients said about 58% of American adults have received at least one coronavirus vaccine shot. The task now is to continue building confidence in vaccines and get enough Americans vaccinated to mitigate the spread of the virus and its variants, he said.

U.S. health officials are aiming to meet President Joe Biden's goal of 70% of American adults having at least one shot by the July 4 U.S. Independence Day.

Zients said reaching that goal could help the country reach a sustainable low level of infections.

About 46% of all Americans have received at least one coronavirus vaccine shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said another surge in coronavirus infections would be unlikely if the Biden goal is met or exceeded.

"The larger proportion of the population that's vaccinated, the less likelihood that in a season like the coming fall or winter you're going to see a significant surge," Fauci said on NBC' "Meet the Press."

"That's the reason why vaccinations are so important. That's the wild card that we have now that we didn't have last fall or the last winter."

Zients defended the latest masking guidelines from the CDC, which recommends that fully vaccinated people should still wear masks at crowded outdoor events or when they go indoors in public settings with other people who may not be vaccinated.

Some health experts have questioned whether the CDC guidelines are too strict, and that removing the indoor mask mandate for fully vaccinated people could encourage confidence in the vaccines. That move would not, however, protect unvaccinated people from contracting the virus from a carrier who has been vaccinated.

The CDC guidelines will over time allow more people to take off their masks, Zients said, while acknowledging Americans' mask fatigue.

"We're getting there," Zients said. "And the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter and brighter. Let's keep up our guard."

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-closes-50-adult-vaccination-rate-covid-cases-ebb-2021-05-25/

More than half of all American adults have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the White House said, roughly six weeks before U.S. President Biden’s July 4 goal of a 70% inoculation rate.

The halfway mark comes as federal, state and local leaders press ahead with delivering COVID-19 shots to people who have not yet received them, while also battling vaccination hesitancy, fears and misinformation.

"Now, with another week left in May, half of all U.S. adults are fully vaccinated," White House senior COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt tweeted overnight.

Biden's White House COVID-19 Task Force has scheduled a news briefing for Tuesday afternoon.

New coronavirus infections nationwide have settled into a sustained decline as more people become vaccinated.

The number of new U.S. infections fell to a seven-day average of 22,877 on Sunday, the lowest since June and less than one-tenth of its post-holiday peak of more than 250,000, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

People as young as 12 can also now receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID shot, while Moderna said on Tuesday its vaccine was also effective in adolescents, opening the door to a possible second U.S.-approved vaccine for youth later this year. read more

A growing number of localities have announced further reopening efforts as the United States heads into its unofficial summer kick-off with the Memorial Day holiday this weekend.

U.S. travel is on the rise read more and, while masks are still required for interstate public transportation, many local mandates have been lifted.

 

[OMB]

"Get A Shot, Have A Beer": Biden's Push To Boost Covid Vaccination Rate

Currently, 63 percent of adults have received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine. Twelve states have crossed 70 percent and more are expected to get there this week, Joe Biden said.

Drink a beer, sit back for a haircut -- and get your Covid-19 vaccination.
That was President Joe Biden's message Wednesday in launching a huge final push to inoculate 70 percent of the US adult population by the national holiday of July 4th.

"That's right: get a shot, have a beer," President Joe Biden said in a speech announcing the campaign to meet his Independence Day target.

The White House has recruited everything from big brewers like Anheuser-Busch to small Black-owned barber shops to spearhead the effort.

"We're asking the American people for help," Biden said.

"It's going to take everyone..., so we can declare independence from Covid-19 and free ourselves from the grip it has held over our life for the better part of a year."

Biden said the country is on the cusp of achieving the 70 percent goal.

Currently, 63 percent of adults have received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine. Twelve states have crossed 70 percent and more are expected to get there this week, Biden said.

Just over half of adults have been fully vaccinated, leading to a plunge in the toll from the virus, which has killed nearly 600,000 Americans.

Biden said daily cases are below 20,000 for first time since March 2020 and death rates are down more than 85 percent.

However, after an initial rush to get shots, the Biden administration is having to come up with ever more unusual ideas to lure the reluctant no-shows.

Universities are joining the crusade while some states are offering lotteries with prizes as big as $1 million. In West Virginia, firearms and pick-up trucks are on the prize list.

"We're making it even easier to get vaccinated, which we've seen is the key to increasing numbers and getting more shots in arms," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

That means free rides to vaccination centers from Uber and Lyft, national child care providers watching over children while parents receive injections, and pharmacies staying open 24 hours on Fridays.

With the Black community behind in the vaccination rates, the White House has put special emphasis on barbershops and salons, which often double as African American social hubs. They will "offer information to customers, booking appointments or even using their own businesses as vaccination sites," Biden said.

Baseball games and NASCAR races will also team up with health authorities.

However, with famed donut chain Krispy Kreme likewise joining the national effort, Psaki warned Americans against perhaps enjoying their vaccination perks a little too much.

"I would not recommend a Krispy Kreme with a beer, but I would leave that to other people to decide," she told reporters.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/joe-bidens-push-to-boost-covid-vaccination-rate-get-a-shot-have-a-beer-2455126

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/03/joe-biden-coronavirus-covid-delta-variant

Joe Biden has warned that although America has Covid-19 “on the run” the latest variant is of particular concern among those who remain unvaccinated – as the president’s goal of 70% of US adults receiving at least one shot of vaccine by the Fourth of July holiday was set to fall short.

New US cases of coronavirus jumped by 10% in the past week as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads, especially where vaccination rates are low.

“I am concerned that people who have not gotten vaccinated have the capacity to catch the variant and spread the variant to other people who haven’t been vaccinated,” Biden said on Friday.

“I’m not concerned there’s going to be a major outbreak … another epidemic nationwide. But I am concerned lives will be lost,” he added.

Celebrating strong data on jobs on Friday, Biden said: “Our economy is on the move, and we have Covid-19 on the run.”

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director, Rochelle Walensky, said areas with low vaccination rates were becoming hotspots for new infections, even while the situation in the country as a whole was improving.

Nearly 25% of new US infections have been linked to the “hyper-transmissable” Delta variant, first identified in India, up from 6% in June.

As of 1 July, 66.8% of US adults have received at least one dose of vaccine. A total of 54.6% of all Americans have received one or more shot.

“We’re very, very close to that [government] goal,” said Iwan Barankay, a professor of business economics and public policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

But he added: “We need to aim for higher than 70% to get us to herd immunity. We have to think clearly about who [has] not gotten vaccinated yet and understand why … we have to think about the people who are just vehemently opposed, based on their pure convictions or how they understand the evidence and science.”

Barankay said the federal funding and supply of vaccinations was already there for communities that have low vaccination rates, but that state and local governments need to carry the torch the final stretch to persuade people, with decentralized messaging, to get the shot.

“I’m actually quite impressed how many people got vaccinated, my benchmark was how many people would get a flu shot in a bad flu year,” he said, adding that is usually about 55% of people.

The US has recorded 33.7m coronavirus cases and 605,000 deaths, the highest totals in the world, according to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus resource center.

Levels of inoculation vary steeply across the US. In mid-June Vermont became the first state where 80% of eligible people have had at least one shot, and up to 66% are fully vaccinated, making it the top state in the Becker Hospital Review’s vaccine tracker, which relies on federal data.

Mississippi ranks last in the US for getting shots in arms, according to the tracker, with just under 30% of people fully vaccinated.

Mark Levine, health commissioner for Vermont, called political divisions over vaccinations “a big challenge” for Biden.

“Vermont and the north-east [are] doing extraordinarily well. Then he [Biden] has the states in the midwest not achieving those rates that have more polarization and politicization of the vaccine than we do – we just live in a very heterogeneous country,” he told the Guardian.

Levine added: “It’s really hard for the president when there’s governors in some states with low vaccination rates who are very polarizing about their vaccine position. It’s a big challenge for him.”

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/03/fauci-delta-variant-cases-vaccines

The US will soon see surges in cases of the highly infectious Delta variant of Covid-19 in areas where vaccination rates are low, Anthony Fauci has predicted, calling resistance to vaccination “sad” and “tragic”.

Such resistance is particularly strong among Republicans: a Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Sunday found that 86% of Democrats but only 45% of Republicans have received at least one shot.

The same poll found that a third of adults who had not had a shot said they would not or probably would not get one. Of those respondents, nearly three-quarters said officials like Fauci were exaggerating the risk posed by the Delta variant. A little more than three-quarters believed they had little or no risk of contracting Covid-19.

The Biden administration continues to tout the success of its vaccination campaign, with 66.8% of US adults and 54.6% of all Americans having received at least one dose by 1 July.

But a target of 70% of adults with at least one shot by 4 July was missed and more than 605,000 have died. On Sunday, the administration was set to hold a Fourth of July celebration at the White House, with close to a thousand guests. Unvaccinated guests were told they needed to wear a mask – but there was no mandate in place. Mandates have also been withdrawn in states with low vaccination rates.

auci, Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, has served seven presidents since 1984 as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He spoke to NBC’s Meet the Press.

Asked if the Delta variant was more lethal than others and if he was concerned it could cause a spike in cases as society reopens, he said: “I don’t think you’re going to be seeing anything nationwide, because fortunately we have a substantial proportion of the population vaccinated. So it’s going to be regional.”

Fauci also said Americans could be confused as Delta cases rise.

“We’re going to see … almost two types of America,” he said. “You know, those regions of America which are highly vaccinated and we have a low level of dynamics of infection. And in some places, some states, some cities, some areas, where the level of vaccination is low and the level of virus dissemination is high – that’s where you’re going to see the spikes.”

Asa Hutchinson, the Republican governor of Arkansas, a state facing a possible “third surge” of Covid cases, told CNN’s State of the Union “the solution is the vaccinations” and said his state was doing well in protecting senior citizens.

But, he added, “in a rural state, a conservative state, there is hesitancy and you’re trying to overcome it. We got the early vaccinations out … our cases went down dramatically and that slows the vaccination rate, the urgency diminishes and now it’s picking up again.”

Hutchinson said he would concentrate on working with employers to boost vaccination rates. On ABC’s This Week, Jim Justice, the Republican governor of West Virginia, said it would take a “catastrophe” to boost vaccination rates there.

“I hate to say this,” he said, “but what would put [people] over the edge [to get vaccinated] is if an awful lot of people die.”

Fauci told NBC that of nearly 10,000 US deaths in June, “about 99.2% are unvaccinated. About 0.8% are vaccinated. No vaccine is perfect. But when you talk about the avoidability of hospitalisation and death, it’s really sad and tragic that most of these are avoidable and preventable.

“… Because of the variability among people and their response to vaccine, you’ll see some who are vaccinated and still get into trouble and get hospitalised and die. But the overwhelming proportion of people who get into trouble are the unvaccinated. Which is the reason why we say this is really entirely avoidable and preventable.”

Elsewhere, the director of the National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins, told Politico resistance to vaccines among evangelical Christians was “heartbreaking”.

“It’s heartbreaking that it’s come to this over something that is potentially lifesaving and yet has been so completely colored over by political views and conspiracies that it’s impossible to have a simple loving conversation with your flock,” said Collins, himself a devout Christian.

“That is a sad diagnosis of the illness that afflicts our country, and I’m not talking about Covid-19. I’m talking about polarisation, tribalism even within what should be the loving community of a Christian church.”

On NBC, Fauci was asked about this “clear political divide”. He said: “We do have a countermeasure that’s highly, highly effective, that’s the reason why it’s all the more sad and all the more tragic why it isn’t being completely implemented in this country.

“And whatever the reasons, some of them are ideologic, some of them are just fundamentally anti-vax or anti-science or what have you. But, you know, we just need to put that aside now. We’re dealing with a historic situation with this pandemic. And we do have the tools to counter it. So for goodness’ sakes, put aside all of those differences and realise that the common enemy is the virus.”

Fauci also addressed worldwide vaccine shortages, saying the US was “very fortunate. We have enough vaccines to vaccinate essentially everybody in the country. And there are people throughout the world who would do anything to get vaccines.”

On Saturday, Dame Sarah Gilbert, an Oxford professor who led development of the AstraZeneca vaccine, told the Observer moves to vaccinate children in richer countries should be balanced against the need to extend access to adults worldwide.

Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus coordinator, told CNN that “once or if the FDA authorises vaccines for children, we are ready to have the supplies to help state and local officials and pediatricians, apply those shots in arms”.

Zients also said the administration would “double down on our efforts to vaccinate millions of Americans across July and August”.

 

[cric_man]

Indian variant wrecking havoc in the US especially in AntiVax Southern States.

Southern Hospitals, Crushed By Delta Strain, Report Running Out Of ICU Beds
Arkansas had just eight intensive care beds left across the state on Monday amid a COVID-19 surge, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
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By Nick Visser

Hospitals across the southern United States are reporting dramatic surges in coronavirus patients, forcing some to close their emergency rooms and others to treat more patients than they have capacity for as the delta variant of the virus continues to wreak havoc on regions with large swaths of unvaccinated residents.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) on Monday said the state had “very startling” figures showing the largest, single-day increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations since the pandemic began. He said state hospitals had just eight beds in the ICU left for severely ill patients.


In Louisiana, an epicenter of the current wave, hospitalizations were climbing at the fastest rate since the pandemic started. Last week, the head of the state’s largest hospital described recent weeks as the “darkest” thus far, saying doctors were no longer able to provide patients adequate care under a crush in admissions.

“When you come inside our walls, it is quite obvious to you that these are the darkest days of this pandemic,” Dr. Catherine O’Neal, who runs the Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, said last Monday.

O’Neal added later that week that dozens of children and young adults were now in the hospital, a reality that’s new under the delta variant. Half of the 12 children admitted were under the age of 2, The Advocate reported.

“We never saw that last year. That’s you,” she said in a video message. “Those are people who act and look just like you and they were living their normal lives two weeks ago. This delta variant is going to affect us all very differently.”



Florida reported similar circumstances, with many hospitals over capacity. The Wall Street Journal reported that at least 43% of the state’s intensive care beds are filled with coronavirus patients, prompting complex logistical issues as hospital workers race to find space for a tide of sick residents.

And in Texas several hospitals said they were closing their emergency rooms due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, directing patients elsewhere.

The delta variant has upended the country’s reopening plans, prompting cities and states nationwide to reinstate social distancing measures and mask mandates that were relaxed just months ago and meant to usher in an era of relative freedom. Now, COVID-19 cases are rising in every state in the U.S. and hit the highest levels this week since February, averaging more than 100,000 a day.

Many of the states with the biggest outbreaks have some of the nation’s lowest vaccination rates and are led by Republican governors and legislatures that have made it much more difficult to protect their citizens. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has banned vaccine passports and mask mandates for some businesses and schools. Arkansas’ Hutchinson said he made an error when he barred new mask mandates in April, and Texas’ Greg Abbott (R) has faced revolt from some school districts who have threatened to sue over his order to ban mask mandates.

Vaccines are the best way to prevent severe cases of illness or death associated with COVID-19, and almost all of the country’s coronavirus fatalities are among unvaccinated people. But public health officials have expressed alarm that children could be susceptible amid a dual threat of the more infectious delta strain and the fact that the nation’s vaccines are only approved for those 12 and over.

It’s unclear if the delta variant causes more severe illness than previous strains, but more kids are winding up in the hospital.

Only half of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but fears about the delta strain have prompted a renewed uptick in inoculations in some areas.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/southern-hospitals-covid-strain_n_6111e1cae4b034426d4eacc5

 

[MenInG]

Dr Anthony Fauci, the US's top infectious disease expert, will step down from the federal government at the end of the year.

The 81-year-old served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden.

SKY