Hundreds of people escaped the port city of Mariupol, but 400,000 others were trapped without heat, food or clean water. A post-apocalyptic ghost town. Nine voices from Mariupol, Ukraine. An average of around 176,000 people have received their shot in the last seven days, which is almost 10 per cent below the target, and more than a third lower than four weeks ago, according to a report by Dutch newspaper NLTimes. Both inpatient and ICU COVID-19 hospitalization cases make up about 3% of bed occupancy in their respective departments. The Biden administration is planning more sanctions against Russia, and against Vladimir Putins adult daughters. Just this weekend, former President Barack Obama tested positive for the virus after experiencing some symptoms for a "couple days." Heres todays Wordle. President Biden, Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House yesterday. Even if cases rise, as seems likely, there are good reasons not to panic. Still, the WHO acknowledged in a statement last month that "the proportion of reported sequences designated BA.2 has been increasing relative to BA.1 in recent weeks.". Another potential factor depressing the volume of tests is reduced access for lower-income Americans. Tressie McMillan Cottom is becoming a Times Opinion columnist. Lives Lived: Bobby Rydell became a teenage idol in the 1950s. Throughout the pandemic, Osterholm the Minnesota epidemiologist has lamented that many scientists, journalists and laypeople exaggerate how much we actually know about Covid. Of the 43,089 inpatient beds being used in Florida, 1,472, or about 3% of the beds, are being used for COVID-19, according to data from the U.S . Over 2.4 million COVID-19 cases have been tallied in Arizona with a recent increase of more than 26,000. However, in this case, the Swiss cheese is metaphorical. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, plans to address Congress remotely tomorrow and may ask the White House to give fighter jets to the Ukrainian military. "Because omicron is so infective, we were really hoping that it would help bring us closer to 'herd immunity,'" said Dr. Melanie Ott, a virologist at the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco and lead author on the paper. It takes even more time for additional people to become ill after being exposed to that person, and so on. Would you try to cover yourself up in freezing weather wearing only fishnet stockings or a shirt made out of fishnet material? They are working with manufacturers to stock up on equipment, and they are continuing their policies for protecting patients and staff members. "We're seeing more drug resistance by Shigella and salmonella, salmonella and E. coli, etc. The current 7-day moving average is 123.6% . The death rate in Hong Kong has soared this month, surpassing 25 per 100,000 residents in the past week. People who'vehad omicron and also been vaccinated had the ability to neutralize all tested variants, not just omicron subvariants, the research showed. And Hong Kongs rate will probably continue rising, because new case numbers did not start falling until about a week ago; death trends typically lag case trends by about three weeks. In comparison, only 3,379 cases were added in last week's state update. BA.2 is dominant, making up 50.9% of cases but BA.2.12.1 is almost equal to it with 47.5%. Even if high levels of immunity have kept cases from rising so far, the effect may not be permanent. Meanwhile, new Covid cases are the highest among those aged 0-18 and 18-35 year olds, many of whom are only partially vaccinated (two doses of a Covid shot are vital to achieve maximum protection), or unvaccinated. Many Hong Kong residents do not trust the government, given the increasing repression by China. The earlier version of the Omicron variant seems to have infected about 45 percent of Americans, according to Andy Slavitt, a former Covid adviser in the Biden White House. If you do nothing about a contagious virus, the virus will continue to spread. The WHO has also noted that BA.2 differs from BA.1 in its genetic sequence, including some amino acid differences in the spike protein and other proteins which could give it an advantage over the original omicron. Assuming that you dont have a gigantic space heater and humidifier, theres not much you can do about the change in seasons. On June 26, the government announced the fourth phase of its reopening plan. Most cases are now caused by the BA.2 variant of Omicron. Although the Pfizer vaccine is available in Hong Kong, many residents wrongly fear that it has dangerous side effects. U.K. data certainly illustrates BA.2's increasingly prevalence. The current 7-day moving average of daily new cases stands at 153,246, an increase of 4.9% compared with the previous 7-day moving average (of 146,087). On average, about 3,000 Americans are being hospitalized per dayand 275 are dying. More ups and downs in infection rates could be in our future until the pandemic recedes. So far during the pandemic, several factors have had an impact on whether new COVID-19 cases are increasing or declining in particular locations. The norovirus typically shows increased levels of infection in winter, Hendrix said. And the federal government needs to further increase testing and put an active national surveillance system in place to track where the virus is spreading. that will likely increase significantly over the coming months. The U.K., and the rest of Europe, have acted as a bellwether for the U.S. at several points in the pandemic, declared two years ago by the WHO. Zelensky also stepped up his appeals to Russian soldiers and citizens to end the fighting. 20% . But this does not seem to be enough to stop the infection spread. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Europe has often been a few weeks ahead of the U.S. with Covid trends and cases are now rising in Britain, Germany, Italy and some other parts of Europe. I worry that the side effects of vaccination will kill me, Lam Suk-haa, whos 80 years old, told The Times last month. "The extremes of the argument are, either that, at least until we see what happens in autumn/winter, we've achieved our goal as relatively high vaccine rollout has meant that hospitals can just about cope Or, the other view is that we'll never have normality unless we strive for a zero-Covid strategy, which would need to encompass vaccination in our schools to stop spread there," he noted. Finding either is often difficult today. "The common expectation is that new variants will keep arising from the virus," he said. Data from the U.K. shows it is even more transmissible than delta. according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Elsewhere, China is currently facing itsworst Covid-19 outbreak since the height of the pandemic in 2020. Regardless, the steps that can save lives in coming months remain the same: more vaccine shots, including boosters; and greater awareness of available treatments that offer extra protection for the vulnerable. What kind of questionable information is still being spread about the pandemic? After all, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 50% of the Covid-19 coronavirus transmissions occur from people who dont even realize that they are infected. If youre in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Can you imagine if Dal wasnt allowed to sign his paintings? Paterson asked. In England, Prime Minister Boris Johnsonannounced the end of all domestic COVID-19 restrictionsat the end of last month, including lifting thelegal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive. Note: Chart shows the seven-day averages. England, Spain and Franceare amongEuropean countries that recently announced a shift in pandemic strategy: treating the virus as a part of daily lifewithout full shutdowns. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. Covid cases are rising in Europe with an increasing number attributed to a "stealth" subvariant of the omicron strain. The countrys Outbreak Management Team (OMT), which is responsible for handling the pandemic, said that the governments test for entry approach would not work as the rapid antigen tests had a failure rate of around 20 per cent, Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant reported. Why Flu Cases Are On The Rise: . In the U.S., 62.4% of all people over 12 years of age are fully vaccinated, CDC data shows, while over 82% of over-65s are fully protected. In total, 33,042 people were reported to have died from COVID-19 in Arizona since the start of the pandemic. This continues to be a big problem. Infections skyrocketed by more than 500 per cent in the last week alone, prompting an apology from the countrys Prime Minister Mark Rutte for acting in haste. Read CNBC's latest global health coverage: It's unclear whether BA.2 is contributing to the latest wave of cases, although a prominent infectious disease expert in China told news outlet Caixin that much of the current outbreak is being driven by the BA.2 subvariant. To many peoples surprise including mine new Covid-19 cases in the U.S. have not begun to rise. Todays newsletter looks at four possible explanations. What will the future hold? For the unvaccinated and unboosted, BA.2 is another reason to get a shot. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. On Instagram and TikTok, meticulously staged content is commonplace. Businesses re-opening and 3. You can reach the team at themorning@nytimes.com. Tiger Woods intends to play the Masters, his first major tournament since a car crash last year. ", How COVID-19 has changed our society after two years. (Photo by Diego Puletto/Getty Images), Big Jumps In Diversity Fuel Surge In U.S. Tennis Participation Since 2020, Walgreens-Backed VillageMD Buys 30-Location Physician Group In Connecticut, Banning Abortion Pill Mifepristone Would Set A Dangerous Precedent For The Politicization Of Public Health, Ukraine Wars Toll Of Death, Destruction, Displacement, And Trauma: Fresh Evidence Of Systematic Planning Of Torture Leaves Behind An Indelible Mark, Walmart To Double Health Clinic Footprint As Amazon And Rivals Buy Doctor Offices, Covid-19s Enormous Death Toll: Worldwide Life Expectancy Has Experienced A Steep Decline, Questions Scientists Should Now Explore With Respect To Covid-19, Sustainable Development A Smart Solution for Africa and the Middle East, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. The main cause appears to be an even more contagious version of Omicron, known as BA.2. That may be because lower relative humidity and less water vapor in the air may lead to smaller and lighter respiratory droplets that have higher concentrations of virus and can hang in the air longer. One possible reason: There are not as many Americans vulnerable to infection. Omicron immunity should protect against new BA.2 Covid variant, says Dr. Scott Gottlieb. You can reach the team at themorning@nytimes.com. Malapropism, spoonerism, Roald Dahls prose has all this and more. Many of Putins extravagances can be traced to the Russian state. Crucially, the number of hospitalizations and deaths accompanying the high number of cases has remained lower (and for some countries, much lower) than at earlier points in the pandemic when vaccination rates were much lower, proving that the coronavirus vaccines in use in the West dramatically lower the chance of a severe infection, hospitalization and death. "Those catching Covid now are a mixture of unvaccinated, partially vaccinated and double vaccinated people. Anyone can read what you share. Daily new covid hospital admissions are now above 9,000 after hovering between 5,000 and 7,000 for much of autumn. Think about it. The shift toward at-home testing in recent months means that a smaller share of actual Covid cases may be showing up in the data that government agencies report and news organizations like The Times publish. According to the Dutch government, a majority of new cases were among people aged 18-29. The cases were focused amongst the youth a 262 per cent surge was observed in the 18-24 category, while a 191 per cent rise was recorded amongst the 25-29 age group. Have you seen the Capitol fox? Animal control officers captured a wild fox that has been blamed for at least six attacks. Got a confidential news tip? What you need to know from Johns Hopkins Medicine. Satellite image of massive Oregon wildfires goes viral on social media, Copyright 2023 The Indian Express [P] Ltd. All Rights Reserved, Explained: Why Covid-19 cases in Netherlands surged by 500% in a week, Shoppers, some wearing face masks, at a food market in Amsterdam on Oct. 17, 2020. We are vaccinating all eligible patients. Similar data pertains to the U.S. and the rest of Europe over the last month: CDC data shows that the highest number of cases has been counted among adolescents aged 16-17 (though age groups from 12-49 have all seen a sharp increase in cases). Covid cases are higher in the UK than in any of those countries - but we can't necessarily say that one is causing the other. Additionally, you may not quite be the same when the temperature and humidity drop. Salary: $0. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, most children in Erasmo da Rotterdam high school in the Nichelino district attend alternate days of distance learning and in-class participation as part of the school district's hybrid education model. Since mid-October, the average number of new COVID-19 cases has risen by approximately 17%, marking the first consistent increase in national cases in nearly 10 weeks. The variant may also be the reason that the amount of Covid virus detected in wastewater is rising in about one-third of American cities that track such data. All of which raises the possibility that Covid cases really are surging now, even if the data doesnt show it. (If youre looking for one of them, click on this link for Evusheld and this one for Paxlovid.). Covid cases are rising in Europe with an increasing number attributed to a "stealth" subvariant of the omicron strain. Records are made to be broken. The cartoonist David Sipresss memoir Whats So Funny? is endearingly vulnerable, Alexandra Jacobs writes. Relaxed restrictions, vaccine hesitancy, and waning immunity among the already inoculated are likely the main factors behind the new wave, said experts. Instead, Swiss cheese should have been in place everywhere. Late last month, the Dutch government lifted virtually all coronavirus restrictions in the country. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. A Division of NBCUniversal. Several cycles of infection must occur before a noticeable increase shows in the data that public health officials use to track the pandemic. Now, Danish scientists believe that the BA.2 subvariant is1 times more transmissiblethan the original omicron strain, and is already overtaking it. Oklahoma lawmakers approved a near-total ban on abortion. People are getting tired of hearing about the pandemic and maintaining precautions. The hosts talked about Obamas White House visit. Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, said that she had attended the rally that preceded the Capitol attack. Newsletter | Click to get the days best explainers in your inbox. (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab . Study after study has shown face masks can help stop the virus from . "If you had omicron, why miss out on the benefit of getting that great enhanced immunity from infection plus vaccination?" Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, explained to CNBC that societies need to assess to what extent they will tolerate the virus. A doctor monitors a Covid-19 patient in the Covid-19 intensive care unit of the community hospital in Germany on April 28, 2021. There are now at least four omicron subvariants circulating in the United States. I dont feel that I have earned that right: Dolly Parton removed herself from the ballot for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. An increase in the number of COVID-19 cases or hospitalizations is typically not seen until weeks after a policy or behavior change occurs. "There has been an upturn in hospital admissions testing positive for Covid in the U.K., but many of these are incidental and there has not been a parallel increase in deaths.". Coronavirus cases are beginning to surge again in the U.S., just weeks after the discovery of the omicron variant. Initial data show that BA.2 is a little more likely to cause infections in household contacts, when compared with BA.1. The sudden spike in cases across the Netherlands coincided with the governments decision to withdraw restrictions almost completely. This would be a lot more threatening and keep people more on the alert. The administration's continuingpush for boosters and vaccination comes as a paper published Wednesday in the journal "Nature" showeda case of omicron in unvaccinated people provides very little immunity against other variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. In the EU + EEA area (a total of 30 countries), in the seven days up to Sept. 5, 405,774 new cases were recorded, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, with Ireland, France, Sweden, Portugal, Greece and Bulgaria among the countries reporting the highest numbers of new cases per 100,000 population. Here is todays puzzle or you can play online. You may opt-out by. P.S. The magnitude of any BA.2 increase . 5. Heres todays Mini Crossword, and a clue: Its capital is Damascus (five letters). Hearing stories about these major choreographers that I looked up to having their work being reused in commercials and reused on competition shows and reused on Broadway, without them being compensated or getting credit it was appalling, Kyle Hanagami, a creative director and choreographer, said. This marks a weekly growth in cases by 1%. Youre really just sharing a moment of your day with the people who matter most.. Why havent cases started rising again in the U.S.? It can kill and cause suffering but allows enough people to escape with mild or no symptoms so that it can continue to spread more unfettered. Lives Lived: Bernard Nussbaum faced Whitewater, Vince Fosters suicide and other controversies during his 14 months as Bill Clintons first White House counsel. We had poor judgement, which we regret and for which we apologise.. New Zealand is maintaining its strategy, for now. But the good news, said Ott, is if they get vaccinated they have a shot at "super immunity.". But stay tuned. There may be a new COVID variant, Deltacron. Instead, thefindings showed people infected with omicron onlyget protection against infections fromomicron subvariants, not infections fromotherstrains of the virus. And Omicron is now causing a surge in coronavirus cases, even in highly vaccinated places. Looking into the data, it shows that 24,505 occurred in 2022, and nearly all of those tested positive last winter. Here's what we know about it. 2023 CNBC LLC. Comparisons across countries are affected by different testing policies and reporting methods. Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap prices at $35 per month for people with private insurance, FDA advisors recommend Pfizer RSV vaccine for older adults, despite possible Guillain-Barre risks, Novavax raises doubts about its ability to remain in business, Op-ed: DEA and FDA rules exacerbate Adderall shortage, Democratic attorneys general sue FDA to drop all remaining restrictions on abortion pill, FDA says Guillain-Barre syndrome is possible risk of Pfizers RSV vaccine for older adults, Medicare rejects Alzheimers Association request for unrestricted coverage of treatments like Leqembi, Moderna misses on earnings as costs rise from surplus production capacity, lower demand for Covid shots, West Virginia asks judge to dismiss lawsuit seeking to overturn state restrictions on abortion pill, CDC advisors recommend mpox vaccine for at-risk adults in future outbreaks, Flu vaccine was 68% effective at preventing hospitalization in children, but less protective for seniors this season, Pfizer RSV vaccine that protects infants could receive FDA approval this summer, Senators call on Medicare to offer broad coverage of Alzheimers treatments as public pressure grows, Maker of promising Alzheimers drug Leqembi expects full FDA approval this summer, expanded Medicare coverage. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Got a confidential news tip? But by July, arrival and spread of the delta coronavirus variant sparked another surge in cases of COVID-19. No, instead the solution is to layer clothes on top of each other to give yourself enough protection. The omicron variant the most transmissible strain so far overtook the delta variant, which itself supplanted the alpha variant and even this was not the original strain of the virus. The government data relies on laboratory tests. Before. Walensky urged people in communities with higher infection and hospitalization rates to protect themselves by masking in indoor public placesand to get a booster shot if vaccinated and to get vaccinated if they're not. After Russian forces left Borodyanka, a commuter town near Kyiv, Times journalists found a scene of destruction. Re-opening with too many holes can can leave you with a whole lot of trouble, which in turn can make you say hole-y bleep. Advertisement. Advice from Wirecutter: Stainless steel cookware sets that last. Your bodys defense systems may get weaker. The current 7-day moving average of daily new cases stands at 153,246, an increase of 4.9% compared with the previous 7-day moving average (of 146,087). With the reporting lag, recent weeks have seen COVID-19 cases in the 3,000 range, much lower than the 16,000 seen during this past winters peak in late December. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. Heading into the current outbreak, nearly 40 percent of Hong Kongs population was not vaccinated, and more than half of people over 70 the age group most vulnerable to severe Covid were unvaccinated. Schools re-opening. Cases rise in Asia, Africa, and Europe Last week, cases rose 8% compared to the week before, led by increases in the Western Pacific region that include Asia's current hot spots, Africa, and Europe. JetBlue Airways offered to buy Spirit Airlines for $3.6 billion, throwing a wrench into Spirits plan to merge with Frontier Airlines. First, data collected by the COVID Tracking Project and analyzed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University shows that the increase in testing has been incremental and linear. About a year ago, more than 100 entertainment-industry choreographers began creating the Choreographers Guild, which is now in the process of becoming an official labor union, Margaret Fuhrer writes in The Times. And while over 50 percent of Americans now live in communities with relatively low levels of COVID-19 infection, many places are now seeing medium to high levels of the virus.