California coronavirus updates: WHO renames monkeypox subvariants away from regional signifiers

11:45 a.m.: WHO renames monkeypox subvariants away from regional signifiers

The World Health Organization has renamed two monkeypox variants that had been named after international locations and areas in an effort to align with “current best practices,” NPR reports.

The new names, Clade I and Clade II, exchange the names Congo Basin clade and West African clade, respectively.

Subsequent variants can be named utilizing Roman numerals for the clade and lowercase letters for the subclade.

This comes after calls to rename the poxvirus to something else failed. Critics have referred to as the title “monkeypox” racist and incorrect.

“Monkeypox should be renamed for two major reasons,” stated Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor, a worldwide well being equality advocate and senior New Voices fellow on the Aspen Insitute. “First, there’s a long history of referring to Blacks and monkeys. Therefore, ‘monkeypox’ is racist and stigmatizes Blacks.”

“Second, ‘monkeypox’ gives a wrong impression that the disease is only transmitted by monkeys. This is also wrong,” he stated.

Despite rising criticism of the title, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses stated that even when the title is modified in a 12 months or two, “monkey” will nonetheless doubtless be a part of any revamped title.

While WHO names ailments, the ICTV determines the formal names of viruses.

11:51 a.m.: First Lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19

First Lady Jill Biden has examined optimistic for COVID-19 and is experiencing “mild symptoms,” as reported by the Associated Press.

The White House introduced it on Tuesday.

The first girl has been vacationing with President Joe Biden in South Carolina and started experiencing signs on Monday. She’s been prescribed the antiviral drug Paxlovid and can isolate on the trip dwelling for at the least 5 days,

Joe Biden examined destructive for the virus on Tuesday morning however will put on a masks indoors for 10 days consistent with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s steerage. The president recovered from a rebound case of the virus on Aug. 7.

The Bidens have been twice-vaccinated and twice-boosted with the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

11:19 a.m.: EU could soon approve combined COVID-19 vaccine for general population

Germany’s well being minister says European Union drug regulators might authorize the usage of vaccines which can be efficient in opposition to two variants of the coronavirus.

According to the Associated Press, German Health minister Karl Lauterbach stated he anticipated the European Medicines Agency to satisfy on Sept. 1 to think about a vaccine that may shield in opposition to the unique virus and the omicron variant.

He says the EU company would doubtless meet once more on Sept. 27 to evaluate a mixed vaccine in opposition to the unique virus and omicron offshoot, BA.5, which is liable for the most recent international surge in COVID-19 instances.

Germany has procured ample quantities of each vaccines and would have the ability to begin rolling them out a day after they obtained authorization, he stated.

10:47 a.m.: CDC drops quarantine, distancing guidelines

The nation’s high public well being company is enjoyable its COVID-19 pointers and dropping the advice that Americans quarantine themselves if they arrive into shut contact with an contaminated individual.

As reported by the Associated Press, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention additionally stated that folks now not want to remain at the least 6 toes away from others.

The modifications come greater than 2 ½ years after the beginning of the pandemic. They are pushed by a recognition that an estimated 95% of Americans 16 and older have acquired some degree of immunity, both from being vaccinated or contaminated.

10:33 a.m.: Johnson & Johnson has to trash 400 million COVID-19 vaccines due to quality problems — again

Congressional panel leaders say an extra 135 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine from a troubled Baltimore manufacturing unit should be destroyed on account of high quality issues.

The announcement Thursday follows a May report detailing how greater than 400 million vaccine doses made at Emergent BioSolutions plant must be trashed, in response to the Associated Press.

The newest spherical of doses slated for destruction had been made between August 2021 and February 2022. Johnson & Johnson says that no doses produced on the web site for the reason that manufacturing unit restarted have reached the market.

10:29 a.m.: LA County moves out of high COVID-19 infection tier

Los Angeles County has dropped out of the excessive COVID-19 group degree beneath federal pointers, as infections and charges of hospitalizations proceed to fall, in response to the Associated Press.

The transfer to the medium tier beneath standards set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention comes two weeks after LA County dropped a plan to impose a brand new masks mandate as the most recent coronavirus surge eased.

LA County well being director Barbara Ferrer stated Thursday that the tendencies are encouraging — however she reminded residents that face protecting stays an efficient instrument to cut back unfold.

10:03 a.m.: Polio detected in NYC’s sewer system, indicating spread

Health officers say it’s potential that a whole bunch of individuals in New York state have gotten polio and don’t understand it.

As reported by the Associated Press, the pronouncement got here Friday after they stated the virus that causes the possibly lethal illness has been detected in New York City’s wastewater.

Authorities say the presence of the virus in wastewater means that it’s circulating regionally.

They are urging dad and mom to get their kids vaccinated.

One individual suffered paralysis weeks in the past due to a polio an infection north of town. Most individuals contaminated with polio don’t have any signs however can nonetheless give the virus to others for days or even weeks.

10:59 a.m.: Can the monkeypox outbreak be stopped? Experts believe it’s possible

Since May, barely 90 international locations have reported greater than 31,000 instances of monkeypox, as reported by the Associated Press.

The World Health Organization labeled the escalating outbreak of the once-rare illness as a world emergency final month.

The U.S. declared it a nationwide emergency simply final week, however that doesn’t imply the monkeypox is the following international pandemic.

Since it doesn’t unfold as simply as COVID-19, it’s not spreading into each nation. Outside of African nations, 98% of instances have been reported in males who’ve intercourse with males.

However, this doesn’t imply it couldn’t unfold to any individual no matter gender or sexual orientation.

Scientists say stopping the outbreak amongst weak teams might halt the illness’s transmission in Europe and North America.

10:27 a.m.: North Korea blames South Korea for COVID-19 outbreak in their country

North Korean chief Kim Jong Un’s sister says he suffered a fever whereas guiding the nation to victory over the coronavirus.

According to the Associated Press, in a speech earlier than 1000’s of North Koreans, she blamed rival South Korea for the nation’s outbreak and vowed “deadly” retaliation.

Kim Yo Jong, a strong official accountable for inter-Korean relations, glorified her brother’s management in the course of the outbreak as he jubilantly described the nation’s extensively disputed success over the virus as an “amazing miracle” in international public well being.

Experts consider the victory announcement alerts Kim Jong Un’s intention to maneuver to different priorities and are involved his sister’s remarks potent a potential nuclear or missile provocation.

11:02 a.m.: COVID-19 deaths fall by 9% globally

The World Health Organization says in its newest weekly pandemic report that the variety of coronavirus deaths fell by 9% within the final week whereas new instances remained comparatively secure.

According to the Associated Press, the U.N. well being company stated there have been greater than 14,000 COVID-19 deaths final week and practically 7 million new infections.

The Western Pacific reported a 30% soar in instances, whereas Africa reported a 46% drop.

The WHO stated that the omicron sub-variant BA.5 stays dominant globally, accounting for practically 70% of all virus sequences shared with the world’s greatest publicly accessible virus database.

10:31 a.m.: Pandemic restrictions encourage Chinese residents to take up cycling

Cycling is rising in reputation in China as a sport, not only a method to get to work.

A coronavirus outbreak that shut down indoor sports activities services in Beijing earlier this 12 months inspired individuals to attempt outside sports activities, together with biking, in response to the Associated Press.

Organized rides within the Chinese capital take cyclists to outlying suburbs or metropolis landmarks. The sport’s rising reputation has boosted gross sales of bicycles and alerts rising public consciousness of environmental safety and low-carbon life.

5:55 p.m.: Sacramento declares monkeypox a local public health emergency

The county was notified of its first monkeypox case on May 21. As of Tuesday, the county reports 80 monkeypox cases.

Along with a vaccine, there’s a remedy for monkeypox — a two-week collection of tablets generally known as TPOXX. But it’s presently solely being supplied at UC Davis Medical Center and Kaiser. 

Click right here for extra information about monkeypox indicators and signs and the place you will get a vaccine in Sacramento County. 

11:26 a.m.: Incoming college students turn to bridge programs to prepare after COVID-19 disruptions

After the disruption of on-line studying, first-year school college students are arriving on campuses unprepared for the calls for of college-level work, specialists say.

The Associated Press reviews that schools from New Jersey to California have expanded summer time bridge packages aiming to get college students on top of things in math and English earlier than they arrive this fall.

Experts say it’s clear that for some, distant instruction brought on studying setbacks, most sharply amongst Black and Hispanic college students.

The stakes are excessive — analysis exhibits that college students who begin school a step behind are much less prone to graduate.

11:10 a.m.: 80,000 tourists stranded at a beach resort town in China due to COVID-19 outbreak

Some 80,000 vacationers are stranded within the southern Chinese Beach resort of Sanya after authorities declared it a COVID-19 sizzling spot and imposed a lockdown.

According to the Associated Press, the restrictions got here into power on Saturday morning as authorities sought to stem the unfold of COVID-19 within the metropolis on tropical Hainan Island.

There had been 229 confirmed instances on Friday and an extra 129 on Saturday.

Railway authorities banned all ticket gross sales and all flights had been additionally canceled. Tourists desirous to depart Sanya have to check destructive for the coronavirus on 5 PCR assessments over seven days.

China sticks steadfastly to a “zero-COVID” strategy. A latest outbreak in Shanghai unfold so extensively that authorities locked down the complete metropolis for 2 months, trapping tens of millions of individuals.

12:14 p.m.: Flushed with cash from COVID-19 treatments, Pfizer buys another drug maker

Pfizer is shopping for sickle cell drug maker Global Blood Therapeutics in an roughly $5.4 billion deal because it seems to be to speed up development after its income soared in the course of the pandemic, in response to the Associated Press.

Pfizer stated that its newest acquisition will enhance its work in uncommon hematology.

Global Therapeutics produces Oxybryta tablets for treating sickle cell illness. The pharma large Pfizer has been flush with money since its COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, and remedy, Paxlovid, have hit the market.

It has now introduced offers valued at a complete of practically $19 billion, counting debt, since late final 12 months.

12:07 p.m.: Texas man sentenced to 25 years in prison for attacking an Asian family over COVID-19

Federal prosecutors say a Texas man has been sentenced to 25 years in jail for attacking an Asian household as a result of he thought they had been Chinese and subsequently liable for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Associated Press reviews that courtroom information present 21-year-old Jose Gomez III of Midland, Texas was sentenced Thursday after pleading responsible to 3 counts of committing a hate crime.

Gomez admitted that he used a knife to slash the person and his 6-and 2-year-old sons inside a Sam’s Club in Midland as a result of he believed they had been Chinese and spreading the coronavirus.

The man Gomez attacked is from Myanmar.

The March 2020 assault occurred as Asians confronted verbal harassment and bodily assaults throughout the U.S. after the virus started to unfold nationwide.

11:28 a.m.: Spain struggles to limit monkeypox infections

Spain is struggling to curtail Europe’s main monkeypox outbreak for the reason that illness unfold past the continent of Africa.

According to the Associated Press, the southern European nation counts 4,942 instances and two males have died from the illness.

Authorities and teams within the LGBTQ group are honing their campaigns to get vaccines to the neediest members of the demographic to date.

In the U.S. and Europe, the overwhelming majority of monkeypox infections have occurred in males who’ve intercourse with males.

However, well being specialists warn that if instances proceed to rise, they may inevitably unfold to different teams, much like HIV/AIDS.

Given the dearth of vaccines, the main focus is now on getting out the message that decreasing sexual companions is crucial.

12:03 p.m.: Polio samples found in New York state wastewater

New York state well being officers have issued a extra pressing name for unvaccinated kids and adults to get inoculated in opposition to polio, citing new proof of potential “community spread” of the virus.

According to the Associated Press, well being officers stated that the polio virus has now been present in seven totally different wastewater samples in two adjoining counties north of New York City.

So far, just one individual has examined optimistic for polio — an unvaccinated grownup in Rockland County who suffered paralysis.

But primarily based on earlier polio outbreaks, Health Commissioner Mary Bassett stated there could also be a whole bunch of different individuals who have been contaminated however don’t have any signs but.

11:32 a.m.: Las Vegas-based rental property management company faces probe over pandemic evictions

A Las Vegas-based company proprietor of 1000’s of residential rental properties in a number of U.S. states is investigating whether or not it improperly evicted tenants in the course of the coronavirus pandemic whereas receiving tens of millions of federal {dollars} to maintain individuals of their houses.

The Associated Press reviews probes of the Siegel Group introduced by Nevada state Attorney General Aaron Ford and Clark County officers adopted findings final week by a congressional oversight panel that firm executives used deception, harassment and “potentially unlawful” ways final 12 months to power tenants out.

Siegel Group says it wasn’t referred to as or interviewed by the U.S. House committee that produced the report. The firm says it operates lawfully.

11:44 a.m.: Federal coronavirus relief funding local tourism projects

Hundreds of tourism initiatives nationwide are collectively getting about $2.4 billion in federal coronavirus reduction funding, as reported by the Associated Press.

The cash has aided every thing from a gasoline station growth in California to new sports activities services in Georgia and culturally various music in Nashville, Tennessee. Portland, Oregon, has categorized the acquisition of 200 graffiti-resistant trash cans as a tourism venture.

All the cash comes from the American Rescue Plan, signed by President Joe Biden final 12 months.

The versatile help program for governments lists tourism as considered one of its eligible functions, alongside things like well being care and housing.

11:03 a.m.: Germany announces COVID-19 measures will remain for fall and winter

The German authorities says primary coronavirus necessities will stay in place in the course of the coming fall and winter when specialists count on COVID-19 instances to rise once more as individuals spend extra time indoors.

According to the Associated Press, beneath guidelines lately introduced, face masks and presenting proof of a destructive coronavirus check can be necessary from October till early April at hospitals, nursing houses and different places with weak individuals.

Passengers on airplanes and making long-distance journeys by prepare and bus additionally should put on masks throughout that interval, as they do now.

However, Germany’s 16 states have the authority to undertake their very own guidelines. State governments might determine to require masks and undertake common testing at colleges.

2:46 p.m.: Newsom declares California in state of emergency over monkeypox

Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency to hurry efforts to fight the monkeypox outbreak.

It makes California the second state in three days to take the step — practically 800 instances have been reported within the state, in response to the Associated Press.

Gov. Newsom stated his Monday declaration will assist California coordinate a government-wide response. He says the state will proceed to work with the federal authorities to safe extra vaccines, increase consciousness about decreasing danger and stand with the LGBTQ group in preventing stigmatization.

The transfer got here after the same declaration in New York state on Saturday and in San Francisco on Thursday.

2:37 p.m.: President Biden tests positive for COVID-19 for the second day

President Joe Biden’s “loose cough” has returned as he faces a rebound case of COVID-19, his physician stated, although he “continues to feel well.”

According to the Associated Press, White House doctor Kevin O’Connor supplied an replace on the president’s situation as he continues to check optimistic for the virus.

He stated Biden “remains fever-free” and that his temperature, pulse, blood stress, respiratory price, and oxygen saturation “remain entirely normal.”

Still, Biden is required to stay in isolation by at the least Thursday beneath Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pointers — and maybe longer beneath more durable White House protocols if he continues to check optimistic.

11:41 a.m.: In the race to acquire monkeypox vaccines, lower-income countries lose

Public well being officers warn that strikes by wealthy international locations to purchase massive portions of monkeypox vaccine might go away tens of millions of individuals in African nations unprotected in opposition to a extra harmful model of the illness.

As reported by the Associated Press, scientists say that, not like campaigns to cease COVID-19, mass vaccinations will not be essential to curb monkeypox outbreaks. Targeted vaccinations and different measures may very well be sufficient to close down the a number of outbreaks.

Monkeypox is way more durable to unfold than coronavirus, however specialists warn that the necessity for vaccines might intensify if the illness spills over into the final inhabitants.

Brazil and Spain have simply reported monkeypox deaths, the primary of their nations.

11:38 a.m.: President Biden tests positive again in COVID-19 rebound case

President Joe Biden has examined optimistic for COVID-19 for the second straight day, in what seems to be a uncommon case of “rebound” following remedy with an anti-viral drug.

According to the Associated Press, White House Physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor stated in a letter that the president “continues to feel well” and can carry on working from the manager residence.

After Biden examined optimistic on Sunday, he canceled upcoming plans to journey and maintain in-person occasions. He’s isolating for at the least 5 days per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pointers.

The 79-year-old Biden first examined optimistic on July 21. He was handled with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid, and he had ended his isolation on Wednesday.

11:27 a.m.: Florida man accused of selling bleach as COVID-19 cure, is arrested abroad

A person accused of promoting a poisonous industrial bleach as a coronavirus treatment by his Florida-based church has been returned to the United States after being arrested in Colombia.

According to the Associated Press, information present 64-year-old Mark Grenon made his preliminary courtroom look Thursday in Miami federal courtroom.

Grenon and his three grownup sons had been indicted final 12 months on one rely every of conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts every of legal contempt. He is the archbishop of the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing in Bradenton, Florida.

Officials say the church offered chlorine dioxide and claimed the poisonous answer can treatment an enormous number of sicknesses.