Category: Corona Virus

Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in North Texas are expected to continue to rise for at least two or three more weeks as the delta variant fuels a dramatic surge in cases, the president and CEO of the DFW Hospital Council says.

About 3,150 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospitals in the 19-county region covering the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the council leader, Steve Love, said Tuesday.

Hospitals are operating at about 92% capacity and there are only about 70 adult ICU beds available across the region.

Almost 50% of the patients in ICU have COVID-19, Love said. If that number continues to increase, that makes a smaller number of beds available for heart attacks, strokes, automobile accidents, etc.

Love said hospitals are continuing to see a trend of the delta variant infecting children more severely than previous strains of COVID-19 did.

In January, during the high point of the winter surge, there were about 36 to 40 pediatric patients being treated in the regions hospitals. That number has recently been as high as 73, Love said.

Coronavirus outbreaks have led several school districts in Texas to shut down temporarily, including Kemp ISD in Kaufman and Henderson counties.

Love said health experts are hopeful that cases will plateau or drop off in two to three weeks. A similar trend was seen in the United Kingdom and Israel, which had earlier surges of the delta variant.

Still, Love urged people to get vaccinated to help curb the spread of the virus.

Clearly the majority of the patients that are filling our hospitals right now are people that did not get vaccinated, he said. Look at the risk, look at the benefits. The benefit far outweighs.

Love added that the recent opening of a state-funded infusion center in Fort Worth should help keep some COVID-19 patients out of the regions hospitals. The center uses Regenerons monoclonal antibody treatment, which works by infusing patients with synthetic antibodies to help them mount a faster immune response to the virus.

Anyone age 12 years and older can get treated at the center if they are referred by a physician, Love said. The center can infuse 90 patients a day and has the capacity for expansion.

It doesnt always prevent them [from hospitalization], but in many cases, it does. So its another tool in the toolbox that we use, Love said.

Dallas County reported 11 more COVID-19 deaths and 3,580 new coronavirus cases Tuesday. The county no longer releases new coronavirus data on weekends and instead releases three-day totals on Tuesdays.

Of the new cases, 3,332 were confirmed and 248 were probable. The numbers bring the countys overall case total to 343,824, including 294,286 confirmed and 49,538 probable. The death toll is 4,291.

The average number of new daily cases in the county for the last two weeks is 1,206. For the previous 14-day period, the average was 898.

The county reported that 944 people were hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 1,460,905 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 1,203,735 55.2% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

Dallas College said that it would offer free community vaccination clinics on its campuses starting Monday. For a list of dates and times, visit dallascollege.edu/coronavirus.

The community college also is offering students a $200 incentive for showing proof of vaccination or getting vaccinated by Nov. 15. Employees who are fully vaccinated can receive $500.

Across the state, 21,068 more cases were reported Tuesday, including 20,701 new cases and 367 older ones recently reported by labs.

The state also reported 199 COVID-19 deaths, raising its toll to 54,222.

Of the new cases, 15,516 were confirmed and 5,185 were probable. Of the older cases, 93 were confirmed and 274 were probable.

The states case total is now 3,472,002, including 2,929,797 confirmed and 542,205 probable.

There are a total of 13,666 hospitalizations in the state.

According to the state, 16,140,226 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 13,410,174 55.7% of the states population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

Tarrant County reported four deaths and 634 cases Tuesday.

Of the new cases, 535 were confirmed and 99 were probable. The numbers bring the countys case total to 295,132, including 246,148 confirmed and 48,984 probable. The death toll is 3,759.

The county reported that 978 people were hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 1,089,278 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 927,011 53.3% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

The state added four deaths and 831 cases to Collin Countys totals Tuesday.

Of the new cases, 654 were confirmed and 177 were probable. The numbers bring the countys case total to 106,039, including 86,815 confirmed and 19,224 probable. The death toll is 887.

The county reported that 472 people were hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 651,160 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 566,326 65.5% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

Denton County reported eight deaths and 519 cases Tuesday.

The newly reported cases bring the countys case total to 86,996, including 63,496 confirmed and 23,500 probable. The death toll is 650.

The county reported that 180 people were hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 508,396 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 447,317 59.6% of the countys population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has taken over reporting for these other North Texas counties. In some counties, new data may not be reported every day.

The latest numbers are:

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Not something to fool around with: COVID-19 vaccinations urged as North Texas hospitals fill up - The Dallas Morning News

CLEVELAND, Ohio Ohios COVID-19 case rate is rocketing sharply reaching a six-month high of 4,117 cases reported on Tuesday alone - and shows no sign of leveling off, according to data from the Ohio Department of Health.

While last year the rolling seven-day average for new cases was trending slightly downward by this point of the summer, this year cases have spiraled upward.

The seven-day average of cases per day tripled from 1,095 a day at the end of July to 3,296 on Tuesday. At the same point last year, on Aug. 24, the average was 941 cases a day.

Hospitalizations are also rising. The Ohio Hospital Association reported 2,095 coronavirus patients in its preliminary count for Tuesday, the first time it was over 2,000 since Feb. 8.

The number of coronavirus patients in Ohio hospitals on Tuesday topped 2,000 for the first time in months, and exceeds last summer's levels.

Here are a few more comparisons in the seven-day COVID-19 case rate and hospitalizations that illustrate the pandemics course in Ohio:

The rise in cases is happening even though COVID-19 vaccines have been widely available for months.

About 51% of Ohioans of all ages have gotten at least one shot of vaccine, and 60% of Ohioans 12 and up have started the vaccination process, according to ODH.

Rich Exner contributed to this story.

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As Ohio reports 4,117 new coronavirus cases, both cases and hospitalizations up sharply over last summer - cleveland.com

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) People in Oregon, regardless of vaccination status, will once again be required to wear masks in most public outdoor settings including large outdoor events where physical distancing is not possible beginning Friday.

The mandate, announced Tuesday by Gov. Kate Brown, is part of a growing list of statewide requirements implemented in Oregon in an attempt to slow the rapid spread of COVID-19.

Oregon is one of a handful of states with an indoor mask mandate in effect. But its the first to reinstitute a statewide mask requirement for outdoor public areas where people are close together, according to the governors office.

Over the past month, coronavirus cases, fueled by the highly transmissible delta variant, have overwhelmed hospitals in the Pacific Northwest state. On Tuesday, Brown said 1,000 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized, beating the states record set the previous day of 937 people.

The Delta variant is spreading fast and wide, throwing our state into a level of crisis we have not yet seen in the pandemic. Cases and hospitalizations are at a record high, Brown said in a statement. Masks are a quick and simple tool we can immediately deploy to protect ourselves and our families, and quickly help stop further spread of COVID-19.

Health officials say part of the reason for the new mandate is that theyre seeing instances where cases are clustering around outdoor events, such as music festivals.

The new mandate requires masks in outdoor settings in which people from different households are unable to consistently maintain physical distance. The rule does not apply to fleeting encounters, such as two people walking by each other on a trail or in a park.

While the rule does not apply to outdoor gatherings at private residences with individuals from different households, the Oregon Health Authority strongly recommends that people wear a mask during those scenarios.

Along with mask mandates, the governor has announced that staff and volunteers in K-12 schools, health care workers and state employees are required to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18.

Oregon was once described as a success story for limiting the spread of the coronavirus, after its Democratic governor imposed some of the nations strictest safety measures. Those restrictions were lifted June 30, and the state is now being hammered by delta variant, which was first detected in India.

On Monday there were just 47 adult intensive care unit beds available in Oregon. Currently more than 90% of the states ICU and hospital beds are full. Health officials say the overwhelming majority of people hospitalized are unvaccinated.

Many hospitals have canceled elective surgeries, and some patients are housed in hallways instead of rooms.

Brown has dispatched about 1,500 National Guard troops to hospitals around the state.

___

Sara Cline is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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Masks to be required in Oregon's outdoor public settings - Associated Press

The NRA reached the "difficult decision" to call off the event after analysis of the "relevant data regarding COVID-19 in Harris County, Texas," the association said in a statement. It said it consulted with medical professionals, local officials and many members before the final decision was made.

"The NRA Annual Meeting welcomes tens of thousands of people, and involves many events, meetings, and social gatherings," the statement said. "We are mindful that NRA Annual Meeting patrons will return home to family, friends and co-workers from all over the country, so any impacts from the virus could have broader implications."

The cancellation comes as Texas is grappling with rising Covid-19 cases and shrinking ICU vacancies.

"The NRA looks forward to a Celebration of Freedom in Louisville in May 2022," the association said in its statement. "In the meantime, we will support many other NRA local events and smaller gatherings -- in a manner that is protective of our members and celebrates our Second Amendment freedom."

CNN's Jennifer Henderson contributed to this report.

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NRA cancels its annual meeting in Houston over Covid-19 concerns - CNN

Local health officials are encouraging residents in Guernsey and surrounding counties to get vaccinated and follow safety precautions including wearing a mask to help stop a significant increase in COVID-19 cases.

Guernsey County health officials reported 118 new COVID-19 cases in the past week.

"There is no question COVID-19 cases are increasing in Guernsey and surrounding counties," said Southeastern Med President/CEO Wendy C. Elliott. "Over the last week, cases in Guernsey County have increased by 168%."

Elliott said the case rates are based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID Data Tracker that also showed 20 new cases last week in Noble County.

"Subsequently, we are also seeing an increase in COVID-positive patients at the hospital," said Elliott. "It is unclear how many of these cases are due to the Delta Variant. What we do know for certain is vaccination continues to be the best weapon to prevent serious illness and hospitalization."

All three vaccinations, including the FDA-approved Pfizer, are available for free at local health departments and at area drugstores.

"We highly encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated to help stop the rise in cases in our community," said Elliott.

New coronavirus cases statewide for the week of Aug. 16-22 totaled 21,227 a 21.8.% increase.

Guernsey County Health Commissioner Dr. Edward Colby said he has seen a dramatic increase in positive results for COVID-19 in the county and his own private practice.

"We have definitely seen an increase in the number of cases recently," said Colby, who reported more than a dozen positive COVID-19 tests in his own office in the past couple weeks.

The Cambridge-Guernsey County Health Department recorded 200 new COVID cases from Aug. 1 through Monday morning. Colby said more new cases were reported Monday and Tuesday.

"We are also seeing fully-vaccinated people with positive tests," said Colby. "They are not getting as sick, but they are testing positive. Eight of the nine I tested recently had a positive result for coronavirus."

The Ohio Department of Health says 14,814 Guernsey County residents (38.11% of the county's population) have started the vaccination process and $13,826 (35.57%) have been fully vaccinated.

In Noble County, 5.217 residents (36.13%) have started receiving the coronavirus vaccinations including 4,850 (33.62%) who have completed the process.

Colby encourages area residents to get vaccinated to avoid the more serious symptoms of the coronavirus. He also believes the refusal by the majority of the community to wear a mask has contributed tothe rising COVID-19 cases.

"People are not wearing masks anymore," said Colby. "Anywhere you go, you don't see very many people, if any, wearing masks. I'm afraid we are going to be right back to square one."

Last week, Guernsey County only reported 44 new COVID cases.

Throughout the pandemic the Cambridge-Guernsey County Health Department has reported 3,549 cases and 54 deaths.Meanwhile, Noble County has reported 1,426 cases and 40 deaths.

Ohio ranked 35th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows.

Weekly case counts rose in 74 of the state's 88 counties. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Cuyahoga, Stark and Franklin counties. Cases fell in 13 Ohio counties.

A total of 1,180,986 people in Ohio have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,689 people have died from the disease.

The CDC recommends the following steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

Contact the health department, 740-439-3577, for more information regarding COVID-19 vaccinations.

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Alarming increase reported in COVID-19 cases in Guernsey County - The Daily Jeffersonian

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'You don't want to mess with this thing': San Antonio senator, granddaughter recover from COVID-19 - KXAN.com

The intruder stalks its prey with stealth and precision, preparing to puncture its quarrys armor. Once inside, the aggressor forces its host to produce more intruders, and then causes it to explode, spewing out a multitude of invaders who can continue their rampage on a wider scale.

The drama, depicted in a microscopic video of SARS-CoV-2 infecting bat brain cells, provides a window into how the pathogen turns cells into virus-making factories before causing the host cell to die.

The video was produced by Sophie-Marie Aicher and Delphine Planas, virologists at the Pasteur Institute in Paris who won honorable mention in a microscopic video competition sponsored by Nikon, the photography company.

Filmed over 48 hours with an image recorded every 10 minutes, the footage shows the coronavirus as red spots circulating among a mass of gray blobs the bats brain cells. After they are infected, the bats cells begin to fuse with neighboring cells. At some point, the entire mass bursts, resulting in the death of the cells.

Ms. Aicher, who specializes in zoonotic diseases those that can be transmitted from animals to humans said this infectious juggernaut was the same in bats and humans, with one important distinction: Bats ultimately do not get sick.

In humans, the coronavirus is able to evade detection and cause more damage in part by preventing infected cells from alerting the immune system to the presence of the invaders. But its special power is the ability to force host cells to fuse with neighboring ones, a process known as syncytia that allows the coronavirus to remain undetected as it replicates.

Every time the virus has to exit the cell, its at risk of detection so if it can go straight from one cell to another, it can work much faster, Ms. Aicher said.

She said she hoped the video would help demystify the virus, and make it easier for people to understand and appreciate this deceitful nemesis that has upended billions of lives.

Its important to help people get past the scientific jargon to understand that this a very sophisticated and clever virus that is well adapted to make humans sick, she said.

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A microscopic video shows the coronavirus on the rampage. - The New York Times

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U.S. Congressman Troy Nehls, R-Richmond, has tested positive for the coronavirus and is currently symptomatic, according to his social media posts over the weekend.

The former Fort Bend County sheriff announced the diagnoses after posting earlier in the week that a close family member caught the virus. At that time, Nehls said he would clear his calendar out of an abundance of caution before returning to official duties. He confirmed Saturday that he'd contracted the virus.

On Sunday afternoon, Nehls informed his Facebook followers he and his wife received the Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatment at St. Michael's Elite Hospital in Sugar Land.

It took a little over an hour to complete but were already starting to feel better, Nehls wrote on Facebook, noting the treatment is free. If youre suffering from a COVID-19 infection, Id recommend contacting your physician to see if this treatment is right for you.

The congressman received the same medical treatment as Gov. Greg Abbott did after the latter tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week. The governor tweeted Saturday he had tested negative for the virus.

The state has recently opened nine antibody treatment centers as a means to curb hospitalizations as cases are once again surging throughout Texas and hospital beds are filling up. The FDA has recommended the antibodies to treat "mild to moderate COVID-19" for those ages 12 years and older who have tested positive and "are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19."

Nehls is just the latest in a string of national and state lawmakers to report having the virus. U.S. Representatives Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler; Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands; Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth; and Ron Wright, R-Arlington, who died weeks after contracting the virus while battling cancer, all tested positive within the last year.

State Representatives John Raney, R-College Station; Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton; Carl Sherman, D-DeSoto; Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches; Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont; along with six Texas Democrats who traveled to Washington, D.C., to protest Abbott's special session; are among those who have also announced infections.

Both Abbott and Nehls are fully vaccinated and warned in their respective posts they would likely have far worse symptoms if it wasn't for the shot.

"All Americans are free to make their own health decisions, but I strongly encourage getting vaccinated. It is scientifically proven to drastically reduce the risk of severe illness & death from COVID," the congressman wrote Saturday. "You may still get ill, but youre much less likely to be severely ill or hospitalized if vaccinated."

Join us Sept. 20-25 at the 2021 Texas Tribune Festival. Tickets are on sale now for this multi-day celebration of big, bold ideas about politics, public policy and the days news, curated by The Texas Tribunes award-winning journalists. Learn more.

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GOP Texas Congressman Troy Nehls tests positive for COVID-19 - The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas announced on Saturday that he had tested negative for the coronavirus, four days after testing positive. He said he will continue to quarantine at the recommendation of doctors.

In a video posted on Twitter, Mr. Abbott, 63, credited vaccines with protecting him from serious illness.

Im told my infection was brief and mild because of the vaccination I received, he said, So I encourage others who have not received the vaccination to consider getting one.

He added that Cecilia Abbott, his wife, continues to test negative.

Mr. Abbott, who did not experience symptoms from his infection and who began receiving monoclonal antibody treatment after his positive result, has been a vocal opponent of mask and vaccine mandates. In the days before he announced his test result, the governor attended multiple maskless indoor public events, including a crowded indoor political gathering hosted by a Republican club in Collin County, a hotly contested area of the fast-growing suburbs north of Dallas.

In Saturdays video, Mr. Abbott said he would continue working from the governors mansion, and planned to focus on opening facilities across the state where coronavirus patients can receive monoclonal antibody treatments. Texas health officials are hoping such centers can prevent patients from becoming seriously ill and alleviate pressure on overwhelmed hospitals across the state as infections reach levels not seen since January.

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Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas Tests Negative for Covid - The New York Times

Illinois health officials on Friday reported 24,682new COVID-19 cases in the past week, along with 126 additional deaths and nearly 235,000 new vaccine doses administered - increases in all metrics as the state continues to see a surge fueled by the delta variant.

In all, 1,482,369 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state since the pandemic began, according to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The additional deaths reported this week bring the state to 23,717 confirmed COVID fatalities.

The state has administered 462,916 tests since last Friday, officials said, bringing the total to more than 28 million tests conducted during the pandemic.

The states seven-day positivity rate on all tests rose to 6.1% from 5.9% last week, which was up from 5.2% the week before, officials said. The rolling average seven-day positivity rate for cases as a percentage of total tests was up to 5.3% from 5.1% the week before and 4.6% two weeks prior.

IDPH noted that test positivity rates ranged across the state's 11 regions from 4.2% to as high as 10.4% in the southernmost portion of the state.

Over the past seven days, a total of 234,949doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered to Illinois residents - up from around 215,000 the week before and 176,000 two weeks prior. The latest figures brought the states average up slightly to 33,564 daily vaccination doses over the last week, per IDPH data.

More than 13.7 million vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois since vaccinations began in December. More than 60% of adult residents in the state are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with more than 77% receiving at least one dose.

As of midnight Thursday, 2,000 patients were hospitalized due to COVID in the state - up roughly 21% from the week before. Of those patients, 468 are in ICU beds, and 234 are on ventilators. All metrics are a reported increase since last Friday.

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Coronavirus in Illinois: 24,682 New COVID Cases, 126 Deaths, 235K Vaccinations in the Past Week - NBC Chicago