Category: Corona Virus

KALISPELL COVID-19 cases are again on the rise in Flathead County as the highly contagious Delta Variant surges.

More than 90% of our patients who are hospitalized are unvaccinated, Logan Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Doug Nelson tells MTN News.

A steep incline in COVID-19 cases, and a cause for major concern.

Dr. Nelson said a high number of unvaccinated residents in Flathead County are catching and spreading the virus at a high rate. As of Tuesday, Flathead County reported 624 active cases of COVID-19 while only 40% of the eligible population is fully immunized.

MTN News

The virus mutates over time and results in variants that may become less infectious or less dangerous but maybe become more infectious and more dangerous -- and the Delta variant is an example of that, said Dr. Nelson.

He added Logan Health has seen a steady increase in hospitalizations over the summer.

We certainly are seeing an uptick in COVID-19 hospitalizations, really we went from one or two patients in the hospital a month or two ago to having consistently 20 to 25 patients in the hospital each day, said Dr. Nelson.

MTN News

Dr. Nelson said his staff is worried about large gatherings becoming super spreader events for the Delta Variant, including the upcoming Northwest Montana Fair in Kalispell starting next week.

Were concerned about that, were making plans to try to accommodate that sort of additional demand, no question about it thats a concern for us, added Dr. Nelson.

He said the safest way residents can protect themselves, their friends, and family from COVID-19 is to become fully vaccinated against the virus.

Sean Wells/MTN News

In terms of people whove been fully immunized against COVID-19 in the United States, they have more than a 99.99% chance of not needing to be hospitalized and not dying from COVID-19, said Dr. Nelson.

Dr. Nelson said Logan Healths Emergency Department has seen a record number of patients this summer and he's asking those with minor illnesses or injuries to consider receiving care from a number of different walk-in clinics throughout the Flathead Valley.

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COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations on the rise in Flathead County - KPAX-TV

Los Angeles County health officials on Saturday reported 4,283 new coronavirus cases, the largest daily number reported in months and which public health officials attributed to the continued high rates of transmission of the Delta variant and significant increases in testing.

Although Department of Public Health officials expressed concern for the increasing case numbers, they cautioned that some of it could be attributed to more adults and children headed back to work and school and getting screened for the virus.

Routine testing programs are increasing at businesses and schools in L.A. County, officials said in a statement. As a result of increased screening testing programs, there will be quicker identification of asymptomatic people infected with COVID-19.

County officials said the latest surge is showing signs, maybe not of letting up, but of leveling off somewhat. The daily test positivity rate on Saturday was 4.7%, a small decrease from last weeks rate of 6.3%. The daily positivity rate is defined as the percentage of all coronavirus tests reported that are positive, officials said.

Though its still early, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said there are promising signs that the countys order issued in mid-July requiring everyone, even those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, to wear masks in indoor public spaces may be having the intended effect.

Its hard to say with 100% certainty that this was the factor that tipped us to have a slightly better slowing of spread than other places, but I know for sure it contributed, just because the data [are] really conclusive on the importance of masking indoors and how that does, in fact, reduce transmission, Ferrer said.

The county also reported an additional 13 deaths related to COVID-19 on Saturday. Of those 13 reported deaths, three people were older than 80, four were between 65 and 79, four were between 50 and 64, and two people were between 30 and 49.

To date, officials have identified 1,323,345 COVID-19 cases countywide and 24,769 deaths since the pandemic began.

More than 1,380 people are being treated in hospitals for the coronavirus, 22% of them in the intensive care unit, officials said. The public health department did not provide data on how many had been vaccinated before their hospitalization.

The hospitalization rate is also increasing among unvaccinated people, while remaining very low among those who have received the vaccine, health officials said.

Officials continue to stress that vaccination is the best way to avoid serious illness and hospitalization.

While indoor masking and quarantine and isolation of cases and close contacts are effective strategies for reducing transmission, the quickest way to slow the spread is to increase vaccination coverage, Ferrer said.

Hundreds of locations across L.A. County continue to offer the vaccines at no cost to residents, regardless of their immigration status or whether they have insurance coverage.

Ferrer said she was heartened on Saturday while working at the Obregon Park vaccination clinic to see several teenagers coming to get vaccinated, which will help ensure schools can safely reopen.

Many young people, ages 12 to 17, remain unvaccinated in the Antelope Valley and in the south central region of the county, officials said. In Lancaster, only 36% of youth had received at least one dose as of last Sunday, and in Acton, only 30%. The numbers were somewhat better in Palmdale, with 49% of youth ages 12 to 17 having received at least one dose of the vaccine.

In Compton, only 38% of youth had received at least one dose. The city of Carson saw somewhat better numbers, 56% of youth, according to health department data.

Overall, almost 6 million of L.A. Countys 8.3 million residents eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations had received at least one dose as of Aug. 1, health data show. Of those 6 million, almost 5.3 million were fully vaccinated.

Among residents 65 and older, 79% have been fully vaccinated.

Given the overwhelming evidence of the safety and efficacy of the three vaccines used in the United States, and the threat these high rates of transmission present to our recovery, the time is now for everyone eligible to get vaccinated, Ferrer said.

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L.A. County reports more than 4,000 new coronavirus cases, attributed in part to increased testing - Los Angeles Times

"The numbers of cases in our hospitals in children and our children's hospitals are completely overwhelmed," Marty told CNN's Jim Sciutto on Friday evening.

"Our pediatricians, the nursing, the staff are exhausted, and the children are suffering. And it is absolutely devastating ... our children are very much affected. We've never seen numbers like this before," she said.

But officials on the state and local levels have not streamlined their back-to-school mask wearing strategy, prompting local districts to create their own rules.

In Texas, the Houston Independent School District's superintendent said he would move to mandate masks upon students' return on August 23, despite GOP Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order prohibiting school districts and other local officials from requiring mask wearing.

"We have not seen kids pile into pediatric ICUs across the South like we're seeing right now," Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN on Friday.

On Friday, Florida's Orange County Public Schools said it would require students to wear masks -- except pupils whose parents opt them out with a signed note. Employees, visitors, volunteers and parents also will be required to wear masks, the district said.

Hillsborough County Public Schools will "require face coverings" for the start of the school year but parents will be able to opt their children out of the requirement, according to a Saturday statement from Superintendent Addison Davis.

"While the outcome may be the same whether we make face coverings optional or required with an opt-out, we believe this decision continues to illustrate that Hillsborough County Public Schools takes public safety seriously," Davis said.

Masks are optional for employees, Davis said.

Returning to schools safely is possible if mitigation efforts, including wearing masks, are implemented, said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, who heads the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The places where you see kids in the hospital, the places where you see footage of kids in the hospital, are all places that are not taking mitigation strategies to keep our children safe," Walensky said Friday.

The CDC recommends that everyone -- students, teachers, staff and visitors -- wear masks in schools.

US averages 100,000+ daily cases for first time since February

The US averaged more than 107,140 new daily cases over a week as of Friday -- the first time that average was higher than 100,000 since February, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The figure has generally risen since the country hit a 2021 low average of 11,299 daily on June 22, according to Johns Hopkins.

Hospitalizations and deaths have been rising, too.

More than 63,250 Covid-19 patients were in US hospitals on Friday -- a number that has generally risen since a 2021 low of 16,152 on June 29, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

About 497 Covid-19 deaths per day have been in the US in the past week -- well below the country's pandemic peak of more than 3,400 daily in mid-January, but still a 40% increase over the average a week ago, according to Johns Hopkins.

Boosters for people with a weaker immune system could be on the horizon

People with compromised immune systems could soon hear about a plan to give them a booster shot.

A decision from the US Food and Drug Administration could come before early September, a Biden administration official told CNN.

The Washington Post reported Friday that in the next week or two, FDA officials are expected to review data on additional vaccine doses for immunocompromised people from the CDC. If the data checks out, the FDA will amend the emergency use authorizations of at least two Covid-19 vaccines to allow the additional doses, The New York Times reported.

The move could affect millions of people who may not have had an adequate response to the vaccine.

That includes people taking drugs that suppress immune systems; some organ transplant patients; and those with certain medical conditions. Research published in JAMA Network Open estimates that 6 million people in the US are taking immunosuppressants that could interfere with the vaccine -- a number the researchers say is likely an underestimate.

Hospitals are strained amid Delta surge

As cases rise, hospitals and staff are facing dire situations.

In Louisiana, more than 2,300 people were in hospitals with Covid-19 on Friday -- the highest number since the US Department of Health of Human Services began collecting the data in July 2020.

"And I can tell you the indications are, we will go up by more than 100 more for tomorrow's report," Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday.

More than more than 6,000 children have tested positive over the last week, Edwards said.

"So in light of that, and the CDC recommendations, the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the information that we've received here from the Office of Public Health and leading Louisiana pediatricians, and quite frankly, as a parent myself, I have to ask -- why wouldn't we send our kids to school with a mask on?" Edwards said.

Edwards said he has hope, because 300% more people are receiving their first shot in the last month.

And in Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Lee issued an executive order that allows hospitals to hire out-of-state health care providers, and to permit retired medical professionals easily back to work. His order also increased bed capacity for Covid-19 patients.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the capacity at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami. The hospital, a 309-bed pediatric specialty hospital, had a total of 214 admissions on Saturday. Of those, 18 were Covid-19 positive and five were in intensive care units.

CNN's John Couwels, Rosa Flores, Jason Hanna, Virginia Langmaid, Lauren Mascarenhas, Christina Maxouris, Rebekah Riess, Elizabeth Stuart and Ray Sanchez contributed to this report.

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Officials split on masking children in schools as pediatric hospitals fill up with Covid-19 patients - CNN

"Sunday Night in America" host Trey Gowdy tore into the lack of transparency surrounding the United States' ever-changing COVID-19 guidance in a fiery monologue on his show Sunday.

The CDC once again advised individuals to wear masks when occupying shared spaces indoorsregardless of their vaccination statusin an effort to curb the highly transmissible delta variant which continues to rear its ugly head in cities across the U.S.

While some have resisted the updated mask guidance, others have begun to raise questions about the "science" authorities point to in support of their seemingly inconsistent recommendations.

"It's been a long 18months for country, it seemed likethings were getting better and nowwe don't know what to think hardand who to trust," Gowdy said.

"Just so there is no mistake,I have been vaccinated and Iwill take a booster shot if thatis what my physician tells me todo.I'll get it revaccinated if mydoctor advises it, I will wear amask, even if inconvenient but Iwill do it if it makes otherssafer," he emphasized.

What Gowdy can't contend with, he told viewers, "isfollowing the science when the sciencedoesn't even seem to know where it isgoing."

"We hear that phrase alot.Follow the science.And then we hear that sciencehas changed so we need to dosomething different or maybeeven do something that is incomplete contradiction to whatwe were told science wanted usto do last month," he continued.

"People want to know the truthand they want to know why," the host said.

Gowdy demanded that the CDC and leading health experts reveal "why areyou mandating what you aremandating?"

"Convinceus you have considered lessintrusive means to accomplishthe objective."

FAUCI WARNS LATEST COVID-19 WAVE IS GOING TO GET WORSE

"Give us the evidence, give usboth sides of the argument, convinceus you have considered lessintrusive means to accomplishthe objective. Get rid ofthe hypocrisy and the politics,"he said.

"Do not tell us not to buy my masks orthat masks wont help when the truthis, we need to save his mask forour frontline health workers,tell us the truth.Tell us to wait to get a mask sothe doctors and nurses can beprotected. Well do it.Just tell us the truth.And don't tell us where thevirus originated if you do notknow.And don't ignore the possibilitythat the virus originated ina lab in China when you don'tknow.

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"And," he continued, "if you don'tknow something, tell us that too.We don't expect you to beperfect, just be honest.Do not tell us to wear masks onone side of the street but notthe other side.Or we can dance at a wedding onthe side of the state line butnot a few feet away on the otherside of the state. That is politics. It isnot science if you want me to follow thescience, give me the science," Gowdy asserted. "And stop mixing it withpolitics."

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Gowdy blasts government for 'inconsistent' coronavirus recommendations: 'Just tell us the truth' - Fox News

Find an updated count of COVID-19 cases in California and by county on our tracker here.

More than three quarters of counties in the U.S. are experiencing substantial or high COVID-19 transmissions

The U.S. is now averaging 100,000 COVID-19 new cases per day

California first in nation to require health care workers to be vaccinated

What Japans COVID-19 emergency means

COVID-19 By The Numbers

12:38 p.m.: More than three quarters of counties in the U.S. are experiencing substantial or high COVID-19 transmissions

More than three quarters of U.S. counties are experiencing substantial or high COVID-19 transmissions as of early August.

The CDC classifies a community as having "substantial transmission" if there are 50 to 99 weekly cases per 100,000 residentsor if the positivity rate is between 8.0 and 9.9% in the last seven days.

People in a community that falls under that classification should wear masks indoors, whether or not they are vaccinated.

Read more here.

12:05 p.m.: The U.S. is now averaging 100,000 COVID-19 new cases per day

The U.S. has returned to a milestone seen last winteraveraging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections per day.

In late June, the U.S. was averaging about 11,000 cases a day. The number is now 107,143.

The seven-day average for daily new deaths also increased, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, rising over the past two weeks from about 270 deaths per day to nearly 500 a day as of Friday.Read more here.

10:25 a.m.: California first in nation to require health care workers to be vaccinated

California is mandating that all health workers get vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September. State health officials say they're the first in the nation to require vaccination in these settings without an alternative.

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that health care workers could either get their COVID-19 shots or face being tested weekly.

Health officials say they're taking more robust measures to protect the state's most vulnerable from the highly contagious delta variant.

"Because Californians should be confident that their health care providers are taking all steps to protect patient and overall community health," said California Secretary of Health and Human Services Director Mark Ghaly. "And in the face of surging COVID cases, steps like these are how California preserves one of our most precious gifts: health care workers who take care of us when we're sick."

Industry leaders are concerned the mandate will push people out of the health field.

Debora Pacyna is part of the California Association of Health Facilities trade group. They represent nursing homes and centers for people with disabilities and mental illness.

"Our workforce shortage is critical," Pacyna said. "A lot of people may decide they're just going to quit their jobs, and that will then trigger into a problem of access to services in skilled nursing."

The order applies to anyone in a health care setting, not just those who interact with patients that includes people in food service, facilities management, or billing. There are exceptions for people requesting to skip vaccination for medical or religious reasons.

9:34 a.m.: What Japans COVID-19 emergency means

Japan is host to the Tokyo Olympics, but the capital and other highly populated areas are in the middle of a government-declared state of emergency to curb surging COVID-19 infections.

According to the Associated Press, Tokyo has been in that state much of this year. People are getting resigned to it, no longer alarmed by a situation thats critically urgent, which is what the Japanese term translates into. Many are resigned and accepting it as the new normal.

The streets are bustling with people, commuter trains are jampacked, and restaurants and bars are open. However, theyve been asked to close early and cant serve alcohol. Restaurant owners say thats unfairly targeting eateries.

9:02 a.m.: Pacific Islanders in Sacramento have highest vaccination rate, but high COVID-19 cases

While Pacific Islanders make up about 2% of Sacramentos population, they also have some of the highest COVID-19 rates.

Despite being disproportionately impacted by the virus, Pacific Islanders have had one of the highest rates of vaccination in the country. The county classifies the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander category as people having origins in Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

So far, 66% of the people in those communities are at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19. However, Jimina Afuloa with EPIC, a Pacific-Islander advocacy organization, says the countys numbers dont reflect what theyve been seeing.

Were still facing a lot of folks who are still vaccine-hesitant, anti-vaxxers, Afuola said. Weve still been dealing with a lot of the disparities within our own community and trying to work through that kind of barrier.

Afuolas organization continues to do outreach, but she worries the countys numbers could give people a false sense of safety.

9:31 a.m.: Sacramento Kings to require COVID-19 vaccine for employees

The Sacramento Kings recently released a statement from Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadiv stating that full-time and part-time employees will be required to be vaccinated by Nov. 1 to continue their employment.

But according to the Sacramento Bee, that won't include players, who are part of the National Basketball Players Association union.

Tragically, this pandemic is not over, and with the rising number of cases, we have made the decision to require all Sacramento Kings team members to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, Ranadiv said. Health and safety are our utmost priority, and vaccines are the best tool available to protect one another and eradicate this virus.

9:24 a.m.: Can I get long covid if I get infected after being vaccinated? Maybe, but more research is needed.

Researchers are studying the chances of long COVID developing in anyone who might get infected after vaccination, according to the Associated Press.

COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing severe illness from the virus, but its still possible to get infected after the shots. Such breakthrough cases are more likely to come with mild or no symptoms.

However, researchers are looking at whether the cases could lead to long COVID-19, which is when people have symptoms a month or more after infection. Some long-term symptoms reflect damage to organs from severe infections. But, experts noted that long COVID-19 could also develop after infections with mild or no symptoms.

9:13 a.m.: Tokyo records over 5,000 COVID-19 cases during Olympic Games

Tokyo has reported 5,042 new coronavirus cases, its most since the pandemic began as infections surge in the Japanese capital hosting the Olympics.

According to the Associated Press, Tokyo has been under a state of emergency since mid-July, and four other areas of the country have since been added.

But the measures, basically shorter opening hours and a ban on alcohol for restaurants and bars, are increasingly ignored by the public, which has become tired of restrictions. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who has been criticized for insisting on hosting the Olympics despite the coronavirus surge, says theres no evidence linking the increase to the games.

10:31 a.m.: CDC extends eviction moratorium to Oct. 3

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a new moratorium on evictions that would last until Oct. 3, according to the Associated Press.

The Biden administration is trying to quell intensifying criticism that it was allowing vulnerable renters to lose their homes during a pandemic. The new moratorium could help keep millions in their homes as the coronavirus delta variant has spread.

States have been slow to release federal rental aid previously. The new move would temporarily halt evictions in counties with substantial and high levels of virus transmission and would cover areas where 90% of the U.S. population lives. See a map of those areas here.

10:18 a.m.: SF to administer extra COVID-19 shots to some vaccinated residents

San Francisco is providing an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people who got the single-shot Johnson & Johnson variety, but public health officials arent calling it a booster.

According to the Associated Press, the Department of Public Health on Tuesday said people who request it can receive a supplemental dose at city-run clinics. The second shot will be a vaccine produced by either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.

Authorities say theyve been getting a lot of requests for a second shot. The health agency says its offering a supplement, not a booster shot, that may be geared to a specific COVID-19 variant, such as the delta mutation thats blamed for a large uptick in infections.

10:08 a.m.: WHO leader wants booster shot moratorium

The head of the World Health Organization is calling for a moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines as a way to help ensure that doses are available in countries where few people have even gotten any of their coronavirus shots.

According to the Associated Press, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appealed on Wednesday most to wealthier countries that have far outpaced the developing world in numbers of vaccinations. WHO officials say the science is unproven about whether giving booster shots to people who have already received two vaccine doses is effective in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

WHO has repeatedly called for rich countries to do more to help improve access to vaccines in the developing world.

5:50 p.m.: Run to Feed the Hungry returns after being held virtually last year

A Sacramento Thanksgiving tradition is set to return this year. Organizers say Run to Feed the Hungry is coming back after being held virtually last year because of COVID restrictions.

The race's return wasn't officially declared until today, but somehow word leaked out to eager runners.

"We actually launched registration at midnight and people are already registering before we even announced it this morning," said Melanie Flood with Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.

The nonprofit puts the race on as a fundraiser generating nearly a million dollars. Thousands of people participate, running and walking in either a 5K or 10K through the streets of East Sacramento.

Flood says the decision to bring the run back aligns with CDC guidelines.

"In the worst case scenario, if we had to cancel the race and we weren't allowed to have an event such as this, we would still hold it virtually like we did last year, she said.

Registration will stay open through race day - November 25th.

10:15 a.m.: Fauci says not enough Americans vaccinated to 'crush the outbreak'

The nations top infectious disease expert is warning that more pain and suffering is ahead as COVID-19 cases climb again and officials plead with unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated, according to the Associated Press.

Dr. Anthony Fauci also said on ABCs This Week that he doesnt foresee additional U.S. lockdowns because he believes enough people are vaccinated to avoid a recurrence of last winter.

However, he said theres not nearly enough people who are inoculated to crush the outbreak. Currently, 58% of Americans 12 years and older are fully vaccinated.

The silver lining is that U.S. vaccinations are up 56% in the last two weeks, according to the National Institutes of Health Dr. Francis Collins said recently on CNN.

10:05 a.m.: What to know about the delta variant

The delta variant is more contagious than its predecessors, but research has shown that COVID-19 vaccines still provide strong protection against it.

According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited the variant's surge in advising that vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in areas with high transmission.

The change is based on new research suggesting vaccinated people who get infected can spread it to others, even if the vaccinated don't get seriously ill. The more vaccinated people there are, the more it helps protect the unvaccinated, including children not yet eligible for the shots.

Some breakthrough cases were always expected, and a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found such cases remain rare.

9:35 a.m.: More than 110 million COVID-19 vaccines sent abroad to over 60 countries

The White House says the U.S. has donated and shipped more than 110 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to more than 60 countries, ranging from Afghanistan to Zambia.

According to the Associated Press, Biden has promised the U.S. will be the arsenal of vaccines for the world. The 110 million doses given largely through a vaccine program known as COVAX represents a fraction of whats really needed globally.

The White House says the U.S. will begin shipping at the half a billion Pfizer doses its pledged to 100 low-income countries in August. President Joe Biden was expected later Tuesday to discuss the U.S. strategy for slowing the spread of coronavirus abroad.

5:11 p.m.: Bay Area health officials reinstate indoor mask mandate

Health officials in San Francisco and six other Bay Area counties have announced that they are reinstating a mask mandate for all indoor settings as COVID-19 infections surge. Monday's order applies to everyone, regardless of vaccination status, and starts on Tuesday.

California last week recommended that people wear masks indoors, but stopped short of issuing a mandate, following guidance from the U.S Centers for Disease Control.

Three other California counties have already adopted mandates as COVID rates rise because of the highly contagious delta variant.

11:04 a.m.: While vaccinated people can contract delta COVID-19 variant, vaccines still best defense

The delta variant has changed Californias COVID-19 landscape in a big way. New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that even fully immunized people can contract the virus and even pass it to others.

Still, vaccines are seen as the best chance at reducing viral transmission. Getting immunized does protect you from getting very ill or dying from COVID-19. The vaccine also mostly prevents symptomatic cases from the original alpha variant, though, its slightly different with the delta variant.

There definitely can be transmission from symptomatic breakthroughs, said UCSF infectious disease specialist Dr. Monica Gandhi. She explains that the delta variant can do this because its much more contagious and can transmit higher quantities of the virus, even to fully vaccinated people.

The trick is we need to get transmission down, Gandhi said. We need to get more people vaccinated so that theres not even a virus around for all of us to see to get mild breakthroughs. And thats really what were doing right now with resuming masking inside, and also importantly, getting our vaccination rates as high as we can.

Several California counties are requiring everyone to wear a mask in indoor public settings, though state and federal officials say its only recommended, not required, for fully immunized people.

However, Gandhi says strong mask policies are needed to combat this variant. She also stresses that people should refrain from gathering indoors and unmasked with friends who arent vaccinated.

We are acting like vaccines arent working, and thats what people seem to be hearing. These vaccines are working, Gandhi said. They are profoundly effective at preventing severe disease and death.

While many counties are seeing increases in hospitalizations, its far from the surge that California saw during the winter. Gandhi said public health departments will have to work hard to explain that more vaccinated people means theres less virus in circulation, leading to fewer deaths among those who cant get their shots.

10:06 a.m.: Evictions expected to spike due to national eviction moratorium ending

Housing courts around the country are ramping up work following the end of the federal eviction moratorium, according to the Associated Press.

Housing advocates fear that the recent end of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moratorium will result in millions of people being evicted. Most expect the wave of evictions to build slowly over the coming weeks and months as the bureaucracy of removing people from their homes restarts Monday.

The Biden administration announced Thursday it would allow a nationwide ban to expire. It argued that its hands were tied after the Supreme Court signaled the measure needed to come to an end.

California has its own eviction moratorium that is in place through the end of September.

9:43 a.m.: US employers ramp up vaccination pressure on white-collar employees

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California Coronavirus Updates: More Than Three Quarters Of Counties in the U.S. Are Experiencing Substantial Or High COVID-19 Transmissions - Capital...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) The COVID-19 outbreak in the United States crossed 100,000 new confirmed daily infections Saturday, a milestone last exceeded during the winter surge and driven by the highly transmissible delta variant and low vaccination rates in the South.

Health officials fear that cases, hospitalizations and deaths will continue to soar if more Americans dont embrace the vaccine. Nationwide, 50% of residents are fully vaccinated and more than 70% of adults have received at least one dose.

Our models show that if we dont (vaccinate people), we could be up to several hundred thousand cases a day, similar to our surge in early January, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky said on CNN this week.

It took the U.S. about nine months to cross 100,000 average daily cases in November before peaking at about 250,000 in early January. Cases bottomed out in June, averaging about 11,000 per day, but six weeks later the number is 107,143.

Hospitalizations and deaths are also increasing, though all are still below peaks seen early this year before vaccines became widely available. More than 44,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the CDC, up 30% in a week and nearly four times the number in June. More than 120,000 were hospitalized in January.

The seven-day average for deaths rose from about 270 deaths per day two weeks ago to nearly 500 a day as of Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University. Deaths peaked at 3,500 per day in January. Deaths usually lag behind hospitalizations as the disease normally takes a few weeks to kill.

The situation is particularly dire in the South, which has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S. and has seen smaller hospitals overrun with patients.

In the Southeast, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients jumped 50% to a daily average of 17,600 over the last week from 11,600 the previous week, the CDC says. Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky represent 41% of the nations new hospitalizations, the CDC says, twice their overall share of the population.

Alabama and Mississippi have the lowest vaccination rates in the country: less than 35% of residents are fully inoculated, according to the Mayo Clinic. Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas are all in the lowest 15 states.

Alabama saw more than 65,000 doses wasted because health providers couldnt find people to take them before they expired, according to State Health Officer Scott Harris. That represents less than 1.5% of the more than 5 million coronavirus vaccines doses that Alabama has received.

Sixty-five thousand doses have been wasted. Thats extremely unfortunate when we have such a low vaccination rate and of course, there are so many people in the world that still dont have access to vaccine, Harris said.

Florida has been especially hard hit. It makes up more than 20% of the nations new cases and hospitalizations, triple its share of the population. Many rural counties have vaccination rates below 40%, with the state at 49%. The state again set a record Saturday, reporting 23,903 new cases.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, while encouraging vaccinations, has taken a hard line against mask rules and other restrictions. Running for reelection next year and eyeing a 2024 Republican presidential bid, he and President Joe Biden have verbally sparred in recent days. DeSantis has accused the Democratic president of overreach, while Biden has said DeSantis should get out of the way of local officials if he doesnt want to fight the outbreak.

Some people have been scared off from the vaccine by bogus warnings on social media and from some non-medical media personalities.

Miami-area real estate agent Yoiris Duran, 56, said her family was swayed by the misinformation, although doctors and public health officials have almost universally encouraged people to get vaccinated. After she, her husband and 25-year-old son got seriously ill with COVID-19 and were hospitalized, shes now encouraging friends and family to get vaccinated.

I dont want people to go through what we have gone through, she said in a video interview with Baptist Health Systems.

In some parts of the U.S., hospitals are scrambling to find beds for patients.

Dr. Leonardo Alonso, who works in several emergency rooms in Jacksonville, one of Floridas hardest-hit areas, said some hospitals are sending some COVID-19 patients home with oxygen and a monitor to free beds for sicker people.

The ICUs, the hospitals are all on a near what we call mass casualty incident. Theyre almost at protocols where theyre overflowing, Alonso said.

In Texas, Houston officials said some patients were transferred out of the city one as far as North Dakota.

Dr. David Persse, Houstons chief medical officer, said some ambulances were waiting hours to offload patients because no beds were available. Persse said he feared this would lead to prolonged response times to 911 medical calls.

The health care system right now is nearly at a breaking point. ... For the next three weeks or so, I see no relief on whats happening in emergency departments, Persse said Thursday.

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US averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day - The Associated Press

Former Pittsburgh Steelers star safety Troy Polamalu has recovered from a bout with COVID-19 and will attend the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions.

Polamalu, a member of the class of 2020, has been at home since late last month and his status for the enshrinement ceremony had been in doubt. But he was cleared medically to travel to Canton and he took part in the Hall of Fame parade in the morning. He missed the Gold Jacket Dinner on Friday night when other members of the classes of 2020 and 2021 received their hall jackets.

A four-time All-Pro who twice won Super Bowls, Polamalu had to wait an extra year to be inducted because of the pandemic.

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Former Pittsburgh Steelers star Troy Polamalu recovered from coronavirus, at Hall of Fame induction - ESPN

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) The Ohio Department of Health has releasedthe latest number of COVID-19 casesin the state.

As of Sunday, August 8, a total of 1,142,330 (+1,413) cases has been reported since the start of the pandemic, leading to 62,520 (+19) hospitalizations and 8,529 (+2) ICU admissions. A total of 5,845,986 people or 50.01% of the states population has at least started the vaccination process.

ODH reported 26 deaths Friday, bringing the total to 20,556. The state is updating the total number of deaths only after death certificates have been processed, usually twice a week.

During a news conference Friday, Gov. Mike DeWine said Ohio is currently split between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, and he encouraged all Ohioans to get on board with the CDCs recommendation to protect themselves against COVID-19.

The most effective tool we have today is the vaccine, DeWine said. People who are not vaccinated are not safe. I want to make sure everyone has the facts.

As the more contagious delta variant of COVID-19 sweeps through Ohio,datashows younger people are making up a larger share of cases because their age groups are the states least vaccinated.

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Coronavirus in Ohio: 50% of Ohioans have now started the vaccination process - NBC4 WCMH-TV

United Airlines said on Friday that it would require all U.S. employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus starting this fall. It was the first major airline to establish such a mandate and the latest in a small but growing number of businesses to do so.

Also on Friday, Amazon, the second-largest private employer in the country, and JPMorgan Chase revived mask mandates for vaccinated workers.

We hope this will only be required for a few weeks, Amazon, which had been allowing vaccinated employees to go without face coverings, wrote to its warehouse workers on Friday. Everyone can do their part to speed our return to normal by getting vaccinated.

JPMorgan, the nations largest bank, said unvaccinated employees must be tested at least twice a week and would not be allowed to attend indoor employee events with 25 or more people. The companys operating committee also said in a memo that the firm will continue with our previously stated return to the office schedule, even as many companies, including the financial firms BlackRock and Wells Fargo, have postponed their mandatory return plans.

Amazon had already told its corporate employees that they wouldnt be recalled to the office until January, pushing back a deadline that had been set for early September. But it has not indicated any changes to its vaccination policy, which encourages but does not mandate immunization.

Hours after Uniteds announcement, Frontier Airlines, a much smaller carrier, said it, too, would require vaccines for all employees. Frontiers mandate begins on Oct. 1.

Uniteds employees will be required to upload proof of vaccination within five weeks of a vaccines full approval by the Food and Drug Administration (not the Federal Drug Administration as was reported here earlier) or by Oct. 25, whichever comes first. Those who provide proof by Sept. 20 will receive a full days pay, excluding pilots and flight attendants who have already received a union-negotiated bonus for getting vaccinated. So far, about 90 percent of Uniteds pilots and 80 percent of its flight attendants have been vaccinated, the airline said.

We have no greater responsibility to you and your colleagues than to ensure your safety when youre at work, and the facts are crystal clear: Everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated, Scott Kirby, the airlines chief executive, and Brett Hart, its president, said in a memo to their staff.

Employees who fail to comply with the new policy will be fired. And while United will allow exceptions for religious or medical reasons, it will require documentation.

Mr. Kirby first floated the idea of a mandate at an internal forum in January, saying United would be amongst the first wave of companies to require vaccination.

Delta Air Lines requires new employees to be vaccinated, but existing employees are exempt. American Airlines is not putting mandates in place for employees or customers, its chief executive, Doug Parker, said in an interview with the New York Times columnist Kara Swisher.

Airlines have generally dismissed the idea of mandates for customers. Mr. Parker said in the interview that doing so would create enormous delays. Deltas chief executive, Ed Bastian, said on CNBC this week that it would be very difficult to require customers to receive a vaccine that hadnt yet been fully federally approved.

Lananh Nguyen and Karen Weise contributed reporting.

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United Airlines Will Require Employees to be Vaccinated Against the Coronavirus - The New York Times

Illinois health officials on Friday reported 16,742 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, along with 64 additional deaths and more than 176,000 new vaccine doses administered.

COVID cases statewide have increased by more than 43% over the last week, with hospitalizations up 33%, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Intensive care unit admissions also increased by 47% and the number of COVID patients on ventilators nearly doubled in the past week, up by 95%.

In all, 1,436,353 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state since the pandemic began. The additional deaths reported this week bring the state to 23,503 confirmed COVID fatalities.

The state has administered 365,210 tests since last Friday, officials said, bringing the total to more than 27 million tests conducted during the pandemic.

The states seven-day positivity rate on all tests rose to 5.2% from 4.7% last week which was up from 3.5% the week before, officials said. The rolling average seven-day positivity rate for cases as a percentage of total tests was up to 4.6% from 4% the week before, 3.3% two weeks prior and 1.9% three weeks ago.

IDPH noted, however, that the regional seven-day positivity rate ranges from 3.1% to 10.3%.

Over the past seven days, a total of 176,709 doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered to Illinois residents - up from around 154,000 the week prior and bringing the states average to 25,244 daily vaccination doses over the last week, per IDPH data.

More than 13 million vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois since vaccinations began in December. More than 59% of adult residents in the state are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with 75% receiving at least one dose.

As of midnight, 1,200 patients are currently hospitalized due to COVID in the state. Of those patients, 246 are in ICU beds, and 121 are on ventilators. All three metrics are a reported increase since last Friday.

This week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that all students and teachers in schools will be required to wear masks while indoors, as state officials take steps to try to slow the spread of the delta variant of COVID-19.

Pritzker says that the new requirement will take effect immediately, and will also apply to all students and coaches participating in indoor sports and other activities.

He also announced that employees at state-run congregant care facilities, including correctional facilities, veterans homes, and psychiatric hospitals, will be required to receive COVID vaccinations, effective Oct. 4.

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Coronavirus in Illinois: 16,742 New COVID Cases, 64 Deaths, 176K Vaccinations in the Past Week - NBC Chicago