Category: Corona Virus

Japan said that the average number of influenza patients designated medical institutions nationwide had hit warning levels at their fastest pace in 10 years, it was reported. The spread of flu cases reflects lowered influenza immunity after cases had dropped in recent years amid anti-infection measures implemented against the coronavirus pandemic, Japan Times reported citing health experts. The influenza virus is spreading about a month earlier than normal, they said.

Across almost 5,000 institutions, 166,690 patients had been reported in the week through December 10, averaging 33.72 people per facility, Japan's health minister said. This has surpassed the warning level of 30, it informed. During the same period, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases estimated that the number of patients nationwide totaled around 1,118,000.

Coronavirus cases have also been increasing for the third consecutive week, authorities said. This means both the virus could spread further as year-end and New Year's social gatherings take place in the country. School and class-specific closures have been required at 6,382 educational facilities nationwide in the week through Sunday, authorities have said.

Influenza outbreaks typically occur in the winter and the end of spring but this year saw an unusual increase in cases from August. Flu cases were also seen in October as they exceeded the advisory level for that month of 10 people per institution.

"Individual measures for preventing infection are the same as those for COVID-19, including getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and avoiding crowded places," Nobuhiko Okabe, head of the Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health, said.

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Japan flu cases hit high levels at fastest pace in 10 years. What about Covid? - Hindustan Times

A study of hospitalized Veterans Affairs (VA) patients found that combination therapy was not associated with decreased mortality for multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter infections, researchers reported yesterday in Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology.

The retrospective cohort study, led by a team of VA researchers, looked at VA patients who were hospitalized with MDR Acinetobacter bacteremia and received antibiotics 2 days prior through 5 days after the culture date from 2012 through 2018. The aim was to assess the impact of antibiotic treatments on in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality and costs.

MDRAcinetobacter spp.was identified in 184 patients. Most patients were older (mean age, 67 years), White, non-Hispanic men. The vast majority of cultures identified wereA baumannii (90%), while 3% wereA lwoffii,and 7% were otherAcinetobacter species.Half (50.5%) of the infected patients died in hospital, 44% within 30 days, and 67.9% within 1 year.

Penicillins/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations (51.1%) and carbapenems (51.6%) were the most prescribed antibiotics. In unadjusted analysis, extended-spectrum cephalosporins and penicillins/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations were associated with a decreased odds of 30-day mortality, but the effect was insignificant after adjustment (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21 to 1.05 and aOR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.37 to 1.53, respectively). There was no association between combination therapy vs monotherapy and 30-day mortality (aOR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.72 to 3.32).

The results are noteworthy, the authors say, because while the Sanford Guide and the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend combination therapy (high-dose ampicillin-sulbactam plus an additional agent) for treating severe MDRAcinetobacterinfections, the findings add to evidence from prior studies that have found limited improved clinical outcomes with combination therapy.

"Our results provide additional comparative effectiveness demonstrating a lack of benefit to combination therapy given within 2 through +5 days from the culture date," they wrote.

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Global flu activity rises, led by Northern Hemisphere hot spots - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Photo: Kittiphan Teerawattanakul/Eye Em/Getty Images

In 2022, healthcare spending in the United States increased 4.1% to $4.5 trillion, or $13,493 per person, according to new analysis from the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

This was much slower than thegrowth in the nominal gross domestic product, which increased 9.1%.

Federal COVID-19 supplemental funding to the health sector through the Provider Relief Fund and the Paycheck Protection Program was highest during the initial year of the pandemic. It continued to affect healthcare expenditures in 2021 and 2022, although at reduced levels.

Funding to the health sector through these programs was $174.6 billion in 2020, but just $2 billion in 2022, the report said.

In 2022, strong growth in Medicaid and private health insurance spending was offset by the continued declines in federal supplemental COVID-19 funding.

Overall, healthcare spending growth in 2022 was faster than the 3.2% growth in 2021, but much slower than the rate of 10.6% in 2020.

Hospital spending (2.2% growth) reached $1.4 trillion in 2022, representing 30% of overall healthcare spending.

Growth in expenditures for hospital care was 2.2% in 2022, lower than the 4.5% growth in 2021. The slower growth in 2022 reflected a decrease in hospital care spending by private health insurance, Medicareand Medicare, and by a decline in other private revenues.

Physician and clinical services spending (2.7% growth) reached $884.9 billion, or 20% of total healthcare expenditures in 2022. Spending growth increased 2.7% in 2022, the slowest rate of growth in almost a decade and lower than the increases of 5.3% in 2021 and 6.6% in 2020.

This slower growth is due to a slowdown in the use of services and slower growth in prices. Spending for independently billing laboratories slowed in 2022 because of reduced COVID-19-related testing.

WHY THIS MATTERS

The report's numbers reflect spending and utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic, with growth now returning to a more normal range.

This study will also appear in the January 2024 issue of Health Affairs.

"Health care expenditures since 2020 have reflected volatile patterns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the federal government's response to the public health emergency," said Micah Hartman, a statistician in the CMS Office of the Actuary and first author of the Health Affairs article. "The growth in healthcare spending in 2022 of 4.1% was more consistent with the pre-pandemic average annual growth rate of 4.4% over 201619. It remains to be seen how future healthcare spending trends will materialize, as trends are expected to be driven more by health-specific factors such as medical-specific price inflation, the utilization and intensity of medical care, and the demographic impacts associated with the continuing enrollment of the baby boomers in Medicare."

THE LARGER TREND

Some of the report's major findings show:

U.S. healthcare spending grew 4.1% to reach $4.5 trillion in 2022, faster than the increase of 3.2% in 2021, but much slower than the rate of 10.6% in 2020. The growth in 2022 reflected strong growth in Medicaid and private health insurance spending that was somewhat offset by continued declines in supplemental funding by the federal government associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, the insured share of the population reached 92% (a historic high). Private health insurance enrollment increased by 2.9 million individuals, and Medicaid enrollment increased by 6.1 million individuals.

In 2022, 26.6 million individuals were uninsured, down from 28.5 million in 2021 (a difference of 1.9 million individuals).

Gross domestic product continued to increase at strong rates of growth in both 2021 and 2022, increasing 10.7% and 9.1%, respectively. With a lower rate of healthcare spending growth of 4.1% in 2022, the share of GDP devoted to healthcare fell to 17.3% in 2022, lower than both the 18.2% share in 2021 and the highest share in the history of the National Health Expenditure Accounts, 19.5% in 2020. During 2016-19 the average share was 17.5%.

Growth in total healthcare spending in 2022 reflected a slowdown in personal healthcare spending for hospital care (from 4.5% in 2021 to 2.2% in 2022), dental services (from 18.2% in 2021 to 0.3% in 2022), and physician and clinical services (from 5.3% in 2021 to 2.7% in 2022).

This decrease was more than offset by faster growth in nonpersonal healthcare spending, which accelerated in 2022 due largely to a turnaround in the net cost of insurance, according to the report.

Medicaid and private health insurance spending also influenced growth in healthcare spending in 2022. Medicaid spending increased 9.6% in 2022 after growth of 9.4% in 2021 and 9.3% in 2020.

From 2019 to 2022, cumulative Medicaid spending increased 31%, or 9.4% per year on average, and enrollment accounted for most of the growth as it increased 24.6%.

Medicaid enrollment increased by 6.1 million people in 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals retained Medicaid coverage until the redetermination process began this April.

Private health insurance spending increased 5.9% in 2022 after an increase of 6.3% in 2021 and a decline of 0.8% in 2020.

The number of uninsured individuals declined for the third consecutive year, from 28.5 million in 2021 to 26.6 million in 2022, as the insured share of the population increased to 92%, a historic high.

Marketplace enrollment increased by 1.7 million people in 2022, and employer-sponsored insurance enrollment increased by 1.5 million people, accounting for 86% of total private health insurance enrollment and 88% of spending.

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Twitter: @SusanJMorse Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org

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Healthcare spending growth less than half of 2020 COVID-19 numbers - Healthcare Finance News

US life expectancy has risen by 1.1 years, from 76.4 years in 2021 to 77.5 years in 2022, according to provisional data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Health Statistics. Yet the increase does not cancel out the 2.4-year decrease in life expectancy that occurred between 2019 and 2021, due in large part to excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Decreases in COVID-19 deaths contributed most to the increase in average life expectancy, followed by reduced deaths from heart disease, unintentional injuries, cancer, and homicide.

In addition, life expectancies increased for many racial and ethnic groups, although underlying disparities between groups remained. For instance, American Indian and Alaska Native populations gained 2.3 years in life expectancy from 2021 to 2022. However, the difference in average life expectancy between White people and American Indian and Alaska Native individuals was about 10 years, with White people living an average of 77.5 years and American Indian and Alaska Native individuals living an average of 67.9 years.

Published Online: December 13, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.24683

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Life Expectancy in US Climbed After Declines Related to COVID-19 - JAMA Network

Wearing a well-fitting mask minimizes your likelihood of contracting and spreading the virus. BPHC strongly recommends wearing a mask:

Choose a mask that fits snugly against your nose and chin with no large gaps around the sides of the face. Due to the more transmissible omicron variant, consider wearing a disposable surgical mask, or if you will be in close contact with the public, a KN95 mask.

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COVID-19 in Boston - Boston.gov

A cross-sectional study identified several racial differences in the clinical presentation and treatment of Lyme disease, researchers reported today in JAMA Network Open.

The study by researchers with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that, among 1,395 Lyme disease patients (50.4% men, median age 48 years) treated at a specialty clinic in suburban Maryland, Black patients had 4.93 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.02 to 12.02) the odds of being diagnosed as having disseminated disease compared with patients who only had signs of the erythema migrans (EM) rashthe most common early sign of infection. The EM rash typically occurs within days or weeks of a deer tick bite.

Among 1,325 patients, Black patients (odds ratio [OR], 2.07; 95% CI, 1.12 to 3.84), women (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.77), and younger patients (per 10 years: OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.20) all independently had higher odds of being in the symptoms-only group.

Analysis of 1,295 patients also found that Black patients had a significantly longer median time to appropriate antibiotic treatment (35 days) compared with White patients (7 days). This was significant among patients with EM (Black, 26 days; White, 4 days) but not those with disseminated disease or symptoms only. Initial inappropriate antibiotics were found in 6 of 37 Black patients (16.2%) and 90 of 1,165 White patients (7.7%)

When administered early, antibiotics cure Lyme disease in more than 99% of cases. Untreated infection can lead to complications involving the joints, heart, and nervous system.

Although this is one of the few large, clinic-based studies to examine racial differences in Lyme disease treatment, the study authors note that the findings are consistent with prior surveillance and insurance-claims studies. They suggest EM under-recognition could be attributed to EM images on Black patients being underrepresented in medical literature, gaps in healthcare access, racial discrimination, and implicit bias.

"Efforts are needed to increase patient and clinician awareness to ensure equitable reductions in disease burden," the authors wrote.

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Rate of young kids hospitalized for RSV spiked after first year of COVID pandemic - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

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Report on NJs COVID-19 response new expected early in 2024 - NJ Spotlight News

12:48:38 PM IST, 18 December 2023

Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, accused the state government on Monday of not taking any steps to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the southern state. Speaking to reporters here, Satheesan said that even though 89 per cent of the COVID cases in the country are in the state, the Kerala government has not provided clear information about the action taken. "The spread of COVID-19 is intensifying in the state. However, the government has not yet issued any clear statements on this," the Congress leader alleged. He further stated that at the national level, the Ministry of Health reports that out of more than 1,800 cases in the country, over 1,600 cases have been reported in Kerala.

12:09:15 PM IST, 18 December 2023

11:29:00 AM IST, 18 December 2023

China is facing a shortage of blood -- a problem blamed on the current spike in respiratory illness, the cold snap and a fall in the number of donors, the media reported. Local authorities and blood centres in several of the biggest provinces, including Henan, Shandong, Fujian, Hubei and Shanxi, have warned of a sharp drop in the number of donations and appealed for people to contribute, South China Morning Post reported. According to state-controlled news outlet ThePaper.cn, blood stocks in Xinxiang, a city in Henan province, were running so low that they threatened the supply for operations and other hospital needs, SCMP reported. The city's publicity department and local Red Cross Society issued an urgent appeal on Friday, saying demand was surging but fewer people were donating because it was winter. Yuncheng, a city in the central province of Shanxi, issued a similar appeal for donors, saying donations had fallen dramatically after temperatures "dropped off a cliff" while respiratory illnesses surged.

11:04:11 AM IST, 18 December 2023

People hospitalised with seasonal influenza can suffer long-term, negative health effects, especially involving their lungs and airways, much like the effects of long Covid, according to a study. The research, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, compared the viruses that cause COVID-19 and the flu. It shows that in the 18 months after infection, patients hospitalised for either COVID-19 or seasonal influenza faced an increased risk of death, hospital readmission, and health problems in many organ systems.

10:40:24 AM IST, 18 December 2023

The vast majority of cases are infected by the JN.1 variant, a sublineage of BA.2.86.

10:34:57 AM IST, 18 December 2023

Estonia's prime minister has tested positive for COVID, leading to the cancellation of Sunday's meeting between the leaders of the Baltic states and Poland's new prime minister, Donald Tusk, the Polish government said on X. Tusk had said he would meet the leaders in Estonia, including Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, to discuss the Ukraine war and safe borders.

10:27:41 AM IST, 18 December 2023

India logged 335 new COVID-19 infections while the number of active cases increased to 1,701, according to the Union health ministry. India's COVID-19 caseload stands at 4.50 crore (4,50,04,816). The death toll climbed to 5,33,316 as five more people -- four in Kerala and one in Uttar Pradesh -- succumbed to the viral disease, the data updated at 8 am stated. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has increased to 4,44,69,799. The national recovery rate stands at 98.81 per cent, according to the health ministry's website. The case fatality rate stands at 1.19 per cent.

10:23:41 AM IST, 18 December 2023

10:21:42 AM IST, 18 December 2023

In the wake of the surge in respiratory diseases and new JN.1 COVID sub-variant, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the virus is evolving and changing and urged the member states to continue with strong surveillance and sequence sharing. The global body also shared a video of its COVID-19 technical lead, Maria Van Kerkhove, who explained the reason for the recent surges and what precautions can be taken. "Dr @mvankerkhove talks about the current surge in respiratory diseases #COVID19 and JN.1 subvariant. WHO continues to assess the situation. Follow WHO's public health advice to keep your families and friends safe during this holiday season," WHO posted on X (formerly Twitter).

10:03:58 AM IST, 18 December 2023

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar described anti-national narratives as a Covid virus and said they have to be neutralised. He was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of 8th three-day international seminar on 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam: Shrimad Bhagwadgita & Global Unity' organised by Kurukshetra University and Kurukshetra Development Board. The event was organised in Kurukshetra as part of the ongoing International Gita Festival there. Dhankhar said either in a planned way or due to lack of understanding, a few people take pleasure in floating anti-national narratives. "It should not happen. You blunt it (such narratives). It is like a Covid virus that has to be neutralised," he said.

09:38:10 AM IST, 18 December 2023

The reported symptoms encompass fever, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and, in certain instances, mild gastrointestinal symptoms. Health authorities stress that the majority of patients exhibit these mild upper respiratory symptoms, typically showing improvement within four to five days.

09:37:28 AM IST, 18 December 2023

While the majority of cases in Kerala are described as clinically mild, health authorities underscore the significance of maintaining continuous vigilance and preparedness to adeptly address the developing situation associated with COVID-19 variants.

09:34:39 AM IST, 18 December 2023

The Union Ministry of Health has taken proactive measures in response to the detection of a case involving the JN.1 subvariant of COVID in Kerala during the routine surveillance conducted by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG).A simulated drill is currently in progress in health facilities nationwide to assess public health and hospital preparedness. District collectors are overseeing this exercise, which commenced on December 13 and is slated for conclusion by December 18, 2023.

09:30:10 AM IST, 18 December 2023

Amid the rise in respiratory illnesses and the emergence of the new JN.1 COVID sub-variant, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized that the virus is undergoing evolution and mutation. The organization called on member states to maintain robust surveillance and share sequencing data.The WHO also disseminated a video featuring Maria Van Kerkhove, the technical lead on COVID-19, providing insights into the reasons behind the recent upsurge in cases and recommending precautionary measures.

09:28:37 AM IST, 18 December 2023

In the face of escalating COVID cases in Kerala, which includes the identification of a case involving the subvariant JN.1, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao dismissed the current necessity to impose movement restrictions at the border. He emphasized that the government has implemented comprehensive precautionary measures to address the situation.

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COVID-19 Sub Variant JN.1 Live News: No need to worry, says Kerala Health Minister on JN.1 subvariant; K'... - Economic Times

Reported coronavirus cases statewide and locally went up in the week ending Dec. 9.

Statewide, the number increased to 3,156. Thats 148 more than in the week ending Dec. 2, which is an increase of 4.6%.

Locally, in the area covered by The Sun Chronicle, the number of reported cases increased from 55 in the week ending Dec. 2, to 60 in the week ending Dec. 9, which is an increase of 9%.

The area covered includes the communities of Attleboro, North Attleboro, Foxboro, Norfolk, Norton, Mansfield, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Wrentham.

The number of cases are not accurate, however, because of the prevalence of home-testing kits.

Not all the positive cases found through those kits are reported because the intensity of the disease has lessened.

Also, many people who become ill dont even bother testing at this point.

For context, the highest number of new reported cases statewide for one week was recorded on Jan. 14, 2022, at 132,557.

The highest number locally for one week was 3,463, recorded on Jan. 13, 2022.

All told, since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, the area has recorded 49,522 cases.

In the week ending Dec. 9, the reported case counts in the communities covered by The Sun Chronicle were:

Statewide, the number was 3,156 confirmed cases with 1,089 probable cases, for a total of 2,095,576 cases.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide was 25, and the number of probable deaths was three for the week ending Dec. 9.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 is 23,069, and the number of confirmed and probable deaths is 26,601.

A new poll for the area has been taken recently and the death total, with just seven communities reporting, was 501.

Most of the deaths hit the elderly.

George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.

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Reported cases of coronavirus on the rise in Attleboro area and rest of the state - The Sun Chronicle

NEW DELHI: A new sub-variant, named JN.1, of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 has been identified in a woman in Kerala, raising concerns and emphasising the need for continued alert in the fight against the viral disease. The Centre on December 16 confirmed the presence of JN.1 subvariant of Covid-19 in a patient from Kerala, the first such case in India. JN.1 is closely related to the BA.2.86 variant, also referred to as Pirola, which has been detected in the US and China recently. As per the government, sample of a Covid positive patient from Thiruvananthapuram came positive for JN.1 on December 8 as part of the ongoing routine surveillance. What is JN.1? This virus is a novel variant of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.86, (also known as Pirola) of SARS-CoV-2. It features an extra mutation on its spike protein. The variant has the capability to spread rapidly and evade immunity, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and caution in response to the evolving situation in India. What are the symptoms? The symptoms of Covid-19 remain consistent across all variants. According to American health agency CDC's suggestion, the JN.1 coronavirus variant may or may not induce distinct symptoms compared to other variations. Reported symptoms of JN.1 include fever, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and mild gastrointestinal symptoms. Should we worry about it? The CDC has alerted that it lacks information on whether the strain exhibits distinct symptoms from prior coronavirus variants. The agency has cautioned that JN.1 demonstrates heightened ability to evade the immune system, heightening concerns about increased transmissibility.

WHO urges 'strong surveillance' In the wake of the surge, the World Health Organisation (WHO) urged the member states to continue with strong surveillance and sequence sharing. The global body also shared a video of its Covid-19 technical lead, Maria Van Kerkhove, who explained the reason for the recent surges and what precautions can be taken. "Dr @mvankerkhove talks about the current surge in respiratory diseases #COVID19 and JN.1 subvariant. WHO continues to assess the situation. Follow WHO's public health advice to keep your families and friends safe during this holiday season," WHO posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Global concerns China has identified seven cases of the Covid caused by subvariant JN.1, featuring an extra spike protein mutation. Discovered in the US in September 2023, JN.1 has since surfaced in 11 other nations. The CDC suggests it's too early to predict its wider spread based on current information, emphasizing the need for ongoing monitoring. Meanwhile, India on Sunday logged 335 new Covid-19 infections while the number of active cases increased to 1,701, according to the Union health ministry. Health officials have stressed the importance of vigilance, advocating preventive measures like hand hygiene, updated vaccinations, and seeking prompt medical attention for any worrisome symptoms. A mock drill is underway in health facilities across states, evaluating public health and hospital readiness. This exercise, overseen by district collectors, commenced on December 13 and is scheduled for completion by December 18, 2023. While the majority of cases in Kerala are reported to be clinically mild, the health authorities emphasise the importance of ongoing vigilance and preparedness to effectively manage the evolving situation related to Covid-19 variants. The India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a network of Genomic Laboratories, has been actively monitoring the genomic aspects of Covid-19 in India. The health authorities highlight that most patients experience these mild upper respiratory symptoms, which typically improve within four to five days.

Hospitals, Health centres to increase testing: Ktaka Health Minister after Kerala reports cases of new COVID-19 strain

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Why new Omicron subvariant JN.1 is a global concern - IndiaTimes