Category: Covid-19

'); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append('"+val.ihtml+""); $("#expandable-weather-block .weather-index-alerts").show(); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body h2").css({"font-family":"'Fira Sans', sans-serif", "font-weight":"500", "padding-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body p").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body span.wxalertnum").css({"float":"left", "width":"40px", "height":"40px", "color":"#ffffff", "line-height":"40px", "background-color":"#888888", "border-radius":"40px", "text-align":"center", "margin-right":"12px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body b").css("font-size", "18px"); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body li").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"18px", "margin-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body ul").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body pre").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body img").css({"width":"100%", "margin-bottom":"20px", "borderWidth":"1px", "border-style":"solid", "border-color":"#aaaaaa"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).css({"borderWidth":"0", "border-bottom-width":"1px", "border-style":"dashed", "border-color":"#aaaaaa", "padding-bottom":"10px", "margin-bottom":"40px"}); }); } function parseAlertJSON(json) { console.log(json); alertCount = 0; if (Object.keys(json.alerts).length > 0) { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").empty(); } $.each(json.alerts, function(key, val) { alertCount++; $("#mrd-wx-alerts .alert_count").text(alertCount); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").append(''); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } else if (val.fips != "" && val.fipsimg != "") { // $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } // } //val.instr = val.instr.replace(/[W_]+/g," "); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(val.dhtml+"

Instruction

More here:

Jefferson County remains in the "red zone" due COVID-19 spread - KMOV.com

Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith

President-elect Joe Biden has named three public health experts with close Yale ties to lead his transition teams new COVID-19 advisory board, including Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, an authority on the pandemics disproportionate effect on communities of color.

Nunez-Smith associate professor of internal medicine, public health, and management will co-chair the COVID-19 Transition Advisory Board with Dr.Vivek Murthy 03 M.B.A. 03 M.D., a former U.S. surgeon general, and Dr. David Kessler, a former dean of Yale School of Medicine and past commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The full board, which includes 10 other doctors, scientists, and public health experts, will guide the incoming administrations response to the COVID-19 crisis, including efforts to manage a surge of infections, ensure the approval of safe vaccines, and protect at-risk populations. Cases of the virus are on the rise in at least 40 states, with more than 9.3 million total infections, and more than 236,000 deaths.

According to the Biden-Harris transition team, the advisory board will consult with state and local officials to determine the public health and economic steps necessary to get the virus under control, to deliver immediate relief to working families, to address ongoing racial and ethnic disparities, and to reopen our schools and businesses safely and effectively.

Nunez-Smith, Murthy, and Kessler were already advising the Biden campaign on the crisis, and now have a new opportunity.

Our country is facing an unprecedented time withCOVID-19 cases acceleratingnationwide, said Nunez-Smith.Everyone is affected by this pandemic, yet the burden is disproportionate. We know communities of color are grieving at high rates and are facing substantial economic impact. The transition advisory board is setting a course for everyone in our country to experience recovery. Im honored to help lead on that work and thank President-elect Joe Biden for the opportunity to serve.

Said Dr.Nancy J. Brown, Yales Jean and David W. Wallace Dean of Medicine:

Yale faculty and alumnihave been working diligently to addresstheSARS-CoV-2pandemic, andwe are delighted that the three co-leaders of the task force, all with ties to Yale, are poised to have an even greater impact. Dr. Nunez-Smith brings a scientific understanding of the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on the health of specific groups in the community, which is critical to meet the challenges we are facing.

Nunez-Smith, the director of Yales Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity, the founding director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center, and the medical schools associate dean for health equity research, studies disparities in healthcare access. She was oneof the original Clinical and Translational Science Award scholars at the Yale Center for Clinical Investigations, and is now one of the programs deputy directors.

Nunez-Smith has alsochaired the community sub-committeefor Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamonts Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group, focusingon communities and groups most at risk for severe COVID-19.

Murthyserved as surgeon generalunder President Obama.As vice admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he commanded a uniformed service of 6,600 public health officers. They focused on helping underserved populations, protecting the nation from Ebola and Zika, responding to the Flint water crisis, and natural disasters such as hurricanes.Murthy also is founder and president of Doctors for America, a group of over 15,000 physicians and medical students who support high-quality affordable healthcare for all Americans.

As FDA commissioner under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Kessler oversaw the implementation of mandatory nutritional labelling and advocated for greater regulation of the tobacco industry. Later, from 1997 to 2003, he served as the dean of Yale School of Medicine. He is currentlyprofessor of pediatrics and epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine.

As the nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, Yale is proud to have three members of the university family guiding the president-elects transition strategy on this topic of such crucial importance to our country, our world, and our collective future, said Yale President Peter Salovey. Drs. Kessler, Murthy, and Nunez-Smith exemplify Yales commitment to research excellence, and toimproving the world today and for future generations. I offer them my congratulations and gratitude for their leadership and service.

Go here to see the original:

Biden taps three experts with Yale ties to lead COVID-19 advisory board - Yale News

WASHINGTON (CBS News)

Ben Carson, the secretary of housing and urban development (HUD), has tested positive for the coronavirus, a HUD spokesperson said Monday, making him the second senior official who attended an election night event at the White House to contract the virus.

Secretary Carson is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery, said Carsons Deputy Chief of Staff Coalter Baker.

Carsons age 69 places him in a higher-risk category for serious complications of the virus than some of the others in the Trump administration who have contracted the virus. Carson was a successful neurosurgeon for years.

Officials confirmed over the weekend that chief of staff Mark Meadows had also contracted the virus, along with four other unnamed White House staffers. Its unclear when Meadows or the staffers were first diagnosed, but he was among the hundreds of people who attended the White Houses election night party in the East Room, where few masks were worn and social distancing was seldom observed.

The growing outbreak comes weeks after more than two dozen people in Trumps orbit tested positive following a Rose Garden event in September for now-Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, including Trump.

Multiple officials within Vice President Mike Pences inner circle also contracted COVID-19 recently.

Trump continued to deride the use of masks even after his bout with COVID-19, which hospitalized him for several days.

Go here to read the rest:

Ben Carson tests positive for COVID-19, days after White House election party - Wink News

POCOMOKE CITY, Md. Worcester County health officials say a Pocomoke nursing home has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases as well as two coronavirus deaths in the last week.

The total number of COVID cases at Hartley Hall Nursing and Rehabilitation has more than doubled since Wednesday. The facility also goes by the name Peak Healthcare at Hartley Hall. As of Sunday, they had 33 resident cases and 22 staff cases. Unfortunately, one resident and one staff member have also died from coronavirus. These numbers compare to last Wednesday when the facility reported 16 staff cases, 10 resident cases and zero COVID-19 deaths.

Worcester County health officials say ever since the pandemic began the facility has been proactive in asking for resources. Theyve reached out to us for mental health support for staff. The facility has been incredibly proactive, even more so than is required. They have opted for twice weekly testing for surveillance of asymptomatic cases in staff and residents. Weekly testing is what is required. So they are doing double what is required, says Travis Brown with the Worcester County Health Department.

Brown says Hartly was one of the first to request and receive a visit from the states strike team back in April. They also signed up for staffing support via the Chesapeake Registry.

The Worcester County Health Department says Hartly does not have in-person visitations at this time but theyre having virtual visits between residents and families.

Hartley Hall Nursing And Rehabilitation is located at: 1006 Market Street, Pocomoke City, MD, 21851.

The numbers on the states coronavirus website are updated every Wednesday.

Go here to read the rest:

Two COVID-19 deaths at Pocomoke nursing home, cases more than double in less than a week - 47abc - WMDT

As a public service, Shaw Media will provide open access to information related to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) emergency. Sign up for the newsletter here

Nearly 300 more DeKalb County residents were reported as positive COVID-19 cases over the weekend, according to the DeKalb County Health Department on Monday.

Representing three days' worth of cases, the health department reported 279 new cases of the novel coronavirus Monday. Nearly a fourth of all known COVID-19 cases in DeKalb County were identified in the past 8 days alone, with 899 cases identified added to the growing total as the county trends with the rest of the state and country for a fall viral surge.

There have now been 3,507 cases reported in the county while the death toll remained at 43, and cases were reported Monday in all age groups.

DeKalb County's rolling seven-day positivity rate rose slightly again to 12.6%, according to the most recent available data from the Illinois Department of Public Health which reports on a three-day lag. The regional rate shot up to 17.6% after a single-day total of 21% on Friday.

Of the new cases in the county Monday, 42 were in residents younger than 20, 43 in their 20s, 40 in their 30s, 48 in their 40s, 46 in their 50s, 31 in their 60s, 21 in their 70s and eight in their 80s or older.

There were no new cases reported at any of the long-term care facilities in the county.

Prairie Crossing Living and Rehabilitation Center in Shabbona reports four cases (three in staff, one in a resident). Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Living Center remained at two cases (one each in a resident and employee), while Bethany Rehabilitation and Health Care Center reports two cases, both in employees. DeKalb County Rehabilitation and Nursing Center reports 16 cases (15 in employees, one resident), Oak Crest-DeKalb Area Retirement Center reports 20 (12 in staff, eight residents), and Heritage Woods at three cases (two in staff, one resident).

By the numbers

In total, there are 602 cases in residents younger than 20, 927 in their 20s, 491 in their 30s, 507 in their 40s, 448 in their 50s, 257 in their 60s, 159 in their 70s and 125 in their 80s or older.

To date, there have been 26 deaths reported in DeKalb County residents in their 80s, six in their 70s, five in their 60s, three in their 50s, and one each in their 40s and 30s and an infant.

According to county data, the city of DeKalb reports between 1,586 and 1,590 cases. There are between 561 and 565 cases in Sycamore, 286 and 290 in Sandwich and Plano (listed as one region on the site), 241 and 245 cases in Genoa, 151 and 155 cases in Cortland, 81 and 85 cases in Kirkland, 71 and 75 cases in Kingston, 61 and 65 cases in Hinckley, 41 and 45 in Malta, 36 and 40 in Somonauk, 31 and 35 in Waterman and Shabbona, 26 and 30 in Maple Park, and six to 10 in Esmond and Clare. Lee, Leland and Earlville each report between one and five cases.

Cases on the DeKalb County website list residents that only live within the county lines for a municipality, while the state website lists everyone within a certain ZIP code. Numbers also may vary because of data lags.

The 60115 ZIP code, including DeKalb, had 1,646 cases reported and 25,975 tests administered (a positivity rate of 6.3%); the 60178 ZIP code, including Sycamore, had 639 cases and 9,569 tests (6.7%); the 60548 ZIP code, including Sandwich, had 6,034 tests and 452 cases (7.5%); the 60111 ZIP code, including Clare, reported eight cases and 113 tests (7.1%); the 60112 ZIP code, including Cortland, had 163 cases and 2,124 tests (7.7%); the 60135 ZIP code, including Genoa, had 260 cases and 3,120 tests (8.3%); the 60145 ZIP code, including Kingston, had 78 cases and 860 tests (9.1%); the 60146 ZIP code, including Kirkland, had 104 cases and 1,193 tests (8.7%); the 60520 ZIP code, including Hinckley, had 65 cases and 1,109 tests (5.9%); the 60550 ZIP code, including Shabbona, had 28 cases and 770 tests (3.6%); the 60150 ZIP code, including Malta, had 35 cases and 694 tests (5.0%) the 60151 ZIP code, including parts of Maple Park in both DeKalb and Kane counties, had 105 cases and 1,534 tests (6.8%); the 60556 ZIP code, including Waterman, had 27 cases and 634 tests (4.3%)

The IDPH reported 498,560 people in Illinois have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, while 10,210 people have died statewide. There have been 8,469,064 tests performed.

Recovery data was also updated Friday and over 300 residents have recovered in that time. To date, 1,805 DeKalb County residents fully recovered from the virus, up from 1,494 which was last reported.

The county's health region, Region 1, began enhanced restrictions earlier this month, with restaurants and bars prohibited from allowing indoor dining. The region needs three days in a row of a rolling average of less than 6.5% to have the restrictions lifted. The region's rate has not dropped below 8% since mitigations went into effect a month ago, so restrictions will remain until otherwise stated by the IDPH.

Excerpt from:

Nearly 300 new COVID-19 cases identified in DeKalb County over the weekend - DeKalb Daily Chronicle

We're making this important information about the pandemic available without a subscription as a public service. But we depend on reader support to do this work. Please consider joining others in supporting independent journalism in Alaska for just $3.23 a week.

On Friday, the Municipality of Anchorage updated two of its existing emergency orders as COVID-19 case counts continued to rise.

The updated orders take effect at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9.

The city eliminated some exemptions to the mask emergency order, saying it will make the requirement easier to enforce.

The order still requires that people wear masks or face coverings while inside in public places or outside at gatherings or when physical distancing isnt possible.

Among the new provisions, people who cannot wear masks should now wear face shields, but if they cannot do so, they should instead use services like curbside pickup, delivery or takeout.

The updated mask order also lowers the age requirement for mask wearing without parent supervision, from 12 years old to 5 years old. Children under 2 do not need to wear a mask. Masks are now recommended but not required for children between 2 and 5 years old, including in day care settings for preschoolers.

Masks are also now required at gyms and fitness facilities for everyone at all times, except during swimming or diving activities.

Gatherings or as the city describes them, meetings or other events that bring together people from multiple households at the same time for a shared or group experience in a single room, space or place such as auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference, meeting hall, or other indoor or outdoor space now have more limitations.

Indoor gatherings are now limited to 10 people in a single space if theres food or drink involved. However, if no one is eating or drinking, indoor gatherings can have as many as 15 people. Previously, all indoor gatherings were limited to 30 people.

Outdoor gatherings serving food and drink must be capped at 20 people previously, 50 folks were allowed and groups without food or drink are limited to 30, previously 100.

There are, however, quite a few exceptions still. Just like the last version, farmers markets and food truck events are exempt. Drive-in events are also exempt from the order, provided that nothing like food or drinks are being passed between cars.

Now, kindergarten through 12th grade schools must limit capacity to 50% of the classrooms fire code capacity. That means if a classroom has a fire code capacity of 50 people, only 25 are allowed inside at once. (A spokesman said the Anchorage School District is confident the new restrictions wont disrupt plans to bring some students back into classrooms later this month.) Day cares and day camps are still exempt from the gathering limitations.

Places of political expression and worship are not subject to the indoor or outdoor gathering limitations, as long as people arent consuming food or drinks. But they do have to stick with a 50% capacity limit, and everyone needs to be masked and distanced.

The new order specifies that gathering limitations do not extend to organized sports practices, but it does state that spectators are not allowed unless the total group, including coaches, doesnt exceed the citys gathering limitations.

And masks are required at all times, except during vigorous outdoor exercise or while swimming.

The order still asks that people limit the time they spend around others who arent part of their households and to keep up physically distancing and wearing masks when theyre around people they dont live with.

The order also still asks that people who are at a high risk of complications from COVID-19 and people who live with high-risk individuals take even more stringent precautions.

And people who might be contagious with COVID-19 travelers, people with symptoms of the illness, people with recent positive test results and those who have been asked to quarantine must minimize how much contact they have with others.

Excerpt from:

Anchorage updated its COVID-19 emergency orders. Here's what changed. - Anchorage Daily News

For Immediate Release: November 06, 2020

Espaol

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the first serology test that detects neutralizing antibodies from recent or prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, which are antibodies that bind to a specific part of a pathogen and have been observed in a laboratory setting to decrease SARS-CoV-2 viral infection of cells. The FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the cPass SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit, which specifically detects this type of antibody.

Although the FDA has previously issued EUAs to more than 50 antibody (serology) tests, those tests only detect the presence of binding antibodies. Binding antibodies bind to a pathogen, such as a virus, but do not necessarily decrease the infection and destruction of cells. Its important to note that the effect of neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 in humans it is still being researched.

The ability to detect neutralizing antibodies can help us gain additional insight into what the existence of antibodies may mean for patients as we continue the fight against COVID-19, said Tim Stenzel, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health in the FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health. There are still many unknowns about what the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies may tell us about potential immunity, but todays authorization gives us another tool to evaluate those antibodies as we continue to research and study this virus. Patients should not interpret results as telling them they are immune, or have any level of immunity, from the virus.

The FDA cautions patients against using the results from this test, or any serology test, as an indication that they can stop taking steps to protect themselves and others, such as stopping social distancing, discontinuing wearing masks or returning to work. The FDA also wants to remind patients that serology tests should not be used to diagnose an active infection, as they only detect antibodies that the immune system develops in response to the virus, not the virus itself.

The EUA was issued to GenScript USA Inc. for its cPass SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Antibody Detection Kit.

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nations food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

###

11/06/2020

Excerpt from:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes First Test that Detects Neutralizing Antibodies from Recent or Prior SARS-CoV-2 Infection - FDA.gov

The Montgomery County, Maryland, council has requested an investigation into employees receiving improper COVID-19 differential pay.

The Montgomery County, Maryland, council said it is outraged by certain employees receiving improper COVID-19 hazard pay.

The Office of the Inspector General issued a reportFriday revealing that Department of Permitting Services inspectors improperly received COVID-19 differential pay.

During the coronavirus emergency, the Montgomery County government instituted additional hazard pay for county employees required to work onsite during the pandemic. This includes $10 an hour additional pay for work with the public and an additional $3 for back office work that cannot be performed by telework and does not required interaction with the public.

The Officer of the Inspector General for Montgomery County received complaints that the Department of Permitting Services management allowed its inspectors to received the $10 an hour differential pay not only for hours worked onsite, but also for hours worked at home or not with the public.

The office opened an investigation into the matter and found that the Department of Permitting Services did not follow the county policy on differential pay and that inspectors did receive additional pay for hours that work was performed at home or not with the public.

The report additionally found that inspection data performed was not complete and not accurate on the planning or the Data Montgomery websites.

The report states that about half of the inspectors claimed 80 hours of front facing COVID-19 differential pay consistently, according to a investigation of three pay periods covering March 29 through May 9.

The report says that as of Sept. 26, the county spent more than $49 million on COVID-19 differential pay across all departments.

The Council is outraged by the differential pay issues identified in the Department of Permitting Services by the Office of the Inspector General, the Montgomery County Council said in a statement. We are calling for an independent investigation across all Montgomery County Government departments and immediate action by County Executive Elrich to stop improper differential pay. Every dollar that was improperly paid, needs to be recovered immediately, and those who committed these egregious acts must be held accountable.

The Council has an oversight meeting about the issue on Nov. 10 with Inspector General Megan Limarzi and Chief Administrative Officer Rich Madaleno.

More Coronavirus news

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.

Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in conversation about this article and others.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

2020 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Read more from the original source:

Montgomery County calls for investigation into improper COVID-19 hazard pay - WTOP

PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) Thirteen new COVID-19 deaths were announced along with a new active case count record in the latest update from theSouth Dakota Department of Health.

The death toll is now at 523. There have been 91 deaths since Nov. 1 and 350 deaths since Oct. 1. The new deaths were 8 women and 5 men in the following age ranges: 30-39 (1); 50-59 (1); 60-69 (1); 70-79 (2); 80+ (8). The new deaths were reported in the following counties: Brown, Davison, Grant, Lawrence, Lincoln, Oglala Lakota, Roberts, Spink (2), Todd (2) and Turner (2).

There were 1,337 new total coronavirus cases reported on Saturday bringing the states total case count to 53,976, up from Friday (52,639). Total recovered cases are now at 38,403, up from Friday (37,703).

Active cases are at 15,050 up from Friday (14,426).

Current hospitalizations are now at 515, up from Friday (493). Total hospitalizations are at 3,108, up from Friday (3,023).

Total persons tested negative is now at 220,707, up from Friday (219,551).

There were 2,493 new persons tested reported on Saturday. The new person test-positivity rate for Saturday is 53.6 percent.

Read more:

COVID-19 in South Dakota: 1,337 total new cases; Death toll rises to 523; Active cases at 15,050 - KELOLAND.com

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) Five members of the Los Angeles Dodgers who were not in close contact with the team in Texas have tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said.

A family member associated with the team also tested positive, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Test results were posted on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Healths COVID-19 tracking website, the Times reported.

None of the postive patients were identified.

The results come after Major League Baseball announced Dodgers third baseman Justin wont be sanctioned for his conduct after testing positive for COVID-19 during Game 6 of the World Series.

Link:

Five Members Of Dodgers Organization Test Positive For COVID-19 - CBS Los Angeles