- WHO appeals to China to release more COVID-19 information – KCRA Sacramento: The WHO has asked China to continue releasing information about its COVID-19 cases after the government reported nearly 60,000 deaths since December. The US, South Korea and others have imposed travel restrictions due to the lack of information. The government reported 5,503 deaths from respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 and 54,435 fatalities from other causes.
- WHO welcomes data on COVID-19 in China, meeting with Minister – World Health Organization: WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke with Minister Ma Xiaowei, director of China’s National Health Commission, about the COVID-19 situation in the country. Chinese officials provided information to WHO and in a press conference on a range of topics, including outpatient clinics, hospitalizations, patients requiring emergency treatment and critical care, and hospital deaths related to COVID-19 infection. WHO is analysing this information to gain a better understanding of the epidemiological situation and the impact of this wave in China.
- Long COVID patients in N.L. say they’re tired of suffering in the dark – CBC.ca: Dara Barrett of St. John’s contracted COVID-19 in early February 2022 and has been suffering from long COVID symptoms since then, including exhaustion and joint pain. She has not been able to work since June and was recently approved for long-term disability benefits. Long COVID is a condition in which a cluster of symptoms persist for weeks or months after the initial infection.
- Most long-term symptoms from mild COVID resolve within year, study says, but some experts disagree – KMBC Kansas City: A large study conducted in Israel found that most long COVID symptoms resolve within the first year after infection for people with mild cases of COVID-19. The study provides reassurance that mild disease does not lead to serious or chronic long term morbidity in the vast majority of patients.
- Thousands of Philadelphians must resume applying annually for Medicaid starting in April – The Philadelphia Inquirer: Aisha Ahmad, a resident of West Philadelphia, has kept her Medicaid insurance during the pandemic due to a rule that prohibited states from ending coverage. However, this rule is set to expire in April, meaning Ahmad and hundreds of thousands of other Pennsylvanians must reapply or risk losing coverage.
- Why Remote Working Isn’t Always The Answer For Employees With Disabilities – Forbes: The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an increase in remote working, which has been beneficial for those with disabilities. This is due to the removal of access barriers such as inaccessible public transportation, physical and psychological stress, and lack of workplace accommodations. This trend is expected to continue into 2022, with people with disabilities being 3.5% more likely to be employed than pre-pandemic.
- What do we know about new COVID variant XBB.1.5? – Al Jazeera English: The Omicron XBB.1.5 variant is spreading rapidly across dozens of countries, causing concern among scientists. It is now the second-most dominant strain in the US and is also rising in parts of Europe. Other Omicron variants have been linked to a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in China.
- Lincoln health department monitoring new Covid variant – KLKN: The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department is monitoring the new Covid-19 variant XBB.1.5, which is more contagious than previous strains. Bivalent boosters offer some protection against it. The Covid risk dial is currently at yellow, and cases and hospitalizations have decreased from last week. The CDC has approved boosters for children under 12.
- Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 possibly more likely to infect those who … – 1330 WFIN: New York City health officials are warning residents that the infectious omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 may be more likely to infect people who have already been vaccinated or infected with COVID-19. Vaccination is still the best way to protect against hospitalization and death, including from new variants.
Daily News Pulse for April 05, 2023
April 5, 2023
Summary: The domestic box office is close to reaching pre-pandemic levels, with mid-budget films helping to bring moviegoers back. Research has found that diabetes is a major factor in the severity of COVID-19 cases. The US government is planning to authorize booster doses of the vaccine for high-risk populations.
