Brookfield, CT
News
COVID-19: Be 'Vigilant' Over New Variant, Lamont Tells CT Residents COVID-19: Be 'Vigilant' Over New Variant, Lamont Tells CT Residents
Covid-19: Be 'Vigilant' Over New Variant, Lamont Tells CT Residents With concern growing across the country over the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said residents should be vigilant. "While there have been no cases of the Omicron variant reported here in Connecticut or the United States to date, we still must be vigilant," Lamont said.  Related story - COVID-19: First Cases Of New Variant Identified In North America The variant, which first surfaced in South Africa recently, has garnered significant attention as its spread has been found in Europe, Canada, and Asia.  While little is known about Omicron, the World …

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Bronxville, NY
News
COVID-19: First Cases Of New Variant Identified In North America COVID-19: First Cases Of New Variant Identified In North America
Covid-19: First Cases Of New Variant Identified In North America The new strain of COVID-19 that has caused worldwide alarm the last week has been detected in North America for the first time. Two cases of the Omicron variant were confirmed in Canada. Both were in Ottawa, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said in a statement released Sunday evening, Nov. 28. The two infected people had traveled from Nigeria and have been isolated, Elliott said. The Omicron variant, whose name comes from the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet, is spreading fast in Europe after the first case was identified by scientists in South Africa on Tuesday, Nov. 9. In…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Bronxville, NY
News
COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says
Covid-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says Why are scientists so concerned about the new strain of COVID-19? Simply stated, when it comes to Omicron, it's all about the sheer numbers -- as in the number of mutations. "The main thing that has us focused on this and has caused us to be sort of 24-7 on Zoom calls the last four days is that it has so many mutations," Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said Sunday morning, Nov. 28 on CNN. "Omicron has more than 50 variants that make it different from the original virus, including more than 30 that are in the spike protein." The spike proteins …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Cornwall-Mount Gretna, PA
News
New COVID Variant Has Scientists Worried New COVID Variant Has Scientists Worried
New COVID Variant Has Scientists Worried Another COVID-19 variant with multiple mutations is the subject of a special meeting called by the World Health Organization for Friday. The meeting on the B.1.1.529 variant detected in South Africa will focus on what the new variant means for treatments and vaccines, the organization said Thursday. The WHO was expected to give the new variant a name on Friday. WHO's technical COVID-19 lead Maria Van Kerkhove said in live Q&A briefing that a virus with many mutations impacts the nature of how it behaves. UK Health Security agent Sajid Javid says much is still unknown about the new var…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Pelham, NY
News
COVID-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear COVID-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear
Covid-19: Newly Discovered Strain Could Be Worse Than Delta Variant, Scientists Fear Updated story - COVID-19: New Variant's 50 Mutations Make It Different From Original Virus, NIH Director Says A new COVID-19 variant that could be worse than the Delta strain is sparking concerns among scientists. The B.1.1.529 strain, now known as Omicron, could become a "variant of concern" as soon as Friday, Nov. 26, when the World Health Organization holds an emergency meeting. It is now spreading rapidly in parts of South Africa after first being detected in neighboring Botswana.  The new variant has already shown a large number of mutations, and scientists fear it…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Peekskill, NY
News
COVID-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says COVID-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says
Covid-19: Highly Contagious New Virus Strain Could Evade Vaccines, Study Says A new variant of COVID-19 might be more transmissible, and it may evade some protection from vaccines, according to a new study. Business Standard reported that researchers in South Africa said the variant was discovered in May.  Since then, the variant, C.1.2, has been reported in China, New Zealand, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and several other countries, the news outlet reported. The researchers reportedly found that the new variant has a mutation rate about twice as fast as that of other COVID-19 variants, and it could evade the antibodies people have developed…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
Cornwall-Mount Gretna, PA
News
COVID-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say COVID-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say
Covid-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say Scientists are warning that it's possible to contract two COVID-19 strains at the same time after an unvaccinated woman died who had been infected by different variants. The woman, age 90, was admitted to a Belgium hospital to treat injuries from a fall and tested positive for COVID that day, according to a report by the European Congress on Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. Though she did not display symptoms when admitted and displayed good oxygen saturation, she quickly developed rapidly worsening respiratory problems and died less than a week later. When respiratory…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
White Plains, NY
News
COVID-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say COVID-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say
Covid-19: Unvaccinated Woman Dies After Contracting Two Strains At Same Time, Scientists Say Scientists are warning that it's possible to contract two COVID-19 strains at the same time following the death of an unvaccinated woman who was infected by different variants. The woman, age 90, was admitted to a Belgium hospital to treat injuries from a fall and tested positive for COVID that day, according to a report by the European Congress on Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. Though she did not display symptoms when admitted and displayed good oxygen saturation, she quickly developed rapidly worsening respiratory problems and died less than a week later. When resp…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
White Plains, NY
News
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans COVID-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued new COVID-19 travel guidance for Americans. The guidance "better differentiate countries with severe outbreak situations" from those where the virus is "sustained, but controlled." The CDC has grouped countries into four levels, with those in Level 4, the highest threat level. In those countries, there have been 500 cases for every 100,000 residents in the last 28 days. Brazil and India are among the Level 4 countries. The CDC is advising Americans to avoid traveling to Level 4 countries. Those in Level 3, with a high…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Worcester, MA
News
COVID-19: More Contagious Variant From India Now Spreading In United States COVID-19: More Contagious Variant From India Now Spreading In United States
Covid-19: More Contagious Variant From India Now Spreading In United States The more transmittable COVID-19 strain that came to the United States from India is becoming more prevalent as the country continues its recovery from the pandemic. New data found that the India variant is rapidly spreading across the US and now makes up approximately 7 percent of all new COVID-19 cases, according to a new report on Outbreak.info. At the beginning of May, the India variant only accounted for approximately 1 percent of new cases. The data shows that the variant - which is believed to be at least 60 percent more transmissible than the original strain from Wuhan, China - pea…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Lancaster, PA
News
COVID-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US COVID-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US
Covid-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US As COVID-19 deaths mount in India, health officials in the United States are now contending with a new strain of the virus that has been reported stateside. One day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 variant from India was a “cause of global concern,” it was announced that the strain had spread to dozens of countries, including the United States. The so-called B.1617 variant made its first domestic appearance after it was discovered in a patient in Arizona being treated for COVID. According to researchers, the India variant, like several others that have …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Mamaroneck, NY
News
COVID-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US COVID-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US
Covid-19: First Case Of 'Variant Of Concern' From India Found In US As COVID-19 deaths mount in India, health officials in the United States are now contending with a new strain of the virus that has been reported stateside. One day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 variant from India was a “cause of global concern,” it was announced that the strain had spread to dozens of countries, including the United States. The so-called B.1617 variant made its first domestic appearance after it was discovered in a patient in Arizona being treated for COVID. According to researchers, the India variant, like several others that have …

SHARE

by Zak Failla