Breakthrough COVID-19 cases, deaths on the rise amid push for boosters: ABC News analysis
In the early months of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, breakthrough cases among fully-vaccinated people were a statistical anomaly. Preliminary clinical trial data offered an optimistic outlook for the months ahead, with many Americans hoping a vaccine would be their ticket to a return to normalcy.
Two new versions of Omicron are gaining ground in the U.S., according to C.D.C. estimates – NYT
The spread of the subvariants adds more uncertainty to the trajectory of the pandemic in the United States.
WHO covid origins report says ‘lab leak’ theory needs further investigation – Washington Post
A team of scientists convened by the World Health Organization to better understand the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and possible future outbreaks has said a theory that the virus could have escaped from a laboratory needs “further investigations.”
New Cases of BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron Subvariants Spread Nationwide – NBC News Video
As Covid-19 cases continue to spread, the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. are beginning to gain a bigger foothold in the United States
India’s Covid Cases Almost Double in a Week to Three Month High – Bloomberg
India added 7,240 cases on Thursday, according to health ministry data, the biggest single-day surge in more than three months after the densely-populated country eased movement restrictions and reopened schools and offices. So far hospitalizations remain low and 69% of India’s 1.4 billion people have been administered at least two Covid shots, though so far only 3% have had a booster dose, according to Bloomberg’s Vaccine Tracker.
The three sizable urban centers in the United States where the coronavirus is spreading fastest right now have something in common: They are major warm-weather tourist destinations.
Nurses’ Station Epicenter of One Hospital’s COVID Outbreak – MedPageToday
Nosocomial spread of COVID-19 throughout a medical unit likely occurred through aerosol transmission from a symptomatic nurse, researchers said. An outbreak in a Boston hospital among 103 healthcare professionals and patients arose on a non-COVID ward after a nurse became symptomatic 4 days after receiving a COVID vaccine in late December 2020, reported Eric Garshick, MD, of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and colleagues.
Emerging Infectious Disease Headlines
Monkeypox
The CDC raised its monkeypox travel alert to level 2 as global cases surpassed 1,000 – CDC
Cases of monkeypox have been reported in many countries around the world (see global map of cases). Some cases were reported among men who have sex with men. Some cases were also reported in people who live in the same household as an infected person.
Monkeypox Can Be Airborne, Too – NYT
An abrupt change in C.D.C. guidance underscores a little-known phenomenon: On occasion, monkeypox can be transmitted through aerosols, similar to the coronavirus.
Monkeypox vaccination begins — can the global outbreaks be contained? – Nature
As global monkeypox cases continue to rise, public-health officials and researchers are questioning whether the current outbreaks can be contained. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the situation is unlikely to escalate into a full-blown pandemic. But there are now more than 1,000 confirmed infections in nearly 30 countries where outbreaks do not usually occur.
Monkeypox can look different than what doctors thought. Here’s what they’re learning – NPR
For the first time in history, the world is facing an international outbreak of monkeypox. Doctors have detected nearly 800 cases across the globe, from Argentina to the United Arab Emirates. The U.K. and Portugal have detected the most cases, with about 200 and 100 cases in each country, respectively. The U.S. has recorded 21 cases and Canada has 58.
How much medicine does the U.S. actually have to fight monkeypox? – STAT
As the world grapples with a monkeypox outbreak, the Biden administration has been quick to highlight the vaccines and other therapies the United States has in its national stockpile. It’s been far less open about exactly how many of those medicines it has.
Vaccine Headlines
Moderna seeking FDA authorization of omicron-specific booster shot – Washington Post
Moderna said it will seek authorization for an updated coronavirus vaccine designed to protect against omicron subvariants that the company described as its “lead candidate” for a fall booster, but it remains unclear how effective the shot will be against the latest versions of the omicron variant spreading in the United States.
A new, more traditional COVID shot may appeal to those hesitant to get mRNA vaccines – NPR
FDA scientists have concluded that a new COVID vaccine — that could appeal to some vaccine-hesitant people — appears to be safe and effective, which means it may soon win authorization.
Clinical Considerations
COVID Infection Increases Risk of Psychiatric Diagnoses, Study Finds – NBC
Long COVID is the catch-all term for a hydra-headed condition whose symptoms can include fatigue, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, brain fog, lightheadedness, stomach pain and altered sense of taste or smell, the Centers for Disease Control says. Estimates on how many people who recover from COVID have long COVID vary, as do the severity and duration of symptoms, but recent research has pegged the number from roughly 20% to 50%.
After the Infection Is Gone – Harvard Medical School
As the vast majority of the world’s population continues to encounter SARS-CoV-2 virus and become infected, one question looms ever larger: What will be the long-term physiological repercussions of having had COVID? Experts from the Harvard Medical School-led Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness discuss the emerging science, latest knowledge, and critical unknowns of the novel syndrome known as long COVID.
Diabetes May Quadruple Risk for Long COVID – Physician’s Weekly
The researchers report that 43 percent of studies identified diabetes as a potent risk factor for PASC. However, studies were heterogeneous with regard to PASC definitions (e.g., ongoing symptoms of fatigue, cough, dyspnea, etc.), populations at risk (hospitalized versus nonhospitalized), and follow-up times (range, four weeks to seven months).
Expert Panel Shares Best Practices for Managing Patients With Long COVID – MedPageToday
As patients continue to experience post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, or long COVID, a panel of experts discussed the best practices and approaches for managing this condition’s many and varied symptoms.
Physician Group Releases Guidance on Cardiovascular Issues in Long COVID – MedPageToday
Risks for cardiovascular complications, including pulmonary embolism, arterial and venous thromboses, myocardial infarction, and stroke, are higher in patients with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), or long COVID, highlighting the need for greater awareness of these conditions among clinicians, according to a consensus statement released by the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R).
Official Reporting for June 10, 2022
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update June 8, 2022(latest release)
New Cases: 605,118 ⬆︎
Confirmed Cases: 531,550,610
Deaths: 6,302,982
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 534,299,858
Deaths: 6,306,729
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 85,084,715 (+109,032 New Cases) ⬆︎
Total deaths: 1,005,823 (+306 New Deaths) ⬆︎
Science and Tech
None Today
Psychological and Sociological Impact
Opioid Use Disorders More Likely in COVID-19 Survivors – Anesthesiology News
Patients who had COVID-19 have a significantly higher risk for experiencing mental health problems than their peers without COVID-19 (BMJ 2022 Feb 16. doi:10.1136/bmj-2021-068993). In a large, comprehensive study of mental health outcomes in people with SARS-CoV-2 infections, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the VA St. Louis Healthcare System found that such disorders arose within a year after recovery from the virus in people who had serious and mild cases.
Published Research
Case series of monkeypox infections – Nature
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories
Two Vietnamese officials are arrested in a corruption scandal over coronavirus test kits. – NYT
The health minister and the mayor of Hanoi were removed from their posts in a scandal that has led to charges against dozens of officials.
Coping with COVID
