India logs highest single day rise in Covid-19 cases in 10 months Global health body World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the JN.1 variant as a separate variant of interest apart from its parent lineage BA.2.86, due to its rapid increase in prevalence Business Standard Business Standard

On Sunday, India logged 841 fresh cases of Covid-19, recording the highest single-day rise in more than seven months.

As gun violence increases, a lack of trauma care in rural America puts millions at risk A crash course in treating trauma patients at smaller hospitals aims to save lives. NBC News

Gun violence in America is increasing, not only on crowded city streets, but in small towns in remote parts of the country that lack resources to save people from life-threatening gunshot wounds. ...

COVID map shows US states with increased hospitalizations before Christmas States in the east and southeast saw the greatest week-on-week rises in hospital admissions in the seven days to December 23. Newsweek

Sixteen U.S. states had a substantial increase in coronavirus hospitalizations in the week leading up to Christmas compared with the previous seven days, maps from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.

Study finds similar brain effects after severe COVID, other critical illnesses Pornchai Soda / iStock CIDRAP

A study involving hospitalized adults today in JAMA Network Open finds that severe COVID-19 negatively affects brain health, but no more so than pneumonia, heart attack, or other critical illnesses.

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A group of Minnesotans are suing local hospitals after losing loved ones to COVID-19 A group of Minnesotans gather together to share stories about COVID-19 and the loved ones they lost. CBS Minnesota

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The group believes doctors received bonuses and incentives for giving medications, like remdesivir, to sick family members. They claim their loved ones got worse after receiving the medication....

COVID antiviral uptake low among eligible Americans Over the course of the study, most participants were eligible for antiviral use. CIDRAP

A new report published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases demonstrates that, despite the proven effectiveness of Paxlovid and molnupiravir against severe COVID-19 outcomes, uptake of these two antivirals remains low among Americans with COVID.

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Some hospitals reinstating mask requirements amid rise in COVID As COVID-19 and other respiratory infections rise across the country, some major health systems are bringing back mask requirements to stop the spread of infections.  This week, Mass General B… nweixel The Hill

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Another major Boston hospital, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, began requiring masks for patients and staff on Dec. 18. The hospital said the policy would be in place for the “foreseeable future.”

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Respiratory virus levels climb as JN.1 dominates COVID detections PeopleImages/iStock CIDRAP

... In its tracking of three main viruses that drive visits to health providers for symptoms such as fever and sore throat, the CDC said respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity remains elevated, especially for young children. Meanwhile, COVID-19 activity is increasing in many parts of the country, as is seasonal flu, though hospital bed occupancy and intensive care unit (ICU) capacity for all patients remains stable.

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