Category: Health Updates
-
Number of NYC residents getting flu shots skyrockets amid pandemic
The number of New York City adults and kids getting flu shots has skyrocketed this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to new data released Wednesday. Adults who received the flu vaccine surged 37 percent from July 1 through Oct. 24 this year compared to the same period last year, the city Health Department reports. That’s a…
-
Healthy young people may wait for coronavirus vaccine until 2022, WHO official says
Healthy, young people may need to wait until 2022 for a coronavirus vaccine, a World Health Organization official warned on Wednesday, as countries look to prioritize those most at risk for infection. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief scientist, said COVID-19 vaccines will hopefully come in 2021, however, quantities will be limited. She said there are about 11 vaccines worldwide in late-stage testing,…
-
Being overweight now potential coronavirus risk factor,
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expanded its coronavirus risk warning to include people who are considered overweight, meaning over 70% of U.S. adults may be at an increased risk for severe illness related to COVID-19. According to CDC statistics, over 71% of Americans aged 20 and older are considered overweight or obese.…
-
Illinois reports first West Nile virus death of the year in Chicago resident
A Chicago resident died of the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus. The death marks the first West Nile virus-related fatality in the state this year, Illinois health officials announced this week. The resident, who was not identified, first fell ill in mid-September and subsequently tested positive for the disease, officials with the Illinois Department of Public…
-
Video games help children improve literacy, communication and mental well-being, survey finds
Parents have long debated the impact of video games on children’s minds. Now, a new survey suggests that playing may actually improve their literacy, communication skills and overall mental well-being.National Literacy Trust interviewed 4,626 people between the ages of 11 and 16 from across the UK for the video games survey. The interviews were conducted between…
-
Common steroids reduce deaths among critically ill Covid-19 patients, new analysis confirms
New research released on Wednesday confirms that common, affordable steroids can reduce deaths among critically ill Covid-19 patients.One study, published in the medical journal JAMA, examined several randomized trials involving more than 1,700 patients. Patients who received the steroids were more likely to survive, and there was no sign of an increased risk of serious of…
-
WHO official says coronavirus reinfection ‘possible’
A World Health Organization (WHO) official on Wednesday said reinfection of the novel coronavirus is “possible.” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s COVID-19 technical lead, made the comment after news of the first documented case of reinfection surfaced on Monday. A 33-year-old man in Hong Kong contracted the virus this month after recovering from it in April, according to multiple reports. The man was returning to Hong Kong after…
-
Coronavirus may travel through toilet and pipes
The novel coronavirus may spread throughout buildings through toilets and drainpipes, according to a published report in the journal Environmental International. The virus was detected on surfaces of sinks, faucets, and shower handles in a bathroom in a 16th floor vacant apartment which was located right above an apartment unit where five people infected with coronavirus lived, according to the report…
-
Coronavirus particles can invade heart muscle tissue
The new coronavirus can invade myocytes, or the cells of the heart muscle tissue, which means that people who have recovered from COVID-19 should be monitored for heart disease after their recoveries, according to new research. Doctors have discovered the virus in heart tissue before, but two studies from August bolster claims that the SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19…
-
University of Alabama reports more than 500 coronavirus cases since last week
The University of Alabama on Monday reported more than 500 cases of COVID-19 since classes resumed last week. At least 531 students, faculty, and staff on the university’s main campus in Tuscaloosa have been infected with the virus, according to the school’s COVID-19 dashboard. The numbers don’t include results from the entry testing conducted when the school restarted, which reportedly saw…
HEALTH STATUS 