Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden, WHO Question China's Covid Death Reports
Reuters: Biden Flags Concern On China's COVID Response As WHO Doubts Death Toll
China defended on Thursday its handling of its raging COVID-19 outbreak after U.S. President Joe Biden voiced concern and the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Beijing was under-reporting virus deaths. ... U.S. President Joe Biden raised concern about China's handling of a COVID outbreak that is filling hospitals and overwhelming some funeral homes. (Orr and Goh, 1/5)
Stat: Senior WHO Official Faults China For Undercounting Covid Deaths
China is underreporting deaths from Covid-19, a senior official of the World Health Organization said Wednesday as he urged use of a broader definition that would more fully capture the mortality impact of the country’s first big wave of Covid infection. (Branswell, 1/4)
Fortune: WHO: No New COVID Variants In China, But Data 'Under-Represent' Deaths
In a statement released Wednesday, the WHO said that a sample of genomic data provided by China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that almost all cases were of BA.5.2 and BF.7 strains, which are two variants of Omicron. (Gordon, 1/5)
Meanwhile, across the country the covid situation varies —
Houston Chronicle: Houston COVID Cases, Hospitalizations On Rise Amid New Omicron Variant
A new omicron COVID-19 variant is spreading fast across the United States and beginning to make inroads in Houston, where the positivity rate continues to rise. (Gill, 1/4)
Dallas Morning News: North Texas COVID-19 And Flu Hospitalizations On The Rise
North Texas COVID-19 and flu hospitalizations are climbing as the region endures an early and unpredictable respiratory virus season. No one knows whether the current case and hospitalization trajectories will continue, but experts say one thing is certain: The health care system is much better off now than it was a year ago. (Wolf, 1/4)
inewsource: COVID In San Diego County: Infections May Rise After Holiday Travel
The number of hospitalized COVID patients has climbed throughout the holiday season, and with end-of-year travel and new Omicron subvariants taking hold in San Diego County, experts worry the trend could continue. As of Dec. 28, nearly 480 confirmed and suspected COVID patients were hospitalized – more than double the count on Thanksgiving. Since October, the average daily rate of confirmed cases in San Diego County has nearly tripled, reaching 19.7 per 100,000 people as of Dec. 24, and the county reported 15 new deaths this week. Currently, the CDC places San Diego in the “medium” COVID community level. (Harper, 1/3)
Des Moines Register: Iowa’s COVID Hospitalizations Hold Steady As New XBB 1.5 Variant Looms
Iowa entered the new year in roughly the same pandemic situation as it left the previous one, according to data released Wednesday by the Iowa Department of Public Health and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. But a new, even more contagious variant of the virus is waiting in the wings. (Webber, 1/4)
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Clark County, Nevada COVID-19 Cases Still Dropping
Clark County has yet to experience a spike in COVID-19 in the aftermath of the December holidays, with cases in both the county and state continuing to trend downward, according to new state data. (Hynes, 1/4)
And in Georgia a lawsuit over masking is won on appeal —
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Families Win Appeal In Lawsuit Seeking Mask Requirements In School
A victory for four Cobb County families in an ongoing lawsuit over COVID-19 policies in schools could mean more classroom support for students with disabilities across Georgia, said lawyers for the students. (Alexander, 1/4)
