Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid Infections Fall On Average, But Parts Of Alaska, Nevada Are Surging
Axios: Coronavirus Cases Hit A Seven-Month Low
Coronavirus infections in the U.S. are now at their lowest levels in seven months, thanks to the vaccines. The vaccines are turning the tide in America's battle with the coronavirus. Deaths and serious illnesses have dropped significantly, and now cases are falling too — an important piece of protection for the future, if we can keep it up. (Baker and Witherspoon, 5/6)
Los Angeles Times: California COVID-19 Hospitalizations Lowest Of Pandemic
In another dramatic sign of how rapidly California is recovering from COVID-19, the state recorded its lowest hospitalization rate since the first few weeks of the pandemic, according to data reviewed by The Times. The numbers come just months after the winter surge left hospitals across Southern California overwhelmed with patients and caused a spike in deaths. But over the last three months, COVID-19 has receded rapidly across the region, allowing a massive reopening of the economy and the hope for a return to some kind of normal by the summer. (Lin II and Money, 5/5)
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Average COVID-19 Cases Continue To Flatten; Vaccines Decline
The seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases continues to flatten as vaccines being administered continue to decline. The average of daily doses administered has been in decline since its peak on April 11, when over 64,000 doses were being administered a day. Now, a little over 30,000 doses are being administered daily. The state Department of Health Services reported a seven-day average of 626 cases on Wednesday, up 35 cases from a month ago. The difference in the number of cases between last month at this time and this month is slowly closing. (Bentley, 5/5)
WUSF 89.7: Florida Reports 93 More COVID-Related Deaths, Most In Nearly Three Weeks
The Florida Department of Health on Tuesday reported 3,682 new cases of coronavirus, the third straight day of less than 4,000 new cases. The average of new daily infections continues to fall, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, analyzed by NPR. Florida is averaging 5,566 new cases per day in the last week, an 18% decrease compared to the week before and a 4% decrease compared to two weeks ago.Overall new cases increased to 2,249,535. (Miller, 5/5)
Parts of Alaska and Nevada cope with surges —
Anchorage Daily News: Fairbanks’ Pandemic-High Spike In COVID-19 Patients Pushes Regional Hospital To Its Limit
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are trending down in Alaska — but not in Fairbanks, which is now experiencing its worst coronavirus outbreak so far since the pandemic began. The Interior region’s recent surge in cases — and now hospitalizations — is largely being driven by younger, unvaccinated Alaskans, and is stretching Fairbanks Memorial Hospital’s capacity and staffing to a breaking point, health officials said Wednesday. “I wish we were at a point in the pandemic where we were not talking about hospital systems being overwhelmed, but currently the Fairbanks region is pushing that limit right now,” Dr. Anne Zink, the state’s chief medical officer, said during a public information call this week. (Berman, 5/5)
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Nevada COVID Cases, Deaths Continue To Top 2-Week Averages
Nevada on Wednesday reported 373 new coronavirus cases and seven additional deaths over the preceding day, both well above the recent averages for both metrics. Updated figures posted on the Department of Health and Human Services’ coronavirus website brought totals in the state to 317,088 cases and 5,487 deaths since the pandemic began. All of the fatalities recorded on Wednesday occurred in Clark County, according to the Southern Nevada Health District’s coronavirus website. New cases were well above the 14-day moving average of daily reported cases, which dropped to 248 on Wednesday. Reported fatalities were also higher than the moving average of three per day during the same time period. (Newberg, 5/5)
In other news about the spread of the coronavirus —
CIDRAP: Study Says COVID-19 Recurrence Could Be Less Than 0.1%
Less than 0.1% of all COVID-positive patients in the Intermountain Healthcare system had probable or possible recurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to a PLOS One study yesterday. The full cohort of 23,176 COVID-19 patients was pared down to 1,301 patients who had at least one additional SARS-CoV-2 test 60 or more days after the initial diagnosis. Almost 10% (122) had a positive test, of which 114 had sufficient data for recurrence evaluation (median test interval, 85.5 days). (5/5)
Los Angeles Times: Scientists See Path For The Coronavirus
Scientists experimenting in the lab have found that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is capable of infecting two types of brain cells — neurons and astrocytes. The findings could shed light on a possible reason for the bewildering array of neurological symptoms that follow some COVID-19 survivors even after they recover. COVID-19 is best known as a respiratory disease, but for many victims, it also triggers an array of problems including memory lapses, fatigue and a certain sluggish, fuzzy feeling often referred to as “brain fog.” (Khan, 5/5)
Axios: Creating "Digital Twins" To Study Long-Haul COVID-19
Researchers are creating "digital twins" of coronavirus patients to study long-haul COVID-19. An estimated 1 in 20 COVID-19 patients are likely to suffer from some long-term effects, but doctors still don't know why or how best to care for them. Digital twins promise to speed efforts to investigate a major medical mystery. (Walsh, 5/5)
Philadelphia Inquirer: Libraries Still Quarantine Books, Even As Cases Drop And Vaccinations Rise
The community room in the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library used to be an event space, but since last year it’s been a book purgatory, tables piled high with returned materials that sit waiting until they are deemed safe for the next reader. Though returned books were once quarantined for days, District Administrator Karen DeAngelo said most libraries in the county are now holding them for only 24 hours. She also acknowledged that science suggests the threat of catching the coronavirus from a borrowed book is low. (Steele, 5/6)
