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]]>New data out this week shows that more than 500,000 children in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The group said children represented 9.8% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S., where more than 6.3 million total cases have been reported, per a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
The AAP reported there were 70,630 new child cases, a 16% increase over two weeks, between August 20 and September 3, which brings the national total to 513,415. Puerto Rico was among six states and territories that showed an increase in child cases.
The AAP and the Children’s Hospital Association compiled the data of children of varying ages as reported by 49 state health departments, New York City, Puerto Rico and Guam. Texas was excluded from the analysis, the AAP noted.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Coronavirus deaths among children
The report said the cumulative death toll in the U.S. for children due to the coronavirus is 103. In a subset of data that was analyzed from 42 states and New York City, children were 0-0.3% of all COVID-19 deaths, and 18 states reported zero child deaths.
“At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is rare among children,” the AAP said. But health experts have said that kids can spread COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control has issued new data about a deadly and mysterious pediatric illness with apparent links to the coronavirus. Since mid-May, the CDC has been following an outbreak of Multisystem Inflammatory Illness in Children (MIS-C), which is also or sometimes referred to as PMIS.
The CDC describes it as “a rare but serious condition associated with COVID-19” that sometimes presents after a COVID illness or after contact with someone with COVID-19. Instead of attacking the lungs like the new coronavirus disease does in adults, this syndrome, while seemingly very rare, can trigger serious, even deadly cardiac complications in kids.
As of September 3, the CDC has collected reports of 792 confirmed cases of MIS-C and 16 deaths across 42 states, New York City and Washington, D.C. Other cases are under investigation.
The CDC’s data suggests that “most cases are in children between the ages of 1 and 14 years, with an average age of 8 years.” They also note that “more than 70% of reported cases have occurred in children who are Hispanic/Latino (276 cases) or Non-Hispanic Black (230 cases).”
Some students returning to in-person classes
The AAP report was released as thousands of children returned to school this week for in-person classes. On Long Island, parents seemed nervous and excited as they dropped their children off.
Elmo’s new book for kids going back to school…
04:35
Students lined up in Richardson, Texas, for temperature checks before entering the building. Forrester Elementary in San Antonio is usually packed with 850 kids; but this morning, only 53 opted for in-person classes.
“I feel like they’re just a little off balance, maybe a little bit with the rooms looking different, everybody wearing masks,” principal Kelly Mantle told CBS News. “I think it is going to become a new norm for a little while and children are going to get used to it and we’re getting used to it every day that goes by.”
The new figures from the AAP have some educators worried, like those in suburban Phoenix, where the first day of in-person classes was canceled after teachers called in sick.
In New York, new cases are up more than 25% compared to two weeks ago. And with New York City schools preparing for in-person classes in the coming weeks, Governor Andrew Cuomo is trying to quell parents’ fears.
“We’re going to have a COVID report card for every school in the state,” he said.
Coronavirus face masks: America reacts and rebels
56 photos
Omar Villafranca contributed to this report.
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]]>Russia conducted an anti-satellite weapons test in space this month, the U.S. Space Command said Thursday.
The in-orbit test was described as a “non-destructive” test of a space-based anti-satellite weapon, known as an ASAT, that was carried out July 15.
The ASAT was launched from a satellite known as Cosmos 2542, the command said in a statement.
“The Russian satellite system used to conduct this on-orbit weapons test is the same satellite system that we raised concerns about earlier this year, when Russia maneuvered near a U.S. government satellite,” said Air Force Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, commander of U.S. Space Command and U.S. Space Force chief of space operations.
Gen. Raymond added that the test is “further evidence of Russia’s continuing efforts to develop and test space-based systems, and consistent with the Kremlin’s published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold U.S. and allied space assets at risk.”
In 2018, the State Department raised concerns about Russian space weapons activity, noting that maneuvering satellites had the characteristics of space-based weapons.
At the State Department, acting Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Chris Force said the test highlights what he called Moscow’s duplicity in seeking space arms control.
“This event highlights Russia’s hypocritical advocacy of outer space arms control, with which Moscow aims to restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting its own counterspace program — both ground-based anti-satellite capabilities and what would appear to be actual in-orbit anti-satellite weaponry,” Mr. Ford said.
The Space Command said the test highlights the threats to U.S. and allied space systems. The dangers are “real, serious, and increasing,” the command said.
Russia and China are both said to be developing several types of space weapons, including ground-launched ASAT weapons, maneuvering robot satellites capable of crushing or grabbing orbiting satellites and ground-based lasers that can damage or destroy satellites.
“The United States, in coordination with our allies, is ready and committed to deterring aggression and defending the nation, our allies and vital U.S. interests from hostile acts in space,” Gen. Raymond said.
In April, Russia conducted a test of a direct-ascent ASAT missile designed to destroy satellites in low-earth orbit.
The test of a DA-ASAT missile April 15 followed on-orbit testing in February of two satellites, the Cosmos 2542 and Cosmos 2543, that were described by Space Command as space weapons that conducted maneuvers near U.S. satellites. The command said those tests were “interpreted as irresponsible and potentially threatening in any other domain.”
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]]>The post 85 infants have tested positive for coronavirus in 1 Texas county as U.S. sets new record appeared first on Virus Reports.
]]>More than 80 infants under a year old have tested positive for the coronavirus in one Texas county, a local public health official announced, as the United States set a single-day record in the tally of new cases.
The public health director in Nueces County on the Texas Gulf Coast said at a meeting Friday that a review of coronavirus statistics showed that 85 infants in the county have tested positive.
“These babies have not even had their first birthdays yet,” director Annette Rodriguez said. “Please help us to stop the spread of this disease. Stay social distanced from others; stay protected. Wear a mask when in public and for everyone else please do your best to stay home.”
Her announcement came as the U.S. set a single-day record with 75,775 newly-reported cases of the virus, according to NBC News’ tally. The death toll in the country has now passed 140,000.
Globally, more than 14 million people have tested positive for the virus, and more than 600,000 have died, according to data by Johns Hopkins University and NBC News.
In India, the number of cases has surpassed one million, with 26,273 deaths, according to the counry’s health ministry website. Meanwhile in Brazil, more than two million cases of coronavirus have been reported.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
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]]>31% of children tested for COVID-19 in Florida have been positive, state data shows
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So on the school’s, I’d say a couple things. One is, and Jean alluded to this. We spent months saying that there were certain things that were essential that included fast food restaurants. It included Wal Mart. It included Home Depot, fast food in Walmart and Home Depot. And what I do all that, So I’m not gonna like looking down on it. But if all that is essential than educating our kids absolutely essential and they have been put to the back of the line in some respects. Florida’s done a better job with distance learning, I think, than any other state. But I’ll tell you, there’s a gap here. There’s big gaps around the country on, and we need to put them, give them the opportunity to go in person. I could say, as a parent, I have a newborn. I have a two year old three. They’re not old enough to go to school, so obviously there they won’t be, you know, in kindergarten or anything coming up. But I would not hesitate putting them in in terms of the risk, because the risk, fortunately for kids, is extremely, extremely low. That data has been verified in virtually every single country, every single state. Andi. We kind of knew that in March. Although I think a lot of people is a new virus. I understand. Look, my wife was very concerned. I know a lot of parents were just concerned, but now I mean, that’s very, very clear. And obviously, if you have ah, kid, that’s got significant health issue. We absolutely need to make accommodations for that, and they’re different things that you can do. The other reason, though, that people said back in March was, Well, yeah, it does look like that that kids are much lower risk. And that is true. CDC if you look under 18 substantially less likely to be hospitalized for Corona virus than for seasonal influenza, and that is just abundantly clear fatalities way higher with with influenza for that age co cord. But there was the concern that yes, okay, kids or low risk, But maybe they servas vectors and end up spreading it further in the community. Well, that’s been studied in a bunch of different countries, and it’s been shown every single time that they don’t serve as significant vectors for this like they do with influenza for whatever reason and when they do get. In fact, that is usually an adult infecting the Children, so I have no doubt we can do this safely. But I also told the secretary or the commissioner of education, he said, Look, you know, different parents have different calculations. If a parent wants to opt for virtual education, they should absolutely be able to do that. We shouldn’t be forcing them t do any types of decisions. But I’m confident if you can do Home Depot. If you can do Walmart. If you can do these things, we absolutely can do the schools. I want our kids to be able to minimize this education gap that I think is developed. You talked to teachers about what happens over the summer and how there’s a summer lag. Well, jeez, now we’re from mid March all the way now, and in spite of good efforts with the online, it’s just not the same. So I worry about that gap. I also worry about what it does to them in terms of just socializing and being normal kids. Now we do know that they do me and probably the whole time have been having friends and everything. But there’s something to be said for being in school, seeing people, you know, growing up like a normal, normal kid. I’m also worried about missing out on activities. I mean, I don’t want some some football player to miss a season or not be able to play when they’ve been working their whole life to be able to do well, maybe go to college. It’s just the costs are so enormously high, you know, toe have to have school closures, and so is bad as this, you know, has been toe have tohave of ah virus come from China like this. You know, the one thing that I think has made it something that a lot of parents have been able to breathe a sigh of relief is it is less risky for for young kids. And I don’t know why it wasn’t true with the Spanish flu in 1918 hasn’t been true with some of the other pathogens that have been unleashed, but But we know the science. We know that data and so we need to move forward for that
31% of children tested for COVID-19 in Florida have been positive, state data shows
State data shows that approximately one-third of the people under the age of 18 tested for COVID-19 in Florida have been positive. According to state data released last Friday, Florida has tested 54,022 Florida residents under the age of 18. Of those tests, 16,797, which is just over 31%, have come back positive. The positivity rate for Florida’s entire population stands at roughly 11%. Florida has tested a total of 2,737,169 people, meaning that roughly 2% of the people tested in the state have been under 18. The data shows that 908 people under the age of 18 have tested positive for coronavirus in Orange County, which equates to about 24% of the tests conducted on children in the county. Orange County’s total pediatric cases are eclipsed in Florida only by Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties. Seminole County has seen 218 people under the age of 18 test positive, which is about 20% of the people under 18 tested. Osceola County has 257 positive pediatric tests and a pediatric patient positivity rate of 29%. Of the pediatric cases in Florida, just about 1% have been hospitalized. Florida has reported four deaths of people under the age of 18. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been pushing for Florida schools to reopen next month. DeSantis said earlier this month that it’s not only a matter of getting a child the education they deserve, but making sure they have the social experience of classmates and extra-curricular activities.“We need to give them the opportunity to go in person,” DeSantis said during a July 10 event in Jacksonville. The governor added that if his kids were old enough to attend K-12 school he wouldn’t hesitate to send them, saying the risk for kids is “extremely, extremely low.”
ORLANDO, Fla. —
State data shows that approximately one-third of the people under the age of 18 tested for COVID-19 in Florida have been positive.
According to state data released last Friday, Florida has tested 54,022 Florida residents under the age of 18. Of those tests, 16,797, which is just over 31%, have come back positive. The positivity rate for Florida’s entire population stands at roughly 11%.
Florida has tested a total of 2,737,169 people, meaning that roughly 2% of the people tested in the state have been under 18.
The data shows that 908 people under the age of 18 have tested positive for coronavirus in Orange County, which equates to about 24% of the tests conducted on children in the county.
Orange County’s total pediatric cases are eclipsed in Florida only by Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties.
Seminole County has seen 218 people under the age of 18 test positive, which is about 20% of the people under 18 tested. Osceola County has 257 positive pediatric tests and a pediatric patient positivity rate of 29%.
Of the pediatric cases in Florida, just about 1% have been hospitalized. Florida has reported four deaths of people under the age of 18.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been pushing for Florida schools to reopen next month.
DeSantis said earlier this month that it’s not only a matter of getting a child the education they deserve, but making sure they have the social experience of classmates and extra-curricular activities.
“We need to give them the opportunity to go in person,” DeSantis said during a July 10 event in Jacksonville.
The governor added that if his kids were old enough to attend K-12 school he wouldn’t hesitate to send them, saying the risk for kids is “extremely, extremely low.”
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]]>File photo of a squirrel looks out from a tree.
Matt Jonas | MediaNews Group | Boulder Daily Camera | Getty Images
A squirrel in Colorado has tested positive for the bubonic plague, also known as the “Black Death,” according to local health authorities.
The squirrel was found in a town in Jefferson County, which is west of Denver, and is the first case in the region, health authorities said in a statement released Sunday.
The case comes about a week after authorities in a city in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia issued a warning after a hospital reported a case of suspected bubonic plague in a human. There were at least four reported cases of plague in people from Inner Mongolia late last year, according to the New York Times. Two of them were pneumonic plague, a deadlier variant of plague.
The bubonic plague, infamous for killing millions of people in Europe during the Middle Ages, is an often fatal disease caused by bacteria. Humans usually get plague after being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an animal infected with plague, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms may include high fever, chills, headache, nausea and extreme pain and swelling of lymph nodes. The disease can cause serious illness or death without proper treatment, according to the CDC. Antibiotics are effective in treating it.
Plague is found on most continents but most human cases since the 1990s have occurred in Africa, according to the World Health Organization.
Local authorities in Colorado are asking residents to take precautions, including avoiding contact with sick or dead wild animals and rodents and keeping pets from roaming freely outside. Cats are highly susceptible to plague and may die if not treated promptly with antibiotics, they said.
The new case comes as the world continues to fight Covid-19, another serious disease that emerged six months ago. As of Tuesday, the virus has infected more than 13 million people worldwide and killed at least 573,200, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, has compared it to the 1918 pandemic flu, which killed around 50 million people, according to the CDC.
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Tests for COVID-19 are easier to find now than they were at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.
James Martin/CNET
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO website.
While testing for coronavirus is still uneven throughout the country, criteria for individuals who can get tested has loosened. And now that the country is reopening stores, restaurants and businesses in phases, concerns about a second wave of the coronavirus puts the question of COVID-19 testing top of mind — especially if people aren’t legally obligated to follow social distancing standards and wear face masks. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases is spiking in half the US states. The prevalence of testing could play a partial role.
Many facilities are transformed into COVID-19 testing sites, from drive-through test locations to medical centers. Getting a test, however, isn’t always as simple as just showing up whenever you want. If you do, there’s a chance you’ll be turned away because facilities are overwhelmed or want to cut down on large groups milling around.
Keep track of the coronavirus pandemic.
The situation is rapidly changing as more test kits are being made and deployed. And until scientists can find a treatment or develop a vaccine, testing will help determine if the person should isolate from others. Nasal swabs and antibody tests can tell us if people, including those who appear asymptomatic, have harbored the virus. If they have, they may spread it unknowingly. Helping identify people who have been in close contact with the infected person can help protect vulnerable groups at higher risk of fatality from the COVID-19 disease.
Here’s what you need to know about who can get tested for the coronavirus.
Drive-through testing locations ask that you remain in your car with the windows up.
James Martin/CNET
Can just anyone get tested?
It depends on where you live. New York, which leads the US in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and fatalities, still has criteria that a resident must meet in order to be tested. However, in California, 40 locations in the Bay Area offer free testing to all residents, even if they’re not showing symptoms. They still need to have an appointment, however. Kentucky is also letting anyone sign up to get a COVID-19 test at any Kroger location. And as of June, any Indiana resident can get tested without showing symptoms.
Tennessee also tests anyone who wants to get tested for free, whether they have symptoms or not. New Jersey, the second leading site of COVID-19 fatalities, now lets anyone get a test.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order (PDF) that lets residents get tested at no cost if they’ve been working outside their home for more than 10 days and if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, like coughing.
Having more access to the test kits will help allow cities and states to test more people. As a result, sites with a limited number of tests available are often reserved for higher-risk patients. For example, those with underlying health conditions or those exhibiting strong symptoms that are associated with COVID-19, such as trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest, confusion and bluish lips or face. More recent guidance from the CDC adds that obesity at any age and pregnant women are at a higher risk for increased coronavirus symptoms.
Read more: Are coronavirus tests free? Yes, but you still might get a bill
How do I get a doctor’s order to be tested?
In many cases, you will need to have an appointment and a doctor’s order to qualify for a coronavirus test.
Each state has its own policies about testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you contact your state health department to get more information. It can also let you know which testing site to visit.
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When you should seek medical attention
Coughing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and loss of taste or smell are symptoms of coronavirus, but the CDC says that if you’re having trouble breathing, that’s a more serious symptom and an indication to seek medical attention. Other serious symptoms include pain or pressure in the chest, confusion and bluish lips or face.
You should also seek medical attention if you’re considered a higher risk person — aged 65 years and older, or someone with hypertension, heart disease, autoimmune disease, moderate to severe asthma, kidney or liver disease, diabetes, severe obesity or are pregnant.
CDC priorities for who gets tested first
The CDC has new guidance as of June 13 for the patients who should get tested for coronavirus first in areas where testing is limited.
Priority 1:
- Hospitalized patients with symptoms.
- Health care workers and first responders.
- Residents in long-term care facilities with symptoms, like prisons and shelters.
- Individuals who live in large households, or individuals who live with someone who is high-risk.
Priority 2:
- Critical infrastructure workers.
- Individuals 65 and older.
- Individuals at high risk for severe disease.
- Pregnant women.
Priority 3:
- Individuals with symptoms who don’t meet any of the above requirements.
- Deceased individuals.
Priority 4:
- Individuals without symptoms who don’t meet the above requirements.
If you think you have coronavirus, self-isolate yourself and monitor your symptoms.
Angela Lang/CNET
What happens if I don’t get tested and I think I have the coronavirus?
The CDC notes that most people who have acquired COVID-19 will have mild symptoms and can recover at home in self-isolation without medical care, and therefore don’t have an urgent need to be tested. You can also speak with your doctor about getting an antibody test to determine if you have previously had the virus.
If you don’t meet the above requirements to immediately get tested, here’s what you should do if you or someone in your household gets coronavirus. Now is also a good time to either make a face mask or buy one online to help prevent spreading the virus to others.
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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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