Aug 21 Mounting U.S. deaths reveal an outsize toll on people of color By Mike Stobbe, Associated Press, Damini Sharma, Anna Flagg, The Marshall Project, Larry Fenn, Associate Press As many as 215,000 more people than usual died in the U.S. during the first seven months of 2020 and half the dead were people of color — Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asian Americans. Continue reading
Aug 21 California's jobless rate improves, but economy still struggles to make a full comeback By Adam Beam, Associated Press California added more than 140,000 jobs in July and lowered its unemployment rate to 13.3%. But the unemployment rate is still higher than it ever was during the Great Recession a decade ago. Continue reading
Aug 21 WATCH: WHO head hopes COVID-19 pandemic ends in 'less than two years' By Associated Press WHO’s emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan noted that the 1918 pandemic hit the globe in three distinct waves and that the second wave, which started during the fall of 1918, was the most devastating. Continue reading
Aug 21 Hit by virus surge, Hong Kong offers free tests to everyone By Zen Soo, Associated Press Leader Carrie Lam says the testing program, which will last up to two weeks, will allow residents to be tested on a voluntary basis. The testing is aimed at identifying people who are infected with the coronavirus but have exhibited… Continue reading
Aug 21 South Korea reports 324 new infections in a day, most since March By Associated Press Most of the new cases are in the densely populated Seoul region, where health workers are scrambling to track transmissions from sources including churches, restaurants, schools and workers. Continue reading
Aug 20 1 in 5 nursing homes short on PPE and staff in virus rebound By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press One in five U.S. nursing homes faced severe shortages of protective gear like N95 masks this summer even as the Trump administration pledged to help, according to a study released Thursday that finds facilities in areas hard-hit by COVID-19 also… Continue reading
Aug 20 Sen. Cassidy tests positive for virus, has COVID-19 symptoms By Associated Press The Republican senator made the announcement Thursday and said he is quarantining in Louisiana. His spokesman says Cassidy is experiencing "mild symptoms that began this morning" of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Continue reading
Aug 20 France sticks to school openings despite jump in infections By Associated Press France's president insisted that the country will send millions of students back to school starting Sept. 1 despite seeing the biggest weekly spike in confirmed coronavirus cases since the height of its outbreak in the spring. Continue reading
Aug 20 COVID plans put to test as firefighters crowd camps for peak wildfire season By Matt Volz, Kaiser Health News Thousands of firefighters from across the U.S. have converged on the West as the wildfire season enters its peak. Continue reading
Aug 20 Pandemic pushes expansion of 'hospital-at-home' treatment By Linda A. Johnson, Associated PRess Communications technology, portable medical equipment and teams of doctors, nurses, X-ray techs and paramedics make this possible. Like telemedicine, the concept stands to become more popular with consumers hooked on home delivery and other Internet-connected conveniences. Continue reading