Novel coronavirus

North Korea says it’s seeing its first COVID outbreak, imposing nationwide lockdown

By Kim Tong-Hyung, Hyung-Jin Kim, Associated Press

North Korea has imposed a nationwide lockdown to control its first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak of the pandemic.

China continues ‘zero-COVID’ tactics despite economic slump

By Joe McDonald, Associated Press

China’s leaders are struggling to reverse a deepening economic slump without giving up a “zero-COVID” strategy that shut down Shanghai and other cities.

Shanghai doubles down on COVID restrictions as monthslong lockdown continues

By Ken Moritsugu, Associated Press

The city of Shanghai is doubling down on pandemic restrictions after a brief period of loosening up, frustrating residents who were hoping a more than monthlong lockdown was finally easing as the number of new cases falls in China's largest…

WATCH: National Cathedral held COVID bell ceremony for last time as U.S. nears 1 million deaths

By Joshua Barajas

As the COVID death toll approaches 1 million in the U.S., the cathedral’s staff once again rang its largest bell, the bourdon, once for every 1,000 people who have died from the virus.

FDA restricts Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot risk

By Matthew Perrone, Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday the shot should only be given to adults who cannot receive a different vaccine or specifically request J&J's vaccine.

Federal funds for uninsured COVID patients dry up as hospital costs rise

By Heather Hollingsworth, Associated Press, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, The Associated Press

For the first time, the U.S. came close to providing health care for all for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic. But it was for just one condition — COVID-19.

Hong Kong reopens as Beijing begins less restrictive lockdown

By Associated Press

Hong Kong had closed water sports venues during an outbreak of the highly transmissible omicron variant but has been reducing restrictions as cases decline.

Beijing shuts some subway stations to curb COVID-19 spread

By Associated Press

The subway authority in a brief message says only that the mostly downtown stations were being shut as part of epidemic control measures.

South Africa likely seeing new COVID wave, says health minister

By Mogomotsi Magome, Associated Press

South Africa's health minister says it is likely the country has entered a new wave of COVID-19 earlier than expected as new infections and hospitalizations have risen rapidly over the past two weeks.

First new U.S. case of human bird flu confirmed in Colorado prison

By David Pitt, Associated Press

The federal government says a Colorado state prison inmate is the first person to have tested positive for bird flu in the latest outbreak in the United States.