Covid 19 pandemic

SAN FRANCISCO - Pharmaceutical giant Merck and an American laboratory announced progress Saturday in the design of an oral drug against COVID-19. Their antiviral has shown positive effects in reducing the viral load in current tests. "Knowing that there is an unmet need for antiviral therapy for SARS-CoV-2, we are encouraged by these preliminary results," Wendy Painter, chief drug officer at Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, said in a statement. Merck interrupted its work on two potential COVID-19 vaccines at the end of January but continues its research on two treatments against the disease, including molnupiravir, developed with the American company Ridgeback Bio. The drug significantly reduced the viral load in patients after five days of treatment, the company said Saturday in a meeting with infectious-disease specialists. Phase 2a of the test — the trials have three phases before possible marketing — was carried out on 202 out-of-hospital patients who had COVID-19 with symptoms. … [Read more...] about US Researchers Say COVID-19 Antiviral Shows Promise

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center has recorded more than 116 million global coronavirus cases. The U.S. is on the verge of having 30 million infections, followed by India with 11 million and Brazil with 10.8 million. Earlier this week, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had callous words for fellow Brazilians unhappy with the president's response to the pandemic. “Stop all this fussing and whining,” the president said. “How long are you going to keep on crying?” Bolsonaro was speaking in the Brazilian state of Goiás, where almost 9,000 people have died. Only the U.S. has more COVID deaths than Brazil. According to Hopkins, the U.S. has more than 522,000 COVID deaths, while Brazil has reported more than 262,000. Russia’s statistics agency said Friday more than 200,000 Russians diagnosed with COVID-19 have died, more than double the figure used by the government's coronavirus task force. The figures released Friday from Rosstat, a government agency that releases … [Read more...] about Stop ‘Fussing and Whining’ Over COVID Response, Says Brazil President

DUARTE (CBSLA) — More than 700 educators lined up outside the Duarte Performing Arts Center on Saturday morning to receive their COVID-19 vaccines. City of Hope National Medical Center helped administer doses and the invite-only clinic, which targeted eight neighboring school districts that are trying to get their teachers fully vaccinated. READ MORE: Pasadena California Pizza Kitchen Debuts Limited Edition Mars-Inspired 'Red Planet' Pie Amy Sotelo, a teacher in the Baldwin Park School district, showed up to get her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. “I hate working from home and I miss my kids,” she said. “I wanna go back to work.” Of getting the vaccine, she added: “At first I was kind of skeptical but then I saw other people were getting and no big reactions, [so] I realized I’m good with getting it.” Eric Moses said he didn’t hesitate when he was offered an appointment. “I think once everyone is vaccinated, we will start seeing more fun things we all can do together … [Read more...] about Educators Receive COVID-19 Vaccines At Duarte Clinic As LA County Ramps Up Administration Efforts

By: KDKA-TV News Staff PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Allegheny County Health Department is reporting 276 new Coronavirus cases and three additional deaths. Of the newly reported cases, 206 are confirmed from 970 PCR tests. There were 70 probable cases. The Health Department says five of the positive tests are more than a week old. The dates of positive tests range from Dec. 5, 2020 to March 5, 2021. The dates of newly reported deaths range from Oct. 15, 2020 to Dec. 9, 2020, which the Health Department says is due to a state import of data. The Health Department says new cases range in age from 3 months to 90 years, with a median age of 34 years. There have now been 5,143 total hospitalizations and 78,079 total coronavirus cases in Allegheny County since the pandemic started. The countywide death toll has reached 1,700. More information on the Coronavirus pandemic: CDC Coronavirus Information CDC Global Map of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Pennsylvania Department … [Read more...] about COVID-19 In Pittsburgh: Allegheny Co. Health Dept. Reports 276 Additional Coronavirus Cases

David Sirota, founder of The Daily Poster, says that the media should “apologize” for its coverage New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Andrew Cuomo Cuomo accuser says governor did not take sexual harassment training NY Senate advances bill to repeal Cuomo's emergency powers Two female aides to Cuomo leave administration MORE 's (D) early handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cuomo’s handling of COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing home has been under scrutiny since New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) released a report finding that Cuomo’s administration underreported COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes by as much as 50 percent. Speaking on Hill TV’s “Rising,” Sirota said that there were state lawmakers and independent news outlets trying to “blow the whistle” on Cuomo’s handling of COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing homes as the mainstream press was celebrating the governor’s early pandemic response. “The blowing of the whistle was drowned out by a media machine that … [Read more...] about David Sirota: Media should ‘apologize’ for early coverage of Cuomo’s pandemic handling