Breaking News

CORONAVIRUS

Doctor: Biden tests positive for COVID for 2nd day in a row

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 for the second straight day, in what appears to be a rare case of "rebound" following treatment with an anti-viral drug. In a letter noting the positive test, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the White House physician, said Sunday that the president "continues to feel well" and will keep on working from the executive residence while he isolates. Biden tested positive on Saturday, requiring him to cancel travel and in-person events as he isolates for at least five days in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...

Biden emerges from COVID isolation, tells public: Get shots

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden ended his COVID-19 isolation on Wednesday, telling Americans they can "live without fear" of the pandemic if they take advantage of booster shots and treatments, the protections he credited with his swift recovery. "You don't need to be president to get these tools to be used for your defense," he said in the Rose Garden. "In fact, the same booster shots, the same at-home test, the same treatment that I got is available to you." The pandemic has killed more than 1 million people in the U.S. and it continues to disrupt daily life more than two ...

New studies bolster theory coronavirus emerged from the wild

Two new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold – further bolstering the theory that the virus emerged in the wild rather than escaping from a Chinese lab. The research, published online Tuesday by the journal Science, shows that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was likely the early epicenter of the scourge that has now killed nearly 6.4 million people around the world. Scientists conclude that the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, likely spilled from animals into people two separate ...

Some schools hit hard by virus make few changes for new year

As a new school year approaches, COVID-19 infections are again on the rise, fueled by highly transmissible variants, filling families with dread. They fear the return of a pandemic scourge: outbreaks that sideline large numbers of teachers, close school buildings and force students back into remote learning. Some school systems around the country have moved to bolster staffing to minimize disruptions, but many are hoping for the best without doing much else differently compared with last year. Even some of the districts that had the most disruptions to in-person schooling amid the ...

Night Out: Neighbors get to know each other to reduce crime

NEW ULM — National Night Out returned to German Park Monday after a two-year absence. The 2021 and 2020 National Night Out were canceled due to COVID concerns but were back in full force for the 2022 celebration. Turnout for the community event started slow due to a short drizzle. This ...

Oregon urges return to mask wearing as hospitals feel strain

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon health officials are urging people in 21 counties with high COVID-19 cases — including the three Portland-area counties — to return to mask wearing because the hospital system is again under extreme strain. While COVID-19 hospitalizations are lower than past surges, staff shortages, patients who delayed care and elevated COVID-19 infections have substantially reduced hospital systems' capacity to care for patients, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Oregon Health Authority epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger on Wednesday asked Oregonians to wear ...