Breaking News

CORONAVIRUS

EXPLAINER: BA.2 variant takes over. What’s known about it?

In the latest battle of the coronavirus mutants, an extra-contagious version of omicron has taken over the world. The coronavirus version known as BA.2 is now dominant in at least 68 countries, including the United States. The World Health Organization says it makes up about 94% of sequenced omicron cases submitted to an international coronavirus database in the most recent week. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it was responsible for 72% of new U.S. infections last week. Dr. Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas, said he’s seen BA.2 quickly ...

Shanghai discharges thousands of patients, boosts supplies

BEIJING (AP) — Shanghai on Sunday discharged over 11,000 recovered COVID-19 patients and health authorities emphasized that they must be allowed to return home despite the lockdown that has severely restricted movement in China’s largest city. “We hope their family and community will not worry about them or discriminate against them,” said Wu Jinglei, director of the Shanghai Health Commission. The city of 26 million people reported 1,006 confirmed infections and nearly 24,000 asymptomatic cases in the last 24 hours. Shanghai has been under lockdown since March 28, and ...

Outbreaks give taste of living with virus

The U.S. is getting a first glimpse of what it’s like to experience COVID-19 outbreaks during this new phase of living with the virus, and the roster of the newly infected is studded with stars. Cabinet members, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Broadway actors and the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut have all tested positive. Outbreaks at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University are bringing back mask requirements to those campuses as officials seek out quarantine space. The known infections likely reveal only the tip of the iceberg — with actors and politicians ...

Pfizer’s request to OK shots for kids a relief for parents

Parents tired of worrying about classroom outbreaks and sick of telling their elementary school-age children no to sleepovers and family gatherings felt a wave of relief Thursday when Pfizer asked the U.S. government to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for youngsters ages 5 to 11. If regulators give the go-ahead, reduced-dose kids' shots could begin within a matter of weeks. That could bring many families a step closer to being done with remote learning, virus scares and repeated school shutdowns and quarantines. "My son asked about playing sports. 'After you're vaccinated.' He ...

While US summer surge is waning, more mandates in the works

COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. are coming down again, hospitalizations are dropping, and new cases per day are about to dip below 100,000 for the first time in two months — all signs that the summer surge is waning. Not wanting to lose momentum, government leaders and employers are looking to strengthen and vaccine requirements. Los Angeles enacted one of the nation's strictest vaccine mandates Wednesday, a sweeping measure that would require the shots for everyone entering a bar, restaurant, nail salon, gym or Lakers game. New York City and San Francisco have similar ...

126 new cases since last week

BROWN COUNTY — COVID-19 cases continue to spread in Brown County with Public Health recording 126 new cases since last week. This is the second week in a row the county has experienced over 100 new COVID cases in a week. This is an average of 18 new cases a day. September currently has the third-highest county-wide increase in COVID since the pandemic began 20 months ago. Less than a week into October, Brown County has 41 new COVID cases for the month. Public Health Director Karen Moritz said the cases are spread throughout the county with no single large event causing the ...