Kansas reports biggest COVID-19 surge 3 months

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas has reported its largest surge in COVID-19 circumstances in additional than three months with the faster-spreading delta variant changing into a rising public well being concern.

A few of the largest numbers of recent circumstances per capita over the earlier two weeks have been in counties bordering Missouri. That state has had new circumstances spike just lately due to the delta variant. Each Kansas and Missouri even have seen vaccinations gradual amid some residents’ resistance to getting vaccinated.

Kansas well being division knowledge confirmed that the state had a median of 275 new COVID-19 circumstances a day for the seven days ending Friday. That was the very best seven-day common since March 26.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

— CDC: Vaccinated teachers and students in U.S. don’t want masks

— Lockdowns in Asia as some nations see 1st main virus surges

— Afghanistan getting vaccine doses donated by United States

— Spain, Portugal annoyed by shifting virus journey insurance policies

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Comply with extra of AP’s pandemic protection at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon’s $1 million COVID-19 vaccine jackpot winner is a nice arts pupil at Oregon State College.

Gov. Kate Brown handed Chloe Zinda a verify on Friday.

Zinda, who’s from McMinnville, says she plans to make use of the cash to repay pupil loans, pursue her dream as an artist and open her personal studio.

Because the state crawled in the direction of its vaccination goal of 70% of adults partially or totally vaccinated within the state, the governor introduced an inventory of incentives in Could and June for individuals who obtained their shot. Among the many prizes have been trip packages and $100 present playing cards.

However the largest prize was $1 million. Adults who acquired not less than their first shot have been routinely entered to win the jackpot.

There are additionally $10,000 prizes in every of Oregon’s 36 counties and folks between the ages of 12 and 17 have an opportunity to win one among 5 $100,000 scholarships.

Officers say the winners can be introduced within the coming weeks.

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PHOENIX: Arizona on Friday reported 921 further confirmed COVID-19 circumstances, the most important every day enhance in two months, because the coronavirus continued to unfold amongst unvaccinated individuals.

The extra circumstances together with six further COVID-19 deaths reported Friday elevated the state’s pandemic totals to 899,829 circumstances and 18,009 deaths.

The every day case report was the biggest since Arizona reported 939 on Could 8, and circumstances have ticked upward over the previous month.

Unusually giant every day case studies typically happen after vacation weekends gradual knowledge assortment or after public well being officers clear knowledge backlogs that happen for numerous causes.

Nevertheless, Friday’s case bulge didn’t replicate any delayed reporting of any significance and got here throughout “an uptick of circumstances of late,” Division of Well being Providers spokesman Steve Elliott stated in an e-mail. “Circumstances being reported now are virtually solely amongst those that aren’t vaccinated.”

In keeping with Johns Hopkins College knowledge, Arizona’s seven-day rolling every day case common rose over the previous two weeks from 473.1 on June 23 to 508.7 on Wednesday. The rolling common of every day deaths rose from 9.4 to 10.8 throughout the identical interval.

COVID-19-related hospitalizations continued to vary between 500 and 600, with 535 virus sufferers occupying hospital beds as of Thursday.

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JACKSON, MISS. — Officers with the Mississippi Division of Well being are advising that people who find themselves 65 and older and people with persistent underlying medical situations chorus from attending indoor mass social gatherings for the following few weeks due to a rising variety of circumstances of coronavirus within the state — notably the highly-transmittable delta variant.

“Our collective under-vaccination within the state has put us all in danger, particularly essentially the most susceptible,” State Well being Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs stated Friday throughout a digital press briefing.

Mississippi ranks among the many final U.S. states for the entire variety of individuals vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19 at 31% totally vaccinated, in accordance with the state Division of Well being. Simply over 996,500 individuals in Mississippi are totally vaccinated.

Division of Well being officers suggested Friday that susceptible individuals keep away from indoor mass gatherings whether or not or not they’re vaccinated, by way of not less than July 26. In addition they suggested that people who find themselves not vaccinated put on a masks when in public settings.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers stated there was a “modest” enhance in circumstances and hospitalizations from coronavirus throughout the previous couple of weeks, most of that are delta variant circumstances. He stated he expects that to extend additional because the weeks go on if individuals refuse to be cautious.

“It’s a disturbing and regarding pattern that we’re seeing,” he stated. “We’re actually transferring within the unsuitable course.”

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THE HAGUE — The Dutch authorities has strengthened measures to include the coronavirus after a spike in new circumstances pushed by the delta variant.

Caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte says bars should shut at midnight once more beginning this weekend and for a lot of the summer season, whereas discotheques and golf equipment should totally shut. “No enjoyable, however mandatory,” says Rutte.

The choices got here following a big enhance in new infections, notably amongst younger individuals, rising to a stage not seen since early Could. Day by day optimistic assessments within the Netherlands elevated to virtually 7,000 circumstances, up from barely 1,000 just a few weeks in the past.

Together with early and full closures, social distancing can be strengthened. The measures are anticipated to final till Aug. 13.

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ISLAMABAD — Pakistani’s nationwide physique tasked to manage coronavirus on Friday says will probably be obligatory for all workers working for the personal sector to get vaccinated earlier than July 31.

Pakistan requested all grownup college students to get vaccinated earlier than Aug. 31. In a press release, Nationwide Command and Operation Heart additionally introduced a ban on air journey for unvaccinated individuals beginning Aug. 1.

Pakistan has already requested authorities workers to make sure their vaccination in opposition to the coronavirus this month.

Authorities say these measures have been aimed toward containing the regular surge in circumstances.

The newest improvement comes hours after Pakistan stated there have been clear indicators that the fourth wave of coronavirus infections is beginning within the Islamic nation. Pakistan has reported 969,476 confirmed circumstances and 22,520 virus-related deaths.

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Albuquerque, N.M. — The College of New Mexico is encouraging college students, school and employees get vaccinated in opposition to the coronavirus earlier than returning to campus in August, however not plans to require it.

College President Garnett Stokes says in a campuswide e-mail that vaccinations are key to stopping the unfold of the coronavirus and the college is working towards a 100% vaccination price.

Nevertheless, the vaccine stays underneath emergency use authorization by the federal authorities, the college famous in a press release Thursday.

The college beforehand proposed a vaccine requirement, and a draft of the coverage was posted to UNM’s web site.

UNM officers proceed to induce those that aren’t vaccinated to proceed to put on a masks.

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NEW YORK — U.S. well being officers say vaccinated lecturers and college students don’t must put on masks inside college buildings. The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention introduced the brand new pointers Friday. The adjustments come after a rising nationwide vaccination marketing campaign by which kids as younger as 12 are eligible to get pictures, in addition to a normal decline in current months in COVID hospitalizations and deaths within the U.S.

The nation’s high public well being company shouldn’t be advising faculties to require pictures for lecturers and vaccine-eligible youngsters.

The steering usually leaves it to native officers to determine how to make sure the unvaccinated are utilizing precautions whereas letting those that are totally protected go mask-free. The most important questions can be at center faculties the place some college students are eligible for pictures and others aren’t.

At among the nation’s largest college districts, widespread mask-wearing is predicted to proceed this fall. In Detroit’s public faculties, everybody can be required to put on a masks except everybody within the classroom has been vaccinated. Philadelphia would require all public college college students and employees to put on masks inside buildings, even when they’ve been vaccinated. Masks gained’t be mandated in Houston faculties.

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LONDON — The U.Ok. has seen every day coronavirus infections hit a close to six-month excessive as coronavirus spreads amongst youthful age teams.

Authorities figures Friday confirmed one other 35,707 confirmed lab circumstances, the very best every day tally since Jan. 22 with greater than 40,000 reported circumstances.

The current spike has been because of the extra contagious delta variant and largely occurred amongst youthful individuals, lots of whom have but to obtain a primary dose of vaccine.

With all remaining restrictions on social contact to be lifted in England on July 19, circumstances are anticipated to proceed marching increased. The British authorities has stated the every day case price might hit 100,000 this summer season, which might be a brand new excessive.

There’s rising proof the variety of individuals requiring hospitalization and dying from COVID-19 are choosing up tempo, although not on the identical price as infections.

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BANGKOK — Officers in Thailand have introduced a seven-hour curfew and different restrictions for the capital and 9 different provinces to attempt to gradual a rising variety of circumstances and deaths in a coronavirus surge.

Folks dwelling in Bangkok and 5 surrounding provinces, together with 4 within the nation’s far south, should keep at residence from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., not maintain gatherings of greater than 5 individuals and keep away from pointless journey.

The restrictions take impact on Monday. The better Bangkok space can have extra restrictions, together with college closings.

Well being authorities on Friday introduced 9,276 new circumstances, bringing the confirmed complete to 317,506. Seventy-two new deaths have been confirmed for a complete of two,534. Greater than 90% of the circumstances and deaths have occurred since early April.

The unfold has been fueled by the extra contagious delta variant and a gradual vaccination drive.

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JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Indonesia authorities introduced it’s going to use doses of the Moderna vaccine donated by the US by way of the COVAX Facility.

Many well being care staff have been beforehand vaccinated with the Chinese language produced Sinovac vaccine. Indonesian Well being Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin says well being staff will turn into the precedence group, particularly due to the brand new variants.

“Now we have not reached the vaccination goal. So, it will be important for us to offer the third vaccination dose to the well being care staff as they face the virus every single day. We must always shield them to allow them to give attention to working,” he says.

The 4 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine are scheduled to reach in Jakarta on Sunday. The federal government is planning to start out the third dose of vaccination subsequent week.

Indonesia Meals and Drug Monitoring Company additionally introduced the emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Moderna.

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LONDON — The European Medicines Company says its knowledgeable committee has concluded that the COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna are probably linked to very uncommon circumstances of chest ache and coronary heart irritation in some individuals following vaccination.

That echoes an identical conclusion reached by U.S. officers in June. In a press release on Friday, the EU drug regulator is recommending that the 2 situations, myocarditis and pericarditis, be included as unwanted side effects on the vaccine labels, along with a warning to boost consciousness amongst well being staff and folks receiving the pictures.

The choice was made primarily based on a evaluate of greater than 300 circumstances of chest and coronary heart irritation amongst greater than 190 million doses of the 2 vaccines administered throughout Europe. Well being officers say the advantages of the coronavirus vaccines far outweigh the small dangers of unwanted side effects.

Additionally, the EMA is recommending individuals who have a historical past of a uncommon situation that causes blood vessels to leak keep away from the coronavirus vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson. Its consultants examined three circumstances of capillary leak syndrome in individuals who acquired the J&J vaccine; two died shortly after being vaccinated.

The regulator says the syndrome must be acknowledged as a brand new aspect impact of the J&J shot and suggested a warning to boost consciousness amongst well being staff.

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BUDAPEST — Hungary’s capital metropolis is providing free antibody testing to older individuals amid issues that sure COVID-19 vaccines don’t present ample safety.

The provide of 20,000 assessments Friday got here after totally vaccinated individuals reported that assessments carried out at personal laboratories indicated they hadn’t developed antibodies to defend in opposition to the coronavirus.

Metropolis leaders say most such studies got here from individuals who acquired China’s Sinopharm vaccine. An early vaccination chief within the European Union, Hungary is the one nation within the bloc to make use of the Chinese language shot.

Budapest’s mayor is pushing for Hungary’s authorities to supply third pictures for people who want them.

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BERLIN — Germany is itemizing Spain as a “danger space,” placing the favored vacationer vacation spot within the lowest of its three danger classes, a transfer with few sensible results for vacationers however might postpone would-be vacationers.

Germany’s nationwide illness management middle says the brand new standing will take impact on Sunday. Elements of Spain, together with Andalucia and Catalonia, have been already on the record. They’re now joined by the remainder of the nation, together with the Balearic Islands, that are massively in style with Germans.

Anybody arriving from a “danger space” can keep away from a 10-day quarantine by proving they’ve examined detrimental. Folks flying to Germany are required to check detrimental earlier than boarding a flight wherever they arrive from.

Efficient Sunday, Germany is placing Cyprus in its second-highest danger class as a “high-incidence space.” Folks arriving from international locations on that record can keep away from quarantine if they’ll show that they’re totally vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. Others can reduce quick the 10-day quarantine by testing detrimental after 5 days.

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KABUL, Afghanistan — U.N. kids’s company UNICEF says greater than 1.4 million Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses can be delivered to Afghanistan on Friday because the nation battles a 3rd wave of infections.

The COVID-19 vaccines are being donated by the US and delivered by way of the U.N.-backed COVAX program. One other cargo is predicted to reach later this month, bringing the entire donations to round 3.3 million doses.

“These vaccines arrive at a important time for Afghanistan because the nation faces a tough surge in COVID-19 infections,” Hervé Ludovic De Lys, UNICEF’s consultant in Afghanistan, stated in a press release.

He added whereas the the donated vaccines are appreciated, “rather more must be achieved. I hope that different governments will step up and share their doses, provides and therapeutics to guard these most in want.”

As of July 8, Afghanistan had reported a complete a complete of 131,586 confirmed COVID-19 circumstances and 5,561 deaths. Because the third wave began final month, the nation has averaged greater than 2,000 new confirmed circumstances a day. The Afghan authorities has closed universities and faculties.