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Covid-19

Increase in COVID virus detected in Escanaba

ESCANABA — The amount of detectable DNA from the virus responsible for COVID-19 in Escanaba’s sewer system has climbed in recent weeks, a trend that started at roughly the same time as the Upper Peninsula State Fair. According to Sentinel Wastewater Epidemiology Evaluation Project, or SWEEP, the sample submitted by the Escanaba Wastewater Treatment Plant on Aug. 12, the first day of the fair, contained more DNA than only 5% of samples submitted by the plant since the city started participating in SWEEP in August 2021. On Aug. 14, the sample contained more DNA than 13% of samples, ...

US clears updated COVID shots from Novavax, adding 3rd option

U.S. regulators have cleared a third updated COVID-19 vaccine for this fall, shots made by Novavax Inc. Already, Pfizer and Moderna are shipping shots modified to better match more recent strains of the ever-evolving coronavirus. Those doses can be used in adults and children as young as 6 months. Friday, the Food and Drug Administration gave the OK to the updated Novavax formula, too — and those shots are open to anyone 12 and older. While most Americans have some degree of immunity from prior infections or vaccinations or both, that protection wanes. Despite this summer's wave, ...

Updated COVID vaccines approved

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators approved updated COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, shots designed to more closely target recent virus strains — and hopefully whatever variants cause trouble this winter, too. With the Food and Drug Administration’s clearance, Pfizer and Moderna are set to ...

COVID-19 on the upswing in the US

COVID-19 hasn't gone away, and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests it's on the upswing around the country. "We've seen these summer increases every summer that COVID-19 has been with us," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Johns Hopkins University infectious disease ...

COVID-19 no longer means five days in isolation — CDC

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to stay in isolation for five days, U.S. health officials announced Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its longstanding guidance, saying that people can return to work or regular activities if their symptoms are mild and improving and it's been a day since they've had a fever. The change comes at a time when COVID-19 is no longer the public health menace it once was. It dropped from being the nation's third leading cause of death early in the pandemic to 10th last year. Most people ...

Flu hangs on in US; Midwest cases rising

NEW YORK (AP) — The flu virus is hanging on in the U.S., intensifying in some areas of the country after weeks of an apparent national decline. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Friday showed a continued national drop in flu hospitalizations, but other indicators were up — including the number of states with high or very high levels for respiratory illnesses. “Nationally, we can say we’ve peaked, but on a regional level it varies,” said the CDC’s Alicia Budd. “A couple of regions haven’t peaked yet.” Patient traffic has eased a bit in the ...