Person in custody in connection with Oakland County professional poker player’s death – WXYZ

Posted on by

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (WXYZ) A 60-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of a well-known professional poker player in Oakland County.

On July 30, detectives from the White Lake Township Police Department secured search warrants regarding Susie Zhao's homicide investigation. The detectives and FBI task force began searching for a suspect vehicle named in one of the search warrants.

The next day around 9 a.m., investigators were notified by the FBI task force on the location of the suspect vehicle. Police say the vehicle was stopped in the area of I-275 and Michigan Ave. and the search warrants were executed.

A 60-year-old white male resident of Pontiac was taken into custody, according to the White Lake Township Police Department. The complaint will be forwarded to the Oakland Co. Prosecutors office review.

Susie Zhao's body was found badly burned in a parking lot at the corner of Maceday and Cross roads in White Lake Township the morning of July 13.

The 33-year-old was a professional poker player who most recently lived in Los Angeles but came home on June 9. Her mother and step-father live in northern Oakland County.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI or submit tips online to tips.fbi.gov.

Susie Zhao Poster - Hotline Number by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd

Go here to read the rest:

Person in custody in connection with Oakland County professional poker player's death - WXYZ

PKO US: Progressive Knockouts Roll out to Global Poker, WPN and Partypoker NJ – Pokerfuse

Posted on by

Progressive knockout tournaments have successfully expanded to all corners of the online poker world, with the format now introduced to the last remaining regional regulated US site, the leading offshore US network, and sweepstakes poker site Global Poker.

Knockout or bounty tournaments split entry fees between two separate prizes: part is set aside for traditional payouts, awarded to players that last the longest; the remainder is put on each players head as a bounty, awarded to whomever knocks them out. The split between these two prize payouts is traditionally 50/50.

A progressive knockout (PKO) tournament makes the bounty portion of the prize pool grow as the tournament progresses by splitting bounties when they are won. A portion is awarded to the player as an instant prize, as before, but a portion is added onto that players own bounty. Again, this split is usually 50/50.

This format has been popular for years, and all major real money online poker operators have offered both KO and PKO tournaments for a while.

However, in the last couple of weeks, the tournament format has extended to smaller regional and niche operations, further establishing the format as one of the most important game types spread online today.

See the rest here:

PKO US: Progressive Knockouts Roll out to Global Poker, WPN and Partypoker NJ - Pokerfuse

Ethan Yau Brings Audience Into His World Series of Poker Dream – PocketFives

Posted on by

Never in a million years would I dream of being in this situation

For 22-year old poker player Ethan Yau, the situation hes referring to is being a newly crowned World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner. In the early hours of Monday morning, Yau topped the 2,502-entry field of WSOP Event #26 ($500 NLHE Grande Finale) to claim the $164,494 first-place prize and his first gold bracelet. And, he did it all while streaming on YouTube to an audience of thousands.

Yau is the first to admit, hes not a tournament pro. For the past couple of years, Yau has been focused on playing live NLHE cash games and doing it all in front of the camera for his rapidly growing YouTube channel, RampagePoker. When his summer plans of flying to Las Vegas for the first time to play at the WSOP were derailed due to the coronoavirus, he pivoted to picking a weekend in New Jersey to get his first taste of the World Series of Poker by playing online.

One of the cool experiences for me is getting to play in a WSOP event for the first time in my life because Im twenty-two, Yau said. I wasnt able to go to Vegas last year and I had planned to go this summer. Unfortunately, that never worked out. So I just had the intention of trying to have a good time and also put out an entertaining stream for the people that watch my videos.

What started out simply as possible content for Yaus 22.5K subscribers, turned into something much more. Sunday night turned into Monday morning and Yau found himself progressing deeper in the tournament. His viewer count began to soar and those viewers were there to cheer him on. And maybe even guide him a little here and there.

The stream played a really huge part in helping me out because, for one, Im obviously new to the game. So Im very unfamiliar with different pros. I knew that the WSOP events were very pro heavy and super tough, he said. So the stream helped me navigate through the tournament where if there was someone that they knew, theyd tell me. Theyd say this player to your right is a huge, crazy prosuper, super good so try to avoid them even though you have position on them.

It was really cool to have that instantaneous feedback to help me navigate through the tournament. If I ever made a mistakeI would know immediately. So just being able to kind of tighten up and play a little bit better, getting that feedback and knowing what mistakes I was making. That was huge to kind of prevent and prolong the eventual punt that I assumed I would make.

Yau has always been open to audience feedback when it comes to poker. Thats part of what makes his WSOP victory extra special, as it was his audience that drove him to compete at higher levels in the first place.

Unlike a generation of online grinders that picked up poker through a family home game or by watching Moneymaker on ESPN, Yau stumbled into the game just two years ago. As a student at UMass, he first gave playing blackjack a serious shot. But after losing a decent chunk of change as a college student a friend helped him switched over to poker.

In the first thirty minutes, I lost five hundred dollars. I lost two buy-ins in basically thirty minutesterrible, he recalled.So I walked away from that experience thinking alright I am going to try and get good at this somehow or never play again.

Yau went to YouTube and searched for ways to get better at poker. He quickly found videos from some of the top poker vloggers like Andrew Neeme, Brad Owen, Johnny Moreno, and Jaman Burton. He absorbed the content and not only learned more about poker by watching them, but he became inspired by them.

I had some experience making YouTube videos before. I used to make gaming videos, he said. So I was familiar with editing videos and posting a schedule. So I thought why not just go for it? Try. Because I needed to find a way to learn anyway.

So Yau followed in the vloggers footsteps and created his first poker video in January 2018.

It was one of my first five sessions playing live ever, he said. I was still unsure of how the button moved.

What he lacked in poker knowledge at the time he more than made up for with drive. He kept an open mind and responded quickly to those who watched what he was creating.

I got a lot of helpful feedback and a lot of real criticism, which I needed. I kept making videos, I kept learning from the YouTube comments. And that was honestly one of the main ways Ive learned, just getting feedback from random people online. And it was very harsh, but it was what I needed to hear to learn. Over time, I have improved along the way.

Not only has he improved as a player along the way but his channel has flourished as well. Over the past two years, Yau has created over 170 poker vlogs some of which have upwards of 80,000 views.

Yaus gold bracelet weekend in New Jersey has come to an end but his YouTube exploits are just beginning. He says he has plans to expand into blackjack and golfing channels while keeping his focus on RampagePoker. When the coast is clear hell be traveling to poker rooms across the U.S., and possibly internationally, to give his vlogs a different flavor.

Yaus journey through poker has been helped by the advice of his audience but as he drives home after winning a WSOP gold bracelet he also has some feedback for those who watched him do it.

If someone like me who has virtually zero experience with tournaments, poker or studying the gameI think if someone like me can win a tournament, anyone can. Seriously, like literally its the dream. If I can do it, anyone can. You just need a little bit of luck on your side and anything can happen.

See the original post:

Ethan Yau Brings Audience Into His World Series of Poker Dream - PocketFives

TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil Market Forecast to 2025 – Driven by Industry Major Players, Dynamics, Future Opportunities, Revenue,…

Posted on by

In this report, the global TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil market is valued at USD XX million in 2019 and is projected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% during the period 2019 to 2025.

For top companies in United States, European Union and China, this report investigates and analyzes the production, value, price, market share and growth rate for the top manufacturers, key data from 2019 to 2025.

The TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil market report firstly introduced the basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the worlds main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil market report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.

Get PDF Sample Copy of this Report to understand the structure of the complete report: (Including Full TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Chart) @ https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2647365&source=atm

Market Segment AnalysisThe research report includes specific segments by Type and by Application. Each type provides information about the production during the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. Application segment also provides consumption during the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. Understanding the segments helps in identifying the importance of different factors that aid the market growth.Segment by TypeH-coilC-core CoilCircular Crown Coil

Segment by ApplicationHospitalClinicOthers

Global TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil Market: Regional AnalysisThe report offers in-depth assessment of the growth and other aspects of the TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil market in important regions, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and Brazil, etc. Key regions covered in the report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.The report has been curated after observing and studying various factors that determine regional growth such as economic, environmental, social, technological, and political status of the particular region. Analysts have studied the data of revenue, production, and manufacturers of each region. This section analyses region-wise revenue and volume for the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. These analyses will help the reader to understand the potential worth of investment in a particular region.Global TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil Market: Competitive LandscapeThis section of the report identifies various key manufacturers of the market. It helps the reader understand the strategies and collaborations that players are focusing on combat competition in the market. The comprehensive report provides a significant microscopic look at the market. The reader can identify the footprints of the manufacturers by knowing about the global revenue of manufacturers, the global price of manufacturers, and production by manufacturers during the forecast period of 2015 to 2019.The major players in the market include MAG & More, Magstim, MagVenture, ANT Neuro, Brain Latam Co, Deymed, etc.

Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry [emailprotected] https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=2647365&source=atm

The study objectives of TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil Market Report are:

To analyze and research the TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil market status and future forecast in United States, European Union and China, involving sales, value (revenue), growth rate (CAGR), market share, historical and forecast.

To present the TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil manufacturers, presenting the sales, revenue, market share, and recent development for key players.

To split the breakdown data by regions, type, companies and applications

To analyze the global and key regions TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.

To identify significant trends, drivers, influence factors in global and regions

To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the keyword market.

You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.marketresearchhub.com/checkout?rep_id=2647365&licType=S&source=atm

Read more from the original source:

TMS(Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Coil Market Forecast to 2025 - Driven by Industry Major Players, Dynamics, Future Opportunities, Revenue,...

Posted in Tms

Research Assistant, Grant job with UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY | 215068 – Times Higher Education (THE)

Posted on by

Job Description

The laboratory for Clinical Experimental Neurophysiology at CMHS, UAE University, is seeking to recruit one Postdoctoral Fellow to work on different projects exploring cortical plasticity in health and disease. The initial appointment is for one year with the possibility of extension for up to two years. The projects involve the use of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), repetitive TMS, transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS), and electroencephalography (EEG) in healthy subjects and patients. For additional information contact: Prof. Milos Ljubisavljevic Department of Physiology CMHS, UAE University - Al Ain, UAE Email: milos@uaeu.ac.ae

Minimum Qualification

MBBS or equivalent or BSc degree (Medical Sciences, Neurobiology, Neurophysiology, or other corresponding BSc degrees) and a PhD in Neuroscience or equivalent discipline.

Preferred Qualification

Medical degree (MBBS, MBChB, MBBCh, or other equivalent medical degrees) and a Ph.D. in Clinical or Experimental Neurophysiology.

Expected Skills/Rank/Experience

Prior experience in clinical neurophysiology, including TMS and EEG and evoked potentials, is essential. We are looking for an enthusiastic, self-driven, hard-working persons able to interact broadly, and particularly with clinical subjects. We value independent critical thinking, candid scientific discussion, rigorous experimental work, and creative approaches to scientific problems.

Special Instructions to Applicant

Candidates should submit an updated CV including your full coordinates with Skype identifier and the name/contact of two referees

Division College of Medicine&Health Sciences

Department As.Dean for Research&Grad.Std.-CMHS

Job Close Date open until filled

Job Category Staff

Continue reading here:

Research Assistant, Grant job with UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY | 215068 - Times Higher Education (THE)

Posted in Tms

DCEU Cyborg Wants TV Crossover Better Than The Flash In Crisis – Screen Rant

Posted on by

The DCEU's Ray Fisher would be open to a Cyborg crossover with Doom Patrol, but only if it was more than a quick hello between the two characters.

Ray Fisher, the DCEU'sCyborg, would love a TV crossover withDoom Patrol, but only if it was better than the Flash's Crisis on Infinite Earths cameo. Fisher first stepped into the role of Victor Stone, AKA Cyborg, for 2016'sBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,though his part was little more than a quick cameo. He then played the superhero again forJustice Leaguein 2017, a film that was meant to serve as Cyborg's true DCEU origin story. However, following director Zack Snyder's departure from the film, much of Cyborg's arc was altered by Joss Whedon.

Fisher isn't the only active Cyborg right now, as DC Universe and HBO Max'sDoom Patrolhas one of its own. Jovian Wade plays Victor on the quirky series, which recently returned for a second season. Fisher has previously shared his support for Wade on social media, calling him "my cybernetic brother from another mother." While Cyborg isn't typically included among the Doom Patrol in the comics, the show has managed to find a perfect spot for him among the team.

Related:Doom Patrol Does Cyborg Better Than The DCEU (So Far)

During his Justice Con panel, Fisher was asked about whether he would be willing to appear in a crossover with Wade's Cyborg, similar to how Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller's Barry Allens came together in the Arrowverse's Crisis on Infinite Earths earlier this year. "It depends, I would say," Fisher began with a smile. He then went on to explain it like this:

It depends on what the actual auspices of it are. I feel the same way about that as I do about a Cyborg standalone. I only want to do it if I know what the story's going to be in advance. If it's just like, 'Oh hey, what's up?' 'Hey, what's up... bye,' that doesn't really... Like if you could share a moment where both of these guys - both of these people who've lost half of themselves see one another and sort of like have a moment of wholeness, or whatever that would be, if we could get deep about the situation... sign me up.

A quick hello is pretty much all Miller's cameo amounted to, and while it was certainly a fun surprise for fans, it makes sense that Fisher might want a bit more for a crossover of his own. Fisher has been vocal about how much Cyborg'sJustice Leaguestoryline means to him, especially when it pertains to the character's backstory. His idea for a crossover withDoom Patrol's Cyborg wherein they bond over their traumatic experiences would make for a very emotional and poignant moment.

Technically, Crisis on Infinite Earths proved every DC universe, whether on the big screen or small, exists alongside each other, so who knows what the future holds for these two Cyborgs. Fisher will be in the spotlight once again with the arrival ofZack Snyder's Justice Leagueon HBO Max next year, and fans are certainly excited to see his full arc. As for what comes after, that remains to be seen, though there are some who are holding out hope that Fisher will finally get the solo Cyborg film he was supposed to get this year. Or, perhaps Fisher will find himself onDoom Patrolsomehow. Only time will tell.

More:Justice League Star Says Joss Whedon Should Be Scared Of Reshoot Details

Source: Spotlight on Ray Fisher/Justice Con

Key Release Dates

Ryan Reynolds Jokingly Reveals How Old He REALLY Looks On Deadpool Set

Rachel LaBonte is a news and features writer for Screen Rant with a deep passion for movies and television. A recent graduate of Emerson College, she majored in Media Arts Production while specializing in screenwriting. She's been a writer ever since high school when she realized she was rather good at it and joined as many entertainment news clubs as she could while in school. Most notably, she wrote for Emerson's website Emertainment Monthly, and one of her film reviews won an Evvy (Emerson's student awards) for Best Review. Her deep love of movies led to her working at a movie theater for five years, which she loved despite the angry customers. An avid reader who constantly buys books before reading the ones she already owns, Rachel is a huge fan of superheroes (especially of the Marvel variety) and wizards and will likely never be able to catch up on all the movies/TV shows she longs to watch.

Follow this link:

DCEU Cyborg Wants TV Crossover Better Than The Flash In Crisis - Screen Rant

Ray Fisher May Be Written Out Of The Flash Now – We Got This Covered

Posted on by

Through a set of circumstances largely out of his control, Ray Fisher has gone from the brink of obscurity to becoming one of the most talked-about stars in the DCEU, and it isnt just to do with his impending return as Cyborg in the Snyder Cut of Justice League.

The 32 year-old has always defended his role as Victor Stone even after it appeared that his time in the franchise was well and truly over, in what marked a far cry from the original plans to give the character his own solo movie. And after reacting to the Snyder Cut announcement with tears of happiness, Fisher would no doubt have been reaching for the tissues again when he was confirmed to be returning to the fold in The Flash.

However, the actor hasnt just been generating headlines from a professional perspective and after he publicly called out Joss Whedon for his behavior on the set of Justice League, a series of former collaborators have since followed suit in blasting the Avengers director for the unhealthy environments he created on his various movie and TV projects.

We recently heard that Fisher was at risk of being sued for breaking a non-disclosure agreement if he kept talking about Whedon, something he alluded to himself when he skirted around the issue in a recent interview and essentially invited legal action, but weve now learned that Warner Bros. are seriously considering writing him out of The Flash as a result of his actions.

According to our intel which comes from the same sources who told us that Green Lantern and Justice League Dark shows are coming to HBO Max the studio are keen to distance themselves from any controversy, inflammatory statements or potential lawsuits, and having already seemingly dropped Whedon, they might get rid of Fisher as well to save any further trouble.

Of course, The Flash has gone through so many iterations and drafts that it would probably be a relatively straightforward process to write him out of the script, and if it does end up happening, then Ray Fisher could end up seeing his movie career go up in smoke for a second time.

See the original post here:

Ray Fisher May Be Written Out Of The Flash Now - We Got This Covered

‘Teen Titans Go!’ Hits Shelves With a Camp-y Adventure – TVInsider

Posted on by

Their sixth season of animated antics may have wrapped up on the Cartoon Network back in July, but the smart-aleck superheroes of Teen Titans GO! are far from done keeping fans young and young-at-heart entertained this summer.

On Monday, August 3, DC Comics will release Teen Titans GO! to Camp, a middle-grade graphic novel that sends Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven, and Cyborg off to a summer camp of iconically evil repute...Camp Apokolips. And we have an exclusive first look at their arrival!

Filled with a fiery swimming pool, parademons, a very literal recipe for "Big Juice" and the scariest lunch lady alive, this joint is far from a great escape. And it only gets worse once our diminutive do-gooders discover that their rivals in the camp's summer games includes the juvie villains of the H.I.V.E. Five. Which, as anyone who knows this show, ruffles Robin's competitive feathers.

It's a hoot of a read that retains the rapid-fire wit of the series (and the hilarious Teen Titans GO! movies) written by Scholly Fisch, who's penned comic books for Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, The Powerpuff Girls and Super Friends. A collection of previously released digital comics from earlier this year, it is the first time the entire tale has appeared in print.

So get ready to GO! to your favorite comics retailer on August 3rd, or hit up dccomics.com to pre-order it today.

Read the original post:

'Teen Titans Go!' Hits Shelves With a Camp-y Adventure - TVInsider

Cable Just Became the Most Wanted Man in the Marvel Universe – CBR – Comic Book Resources

Posted on by

As the X-Men move towards X of Swords, Cable has just become a target for some powerful enemies in the Marvel Universe.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Cable #2, by Gerry Duggan, Phil Noto and VC's Joe Sabino, on sale now.

Kid Cable has had a particularly rough go of it ever since arriving in the relative present of the Marvel Universe two years ago. After helping fix fractures in the space-time continuum exacerbated by the X-Men's tampering of their own history, the time-displaced son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor was a founding member of the mutant nation-state of Krakoa, quickly becoming a prominent figure and local ladies' man. However, in the lead-up to the eagerly anticipated crossover event X of Swords, Cable has become a target for some powerful, cosmic opponents: the Spaceknights.

In the opening issue of his ongoing solo series, Cable discovered a monster living on Krakoa that had a Spaceknight's sword embedded into it. Flashbacks revealed that the Spaceknight had been exploring Earth long ago before being devoured by the beast, stabbing his sword into its paw in his dying moments. After rescuing a mutant child at the mercy of the behemoth, Cable retrieved the sword and called it his own, likely poised to wield the cosmic weapon throughout X of Swords in contrast to the upcoming crossover's more mythical blades. And having freed the blade, a signal has been sent to very powerful space cyborgs who have traveled to Earth to locate it for themselves.

RELATED: X of Swords Promo Teases the Secret History of Cable's New Weapon

Originally created as a toy by Parker Bros., Rom the Spaceknight was licensed to Marvel Comics in 1979 in his own ongoing comic book series that took place within the canon of the Marvel Universe till 1986. Hailing from the faraway planet Galador, Rom became a Spaceknight when his world was threatened by the invading Dire Wraiths, and he sacrificed his physical body to reborn as a cyborg Spaceknight. As the conflict intensified, Rom swore to wipe out the Dire Wraith menace across the cosmos before he would be restored to his original body on Galador, with his space-faring hunt leading him to Earth where he teamed up with superheroes like the Avengers and X-Men. While Rom is no longer part of the Marvel Universe, the other Spaceknights are, and they're very interested in Cable.

Cable leaves the safety of Krakoa to investigate the kidnapping of a mutant baby in Philadelphia, a case very personal to him due to his own background. Joined by the Esme Cuckoo, the two are attacked when Cable unsheathes the sword, sending an energy signature to Spaceknights observing the planet from its orbit. After identifying the blade as the Light of Galador, the Spaceknights' most powerful weapon, the three Spaceknights attack Cable and Esme. Each Spaceknight possesses their own unique abilities, and they are able to quickly surprise and overpower the two, taking them both off-world to ascertain how exactly Galador's fabled weapon fell into Cable's possession in the first place.

RELATED: X of Swords Creators Tease Which X-Men Have the Biggest Moments

What turned into a seemingly routine kidnapping investigation has put Cable at the center of an intergalactic incident, and he now faces the full scrutiny of the Spaceknights for absconding of their most powerful weapons. With the fate of the Spaceknight who brought it to Earth likely unknown by his comrades, Cable and Esme may be implicated for an interstellar murder that will force the young mutants to think fast if they hope to avoid persecution by their new captors.

Cable claiming the Light of Galador was largely the actions of a young man finding a cool-looking weapon deep in the jungle. But, as Nathan Summers is about to find out, possession may be 9/10ths of intergalactic law.

KEEP READING: X-Men: The Externals Return (and Get a New Name) in X of Swords

DC to Publish Injustice: Year Zero

Sam Stone is a 10th level pop culture guru living just outside of Washington, DC who knows an unreasonable amount about The Beatles. You can read his work in the pages of Image+, follow him on Twitter @samstoneshow, and listen to his podcast Geek Out Show on iTunes and Google Play.

See the original post:

Cable Just Became the Most Wanted Man in the Marvel Universe - CBR - Comic Book Resources

How Hong Kong Is Trying To Tame Its New Spike Of COVID-19 Cases : Goats and Soda – NPR

Posted on by

New rules in Hong Kong require everyone to wear a mask in all outdoor places or face a $650 fine. Above: A masked woman stretches out a public park. Also: The maximum number of people allowed at a public gathering is ... 2. Miguel Candela/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

New rules in Hong Kong require everyone to wear a mask in all outdoor places or face a $650 fine. Above: A masked woman stretches out a public park. Also: The maximum number of people allowed at a public gathering is ... 2.

Each week, we answer "frequently asked questions" about life during the coronavirus crisis. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."

Hong Kong is seeing its biggest surge in coronavirus cases since the outbreak began.

After periods when the city had gotten the number of domestic cases infections not linked to people arriving from abroad down to zero, Hong Kong is now reporting more than 100 new cases a day.

So what is Hong Kong doing about it?

A lot. And the goal is to get the reported coronavirus case numbers back down to just a handful if not none at all.

Interestingly, Hong Kong isn't ordering a blanket "shelter in place" or universal "stay at home" order as some places have. Hong Kong actually has never implemented a full lockdown since the pandemic began.

Instead, city officials have tightened social distancing rules, shut non-essential businesses and required everyone to wear a mask in all outdoor places and on the subway. Violators can be fined $5,000 Hong Kong Dollars ($650 US).

On Wednesday of this week new rules went into effect that closed all bars, nightclubs, karaoke halls and mahjong parlors. Gyms, hair salons and swimming pools were shut as well.

The rules also shuttered food courts, bathhouses, movie theaters, party halls and sports facilities. And restaurants which had been allowed to offer sit-down service were ordered to switch to takeout only (more on that later).

Business owners who violate the restrictions face fines of $50,000 HKD or roughly $6,500 USD and six months in jail.

And while some places in the world have been capping the size of public gatherings at 50 or 20 or 10 people, Hong Kong set their new limit for public gatherings at 2. Yes, you read that right. You can't really get a smaller party.

At a time when there have been mass street demonstrations about the influence of Beijing over the semi-autonomous territory, people who gather in groups larger than 2 can face up to a half a year in prison and a fine of $25,000 HKD ($3,250 USD).

As the new rules were announced, Carrie Lam, chief executive of Hong Kong, told Hong Kongers in a video message that the city is on the verge of an even larger outbreak that could overwhelm its hospitals.

"The government has put in place the most stringent measures ever in enforcing social distancing," Lam said from behind a white mask. "Our frontline staff are battling with the surge and the central government is helping us to enhance testing capability and set up a community treatment facility. What we need now is your co-operation."

You may wonder how the new restrictions are playing out.

On Wednesday, the first day restaurants were forced to only offer takeout, sidewalks were jammed with people trying to eat lunch outside.

"What we saw on the streets of Hong Kong was a lot of office workers buying their lunch takeaway and then eating it on the street, crouching down, kneeling down, sitting on park benches with umbrellas because it's raining," says Ben Cowling, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong.

"It made Hong Kong seem like it was a different country to what we're used to. We don't normally see people crouching down eating their lunch outside. So it's kind of strange to see that."

The takeaway-only rule caused so much chaos that city officials reversed it the next day. On Thursday, they put in place new rules allowing restaurants to serve sitdown lunch at 50% capacity and with at least 1.5 meters between tables just shy of 5 feet.

Despite Hong Kong having contained the coronavirus incredibly efficiently for months, Cowling says he's not that surprised there's now a surge in cases.

"We knew that we'd get a resurgence sooner or later because we had relaxed all of the public health measures," Cowling says. "By opening up again, we were vulnerable to a resurgence in cases. And that's what's happened in the past month."

Even before this recent wave of cases, Hong Kong had a strict system for isolating people who are infected and people who'd had close contact with any known case.

Anyone who tests positive is admitted to a hospital for treatment even if they've got no symptoms whatsoever. And they're not allowed to leave until they're confirmed negative on two consecutive tests ideally two days in a row. Close contacts of confirmed cases and people who arrive from abroad are also required to quarantine up to 14 days, even if they test negative.

The quarantine rules are so burdensome that an association representing FedEx pilots this week called on the international shipping giant to suspend operations in Hong Kong. The Air Line Pilots Association said three asymptomatic FedEx pilots who tested positive were "forced" to stay in hospitals for nearly 2 weeks. And other crew members who'd been in contact with them were placed in government camps.

But those strict quarantine requirements have been part of how Hong Kong kept its COVID-19 numbers so low for so long.

Cowling says the new rules that went into effect this week are a way for health officials to put additional pressure on the virus and drive down transmission.

"Hopefully we're going to get the numbers coming down and down over the course of the next month, back to zero again," he says. Slowly restaurants will fill back up. Karaoke will return. Hair salons and swimming pools will reopen.

"And then the whole thing starts again. We try and keep infections out for as long as possible, but sooner or later, they're going to be back and then we'll be facing another wave."

And Hong Kong will have to tighten up measures to push down transmission once again.

Follow this link:

How Hong Kong Is Trying To Tame Its New Spike Of COVID-19 Cases : Goats and Soda - NPR

ICYMI: Governor Cuomo’s Op-Ed in The New York Times: Let’s End the Wait for Coronavirus Test Results. Here’s How. – ny.gov

Posted on by

The New York Times published an op-ed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo laying out a roadmap to reduce widespread national delays in getting COVID-19 test results. Text of the op-ed is available below and can be viewed online here.

It's been six months since the United States reported its first coronavirus case, and getting a test can still take days. National labs are overwhelmed, leaving people to wait as much as two weeks for results. Every day that testing falls short is another day the virus can spread undetected, costing lives and delaying the reopening of our economy, schools and society.

As states try to control the virus and as Congress considers the fourth Covid-19 relief bill, New York offers important lessons on how to fix the testing mess.

Over the last 10 weeks, New York has used testing to not only flatten the curve, but actually reduce the rate of infection since our phased reopening started. We have kept our testing rates high through partnerships with federal and local governments. In February and early March, New York worked with the Food and Drug Administration to gain the necessary approvals to begin using our own Covid-19 test and mobilize a network of hundreds of labs. In April, when our labs were struggling because of shortages of a necessary chemical ingredient, reagents, President Trump and I reached an agreement that helped double New York's capacity.

Here's what states should do to build a sustainable testing operation, and how Congress can help.

Mobilize smaller local labs. Almost all states are now using a handful of national testing companies, and they are overwhelmed. New York has managed to avoid the delays because more than 80 percent of our testing does not depend on the national laboratories experiencing long turnaround times for results.

In the early days of the pandemic, New York organized hundreds of local labs to conduct as many tests as possible. We moved equipment sitting idle to labs that could run them around the clock. Today, more than 250 labs in the state report results each day some conducting 10 tests daily, some thousands. All together, New York can now conduct on average 65,000 tests a day.

And while any lag time is not ideal, over the past week, more than 85 percent of New York's tests took a median of just two days (and an average of three days) from collection to result, and lags will continue to shorten as we move tests from labs with backlogs to labs without.

Each state should mobilize its own network of laboratories, which will take pressure off the major national labs, reduce reporting times and arm states with data that can help slow the spread of the virus. Congress should dedicate money to help develop the capacity of local laboratories and ensure federal agencies can provide speedy approvals and technical assistance to states.

Streamline the supply chain. In New York and other states, there are high-capacity labs running at partial capacity because they don't have enough supplies.

How can it be, six months after America's first case was reported, that the United States still doesn't have an adequate supply chain? What labs need reagents and plastic pipette tips are not complicated to manufacture. They can, and should, be made in mass quantity, immediately, and here at home.

New York invested $750,000 in Rheonix, an Ithaca-based manufacturer to build lab instruments and make reagent kits, which are now being used for thousands of tests daily. States should tap their local manufacturing companies to compensate for international shortages, and Congress should allocate funding for businesses that fill these needs.

Invest in innovative solutions. The Food and Drug Administration recently approved pooled testing, where multiple samples are run at once, increasing capacity and saving lab supplies. But for one national lab, the approved pool size is just four samples. In Wuhan, China, up to 10 specimens were pooled, allowing the city to increase its capacity to 1.5 million tests daily, up from 46,000 tests daily.

The federal government should direct research money so that labs can increase their pool size, while ensuring accuracy. With flu season on the way, Congress and federal agencies should also invest in developing widely available single tests that can detect multiple respiratory viruses, including the coronavirus and different types of influenza.

Congress should also invest in developing more tests that can give results in minutes and that can be administered at workplaces, not just labs. The F.D.A. has approved only a handful of these devices, and they are not widely available.

Fund all necessary testing. Currently, under federal rules, "medically necessary" testing is free for those with coronavirus symptoms, as well as asymptomatic people who have been exposed to the virus.

But states should be able to conduct broad community screening 40 percent of infected people are asymptomatic to detect the virus and control its spread. For example, Congress should ensure testing is free for individuals who attend mass gatherings, regularly ride public transportation or interact with members of the public at work.

New York is proof that a real testing strategy can control Covid-19. But our future success depends on other states to do the same a virus anywhere is a virus everywhere.

There can be no economic recovery without each state having a sustainable testing strategy. New York has already advised other cities, and we stand ready to help any state or local government replicate our success.

Follow this link:

ICYMI: Governor Cuomo's Op-Ed in The New York Times: Let's End the Wait for Coronavirus Test Results. Here's How. - ny.gov

Yes, the Coronavirus Is in the Air – The New York Times

Posted on by

But before aerosols can get far, they must travel through the air thats near: meaning that they are a hazard at close range, too. And all the more so because, just like the smoke from a cigarette, aerosols are most concentrated near the infected person (or smoker) and become diluted in the air as they drift away.

A peer-reviewed study by scientists at the University of Hong Kong and Zhejiang University, in Hangzhou, China, published in the journal Building and Environment in June concluded, The smaller the exhaled droplets, the more important the short-range airborne route.

So what does this all mean exactly, practically?

Can you walk into an empty room and contract the virus if an infected person, now gone, was there before you? Perhaps, but probably only if the room is small and stuffy.

Can the virus waft up and down buildings via air ducts or pipes? Maybe, though that hasnt been established.

More likely, the research suggests, aerosols matter in extremely mundane scenarios.

Consider the case of a restaurant in Guangzhou, southern China, at the beginning of the year, in which one diner infected with SARS-CoV-2 at one table spread the virus to a total of nine people seated at their table and two other tables.

Yuguo Li, a professor of engineering at the University of Hong Kong, and colleagues analyzed video footage from the restaurant and in a preprint (not peer reviewed) published in April found no evidence of close contact between the diners.

Droplets cant account for transmission in this case, at least not among the people at the tables other than the infected persons: The droplets would have fallen to the floor before reaching those tables.

See the original post here:

Yes, the Coronavirus Is in the Air - The New York Times

Novel Coronavirus Has ‘Perfect Storm’ Of Traits To Trigger Pandemic : Goats and Soda – NPR

Posted on by

A computer rendering of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Radoslav Zilinsky/Getty Images hide caption

A computer rendering of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus then unnamed to be a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." The virus, first reported in China in late 2019, had started to spread beyond its borders, causing 98 cases in 18 countries in addition to some 7,700 cases in China at the time.

Six months later, the tiny coronavirus has spread around the world, infecting more than 16 million people worldwide and killing more than 650,000. It is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. in 2020.

"This is the sixth time a global health emergency has been declared under the International Health Regulations, but it is easily the most severe," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's director-general, on Monday.

What was it about this coronavirus later named SARS-CoV-2 that made it the one to spark a global pandemic?

Virologists point to several key traits that this virus possesses. Any one of them might be problematic. When combined in one microscopic virus, the result is what coronavirus researcher Andrea Pruijssers of Vanderbilt University calls a "perfect storm" a one-in-a-million virus capable of triggering a worldwide health crisis.

It's a super-fast spreader ...

One of the novel coronavirus's biggest advantages is how easily it spreads from human to human, says Dr. Megan Freeman, a virologist at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, who conducted her doctoral research on coronaviruses.

The coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that infects the sinuses, throat, lungs all parts of the body involved with breathing. As a result, the virus can be readily passed onward through breath and spittle expelled from the nose and mouth. Unlike Ebola, where direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids is the main route of infection, you don't have to touch someone to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 all it takes is getting close enough to an infected person and breathing in respiratory droplets they exhale.

And because it's transmitted rapidly through the respiratory route, "it's a virus that [also] has the capacity to spread across the globe fairly easily," Pruijssers says. All it takes to introduce the illness to a new continent is a single person who travels there while infectious.

... but not so fast that it'll knock itself out

When a virus spreads too quickly, enough people in a community may catch it to create "herd immunity." With fewer people to infect, the virus's rapid spread can ensure its own demise, says Malik Peiris, a virologist at the University of Hong Kong. "It's a balance," he says, pointing out that other viruses such as dengue fever and chikungunya have surged and then died down in certain locations.

It's transmittable even with no symptoms

Even before symptoms develop, infected people can spread this virus by speaking, singing, coughing and breathing out virus-laden droplets in close proximity to others. "For SARS-CoV-2, a lot of the transmission is from asymptomatic, [presymptomatic] or mildly symptomatic people," Pruijssers says.

By contrast, SARS-CoV-1, a related coronavirus that caused an epidemic in Asia in 2003, was most infectious when people were symptomatic. So as soon as someone showed symptoms, they were quarantined which effectively stopped that virus from transmitting, Peiris says. The SARS epidemic officially ended in 2004 after sickening 8,098 people; there have been no known cases reported since.

The severity of symptoms puts a strain on health systems

Even though some people who are infected have no symptoms or mild symptoms, the novel coronavirus can inflict serious damage. "This coronavirus has the capacity to cause really debilitating respiratory disease and even death" for a higher proportion of infected people compared with, say, the flu, Freeman says.

Because COVID-19 can make people sick enough to require hospitalization, high rates of spread have strained hospital systems, making it difficult to provide optimal care for patients, as is happening in California and Texas. When hospitals run low on staff and supplies, the result can be care rationing and excess deaths. Since its emergence, in late 2019 in China, the novel coronavirus has killed more than 600,000 globally.

Then there's the pet theory ...

Not only did the novel coronavirus come from animals, it also appears to have the ability to jump from humans to animals, including their pets and possibly back again.

The virus likely originated in bats and spilled over to humans because of some unlucky coincidence, where a person was "in the wrong place at the wrong time" and came in contact with a bat or an intermediary animal that happened to be infected with this particular virus, says Carlos Zambrana-Torrelio, an ecologist with the nonprofit organization EcoHealth Alliance.

Now, researchers have found humans have occasionally infected their pet dogs and cats as well as lions and tigers at the Bronx Zoo. There's no evidence yet of dogs and cats passing it to people, but sick minks on Dutch fur farms are thought to have given the coronavirus back to humans.

This could mean that if the virus starts circulating regularly among animals that we handle or live with, it may be really hard to get rid of it, Freeman says. "[If] there's an animal reservoir, there's always that possibility that the virus could come back in a spillover event," she says. In other words, a community could be virus-free only to have it reintroduced by a visiting animal.

... and this virus has the element of surprise

The world has never dealt with a pandemic caused by a highly dangerous coronavirus before. This means everyone in the world is likely susceptible to it and also that, in the beginning "we knew nothing about it it was a brand new virus," Pruijssers says. And that lack of knowledge about treatments and control has contributed to the virus's ability to spread.

Unlike flu, which has been known to researchers for centuries, this novel coronavirus has required researchers to figure out everything from scratch how it spreads, who's most likely to get sick from it and how to combat it with drugs and vaccines.

There's still a lot we don't know, Pruijssers says, and we're learning fast. But not fast enough to have stopped this pandemic from happening.

View post:

Novel Coronavirus Has 'Perfect Storm' Of Traits To Trigger Pandemic : Goats and Soda - NPR

Coronavirus updates: Colleges could reopen if they test students every 2 days; Fauci ‘cautiously optimistic’ for vaccine this year – USA TODAY

Posted on by

At-home testing could transform the fight against the novel coronavirus. USA TODAY

In itsbiggest coronavirus vaccine deal yet, the U.S. said Friday it will pay French pharmaceutical company Sanofi and Great Britains GlaxoSmithKline up to $2.1 billion to test and produce 100 million doses of an experimental coronavirus vaccine.

The deal is part of Operation Warp Speed, a White House-led initiative aimed at getting a vaccine to stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

On Capitol Hill,Dr. Anthony Fauci testified Friday before a special House panel. He told the committee that he's "cautiously optimistic"that by late fall or early winter a vaccine now being tested would be deemed safe and effective.

Also in Washington, the extra $600 in federal unemployment aid that helped many Americans stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemicis expiringas plans for additional stimulus stalled in a deadlocked Senate.

Here are some significant developments:

Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 152,000 deaths and over 4.4 million cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been over 671,000 deaths and 17 million cases.

What we're reading:Kids' mental health can struggle during online school. Here's how teachers areplanning ahead.

Our live blog is being updated throughout the day. Refresh for the latest news, and get updates in your inbox with The Daily Briefing.

After winding down operations at the end of May, a temporary hospital at one of the nation's largest convention centers will reopen and begin receiving COVID-19 patients next week, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday.

The Georgia World Congress Center will reopen with a total capacity of 120 beds and will house an initial surge of 60 beds.

"These additional hospital beds will provide relief to surrounding healthcare facilities while providing top notch care for patients," Kemp said in a statement.

More than 3,700 people have died and more than 186,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Georgia, which was the first stateto begin reopening businesses at the end of April.

A study out a Chicago childrens hospital Thursday found that children younger than 5 years with mild to moderate COVID-19 had high amounts of virus in their noses and throats as compared with older children and adults, suggesting that young children "can potentially be important drivers of SARS-CoV-2 spread in the general population."

However, more virus doesn't necessarily mean more transmission, scientists say. Young children still appear to be less likely to transmit, get infected and be symptomatic, said George Rutherford, head of infectious disease and global epidemiology at the University of California-San Francisco.

"Its obviously something that is counterintuitive to the prevailing narrative,"said Rutherford, who is also a pediatrician.

Elizabeth Weise and Grace Hauck

Florida sheriffs who had attended a conference this week with a COVID-19-infected colleague met Friday afternoon with President Donald Trump.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood reported his positive test just hours before more than a dozen other sheriffs stood with Trump on the Tampa International Airport tarmac.

Chitwood had attended the Florida Sheriff's Association conference earlier this week in Bonita Springs. Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and law enforcement officers from around the state were also at the conference.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, who hosted the conference and whose agency polices Bonita Springs, stood behind Trump along with 14 other sheriffs as Trump praised them and announced he had received "dozens" of their endorsements. Neither Trump nor the sheriffs wore masks. Two of the sheriffs said they had been rapid-tested for COVID-19 before meeting with Trump.

The U.S. may see more than 20,000 more COVID-19-related deaths in the next three weeks, according to aforecast published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday.

The ensemble forecast, which combines projections from 32 modeling groups, projects 173,000 total COVID-19 deaths by August 22, with a range of 168,000 to 182,000 total deaths. The forecast suggests weekly reports of newdeaths may increase over the next month, with 5,000 to 11,000 new deaths reported during the week ending August 22.

It could be safe for students to return to campus this fall if colleges conduct rapid coronavirus screening every two days, according to a study published Fridayin the Journal of the American Medical Association by researchers at Yale, Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital.

The researchers created acomputer model to simulate amedium-sized college with about 5,000 students all younger than 30 years, nonimmune and living in a congregate setting and initially assumed that there were 10 undetected, asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 on campus.

The model found that by screening every two days with a rapid and inexpensive test even if not always accurate coupled with "strict behavioral interventions," a college could maintain a "controllable number" ofinfections at a cost of$470 per student per semester.

About 260 people at an overnight Georgia summer camp including 51 kids 10 years and younger tested positive for the coronavirus after the camp did not implement several precautionary measures, providing further evidence that children of all ages are susceptible to infection and "might play an important role in transmission,"according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report Friday.

Among 597 people at the camp, test results were available for 344 attendees, and 76% of those tests were positive. Among campers aged 6-10 who provided test results, 51% were positive, along with 44% of those aged 11-17 years, and 33% of those aged 18-21 years.

The camp implemented "most"of the CDCs recommendations for reducing the risk of transmission such as requiring all participants to provide documentation of a negative test before arriving but did not mandate face masks for campers or open windows and doors for increased ventilation in buildings.

"These findings demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 spread efficiently in a youth-centric overnight setting, resulting in high attack rates among persons in all age groups, despite efforts by camp officials to implement most recommended strategies to prevent transmission. Asymptomatic infection was common and potentially contributed to undetected transmission," the authors wrote.

The United States announced Friday it will pay French pharmaceutical company Sanofi and Great Britains GlaxoSmithKline up to $2.1 billion to test and produce 100 million doses of an experimental coronavirus vaccine.

More than half of the money will support further development and early-stage clinical trials to ensure it is safe and effective. The rest will pay for the first 100 million doses, with an option on 500 million more. The majority of the $2.1 billion will go to Sanofi, which made the vaccine candidate. GlaxoSmithKline made a booster that improves how the body responds to it.

The deal is part of Operation Warp Speed, a White House-led initiative aimed at getting a vaccine to stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The Trump administration initiative has now spent more than $8 billion on experimental vaccines that may or may not make it across the finish line.

Elizabeth Weise

A video shared by a Florida school district showing examples of what reopening its schools will look has gone viral on TikTok and other social media, with parents and critics decrying it as an "apocalyptic" and "heartbreaking" viewing experience.

The two-minute clip, shared by the School District of Manatee County on its Facebook page July 21, shows students wearing masks and social distancing in classrooms, lunch lines and cafeteria spaces as a protective measure against COVID-19.

"I'm not gonna lie, it looks a little apocalyptic,"saidTiffany Jenkins, a Florida comedian and public speaker with three children who attend another district in the area.

Joshua Bote

Vietnam on Friday reported its first-ever death of a person with the coronavirus as it struggles with a renewed outbreak after 99 days with no local cases.

The Health Ministry said a 70-year-old man died after contracting the disease while being treated for a kidney illness at a hospital in Da Nang. More than 100 new cases have been confirmed in the past week, more than half of them patients at the hospital.

Da Nang is Vietnams most popular beach destination, and thousands of visitors were in the city for summer vacation. Across the country, authorities are rushing to test people who have returned home from the coastal city and have reimposed virus restrictions.

Associated Press

Dr. Anthony Fauci told Congress on Friday that experts are "cautiously optimistic" that by late fall or early winter a COVID-19 vaccine now being tested would be deemed safe and effective. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the vaccine began Phase 3 testing last week involving 30,000 individuals that will lastseveral months.

"We hope that at a time we get into the late fall and early winter we will have a vaccine that we can say would be safe and effective," he said."No one can guarantee the safety or effectiveness unless you do the trial, but we are cautiously optimistic that this week be successful because of the early studies on humans."

Fauci, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield, and Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services,appeared before the House select subcommittee on national coronavirus strategy.

In the span of a few months, Gov. Ron DeSantis has gone from one of the most admired state leaders in America to one of the most disparaged, with an approval rating that has dropped precipitously as coronavirus cases surged.

A pair of recent polls indicate more Floridians now disapprove of the job DeSantis is doing than approve. The latest was released Friday by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy. It shows that 49% of Florida voters disapprove of the governors job performance, compared to 45% who approve. Thats a 17 percentage point drop from the 62% of Florida voters who approved of DeSantis in a Mason-Dixon poll from last year.

As the virus has raged out of control, DeSantis has closed bars but taken few other steps to contain the virus. He repeatedly played down the explosion of new cases, at first attributing it to more testing and then arguing that the big increase in cases isnt such a big deal because many of those infected are younger and less likely to get seriously ill.

Zac Anderson,Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced Friday that the government will postpone highly anticipated legislative elections by one year, citing a worsening coronavirus outbreak in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

The postponement is a setback for the pro-democracy opposition, which was hoping to capitalize on disenchantment with the current pro-Beijing majority to make gains. A group of 22 lawmakers issued a statement ahead of the announcement accusing the government of using the outbreak as an excuse to delay the vote.

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing Muslim families worldwide to readjust their celebrations this week for Eid al-Adha, the second of two major Muslim holidays,as families scale back travel and adhere to face social distancing guidelines.

Eid al-Adha, which marks the end of the hajj, or pilgrimage, season, is a three-day celebration in Muslim-majority countries. In the United States, most observe just one day.

This year Saudi Arabia suspended travel to Mecca for the annual hajj. Worldwide, many gatherings will take place online this year, unlike big celebrations such as a gathering of 30,000 people in a football stadium in Minnesota.

Jordan Culver

Nearly half of more than 250 law enforcement agencies surveyed this month say they already being hit by stiff budget reductions because of the coronavirus pandemic and the national movement to defund the police.

The report slated for release this week by the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonpartisan research organization, finds few agencies, regardless of size, are being spared. Deep reductions have been ordered or proposed in Los Angeles; New York; Seattle; Baltimore County, Maryland; Tempe, Arizona; and Eureka, California.

Much of the funding is being pulled from equipment, hiring and training accounts, even as a number of cities also are tracking abrupt spikes in violent crime, the report concluded.

Kevin Johnson and Kristine Phillips

A weekly USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Thursday shows six states set records for new cases while nine states had a record number of deaths. New case records were set in Hawaii, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon, and also Puerto Rico. Record numbers of deaths were reported in Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Oregon.

Mike Stucka

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz unveiled a reopening plan Thursday that includes an equationfor districts to use to decide whether to reopen with in-person class, distance learning or a hybrid option dependent on the viral activity in the surrounding county andthe district's ability to meet mitigation requirements.

Experts from the health and education departments will partner with school districts and charter schools to help determine which learning model they should use at the beginning of the year. School districts will announce separately which learning models they will be using.

With this approach, we are pairing the knowledge anddata from our departments of health and education with the expertise of our local schooldistricts to make the best decisions for our students across the state," Walz said.

The announcement comes a month after state health and education officials asked districts to prepare for the three scenarios and be prepared to switch between the options based on local spread of the novel coronavirus.

Jenny Berg, St. Cloud Times

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursdayhe expects to extend the mask mandate, bar closures and other COVID restrictions beyond Aug. 7 when hiscurrent order is set to expire.

"People should not expect us to be making major changes every two weeks," Edwards said during a public press briefing. "I don't want people thinking there are going to be major changes. That doesn't seem likely based on current data."

Edwards will officially announce his decision next week, but sent a clear signal that the modified Phase 2 of reopening order will remain in place. Though the governor said thereare hopeful signs of a plateau in the infection based on a three-day run of fewer hospitalizations, "We remain No. 1 among states in per capita cases."

Greg Hilburn, Monroe News-Star

A deadlocked Senate on Thursday exited Washington for the weekend without acting to extend a $600 per-week expanded jobless benefit that has helped keep both families and the economy afloat as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the country.

Friday's expiration of the $600 jobless benefit sent Republicans controlling the Senate scrambling to respond. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell made a procedural move to make it easier to reach a potential compromise next week that would extend the bonus unemployment benefit while talks on a broader COVID relief measure grind on.

"We're so far apart on a longer-term deal right now, that even if we said 'yes' to a longer-term deal you could (have) weeks of negotiation without getting to common ground," said White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

Andrew Taylor, Associated Press

Buddy the German Shepherd has died. He was the first pet dog in the United States to test positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. After months of him being ill, his owners and vet made the difficult decision to euthanize him,according to an exclusive report by National Geographic. The beloved dog died July 11 in Staten Island, New York.

Buddy first exhibited symptoms of the virus in mid-April, right before his seventh birthday. He was struggling to breathe, lost weight and became increasingly lethargic. After multiple visits to three different veterinarians, heart medications, steroids and other medical interventions, Buddy was tested for COVID-19 on May 15. But it wasnt until June 2 the New York City Department of Health called the Mahoney family to tell them that their dog had indeed contracted the virus.

Adrianna Rodriguez

Bryan Cranston is revealing that hehad coronavirus. Now, he says he's using his antibodies in hopes of helping others. "I had COVID-19 a little while ago,"Cranston, in a mask, tellsfans in an Instagramvideo posted Thursday. In the post's caption, he writesthathe got the virus despite strictly following protocols.

"I'm very lucky," he says, "very mild symptoms." Text at the bottom of Cranston's video describes the Emmywinner's symptoms as including a slight headache, chest tightness and loss of taste and smell.

Since recovering, Cranston explains thathe has started givingplasma at the UCLA Blood and Plasma Donation Center, "because I have the antibodies." Text on the selfievideo reads that doing so "will help people recover faster and be used in scientific research studies about this virus."

Carly Mallenbaum

For the second time this month, the European Union extended its travel ban on Americans on Thursday, as COVID-19 infectionscontinued to rise across the United States. The EU first startedlifting its travel restrictions outside the bloc on July 1, welcoming visitorsfrom 14countries, including Canada, South Korea and Australia. The U.S. was left off that initial list, and theEU extended its ban onAmericansvisiting the bloc on July 16.

The announcement, by the European Council, came after EU officials conducted their biweekly review oftravelrestrictions, examiningcoronavirus trendsand containment measures in each country to determine whether to add or narrow the list of permitted travelers.The key measurement: The pandemic outbreak in a given country needs to be equally contained or better than in the EU.

Curtis Tate and Deirdre Shesgreen

Based on a seven-day rolling average, daily cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. have fallen to 65,266, down about 3% from a week ago, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Researchers prefer to see two weeks of trending data, but University of Florida biostatistician Ira Longini said he thinks "the direction is real."

More good news: The percentage of positive tests nationwide dropped from an average of 8.5% to 7.8% over the past week. Still, Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the University of Nebraska College of Public Health, warns that yet another boom in cases is possible. This disease will continue to hopscotch around until it finds tinder susceptible individuals like any good fire, Khan said.

John Bacon

For the third consecutive day, the Florida Department of Health reported a new daily record for COVID-19 deaths Thursday. The 253 fatalities represented a jump of almost 20% from the record set the previous day. The total death toll among Florida residents now stands at 6,586, almost half of them in July.

A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Wednesday shows seven states set records for new cases while eight states had a record number of deaths. New case records were set in Arkansas, Hawaii, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico and West Virginia. Record numbers of deaths were reported in Arkansas, California, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas.

Mike Stucca and Cheryl McCloud

Herman Cain, one-time presidential hopeful and former CEO of Godfathers Pizza, died Thursday after being hospitalized in Atlanta for coronavirus treatment a month ago, according to his website and social media.

"Herman Cain our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us has passed away," wrote Dan Calabrese on Cain's website.

Calabrese said Cain, 74, was "pretty healthy" in recent years but that his history with cancer landed him in a high-risk group for the coronavirus. Cain recently joined Newsmax TV and was working toward launching a weekly show.

Newsmax said Cain had attended a rally for President Donald Trump in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June, less than two weeks before he was diagnosed. Newsmax said it was not known where Cain, chair of Black Voices for Trump, was infected.

Nicholas Wu and Jeanine Santucci

On Facebook: There's still a lot unknown about the coronavirus. But what we do know, we're sharing with you. Join our Facebook group, "Coronavirus Watch," to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19.

In your inbox: Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network. Sign up for the daily Coronavirus Watch newsletter here.

Tips for coping: Every Saturday and Tuesday we'll be in your inbox, offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times. Sign up for Staying Apart, Together here.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Read more here:

Coronavirus updates: Colleges could reopen if they test students every 2 days; Fauci 'cautiously optimistic' for vaccine this year - USA TODAY

Percentage Of Positive Coronavirus Tests For 6 Southwestern Pa. Counties Concerning To Wolf Administration – CBS Pittsburgh

Posted on by

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) Six counties in southwestern Pennsylvania are showing concerning coronavirus percent positivity rates, according to state officials.

In a release on Friday, Gov. Tom Wolfs administration updated its data on the coronavirus. The data comes from the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard.

The dashboards data compares the seven-day period of July 24 July 30 to the previous seven days, July 17 July 23. Allegheny County has shown 6.4 percent positivity while Beaver County has 6.5 percent positivity, Indiana County has 7.2 percent positivity, Armstrong County has 7 percent positivity, Fayette County has 7.1 percent positivity and Lawrence County has 7.4 percent positivity.

All six are considered counties with concerning percent-positivity.

Pennsylvanias percentage of positive tests went down from 4.7 percent last week to 4.6 percent this week, the state said.

The mitigation efforts we took on July 15 were a proactive step to get in front of the rise of cases that we continue to see, Gov. Wolf said in a release. Our percent positivity decreased this week, which is a positive sign, but in order to continue to see numbers decrease, we must continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.

Going out without a mask and congregating at a bar or in a crowded backyard party where social distancing isnt being practiced continues to lead to spikes in cases. We need to recommit to these simple measures to stop the spread and go back to more freedoms.

The state also removed Wyoming from the list of states where a 14-day quarantine is recommended when returning.

More information on the Coronavirus pandemic:

Read more:

Percentage Of Positive Coronavirus Tests For 6 Southwestern Pa. Counties Concerning To Wolf Administration - CBS Pittsburgh

The Risk That Students Could Arrive at School With the Coronavirus – The New York Times

Posted on by

Estimated infected people arriving in the first week

+ -

Pod of 10

School of 100

School of 500

School of 1,000

Source: Lauren Ancel Meyers and Spencer Fox, the University of Texas at Austin; Michael Lachmann, Santa Fe Institute

Millions of families face an excruciating choice this fall: Should their children attend if local schools reopen their classrooms, and risk being exposed to the coronavirus? Or should they stay home and lose out on in-person instruction?

No single factor can settle such a fraught decision. But new estimates provide a rough gauge of the risk that students and educators could encounter at school in each county in the United States.

The estimates, from researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, range from sobering to surprisingly reassuring, depending on the area and the size of the school.

Based on current infection rates, more than 80 percent of Americans live in a county where at least one infected person would be expected to show up to a school of 500 students and staff in the first week, if school started today.

In the highest-risk areas including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Nashville and Las Vegas at least five students or staff would be expected to show up infected with the virus at a school of 500 people.

The high numbers reflect the rapid spread of the virus in those areas, where more than 1 in 70 people are estimated to be currently infected.

At the same time, smaller, isolated groups of students face a much lower risk. Some schools are considering narrowing classes down to small pods, with students who mainly come in contact with their teacher and each other. While the chance of having an infected person at the school would stay the same, the risk of exposure within those pods would be much lower.

If they remain isolated from the rest of the school a tall order 10-person pods in every part of the country would be unlikely to include an infected person in that first week.

Note: Estimates show potential infected people arriving during the first week of instruction. A zero indicates a low probability that an infected person will show up in the school or pod during that week.

Education experts and disease researchers said information that reflects local conditions could be critical in shaping decisions by parents, teachers, administrators and political leaders.

Its meant to guide schools so they can anticipate when it might be safe, or easier, to open and bring kids in, said Lauren Ancel Meyers, an epidemiologist at the University of Texas at Austin who led the research team.

The projections are rough guidelines based on the estimated prevalence of the virus in each county, which is drawn from a New York Times database of cases, and estimates that five people may be infected for each known case. Those estimates reflect current levels of infection around the country and are likely to change, improving or worsening in individual communities over the next weeks and months.

The estimates assume that children are as likely to carry and transmit the virus as adults a large assumption, given the unknowns about children, said Spencer Fox, a member of the research team.

This is meant to be a rough guide, a first step, Dr. Fox said.

Some preliminary studies have suggested that children are infected less often, or that young ones do not transmit the disease as readily, which could reduce the risk, said Carl T. Bergstrom, a professor of biology at the University of Washington. But those questions remain unresolved, he said.

Still, the information really helps put things into context for parents, Dr. Bergstrom said. Anything that could help you do that both helps you make better decisions and offers a level of comfort and assurance.

Many districts will start the school year remotely. Those that do open buildings will hedge the risks by taking various measures, such as requiring masks and social distancing, holding classes outside when possible or bringing students to school on alternating schedules.

Plans announced by some of the nations largest school systems already show the range of choices in play. Districts in San Diego and Los Angeles, citing the risk of crowded classrooms, said they would operate online in the fall, as will the vast majority of schools in California under guidelines issued by the state. New York City, though, is planning a partial reopening, allowing classroom attendance one to three times a week.

But decisions on remote learning come with their own concerns, said Greg J. Duncan, an education professor at the University of California, Irvine. Studies have shown that younger children and those in lower-income districts do not learn as well online as they do in person. For lower-income children, that gap in learning can persist, he said.

Wealthy families, which have more resources and workarounds, will be far more risk-averse than others, Dr. Duncan said.

One infection is too many will likely be the refrain of wealthier families, he said. Any slight chance that their child is going to be infected is probably going to get them to jump to a decision more quickly than lower-income families.

Although the risk varies by school size, in the hardest-hit areas of the country, even small schools face significant risks.

In eight states, most people live in counties where even a school of only 100 people would probably see an infected person in the first week if school started today, the estimates say: Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, Arizona and Georgia.

The list is even longer for schools of 500 people: The vast majority of people in 19 states, including California, Texas and Illinois, live in counties where at least one infected person would likely show up to school in the first week if in-person classes were held. Many of those areas have elected to hold classes online for now.

Many parents are consumed with the question of returning to school, and there is hunger for solid guidance, said Annette Campbell Anderson, deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Safe and Healthy Schools.

They want to see the data to make them feel that they have a model that they can trust, Dr. Anderson said. And we need it. We need this kind of data.

Read the original post:

The Risk That Students Could Arrive at School With the Coronavirus - The New York Times

Coronavirus relief talks sputter as $600 weekly unemployment benefit expires and Washington plays blame game – CNBC

Posted on by

Negotiators on the next coronavirus relief bill appeared as far as ever from an agreement Friday and rushed to lay blame as a key financial lifeline expires.

Underscoring the gulf between Democrats and Repbulicans as they try to boost an economy and health-care system buckling under the weight of the pandemic, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows offered derision during dueling news conferences Friday morning. The pair met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday night but appeared to make little progress toward cracking the impasse.

Schumer said the lack of a Republican consensus on pandemic aid has hindered progress toward a deal. Multiple GOP senators have said a large share of the caucus does not support the legislation Republicans released this week.

The current $600 per week enhanced federal unemployment benefit lapses at the end of the day, though states stopped paying it out last week. After last-ditch efforts to pass an extension failed Thursday, the Senate left for the weekend, guaranteeing the money buoying roughly 30 million people during an economic crisis will at least temporarily dry up.

While the House was scheduled to leave for all of August, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told members their recess would not start until the chamber passes a coronavirus relief bill. He said he would give representatives 24 hours' notice before a vote.

On Friday, Meadows told reporters the Trump administration officials made "no less than four different offers" to Democrats to temporarily extend the unemployment insurance. Pelosi acknowledged she rejected at least one proposal, a one-week extension of the $600 benefit, saying Congress usually uses such a stopgap plan if it is near an agreement.

"No, let's sit down and get this done. Let's recognize people need $600," the speaker said. Pelosi later added, "We don't have shared values. That's just the way it is."

Meadows accused Democrats of holding out to get a better deal "at the expense of those that are hurting."

"We're going in the wrong direction. They're going in the wrong direction because of partisan politics. It is very disappointing," he said.

Even so, both Pelosi and Meadows said they would continue talks to try to strike an agreement. They were set to talk Friday and meet at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, an aide familiar with the plans said.

Trump joined in the blame game Friday afternoon. He put the onus on Democrats for delays in extending unemployment benefits and sending another direct payment to Americans even though the president himself showed little interest in fiscal relief for months as he downplayed the pandemic's severity.

"The Do Nothing Democrats are more interested in playing politics than in helping our deserving people," he wrote in a tweet.

Congress is struggling to find common ground on coronavirus relief as statistics show an economy still reeling from an outbreak spreading throughout the country. Initial jobless claims climbed to 1.43 million last week, rising for the second straight week. U.S. GDP also fell by a record 32.9% in the second quarter during the peak of pandemic-related shutdowns an expected but still devastating plunge.

The U.S. has now reported more than 4.4 million Covid-19 cases, and at least 152,000 people have died from the disease, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Democrats have said the GOP waffled on the need for coronavirus aid throughout June and July, before turning to address a rescue package only a couple weeks before the unemployment benefit expires. After the meeting Thursday, Schumer said,"We just don't think they understand the gravity of the problem."

The discussions followed a couple of doomed attempts by the Senate to pass legislation before it adjourned.

On Thursday, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., tried to unanimously pass an extension of the weekly enhanced federal unemployment insurance that would slash the benefit from $600 to $200 per week. Schumer rejected it.

Schumer then attempted to unanimously approve the $3 trillion rescue package House Democrats passed in May. That legislation also failed, leaving Congress no closer to breaking an impasse over how best to boost a health-care system and economy ravaged by the pandemic.

Congressional leaders tossed blame for the inevitable expiration of the strengthened unemployment insurance.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Democrats of refusing to "engage" with the GOP after it released its coronavirus relief proposal on Monday. Republicans unveiled the plan more than two months after the House passed its legislation, which Democrats considered their opening offer in the next round of aid discussions.

"Either our Democratic colleagues come to the table, or the American people won't get the help they need," McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said on the Senate floor Thursday.

The sides will have to resolve differences on a range of issues, most notably the unemployment insurance extension. Democrats want to maintain the $600 per week jobless benefit, on top of what recipients get from states, into next year. Republicans want to cut it to $200 per week through September, then set it at 70% wage replacement.

Democrats have also criticized the lack of several other provisions in the GOP plan, including direct aid for state and local governments and funds for rent, mortgage and food assistance. They also oppose liability protections for businesses, doctors and schools, which McConnell has said will have to be in any bill he brings to the Senate floor.

As they moved closer to Friday's deadline without a comprehensive deal, both President Donald Trump and Mnuchin floated the possibility of passing a short-term deal to extend the unemployment insurance and a federal eviction moratorium.

It is unclear now how quickly the sides can resolve seemingly intractable issues and renew critical assistance for millions of people. But Pelosi expects negotiators will still find common ground.

"We anticipate that we will have a bill. But we're not there yet," she said Friday.

CNBC's Terri Cullen and Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.

See the original post here:

Coronavirus relief talks sputter as $600 weekly unemployment benefit expires and Washington plays blame game - CNBC

COVID-19 recoveries: revisiting with patients who beat the virus – 9News.com KUSA

Posted on by

We first met these patients when they were sick. Now we check in, to see how recovery is going

DENVER Throughout this pandemic, 9NEWS has shared many stories about the people fighting COVID-19 and winning the battle.

Many recovered at home, but some spent weeks in the hospital.

Their homecomings were often celebrated with cheers and tears, shared with nurses, doctors, and loved ones ready to bring them home.

Weeks later, we check back in with a few patients whose stories made headlines.

REVEREND TERRENCE BIG T HUGHES

It was early March when Terrence Hughes first felt sick. The Denver-based pastor and civil rights leader was running for political office. His usually busy schedule screeched to halt when he was admitted to the VA Hospital with COVID19.

Before I went under, I didnt realize it was that serious, he said. I thought Id be out for a little bit and come right back. Then you know, two months later I wake up.

Hughes, known by many as Big T, spent two months in the hospital and required a ventilator to keep him alive. His wife, Rachel, said doctors warned her he might not survive.

I think the turn of events came when they started talking to me about DNRs [do-no-resuscitate orders], we were scared his heart is going to stop, she remembered.

But Big T pulled through. He was released from the hospital in early May. After spending some time in a rehabilitation center, he was finally cleared to continue his recovery at home. Healing has been a slow process.

I was already dealing with some things as a disabled vet, but those things are heightened, extremely due to COVID, he explained. I had to relearn how to walk again, I couldnt walk. How to use my hands. [After COVID] I used to have extreme tremors, where feeding myself was difficult It was almost like I had Parkinsons, my hands would shake so bad.

His therapy appointments continue this summer. And Big Ts schedule remains much quieter than he would like.

Ive been pretty homebound for the most part, he said. With all the dynamics going on in the world and our community, normally I would be out playing a part, playing a role trying to help. To not do that is tough. To not be out there to support, to help, has been really challenging to me.

Instead, hes soaking up the extra time with family. The Hughes just celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary and bought a new home. Next year, as they reach 20 years of marriage, they plan to renew their vows.

Rachel was also sick with the virus earlier this year, but never required hospitalization. The Hughes are following the science closely, and said they worry that even people who have been sick once could get sick again. They wear masks and encourage others to do the same.

They also said they are grateful for the medical providers who saved Big Ts life.

I learned that, in order for us to get through this, we have to depend on each other, he said. I learned to be vulnerable and trusting, and I think thats so important as we look at this world today.

4-YEAR OLD LINCOLN

Dr. Anna Zimmermann spends her days treating the littlest patients, working as a neonatologist for Presbyterian/St. Lukes and Rocky Mountain Childrens Hospital in Denver.

But this spring, it was her own child that needed medical care. Her four-year-old son Lincoln was diagnosed with COVID-19 and spent a week in the hospital. She blogged about her experience as both a parent and a doctor, now with a personal connection to the virus.

Her husband also tested positive for COVID-19, and was able to recover at home. Dr. Zimmermann and the couples two daughters never showed any symptoms and felt fine. Today, the whole family is healthy again.

Lincoln is doing awesome today. He is essentially back to normal. Hes his regular 4-year-old self. Hes snarky, he likes to sleep in and he likes to snuggle, she said.

The kids are spending their summer riding bikes, hiking at altitude, and enjoying socially distant activities like visits to the zoo. Zimmermann said she is grateful that COVID-19 hasnt caused any obvious long-term problems in their family.

COVID is really personal. And how it affected me and my family is personal to us, and how it affects another family is personal to them, she said. You dont really realize the ramifications of COVID until it hits your family and so I feel like I have a lot of respect for this virus, I felt like I had a lot of respect before, but now I have it even more.

As both a doctor and a parent, she said she still has so many questions and reservations - about the virus.

In some ways, I feel like, oh, Lincoln had it, our familys been exposed to it, we made it through. In a little bit, thats reassuring, right? But then you hear reports that people are getting it for the second time, and the second time they get it its worse, she said.

I would love to know, do I have antibodies? How long do they last? Does my husband have antibodies? What about Lincoln? What about my girls? Were they just asymptomatic? I mean I would love to know those answers.

WAYNE MCDONALD, "COACH MAC"

Wayne McDonald had a great start to 2020. Coach Mac led the Denver South Rebels girls basketball team to their first-ever Denver Prep League title.

Things changed by March when he was hospitalized with COVID-19. He spent two months in the hospital battling the virus and infection. He needed a ventilator to survive. After he was released from the hospital he spent two more weeks in a rehabilitation center.

Im doing pretty good, McDonald said, after weeks. Its been a long haul and things have gotten a lot better for me. And Im just happy to be alive.

McDonald is still healing from several complications, including the loss of sight in one eye, nerve pain in his feet and additional surgery to help fight an infection. This week, he finished his final physical therapy session.

Coach Mac said he looks forward to coaching basketball again, but hes not in a rush to get back on the court yet.

I miss my kids a bunch, but that is not something Im looking to do right now, he said. Just because I need to heal and build up my strength and I dont want to be around kids that will possibly get me sick again.

McDonald and his wife Cheryl said they have slowed things down and want to know more about his possible risk of exposure again.

Were just trying to roll out normal things slowly, but really watch, pay close attention, talk to the doctors, Cheryl McDonald said. Whats really all we can do, do the best we can do with the information we have right now.

Coach Mac encourages people to be cautious and considerate of others, to wash hands and wear masks.

I think its a small ask to save many lives.

More here:

COVID-19 recoveries: revisiting with patients who beat the virus - 9News.com KUSA

San Diego gym that defied a shutdown order linked to a coronavirus outbreak – CNN

Posted on by

It isn't clear how many cases have been linked to "The Gym" in California, but county health officials say an outbreak is considered three or more cases from different households stemming from a specific location.

"The Gym" did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.

The Pacific Beach gym remained open despite an order to close indoor operations to prevent the spread of the virus. The business was sent a letter July 23 and told to close immediately, but it didn't shut until days later on July 27, county health officials say.

According to San Diego Health Officer Wilma Wooten, any business or entity that violates the order faces a misdemeanor and a fine of $1,000.

County officials say they need to step up contact tracing efforts and crack down on egregious violators. They've issued multiple letters to local businesses, including gyms and restaurants.

Fitness centers have struggled with how to keep clients safe while working out indoors.

"We will continue to take every necessary precaution to ensure the safety of our community, and we have taken a number of steps across all of our locations, which include enhanced cleanliness and sanitization policies and procedures, extensive training for staff, physical distancing measures, reducing physical touch points in the club with touchless check-in, and more," according to statement from McCall Gosselin, senior vice president of communications for Planet Fitness.

Visit link:

San Diego gym that defied a shutdown order linked to a coronavirus outbreak - CNN

Indias migrant crisis pointed to another problem its lack of shelter homes – Scroll.in

Posted on by

On March 24, when the government announced a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, India was served a fierce reminder that its cities are, by design, exclusionary. Millions of workers around the country were left cashless, hungry and in many instances, homeless. Many of them set out for their villages hundreds of kilometres away on foot.

Several state governments introduced measures to force desperate, unemployed migrants into shelter homes. But these measures were inadequate even as stop-gap alternatives, let alone as effective policy strategies. They not only underestimated the scale of the crisis, but strongly suggested the states unpreparedness or unwillingness in finding a more viable solution to the sudden problem of large-scale homelessness.

The approach had three main limitations. First, there just are not enough shelters anywhere, in any major city to comfortably accommodate the vast numbers of workers who had been stranded. The Ministry of Housing Affairs Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission, in its revised guidelines, states that shelters should be able to accommodate 100 of every 100,000 people in each city. That number was derived from an estimate of Indias homeless population as per a Supreme Court order in 2012.

While the estimates over the number of homeless in India are contested, this number was derived based on the 2011 Census. It found that India has 1.7 million homeless residents, of whom one million are in the metropolitan cities or cities with populations above four million.

Despite using a figure that is quite old, the National Urban Livelihood Mission guidelines have not been adhered to when constructing shelters in most cities. Take the national capital, for example. The city has about 230 shelters, according to the information on the website of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board. These shelters can only accommodate about 17,128 people.

As per current estimates, there are anywhere between 150,000 to 200,000 homeless people in Delhi at regular times. It is clear by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Boards own record that its shelters could accommodate less than 10% of Delhis current homeless residents.

Some of Delhis shelters are, in fact, porta cabins: rectangular, non-sturdy, cargo-container-like structures. Most of them are designed to accommodate around 50 people to sleep in comfortably. They are on average 800 sq ft, which means each person gets about 15 sq ft, about the area of a train berth.

This makes the governments decision to force migrants into shelters to curb the spread of the virus quite inexplicable. To this extent, the fire that broke out in a shelter in Delhis Kashmere Gate on April 12, allegedly set by a disgruntled inmate, could not have been unexpected.

Secondly, after lockdown, the authorities seem to have amalgamated two quite different groups: the homeless and migrant workers, as if the needs, aspirations, and vulnerabilities of the two groups were the same. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Many of the stranded migrants had never lived in homeless shelters, simply because they are not homeless.

By merely extending the services for the homeless to migrant workers, state governments cramped them all into inadequately equipped shelters. This jeopardised the lives not just of migrants but the homeless too. This is bound to irreversibly affect the way the homeless avail of shelters in the future.

Finally, by reducing the problems of migrant workers to just lack of food and shelter, governments made no attempt to address the underlying causes behind the largest exodus in Indias urban history. Migrant workers were not just stranded and hungry, they were also people who needed to be paid back their wages. They were people who wanted to go home, and people who were as afraid of Covid-19 as anyone else.

At the very least, the state and Central governments must take this opportunity to revamp their strategies to house migrant workers. They must legitimise the informal settlements across Indian cities where migrants have thus far lived, to ensure that they have continuous access to civic amenities, and have the required documentation for security over their homes. This would help safeguard them from eviction and the consequent stress that comes with the threat of being arbitrarily dishoused.

This is a far less capital-intensive way of offering migrant workers a better quality of life in our cities, than constructing more housing units that would be unaffordable for migrant workers.

More than ever, there is a need to frame housing policies specifically targeted for circular migrants, who work in cities seasonally. There is a need to imagine policy interventions outside of the National Urban Livelihood Mission guidelines, for these are not directed towards circular migrants and their housing needs.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the central governments flagship policy relating to affordable housing, one that aims to build 20 million affordable houses for the urban poor by March 2022, ignores a crucial fact. Migrant workers do not make housing decisions merely on the quality or type of housing available. Instead, their decisions are based on the proximity of their residence to their place of work, the nature of the work they do and their duration of stay in a city.

Indian cities must focus not just on the shortage of shelters and housing but on what kind of housing is required, and where. The government must allot more funds to helping slum dwellers build better quality houses, on the plots where they are currently located.

India must treat its urban poor with respect and dignity, both of which they have never received. Since housing is central to dignity, the country must develop newer strategies of inclusion. India must create conditions by which its migrant workers actually enjoy living in cities.

Anhad Imaan works with Aajeevika Bureau, a non-profit that provides support to seasonal migrant labourers in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

More here:

Indias migrant crisis pointed to another problem its lack of shelter homes - Scroll.in