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COVID-19 News from Around the Web

U.S. records over seven million COVID-19 cases as Midwest outbreak surges
Reuters - September 25, 2020
The number of novel coronavirus cases in the US topped 7 million - more than 20% of the world’s total - as Midwest states reported spikes in COVID-19 infections in September, according to a Reuters tally. … All Midwest states except Ohio reported more cases in the past four weeks as compared with the prior four weeks, led by South Dakota and North Dakota. South Dakota had the biggest percentage increase at 166% with 8,129 new cases, while North Dakota’s new cases doubled to 8,752 as compared to 4,243 during the same time in August. Many cases in those two states have been linked to the annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, that annually attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Vindicated Covid-19 models warn pandemic is far from over
NBC News - September 25, 2020
When the coronavirus pandemic hit the US earlier this year, scientific models forecasting hundreds of thousands of deaths were met by some people with derision. Those models have been unfortunately vindicated. And they're providing fresh warnings that a recent uptick in cases could mean that the U.S. death toll could almost double in the next four months. … Now, a widely cited model developed by the IHME at the UoW suggests that the U.S. could total more than 378,000 coronavirus deaths by January.
Accuracy of COVID-19 Antibody Tests Varies Widely, Study Finds
HealthDay - September 25, 2020
For the study, the researchers developed their own antibody test. They then used it to compare the performance of 10 commercial antibody test kits on an identical panel of 110 positive blood samples from hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and 50 pre-pandemic coronavirus-negative blood samples. … Specificity -- the ability to correctly identify those without the disease -- ranged from 82% to 100%. Overall sensitivity -- the ability to correctly identify those with the disease -- ranged from 61% to 87%.
Can Zinc Help Prevent Severe Illness From COVID-19? Here’s What a New Study Says
Health - September 25, 2020
Could dosing up on zinc help stave off severe illness from COVID-19? It’s a question garnering closer attention in the scientific community in recent months. … There’s no definitive answer to that question. But preliminary research released at an online European coronavirus conference this week hints at a possible link between lower blood levels of zinc and poorer health outcomes in people with COVID-19.
US parents delaying preschool and kindergarten amid pandemic
ABC News - September 25, 2020
Thousands of parents around the U.S. have made similar decisions, having their children delay or skip kindergarten because of the coronavirus pandemic. The opt outs, combined with huge declines in preschool enrollment, are raising worries about the long-term effects of so much lost early education. … In Los Angeles' public schools, kindergarten enrollment is down about 6,000 students, or 14%. In Nashville, Tennessee, public kindergarten enrollment is down about 1,800 students, or 37%, from last year.
After COVID-19 Exposure, When Can Young Athletes Resume Play?
HealthDay - September 25, 2020
Young athletes who've had moderate COVID-19 symptoms should be symptom-free for 14 days and get their doctor's OK before returning to practices or games, according to a leading group of U.S. pediatricians. An electrocardiogram (EKG) is also recommended for those who've had moderate COVID-19 symptoms, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said in updated guidance.
Fraud, backlogs disrupt US unemployment benefit payments
AP - September 25, 2020
Many American workers applying for unemployment benefits after being thrown out of a job by the coronavirus face a new complication: States’ efforts to prevent fraud have delayed or disrupted their payments. California has said it will stop processing new applications for two weeks as it seeks to reduce backlogs and stop phony claims. Pennsylvania has found that up to 10,000 inmates improperly applied for aid.
A Fair to Remember: County Fairs Weigh Risk of Outbreak Against Financial Ruin
Kaiser Health - September 25, 2020
Only about 1 in 5 fairs took place as scheduled this summer, while the rest were dramatically modified or outright canceled because of the pandemic, according to data provided by the International Association of Fairs & Expositions. Fairs are the economic lifeblood and cultural high point of the year for many rural communities, so the decision to cancel one is especially consequential. Scaling back can have devastating effects on the finances of the fair organizers and local community.
Coronavirus ravages Latin America’s working class, Mexico deaths pass 75,000
Reuters - September 25, 2020
Mexico was set to surpass 75,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths on Thursday, as the pandemic ravages Latin American nations with large informal economies where workers have grappled with the twin threats of hunger and contagion. Mexico has the world’s fourth-highest coronavirus death toll, according to a Reuters tally, behind the US, Brazil, and India.