Coronavirus, COVID-19, coronavirus variants, and vaccine updates for 10-12-2021

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots for October 12th, 2021.   Merck asked U.S. regulators yesterday to authorize the pill it has for treating COVID. If they hear what they want to hear from the FDA, and that could happen in a few weeks, that’d be the first pill shown to treat the illness. There are other drugs, but they require an IV or injection. Merck said earlier this month the pill cut hospitalizations and deaths by half among patients with early symptoms.   Meanwhile AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail against COVID, already shown to work as a preventative shot in the non-infected, was also shown to save lives and prevent severe disease when used as treatment within a week of first symptoms.   Two new studies indicate pregnant women who develop Covid symptoms risk emergency complications and additional problems, and the disease puts their babies at risk. Of the 100 Covid-positive moms who delivered babies between March and September of 2020 at one Texas hospital, 58% of those with symptomatic infections delivered in emergency circumstances. For those with an asymptomatic case, 46% did.   It’s a sure way to fight Covid…sue people. A parent in southern Wisconsin has sued their school district after her son got Covid-19 from a classmate. She’s upset the board removed a student mask requirement and other Covid-19 mitigation measures in May. Her son, who was wearing a mask, sat next to a kid who had symptoms and was infected regardless. The suit calls for the district to comply with CDC guidelines.   Do you habitually smoke weed? Never mind, you don’t have to tell me. But you should know a study from an arm of the National Institutes of Health says the risk of getting a coronavirus breakthrough infection in the U.S. may be 7.8% higher among those who habitually smoke weed. The risk is also there, but a little lower, for those with tobacco use disorder.   In the United States cases were down 19%, deaths are down 2%, and hospitalizations are down 21% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since September 13.    There are 9,793,733 active cases in the United States.   With not all states reporting daily numbers, the five states with the greatest increase in hospitalizations per capita: Michigan 21%, Minnesota 16%. Pennsylvania 15%. North Dakota 14%. And Montana 10%.      The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Bethel Census Area, AK. Stark, ND. Lewis, KY. Kodiak Island Borough, AK. Whitley, KY. Knox, IN. Clay, TX. Custer, MT. McCreary, MT. And Big Horn, WY.   There have been at least 713,770 deaths in the U.S. recorded as Covid-related.   The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s been fully vaccinated: Vermont at 70.2%, Connecticut at 69.4%, and Rhode Island at 69.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are West Virginia at 40.7%, and Wyoming and Idaho at 42.4%. The percentage of the U.S. that’s been fully vaccinated is 56.4%.   The five countries with biggest 24-hour increases in the number of fully vaccinated people: Oceana, Cambodia up 2%, and Saudi Arabia and India 1%.   Globally, cases were down 12% and deaths were down 12% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending down since August 26.   There are 17,913,065 active cases around the world.   The five countries with the most new cases: The U.K. 34,320. The United States 29,520. Russia 28,647. Turkey 28,370. And India 19,018.   There have been at least 4,855,635 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide.   For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Coronavirus 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Coronavirus 411 podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.