Category Archives: News to use

Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works

Florida reports 11,000+ COVID-19 cases for second straight day

The Florida Department of Health reported more than 11,000 new COVID-19 cases for a second straight day Friday.

Source: Florida reports 11,000+ COVID-19 cases for second straight day

After hitting L.A., COVID-19 wave now battering Southern California’s suburban counties – Los Angeles Times

When the autumn COVID-19 surge erupted more than a month ago, the epicenter was once again Los Angeles County, where the large population of essential workers and others living in densely populated neighborhoods made the region particularly vulnerable to the rapid spread of infections.

But now, Southern California’s more suburban counties are rapidly catching up, fueled by Thanksgiving gatherings that have pushed coronavirus cases and hospitalizations to unprecedented levels and left hospital intensive care units at critical levels.

The numbers of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties have all doubled since the week of Thanksgiving, according to a Times analysis.

The suburban counties are also tallying record levels of new daily infections — all substantially worse than the summer surge, and in many cases, at a rate of increase worse than L.A. County. While L.A. County has seen its latest average daily number of cases nearly triple from its summer peak, counties in even worse shape relative to their summer highs include Ventura, San Bernardino and San Diego counties.

Source: After hitting L.A., COVID-19 wave now battering Southern California’s suburban counties – Los Angeles Times

Nebraska to ease some COVID-19 restrictions as hospitalization rates remain steady | TheHill (False hope and risk is no substitute for planning, discipline and aid for small businesses from the state and federal government)

Some in the state are not in agreement that the restrictions should be relaxed so soon. Bob Rauner, the president of Partnership for Healthy Lincoln and a local physician, warned that easing restrictions now could set the state back.

“It’s way too early to back off on things like extracurricular activities and house parties, I mean, all that stuff. Otherwise, we’ll be right back to the near disaster we already had,” Rauner told KETV.

Despite the governor’s move to alleviate some restrictions, local health departments such as those in Omaha and Lincoln, Neb., can still keep strict restrictions in place.

Source: Nebraska to ease some COVID-19 restrictions as hospitalization rates remain steady | TheHill

Covid pandemic: South Korea sees record rise in daily cases – BBC News

New measures, which came into effect on Tuesday, include a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people. Gyms and karaoke bars have been closed, while restaurants are only allowed to offer deliveries after 21:00 local time.

However, the government has warned that restrictions could be raised to the highest level, which would see gatherings limited to 10 people, school closures and all but essential roles working from home.

 

Source: Covid pandemic: South Korea sees record rise in daily cases – BBC News

Hungary plans fast-track local approval for Chinese COVID vaccine – The Jerusalem Post (Orban likes other autocrats and making believe he is smart scientist)

The European Commission has already said that Hungary’s plans to import and possibly use Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine raise safety concerns and could damage trust in vaccines.

Neither Russia nor China has yet sought EMA approval for any of the vaccines it is developing.

Szijjarto did not say which Chinese vaccine Hungary was seeking to fast-track. On Thursday, he told parliament Hungary was working with three Chinese manufacturers, of which two are private firms and one state-owned, but did not name any of them.

China has approved three vaccine candidates developed by Sinovac Biotech Ltd and state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) for emergency use in China, and Sinopharm hopes its two candidates will get conditional approval for general use this year.

Budapest has become used to deviating from a collective EU approach. Prime Minister Viktor Orban delayed the bloc’s 1.85 trillion euro ($2.24 trillion) budget and recovery package by several weeks because of objections to rule-of-law conditions. Source: Hungary plans fast-track local approval for Chinese COVID vaccine – The Jerusalem Post

Hundreds rally in Ohio’s capital in protest over police shooting of Black man – National | Globalnews.ca (Subway sandwich mistaken for a gun? Weak as water explanation for un-necessary shooting-negligent homicide

Tamala Payne, center, addresses hundreds of marchers protesting the Dec. 4 fatal shooting of Payne's son, Casey Goodson Jr., who was Black, by a white Ohio sheriff's deputy, on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. Protests were planned Friday and Saturday over the death of Goodson. Columbus police and the U.S. Justice Department are investigating the shooting.

According to authorities, the officer said he had seen Goodson carrying a gun and opened fire on him when Goodson ignored the deputy’s order to drop the weapon.

Goodson’s family said he had been returning from a local sandwich shop and was shot in the back as he was about to enter his home. They said he had a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

A coroner’s report said Goodson was shot multiple times in the torso.

Source: Hundreds rally in Ohio’s capital in protest over police shooting of Black man – National | Globalnews.ca