Covid variant ‘Pirola’ spreading fast across the US as new boosters planned for this month – latest

A new, rapidly spreading coronavirus variant has sounded alarm bells for public health experts in the United States amid a rise in cases across the country.

Doctors warned that the BA.2.86 variant – unofficially called “Pirola” – may be cause for concern as it is a newly-designated, highly-mutated variant of Omicron which triggered a surge in cases in a number of countries including the US.

According to a Thursday bulletin in Yale Medicine, the new variant has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein - located on the outer surface of a coronavirus - which helps it enter and infect human cells.

“Such a high number of mutations is notable,” infectious disease specialist Dr Scott Roberts said. “When we went from [Omicron variant] XBB.1.5 to [Eris] EG.5, that was maybe one or two mutations.

“But these massive shifts, which we also saw from Delta to Omicron, are worrisome.”

A separate mini-wave of Covid cases is being fueled by the newest dominant variant EG.5, or “Eris”. It has caused hospitalisations to increase by 39 per cent since the end of July.

CDC Covid tracker

15,067 hospitalisations from 13 August to 19 August

Key Points

• Should we wear masks again?

• Everything we know about EG. 5, the Covid subvariant dominating the US

• Eris symptoms can appear like a cold or allergies

Lionsgate tells employees to wear masks amid new Covid variant

11:00 , Ariana Baio

Lionsgate has told nearly half of its employees to wear masks in the workplace as Covid cases rise in the United States.

The entertainment production company, which has a London-based film division, recently told staff at their flagship quarters in Santa Monica, California that those on the third and fifth floors of the five-storey building must use medical-grade protection.

Nicole Vassell reports:

Lionsgate tells employees to wear masks amid new Covid variant

Updated vaccines should be available this month

08:00 , Ariana Baio

Updated Covid vaccines are expected to become available in the US next month as alarm grows over a new variant dubbed Eris.

The CDC recommends keeping up to date with Covid vaccines and booster shots as a yearly measure to go along with flu immunisation. The elderly and immunocompromised are especially encouraged to get the shot in order to lessen their chances of developing more severe symptoms.

Vermont man sentenced to prison for using Covid funds to start alpaca farm

02:00 , Ariana Baio

A Vermont man was sentenced to two years in prison for using more than $650,000 in pandemic aid for personal expenses, including opening an Alpaca farm.

Dana McIntyre, 59, received government funding in March 2020 through the Payment Protection Program for his former pizza shop in Massachusetts. Prosecutors said he claimed he had 50 employees to receive $666,000 when he really had less than 10.

He then used the money to buy a farm in Vermont and eight alpacas.

Watch: Which surfaces are spreading Covid-19?

Sunday 3 September 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio

Long Covid brain fog may be caused by blood clots, says study

Sunday 3 September 2023 21:00 , Ariana Baio

Cognitive problems linked to long Covid may be caused by blood clots, according to a new study.

A study published in Nature Medicine looked at more than 1,800 adults who were hospitalized with Covid and found raised levels of two proteins - fibrinogen and D-dimer - were more common in people with long Covid symptoms that had affected their brains. Both proteins are a sign of blood clots in the body.

Long Covid brain fog may be caused by blood clots, says study

When to throw out your mask

Sunday 3 September 2023 19:00 , Ariana Baio

As mask recommendations rise as a result of the increase in cases, the CDC is reminding people how to care for masks.

Guidance from the agency advises people to throw away disposable masks after they’re worn once.

Cloth masks should be washed “at least once a day or as soon as they become wet or dirty.” When a cloth mask does become wet or dirty it should be sealed in a plastic bag until you’re able to wash it to prevent mold.

Cloth masks that are dry and clean should be stored in a breathable bag to be kept clean in-between washes.

For respirators, individuals should check with the manufacturer to see how long they can be worn before needing to be disposed of. Any disposable mask or respirator that gets wet or dirty should be thrown out immediately. The agency stressed not to wear a wet or dirty mask.

Florida family convicted of selling bleach as fake cure for Covid-19 via online church

Sunday 3 September 2023 17:00 , Ariana Baio

A Florida family has been found guilty of selling toxic industrial bleach as a fake cure for Covid-19 via their online church.

Four members of the family were convicted on Wednesday by a federal jury in Miami – Mark Grenon, 65, and his sons, Jonathan, 37, Joseph, 35, and Jordan, 29, according to the AP.

They were found guilty of conspiring to defraud the United States and deliver misbranded drugs, court records state. The charge carries a sentence of as much as five years in prison. The sentencing is set to take place on 6 October.

Gustaf Kilander reports:

When to wear a mask

Sunday 3 September 2023 15:00 , Ariana Baio

As Covid cases rise, health officials are calling on people to consider wearing a mask to help reduce the spread and prevent infection.

But what is less clear is when people should be masking up.

The CDC recommends masking on public transportation if you live in a densely populated area where Covid hospitalisations are rising.

If you are at risk of developing severe illness or are immunocompromised you should mask in public spaces where you could be exposed.

Masks should be worn indoors if you are coming in contact with someone who is at high risk of becoming severely ill.

Sarah Palin burns Covid masks in bizarre video

Sunday 3 September 2023 13:00 , Ariana Baio

Scientists inch closer to Covid vaccine that provides lifelong protection

Sunday 3 September 2023 11:00 , Ariana Baio

Scientists have shown that a new Covid vaccine provides more durable protection against the novel coronavirus in animals than existing ones, an advance that may lead to a better therapeutic offering lifelong immunity against the virus.

While existing Covid vaccines provide protection against serious disease and death from the Sars-CoV-2 virus infection, the immunity they confer, however, wanes after providing temporary bursts of protective antibodies, leaving most individuals vulnerable to repeat infections.

Vishwam Sankaran reports:

Scientists get closer to Covid vaccine that offers lifelong protection

Covid vaccine expected mid-September

Sunday 3 September 2023 08:00 , Ariana Baio

A new Covid vaccine that has been manufactured to specifically target the Omicron variant of the original virus is set to be released in mid-September, according to the CDC.

New York offers tips for residents to get vaccinated this fall

Sunday 3 September 2023 05:00 , Ariana Baio

Highly mutated Covid variant found in new countries

Sunday 3 September 2023 02:00 , Ariana Baio

A new highly mutated coronavirus variant has been detected in Switzerland and South Africa, prompting scientists to raise alarm bells over a possible explosion of Covid-19 cases.

The Omicron offshoot, called BA.2.86, carries more than 35 mutations in key portions of the virus compared with XBB.1.5 – the dominant variant through most of 2023.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:

Highly mutated Covid variant found in new countries as scientists urge monitoring

Ohio is third state to report worrying new Covid strain

Saturday 2 September 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio

A virulent new Covid-19 strain has been detected in wastewater testing in Ohio, the third state to report the vaccine-resistant variant.

Bevan Hurley reports:

Ohio is third state to report worrying new Covid strain

New ‘Pirola’ Covid variant is rapidly spreading, leaving US doctors worried

Saturday 2 September 2023 21:34 , Louise Boyle

A new, rapidly spreading coronavirus variant has sounded alarm bells for public health experts in the United States amid a rise in cases across the country.

Doctors warned that the BA.2.86 variant – unofficially called “Pirola” – may be cause for concern as it is a newly-designated, highly-mutated variant of Omicron which triggered a surge in cases in a number of countries including the US.

According to a Thursday bulletin in Yale Medicine, the new variant has more than 30 mutations to its spike protein - located on the outer surface of a coronavirus - which helps it enter and infect human cells.

“Such a high number of mutations is notable,” infectious disease specialist Dr Scott Roberts said. “When we went from [Omicron variant] XBB.1.5 to [Eris] EG.5, that was maybe one or two mutations.

“But these massive shifts, which we also saw from Delta to Omicron, are worrisome.”

Maanya Sachdeva reports

New ‘Pirola’ Covid variant is rapidly spreading, leaving US doctors worried

ICYMI: Justice Department announces charges against hundreds of alleged COVID-19 fraudsters

Saturday 2 September 2023 21:00 , Ariana Baio

Hundreds of people have been charged with the theft of more than $830 million in COVID-19 emergency aid following a nationwide operation conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday.

More than 60 of the defendants have alleged connections to organized crime, the department said, including members of a criminal gang accused of using stolen pandemic aid to pay for a murder.

“This latest action, involving over 300 defendants and over $830 million in alleged COVID-19 fraud, should send a clear message: the COVID-19 public health emergency may have ended, but the Justice Department’s work to identify and prosecute those who stole pandemic relief funds is far from over,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

The three-month operation, which ended in July, resulted in more than 300 people being charged,, underscoring the pervasiveness of the fraud.

“We’ll stay at it for as long as it takes,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, who led of a meeting of law enforcement officials livestreamed on the Justice Department’s website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Trump’s ‘greatest hits’ of Covid misinformation are read out at congressional hearing

Saturday 2 September 2023 19:00 , Ariana Baio

Florida Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz listed off a series of former president Donald Trump’s lies about Covid-19 during a House subcommittee hearing on the origins of the pandemic.

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic convened on Tuesday to discuss the origins, with Republicans largely focusing on the likelihood that a lab leak in the Wuhan province caused the virus to spread.

Eric Garcia reports:

Trump’s ‘greatest hits’ of Covid misinformation are read out at congressional hearing

Marjorie Taylor Greene asks congress to ‘eliminate’ Covid vaccines

Saturday 2 September 2023 17:00 , Ariana Baio

On X, Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote that she refuses to vote in favor of government funding if Congress does not “Eliminate all COVID vaccine and mandates.”

Covid vaccines have been credited with saving millions of lives by protecting them against severe illness that can be caused by infection. Additionally, the federal government does not control mask mandates over the states.

Variant BA.2.86 found in New York City wastewater

Saturday 2 September 2023 15:00 , Ariana Baio

The New York City Department of Health said that the Covid variant, BA.2.86, has been detected in wastewater.

BA.2.86 is a subvariant of Omicron and is quickly spreading throughout the US and parts of the world. It has been nicknamed “Pirola”.

So far, early studies indicate the variant poses no greater risk of causing severe illness than previous variants and subvariants. But there are indications it can evade antibodies built up by previous infections or vaccinations.

“While we have yet to find it in a specimen from a local resident, it is almost certainly circulating here,” a press release from the department reads.

The NYC Department of Health said they were monitoring BA.2.86 closely and working with the CDC And WHO.

Deborah Birx warns Americans are underestimating Covid

Saturday 2 September 2023 13:00 , Ariana Baio

Dr Deborah Birx, who served as White House coronavirus response coordinator under then-president Donald Trump, said in a new interview with ABC News that by ignoring Covid, Americans are living in a “fantasy world”.

From August 13 to 19, Covid deaths jumped 21.4 per cent and hospitalisations rose 18.8 per cent compared to the previous week, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hospitalisations are lower than they were during the same time in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Global health authorities are monitoring EG.5.1, a new variant that is gaining traction.

“We’re pretending that Covid is not relevant,” Dr Birx said. “But I can tell you…you know two or three people who have Covid. That means that five to 10 per cent of your friends already have Covid.”

Instead, she argued the US should use mRNA technology to quickly tailor boosters to new variants no matter what time of year they emerge.

“I think we wanted to make [Covid] like flu, because that was easier. But it’s never going to be like flu,” she said. “It stays with us in between the waves.”

She added that the current administration should have addressed the summer wave more aggressively. “What the federal government needs to do is lay out the plan that says, ‘We’re not done with Covid, Covid’s not done with us. 250,000 Americans died in 2022. We’ve got do to a better job in 2023. And this is part of our better job.’”

China ceases required Covid-19 testing for incoming travelers

Saturday 2 September 2023 10:00 , Ariana Baio

China will no longer require a negative Covid test result from incoming travelers, the foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbgin announced on Monday.

It is a milestone toward ending the virus restrictions imposed in China since early 2020.

Associated Press contributed to this report

John McEnroe misses US Open commentary due to Covid

Saturday 2 September 2023 07:00 , Ariana Baio

Tennis legend John McEnroe said he tested positive for Covid, leaving many fans disheartened as they won’t see him in the commentary box for the 2023 US Open.

Shweta Sharma reports:

John McEnroe misses US Open commentary due to Covid: ‘That sucks’

John McEnroe misses US Open commentary due to Covid

Saturday 2 September 2023 04:00 , Ariana Baio

Tennis legend John McEnroe said he tested positive for Covid, leaving many fans disheartened as they won’t see him in the commentary box for the 2023 US Open.

McEnroe, who was noticeably absent from ESPN’s commentary box for the first two days of the New York Grand Slam, said on Tuesday that he will miss commentating for the tennis championship.

“Unfortunately, after feeling a bit under the weather, I tested positive for Covid,” he said in a statement released on the second day of the Grand Slam tournament.

“I’m watching the US Open from home and can’t wait to get back to work soon.”

McEnroe did not elaborate if he will be returning to the booth before the tournament ends on 10 September. The 64-year-old tennis star has won four of his seven Grand Slam singles titles in the US.

US will regulate nursing home staffing for first time

Saturday 2 September 2023 01:00 , Ariana Baio

The federal government will, for the first time, dictate staffing levels at nursing homes, the Biden administration said Friday, responding to systemic problems bared by mass COVID-19 deaths.

“Establishing minimum staffing standards for nursing homes will improve resident safety,” Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “When facilities are understaffed, residents suffer.”

The proposed rules, which now enter a public comment period and would take years more to fully take effect, call for staffing equivalent to 3 hours per resident per day, just over half an hour of it coming from registered nurses. The rules also call for facilities to have an RN on staff 24 hours a day, every day.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Trump’s Covid czar warns Americans are dangerously underestimating surge

Friday 1 September 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio

Covid-19 hospitalisations and deaths in the US have been steadily rising for weeks, and some experts say Americans’ delayed response to the uptick could have serious consequences.

Dr Deborah Birx, who served as White House coronavirus response coordinator under then-president Donald Trump, said in a new interview with ABC News that by ignoring Covid, Americans are living in a “fantasy world”.

From August 13 to 19, Covid deaths jumped 21.4 per cent and hospitalisations rose 18.8 per cent compared to the previous week, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Maggie O’Neill reports:

Deborah Birx warns Americans are underestimating Covid: ‘Living in a fantasy world’

Mask mandates return to some places

Friday 1 September 2023 21:00 , Ariana Baio

Several companies and schools have re-implemented mask mandates after Covid cases began to rise.

Morris Brown College, a historic Black college in Atlanta, announced they would be implementing a mask mandate for two weeks and restrict large gatherings.

Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, announced they would require all staff, visitors and patients to wear masks for at least three weeks.

Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare company, reinstated mask mandates at it’s Santa Rosa, California facility after a rise in positive cases among patients.

CDC official answers question about Covid immunity

Friday 1 September 2023 19:00 , Ariana Baio

Surge is likely larger than number suggest

Friday 1 September 2023 17:00 , Ariana Baio

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), positive Covid cases have risen 14.9 per cent in the last week.

But that number is probably much higher than what is being reported, health officials say.

Data that is tracked officially comes from positive Covid tests administered by healthcare officials who report it to the state. Individuals who assume they are Covid positive or self-test at home and do not report it are not recorded as official cases.

Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists told CNN that when surveillance data is high it should be an indicator that cases are substantially rising.

“There is more transmission out there than what the surveillance data indicates,” Ms Hamilton said. “And we should be paying attention to it, because we are starting to see an increase.”

Eris symptoms can appear like a cold or allergies

Friday 1 September 2023 15:00 , Ariana Baio

Symptoms of the new Covid variant, nicknamed “Eris”, seemingly mimic similar Omicron symptoms which can be confused for a cold or allergies.

In an initial report, the World Health Organization (WHO) said while the variant seems to be spreading quickly, “there are no reports of elevated disease severity associated with this variant.”

The most commonly reported symptoms appear to be similar to an upper respiratory infection like a sore throat, cough, congestion and runny nose.

Dr Kristina K Bryant, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with Norton Children’s Infectious Diseases told Health that “some people even said they thought they had allergies.”

White House encourages people to get vaccinated this fall

Friday 1 September 2023 14:00 , Ariana Baio

Can dogs really detect Covid-19 infections faster

Friday 1 September 2023 13:00 , Ariana Baio

Dogs can detect Covid-19 faster and more accurately than a PCR test, a new study shows.

Researchers looked at the ability of canines to recognise the virus and its variants, even when they are obscured by other viruses, like those from common colds and flu.

Read here

Long Covid ‘brain fog’ can last for years, scientists find

Friday 1 September 2023 11:00 , Ariana Baio

Brain fog associated with long Covid may last for years, new research has suggested.

Patients who suffered Covid-19 symptoms for 12 weeks were worst affected by the disease in terms of their memory, attention, reasoning and processing speed, according to a study of 3,000 people.

Rebecca Thomas reports:

Covid and flu autumn jabs sped up as fears grow over new BA.2.86 variant

Friday 1 September 2023 10:00 , Ariana Baio

The roll-out of flu and Covid-19 vaccines for autumn has been sped up as fears grow over the new BA.2.86 coronavirus variant.

Vaccinations are now set to start on 11 September in England, with adult care home residents and those most at risk, those aged 65 and over, and health and social care staff and carers, to receive their jabs first.

The annual flu vaccine will also be given to these groups at the same time, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

The roll-out of flu vaccines was originally planned to begin in October – a month later than planned – to coincide with the roll-out of Covid booster jabs. But GP practices warned the delay would cause “chaos” and put vulnerable people at risk ahead of a difficult winter.

What is the new Covid variant BA.2.86

Friday 1 September 2023 09:00 , Ariana Baio

Cases of a new variant of Covid-19 that has a larger number of mutations than normal have sparked fears of a wave of infections this summer.

The variant, known as BA.2.86, is being closely monitored by the World Health Organisation.

The first case of the strain in the UK was detected in London and announced on Friday. It is the fifth case found worldwide so far, with others recently found in Denmark, Israel and the US.

The WHO and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) placed BA.2.86 on their monitoring lists on Thursday as hospital admissions for Covid continue to rise in the UK.

Nearly 2 million deaths followed China’s abrupt end to Covid restrictions – study

Friday 1 September 2023 07:00 , Ariana Baio

China‘s abrupt decision to end its stringent Covid-19 restrictions led to nearly two million excess deaths in just two months, according to a new US study.

The study by the federally-funded Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle found an estimated 1.87 million excess deaths from all causes occurred among people over 30 years of age between December 2022 and January 2023.

The paper, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, said that the deaths were observed in all provinces in mainland China except Tibet.

China in December last year removed its “zero-Covid”, which aimed at stopping the spread of virus by imposing strict lockdowns, mass testing and other regulations.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:

‘Succession’ star Brian Cox pulls out of event after getting Covid

Friday 1 September 2023 05:00 , Ariana Baio

Brian Cox, the star of the hit show Succession, said he has contracted Covid-19, again.

Cox, who was meant to attend the March and Rally for Independent Scotland in the EU, and give a speech, was forced to pull out of the event.

“I am absolutely gutted to have to miss the Believe in Scotland rally which seems to be building into a pivotal moment for the independence movement,” Cox said, according to The National.

“I was looking forward tremendously to joining the grassroots independence organisers and supporters and an inspiring list of speakers on Saturday for this positive celebration of the independence movement. I would very much like to attend the Believe in Scotland March and Rally planned for early next year so I will work with the organisers to fit that into my schedule,” he added.

X community note fact-checks Trump claims of Covid lockdown

Friday 1 September 2023 03:00 , Ariana Baio

Covid and flu autumn jabs sped up as fears grow over new BA.2.86 variant

Friday 1 September 2023 01:00 , Ariana Baio

The roll-out of flu and Covid-19 vaccines for autumn has been sped up as fears grow over the new BA.2.86 coronavirus variant.

Martha McHardy reports:

Covid and flu autumn jabs sped up as fears grow over new BA.2.86 variant

Everything we know about EG. 5, the Covid subvariant dominating the US

Thursday 31 August 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio

A new variant of Covid-19 that now accounts for almost one-fifth of cases in the United States is causing a small rise in hospitalisations, health officials have warned.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

Covid symptoms: Everything we know about the Covid subvariant EG. 5

Should we wear masks again?

Thursday 31 August 2023 22:00 , Ariana Baio

The uptick of Covid transmissions this summer has raised questions about whether or not certain safety measures such as wearing masks should be brought back.

Several companies and schools nationwide decided to reinstate Covid mask mandates in light of the rising hospitalisations including Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Lionsgate headquarters in Los Angeles, Kaiser Permanente across all California locations, and several hospitals in the state of New York. Workers and attendees at these locations are now required to wear masks upon entry.

“It is ticking up a little bit, but it’s not something that we need to raise any alarm bells over,” Dr David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told the Seattle Times. Although many health experts like Dr Dowdy don’t believe people have cause to worry, some have expressed their concerns.

While many people have forgone wearing masks, UC San Francisco infectious diseases expert, Dr Peter Chin-Hong, cautioned the Los Angeles Times that swearing off masks for good would put people at higher risk of contracting the virus, elaborating: “Right now, when things are heating up all around the country with Covid, you might want to think about [masking at] public transit and airports.”

White House says Covid increase ‘not surprising'

Thursday 31 August 2023 21:00 , Ariana Baio

During Thursday’s White House Press Briefing, the White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the recent increase in Covid cases was “not surprising” given the last three summers have shown a similar trend.

“While CDC is reporting an increase in infections as you all know, and hospitals, admissions, overall levels remain low, which is important. The US has experienced increases in COVID-19 during the last three summers, so it’s not surprising that we’re seeing this uptick,” Ms Jean-Pierre said.

Ms Jean-Pierre said the White House would be encouraging Americans to get vaccinated once the new booster shots become available. The White House plans to share more information about the boosters once they begin rolling them out in mid-September.

Highly mutated Covid variant found in new countries as scientists urge careful monitoring

Thursday 31 August 2023 20:30 , Ariana Baio

A new highly mutated coronavirus variant has been detected in Switzerland and South Africa, prompting scientists to raise alarm bells over a possible explosion of Covid-19 cases.

The Omicron offshoot, called BA.2.86, carries more than 35 mutations in key portions of the virus compared with XBB.1.5 – the dominant variant through most of 2023.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week said it was “monitoring” the new strain after a small number of cases related to the strain were found in Israel, Denmark, Britain and the US.

The strain was first spotted in Denmark on 24 July after the virus from a patient at risk of becoming severely ill was sequenced. It has since been detected in other symptomatic patients, in routine airport screening, and in wastewater samples in a handful of countries.