COVID activity shows signs of slowing in parts of US Wastewater levels are at the very high level nationally, but show downward trends in the South and Midwest. CIDRAP

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Nationally, wastewater detections of SARS-CoV-2 are at the very high level for the second straight week. The highest levels are still in the West and South, followed by the Midwest and the Northeast. The CDC's latest update, however, shows downward trends from high levels in the South and Midwest.

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ALSO SEE: https://thehill.com/homenews/4832099-covid-19-summer-surge-us/

Antiviral used for mpox no better than placebo, NIH says Just as mpox is declared a global health emergency, the antiviral tecovirimat is found to be no better than placebo against it. Jason Mast STAT

The National Institutes of Health said Thursday that an antiviral often used to treat mpox did not resolve patients’ symptoms faster than placebo in a randomized trial.

The results are notable because the drug, tecovirimat, has rarely been studied clinically for mpox, despite its wide use during the 2022 and 2023 outbreaks in the U.S. and Europe.

IFRC says shortage of testing, vaccines hampers mpox response in Africa | Reuters

Socioeconomic disadvantage magnifies COVID-19 effects, slows recovery, data suggest Recovery from COVID-19 takes longer, and infection has a greater effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), among socioeconomically disadvantaged patients, suggests an observational study published in BMC Infectious Diseases. CIDRAP

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Cities are tackling rising heat – but they have to avoid a dangerous trap | Extreme heat | The Guardian

COVID is surging again. Here’s the latest on new variants, updated vaccines, and masking | AAMC The latest, highly contagious subvariants are driving infections, but new vaccines expected this fall may help stem the tide of another wave. AAMC

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The reason COVID-19 cases are increasing this summer is likely because people who haven’t been recently vaccinated or infected have fewer antibodies at the ready to fight off the first sign of the virus and are more likely to experience its symptoms, including fever, chills, sore throat, cough, congestion, body aches, gastrointestinal issues, and fatigue.

Why does it feel like everyone is getting Covid? Covid’s summer surge, explained Ellen Ioanes Vox

Also see: The Summer 2024 COVID-19 Surge Is Happening. Here Are The Top Symptoms You May Be Experiencing

Healthy lifestyle lowers the risk of post-COVID complications, finds study (medicalxpress.com)

... the study found that individuals with a favorable lifestyle had a lower risk of hospitalization, lower incidence of long-term or on-going health issues affecting multiple parts of the body, and reduced risk of post-COVID death, compared to those with an unfavorable lifestyle.

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Common respiratory virus that dwindled during the pandemic is on the rise, CDC warns, with higher risk for certain groups | CNN A seasonal respiratory virus named parvovirus B19 – sometimes also called fifth disease – is increasing in activity, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday. Katherine Dillinger CNN

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Mpox never stopped spreading in Africa. Now it’s an international public health emergency. Again. The mpox outbreak never ended in Africa. Now a deadlier strain is spreading. Jess Craig Vox

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