Contagion

Global COVID markers show few hot spots as XBB.1.16 overtakes XBB.1.5 CIDRAP

Some countries continue to report high COVID-19 burdens, reflected mainly in hospitalization and death data, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest weekly update. ..

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Early studies from China in 2020 suggested people with certain blood types—specifically blood type A—might be at greater risk for getting infected—while those with type O may be protected against infection. Some small studies confirmed the connections, while others did not, leaving public health experts agnostic about how important blood type might be as a potential risk factor for COVID-19.

Biden administration releases intelligence on Wuhan lab The 10-page document reveals no proof of either a lab leak or an animal host. POLITICO

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials released an intelligence report Friday that rejected some points raised by those who argue COVID-19 leaked from a Chinese lab, instead reiterating that American spy agencies remain divided over how the pandemic began.

Experts say policymakers must learn from the impact of COVID-19 on older people Policymakers must learn from the impact of COVID-19 on older people in order to tackle the deep-seated inequalities exposed by the pandemic, according to a new publication written by a group of experts ... Science X

In the period between March and December 2020, twice as many years of life were lost in the poorest areas of the country compared with the wealthiest. Ethnic inequalities were a feature across all waves of the pandemic, with rates of death highest among the Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities.

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