COVID-19 took a toll on heart health and doctors are still grappling with how to help COVID-19 has taken a toll on the nation's heart health but how profound is only starting to emerge. Heart attack deaths spiked early in the pandemic, erasing years of progress in battling cardiovascular disease. AP News

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Hawaii wildfires: How did the Maui fire start and what we know about the Lahaina blaze? Wildfires on Hawaii's Maui island and Big Island have killed at least 55 people, forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate, and devastated the historic resort city of Lahaina. Here are some key questions and answers about the disaster. Jonathan Oatis Reuters

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Don’t Get Your Next COVID Booster Quite Yet An uptick in COVID-19 cases and the fast-approaching new school year have many people wondering when they should get their next booster. The short answer, according to experts: not quite yet — you will be a lot better off if you wait another month or two. In June, an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the next COVID vaccine formulation target the omicron XBB.1.5 variant. Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are now working to update, test and mass-produce their vaccines, Yahoo News

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Global Covid cases up 80% as new subvariant rises The number of new Covid-19 cases reported worldwide rose by 80 percent in the last month, the World Health Organization said on Friday, days after designating a new "variant of interest". France 24

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Many of the new cases came in the Western Pacific region, which saw infections jump by 137 percent, the WHO said.

Several countries in the Northern Hemisphere, including the United States, United Kingdom, France and Japan have seen a summer uptick in cases in recent weeks.

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As Many American Cities Get Hotter, Health Systems Face Off Against Heatstroke With millions of Americans suffering under relentless heat waves this summer, more people are seeking medical attention for heat-related illnesses. As temperatures get more extreme, hospitals, fire… khnkit KFF Health News

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China drops COVID-19 group travel bans to 78 nations including U.S., Japan - UPI.com China announced Thursday it was removing its COVID-19-era restrictions on group travel to nearly 80 countries including the United States and Japan. UPI

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China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced group travel could continue to 78 nations including the two popular destinations as well as Australia, Britain, Germany, Qatar and South Korea.

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COVID cases surging again in Florida. Here's what you need to know about new variant, Eris It's summer and that means a new surge of COVID cases. But after three years of vaccines and previous infections, experts say cases may not be as bad. Yahoo News

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Treasury announces tax credit bonus for renewables in low-income areas A proposed rule from the Biden administration would add an increase of up to 20 percentage points to the tax credit for solar and wind facilities in low-income areas. Treasury Department offic… zbudryk The Hill

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Deaths, disabilities from heart problems related to air pollution are on the rise, study finds | CNN The number of people killed or disabled by certain heart problems caused by exposure to air pollution has risen significantly since 1990: 31% worldwide, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Jen Christensen CNN

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