(2020-08-18). California confirms 1st case of PLAGUE in 5 years, health officials urge residents to take precautions. rt.com 
California health officials have reported that a resident of South Lake Tahoe has tested positive for plague, marking the first such case in the state in half a decade. The individual is recovering at home. | It's believed that the person was infected by a flea while walking their dog, El Dorado County's Health and Human Services Agency said in a statement. The individual is being treated by medical professionals but did not require hospitalization. An investigation into the matter is still ongoing. | The uncommon but potentially lethal bacterial disease is usually transmitted by fleas found on infected squirr…
(2020-08-18). 'Irresponsible' breaking up of Public Health England expected to be announced. thecanary.co 
Plans to break up Public Health England in the middle of a pandemic are "irresponsible" and "risky", Labour has said.Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said that structural reorganisation is "time consuming" and "energy sapping".In a series of scathing tweets, Ashworth said the government was trying to "shift the blame" when it announces plans to break up the embattled organisation later.A story placed with the Sunday Telegraph suggests that the coronavirus (Covid-19) response work of PHE is to be merged with NHS Test and Trace to form a new Health Protection Institute, designed specifically to deal with p…
(2020-08-18). Refugee with compromised health calls for freedom, thanks supporters. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-08-18). Doctors in Kenya strike for better conditions as infection rate among professionals rises. peoplesdispatch.org Over 750 healthcare workers tested positive, at least 14 of whom died, including some of the country's top doctors. The union claims that doctors have not received their salaries since July and don't have health insurance…
(2020-08-18). In 24 hours 2,385 COVID-19 cases recorded in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,385 people and claimed 168 lives in Iran in the past 24 hours, a senior health official said.
(2020-08-18). National vaccine efforts need to fit global approach, says WHO. yenisafak.com National supply deals in the event of the development of a successful vaccine against the coronavirus should fit a global approach, World Health Organization senior adviser Bruce Aylward said on Tuesday.World leaders pledged in late April to accelerate work on tests, drugs and vaccines against COVID-19 and to share them around the globe under a WHO-led initiative known as the ACT (Access to COVID-19 Tools) Accelerator.More than 21.9 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 772,647 have died, according to a Reuters tally.
(2020-08-18). [Original Research] Changes in mental health and drug use among men who have sex with men using daily and event-driven pre-exposure prophylaxis: Results from a prospective demonstration project in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. thelancet.com Mental health disorders are prevalent among those initiating PrEP. We did not find increases in mental health disorders during PrEP use, but rather a decrease in sexual compulsivity and drug use disorders. The initial prevalence of mental health disorders in our study point at the continuous need to address mental health disorders within PrEP programs.
(2020-08-17). Missionaries Gain Access to Amazon's Indigenous Peoples, Despite Pandemic. globalresearch.ca When the first COVID-19 cases hit Brazil in March, the government agency in charge of protecting the country's Indigenous peoples, the National Indigenous Foundation, ordered all civilians to leave the Indigenous reservations. Only essential workers, such as health care personnel …
(2020-08-17). "I Cannot Vote for This Platform": Rep. Ro Khanna on Why Democrats Must Support Medicare for All. democracynow.org 
As the Democratic National Convention kicks off virtually in Milwaukee, we speak with Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna, who says he will be voting no on the Democratic platform because it does not support Medicare for All. Khanna, who served as national co-chair of Senator Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign, says ensuring universal healthcare is crucial for the Democratic Party, especially during a pandemic. "I am very enthusiastic about supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump, but I cannot vote for this platform that does not have universal healthcare as a right," says Khanna.
(2020-08-17). Platform fight precedes Democratic convention. peoplesworld.org 
The Democratic National Convention hasn't started yet, and already there's a fight over the party platform. There are differences in a party united in its determination to defeat Trump but divided on some key issues like Medicare-for-All and the Green New Deal. And another fight may be brewing over the party leadership's decision to basically …
(2020-08-17). Trump's America Fails Coronavirus as 170,000 to 204,000 Die, Child Cases Spike, While Other Countries Are Back to Normal. commondreams.org We have a system that works for the rich, instead of a public health system for all Americans that readily anticipates and controls new pathogens through testing, contact tracing, and quarantine. (Photo: Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-08-17). Venezuela: President Maduro Volunteers To Test Russian Vaccine. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Sunday announced he'll be the first to get vaccinated when the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, arrives in the country. | RELATED: | He recalled that Russia was the first country in the world to vaccinate its population and volunteered to test the Sputnik V. | "There will be a time when we all get vaccinated and the first to be vaccinated will be me. I'm going to get the vaccine, I…
(2020-08-17). The Pandemic Has Revealed America's Zip Code Map of Inequality. counterpunch.org 
It is understandably tempting to drop all the blame for America's catastrophic response to COVID-19 on the big desk in the Oval Office. But there's more to the story than epic incompetence, grift and delusion at the highest levels of government. The stark divide in the level of health care from testing to treatment is
(2020-08-17). Russia officially produces first batch of COVID-19 vaccine. mronline.org 
"Russia's health workers and teachers will be the first ones to receive the vaccine in the country," Russia's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.
(2020-08-17). Europe still dealing with initial stage of Covid-19 pandemic, real 'second wave' likely to arrive in fall — leading Russian expert. rt.com 
A top Russian expert in virus control says Europe is experiencing the continuation of the initial stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the current increase in infections is not a sign of a "second wave" as many experts speculate. | Worryingly, Nikolai Malyshev, the chief infectious diseases specialist in the Moscow Health Ministry, believes there will be a new outbreak, but it will come in the fall, as the daylight hours become fewer and the weather gets colder. | "The rise in respiratory infections, as you and I know, [occurs] yearly at the end of autumn and the beginning of winter," Malyshev explained at a pr…
(2020-08-17). Another Russian Covid-19 vaccine on the way? Siberian lab begins 2nd phase of trials just days after registration of Sputnik V. rt.com 
A mere week after Russia registered the world's first coronavirus vaccine, the 'Vector' virology center in Novosibirsk has announced that an entirely different Covid-19 solution is entering the second stage of clinical trials. | As with the US, Russia is not putting all its eggs in one basket when it comes to a potential fix for coronavirus. Anna Popova, the head of the national health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, announced on Monday that volunteers were injected with Vector's experimental vaccine on August 12. Five days later, on August 17, a second group received the shot. | "Clinical trials are being carried o…
(2020-08-17). Boris Johnson under pressure to end A-level chaos. thecanary.co 
Boris Johnson is facing a Tory backlash over the deepening A-levels crisis in England as pupils and teachers continued to protest about the results awarded.Senior Conservatives called for the government to resolve the "shambles" which had been "terribly unfair" to students who got lower-than-expected grades after their exams were cancelled as a result of coronavirus.Johnson is expected to go on holiday to Scotland this week, but Labour leader Keir Starmer called on him to take "personal responsibility" in dealing with the situation. | The Conservative former education secretary Kenneth Baker urged ministers to de…
(2020-08-17). Needed: Indicators for Measuring Injustice and Societal Decay. globalresearch.ca Adequate housing, healthcare, food, public services, education, mass transit, health & safety standards, and environmental protections are the prerequisites for a humane democracy. | *** | Economic indicators — data points, trends, and micro-categories — are the widgets of the big information …
(2020-08-17). Bolivia Surpasses 100,000 COVID-19 Cases. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's Health Ministry Sunday reported 1,198 new COVID-19 cases, which bring contagion numbers to 100,344 since the beginning of the pandemic. | RELATED: | "Although the figures are already exorbitant, the peak of the disease in Bolivia is expected to be in September," Health Ministry spokesman Rene Sahonero said. | "Cases are climbing steadily, at least on the western side of the country. By the end of the month, we will reach form 130,000 t…
(2020-08-17). 10-year-old rape victim in Brazil safely aborts after feminists expel religious extremists. peoplesdispatch.org Religious fundamentalists attempted to invade a health center in the city of Recife in a bid to prevent the procedure. The child earlier had to travel over 1,800 km after she was denied her legal right in her home State…
(2020-08-17). Abnormalize The Status Quo. thealtworld.com If we'd been living in a healthy society and then suddenly had this society's sick, insane status quo thrust upon us by powerful people, we'd have all been out in the streets making life very hard for those powerful people in an instant. | We are in the same situation now. We are having a wildly insane status quo thrust upon us by the powerful and for the benefit of the powerful. Only difference is we're not all out in the streets, and instead of thrusting this horrible situation upon us suddenly, they've been doing it this entire time. | Which is precisely why we're not out in the streets. We were born into this…
(2020-08-17). Historic Collapse of US Economy: Real GDP Registers Biggest Quarterly Slump in Last 70 Years at 32.9%. globalresearch.ca The United States economy has been growing steadily over the last few years as indicated by the real Gross Domestic Product figures. However, the coronavirus health crisis has plunged the economy to the worst levels in about seven decades. | Data …
(2020-08-17). A risky game with health and lives as schools reopen throughout Germany. wsws.org With the beginning of mandatory school attendance, the number of COVID-19 infections is increasing.
(2020-08-17). Trump Pushes to Reopen Schools Despite the US Health Crisis. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump once again pushed for schools reopening despite his country registers 5,400,180 COVID-19 cases and 169,955 deaths. | RELATED: | "The children have to return to the classrooms. They tend to only develop mild COVID-19 symptoms. Health complications in minors are incredibly rare," Trump said. | Previously, on July 6, he also said that "schools must reopen in the fall," insisting that "children are su…
(2020-08-17). Real Life Heroes: building trust, and saving lives. news.un.org Marie-Roseline Bélizaire, a doctor and epidemiologist with the World Health Organization (WHO), is using her passion for community medicine to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the Central African Republic (CAR).
(2020-08-17). An Abortion Advocacy Movement for Everybody. aclu.org Abortion is legal in Texas and across the United States, but that doesn't stop anti-abortion politicians from doing whatever they can to interfere with access to reproductive healthcare. Local governments have added fuel to the fire by passing anti-abortion ordinances that confuse residents about their rights and increase the ever-present stigma around seeking abortion care., , That's why, for the first time, reproductive rights, health, and justice groups in our state are joining forces to expand essential health care access for all Texans by creating the Texas Abortion Access Network. Join us for TAAN'
(2020-08-17). Doctors Lay Out Plan to 'Punish' People Who Refuse Coronavirus Vaccine: 'There Is No Alternative'. globalresearch.ca 'Simply put, getting vaccinated is going to be our patriotic duty,' and America should consider making it difficult for the unvaccinated to participate in society, three doctors wrote. | *** | A coronavirus vaccine should be mandatory, and tax penalties, higher insurance …
(2020-08-17). China Announces Its First COVID-19 Vaccine Patent. telesurenglish.net China's National Intellectual Property Administration Monday granted the first patent to a COVID-19 vaccine developed in the Asian nation. | RELATED: | The Ad5-nCoV vaccine was co-developed by CanSino Biologics, the Beijing Biotechnology Institute, and a People's Liberation Army (PLA) team. | During the next year, the vaccine will be for the military forces' exclusive use. However, the military high command will be responsible for autho…
(2020-08-17). Iran registers 2,247 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 17 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,247 people and claimed 165 lives in Iran in the past 24 hours, a senior health official said.
(2020-08-17). Observing health protocols emphasized by all religious figure. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 17 (MNA) — Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah in a televised speech on commemorating Ashura amid the spread of coronavirus with Almanar TV urged the Shia Muslims to hold mourning ceremonies of Muharram with health protocols in place.
(2020-08-17). During COVID-19, The Risk To Health Care Workers Has Never Been Greater. popularresistance.org If you happen to provide health care services to actual Covid-19 patients — as a nurse or a doctor, an orderly or a physician's assistant — this has been the year from hell. Amid the worst worldwide pandemic in over a century, you've been working long, intense, chaotic hours. You've watched patients die at rates unimaginable just six months ago. You've watched colleagues die. You've worried that you may be bringing death home to your families. | If you work in health care but don't interact with pandemic patients, the months since March haven't exactly been easy street either. In April alone, 1.4 mill…
(2020-08-17). Indicators For Measuring Injustice And Societal Decay. popularresistance.org Economic indicators — data points, trends, and micro-categories — are the widgets of the big information industry. By contrast, indicators for our society's democratic health are not similarly compiled, aggregated, and reported. Its up and down trends are presented piecemeal and lack quantitative precision. | We can get the process started and lay the basis for qualitative and quantitative refinement. Years ago, when we started "re-defining progress" and questioning the very superficial GDP and its empirical limitations, professional economists took notice. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, economis…
(2020-08-17). Canadian Finance Minister Steps Down Amid Charity Scandal. sputniknews.com TORONTO (Sputnik) — Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau is stepping down from his cabinet position and as a member of parliament for a Toronto riding after weeks of scrutiny for his role in a charity scandal that has plagued the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
(2020-08-17). PPE Shortage Could Last Years Without Strategic Plan, Experts Warn. truthout.org Shortages of personal protective equipment and medical supplies could persist for years without strategic government intervention, officials from health care and manufacturing industries have predicted. | Officials said logistical challenges continue seven months after the coronavirus reached the United States, as the flu season approaches and as some state emergency management agencies prepare for a fall surge in COVID-19 cases. | Although the disarray is not as widespread as it was this spring, hospit…
(2020-08-17). Rep. Ro Khanna: Democrats Must Support Medicare for All. truthout.org As the Democratic National Convention kicks off virtually in Milwaukee, we speak with Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna, who says he will be voting "no" on the Democratic platform because it does not support Medicare for All. Khanna, who served as national co-chair of Senator Bernie Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign, says ensuring universal health care is crucial for the Democratic Party, especially during a pandemic. "I am very enthusiastic about supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump, but…
(2020-08-17). France to propose masks at work as infections rise. yenisafak.com Minister for Labor Elisabeth Borne has announced that she will propose it in meetings with union leaders on Tuesday.At least 3,352 new cases of coronavirus infection were registered on Saturday, and 3,015 on Sunday. About 17 more active clusters are being observed. Hospitalizations and cases under intensive care have ticked up slightly.In a tweet, Borne reinforced the need for vigilance on the part of the country."Everyone must do their utmost to prevent the spread of the disease. We will discuss Tuesday with the social partners strengthening health standards in companies to guarantee health at work and the conti…
(2020-08-17). Iran reports 165 more virus deaths, over 2,200 cases. yenisafak.com At least 165 more coronavirus-related fatalities have raised the death toll in Iran to 19,804, the Health Ministry said Monday. | Some 2,247 more people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, pushing the overall count up to 345,450, according to ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari. | She said more than 299,157 patients have recovered so far, while 3,773 are hospitalized in critical condition. Over 2.88 million tests have been conducted in Iran to date. | Iran is struggling to contain the pandemic since February, when the first cases were confirmed in the holy city of Qom. | The coronavirus pandemic…
(2020-08-17). After Organizing Mass 'Sick-Out,' Arizona Teachers and School Staff Applauded for 'Bold' Collective Action to Stop Unsafe Reopening. commondreams.org Teachers and school staff members in a Phoenix suburb were praised by progressives and public health experts on Monday for their "bold" decision to call in sick en masse, forcing their school district to reverse its plan to return to in-person classes. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-08-17). Risk factors for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers during April 2020 in a UK hospital testing programme. thelancet.com Background: Healthcare workers (HCW) are a crucial part of the workforce but are also at potentially at increased risk of infection from SARS-CoV-2. Emerging evidence has suggested specific groups of HCW are at further increased risk particularly those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups. Previous reports have not examined risk factors associated with contracting the virus and were reported prior to the pandemic peak in the UK.Methods: Staff testing in our facility commenced on the 1st April and all individuals were entered into a database.
(2020-08-17). Universities Are Playing Fast and Loose With Students' Health. thenation.com Universities Are Playing Fast and Loose With Students' Health…
(2020-08-16). Distance Learning Plan (DLP) Destroys Education, Based on Flawed Covid Figures: Letter to Superintendents of Public Schools in Minnesota. globalresearch.ca Minnesota's superintendents of public schools have been placed in a difficult position, one that the folks at the CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health (DOH) have put them in with their Distance Learning Plan 2.0. | I would like to …
(2020-08-16). Bolivia's Regime Caught in New COVID-19 Corruption Scandal. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's regime officials have been found, for the second time, of misusing funds which were destined for fighting COVID-19. | RELATED: | The Agency for Infrastructure in Health and Medical Equipment (AISEM) has decided to paralyze the process of purchasing reagents for COVID-19 tests, following a complaint of an alleged overcharge in the acquisition of supplies from the Chinese firm Lasa Holding. | Jeanine Añez's defacto hea…
(2020-08-16). Iran COVID-19 update: 2,133 new cases registered. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry announced 2,133 new cases of infection with the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, putting the total number of cases in the country at 343,203.
(2020-08-16). Iran-Iraq fights resumes under health protocols conditions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) — An Iranian airliner announced that the flights to Iraqi international airports including Najaf, Basra, Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, and Baghdad have resumed under some health protocol conditions.
(2020-08-16). TikTok User Rejects Criticism Over Video of Her Swimming in Hudson River. sputniknews.com TikTok user Donna P, faced criticism from other users over her clip in which she dives into the Hudson River in New York, sparking hot debate about whether it is safe for one's health to swim in that location.
(2020-08-16). COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians. truthout.org As the globe enters the sixth month since the World Health Organization (WHO) classified COVID-19 as a pandemic, cases and death rates in countries led by far right authoritarians continue to surge. The vast majority of nations have sought out the advice of experts and coordinated internationally to implement safeguards, yet the right-wing nationalist leaders of the U.S., Brazil, India and Russia have intensified the pandemic — creating more death and uncertainty. | Each leader's respons…
(2020-08-16). Virus claims 6 lives in Libya, 2 in Sudan. yenisafak.com Health authorities in Libya and Sudan on Sunday confirmed additional fatalities due to the coronavirus pandemic.In a statement, Libya's National Center for Disease Control said six people had died from COVID-19 and 411 others tested positive.The country's tally now rose to 7,738 confirmed cases, including 145 deaths, and 894 recoveries.In Sudan, the Health Ministry recorded two deaths along with 103 infections and 10 recoveries.The country's total infections now stand at 12,314, including 798 deaths, and 6,350 recoveries.The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed nearly 769,000 lives in at least 188 countries and regions…
(2020-08-16). China's local COVID-19 cases fall as Xinjiang cluster recedes. yenisafak.com China's new locally transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus fell to a one-month low as a cluster in the western region of Xinjiang receded, data released by the country's health authority showed on Sunday.The number of locally transmitted cases in China dropped to four on Aug. 15, all of which were in Xinjiang, the National Health Commission said in a statement. That compares with eight cases nationwide a day earlier and is the lowest since July 16.No new locally transmitted cases were recorded on Aug. 15 in the city of Shenzhen in southern Guangdong province after provincial authorities there reported fresh i…
(2020-08-15). [World Report] Lebanon faces humanitarian emergency after blast. thelancet.com The explosion in Beirut is further straining the health system and food supplies, as well as risking the country's COVID-19 response. Sharmila Devi reports.
(2020-08-15). Maduro Hails Russian COVID-19 Vaccine as Comms Minister Tests Positive. venezuelanalysis.com The South American nation has a 70 percent COVID-19 recovery rate.