pandemic – MyMedicInfo

COVID Increasing In The Rural Midwest

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Alabama. Why was the state listed as the worst place to work during the pandemic?

Alaska The state has a higher percentage of children with confirmed cases.

Arizona The FDA approves a University of Arizona antibody test, which is one of the most accurate in the country.

Arkansas, The University of Arkansas, set aside dorm rooms to isolate and quarantine COVID students. The campus confirmed six cases on Aug 31.

California As the number of new infections falls to levels not seen since June, the state announces a new tracking system set to begin in October.

Colorado Local outbreaks noted among a fire station, restaurants, a bank, and schools.

Connecticut The Governor extends emergency orders through February 2021 as the number of new infections and hospitalizations increase.

Delaware The state’s positive rate and hospitalizations are the highest since July.

Florida The governor promotes less testing.

Georgia Epidemiologist calls for an end to in-class instruction at the University of Georgia as the campus logs 821 new cases in the second week, up from 189 the week prior.

Hawaii A human relations firm offers tips to businesses on how to handle COVID-19 as the state sees community spread.

Idaho August was the deadliest month, nearly doubling from the month prior.

Illinois The state reports most new COVID related deaths since June.

Indiana Notre Dame University is increasing testing after suspending in-person classes.

Iowa. Ames, Iowa, was labeled the worst hot spot in the country and is planning to host a football game on September 12 with 25,000 fans.

Kansas. COVID-19 spreading among fraternities, sororities in the state.

Kentucky. Hundreds of new cases at the University of Kentucky has school officials debating about what to do.

Louisiana. The governor is concerned about rising cases related to hurricane Laura.

Maine. A local pastor held a wedding on Aug 7, and over 100 infections and one death are related.

Maryland. The governor announced the state would advance to stage 3 reopening on Friday.

Massachusetts A Boston University nationwide study shows depression is three times higher than it was one year ago.

Michigan. Colleges see increasing the spread of the COVID virus.

Minnesota The State Health Commissioner said Minnesota overlooked the risk of viral transmission in family and friend gatherings compared with supermarkets and stores where mask-wearing and social distancing have become the norm.

Mississippi Health officials confirm the state’s youngest death from COVID after battling it for several months.

Missouri A high number of transmissions in the state is the reason the White House Task Force recommended a mask mandate two weeks ago.

Montana Two college campuses are only testing symptomatic students, and some experts fear it will allow for greater spread among students.

Nebraska If a child gets COVID at school and dies – is the school liable?

Nevada New hospitalizations due to COVID are declining in the state.

New Hampshire A new dashboard tracks cases in schools.

New Jersey Neighbors who dined together in a private home allegedly caused a local community outbreak.

New Mexico New cases reported among staff at various schools in the state despite students not yet returning to classes.

New York Nurses are calling on the state to pass minimum staff requirements anticipating a second surge of cases.

North Carolina The State Senate passes a 1.1 Billion relief bill, which includes money for families with children.

North Dakota Leaders in the state do not agree with the CDC’s recent guidelines to decrease testing among the asymptomatic.

Ohio The governor said a surge in cases is related to students returning to schools and colleges.

Oklahoma Over 150 school districts are reporting COVID cases.

Oregon The governor extends the state emergency through November 1st.

Pennsylvania The governor extends emergency for an additional 90 days.

Puerto Rico Tourists, needed to boost the economy, are cited for not following masking guidelines.

Rhode Island The number of new cases continues to decline.

Samoa The island looks to change the 14-day quarantine to 21 days.

South Carolina The University of South Carolina reports over 1,000 active COVID infections.

South Dakota So far, twelve states have reported over 260 cases, and one death traced back to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Tennessee School-age children testing positive for COVID is increasing over the last two weeks.

Texas Texas State reports students who live in the residence halls immediately asked to move out or go home when they test positive.

US Virgin Islands The territory struggles to reopen and consistently enforce protocols as travelers come to the island.

Utah Parents want more education options amid the pandemic.

Vermont A party at a ski lodge traced to an outbreak.

Virginia Cases increase at state colleges and universities.

Washington State health officials say the timeline for the COVID-19 vaccine can not be political.

West Virginia Eight deaths reported on Tuesday as hospitalizations tick up.

Wisconsin Two rural counties have become hot spots in the state over the past week.

Wyoming Around 50 college students quarantined after an off-campus party.

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Updated 9/3/2020 at 8:30 am EST.

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The Health Director for the state of Arizona tells hospitals to fully activate their emergency plans in response to surge in COVID cases.

COVID, COVID-19, Emergency Medicine, Hospitalizations, Infectious Disease, Urgenecy

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Banner Health is Arizona’s most extensive hospital system. They are also Arizona’s largest private employer. In response to the COVID crisis, the company already furloughed approximately 3,oo0 employees, decreased executive’s salaries by 20 percent and created a one-time bonus pay for employees who provided direct care of COVID-19 patients during March, April, and May.

A statement released by the company yesterday informed the public they had reached capacity for ECMO treatments and was nearing capacity for their ICU beds.

Our ICUs are very busy caring for the sickest of the sick who are battling COVID-19. Since May 15, ventilated COVID-19 patients have quadrupled. Banner Health also recently reached capacity for patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment. (2/3)

— Banner Health (@BannerHealth) June 8, 2020

The rate of new infections in Arizona has been climbing. On Thursday, Governor Doug Ducey explained the number of new infections was related to increased testing. He added the state was not in a crisis, as “field hospitals are available if regular hospitals run out of space.” However, Cara Christ, the state’s health official, advised hospitals yesterday to fully activate their emergency services. Arizona dissolved the stay at home order and, Governor Doug Ducey guided reopening on May 1 for businesses to open on May 4. The Governor allowed sporting activities to resume on May 15 and racing on May 23 at 25% capacity. Doctors in Arizona are not surprised about the spike of new cases in the state.

Arizona is home to many retirees, and approximately 17% of the residents are age 65 or older. The number of COVD related deaths recently passed 1,000. Arizona is a hot, dry state prompting the department of health to tweet about heat-related health concerns three times in June. The hypothesis of decreased infections during warm weather suggested by some health care professionals, including CDC Director Robert Redfield, has been proven wrong. Many specialists believed warm weather was not going to decrease the rate of infections. One of the specialists is epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford, who warned in April to not hope for a warm-weather slump. I also urged my family and friends in mid-May to not to let their guard down due to improving weather conditions. Unfortunately, pandemic fatigue has set in on most Americans and my post was not well received.

If you are among higher-risk individuals who’s personal plans have eased because you believe warm weather is a deterrent to the spread of COVID-19, I recommend you reconsider your beliefs. Even if you are a person who is not at an increased risk of death due to COVID infection, the long term effects of a COVID illness are still unknown. Be wise and follow guidelines to prevent disease. Be proactive and protect your health. Be prepared for future medical visits and become a member on MyMedicInfo.com.

Updated 6/9/2020 at 9:40 am EST

Long term health concerns with COVID-19 infection.

COVID, COVID-19, Gastroenterology, ICD 10, Infectious Disease, Medical App, Neurology, Pulmonolgy

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Death from COVID is not the only concern for those who get the infection. Long-lasting effects from the virus can affect the body. Damage to the lungs for those who recover from severe COVID lung infection may lead to an increased predisposition to future lung infections. Confusion and fatigue are symptoms people may continue to experience after recovering from the acute effects of the virus. While many who contract COVID do improve, the long term effects of this virus are still unknown. As a clinician and as a patient, I continue to advocate for you and recommend preventing COVID exposure.

A virus caused me symptoms for months and may have contributed to other conditions that still bother me. Within two years of starting my career as a PA, a colleague diagnosed me with infectious mononucleosis. I had elevated liver enzymes, fevers, sore throat, night sweats, dehydration, and body aches. When I saw my PA, she and her supervising doctor tested me for streptococcal throat infection, hepatitis A, B, C, tuberculosis, and HIV. I tested negative for those infections. A blood smear showed atypical lymphocytes. An EBV titer blood test suggested it was the cause of my illness. Epstein Barr is a virus that causes mild symptoms in most people. However, some people develop more severe symptoms. In my illness, the acute symptoms lasted three weeks. I went on to battle postexertional exhaustion; I describe it as feeling like a rag doll. Instead of feeling energized after a simple 15-minute walk in the park, I would experience overwhelming tiredness that lasted for days. I knew I had to regain my strength, and it was frustrating when exercise made me feel worse. I had no choice but to cope with chronic fatigue, which lasted more than six months. I remember, at the time, my employer allowed me to return to work part-time for several months. I was grateful I worked in a clinic and for a health care organization. Had I worked for a less sympathetic employer, I could have lost my job. It was physically not possible for me to return to full-time employment. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a real condition. My symptoms were debilitating. To this day, some health care providers fail to recognize chronic fatigue syndrome and often tell patients that their symptoms are all in their heads. The unbelieving clinicians cite a lack of blood tests and other organic tests as reasons to support their disbelief. Yet, those same clinicians believe in the diagnosis of migraines even though there is a lack of blood tests and other tests to confirm migraines. Both conditions have criteria for meeting the diagnosis and are found in populations around the globe. Clinicians have had to be encouraged by their colleagues to believe in CFS. Estimates suggest there are 2.5 million Americans who suffer from CFS. People who have persistent chronic fatigue seek treatment from more than one health care provider before being diagnosed. A 2008 survey found up to 44% of people with the diagnosis reported having to visit five or more clinicians before the determination made. Patients also add they had to seek a different health care provider to find someone who believes them and, thus, treats their symptoms. Even if a person sees a clinician who recognizes CFS, the treatment recommendations may not be up to date. To make matters more troubling, people with CFS battle symptoms for years before they get treatment. Another problem with making this diagnosis is the fact that several comorbid conditions share traits with the disease. Conditions such as fibromyalgia, IBS, and hypothyroidism have overlapping symptoms, making it difficult for even experienced clinicians to make a diagnosis. Research for CFS continues as this condition is expensive due to costs of care and loss of productivity.

It is essential to remember some viral infections are associated with long term risks. After an EBV diagnosis, a person has an increased risk of developing lymphoma. Varicella virus infections can return later in life, causing shingles that may present with a variety of symptoms and possibly severe consequences.

The number of new COVID infections reached all-time highs last week in the states of Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, and South Carolina. As the country reopens, the virus spreads, and new infections abound. Sign up for member-only benefits, including:

Prepare for your next medical visit.

Improve communication between you and your health care providers.

Comprehensive guidelines for at-risk individuals to prevent infection.

Have questions about the service or membership? Contact me, and I will answer your questions about membership.

Stay informed and stay well.

Updated on 6/6/2020 at 2:07 pm EST

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Updated Local Reports of the COVID-19 impact from around the country 5/3/2020

COVID, COVID-19, Hospitalizations, Infectious Disease, Senior Care

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Reports from around the country

Alabama Lawsuit with voting rules during the pandemic.

Alaska Governor gives an update on 5/1/2020, including the CARES Act funding plan submitted to the state legislature.

Arizona Governor tweets business guidance for reopening on May 4.

Arkansas Inside dining of restaurants begins May 11 with restrictions.

California Most new cases and deaths documented in Southern California where protestors demand lifting restrictions.

Colorado Governor states testing supplies ordered from South Korea not disclosed to the federal government over concerns of seizure.

Connecticut. Connecticut has more COVID documented deaths than the country of Switzerland.

Delaware 26-year-old becomes the youngest COVID related death in the state.

Florida South Florida hospital uses stem cells to improve the health of three seriously ill COVID patients.

Georgia Nearly 20% of the documented COVID infected have required hospitalization.

Hawaii Travelers to the islands will see changes, including no buffet-style luaus.

Idaho Nursing homes hit hard, staff without N-95 masks to protect one another.

Illinois confirmed cases and deaths continue to rise.

Indiana Nearly 900 cases of COVID found in a meat plant.

Iowa Current and former Governors disagree on states’ COVID response.

Kansas Second largest increase in cases.

Kentucky Nursing homes around the state had infection control problems before COVID-19.

Louisianna Two guards die of COVID-19 at immigration detention centers.

Maine When compared to rates in other states, Maine has lower infections and lower deaths.

Massachusetts 81 workers test positive at one store, shutting it down.

Maryland State asks the National Guard to protect testing kits so the federal government does not seize them.

Michigan Governor extends state of emergency through May 28 despite armed protestors demanding to reopen the state.

Minnesota Increased testing, increasing infections, and local hot spots.

Mississippi Governor announced Friday he is going to hold off on reopening the state.

Missouri State workers ask the Governor to do more to protect employees from the coronavirus.

Montana Governor wants 60,000 tests per month.

Nebraska Dakota county has one of the highest rates of confirmed infections per capita in the country.

Nevada State to extend unemployment benefits for additional 3 months.

New Hampshire State outlines reopening of businesses and defines capacity and other guidelines.

New Jersey The state has 1,623 COVID patients in critical or intensive care units. State joins six others to form purchasing consortium to buy PPE, coronavirus tests, ventilators and other medical equipment made locally and help prevent price gouging.

New Mexico Gallup hospitals overwhelmed and city on lockdown.

New York Court dismisses New York nurses case against Montefiore for COVID-19 protection

North Carolina General Assembly passed two COVID-19 response packages, approving over $1.5 billion of funding relief.

North Dakota Wind turbine plant closes temporarily in Grand Forks.

Ohio Governor changes requirement for everyone to wear face masks, extends emergency order to May 29.

Oklahoma Mayor of one city removes requirement of business requirement of employees to wear masks because of threats.

Oregon For the second time since March 29th, there were no deaths reported on Sunday.

Pennsylvania Doctor performs over 1600 free tests for residents who could not get them.

Puerto Rico Governor urges residents who are displaced from a recent earthquake to wear masks when the present to shelters.

Rhode Island 17 deaths on Saturday and over 300 new cases as the emergency order is set to end on May 8.

Samoa Governor extends state of emergency until June 1.

South Carolina Confirmed cases continue to climb, beaches and parks reopen.

South Dakota. No new COVID related deaths two days in a row.

Tennessee Governor’s Health Commissioner states that the probable or suspected deaths of COVID-19 are not being released to the public, only confirmed cases.

Texas and also this link COVID-19 problems in the prison system.

US Virgin Islands Premeir states wearing of masks will soon become law.

Utah The one day everything changed.

Vermont Department of Labor tells unemployed they must return to suitable work if called back by their employer or they will lose benefits.

Virginia 44 deaths reported on Sunday.

Washington Governor warns of increased infections as majority of King county residents are susceptible to the virus.

West Virginia Protests over federal government transferring prisoners from Washington DC into the state.

Wisconsin State tops its record of confirmed cases in 24 hours on May 1.

Wyoming COVID-19 virus, unemployment and Wyoming’s gender pay gap, which consistently ranks as one of the worst in the country, highlights unique struggles for women in the state.

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Updated 5/3/2020 at 6:00 pm EST