Month: August 2020

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Authorities say fogging operations have begun after mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus have been discovered in two Louisville ZIP codes. According to a news release from Metro Louisville, those ZIP codes are 40202 and 40204. The infected mosquitoes were discovered in surveillance traps set by the Department of Public Health and Wellness. "West Nile infected mosquitoes are not unusual for this time of year," said Dr. Sarah Moyer, chief health strategist and director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness. "Being outdoors is great for our wellbeing, and with COVID-19 widespread in our community it's less risky than being indoors. Enjoy the outdoors, but take the appropriate precautions no matt...

One popular style of face covering may not be doing much to limit spread of the coronavirus, according to a study out of Duke University. The researchers found that while most of the cotton, cloth or surgical-style masks tested were effective at limiting the amount of respiratory droplets a person expelled while talking, the “neck gaiter” or neck fleece actually resulted in more small droplets being expelled. “We attribute this to the fleece, the textile, breaking up those big particles into many little particles,” Martin Fischer, an associate research professor at Duke said in a news release. The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is spread from person-to-person mostly through respiratory droplets that we all expel out of our mouths when we talk, sneeze, cough or breathe heavily, a...

Image copyright EPA Image caption Germany has recorded its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases in more than three months Germany has recorded its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases in more than three months, as countries across the region struggle to contain a surge in infections. The latest official figures showed a rise of more than 1,200 cases in Germany in the past 24 hours. Health Minister Jens Spahn said the increase was due, in part, to people returning from holidays. It came as Germany warned against non-essential trips to parts of Spain. The foreign ministry said it had added a partia...

A study comparing coronavirus exposure in London and Stockholm casts more doubt over herd immunity. It found that the two capital cities had the same infection rate — 17% — earlier in the summer. This is despite the UK and Sweden taking very different approaches to the coronavirus pandemic. Unlike the UK and most other countries, Sweden opted against strict lockdown measures. This decision was taken partly in the belief that herd immunity was achievable. Sweden's state epidemiologist predicted that 40% of Stockholm would have antibodies by May. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Stockholm and London both had the same coronavirus infection rates earlier in the summer, according to a new study, casting yet more doubt on the herd immunity theory. ...

A Mongolian man has died from bubonic plague, the country’s Health Ministry has announced, rekindling fears that the nation could experience a large-scale resurgence of the disease. The 42-year-old man, from Khovd province in western Mongolia, succumbed to the illness on Tuesday night. The Health Ministry said that the victim had purchased two dead marmots, ground squirrels which are known to carry fleas that spread the disease, shortly before his death.  Hunting marmots is illegal in Mongolia, but many view the animal as a delicacy and dismiss the associated health risks. So far this year, 12 laboratory-confirmed cases of bubonic plague have been registered in the country. Last month, a 15-year-old boy died of the disease.  In July, Mongolia quarantined an entire region a...