Virus cases decline in affected Australian states

In New South Wales, Australia, as outbreaks continue to be mitigated, 10 new deaths and 667 locally acquired COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

“There were 1,599 cases three weeks ago,” Health Minister Brad Hazard said on Sunday. We are getting there, but today 667 cases have been acquired locally. “

Meanwhile, in Victoria, 1,220 new cases of community-acquired pneumonia have been infected with COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, killing three people. Australia’s second most populous state set a record 1,488 new cases on Saturday.

Victoria Prime Minister Daniel Andrews said on Sunday: “I want to thank each of the more than 71,000 Victorians who went to test. It is important for us to know where and where the virus is. “.

71,275 tests were carried out in Victoria on Saturday and 36,248 vaccines were administered. Currently, there are 11,785 active cases in the state.

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The Australian Capital Territory has recorded 38 locally acquired cases in the past 24 hours.

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Pandemic Details:

– COVID-19 deaths exceed 700,000 in US as Delta Variant rages

– Russia: COVID-19 antibody tests remain popular, given low vaccination rates

– Romanian far-right protesters reject virus restrictions

– California demands COVID-19 vaccine for schoolchildren

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See all Associated Press pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

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What else is happening:

Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska launched an Emergency Crisis Protocol on Saturday, which recently recorded the worst COVID-19 diagnosis rate in the United States, weighing on the limited medical system, so 20 as needed. The medical facilities made it possible to ensure the distribution of care.

The statement covers three facilities that have already declared an emergency protocol, including Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, the state’s largest hospital.

Among the factors that have fueled the state’s standards of care crisis have been the lack of medical resources in some facilities, limited staffing, and limited availability of beds to move patients to other facilities. This includes things that are difficult to transfer. Other factors included limited kidney replacement therapy and oxygen supply.

From September 22 to 29, one in 84 people in Alaska was diagnosed with COVID-19, according to data collected by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering. The second highest percentage was 1 in 164 in West Virginia.

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Statewide, 60% of eligible Alaskans are fully immunized.

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Atlanta – Four parents sued the Cobb County School District on behalf of their children, saying students could not safely attend direct classes due to disabilities because Georgia’s second largest school district did not have asked for mask. to augment.

The proceedings were filed in federal court in Atlanta on Friday. 107,000 students in suburban Atlanta are said to be violating federal law governing the treatment of students with disabilities in public schools. The procedure requires the judge to order the district to follow CDC guidelines on masks and other matters. The district has defended its position in repeated protests.

“Rather than using known and available tools to mitigate the threat of COVID-19 and protect complainants’ access to school services, programs and activities, the district will include complainants in the areas of inclusion, health and education. I have acted intentionally and indifferently to my right to. “

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The procedure requires Judge Timothy Batten, senior judge of the United States District Court, to order the district to follow CDC guidelines which include issues such as ventilation, physical distance and contact tracing, as well as masks.

Whether or not a mask is necessary at Cobb’s school has been the subject of protests for months. Like many people in Georgia, Cobb ordered masks late last year. Due to the rapid spread of the delta variant of COVID-19, many districts re-imposed mask orders when school began in August this year. However, Cobb insisted the masks were only highly recommended.

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Las Cruces, New Mexico – New Mexico State University says less than a third of students submitted COVID-19 vaccination certificates by the deadline each Thursday.

72.3% of college employees provided proof of vaccination, but only 30% of students said Friday.

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It is not known how many students who have not submitted their proof of vaccination by the deadline will submit their weekly test results, officials said.

“We’re not where we want to be with vaccinated students,” said Jon Webster, COVID-19 project leader at the school. “We want to make sure that all of our students are protected. “

Failure to provide immunization information and weekly test results could lead to student suspension and staff retirement, officials said.

According to Webster, students can be vaccinated at any time during the semester, and once they have gotten the full vaccination, they can stop needed testing every week.

He said the university continues to reach out to students through text, email, social media and other channels.

Some students said on Friday that they were not aware of the details of the mission, Las Cruces Sun News reported.

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Washington President Joe Biden mourned the “painful milestone” in the deaths of 700,000 Americans by COVID-19 in the aftermath of the United States crossing the mark on Friday.

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“The incredible death toll is yet another reminder of the importance of getting vaccinated,” the president said in a statement. He says the vaccine has “made huge strides” in the fight against the coronavirus over the past eight months.

“Hundreds of thousands of families have escaped the intolerable losses that many Americans have already suffered during this pandemic,” Biden said.

He says more than three-quarters of all Americans over the age of 12 have been vaccinated at least once, including nearly 94% of all seniors.

Biden said, “If you haven’t already, get your shot. It can save your life and the lives of those you love. This is what we have beaten COVID-19 and together as one country it will help you move forward. “

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Reno, Nevada – Employees at all Nevada public universities and colleges must be vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine or face the possibility of layoff by December 1.

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All new employees are required to prove their immunization status under the new policy. Coronavirus case trends, on the other hand, are improving in urban areas, but worsening in most rural areas of states with the lowest vaccination rates.

The Desert Institute has the highest vaccination rate at 87%, followed by the University of Nevada, Reno at 82%. UNLV reported 75%. The University of Great Basin, based in Elco, recorded the worst percentage with 66%.

The governor’s director of policy, Duein Young, said about 64% of all state officials were fully vaccinated as per Gov. Steve Sisolak’s order in July.

According to state data, nearly 65% ​​of residents over 12 are vaccinated only once and 56% are fully vaccinated.

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Salt Lake City – The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has thanked members who have followed the church’s guidance vaccinated against the coronavirus.

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Church President Russell M. Nelson spoke at a meeting held again Saturday without a full presence for a pandemic. For the first time in two years, leaders returned to the 20,000-seat worship center, with hundreds watching directly on television. The Temple Square Tabernacle Choir is back in the meeting.

Utah-based beliefs have repeatedly encouraged 16 million members around the world to limit the spread of infection by getting vaccinated and wearing masks. Church officials announced last week that a mask would be needed inside the temple to limit the spread of the virus.

In Utah, an increase in the summer occurred among unvaccinated residents, and hospital intensive care units almost reached capacity in early September. Data from the Utah Department of Health shows unvaccinated residents are about six times more likely to die from COVID-19 and seven times more likely to be hospitalized than those vaccinated. to augment.

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About 64% of Utah residents over the age of 12 were fully immunized.

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Bucharest, Romania – More than 5,000 far-right protesters have gathered in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, to reject new pandemic measures following the surge in coronavirus infections.

The number of daily infectious diseases in 19 million people nationwide fell from around 1,000 a month ago to a record 12,590 on Saturday.

This is the highest number of infections per day in Romania since the start of the pandemic. The increase puts pressure on hospitals as the intensive care unit reaches capacity.

The march with few masks blocked traffic, sounded around the bends and chanted “freedom”.

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Phoenix – Arizona reported nearly 100 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday, the day after the state’s pandemic death toll exceeded 20,000.

The state’s coronavirus dashboard reported 95 deaths and 2,942 confirmed cases, bringing the total for the pandemic in Arizona to 20,134 confirmed deaths and 1.1 million cases.

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According to Johns Hopkins University, Arizona’s 7-day daily moving average has increased by a third over the past two weeks, from 33 on September 16 to 43 on Thursday.

The daily moving average of new cases declined over the same period, from 2,742 to 2,621.

The state also reported that the number of COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds rose slightly on Friday to 1,798.

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Jackson, Mississippi – The head of the Mississippi Pediatrician Organization is asking the school district to maintain its mask obligations to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Dr. Anita Henderson of Hattiesburg is president of the Mississippi branch of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Now is not the time to relax,” she said, with around 30% of young people aged 12 to 17 in the state being vaccinated.

Mississippi reports nine children’s deaths from COVID-19. Some school districts have abolished the mask requirement. Among them are the districts of Madison County and Rankin in central Mississippi and the districts of Ocean Springs on the Gulf Coast.

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Since July, Mississippi has seen a significant increase in COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations. The numbers have slowly declined over the past few weeks. However, Mississippi is one of the least vaccinated states in the United States.