#so far it's sore throat headache and a low fever that feels very high on the bones

[stelashe]

Guess who fucking caught covid

[nicksbestie]

can you do one where chris cares for reader while she’s sick? thank you!

Under The Weather - C. Sturniolo

Summary : You get sick often, but Chris always runs the risk of catching it to be close to you. <3

Warnings : mentions of being sick, fever, sore throat

Word Count : 691

Pairing : Chris Sturniolo/Reader (romantic)

A/N : N/A!

You hated being sick.

You couldn’t get anything done, you were exhausted, and you were bored most of the time because of the fact that you couldn’t get up for long periods of time to do anything even somewhat entertaining. A lot of your time being sick was spent watching dumb television shows, a shit ton of YouTube, and a lot of sleeping. So when you woke up one morning with a fever, you wanted to just curl up and sleep for the rest of the week. You’d had enough fevers in your life to know when you had one, and by the way you curled into Chris’ side, desperate for the extra warmth, it confirmed it in your mind. 

It wasn’t until Chris woke up that you even checked your temperature, and it was because he insisted on it. He wasn’t worried about catching anything from you, but he wanted to make sure that you didn’t need any urgent medical care. If you had to go that would be a whole new fight, because you hated going to the doctors, but luckily, your fever wasn’t high enough for that. He let you stay curled up in bed as he went downstairs to get you some medicine and something to drink, knowing that you would not be excited to be up and moving around anytime soon. 

When he got back, he closed the door and made sure that the blinds were closed as well, soft, dim, lighting filling the room, so it didn’t cause you a headache on top of the uncomfortableness you were already going through. If anybody asked you, you would say that he is easily the best boyfriend in the entire world. Sure, maybe it was not far above the line of the bare minimum, but you still appreciated it so much more than he would ever understand. He laid down next to you, gently taking your phone from your hand and replacing it with the medicine and juice, taking stupid selfies on your camera while you were distracted. The silly behavior made you laugh, distracting you from your fever for a split second. 

You had a sore throat as well, so the medicine and cold juice going down helped ease that pain for a couple seconds, and you could feel it coating your throat, so you hoped that it would take a lot of the pain away for a couple of hours once it, combined with the painkiller, finally kicked in. You didn’t stay up for very long, cuddling back up into Chris’ arms, and watching what he was watching on his phone with him until you finally dozed off again, a nap desperately being needed so that you didn’t feel as badly. 

You slept for another couple of hours, waking up still in your boyfriend’s arms, and you didn’t move for a while. He knew you were awake but he didn’t want to disturb you, so he didn’t move either, except to press a kiss to the top of your head and brush some of the curls off of your forehead. Your skin was still warm underneath his touch, so he took your temperature again, moving as little as possible so that you stayed comfortable and as happy as possible in your current state. It had gone down a degree, now a low grade fever, and he could tell that you both were really hoping it was just a twenty-four hour bug and it would go away soon. 

Chris got up when you both realized you were hungry, getting some food for the both of you to eat in bed, and he finished off your food when you decided you had eaten enough and wanted to lay back down. You ended up watching some terrible show and scrolling through social media for a little while, before you fell asleep for the second nap of the day. One of the last thoughts in your head as you fell asleep was about how even if it was truly just a twenty four hour bug, Chris would be there to help you feel better even after it was over.

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[shini--chan]

May I request some hcs for 1p and 2p NA bros reacting to their s/os getting very sick/bad immune rxn when she experiences extreme stress or trauma? Like the newly kind naped s/o ended up getting so much stress and anxiety from it that she became sick and showes some pretty serious symptoms. She throws up a lot, nonstop high fever for days, very sore throat, low energy and swirling headache.

Sure you can. General note – stress and also depression can manifest itself in form of physical symptoms, so stay on the lookout.

Yandere 1p! & 2p! NA Bros – Immune arrest 1p! America

Alfred would become frantic. For one, he is a active person, and staying put would cause him to go stir-crazy, a tight spot a sick partner would put him in. Secondly, he would know what the cause of all the throwing up would be, however subconscious. Guilt would start to gnaw at him, the voice in the back of the head telling him that he caused this, that all of this is his fault. However, he wouldn’t allow his feeling to convince him to let you go.

He’d try treating the whole thing with antidepressants, maybe even opioids to relief you of the pain and make you more docile. Since he would be aware that depression has a lot of physiochemical factors contributing to them, he’d address them. As in – changing your diet, making you go out in the sun with him, exercise and much more.

2p! America

Allen would panic. Gun shots wounds and helping his brothers and sisters through violence induced trauma is more his field. He would know how to treat those, not something as complicated as your dilemma. Internally, he would debate bringing you to a good, if expensive doctor, but he would discard that idea – he wouldn’t want to chance somebody finding out about his unsavoury behaviour and taking you away from him.

His route would be treating the symptoms and not the cause. This would mean he would give a few caffeine injections to energize you and would have you taking vitamin pills. He’d even find it in himself to tone himself down a bit. Allen would also try to distract from your aliments – watching movies, playing video games, doing arts and crafts (Am I the only one that finds that last scene hilarious?).

1p! Canada

Matthew would worry. He’d be most aware that he would have something to do this and sometimes he would be close to giving up on your relationship. But then he would reassure himself that what he did was for the best and that you just have to come around to seeing things from his perspective. Furthermore, he would see this whole thing as an opportunity.

He’d make you countless cups of herbal tee and have very long conversations with you. On how this is the best for you, because your previous life was so stressful. On how you know have somebody that unconditionally loves you and that you should be happy. Maybe he would even go as far as planting false memories to give his arguments more validity.

2p! Canada

James would be mildly concern. He wouldn’t be good with emotions in general so it would take a while for him to correlate your captivity with the symptoms you are showing. Until then he would treat you as if you had come down with the flu.

If anything, it wouldn’t worry him much. He would have kidnapped you because he see you as fragile and in need of protecting. This would just affirm that believe and give him the opportunity to show that is the case. He might also use his role as nurse to establish an emotional bond with you, even if it is an a unhealthy one.

[deadweight-at7am]

So far, Covid is affecting all of us differently. Daniel’s started with a sore throat and progressed to fever, malaise, loss of appetite. The fevers were pretty high for days on end. He’d take Tylenol and it would spike back up. He was mostly in bed due to the fever and lethargy. No cough. Barely any sneezing. He complained of a headache multiple times & body aches. He says he can’t smell anything and nothing has any real taste.

My ex has been feverish, but no sore throat, intense body aches and says his skin feels sunburned on his back. The fever and body aches are the worst for him. He is coughing a little but his are wet coughs.

I have been coughing and I have a really irritating dry cough, that sometimes is productive. No fever. If I do get a fever it’s very low grade. Nasal congestion is mild, my throat feels irritated and I have pretty mild body aches. I am able to get up and walk around throughout the day but get very lethargic at night.

We all have dizziness and lightheadedness in common. If either of us turn our heads too quickly you feel disoriented. And it’s not dehydration, we’ve all been drinking clear liquids like our lives depend on it.

Vinny, my 5 year old, is positive but completely asymptomatic. Not even a sniffle. WTF!

We have to rely on contactless pickup and delivery service for the next 5 days at least.

[salamanderskin]

Ooh. Ooh. For the autumn asks, how about Vax and cold?

Here you go. L!am O’br1an’s characters are just made for sickfic.  This one should be readable for people with no knowledge of the series, which is always a bonus. Just 13k of half-elf sibling caretaking. Just to clear up confusion;

Vex'halia leans back in her chair and scans the scene. The tavern is ideal for their needs; busy enough to provide cover but quiet enough to facilitate conversation. Low light, buzz of chatter, lots of pillars and doors in and out. Perfect. She can't quite relax, but she gets close.

Her gaze wanders to her brother returning from the bar with a pint of ale in each hand. His expression is deeply uneasy, eyes darting from the floor to the door and then to her with a crease of concern between his brows. Vex feels a snag of worry all her own. Her eyes and ears are very good, but his are even better. Whatever is setting him on edge, she can't sense it. That could be dangerous.

He sets the pints down and pauses, wary.

"What?" She hisses, leaning very close.to catch any whispered warning. 

A minute shake of the head, a finger held up to pause her- and then Vax'ildan wrenches away from her with a shuddering "hck--CHSH!" of a sneeze. 

He covers his face with a pinch of his cloak at the very last moment but the sound still resounds sharply and a few patrons turn their heads. 

"So much for keeping a low profile." Vex grumbles.

"Don't start." Vax shoots back. "Be glad we found somewhere warm to stay."

"You're cold?" 

"Yes, because it's cold." He states, brooking no argument.

It isn't though, Vex muses. It's as mild as can be expected for fall, and their half-elven genetics should give them a boost, but Vax has drawn his cloak high around his neck and gathered his hands in it, clenching for warmth like a great bat as he glowers out over his ale. 

It's a sorry sight. Luckily it's no loss for her to sit closer to him and lean in, under the pretence that she is cold herself. Her brother tucks the edge of the cloak around them both and lets her lean against him. He says nothing, but she notes the clench of his body begin to relax at the shared heat. 

Then he tenses. There is less than a second's warning before his whole body jackknifes forward with another sneeze., a sharp-edged "Ha-ISSXCh!" that tears through his throat rather than his nose. He doesn't comment, so she doesn't either.

Instead, she orders them both some stew. It's not bad, for a middle-of-the-road inn more well known for crime than catering. Vex eats with gusto and when Vax doesn't finish she takes his plate and clears that too. 

"-----ISDZsch!!!!" Okay, that one made her jump. It sounds like it hurts, too.Vax looks tired when he raises his head, groggy and wrecked like she hasn't seen him for a long time. Three of anything is too many for a coincidence, in her books, and as Vax turns from her and fusses surreptitiously with a handkerchief (black, of course) she casts her mind back over the previous day. He'd been stiff and sore from fighting, constantly rolling his shoulders against a brewing headache. And yes, he had been sneezing all day; only ever one at a time, but whip-fast and harsh, making him grit his teeth in rage at the loss of his usual stealth. 

The icing on the cake are the shivers Vax is trying very hard to suppress. He's doing a good job, too. If they hadn't been sitting thigh to thigh, she'd have had no idea. 

"C'mere." She loops an arm around his waist to draw him closer. Her brother slumps to rest against her shoulder and sighs, sparking a little cough from deep in his chest. The fact that he doesn't resist tells her everything else she needs to know, even before she gets a hand to the back of his neck and finds him just a touch too warm.

"Vax…" Is all she says. 

"M' just tired," he says pettishly.

"Did I say otherwise?" 

He breaks the embrace to press his fingers into his temples then surfaces to give her a fond look. "No. And that's why I love you." 

……………

The wind whistles through the brush, low and mournful. A waning moon spills enough cold light for Vex'halia to find her way through the edge of the woods to the little hollow where she has left her brother. The journey was a success; she has managed to buy a real healing potion that ought to ease his sickness in the course of a day. She'd paid far over what was reasonable, but out in the wilderness she takes that as a win.

Vex’halia didn't much like leaving him, but as he hastened to remind her, Vax is sick not incapacitated. If  needed, he could certainly be on his feet a second and deadly with his daggers. He'd just rather not, feeling as awful as he does. Not that Vax had complained at all, but the waxy cast of his skin and the wince that tightened his features whenever he moved, was motivation enough to send Vex'halia out for a remedy.

On approaching the place where she'd left him, she hisses his name, partly to locate him in the shadows and partly to assess whether he's awake. 

The answer is a soft, percussive coughing followed by a familiar voice, "Here." 

She finds him lying wrapped in both their blankets and his cloak. They'd let the fire go down so as not to attract attention but he is oriented towards the embers and their slight warmth. 

"I'd hoped you might get some sleep." She sighs. 

"Can't sleep." 

He rises slightly, disentangling himself the blankets to come up to sitting. Vex squats beside her brother to inspect him and frowns at what she finds; she can feel the simmer of fever even before she touches a hand to his cheek. His long hair is mussed and strands cling to his brow. When she smooths them away he closes his eyes, overstimulated by the touch. 

"Oof. Your fever's definitely up." 

"Yeah, I guess so. How was the journey? Did you find anything?"

"You're in luck." She takes out the precious vial and shakes it. Flecks of light dance through the glass and then settle. "This is the real shit, none of your herbal nonsense. Cost an absolute fortune, I don't mind telling you."

"You didn't have to." Vax frowns. He knows how careful his sister is with money. 

"I kind of did." 

She hands the bottle over. Vax'ildan's face shows open relief but he makes no move to uncork it. He stares for a moment, lips parted.

"Well, are you going to drink that?"

"I--- --IFFsch!!" Vax's response is a harsh, productive sneeze that comes too fast for him to do more than raise his head. "I ab."  Oh, his poor voice is thick with congestion, wavering with the need to sneeze again. "Give me a seco'd---- -ISDZschu!!

It slams him forward, and when he raises his head she can see the tight furrows of pain beside his eyes. He uncorks the bottle with his teeth and downs the contents.

"This is ridiculous. That can't start working quickly enough."

"Bad news, it's supposed to take up to twelve hours to take effect." Vex sighs.

"Fuck." He grumbles. "Guess I'll have to try and sleep like this then." Vax lies down again and fidgets with the blankets, shivering. 

Now that the potion has been administered, Vax'halia feels something in her relax. With a definite endpoint to this sickness and no immediate danger, there is something pleasurable in tending to her brother. She has never been what would be described as domestic, but she takes pride in her skills as a ranger when she stokes the fire from embers to a blaze and sets a pot of water to heat on it. While the tea brews, she finds a piece of brick and sets it in the coals to heat. In no time at all she has a respectable cup of tea sweetened with a scrape of honey.

"Vax," She says softly. "Stay awake a minute longer. Come on, sit up for me." He responds with a congested, "hhmph-" that soon changes to a sigh of satisfaction when she hands him the cup. While he sips, she wraps the brick in a cloth and tucks it at his feet to radiate heat.

"You're too good to me, stubby." He whispers.

"Probably.. Go to sleep now. I'll watch." 

[theinariakuma]

A Touch of the Flu

Triggers: Death

Ikevamp

Mozart x MC

Rated: T+

Prompt: Influenza

She hadn’t been feeling well in recent times. It started with a headache, a touch of a sore throat, and minor fatigue. It wasn’t uncommon, she went from a life of travel to be a maid, so there were still some growing pains, she supposed. That along with the stress of everything that happened in her first month and the growing cold. 

They’d gotten stuck out in the rain after one of his events. 

“Come along, meine liebe.” Mozart’s voice was calm. He knew she did not care for the storms in this era. The lightning strikes terrified his little lamb. 

The rain was pouring, heavy and hard, like the night he’d realized he loved her. The night he nearly bit her.

“O-okay.” Her fingers slipped into his grip, his skin warm compared to the cold biting air that came with the needles of icy rain. He’d pulled his coat up over her head, but it truly offered no real protection from the cold. 

The duo ran for some shelter from the cold, finding an inn. Violet colored eyes narrowing in frustration at the sight of so many people, wet and cold from the rain. At the first sight of her shivering Mozart spoke, “I have you, meine liebe.” His voice was low as he drew her closer to him, stroking up and down her arms and back in an attempt to warm her up. The spring had turned icy rather quickly, he would not be surprised if they got snow soon.

“Monsieur, you can bring her by the fire until we can get you checked in.” An older woman called, seeing the couple. She stepped from behind the counter, leaving a lanky boy to handle checking in so she could coax the drenched woman towards the fire. With so many people soaked to the bone, it was the best she could do. 

“M-merci.” Her voice was soft, and the woman’s features warmed at the girl’s polite nature, patting the younger woman’s shoulder before she hurried back to her son to help to check-in people. 

She’d still caught a cold from that night and Mozart spent the rest of his time tending to her, trying to help her feel better. 

“Remember to take it easy,” Sebastian spoke as he noticed her movements still sluggish. “I’m only letting you work because you said you were well enough to.” He chided her lightly. The high fever that had plagued her calmed down after several days. 

Her sore throat affected her the most in the mornings and usually after a cup of hot tea it went away. The persistent cough and fatigue annoyed her, but it had been a bit of an excuse for her not to go shopping in the town, and an excuse for Mozart to not take any performances for a while. 

“I’m fine, Wolf.” She sighed a bit, however, a smile graced her features as he placed a cool hand on her cheek. The frown on his face and his knitted brows showed his worry for her. She knew he was getting more offers, and some of them were insistent. 

“Hartnäckige Mädchen.” He scolded, “Stubborn, stubborn girl. You still feel warm.” Her lips curled into a loving smile as he fussed. He was always such a mother hen when it came to her. When they returned from the theater he had fussed over her as well. “You’re still coughing too.”

“My coughs usually linger after a cold. I’m okay.” She placed her hand over his. “Sebastian is making sure I only have a light load for work, and he’s even making sure to bring me tea just in case.”

He sighed and gathered her in his arms, hugging her close. “If you get worse, you need to tell me.” Comte had a doctor visit already. Some medicine was given and she’d actively taken it despite her finding it disgusting. 

Something churned in the pit of his stomach and told him something was wrong. “Alright, lamb.” His lips pressed to the crown of her head, trying to ignore that feeling.

---

Breathing was difficult, recently. When she breathed in too deeply, it caused pain in her chest and sometimes her back, and it worried her. She’d contacted the doctor, and she didn’t want to worry anyone more than she should, so she kept it between herself, Sebastian, and Comte during one of the days Mozart was out. 

She wasn’t going to hide it, she just didn’t want to worry him more. The doctor said it was sometimes normal. Just keep taking her medicine, she’d be fine. If her fever spiked back up, then she’d need to go to the hospital. 

When Mozart returned from his trip to see the lord that had been trying to hire him again, Comte’s friend, he’d been frustrated she’d done all of that without him. 

“Liebe, you need to tell me these things.” He stressed the words. “I wouldn’t have gone if I knew.” Sebastian had been firm, sending her to bed and making her some more tea. Fingers ran through her hair. 

She was tucked against his chest, half curled into him. Exhaustion set on her features. “I didn’t want to worry you more than you already have been. I hate seeing you so worried, Wolf.” Her fingers were cold to the touch and it only worried him more as he drew the blanket up around her. 

“Let me worry about you. That is my job.” His lips pressed to her forehead. “Try to rest. Take a nap and I’ll pack you a bag, I’m taking you to that hospital.” He hated that place with a passion, but he knew she needed to go. A short nap and she’d go. 

“I love you, Wolf.” Eyes still so bright and beautiful despite their exhaustion just melted his soul. 

“And I love you, little Lamb.” He weakly teased, trying to lighten the mood a bit. “Sleep.” He demanded. 

And she’d dozed off so easily. 

---

He’d been gone an hour. Speaking to Sebastian and Comte, a carriage is set up for him to take her to the hospital. 

The moment he was in the room, his heart felt like it stopped. It was too quiet. Her breathing was always light, heavier since she got sick, but now even that didn’t fill the air. 

“The Carriage is-- Herr Mozart?” Sebastain saw the pianist staring into the bedroom, hand braced on the frame. 

“She’s not making a sound.”

“She’s likely just sleeping well. Do you--.”

It was too soon. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. She was so young, so free. This couldn’t be happening. His chest was hammering, it was taking everything to not panic.

“Sebastian.” Eyes were full of pain, “She’s not making any noise. I cannot hear her breathing.” The one thing about his time as a musician was that he noticed the subtle changes in pitches and tones. He knew the difference between a silent room, and one that wasn’t. 

Sebastian had been the one to grab the man as his legs gave out and sobs left him. No longer able to hold himself together. 

She was gone. His love, his life was gone before he could save her.

---

The light was too bright, the air felt thick. 

“Hello little one.” Fingers cupped a cheek. “You’ve been gone for far too long.” Eyes were hollow and fingers brushed hair back from an angelic face. “You want to go back, don’t you?”

“Go back?” The words were empty for a moment, unfocused. Talking hurt, had her illness gotten so bad during that nap. “I’m… not home?” 

The affectionate caress to her cheek made her stomach churn, he was not her Wolf. But as he caressed her cheek, the memories came flooding back. 

A coughing fit that woke her. It hurt to try and catch air. It felt like when she swallowed water wrong and weighed so heavily on her chest. She tried to call out to him… To her Wolf… but her voice wouldn’t work. 

All she could think of was how hurt he would be if something happened to her. That she didn’t want him to hurt.

"Such terrible things a virus can do to the human body." 

"You're the one… that brought Napoleon back… and the other…" Her mind was fuzzy, she remembered the gun, the lies, but his name and face escaped her. 

"Yes, yes." His grip seized her chin, forcing her unfocused eyes on him. “Napoleon was… an unfortunate outlier in my plan. You, however, are so important.”

Comté, She needed to find him… had to…

"We just need to seal your contract and your transition is complete and I won't make you do anything. You'll be able to go see your lovely little Wolf." He mocked. He sounded like a child with a new game, a new piece to his game.

This man wanted to one up Comté yet again. "You won't tell anyone my name. No one is allowed to know how you were returned to Life. You won't tell anyone how to find me." His voice was light as she tried to pull her face from his grip. 

The smooth accent reminded her of Arthur, deeper however, darker. Something about it scared her. 

Thirst made her fingers claw at her throat, suddenly and desperately parched. 

"In return. I'll give you your freedom to see your beloved Mozart. You just need to do something for me. When you get back, you must tell Comté that I said 'Checkmate'. Do you agree?" 

"Yes… please. I'm…"

He didn't let her finish as a bottle was placed to her lips and tilted up. Desperately she began swallowing, trails of crimson flowing over her chin and the fingers holding her head in place. The wet droplets hitting the floor as the sweet flavors with the bitter aftertaste calmed her sudden thirst. 

After the relief of the liquid soothing the thirst came the disgust that this man had so easily… She never wanted to see him again. 

When the bottle was empty he set it aside, taking his kerchief to clean her face off. "Door is behind you little mouse. Run before we decide to keep you." 

It was at that very moment she realized there were more people in the room than she originally thought. 

She was uneasy on her feet, her dress was soft and new. Someone had dressed her… or was this a dress she was buried in?

The door opened, the lights outside were more blinding than inside, however she didn't hesitate in running out the door. 

---

France was busy and beautiful and overwhelming. Her mind was in a tizzy and her senses were overstimulated by everything going on. She could smell the scent of food and blood, hear chattering of people and animals. 

When she crashed into someone, her arms were held firmly. Not in anger, but when she looked up, blonde hair and soft eyes gazed at her. 

"Vincent…?"

Tears pricked at her eyes, he was covered in the smell of his favorite oil paints. The same paints she used to go to get with him. 

Arms seized her in a hug, holding her so tightly she worried she'd break, but she realized she didn't care. "You're alive." He breathed out. 

"How?" Theo's voice cut her off before she could speak. 

She went to open her mouth to reply, but a tightness held it. "It is… part of the contract. I am.."

"Theo. Stop." Vincent spoke to his younger brother. "Let's go. We want you to come home."

Theo was ready to argue, but the look from Vincent silenced him. This was not the time. Not the place.

They'd all missed her, Mozart the most. Finding out how and why would come later.

---

Things had changed. More faces than before. 

"It has been five years since you were here." Vincent helped her from the carriage. “Mozart is still here. He’s… changed a bit.” He was quicker to anger, and Vincent wanted her to be somewhat ready. Internally he hoped that she’d sooth that anger.

Leading her up the gardens, violets in full bloom, much like the one she planted when she first arrived. 

"Monsieur--" When Sebastian turned around, he went silent before striding across the path to the girl. Fingers cupping her face, "You're...but… a contract?" Shock and awe in his features and the barest hit of tears glistened in his eyes. His friend had returned.  

A tiny nod was all it took. "Take her up to him. I'm going to get Comté." 

The familiar room was where the Van Gogh brothers left her. When she gently opened the door a voice snapped, harsh and sharp. "I told you I did not want any, Sebastian. Stop your incessant--"

"Wolf…" 

Silence filled the air, thick with tension. Every second he didn't reply was another wave of terror and pain weighing on her heart. 

She knew what her regret was. She'd remembered it on the carriage ride. 

She didn't want to leave him. She regretted not loving him more, not being with him more. That there had not been enough time.

"Meine Liebe…?" When he turned around from the piano bench, he saw her… just as beautiful as the day he lost her. 

Feet could not carry him fast enough as he crossed the room. "You're alive?" Hands roamed her sides, her arms, before ending at her face, cupping her cheeks, gazing into her eyes as he couldn't stop tears. His hands were trembling and worn, he’d been using them more than just on his piano. 

For five years, he felt shame for not being there when she passed. He should have made her go to the hospital sooner. Made her rest more. If he had not taken her along to that event, she would never have gotten sick. For five years, he blamed himself. 

Lips pressed to hers, pain and love shown through the kiss. Passionate and warm and he loved her so much. 

"I'm never letting you go again, lamb. I…"

"Shhh…" Her fingers reached up, soft and warm against his cheek. "I'm not leaving you again… never, my Wolf." Her fingers traced his face, seeing how tired he looked. “It wasn’t your fault, Wolfgang.” Her voice was tender, and it made him pull her closer. 

"You're here." Comté breathed out as he and Sebastian rushed to the music room. 

Her body went stiff, "Yes…" Her voice was soft, weak. "He… had something for me to tell you as part of the contract." She hadn't wanted the contract with the man. "He said… 'Checkmate'." Her eyes were looking to the pure blood vampire, not leaving Mozart's arms.

The look of anger that passed Comté's eyes worried her for only a moment before he went to stroke her hair. "Thank you, ma chérie. Please enjoy being home. Everything… this is your home, and anything I can do to help you, I will. But we'll talk about that more another time. Please, enjoy the rest of your day. I am sure you saw the gardens. It is the perfect time of day to take a walk."

She nodded and glanced up to Mozart. The same angry look Comté had was on his face. "Can we…? For a little while at least? I liked the fresh air."

Lips dropped to her forehead, "Of course.” Mozart may have been angry his beloved was disturbed from her rest, but part of him was so happy she’d been returned to him. The reason why would come later. He was not going to ignore the gift that was her revival. 

This came because I saw that antibiotics had not been discovered for roughly 30-ish years after the placement of the IkeVamp settings. This was the fic that came from that and my idle and loose research about things that happened around that time. 

[sockohealthcare]

Ebola Virus : Symptoms, Causes, and treatment.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola virus disease) is a disease caused by four different strains of the Ebola virus; these viruses infect humans and nonhuman primates.

A virus that causes severe bleeding, organ failure, and can lead to death. Humans may spread the virus to other humans through contact with bodily fluids such as blood. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, and chills. Later, a person may experience internal bleeding resulting in vomiting or coughing blood. Treatment is supportive of hospital care.

After an incubation period of 2 to 21 days, symptoms, and signs of Ebola virus disease include abrupt fever, headache, joint pain, muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness. The progression of Ebola symptoms includes diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, hiccups, rash, and internal and external bleeding.

Ebola viruses are mainly found in primates in Africa and the Philippines; there are only occasional Ebola outbreaks of infection in humans. Ebola hemorrhagic fever occurs mainly in Africa in the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Sudan, Ivory Coast, and Uganda, but it may occur in other African countries.

Ebola virus spreads by direct contact with blood and secretions, by contact with blood and secretions that remain on clothing, and by needles and/or syringes or other medical supplies used to treat Ebola-infected patients.

SYMPTOMS OF EBOLA VIRUS –

Ebola can feel like the flu or other illnesses. Symptoms show up 2 to 21 days after infection and usually include High fever, Headache, Joint and muscle aches, Sore throat, Weakness, Stomach pain, Lack of appetite.

Initial symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, and chills. Later, a person may experience internal bleeding resulting in vomiting or coughing blood.

As the level of this goes worse, it causes bleeding inside the body, as well as from the eyes, ears, and nose. Some people will vomit or cough up blood, have bloody diarrhea, and get a rash.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women with Ebola should be offered early supportive care. Likewise, vaccine prevention and experimental treatment should be offered under the same conditions as for the non-pregnant population.

  DIAGNOSIS OF EBOLA VIRUS –

Sometimes it's hard to tell if a person has Ebola from the symptoms alone. Doctors may test to rule out other diseases like cholera or malaria. Tests of blood and tissues also can diagnose Ebola. You will be instantly separated and isolated if you’re founded diagnosed with the Ebola virus.

After symptoms, the Ebola virus can be detected in the blood very easily. It may take up to three days after symptoms start for the virus to reach detectable levels. (PCR) that helps to detect even the low level of Ebola virus is one of the most commonly used diagnostic methods.

 CAUSES OF EBOLA VIRUS –

Ebola flare-ups when the infection is transmitted from a contaminated creature to a human and afterward further. The exact cause of EVD is unknown. Scientists believe that it is animal-borne and most likely comes from bats, which transmit the Ebola virus to other animals and humans. There is no proof that mosquitos or other insects can transmit the virus. Once infected, a person can spread the virus to other people.

How this transmission occurs at the onset of an outbreak in humans is unknown. Person-to-person transmission occurs after someone infected with Ebolavirus becomes symptomatic. As it can take between 2 and 21 days for symptoms to develop, a person with Ebola may have been in contact with hundreds of people, which is why an outbreak can be hard to control and may spread rapidly.

 TREATMENT OF EBOLA VIRUS –

There is currently no licensed vaccine available for Ebola but several vaccines have been tested so far.

In case, you have some sort of symptoms then you should go for a PCR test, and for more information check PCR test cost and PCR test price.

But along with as of now, we have two licenses two promising Ebola vaccines:

CAD3-ZEBOV     – GlaxoSmithKline has developed this vaccine in collaboration with the     United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH).     It uses a chimpanzee-derived adenovirus vector with an Ebola virus gene     inserted.

RVSV-ZEBOV     – Public Health Agency of Canada has developed this collaboration with New     Link Genetics, this vaccine uses a weakened virus found in livestock; and     further, it was replaced by an Ebola virus gene.

[mahavarshnielango]

Everything you need to know about coronavirus:

What are the coronavirus symptoms?

Coronavirus infects the lungs. The two main symptoms are a fever or a dry cough, which can sometimes lead to breathing problems.

The cough to look out for is a new, continuous cough. This means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or having three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. If you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual.

You have a fever if your temperature is above 37.8C. This can make you feel warm, cold or shivery.

A sore throat, headache and diarrhoea have also been reported and a loss of smell and taste may also be a symptom.

It takes five days on average to start showing the symptoms, but some people will get them much later. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the incubation period lasts up to 14 days.

On 18 April, the US's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its list of symptoms to look out for, to include:

Chills

Repeated shaking with chills

Muscle pain

Headache

Sore throat

New loss of taste or smell

Previously it only detailed a fever, cough and shortness of breath.

When do people need to go to hospital?

The majority of people with coronavirus will recover after rest and pain relief (such as paracetamol).

The main reason people need hospital treatment is difficulty breathing.

Doctors may scan the lungs to see how badly they are affected and give support, such as oxygen or ventilation, if needed.

However, people should not go to A&E if they are concerned. In the UK, the NHS 111 website will guide you through what to do.

If you are so breathless that you are unable to speak more than a few words you will be told to call 999, as this is a medical emergency.

If you become so ill that you've stopped doing all of your usual daily activities then it will advise speaking to a nurse by dialling NHS 111.

How do ventilators work?

What is an intensive care unit?

Can I get tested?

What happens in intensive care?

Intensive care units (ICUs) are specialist wards for people who are very ill.

Coronavirus patients will get oxygen support, which can involve using a facemask, or a tube in the nose.

The most invasive way - for the most seriously ill patients - is ventilation where air, with increased levels of oxygen, is pushed into the lungs via a tube in the mouth, nose or through a small cut in the throat.

What should I do if I have mild symptoms?

Patients with mild symptoms should self-isolate at home for at least seven days.

People are advised not to ring NHS 111 to report their symptoms unless they are worried. They should also not go to their GP, or A&E.

Details for Scotland are to check NHS inform, then ring your GP in office hours, or 111 out-of-hours. In Wales call NHS 111, and in Northern Ireland, call your GP.

If you have come into contact with somebody who may be infected, you may be told to self-isolate.

The World Health Organization has also issued advice for the public.

How deadly is coronavirus?

The proportion dying from the disease appears low (between 1% and 2%) - but the figures are unreliable.

Coronavirus death rate: What are the chances of dying?

Thousands are being treated but may go on to die - so the death rate could be higher. But it may also be lower if lots of mild cases are unreported.

A World Health Organization (WHO) examination of data from 56,000 patients suggests:

6% become critically ill - lung failure, septic shock, organ failure and risk of death

14% develop severe symptoms - difficulty breathing and shortness of breath

80% develop mild symptoms - fever and cough and some may have pneumona .Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure), are more likely to become severely ill. Men are at slightly higher risk of dying from the virus than women.

Work to develop a vaccine is under way .

What do I need to know about the coronavirus?

EASY STEPS: What can I do?

CONTAINMENT: What it means to self-isolate

UK LATEST: What's the UK's plan and what could happen next.

How do I protect myself?

The best thing is regular and thorough hand washing, preferably with soap and water. Coronavirus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes small droplets - packed with the virus - into the air. These can be breathed in, or cause an infection if you touch a surface they have landed on, then your eyes, nose or mouth.

So, coughing and sneezing into tissues, not touching your face with unwashed hands, and avoiding close contact with infected people are important.

People will be most infectious when they have symptoms, but some may spread the virus even before they are sick.

Face masks do not provide effective protection, according to medical experts. However, the WHO is re-examining whether the public might benefit from using them.

N95 MASK

MAY 2 , 2020,INDIA.

Coronavirus In India LIVE: PM Modi Meets Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman to Discuss Second Stimulus Package

Coronavirus In India LIVE UPDATES: With the Central government extending nationwide lockdown till May 17 and issuing fresh guidelines to regulate different activities during the period, the situation seems to have turned grim as the country reported 2,293 new cases and the death toll has increased by 71 in the last 24 hours.

The total number of cases in India has crossed the 37,336-mark with 1,218 deaths reported so far. Around 9,950 people have recovered until now.

All metro cities which are economically crucial including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Ahmedabad, all marked red zones, will remain under strict lockdown.

All 11 Delhi Districts Will Be In "Red Zone" Till May 17, Says Delhi Health Minister

COVID-19 India Updates: At least 37,336 people have tested positive for coronavirus and 1,218 have died due to the virus so far.

What to do during corona? *Protect yourself and others around you by knowing the facts and taking appropriate precautions. Follow advice provided by your local public health agency.

*To prevent the spread of COVID-19:

*Clean your hands often. Use soap and water, or an alcohol based sanitizer.

*Maintain a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

*Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

*Cover your nose and mouth with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze

*Stay home if you feel unwell.

*If you have a fever, a cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. Call in advance.

*Follow the directions of your local health authority.

[fluffyllamas-23]

The Anniversary

So remember how I said I wasn’t going to write for a while? I wasn’t planning on it, but then I got THIS idea and here we are (I think I love Teddy and Max too much to leave them alone for long)

“Maaaaax,” Teddy whines, flopping down next to him on the couch as he all but drapes himself over Max, “I’m bored, pay attention to me.”

“Not now,” Max says, pushing Teddy away from him, eyes not leaving his computer screen.

Teddy scowls at him and sits on the other side of the couch. He stares at him for a couple of minutes before slowly inching his feet onto Max’s lap.

“Foot rub?” He asks, batting his lashes innocently when Max shoots him a death glare.

“Teddy. Stop. I have to finish this report and then start on a project and I have too much to do right now, I’m sorry. Do you have anything you can work on?”

“No...I sent my manuscript to my editor earlier today so now I have nothing to do and I’m bored.”

“Well...go...watch TV in the den or sleep or something. Maybe both. Just...please leave me alone? I love you to death, and you’re my favorite person in the world but you’re distracting me.”

“Fine. Hint taken, I’ll stop being so annoying.”

“That’s not-“

“It’s fine! I know when I’m not wanted,” Teddy sighs dramatically, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I’ll just go...downstairs...and then perish because the man I love hates me.”

Max rolls his eyes, “are you done?”

“Yes, lighten up, holy shit.”

“Teddy,” Max snaps, glowering at him, “I’m stressed. Am I not allowed to be stressed?”

“You are, I’m sorry,” Teddy grimaces, “you need anything? Have you eaten?”

“I had a late lunch. Teddy, please just go. I’m sorry but I really need to get this done. Please?”

“Right. Okay, yeah, sorry. Text me if you need anything.”

That’s how the next few weeks go. Teddy is growing more and more frustrated with being brushed off, and it comes to head one night over the phone.

“Max, come on,” he snaps, pacing the room as he tugs on his left ear, “tomorrow is our fucking anniversary!”

“I know, I just have-“

“-‘so much work to do.’ I know. I get it. You have so much fucking work to do, but you’re telling me you can’t take one night off for dinner? We’ve been together for almost eight years. We’ve never missed an anniversary, and I’m sure as hell not starting now,” Teddy’s voice is building, lilting up an octave as he tries to keep from completely losing it.

“Teddy-“

“-do you even like spending time with me anymore?” He snaps.

“That’s not fair, and you know it,” Max fumes, “of course I like spending time with you, I’ve just been a little bit busy lately. That doesn’t change how I fucking feel about you. I love you, you dumbass.”

“I love you too, you limp lettuce,” Teddy scowls, “that’s why I’m so mad!”

Max bursts out laughing, “how about-“

“Stop laughing at me, I’m pissed.”

Max bites down on his lip, “sorry, sorry. Okay, I’ll take tomorrow night off.”

“Thank you.”

Teddy spends the next day, stuffy and bleary, fighting sleep and ultimately losing as he watches TV on the flatscreen in the living room.

He had fallen asleep last night before Max got home, which was weird in and of itself, but when he woke up with a headache and sore throat, it all made sense.

He feels progressively worse as the day goes on, and he almost wants to text Max that they should just postpone dinner.

He’s just about to, too, but then he gets a ‘I’m sorry about the fight. You were right - work can wait but I can’t wait for dinner tonight, I love you ❤️’ text from Max, and he realizes that he can’t. Not when he made such a big deal about it.

So, he resigns to trying to sleep off as much of this as he can, and then drugging himself to high heavens for dinner tonight.

He can die afterwards.

He coughs into the blankets, low and ragged, before shivering and huddling into himself even more. The coughing had started about an hour and a half ago, and so far it’s relentless and is just getting worse.

There’s a tight band of congestion around his forehead; his eyes are throbbing, and even though the lights are off, it’s still too bright and sending stabs of pain through his skull.

He drifts off at some point, sprawled out on the couch. He goes in and out of consciousness, everything swirling around him in hazy fevered flashes. He’s only brought out of it fully by his phone ringing, though it takes a few moments for him to gather his bearings and figure out where the hell he is.

“Hello?” He mumbles, wincing at how awful he sounds.

“What the hell, Theodore?” Max seethes, “you throw a fucking tantrum at me about having to work late on our anniversary and then you stand me up?”

“What? What timbe is it?” He croaks.

“Seven thirty,” Max says, after a pause, tone softening, “hey...are you-“

“-Ndo!” Teddy cries, “I’ve beend sleepi’gg all day, i forgot to set and alarmb. I’mb so sorry, Mbax.”

“You’ve been sleeping all d-honey, are you alright? You sound awful, sweetpea.”

“I’ll be there ind a mbindute,” he mumbles, sounding very far away and entirely too dazed and out of it

“-no. No. Stay where you are, I’ll be home soon.”

“But-“

“-how bad are you feeling?”

“I think I’mb dyi’gg, Mbax.”

“I’ll be home soon,” Max repeats softly.

When Max gets home, he puts the food he had brought home in the fridge before creeping into the living room. Teddy is fast asleep, curled up on his side beneath a blanket, face half hidden and pressed into the couch cushion.

“Teddy,” Max says, putting a hand on Teddy’s forehead. Heat meets Max’s palm, making him grimace, “oh yikes...Teddy, wake up, sweetheart.”

Teddy’s eyes open, and he immediately squeezes them shut with a groan, “s’too bright.”

“Yeah? Got a migraine?” He asks, caressing Teddy’s cheek.

His face scrunches up as he stretches out, “yes?...ndo? I dond’t kndow.”

“Just hurts?”

“Just hurts,” he confirms in a small voice, curling back up.

“Have you been sick all day?”

“Uh-huh...felt weird whend I wendt to bed, but thend I woke up, and….” he trails off.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was goi’gg to...but I mbade such a big deal about you taki’gg the ndight off, and-“ he’s cut off by a rough, grating coughing fit.

“You did, but you can’t help being sick.”

“I kndow,” he croaks, “I just feel bad.”

He sniffles, breath hitches and he hides his face in the blankets as he lets out a trio of itchy, congested sneezes. He looks back up, disoriented, like he’s not sure which way is up, or where exactly he is.

“Oh, baby,” Max chuckles sadly, “you look miserable, are you okay?”

Teddy shakes his head, and then pauses as the motion make him dizzy.

“I’mb really lightheaded...I wandt to go to bed.”

“Sorry. No. Do you remember when you fell down the stairs? Because I fucking do and I really don’t think you want a repeat of that.”

“Ndot really...mby kndee still hurts.”

“Still? Okay, yeah, you need to see a doctor.”

“Ndo I dond’t.”

“Honey it’s been six months since that happened, if it’s still bothering you, you need a doctor.”

“I’ll ndeed surgery.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Mbax, I’ve had four surgeries already, I kndow whend I ndeed it.”

“You moron. If you know you need surgery, why haven’t you done anything about it?”

Teddy shrugs tiredly, “I dondt wandt to deal with it againd.”

“Well that’s a dumb fucking reason. You’re going to the doctor once you’re feeling better...or before, if you get much worse than this.”

“Mbax,” he whines.

“Don’t give me that. I’m going to go grab you some medicine and water and food and the thermometer, yeah?”

*

The fever, though too high for Max’s liking at 102.4, isn’t anything horrible. It’s enough to make him completely miserable though - too miserable to want to be touched.

Teddy’s skin hurts, he’s in the grips of fever chills, and right now he feels too overheated that the idea of cuddling is enough to make him want to scream.

He hasn’t said anything in almost two and a half hours, staring straight ahead with his entire 6’6” frame curled up as tightly as possible.

“You need anything?” Max asks softly, biting down on his lip when Teddy squeezes his eyes shut and let out a tiny whimper.

“Ndo,” Teddy whispers, “actually...cand you turnd off the TV?”

Max fumbles with the remote, shutting off the television as quickly as humanly possible.

“That all?”

“Uh huh,” he mumbles, eyelids sliding shut as he tucks his face back into the tops of his knees.

A chill runs down his spine, and then suddenly he’s shivering so badly that his entire body is trembling.

“Blanket?” Max asks.

“Please,” he croaks, voice cracking as he’s thrown into another coughing fit. His chest aches and burns, and he can feel his lungs seizing - a sensation he still hasn’t gotten used to, and something that he hates very much.

A blanket is draped over him, and though it envelops him in warmth, he’s still chilled to the bone and the shivers don’t cease.

If anything, they get worse.

“Oh, honey,” Max coos, putting a hand on Teddy’s burning forehead briefly.

“Cand I have andother blanket?”

“Not until that fever goes down.”

“Oh,” he says, sniffling.

“I’m sorry, darling,” Max frowns, “you think you can sleep? You look really tired.”

Teddy isn’t even sure he answers him before he drifts off.

Max leans down and kisses his temple, then cheek, and then sits back on the other end of the couch and hopes that Teddy feels at least a little bit better when he wakes.  

[blogra235]

Oximeter

It could help if you have COVID-19, but whether everyone needs one is still unclear.

How To Use Pulse Oximeter

A pulse oximeter is a medical device that indirectly monitors the oxygen saturation of a patient's blood (as opposed to measuring oxygen saturation directly through a blood sample) and changes in blood volume in the skin, producing a photoplethysmogram that may be. Pulse Oximeters Know your pulse rate and also the amount of oxygen saturation or oxygen level in your blood by using pulse oximeters. These devices help display the percentage of oxygen in your bloodstream and also your current pulse rate in a painless and non-invasive manner. Pulse Oximeters at Hopkins Medical Products. Pulse Oximeters for All Patients When you browse our extensive selection of high-quality pulse oximeters, we have no doubt you'll find one or more that meet your day-to-day healthcare needs. With our pulse oximeters, you can measure blood oxygen saturation levels and pulse rates through a convenient and non-invasive device.

Zacurate Pro Series 500DL Review. Great Price We selected the Zacurate Pro.

It’s fair to say that the novel coronavirus pandemic has changed the way people shop—and also the items they shop for. There has been a shortage of things one might expect: toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, and thermometers. But, there are other—more surprising—items like yoga mats, yeast, and, more recently, pulse oximeters.

So, what, exactly, is a pulse oximeter?

It’s an electronic device that clips onto a patient’s finger to measure heart rate and oxygen saturation in his or her red blood cells—the device is useful in assessing patients with lung disease. Pulse oximeters started to fly off store (and online) shelves when people learned that low oxygen saturation levels can be a sign of COVID-19.

The logic is that shortness of breath, a symptom of the disease, may not be easy—or even possible—for a person to reasonably self-assess. What’s more, doctors report that some COVID-19 patients suddenly develop a condition called “silent hypoxia,” where people look and feel comfortable—and don’t notice any shortness of breath—but their oxygen levels are dangerously low. It happens to patients both in the hospital and at home, but it is a particular problem in the latter case because the symptom may indicate severe COVID-19-related pneumonia, requiring a ventilator. That’s why some people may want or need to monitor their oxygen saturation levels at home.

Should you buy a pulse oximeter?

Oximeter Reviews

Microsoft powerpoint free download. There is debate among doctors about whether or not people need a pulse oximeter in their medical supply kits at home. “In normal times, unless a patient has true lung disease, there is no need for them to use pulse oximetry monitoring,” says Denyse Lutchmansingh, MD, a Yale Medicine pulmonologist. But these aren’t normal times. The American Lung Association advises against buying pulse oximeters unnecessarily and recommends people focus their awareness on other COVID-19 symptoms. However, in a recent New York Times opinion piece, an emergency physician from New Hampshire said if resources were directed toward earlier detection of silent hypoxia, doctors could do more to keep those patients off ventilators.

There are additional factors to consider, says Dr. Lutchmansingh. One is that knowledge of the virus is rapidly changing, which means advice can shift, as it did when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed its face mask recommendation in April to one that urges people to start wearing cloth masks in public. “We’re working very fast with limited pre-existing data. We are extrapolating a lot based on prior coronavirus infections, like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS),” she says.

At this point, Dr. Lutchmansingh says the benefits of pulse oximetry monitoring are most clear among patients who have COVID-19 symptoms such as cough, fever, and shortness of breath. “If you are symptomatic that is a reasonable time to check your oxygen. That is something we’ve been trying to do from an outpatient standpoint,” she says. “We have COVID-19 patients who we are monitoring at home and one of the deciding factors for bringing them into the hospital is their oxygen level.”

But for people who are young and healthy—and have no COVID-19 symptoms—she questioned the need to buy a pulse oximeter.

How to buy it, what to do with it

If you do have a pulse oximeter and are checking your oxygen levels, it’s important to know that a level between 95 and 97% is considered normal by the American Lung Association; anything below that would be a reason to call a doctor, and anything under 90% would be a reason to go to the emergency room.

Dr. Lutchmansingh also advises people who plan to use a pulse oximeter to ask a medical professional to guide them. “It’s helpful to know your baseline level,” she says. “If there are changes, a medical professional can talk about what’s causing those changes and take any additional measures to investigate it.” Changes might be related to a non-COVID pulmonary problem that may be undiagnosed, such as asthma or unrelated pneumonia, she says. In addition, your reading may be inaccurate if your fingernails are dirty or you have artificial nails or are wearing nail polish.

As far as which pulse oximeter to buy, “There is no standardization,” she says. “You are buying in good faith.” According to Consumer Reports, prices for pulse oximeters range from $25 to $100, if you can find one, as shortages have been reported. Phone apps and exercise trackers like Fitbits are not the best tools for checking oxygen levels, Dr. Lutchmansingh says. “One can always go the route of ‘something is better than nothing,’ but we don’t know how accurate they are,” she says. “But if you have one of those things (apps or trackers) and the numbers are low, I would still advise that you talk to your doctor.”

Buying a pulse oximeter to ease the anxiety

There is another consideration—some people stock up on anything that eases their fear and anxiety, says Dr. Lutchmansingh. “There is such wide variance to this disease,” she says, explaining that it’s still difficult to predict who will become severely ill, and it’s understandable that people would want to be prepared for any eventuality. “There is the medical component to this, and then there is the anxiety component. People are scared. If they feel there is some action they can take, some sort of monitoring they can use, it’s hard not to take advantage of it,” she says.

Pulse Oximeter

“However, it’s not necessarily helpful for people to buy things just to have them, because there is a difference between gathering data and using data,” she says. “It’s not just information in a bubble. You can get all your numbers, but if you don’t know how to interpret them, all you have are numbers.”

Meanwhile, shortness of breath and low oxygen levels are just two possible symptoms of COVID-19, and it’s important to know all of the symptoms, Dr. Lutchmansingh says. The CDC provides a list of symptoms that could appear anywhere between 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. That list includes cough, fever, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell.

How to run a script in crontab every 10 minutes? Step 1: Edit your cronjob file by running 'crontab -e' command Step 2) Add the following line for every 10 minutes interval:./10. /path/to/your/script Step 3: Save the file. Crontab entry for a cron job running every 10 minutes. Cron Helper Crontab syntax for us humans. Every 10 minutes. All. Expands to all values for the field, List separator-Range separator / Specifies step for ranges @hourly. Cron expression every 10 minutes. Cron job every 10 minutes is a commonly used cron schedule.

Patients and members of the community who have questions can call the Yale Medicine/Yale New Haven Health Call Center COVID-19 hotline at 203-688-1700 (toll-free, 833-484-1200).

Click here to read about a philanthropic gift of 100 wearable pulse oximeters to the Yale Medicine Department of Internal Medicine.

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5 Things Everyone Should Know About the Coronavirus Outbreak

Oximeter In India

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As we learn more about COVID-19, recommendations and guidance are updated frequently. Please check back often.

Oximeter Pulse Finger

How does COVID-19 lower a person’s oxygen levels?

Many people with COVID-19 have low levels of oxygen in their blood, even when they feel well. Low oxygen levels can be an early warning sign that medical care is needed.

What is a pulse oximeter?

A pulse oximeter measures how much oxygen is in someone’s blood. It is a small device that clips onto a finger, or another part of the body. They are used often in hospitals and clinics and can be bought to use at home.

Many people consider oxygen level an important sign of how well a body is working, just like a person’s blood pressure or body temperature. People who have a lung or heart condition may use a pulse oximeter at home to check how they are doing, as directed by their health care provider. People can buy pulse oximeters without a prescription at some pharmacies and stores. Blessed art thou a monk swimming.

Can a pulse oximeter tell if someone has COVID-19 or how well they are doing if they have it?

We do not recommend using a pulse oximeter as a way to tell if someone has COVID-19. Get tested if you have signs of COVID-19 or if you have been close to someone who has it.

If someone has COVID-19, a pulse oximeter may help them keep watch over their health and to know if they need medical care. However, while a pulse oximeter may help someone feel like they have some control over their health, it does not tell the whole story. Oxygen level measured by a pulse oximeter is not the only way to know how sick someone is. Some people may feel very sick and have good oxygen levels, and some may feel OK, but have poor oxygen levels.

Young Heroes of the Soviet Union is many things-including a history of twentieth-century Russia and an immigrant story-but at heart, it's a coming-of-age story in which wisdom is attained through forgiveness and compassion.' -David Bezmozgis, author of The Betrayers, 'Alex Halberstadt is a magnificent writer. Young Heroes of the Soviet Union is a moving investigation into the fragile boundary between history and biography. As Halberstadt revisits the sites of his family’s formative traumas, he uncovers a multigenerational transmission of fear, suffering, and rage. Young heroes of the Soviet Union: a memoir and a reckoning / Alex Halberstadt. Halberstadt, Alex, (author.). Book Place Hold. Add to basket Remove from basket Print / Email. Permalink Disable Highlighting Available copies. 4 of 4 copies available at NC Cardinal. 1 of 1 copy available at Fontana Regional Library. Young heroes of the soviet union by alex halberstadt. Alex Halberstadt is the author the forthcoming family memoir Young Heroes of the Soviet Union as well as Lonely Avenue: the Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, Saveur, Travel + Leisure, MoMA Magazine and The Paris Review. “An act of literary archaeology, Young Heroes of the Soviet Union digs through Halberstadt’s childhood memories, surviving photographs and the reminiscences of his parents and grandparents to unearth the dark bedrock of Soviet history. The book is more than just an account of one family’s ordeals: it is an engrossing account of dictatorship, war and genocide, and how the toxic legacy they left behind has.

Pulse oximetry results may not be as accurate for people with darker skin. Their oxygen levels are sometimes reported as higher than they really are. People who check their own oxygen levels, or those who check it for them, should keep this in mind when looking at results.

Oxygen levels may be low if someone feels short of breath, is breathing faster than usual, or feels too sick to do their usual daily activities, even if a pulse oximeter says their oxygen levels are normal. Call a doctor or another health care provider right away if you have these symptoms.

What are normal readings?

A normal level of oxygen is usually 95% or higher. Some people with chronic lung disease or sleep apnea can have normal levels around 90%. The “SpO2” reading on a pulse oximeter shows the percentage of oxygen in someone’s blood.

If your home SpO2 reading is lower than 95%, call your health care provider.

[dinafbrownil]

Efforts to Keep COVID-19 out of Prisons Fuel Outbreaks in County Jails

When Joshua Martz tested positive for COVID-19 this summer in a Montana jail, guards moved him and nine other inmates with the disease into a pod so cramped that some slept on mattresses on the floor.

Martz, 44, said he suffered through symptoms that included achy joints, a sore throat, fever and an unbearable headache. Jail officials largely avoided interacting with the COVID patients other than by handing out over-the-counter painkillers and cough syrup, he said. Inmates sanitized their hands with a spray bottle containing a blue liquid that Martz suspected was also used to mop the floors. A shivering inmate was denied a request for an extra blanket, so Martz gave him his own.

“None of us expected to be treated like we were in a hospital, like we’re a paying customer. That’s just not how it’s going to be,” said Martz, who has since been released on bail while his case is pending in court. “But we also thought we should have been treated with respect.”

The overcrowded Cascade County Detention Center in Great Falls, where Martz was held, is one of three Montana jails experiencing COVID outbreaks. In the Great Falls jail alone, 140 cases have been confirmed among inmates and guards since spring, with 60 active cases as of mid-September.

By contrast, the Montana state prison system has the second-lowest infection rate in the nation, according to the COVID Prison Project. No confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported at the men’s prison out of 595 inmates tested. The women’s prison had just one confirmed case out of 305 inmates tested, according to Montana Department of Corrections data.

One reason for the high COVID count in jails and the low count in prisons is that Montana for months halted “county intakes,” or the transfer of people from county jails to the state prison system after conviction. Sheriffs in charge of the county jails blame their outbreaks on overcrowding partly caused by that state policy.

Restricting transfers into state prisons is a practice that’s also been instituted elsewhere in the U.S. as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Colorado, California, Texas and New Jersey are among the states that suspended inmate intakes from county jails in the spring.

But it’s also shifted the problem. Space was already a rare commodity in these local jails, and some sheriffs see the halting of transfers as giving the prisons room to improve the health and safety of their inmates at the expense of those in jail, who often haven’t been convicted.

The Cascade County jail was built to hold a maximum of 372 inmates, but the population has regularly exceeded that since the pandemic began, including dozens of Montana Department of Corrections inmates awaiting transfer.

“I’m getting criticized from various judges and citizens saying, ‘Why aren’t you quarantining everybody appropriately and why aren’t you social-distancing them?’” Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said. “The truth is, if I didn’t have 40 DOC inmates in my facility I could better do that.”

Unlike convicted offenders in state prisons, most jail inmates are only accused of a crime. They include a disproportionately high number of poor people who cannot afford to post bail to secure their release before trial or the resolution of their cases. If they do post bail or are released after spending time in a jail with a COVID outbreak, they risk bringing the disease home with them.

Andrew Harris, a professor of criminology and justice studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, said he finds it troubling that more attention is not paid to the conditions that lead to COVID outbreaks in jails.

“Jails are part of our communities,” Harris said. “We have people who work in these jails who go back to their families every night, we have people who go in and out of these jails on very short notice, and we have to think about jail populations as community members first and foremost.”

Some states have tried other ways to ensure county inmates don’t bring COVID-19 into prisons. In Colorado, for example, officials lifted their suspension on county intakes and are transferring inmates first to a single prison in Canon City, Department of Corrections spokesperson Annie Skinner said. There, inmates are tested and quarantined in single cells for 14 days before being relocated to other state facilities.

Outbreaks are also occurring in county jails in states that never stopped transferring inmates to state prison. Several jails in Missouri have experienced significant outbreaks, with Greene County reporting in mid-August that 83 inmates and 29 staffers had tested positive. Missouri Department of Corrections spokesperson Karen Pojmann said the state never opted to stop transfers from county jails, likely because of a robust screening and quarantine procedure implemented early in the pandemic.

At least 1,590 inmates and 440 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 in Missouri’s 22 prison facilities since March, according to state data. The COVID Prison Project ranks Missouri’s case rate 25th among the states — better than some states that halted inmate transfers, including Colorado, Texas and California.

The halting of transfers was a critical part of the response by officials in California, whose prisons have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19. An outbreak at San Quentin State Prison this summer helped spur Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to order the early release of 10,000 inmates from prisons statewide.

Stefano Bertozzi, dean emeritus at the University of California-Berkeley School of Public Health, visited San Quentin before the outbreak, and afterward helped pen an urgent memo outlining immediate actions needed to avert disaster. He recommended halting all intakes at the prison and slashing its population of 3,547 inmates in half. At that point, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was already more than two months into an intake freeze.

Overcrowding has long been an issue for criminal justice reform advocates. But for Bertozzi, the term “overcrowding” needs to be redefined in the context of COVID-19, with an emphasis on exposure risk. Three inmates sharing a cell designed for two is a bad way to live, he said, “especially for the guy who’s on the floor.” But if those cells are enclosed, they offer far better protection from COVID-19 than 20 inmates sharing a congregate dorm designed for 20.

“It’s how many people are breathing the same air,” Bertozzi said.

Some California county jails struggled. In July, inmates in Tulare County’s facility, where 22 cases had been reported, filed a class action suit against Sheriff Mike Boudreaux alleging he’d failed to provide face masks and other safeguards. U.S. District Court Judge Dale Drozd ruled in favor of the inmates in early September, directing Boudreaux to implement official policies requiring face coverings and social distancing.

California resumed county intakes on Aug. 24 following the development of guidelines designed to control transmission risk and prioritize counties with the greatest need for space. But a huge backlog remains: 6,552 state inmates were still being held in county jails as of mid-September, according to corrections officials.

In Montana, the number of inmates at county jails awaiting transfer to prisons and other state corrections facilities was 238 at the beginning of September, according to state data obtained through a public records request.

Montana and county officials butted heads over delays in inmate transfers before the coronavirus, but the pandemic has increased the stakes.

“Once we had the issue with the pandemic and we had to maintain space for quarantining and isolating inmates, then it became even more critical because the space wasn’t really available,” Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said.

Montana Department of Corrections Director Reginald Michael acknowledged to state lawmakers in August that halting county intakes places a strain on counties but said it was “the right thing to do.”

“This is one of the reasons why I think our prisons are not inundated with the virus spread,” he told the Law and Justice Interim Committee.

Committee Chairman Rep. Barry Usher, a Republican, gave Michael his endorsement: “Sounds like you guys are doing a good job keeping it controlled and out of our prison systems, and everybody in Montana appreciates that.”

Since then, Montana officials have transferred up to 25 inmates a week, but they continue to block transfers from the three counties with outbreaks: Cascade, Yellowstone and Big Horn.

Martz dreaded the thought of COVID-19 following him out of jail. So much so that, after his release in early September, he walked to an RV park, where his wife met him with a tent.

Despite having tested negative for the virus prior to his release, he self-quarantined for a week before going home. The hardest part, he said, was not being able to immediately hug his 5-year-old stepdaughter. It “sucked,” but it’s what he felt he had to do.

“If somebody’s grandpa or grandmother had gotten it because I was careless and they ended up dying because of it, I’d feel horrible,” said Martz, who has returned home. “That’d be a horrible thing to do.”

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

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from Updates By Dina https://khn.org/news/efforts-to-keep-covid-19-out-of-prisons-fuel-outbreaks-in-county-jails/

[lickstynine]

Happy Holigays

This is a sequel to my Secret Santa gift from @builder051, featuring young! Min and Kazu. Make sure to read it first, cause it sets the scene for this. I really loved it, and had to build (ha get it) off it. I know it’s set on Christmas and I’m like a week and a half late, but... I don’t really give a fuck. it’s all fiction anyway. Enjoy.

It was well into the wee hours of the morning when the two finally made their way to bed. Kazu pulled Min against his chest, keeping the small blond from falling off mattress's edge. The old twin bed was far too small for two people, and nearly half a foot too short for Kazu, but as the alternative was a park bench, he really didn't care. Burying his face in Min's bleach-blond fluff, Kazu started to doze off, the exhaustion of fever taking a toll on his battered  body.

As Christmas morning rolled around, Minato got up bright and early; the bakery was closed today, but he still wanted time to have breakfast and watch the snow fall outside. Settling in at one of the small tables out front, he gazed out the big glass window, nibbling on warm, fresh pancakes and sipping hot chocolate. Normally he would have milk or tea with breakfast, but fuck it, it's Christmas.

There was a sharp chill in the air - the bakery didn't have a very good heater, it usually relied on the running ovens for warmth. Shivering slightly, Min stole a throw blanket off the couch, wrapping it around himself like a cape. He made his way back to the kitchen, cleaning off the griddle he'd made pancakes on and setting it aside. He turned instead to the kettle, pouring more hot water into a new packet of cocoa mix. He had the ingredients to make it from scratch, but he was feeling as lazy as he was indulgent.

Grabbing a candy cane from the jar on the counter, and a few cookies from the plate next to it, Min settled on the couch, turning on the TV, but leaving the volume low so as not to bother Kazu. He had a feeling his boyfriend would still be in pretty poor shape today, and Min wondered whether he had the ingredients to make chicken soup. Shrugging to himself, he cozied up under his blanket; soup wouldn't matter for at least a few more hours - Kazu wouldn't be up before noon unless the house was on fire.

Min was deep into some tired old hallmark movie when footsteps behind him alerted him to his boyfriend's presence. Kazu had dragged the comforter out of bed with him, and he shuffled over to the couch, dropping down next to Minato with a groan.

"Hi sweetie." The tiny blond ventured, "how are you feeling?"

"Shitty." Kazu's voice was barely there, a hoarse shadow of his usual deep baritone. He felt like he was dying - a hangover and a high fever were a nasty combination, and the added pain in his hurt wrist didn't help. He closed his eyes, the dim light of the old TV aggravating his headache.

Minato frowned sympathetically, scooting over to cozy up against his boyfriend. He ran a hand through Kazu's messy hair, loosening some of the tangles with his small, nimble fingers. Despite how quiet the dark-haired boy was being, Min could tell he was miserable, and tried to think what he might do to help. "I'm gonna go to the kitchen. I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Mm." Kazu nodded vaguely; it was unsure whether he actually heard Min, or was just pretending to listen. Either way, the tiny blond shuffled off, reheating the kettle and putting a pot on the stove. Minato ended up being gone nearly forty minutes. Kazu started to grow bored, opening one eye to scan the tiny living room. The shitty hallmark movie was currently on a commercial, which was debatably more entertaining than the film itself.

There were two presents hiding under the tree in the corner. Well, 'tree' was a generous term. It was a cone of cardboard wrapped in green tinsel, with dollar store ornaments stuck around it; Kazu had assembled it a few weeks ago, when Min broke down crying upon realizing they couldn't afford a tree. Kazu knew what one of the gifts was - the large, flat envelope concealed a portrait he'd spent weeks on, of him and Min in their favourite garden. He assumed the wrapped box to be holding something equally cheap and symbolic - perhaps some homemade jewelry, or a crocheted blanket. He couldn't know for sure, though. Min had been intensely secretive about the whole gifting process, wanting them both to be surprised on Christmas. Kazu couldn't help but feel a little guilty; he stayed in Min's house, ate his food, wasted his time, and all he had to offer was a drawing. It was an excellent piece of art, but it still felt worthless compared to all that Minato gave him.

His focus on the tree started to blur, and Kazu stretched out on the couch, grimacing and groaning as he struggled to get comfortable. His whole body ached, and there was an intense pain lingering in his right hand. He couldn't even remember what he'd done to hurt it last night, but it had to have been nasty. He was just glad it hasn't been his shoulder again; it still hadn't quite recovered from the last dislocation, and was also aching quite a bit with the aggravation of illness. Kazu closed his eyes, rubbing his temple with his good hand. His body was such a wreck - it'd be a miracle if he made it to thirty at this rate. He wondered if he even wanted to make it to thirty.

Kazu's morbid train of thought was cut short by the cheery voice of his boyfriend. Minato had returned, bearing soup, tea, and painkillers.  Kazu sat up, reaching first for the pills, downing them dry before grabbing the tea to ease his sore throat. "You're the best, babe." He croaked, "is your church still doing the saint thing? Cause you should be one."

Minato giggled, rolling his eyes and sitting down next to his boyfriend. "I'm not that great. Besides, I think you have to actually be a devout Catholic to be a saint. I haven't even been to church since I was like seventeen."

"Eh, you're better'n those stuffy old fucks in my book." Kazu shrugged, wincing regretfully at the twinge in his bad shoulder. He wondered if it was acting up because he was sick and achy, or if he'd messed it up again last night, and just been too wasted to notice. He set his tea aside after a few sips, tugging the comforter around himself with a shiver.

Min frowned in concern. Kazu was normally very resilient to the cold; just last week, he'd been hanging out in this same chilly room in his boxers. For him to be shivering, he had to be seriously ill. Minato pressed a hand to Kazu's forehead, his icy fingers absorbing the heat as it radiated off his boyfriend. "Don't drink any more tea for a bit. I need to check your temperature."

"Won't the meds 've kicked in?"

"Not that fast." Min explained, climbing to his feet to find the thermometer. It was still on the bathroom counter, left over from last night. He tucked it into the sleeve of his sweater, stopping in the kitchen for a cookie before returning to Kazu. The dark-haired boy was curled up on the couch, eyes glazed over and cheeks flushed. Min flapped his sleeves in concern, almost losing the thermometer in the process. Though he'd taken care of hurt Kazu many times, he'd never seen his boyfriend sick before, and it was worrying on a different level. He sat back down on the couch, fidgeting anxiously as he looked over at the dark-haired troublemaker.

Turning to the Hallmark movie to keep himself occupied, Min still found himself glancing obsessively at his phone, checking it every thirty or so seconds until enough time had passed. After about fifteen minutes, he picked up the thermometer, reaching over to stick it in Kazu's mouth. The dark-haired boy mumbled something unintelligible, likely a dick joke, and Minato poked his nose.

"Hush."

The mercury crept slowly up the thin glass tube, and after a moment, Min gently retrieved it, squinting in the dim light to make out the tiny numbers. "One oh... oh my god..." His jaw dropped, and his sleeves began flapping again. "I think you need to see a doctor."

"You're stressing too much, babe. 'S just a fever. I always run hot, it ain't as bad as it looks." Kazu wasn't actually sure of that, but he was an excellent liar, and he put his good hand on Min's shoulder to further reassure his tiny boyfriend.

Minato sighed, still waving his sleeves as he spoke. "Okay, but if you're not feeling better tomorrow, doctor."

"Sure. That's fine." Kazu knew he could talk his way out of it, even if he was literally on fire tomorrow. Min was soft and naive and relentlessly optimistic; just saying "It's okay" was often enough to win him over.

"Good." Min tried to think of something more cheerful. "Do you feel up to opening presents?"

Kazu nodded, "Yea, why not. You first."

Minato hurried over to the tree, grabbing both gifts and setting them on the coffee table. He picked up his present, working his finger under the flap of the envelope to unstick the glue rather than tearing it. After a bit of fiddling, he pulled out a large sheet of heavy drawing paper, filled with easily forty hours' worth of intricate graphite.

Min's eyes widened and a grin spread across his face. "It's beautiful..." he beamed, "I love it." He tucked it very carefully back into the envelope, making sure not to bend or smudge it. "I'll find a frame tomorrow when the stores are open. I want to put it up on the wall."

"Eh, it ain't that great..." Kazu shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise.

"Are you kidding? You're such a good artist, it's crazy." Min scooped up the box now, offering it to his boyfriend. "Come on. Open yours. I got a great present, now it's your turn."

Kazu struggled with the wrapping for a moment; it was hard to untie a bow one-handed. Once he'd loosed the ribbon, he tore into the paper, lifting the cardboard lid without much expectation. As he focused on the gift inside, Kazu let out an audible gasp. It was a sleek leather jacket, sturdy and warm, with a hooded inner layer. He recognized it immediately, and felt a pang of guilt in his chest; it must've cost Min two months' savings at least.

"Do you like it? I remember you ogling it when we were window shopping last month." Minato smiled softly, hugging his boyfriend's closer arm.

Kazu nodded, barely able to force out the words. "I... I love it. Thank you."

"I thought you might. God knows you need a new one." Minato mused, his mind drifting to Kazu's old jacket. An amalgamation of fleece and denim, it was once black, but had faded to grey, and was more patches and cigarette burns than fabric. Though originally quite warm, it had long worn thin, and was well overdue for a replacement.

"Well, yeah, but... It's expensive..." Kazu's scratchy voice wavered in distress. "I didn't spend shit on you..." he mumbled shamefully.

Minato rolled his eyes. "I know that. You think I care? I love you, and I don't want you freezing to death. It doesn't matter if you repay me."

Kazu shook his head, too exhausted to argue. “You’re crazy, babe.” He croaked, carefully folding the jacket back into the box before setting it aside.

“Crazy for you.” Min corrected, climbing into Kazu’s lap. “Mm… you’re nice and warm.”

“No shit,” Kazu rolled his eyes, “I gotta fever.”

Minato shrugged. “At least you’re good for cuddling.” He tugged the comforter over them both, cozying up in Kazu’s lap.

The dark-haired boy wanted to protest. Despite having taken medicine, he was only feeling worse, and he’d been planning to retreat back to the bedroom after presents. The pounding in his head and churning in his stomach had him ready to bolt at a moment’s notice, but when Min let out a tiny content sigh, Kazu knew his fate was sealed. He’d be on the couch for the foreseeable future whether he liked it or not. Not that Minato wouldn’t have moved if Kazu asked, but because Kazu couldn’t bring himself to ask. He knew the tiny blond was happy and comfortable, and he’d already been enough of a thorn in Min’s side this Christmas. He could suck it up and be sick later.

Stuck on the couch with nothing to do but think, Kazu couldn't help but reflect on his gift. Was he a piece of shit for accepting an expensive present from Minato, when he already stayed at the bakery rent-free? Or did stuff like that stop mattering if you were dating the person in question? Should he have worked more last month, and maybe wasted a little less cash on his own vices, so he could get Min a real gift? Min had seemed pleased with the drawing, but maybe he was faking it…

No. Minato couldn't tell a lie to save his life, and he was very easy to please. If he said he liked something, he did. Kazu twisted his hair around the fingers of his good hand, the voices in his head still debating about how he was a piece of shit who didn't deserve Min, much less nice gifts from him. A shaky sigh rattled out of Kazu, and the seemingly distracted Min leaned up to kiss his cheek.

“If you don't feel good, go back to bed. We can do something together when you feel better.”

The dark-haired boy blinked in surprise, looking down at Minato through bleary eyes. “Are ya sure? I already crashed your Christmas Eve, I don't wanna make today suck, too.”

Min rolled his eyes, gently booping Kazu’s nose with his fingertip. “I don't care what day it is, stupid. I just want you to feel better. I'll be happy whenever we get to do stuff.”

“You… you will?”

“Of course I will.” Min nodded, wrapping his arms gently around his boyfriend. “You need to get some rest. Are you more comfortable here or in bed?”

Kazu just shrugged; both the couch and bed were too short for him, it was really just a matter of laziness - did he want to get up, or stay where he was?

“I won't move you then.” Minato decided, pecking Kazu on the cheek again before climbing to his feet. “I should make sure the kitchen is ready for tomorrow. Just call if you need anything.”

“Mm.” Kazu nodded, more dismissive than acknowledging as he curled up on the couch. He didn't need anything aside from sleep, and he knew Min would be careful not to bother him.

Min leaned down over the couch, making sure Kazu was well tucked in before walking off. “Sleep well, sweetie. Merry Christmas. I love you.”

“Yea… love you, too.”

[ledenews]

The Wait is The Worst

2. 19. 39. 52. Those aren’t lucky lottery numbers, but instead the digits represent the climb to the current number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state of West Virginia, and Paula Esposito had been left to wonder if her name will soon appear on the listing. She went for testing on the first day Wheeling Hospital initiated off-site testing at Wheeling Park. First tent, three tests for strep throat and two strains of influenza … negative. Then it was onto the second tent and the coronavirus test. Deep throat swabs. Uncomfortable, for sure. But nothing was worse for Esposito than the wait involved, and finally, fed up, she called the COVID-19 Hotline this morning, got a human on the phone, and yes, it was a no. Negative. Whatever has made her feel so ill is not the coronavirus that has killed nearly 1,100 Americans as of this evening. “I immediately called my doctor and made an appointment,” Esposito explained. “Nothing could be done until I found out my results. No prescriptions or anything like that. But now that I know, 5hank God, I can go back and hopefully start to feel better."

Finally, this morning, Paula Esposito found out that her results were negative when testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus.

An Anxious Time.

She’s a substitute cook for Marshall County Schools and also works as an administrative assistant. Esposito is a mother, too, to three children, all of whom are in need of special needs care. “Keeping them safe physically and mentally through all of this is my top priority,” she said. “And I need to feel better to do that effectively.” It all started on March 18 when she traveled to Ohio County to be tested at Wheeling Hospital’s off-site testing location at Wheeling Park. It was the first day of operation and more than 160 individuals from the Upper Ohio Valley showed up with worries. “I have been sick since March 2. I had a fever of 104 for several days (with) chills, body aches, dry cough, sore throat, and horrible ear pain,” Esposito explained. “Flu/Strep tests were negative at Rapid Care. I went on antibiotics, but they didn’t help. Symptoms feel better, but I have some other complicated medical issues and was actually concerned that my symptoms are from brain/spinal cord disorders that I have. “That is what started this journey,” she said. “Because of my symptoms and because my employer had recently been out of the country, I was advised to be tested for Covid-19 so that they would know how to continue with my medical testing.”

Traffic was light this afternoon at Wheeling Hospital’s off-site testing site at Wheeling Park.

The First Day

The hospital’s off-site location is the first of its kind in the tri-state region, and one has been added in Hancock County this week. Lou Vargo, director of the Ohio County EMA, said the testing process normally extends to 15 minutes. “The experience was very easy,” Esposito recalled. “They were very well-prepared, and it ran very smoothly. Then, you call the Covid-19 Hotline. They pre-register you by phone. You are given instructions to go to the site at Wheeling Park and have your license ready for the officer. Show him through your window. Don’t roll it down. “Once he verifies you are supposed to be there, you move on to the Homeland Security unit and are again verified. Next is the tent area for flu/strep testing. You sign a consent and then get tested,” she said. “You pull up and wait for those results. If they are negative, you drive into the second tent and are tested for Covid-19 and are given instructions to follow for self-quarantine. You are told that you will have results within 24-48 hours.” So, Esposito waited. “The next morning after testing, I got a call from the Hotline asking how I was feeling and saying that the results should be here soon. After 48 hours and not hearing about results, I called the Hotline,” she explained. “I was told that the waiting time had been pushed back to 4-5 days. On the fifth day, I called and was told that those results were all sent to Quest Labs in California and that they didn’t know why they haven’t heard back yet. “On the sixth day, she said that they had doctors working on this and trying to find out what the problem is,” Esposito continued. “She told me that nurses were calling all the people on the list and letting them know what they are doing about this. No one has ever called me again after the first call on the 19th.”

As far as eating is concerned, curbside and drive-through services are what is available.

Living Worried

So, she waited some more while the symptoms raged on during good days and bad says. “I am still struggling with chills, aches, low grade fevers, sore throat, ear pain, headache and shortness of breath with activity,” Esposito said. “I have a day that I feel better, then I’m right back to feeling awful. While we wait so long for the test results, we can’t go see a doctor because we are quarantined, and there is only so much they can do over the phone. The WVU Medicine telehealth line did not work for me yesterday when I was feeling really bad. “I have been frightened of the limited medical care we can get while quarantined,” she admitted. “It’s mentally challenging to wait with these concerns. Anxiety levels are high. I do watch the news and briefings and read a lot about it. I’ve tried to limit that the last couple of days, though.” Finally, however, Esposito now knows she is not suffering from the COVID-19 coronavirus, and, while the good news has improved her mood, her journey to good health continues. “When Ohio County Health Department posted about new cases (Wednesday), people who were all tested the same day and the same place came together with our concerns,” she said. “It has helped us by being able to talk about what is going on with us and to have people who understand the anxiety we have over waiting so long for results. “We all have symptoms,” Esposito added. “We all need medical treatment and cannot get it until we know. It’s very frustrating.” Read the full article

[brajeshupadhyay]

In Norway, Gymgoers Avoid Infections as Virus Recedes

Like many countries, Norway ordered all gyms to close in March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But unlike any other nation, Norway also funded a rigorous study to determine whether the closings were really necessary.

It is apparently the first and only randomized trial to test whether people who work out at gyms with modest restrictions are at greater risk of infection from the coronavirus than those who do not. The tentative answer after two weeks: no.

So this week, responding to the study it funded, Norway reopened all of its gyms, with the same safeguards in place that were used in the study.

Is there hope for gymgoers in other parts of the world?

“I personally think this is generalizable, with one caveat,” said Dr. Michael Bretthauer, a cancer screening expert at the University of Oslo who led the study with Dr. Mette Kalager. “There may be places where there is a lot of Covid, or where people are less inclined to follow restrictions.”

Norway is bringing its epidemic under control, and the number of new infections has fallen. But the incidence of the infection in Oslo, where the study was conducted, resembles that in such cities as Boston, Oklahoma City and Trenton, N.J.

The trial, begun on May 22, included five gyms in Oslo with 3,764 members, ages 18 to 64, who did not have underlying medical conditions. Half of the members — 1,896 people — were invited to go back to their gyms and work out.

They were required to wash their hands and to maintain social distancing: three feet apart for floor exercises, and six feet apart in high-intensity classes. The subjects could use the lockers, but not the saunas or the showers. They were not asked to wear masks.

Another 1,868 gym members served as a comparison group; they were not permitted to return to their gyms.

During the two weeks of the study, 79.5 percent of the members invited to use their gyms went at least once, while 38.4 percent went more than six times. Some were overjoyed to restart their routines.

Goril Bjerkan, a 53-year-old economist who lives in Baerum, just outside Oslo, went to the gym three to four times a week during the study, using the treadmill, taking classes and doing strength training.

“It was fantastic to get back to the gym again after almost 11 weeks of closure,” she said. “I suspect it was more risky to visit the shopping center than to visit the gym.”

Heide Tjom, a 57-year-old architect who bicycles into Oslo, leapt at the opportunity to return to the gym four times a week, where she works with a personal trainer and takes group cardio classes.

“Keeping fit is very important to me,” Ms. Tjom said. “I feel it is important to my existence.”

Over the study period, there were 207 new coronavirus cases in Oslo. Study participants and gym staff members were tested for the infection on June 8. (Antibody tests of participants are now being conducted.)

Dr. Bretthauer and Dr. Kalager also examined Norway’s extensive electronic health records database for outpatient visits and hospitalizations among the participants.

The results? The researchers found only one coronavirus case, in a person who had not used the gym before he was tested; it was traced to his workplace. Some participants visited hospitals, but for diseases other than Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.

There was no difference in hospital visits between the groups, and there were no outpatient visits or hospitalizations because of the coronavirus. The findings were posted online on Thursday, but had not been peer-reviewed nor published.

Some experts felt the results demonstrated that returning to the gym was relatively safe — but only in places where there were few infections.

Updated June 24, 2020

Is it harder to exercise while wearing a mask?

A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.

I’ve heard about a treatment called dexamethasone. Does it work?

The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.

What is pandemic paid leave?

The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.

Does asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 happen?

So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.

What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?

Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.

How does blood type influence coronavirus?

A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.

How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.?

The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.

How can I protect myself while flying?

If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)

What should I do if I feel sick?

If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

“This shows us that low-prevalence environments are safe for gyms and probably just about everything else,” said Dr. Gordon Guyatt, a professor of medicine at McMaster University in Canada. “It is very unlikely you will get infected.”

“If you were in a different environment where there is a substantially higher prevalence, we don’t know what will happen,” he added.

But Jon Zelner, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, did not find the study to be fully convincing: “These findings don’t tell me that going to the gym isn’t riskier than not going to the gym, even in Oslo,” he said.

A larger study is needed in places with a relatively low prevalence to determine whether the virus is more easily transmitted in gyms, Dr. Zelner added. Alternatively, a study with fewer people, but in a community with a high prevalence of infection, could answer the question.

Such a study may raise ethical concerns, since it may not be safe to send people to gyms in high-prevalence communities — “kind of a Catch-22,” Dr. Zelner said.

Still, how low does risk have to be before it is acceptable to reopen gyms and fitness centers?

Dr. Guyatt said the risks of infection in a community where the prevalence is low are outweighed by the advantages to society.

“You can’t stay locked down forever,” he said. “We are never going to be completely free of this thing. And in a low-prevalence environment, the risk is low wherever you go — gyms or grocery stores or even restaurants.”

Now, Dr. Bretthauer and Dr. Kalager want to see whether the social-distancing measures they used in the study were necessary.

They hope to randomly assign 150 gyms to operate without restrictions or to maintain those in place now, then compare infection rates among gymgoers. The study is only in its planning stages.

The post In Norway, Gymgoers Avoid Infections as Virus Recedes appeared first on Sansaar Times.

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[healthcarefoundationus]

How to get paid sick leave if you fear you have COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, workers everywhere have struggled with what to do about their jobs if they have symptoms they fear may be due to the coronavirus.

For essential workers, and for those whose workplaces are beginning to open up again, this is a very real dilemma. If you’ve got symptoms similar to a cold, flu or even allergies — and worry you may have COVID-19 — you might be concerned about exposing others, while also wanting to be sure you’ll be covered if you can’t go to work.

Steps to take if you’re feeling sick

First consider the most typical symptoms seen with COVID-19 cases, according to the CDC:

Fever or chills

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Fatigue

Muscle or body aches

Headache

New loss of taste or smell

Sore throat

Congestion or runny nose

Nausea or vomiting

Diarrhea

If you have any of these symptoms, have had recent contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and/or live in an area that has seen a flare-up of cases, you may have reason to be concerned.

Protect yourself and others by staying home

The recently passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights is a law requiring certain employers to provide employees two weeks’ paid sick leave if the employee can’t work “because the employee is quarantined … and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis.”

This law helps ensure you can be paid for your time at home, even if you have little or no PTO offered at your workplace — and your employer is reimbursed by the government for providing that pay.

Staying home from work when you’re sick is the best way to prevent possible exposure to others, helping stop the spread of the virus.

Hurdles to getting medical treatment

If you need medical advice regarding your symptoms before returning to work, you may have obstacles preventing you from seeing a doctor, such as:

Being uninsured or underinsured

Feeling fearful of in-person medical visits due to potential exposure

Being low on funds to pay for a doctor visit copay

Lacking high-speed internet access for a telehealth visit

Not having time to schedule and keep a doctor visit

A solution to getting a medical assessment

There’s a quick, easy and affordable alternative to help anyone get the doctor’s note they need, either for their employer, and/or to request a COVID-19 test in an area that requires a medical referral: DrNote.com.

For only $19, you fill out a confidential, online smart questionnaire that is designed based on the CDC list of common COVID-19 symptoms and high risk factors. Your questionnaire is reviewed within hours by a doctor licensed in all 50 states.

Once your responses are evaluated by the physician, you’ll receive an email that same day with instructions, best practices and the doctor’s note itself, which can be printed or forwarded to employers, allowing you time for a two-week quarantine. You’ll also receive helpful quarantine guidelines.

So far, over 60,000 doctor’s notes have been issued by the company in Germany, France and the United States combined, offering the only technology worldwide that can provide the quantity of doctor’s notes that need to be issued during this global emergency.

This service, which can help protect you, your co-workers and the public, is now available in 39 states (not available in Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota).

“With the help of DrNote.com, Americans can quickly obtain the appropriate documentation to help them to access the benefits of the Families First Coronavirus Act,” says Dr. Can Ansay, founder. “The online process helps reduce stress on healthcare workers while keeping patients and others safe from further spread of the virus.”

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[kayla1993-world]

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his "patience flows thin" when it comes to his province's low rate of COVID-19 t.ests.

Ontario holds out far fewer COVID-19 tests daily than it had hoped at this point, in a much smaller proportion of its population than any other province would have. Québec, C.B. And Alberta was twice as high when Ontario.

On Tuesday, data from the Ontario Ministry of Health shows only 2,568 new test results were provided. That's roughly half the daily target of 5,000 that the government promised to reach in late March, and well short of the 19,000 daily tests promised for April's third week.

The clarification for the scarcity appears to be that Ontario tries to level who gets studied by arguing against screening for individual people who haven't travelled offshore recently, primarily though they have COVID-19 symptoms.

Ford said he necessary to see every healthcare provider on the front line and every long-term care professional cleaned along with emergency responders, police and paramedics.

Over the past week, people in several provinces around Ontario have learned how the COVID-19 epidemic can unfold in their region, as health experts and officials presented a range of projections and scenarios about how the virus will spread.

Saskatchewan printed its forecasting Wednesday, showing the provincial government is planning 3,000 to 8,300 deaths and around 20 to 200 routine COVID-19 intensive care admissions at the highest. The data does not say when to assume the peak nor when to ease distancing measures.

Newfoundland and Labrador has released figures Wednesday focusing on how intensive care clinics in the province could deal with a patient increase. They have not released projections affecting number of cases or deaths. The data that the province found will exceed its ICU capacity by the end of June if the virus spread proceeds at its current pace.

In Alberta, on Tuesday, Premier Jason Kenney provided what he described as a "probable" scenario for the province suggesting the province would not see a virus peak until mid-. The model proposed Alberta could have as many as 800,000 cases of COVID-19 by the end of the year, with mortality rates from 400 to 3,100. Another more "elevated" estimate related at both higher case numbers and between 500 and 6,600 deaths as possible.

Kenney accepted that the figures may seem difficult, and warn instantly that the tools are "not a deal fully complete."

The Quebec predictions suggested that at the end of April the province could see between 1,200 and 9,000 fatal accidents. Officials of public health accepted the popular thinking is that the number of deaths should also be closer to the lower estimate.

Ontario, which on Wednesday saw it's total number of reported cases pass 5,000, presented that modeling last week.

The federal government has implied that it will do the same until after the provinces has adequate data — but that wasn't immediately clear when that might be.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau centered predominantly on emergency economic interventions Wednesday when he gave his daily statement outside Rideau Cottage, but he also answered challenges about how and when Canada would release expectations at the regionally.

Trudeau said in the coming days people would learn more about a national model but did not give a concrete date. The Prime Minister has said it is not yet clear pretty much exactly when Canada will reach a peak but that strict adherence to critical public health measures — including physical distancing and residing at home as much as possible — will help minimize the impact of the outbreak.

Case forecasts in British Columbia has not touched the rate seen in Quebec and Ontario. Premier John Horgan said his province's leading figures are "optimistic" but acknowledged "we're very far from woods."

On Wednesday, Horgan told CBC's Rosemary Barton that, in his one — and the B.C opinion. Chief Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry — Mapping is meant to benefit the govt plan and prepare.

Horgan said in B.C, "the curve starts twisting." So he's influenced by this but showed concern about civilians being less cautious to physical distance and other strides when the environment changes.

Previously, Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, implied that projections are used for planning purposes and are not "crystal stars." Examples would differ greatly, Tam said, and are "highly reactive to our behavior," including initiatives such as distancing, self-isolation, and hand-wash.

Tam taught Canadians Wednesday that they would not visit extended family for holidays to came.

She said transmission "plan the curve" would be daunting as the weather reaches warm weather and holidays such as Easter, Vaisakhi, Ramadan and Passover. But she said travelling is not deemed important to seeing the family during such events.

Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough addressed Health officials’ meeting to announce how many Canadians have requested for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) from the federal government.

She said more than 750,000 applications were filed on Tuesday alone, with a total of 1.72 million since Monday, when people who were born in January, February and March were asked to start applying.

In his daily briefing Trudeau reiterated that the federal government is working to help people in the so-called gig economy who currently do not qualify for CERB — those who work less than 10 hours a week.

Horgan also discussed the success accomplished by province in slowing disease spread and raised the issue of what needs to be done to ensure that cases are also not imported from abroad.

Have spoken with the reporters later on Wednesday afternoon, Horgan said the plan will have to confirm in detail how the person plans to self-isolate under the Quarantine Act for 14 days. It must be designated a legal document, and administrators will approve it in order for the commuter to carry on.

If the tourist have no plan, Horgan said that they are prepared for just a "quarantine site" until they "can get together."

If civilians will not create a schedule, the Premier said they would spend their isolation timeframe or two week at the site.

At 6:30 p.m .. Canada had 19,291 recorded and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday ET. 4,666 instances have been listed as resolved by provinces that report details on patients declared recovered. CBC News has reported 464 COVID-19-related deaths in Canada, with two known coronavirus-related deaths of Canadians abroad.

According to Indigenous Services Canada, the number of positive COVID-19 events has more than doubled since last week. The department said it was aware of four reported cases in Saskatchewan, 11 in Ontario and 20 in Quebec as of Monday. But, some Indigenous leaders dispute the accuracy of the data.

Five more COVID-19-related deaths reported in British Columbia on Wednesday bringing the total to 48. The Premier announced every traveller returning to B.C earlier in the day. That self-isolation plan will have to be presented from outside. Read more about what's gone on throughout B.C.

Alberta reported 50 new cases Wednesday, double the number reported the day before, which in weeks had been the lowest single-day increase in COVID-19 reported cases in the province. Read more about what's gone on throughout Alberta.

Saskatchewan's health officials released their own COVID-19 projections on Wednesday, as well as information about how health care system is preparing for an expected surge in injuries. Read more about what's gone on throughout Saskatchewan.

Manitoba forestalls community events marking the province's 150th birthday because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Brian Pallister says public health security is a problem and major celebrations were likely to reinvigorate next year only. He also suggests penalizing any who may not respect distancing legislation. Read more about what's gone on all across Manitoba.

Public health experts in Ontario have been calling for more widespread research but data from the Health Ministry of the province suggests that the province is falling short of its goals. Read more on how the province is testing COVID-19, from CBC's Mike Crawley.

Quebec has surpassed 10,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and added 25 more deaths, bringing tally to 175 provincial deaths. Premier Legault says the silver lining is that hospitalizations are beginning to stabilize, but the province still has a way to go along with cautions. Read more of what's gone on here at Quebec.

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said the province will have the supplies it needs to respond to COVID-19 on Tuesday that this really feels "more and more comfortable." Read more about what's gone on here at N.B.

Nova Scotia reported 32 new COVID-19 instances Wednesday including a bus driver for Halifax. The government says the list of symptoms being screened for COVID-19 is being expanded to include fever, new or worsening cough, sore throat, runny nose and headache.

Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King confirmed that even after returning from international travel last month, his health minister did not isolate himself. The Chief Public Health Officer of P.E.I. talked to James Aylward when he got to the office the first day and advised him to go home because she planned to give a order later that day for all people traveling to P.E.I. from outside the world to remove themselves for 14 days.

Newfoundland and Labrador say about 32 per cent of the residents will come down with COVID-19 over the next two years when new distancing programs remain in place. If the controls are reduced it says that over the same period the number will be more like 52 per cent.

Yukon announced Wednesday the eighth COVID-19 case and Whitehorse the first outside. 

The death toll correlated with the coronavirus outbreak has topped 13,800 in the United States, including than 400,000 recorcinfections. Most of the deadliest hot spots are Detroit, New Orleans and the metropolitan area of New York which recorded 149,316 cases on Wednesday. That's more than all of Spain, which has any country in the world's second-most cases.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said some communities in the five boroughs of the city are disproportionately feeling the virus’ effect.

For example, he said Hispanics account for 29% of all New Yorkers, but 34% of COVID-19 fatalities are in the Hispanic community.

Meanwhile, U.S. health officials are planning ways for the country to return to normal activity if distancing and other steps to mitigate COVID-19 this month prove successful in curbing the outbreak, said Wednesday a top U.S. infectious disease official.

The World Health Organization also responded on Wednesday to President Donald Trump's threat of freezing U.S. funding to the World Health Organization, saying the international organization "missed the call" on the pandemic and was "very Beijing-centered."

The United States became the Geneva-based body's top donor, contributing more than $400 million in 2019, that exceeded $400 million. This is nearly triple the 2nd largest contribution by member countries.

According to one U.S. university tracker, the number of COVID-19 cases identified worldwide toped 1.5 million Thursday night. The death toll approached 88,000.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reacting to care but will spend a third night in intensive care at a hospital in central London, his official told reporters on Wednesday.

Downing Street reported on Tuesday said Johnson earned regular intravenous antibiotics and was breathing without assistance. As of Wednesday, the confirmed death toll in the country hit 7,110. But the number of new diseases and hospital admission is continuing to exhibit symptoms of flattening, the National Health Service's communications officer, Stephen Powis, told the news conference.

Wednesday, Spain's Ministry of Health confirmed 757 new deaths of coronavirus patients and 6,180 new confirmed infections. Both estimates were marginally lower than Tuesday's, at which a backing of research findings and accidents that had gone unreported over the weekend clarified the first increase in five days. And concerns about the data are increasing as fresh data begin to appear.

Spain's authorities have already accepted that a lack of sample kits and a bottleneck in the number of studies that laboratories can carry on a daily basis bring an inaccurate amount of contagion, which fell to 146,000 on Wednesday. A longitudinal poll of 30,000 households are initiated to figure out what's beyond hospitals and nursing homes the more approximate extent of the crisis.

In Italy, the hardest-hit country of all with fewer least 17,000 casualties, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Wednesday that Italy must hold to its rigid freeze, denying calls from businesses in the northern economic heartland of the country advising the government to allow them reopen as fast as next week. Having produced the data on Wednesday, top health officials in the country encouraged the government to combat the pressure. "The epidemic curve pattern is not just declining, it's growing, here we are looking at a plateau," told reporters Ranieri Guerra, an agent of  Italian CDC.

In Germany the actual case amount decreased after four consecutive of decreases for the second straight day.

France could deepen its blackout by 15 April, the presidential palace announced on Wednesday, past the previously planned end date. As some employees on board display signs of COVID-19 symptoms a French army plane is going back to port.

Wuhan's Chinese city ended its more than two-month lockdown on Wednesday, as a remote northern city directed citizens restrictions in the face of a second day of infections alarming. Across the past 21 days, Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus arose, and eventually saw more than 50,000 people infected, announced also three new confirmed infections.

India's financial capital, Mumbai, is likely to broaden closure initiatives as authorities race to broaden research until at least April 30. In India the number of confirmed cases crossed the 5,000 level, with 149 death.

At the first day of a national crisis aimed at containing the disease Japan saw the biggest daily increase in infections. Earlier, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was attacked for taking so long to call an emergency, although — mainly — it's Chinese government had little penalties for down-up appeals for men to stay home and close it down businesses.

South Korea's government said it will expand limits on people coming back from afar to avoid the new infections of coronavirus on Wednesday, and announced fresh stimulus initiatives for exporters hit by the disease. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said South Korea could immediately revoke visa concessions for citizens of countries that have imposed travel bans on South Koreans.

Singapore announced new initiatives to accelerate local food output, including a plan to convert car park rooftops into urban farms in public housing estates. Hong Kong extended physical-distancing measures, including closing certain bars and pubs and banning more than four citizens for political rallies, until April 23.

Indonesia had identified around 3,000 cases as of Wednesday, and documented 240 deaths. And experts in public health and epidemiologists look to the relatively low test frequency and high death rate, as indications that perhaps the real infection rate is likely to also be higher.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani pressed harder on Wednesday for a US$ 5 billion IMF interest free loan that the country sought to combat the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, saying that perhaps the Fund will also be guilty of bias if it withholds the cash. Iran has banned intercity transportation and closed non-essential businesses to combat an infection that has killed 4,003 people and infected 67,286 according to estimates.

The health minister for Saudi Arabia also said the virus could eventually infect 10,000-200,000 people in the area.

South Africa's health minister said 66 people have also been tested positive for the coronavirus in the last few days at a single hospital in Durban, including 48 staff. Zweli Mkhize said administrators are examining the closing of parts of St. Augustine's Hospital.

The minister also said the virus is currently hospitalized to fewer than 100 people across the country. After a coalition went to court over the lack of security equipment, he also sought to reassure anxious health employees, saying South Africa's supply should last up to eight weeks. South Africa has more than 1,700 cases with most confirmed of Africa.

The WHO, which has been expressing concern on how the virus could impact countries with limited assets and bad health infrastructure for months, said there are more than 10,000 cases reported for coronavirus across Africa.

Although the virus first appeared in Africa, cases were mainly in big cities.

WHO has called on the international community and provide financial and material support as countries expand their response.