New coronavirus subvariants are rapidly spreading across California, overtaking the strain that led to a U.S. summer wave and fueling concern that the next surge is already here. California COVID cases jumped 36%, according to data from the state health department, a pace of growth alarmingly similar to what the state saw ahead of prior COVID waves.
UCSF discontinues use of lifesaving drugs due to new subvariants
Physicians at UCSF have been asked to stop prescribing two monoclonal antibody treatments, Evusheld and bebtelovimab, for immunocompromised COVID-19 patients because they are no longer effective against aggressive virus variants, according to a memo issued Friday. “With new subvariants, these agents are no longer effective,” said Bob Wachter, UCSF’s chief of medicine, in a tweet. The now dominant omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are “extremely immune evasive,” according to Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the hospital.
In place of the lifesaving treatments, UCSF is encouraging individuals to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations, use high-quality masks when indoors, and avoid contact with individuals who show signs of respiratory illness. “When new therapeutics become available we will notify you immediately,” the UCSF memo said.
In October, the Food and Drug Administration advised health care providers to inform patients receiving Evusheld of the increased risk for developing COVID-19 when exposed to newer coronavirus variants that can evade neutralization. Evusheld is currently the only protection option for use in immunocompromised individuals who may not mount an adequate response to COVID-19 vaccination, and for individuals for whom COVID-19 vaccination is not recommended due to a history of a severe adverse reaction. “Health care professionals should inform patients of this risk and advise patients who develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 to test for SARS-CoV-2 infection and promptly seek medical attention, including starting treatment for COVID-19, as appropriate if they test positive,” the advisory said.
John Kerry tests positive at U.N. climate summit
U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry has tested positive for COVID-19 at the U.N. climate talks in Egypt, a spokeswoman said late Friday night, the latest setback for what appeared to be stalled negotiations that were already going into overtime, according to the Associated Press. “He is fully vaccinated and boosted and experiencing mild symptoms. He is working with his negotiations team and foreign counterparts by phone to ensure a successful outcome of COP27,” spokeswoman Whitney Smith wrote in a statement late Friday.
A former U.S. senator and secretary of state, Kerry has deep relationships with leaders around the world and carries a lot of weight in international talks. Negotiations, at least those in public, hit a lull Friday afternoon into the evening, as press conferences and plenaries were postponed or cancelled.
U.S. virus levels remain stagnant
COVID-19 trends have stopped improving in the U.S. as virus community levels remained stagnant for another week. The proportion of counties nationwide that fell into the “low” tier on Friday, based on hospitalization and case metrics used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was about 80.52%. Another 16.68% were in the “medium” category and the remaining 2.8% were categorized as having “high” community levels — numbers that showed little movement from the previous week.
The agency’s community transmission map, based on a separate metric that tracks the rates of new cases and positive tests, also changed little, with 38.61% of U.S. counties in the U.S. in the “high” virus transmission category, 32.84% in the “substantial” tier, 23.12% in…
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