Tag Archives: south africa

Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

Scientists rush to understand the Omicron COVID variant as world leaders play politics

[KIRKLAND, Wash.] – (MTN) Public health officials are scrambling to understand the seriousness of the Omicron Covid-19 variant as a growing list of nations report probable and confirmed cases.

First confirmed on November 11 among four people from Botswana who had returned from traveling to neighboring South Africa, new cases in the nation of 59 million have leaped from 356 on the 11th to 3,220 on Saturday. Test positivity also increased dramatically in the last 16 days climbing from 1.1% to 9.2%. Test positivity over 5% is an indicator of under testing and over 7% is a signal there is growing community transmission.

Confirmed COVID cases in South Africa from November 11 to November 27, Data from South Africa Ministry of Health COVID Daily Report Dashboard

On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) named the variant formerly known at B.1.1.529, Omicron, and labeled it a Variant of Concern (VOC). The variant has more than 50 mutations from the original COVID strain and shares many mutations with other VOCs. There are 32 mutations on the spike proteins, which can potentially impact transmissibility and increase the level of vaccine escape the Delta variant has.

Before the WHO met on Friday, new cases were confirmed in Israel, Belgium, and Hong Kong. By Saturday, Italy, England, Germany, and the Czech Republic have reported confirmed cases. Netherlands officials stopped two flights arriving from Johannesburg and retested more than 650 people for Covid-19, finding 61 new cases. The people who tested positive have been placed in isolation and their cases are being genetically sequenced to determine which variant they have.

On Friday evening all but two confirmed cases of the Omicron variant outside of the African continent were travel-related. One case in Belgium appears to have been caused by community spread. In Hong Kong, a person in a quarantine hotel became infected by another COVID positive occupant “across the hall.” The case detected in Belgium involves an unvaccinated individual while the Hong Kong case involves a person vaccinated in May or June.

Disinformation is spreading that cases are only among the vaccinated. South Africa had some early success in rolling out the COVID vaccine, but today only 24.11% of the population is fully vaccinated. Further misinformation that vaccines created the mutation isn’t supported or factual. Vaccines prevent mutations by reducing the number of people who can be infected and only 6% of all Africans are vaccinated against COVID. Because most recreational international travel requires a person to be fully vaccinated, travel-related cases are creating a short-term data fallacy.

Many nations including the United States and Canada have announced travel restrictions or bans to a varying list of six to ten countries in the southern part of Africa. Starting Sunday, air travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi will be restricted to US citizens and lawfully permanent residents. Delta and United Airlines have direct flights to South Africa from the United States.

A chorus of epidemiologists and health officials are calling the restrictions ineffective and politically motivated.

Based on the history of other variants it is likely Omicron was circulating before its November 9 detection. The United States relaxed air travel restrictions on November 8. There are no confirmed or suspected cases in North America, but infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci told reporters it is “possibly” already here.

One mutation is working in favor of public health and helping track the spread of the new variant. Omicron is missing a protein, and the absence can be detected by a PCR test. Genomic sequencing is still required for final confirmation, but the mutation makes probable cases easy to detect.

Pfizer and its Germany partner BioNTech as well as Moderna announced on Friday there were studying the efficacy of the currently available COVID vaccines and have plans to create an update if required. Both indicated research would take approximately two weeks and Pfizer stated a new vaccine could be available in 100 days, pending regulatory approval.

“From the beginning, we have said that as we seek to defeat the pandemic, it is imperative that we are proactive as the virus evolves,” said Moderna’s Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel. “We have three lines of defense that we are advancing in parallel: we have already evaluated a higher dose booster of mRNA-1273, second, we are already studying two multi-valent booster candidates in the clinic that were designed to anticipate mutations such as those that have emerged in the Omicron variant and data is expected in the coming weeks, and third, we are rapidly advancing an Omicron-specific booster candidate.”

Doctors at UW Medicine in Seattle are studying the effectiveness of antiviral medications against the new strain. Dr. Deborah Fuller, speaking with local TV station KCPQ, did not specifically state if monoclonal antibodies such as Regeneron, molnupiravir by Merck, or Paxlovid by Pfizer were being studied.

Regeneron has been an effective early treatment for COVID and is credited with preventing as many as 10,000 hospitalizations in Florida. Some of the mutations indicate that Omicron may be able to resist or escape the drug. Molnupiravir is an antiviral developed in 2019 as a treatment for Influenza, Ebola, and other viral infections. Research showed the oral medication halved severe Covid-19 infections and deaths and is pending Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Paxlovid was developed as a therapeutic for Covid-19 and was 89% effective at preventing hospitalization. The antiviral is also an oral medication and is being reviewed by the FDA to receive a EUA.

Molnupiravir is an antiviral medication currently under evaluation by the FDA that has shown strong promise as a viable COVID treatment

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday evening ahead of any new case spikes. The declaration goes into effect on December 3 and will enable the state to increase hospital capacity and release funds to hire additional staff and medical supplies. When the United States State Department eased travel restrictions on November 8, New York City was the number one chosen destination for European travelers. Orlando and Phoenix were number two and three.

A lot more will be known in the next two to four weeks about Omicron. The three questions epidemiologists will be working to answer include does Omicron spread faster than Delta, can Omicron escape some of our therapies and public health measures, and if those sickened by the new variant suffer from equal, more severe, or more mild symptoms.

Public health officials recommend that getting vaccinated and getting your booster if you’re eligible, wearing masks, avoiding crowded indoor spaces, and deferring travel are the best lines of defense until more is known. People who feel sick should not dismiss their symptoms as a cold or flu and should test for COVID. A positive result with a home test should be followed up with a PCR test to confirm the results and help public health track which variants are spreading.

The Washington State Department of Health is closed from Thursday to Sunday for the Thanksgiving holiday and has not made any statement.

As of Saturday afternoon, the number of confirmed cases globally can be counted in the dozens – caution and not panic should be the word of the day.

Breaking News, Health and Lifestyle

WHO holds emergency meeting as multiple nations implement Africa travel restrictions over new COVID variant concerns

[KIRKLAND, Wash.] – (MTN) World health officials are alarmed due to a new fast-spreading Covid-19 variant in South Africa causing the World Health Organization to hold an emergency meeting as Asian stock markets plunged and the Dow Jones futures dropped 735 points.

The new variant, so far identified as B.1.1.529 has not been named, but the WHO is expected to assign it a name today, likely the Nu variant.

The variant was first detected in Botswana but has quickly spread in South Africa and two travel-related cases have been confirmed in Hong Kong. Botswana officials stated the four detected cases are among fully vaccinated individuals. in South Africa, cases are increasing rapidly in Gauteng Province, home to Johannesburg and one of the largest air travel hubs on the continent. In the span of a week, new cases went from a cluster to growing so fast scientists believe it has achieved community spread.

Officials in the U.K. are taking no chances. Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that six African nations – South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, and Eswatini – have been placed on the red list, placing strict rules on air travel.

Starting on Friday, any non-UK and Irish residents will be banned from entering England if they have been in the red list countries in the last ten days. Beginning Sunday, British nationals who have been in those countries will be required to quarantine upon entry. Additionally, health officials in the UK are asking anyone who has traveled to the impacted regions to get a PCR test as soon as possible.

South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said the travel restrictions “seems to have been rushed,” in a statement where he expressed concern over the impact on tourism and business.

Israel and Singapore joined the U.K. early on Friday and added Mozambique to their travel restriction lists.

New case rate growth is much faster than Delta, which indicates the potential for a very high R0, or “r-naught,” which is the measure of how transmissible a communicable disease is. In little more than two weeks, B.1.1.529 has grown to almost 90% of all detected cases in South Africa.

According to Johns Hopkins University, only 24.11% of South Africans are fully vaccinated which would aid a new variant to spread unchecked. Health officials in South Africa and with the WHO are concerned that the new variant is circulating more widely than current data suggests.

The B.1.1.529 has more than 50 mutations, which is significantly higher than any other viable variant previously seen. More than 30 of those alternations are changes to the spike protein, which is the mechanism that enables the SARS-CoV-2 virus to identify hosts cell and is the primary target of the body’s immune response.

B.1.1.529 has more than twice the number of mutations as the Delta variant

In a report published by the Journal Nature, Penny Moore, a virologist at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, indicated that computer models suggest not only does B.1.1.529 have mutations that are already known to aid in evading an immune response from B cells but could fool the body’s T cells.

B cells do the yeoman’s work of fighting virus infections, but have a shorter memory and can be tricked by a smaller set of mutations. T cells are the second line of immune defense with better memory and capabilities to spot mutations. When T cells identify a threat that was initially missed, they summon B cells to aid in the response. This is how disease acquired and vaccine immune response works. If the new variant is capable of evading T cells then the benefits of vaccine immunity would be reduced and disease acquired immunity could be rendered ineffective.

Disease acquired and vaccine immunity works the same. Antibodies bind to the spike proteins preventing the virus from entering cells so it can replicate. If the antibodies can’t bind to spike mutations and the mutations still enable the SARS-CoV-2 virus to identify host cells, the virus can spread inside the body unchecked causing a Covid-19 infection.

Another challenge is if these findings are accurate – the new variant may be capable of outmaneuvering monoclonal antibodies – blunting a critical early treatment.

One mutation is helping scientists track the spread of the new variant. A specific mutation to the spike protein enables researchers to identify the variant through a standard PCR test instead of waiting for genomic sequencing.

Currently, there are more questions than answers. Researchers know the new variant is spreading rapidly in South Africa and causing a new surge. What is not known is if the rapid spread is being driven by a mostly unvaccinated population or because it is more transmissible. It also is not known if the new variant causes equal, more severe, or mild illness. There is no data about the capability the new antivirals Molnupiravir and Paxlovid could have in fighting B.1.1.529.

It is important to note that Beta, Gamma, and Mu were previous variants found to have high resistance to vaccine and disease acquired immunity but weren’t very transmissible. All three variants faded out because Delta was more contagious. In the simplest terms, Delta outbred the other variants. A key requirement for a new variant to spread rapidly would be the capability to outrun Delta.

Most important of all, there is no concrete scientific evidence that B1.1.529 is evading viral vector or mRNA-based vaccines. Previous variants have taken months to identify while this one was found, sequenced, and placed under investigation in a matter of days.

No cases have been detected in North America or any United States territories.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

COVID infections plateau in Washington as new mutations loom

New COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have reached early fall levels across Washington as signs point to an improving situation. Although the number of tests given statewide has declined significantly, the positivity rate is at 3.9% indicates adequate testing. With the business world, the medical community, and citizens welcoming the improved situation, the data suggests the state has hit a plateau as more contagious variants are detected.

Several factors are receiving credit for improving the numbers over the last eight weeks. Washingtonians have high mask compliance, and the winter months move more people indoors. Improvements within long-term care facilities in nursing homes helped dramatically lower the number of infections and deaths over the last three months. Some models estimate that 25% of the population has had COVID since last year, reducing the number of people that can still be infected.

One thing not receiving credit for lowering the number of infections is the ongoing vaccination effort. The two-dose vaccine wouldn’t have taken hold until February, and not enough people have received vaccinations to make a statistical difference. That is a factor that should change over the next 60 to 90 days as Washington is now vaccinated 45,000 people daily.

Researchers and epidemiologists are concerned we could there could be a fourth spike this spring. COVID fatigue is battering mental health even for the resilient. Daylight Savings Time brings more people outside and into contact with each other in Washington, while shifting weather will move people into social activities.

Several new variants that are more contagious, including the United Kingdom B.1.1.7 and the South African B 1.351 mutations, have been detected in Washington. A new variant in Oregon that has combined modifications of both the U.K. and South African variant has raised researchers’ interest. Of these three, researchers predict the B.1.1.7 strain will be the dominant virus in the United States by summer. All three variants are more contagious. The South African variant has shown resistance to the Pfizer vaccine and specific treatments.

Despite most craving a return to normalcy, most experts agree we will still need to wear masks into 2022, even after vaccination. Until 70% of the country has been immunized or sickened, COVID will be a part of life. Also, mask-wearing reduces the number of infections, which also lowers the number of naturally occurring mutations.

BIPOC, Editorial, Five Facts, Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

Malcontentment Happy Hour: January 14, 2021

Video

Our live webcast from the Seattle Anarchist Jurisdiction

The show from January 14, 2021, featured David Obelcz and our co-host Jennifer Smith.

  • Black Coffee Northwest of Shoreline, Washington, releases security video of the September 30 – October 1 firebombing – forced to close for at least two days due to racism, vandalism, and ongoing threats against employees
  • Behind the Pole – a special interview with Nate Gowdy, Seattle area photographer who was in Washington D.C. for the January 6, 2021, insurrection
  • Who is John Sullivan – a household name among conspiracy theory circles for the Washington D.C. insurrection, we analyze the story and history behind the polarizing figure
  • Five Fast Facts about COVID -19 – our COVID update
  • Insurrection update – Donald Trump is impeached for the second time, more arrests, and Parler videos scraped form the security breach show what was going on inside the Capitol during the attempted coup

WARNING – tonight’s show contains graphic content that some people may find disturbing

BIPOC, Editorial, Health and Lifestyle, Local, National

Malcontentment Happy Hour: January 4, 2021

Video

Our live webcast from the Seattle Anarchist Jurisdiction

The show from January 4, 2021, featured David Obelcz and our co-host Jennifer Smith.

  • Proud Boy Leader Enrique “Henry” Tarrio arrested in Washington, D.C. on property destruction with hate crime and weapons charges
  • The Trump Tapes and revolt against democracy in the U.S. Senate
  • COVID-19 is out of control
    • 350,000 Americans have died
    • 77,500 Americans died in December 2020
    • 150,000 Americans projected to die in January 2021
    • U.K. and Scotland go on Level IV lockdown as the variant spreads unabated and the South African variant arrives in the nation
    • Sir John Bell expresses concern that current vaccinations will not work against the South African COVID-19 mutation
    • A pharmacist in Wisconsin allegedly destroyed doses fo vaccine because he is a conspiracy theory follower and believes the vaccine will alter human DNA
  • King County is buying up to a dozen hotels to address homelessness
  • ILEETA police training manual is full of falsehoods and propaganda
  • Seattle police arrest 6 over chalk art, Bledsoe vs Ferry County raises questions on the Constitutionality of the arrest

BIPOC, Editorial, Health and Lifestyle, Local, National, Weather

Malcontentment Happy Hour: December 21, 2020

Video

Our live webcast from the Seattle Anarchist Jurisdiction

The show from December 17, 2020, featured guest host, Jennifer Smith.

  • Record high, record rain, and snow?
  • Uneven enforcement of Cal Anderson Park closure results in 7 arrests with one injury at Cal Anderson Park
  • Two new strains of COVID-19 in U.K. and South Africa, U.S. holds off on a travel ban, and vaccination delays
  • Seattle Police Department destroys Mutual Aid supplies including food, clothing, and bedding during Cal Anderson Park homeless sweep
  • A $900B stimulus deal is signed by the House and Senate and goes to Trump’s desk
  • The name of the team Atlanta Braves becomes a political issue
  • “Behind the Pole,” Cal Anderson Park homeless sweep
Health and Lifestyle, National

Millions take to the skies for the holidays

United States air travel reached levels not seen since Thanksgiving, with over three-million air passengers passing through TSA checkpoints in the last three days. Analysts are estimating ten-million air passengers will travel over the next week. The holiday air travel is happening despite pleas from local, state, and federal officials to stay home, as hospitals across the nation become overwhelmed with COVID patients.

Earlier today, Governor Jay Inslee of Washington announced travel restrictions for people from the U.K. and South Africa. In the U.K., officials have identified a new strain of COVID that is more contagious but not more lethal. The variant in South Africa is also a new strain and targets younger victims with worse symptoms. Over 40 nations had issued travel bans to and from the U.K. and South Africa by Monday evening. The CDC has the two countries at a level 4 alert: “do not travel,” while the U.S. State Department has issued a level 3 alert, “travel not recommended.”

The Washington travel restriction is not a ban. Still, people traveling from the U.K. or South Africa must self-quarantine for 14 days after their arrival. According to the website, FlightsFrom, there are 13 scheduled direct flights between Seattle and London this coming week.

On Friday, a United Airlines flight from Orlando to Los Angeles diverted to New Orleans due to an onboard health emergency. The male passenger died, and the CDC may start advising others on the flight to seek a COVID test. According to eye witness accounts, the man was in poor health with breathing difficulty when he boarded the plane. His wife told officials he had COVID-like symptoms but elected to board the aircraft anyway. 

The United States is leading the world in daily COVID infections, total infected, daily deaths, and total deaths.