U.S.                                                                  California

                                   CASES               DEATHS                                     CASES              DEATHS       

December 2020    19,111,443              341,149                              2,120,610               24,241

2021   Timeline

January                  26,185,362              441,319                              3,310,949               40,702

December             54,859,966              825,816                              5,515,250               76,520

2022 Timeline

January                 74,333,528              884,265                              8,292,735               79,801

December          100,751,994           1,092,674                            11,829,499               98,637

2023 Timeline

January               104,196,861           1,132,935                            11,964,001               99,944

December          110,109,948           1,190,171                            12,543,800             106,183

UPDATED WEEKLY – Worldometer, Last updated on 22 January 2024

U.S. POPULATION - is 341,021,187 of 22 January 2024, 6:31 p.m. PST based on Census U.S. and World Population Clock.

      * updated information

    ** no updated information at this reporting

                              Worldometer

Cases Worldwide  

• TOTAL CASES      -    702,141,250

              Recovered       -    673,077,159

• TOTAL DEATHS    -        6,971,929

Cases in the U.S.

• TOTAL CASES      -    110,653,481                                  

             Recovered        -    108,324,158

• TOTAL DEATHS    -        1,193,026
  • Jobs increased by 216, 000 in December 2023.
  • Unemployment held at 3.7 %
  • The Consumer Price Index indicated a 0.3% increase raising the rate to 3.4% for the month of December, a 0.1% increase from the month of November.

Cases in California

• TOTAL CASES      -     12,571,376

              Recovered       -     12,441,181

• TOTAL DEATHS    -         106,559

                     *   Correction

                     **   No updated information

1/22/2024 (WHO)                  Cases           Deaths       Recovered    

• Texas                   -    9,009,160        95,687          8,872,152        
• Florida                 -    7,943,053        93,076          7,797,846        
• New York            -    7,476,545        82,367          7,346,168
• Ohio                    -    3,682,965        43,364         3,599,403
• Georgia              -    3,230,860        43,627         3,157,203
• Tennessee*         -    2,667,650        30,251         2,630,253
• Arizona*              -    2,573,627        33,774         2,524,894           
• Nevada              -       928,778        12,337             908,313
• W. Virginia          -       692,650           8,247            661,242

 *    no updated information at this reporting. Listed are states deleted from list due to no updates for an extended period.

• Louisiana*          -   1,684,058         19,270         1,662,287

            **   correction no updates for an extended time and deleted from list

Effective September 29, 2023, weekly updates to maps, charts, and data provided by CDC for COVID Data Tracker will occur on Fridays by 12 p.m. ET. This change aligns with the timing of CDC’s weekly updates for respiratory viruses (https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/index.html).

Changes in Vaccination Data Reporting

On June 16, the COVID-19 vaccination reporting system will track only two types of vaccinations–primary series and CDC’s new up-to-date measure. The reporting system will update data monthly and stop publishing average doses administered and doses on hand.

• https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
• https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/ - fullyVaccinatedhttps://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations
• https://www.edd.ca.gov/newsroom/unemployment-may-2021.htm
• https://www.bls.gov/
• https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.nr0.htm
• https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/us-population/

JANUARY BLOG

HEALTH UPDATES

FDA approves first gene-editing treatment for human illness.  DECEMBER 8, 202311:30 AM ET.  In a landmark decision, the Food and Drug Administration Friday approved the first gene-editing treatment to alleviate human illness.  The FDA approved two gene therapies for anyone 12 and older suffering from the most severe form of sickle cell disease, a brutal blood disorder that has long been neglected by medical research.

"Sickle cell disease is a rare, debilitating and life-threatening blood disorder with significant unmet need and we are excited to advance the field especially for individuals whose lives have been severely disrupted by the disease, by approving two cell-based gene therapies today," said Dr. Nicole Verdun, director of the Office of Therapeutic Products within the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in statement.

For the CRISPR treatment, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, both in Boston, doctors remove cells from each patient's bone marrow, edit a gene with CRISPR and then infuse billions of the modified cells back into patients.  The edited cells produce a form of hemoglobin known as fetal hemoglobin, restoring normal function of red blood cells.  

While not a cure for the disease, the hope is the therapy, is designed to be a one-time treatment that will alleviate symptoms for a lifetime.  In data presented to the FDA, treatment resolved severe pain crises for at least 18 months for 96.7% of the subjects.  The treatment has produced similar results for patients suffering from a related condition known as beta thalassemia.

Another gene therapy approved by the FDA, Lyfgenia, developed by bluebird bio inc. of Somerville, Mass., doesn't use CRISPR to treat sickle cell disease.  Lyfgenia uses a more conventional form of gene therapy that uses a virus to ferry a gene into cells.

Treatment comes with a high price.  The elation is tempered by concerns the treatments may not be accessible to many sickle cell patients.  They are both very expensive.

• the wholesale price for Casgevy will be $2.2 million,
• Lyfgenia at $3.1 million. 

The treatments also require a complicated, arduous procedure that many hospitals are not equipped to provide.  Many patients may find treatment too physically and logistically daunting.

Sickle cell patient's success with gene editing raises hopes and questions.​   Gene-editing, allows scientists to manipulate building blocks of life as a treatment for illnesses ranging from rare genetic disorders like muscular dystrophy to common ailments like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, AIDS and Alzheimer's.

Sickle cell disease is caused by a genetic defect, producing abnormal sickle-shaped cells of the protein hemoglobin, which red blood cells need to carry oxygen through the body.  The red blood cells get jammed inside blood vessels, causing excruciating, unpredictable attacks of pain and damages vital organs, cutting patients' lives short.  Some patients can be cured by bone marrow transplants, but most can't find a suitable donor.

Sickle cell disproportionately occurs among people of African, Middle Eastern and Indian descent, affecting millions around the world and about 100,000 in the U.S.   Although a rare disease, sickle cell, is one of the most common genetic disorders.   Many countries don't have enough sophisticated medical centers to provide the complicated treatment.

VARIANT  UPDATE

Everything You Need to Know About JN.1, the Latest COVID Variant Surging in the U.S.  December 21, 2023.   Winter is officially here and, with that JN.1, now the second most common strain in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   JN.1 has quickly spread across the country, now the dominant COVID-19 strain causing 21% of cases.  

Meet the experts: Thomas Russo, M.D., is a professor and chief of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo in New York; Amesh Adalja, M.D., is an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security; William Schaffner, M.D., is a professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

What is JN.1?  JN.1 descended from BA.2.86, another Omicron variant.  BA.2.86 has more than 20 mutations on the spike protein.   JN.1 has an additional mutation on its spike protein from BA.2.86, which SARS-CoV-2 uses to latch onto your cells and make you sick. 

JN.1 symptoms.  As of now, there’s no data to suggest that JN.1 causes different symptoms than previous COVID-19 variations, says William Schaffner, M.D., a professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Is JN.1 more transmissible?  Data suggests JN.1’s parent, BA.2.86, may be more transmissible than previous variants,” Thomas Russo, M.D., is a professor and chief of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo in New York.  Given how fast JN.1 has spread, inferential data from lab findings indicate JN.1 may be more infectious. 

JN.1 also has a mutation on its spike protein that “seems to make it much more immune evasive than its parents,” Dr. Russo says, adding that the variant is “quite devious.  Due to the level of immunity in the population and variant-agnostic therapies like Paxlovid, the risk that a variant significantly changes the status of COVID in the country has become very low,” he says.

Are the COVID-19 vaccine and treatments effective against JN.1?  The CDC points out existing data shows the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines help our immune systems block BA.2.86.   The updated vaccine is closer to JN.1 than our old vaccine,” Dr. Russo says.

VACCINE  UPDATE

Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2023–24 Influenza Season.  Recommendations and Reports / August 25, 2023 / 72(2);1–25. 

Recommendations for the Use of Influenza Vaccines, 2023–24

Groups Recommended for Vaccination:

• persons aged ≥6 months - routine annual influenza vaccination, without contraindications, continues to be recommended. 

Timing of Vaccination

• Because timing of the onset, peak, and decline of influenza activity varies, the ideal time to start vaccinating cannot be predicted each season.

Considerations for timing of vaccination include the following:

• Most adults, aged ≥65 years, pregnant women in the first or second trimester - Vaccination during July and August should be avoided, unless if vaccination later in the season might not be possible.

• Children requiring 2 doses - Children 6 months - 8 years require 2 doses of influenza vaccine for the season.  Children should receive the first dose as soon as possible, including during July and August, if available, to allow the second dose which must be administered ≥4 weeks later to be received by the end of October.

• Children who require only 1 dose - Vaccination during July and August can be considered for children of any age who need only 1 dose of influenza vaccine for the season.  

• Pregnant persons in the third trimester - Vaccination during July and August can be considered for pregnant persons in the third trimester.  Vaccination has been associated in multiple studies with reduced risk for influenza illness in infants during the first months after birth, when they are too young to receive influenza vaccine.   

• For pregnant persons in the first or second trimester - waiting to vaccinate until September or October is preferable, unless later vaccination might not be possible.

Researchers identify new antibodies that could improve flu vaccines.  December 21, 2023

• Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh identified a new class of antibodies capable of combating multiple forms of the flu virus.
• Scientists believe these new antibodies could create a flu vaccine with broader protection for different strains.
• While the flu may not be a big health concern for many people, it can be for certain groups.
• Annual influenza vaccines are recommended for everyone, especially those in high-risk groups.
• Because influenza viruses are very diverse, the current vaccine tends to work better for certain strains and is less effective against others.

For most people, coming down with influenza, they feel sick four to seven days, then symptoms subside.  Populations where the flu can cause more serious health concerns, including older adults over the age of 65, pregnant people, children under the age of 5 and those with medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, Trusted Source in the United States and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommend people get an annual influenza vaccine.  A recent CDC health advisory warned that current vaccination rates against respiratory viruses are low in the U.S.

Because influenza viruses are always changing, influenza vaccines are changed yearly to protect against the strains predicted to be the most prevalent during flu season.  Influenza viruses are very diverse.  Influenza A viruses with Influenza B, contribute to seasonal epidemics each year, can be further divided into various subtypes before being classified as individual strains.  

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have identified a new class of antibodies capable of combating multiple flu virus subtypes.  This new research, published December 21, in the PLOS Biology, could help develop a flu vaccine with broader protection across different strains.

How do flu antibodies work?  Antibodies provide the strongest protection against flu virus infection, the virus continually evolves to escape them.  “Multiple co-circulating flu subtypes make it difficult to get a match between circulating viruses and components in vaccines,” indicated Dr. Kevin McCarthy, assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh.   Approved influenza vaccines train the immune system to make antibodies against the flu virus for future encounters, evolving to evade these antibodies.   

Goals for future vaccine research include making them more effective at preventing infection, more resilient to mutations in viruses, and getting people more receptive to vaccine administration to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death. 

VIRUS  UPDATE

Norovirus outbreak at sushi restaurant leads to 241 possible cases:  Know these signs.  Tue, December 19, 2023 at 3:47 PM PST·   Norovirus, a common and highly contagious stomach bug that causing diarrhea and vomiting.  A recent norovirus outbreak surfaced in the North Carolina Wake County area.  The Health Department is investigating over 240 possible illnesses and three confirmed cases, linked to a Raleigh sushi restaurant, according to a statement.

Noroviruses, a group of viruses that cause acute gastroenteritis, or an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines, causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.  Although it's called the “stomach flu,” norovirus is not related to the flu, but is the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 2023–2024 norovirus season is already starting, and cases are ramping up in most parts of the country as temperatures drop.  Historically, the majority of outbreaks occurred between November and April, according to the CDC.  As the holiday season approaches, there will be an uptick in indoor gatherings and travel.

How does norovirus spread?  Norovirus is highly contagious and it only takes a few virus particles to cause infection.  It is spread primarily through the fecal-oral route or "when bacteria or viruses shed in stool ends up on the hands and surfaces, then to the mouth, ingest it and get infected.

Norovirus may be transmitted directly from an infected person or indirectly through contaminated surfaces, objects, foods or drinks.  Outbreaks often occur in congregate settings such as schools, day cares, health care settings, nursing homes and cruise ships, says Schaffner.

Why did norovirus surge in early 2023?  During the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, norovirus outbreaks plummeted to unusually low levels, per the CDC, and rates remained relatively low until the 2021-22 season.  Prevention measures implemented to curb COVID-19 were likely effective in preventing norovirus outbreaks as well. 

During 2022-2023 season, cases began ramping up in December and surged in the early months

of 2023.  CDC data shows norovirus cases peaked between February and March of 2023.   Now that pandemic restrictions have relaxed, many children and adults have given up measures like distancing or masking.  The number of norovirus outbreaks has returned to levels similar to pre-pandemic years,

What is the treatment for norovirus?   There's no specific treatment or antiviral for norovirus.  Hydration, drinking plenty of water, Pedialyte or sports drinks, is key to replenishing fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhea.  It's important to watch for signs of severe dehydration.  Symptoms include:

• dry mouth,
• decreased urination,
• dizziness,
• in children crying without tears, fussiness or unusual sleepiness, per the CDC.

Children under the age of 1, immunocompromised people, and those with prolonged or severe symptoms should also be seen by a physician.  A person can be infected with norovirus multiple times in their lifetime.  After recovering, you may develop short-term immunity, it won't be robust and wanes quickly.  It's only partial immunity ... because there are different types of norovirus, and being exposed to one doesn’t give you complete protection to another. 

There are steps you can take to prevent infection and transmission.  Hand hygiene is extremely important, but the way you clean your hands matters.  It has to be with soap and water, hand sanitizer does not work against norovirus.  Norovirus is one of the few viruses that doesn’t get deactivated by alcohol.

How to Protect Yourself?  Getting vaccinated is your best bet!

IT’S NOT OVER!

Stay safe.  Mask.  Social distance.  Frequent hand washing.  Avoid crowds

ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL

• https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/12/08/1217123089/fda-approves-first-gene-editing-treatments-for-human-illness
• https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/rr/rr7202a1.htm?s_cid=rr7202a1
• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/new-type-of-antibody-shows-promise-against-multiple-forms-of-flu-virus#How-do-flu-antibodies-work?
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/cdc-data-show-stomach-flu-203945436.html
• https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/everything-know-jn-1-latest-113000661.html