COVID & Health News 2/15/25

Please see my separate post from today for this week’s government updates at https://drruth.substack.com/p/special-issue-government-updates-096.

Respiratory Illnesses

Respiratory illnesses are HIGH now across the country and Influenza A is VERY HIGH. Yesterday, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb posted “We’re experiencing perhaps the worst flu season in 25 years, with severe cases also rising, and young children and seniors faring the worst. One in six of all ER visits in the 0-17 age groups are now for influenza.” Flu shots are still available at local pharmacies. Wearing a good mask can also help to prevent respiratory illnesses like COVID, the Flu, RSV and even Measles.

WastewaterSCAN Regional wastewater levels:

COVID

Per Mike Hoerger, there are 700,000 new COVID infections daily in the United States with 1 in every 67 Americans currently infected with COVID. COVID levels are higher in the Midwest and Northeast now. Emergency department visits for COVID have stopped decreasing and deaths from COVID are lower than last winter and last summer’s waves, but those numbers have also plateaued.

CDC (NWSS) data alone shows VERY HIGH levels of SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater in Arizona, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Delaware, Connecticut, Vermont through February 8th.

Sara Anne Willette has made a composite map of wastewater using combined data from both the CDC’s NWSS & WastewaterSCAN. It shows that Tennessee has an “EXCESSIVE” level of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Arizona, Iowa, Mississippi, South Carolina, Maryland and Connecticut all have VERY HIGH levels of COVID in wastewater as of February 11th.

From: https://iowacovid19tracker.org/

Variants

Regarding SARS-CoV-2 variants, XEC has decreased to 37% and LP.8.1 increased from 22% to 31% of new COVID cases. A new study from Kei Sato’s lab shows that LP.8.1 has lower pseudovirus infectivity but greater immune resistance than JN.1, with a resistance level similar to KP.3.1.1 and XEC. Its advantage over XEC in some countries may be influenced by population immune history and vaccination rates.

Long COVID

A new review by PolyBio researchers highlights the role of persistent SARS-CoV-2 virus or its remnants in Long COVID and the need for targeted clinical trials. The paper emphasizes the importance of developing standardized biomarkers for Long COVID, testing antiviral and monoclonal antibody treatments, and refining trial designs based on lessons from HIV and RNA virus research. Experts stress the urgency of launching more studies to address viral persistence and optimize treatment strategies, potentially through combination therapies.

From: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(24)00769-2/fulltext

Last year, Rob Wust’s lab wrote a fascinating paper in Nature magazine showing that muscle abnormalities worsen after post-exertional malaise in people with Long COVID. This week, Ranque et al. posted a reply to that article stating that they believed that the observed muscle abnormalities in Long COVID patients with post-exertional malaise (PEM) are likely due to deconditioning rather than exercise-induced muscle damage. Rob Wust’s lab refuted these claims stating that patients with post-exertional malaise (PEM) exhibit distinct physiological differences, including reduced mitochondrial function and aerobic capacity that are not seen in deconditioning alone.

A meta analysis of 37 studies with a total of almost 3 million patients showed that more than 15% of COVID patients experience cardiovascular sequelae including chest pain, palpitations and hypertension. Compared to uninfected people, individuals who had a COVID infection had 4x odds for chest pain, 3.4x risk of palpitations and 1.7x increased risk of high blood pressure. Additionally, among patients with post-acute COVID syndrome (PACS or Long COVID), 22% reported chest pain, 18% experienced palpitations, and 19% had high blood pressure.

Several government webpages about Long COVID disability accommodations, including resources on the ADA, have been removed from the Department of Labor’s AskJAN website following broader purges under the Trump administration. While disability advocates emphasize that legal protections remain unchanged, the loss of these resources makes it harder for individuals with Long COVID to access crucial information about their rights and workplace accommodations.

A group from Japan looked at 39 Long COVID patients and found a link between interferon (IFN) activity and autoimmune responses in Long COVID in a way similar to Lupus. Analysis of mRNA and serum samples showed that elevated IFN levels correlated with autoimmune markers like anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm antibodies, suggesting IFN signaling may drive Long COVID’s autoimmune features.

H5N1

A new MMWR study shows we should be testing for H5N1 more in dairy cattle, milk, and humans who are exposed to cattle. Out of 150 veterinarians tested for H5N1, 3 people (2%) had positive antibodies consistent with recent H5N1 infection. Two of the veterinarians had no known exposure to cows with H5N1 and one vet practiced in a U.S. state with no known infected cattle.

From: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7404a2.htm

The CDC confirmed this week that a Nevada dairy worker was infected with the D1.1 strain of bird flu. D1.1 was discovered in Nevada dairy cattle last month and was reported last week. The D1.1 genotype of the H5N1 avian flu virus has caused severe infections in a Vancouver teen and a person who died of H5N1 in Louisiana, but the Nevada worker had only mild symptoms and has recovered.

A farm worker who worked with chickens is Ohio's first human H5N1 avian flu case.

A woman in Wyoming has been hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu, likely contracted from handling birds in a backyard flock.

Other news

In 2023, Black women in the U.S. died at a rate nearly 3.5 times higher than white women around the time of childbirth, according to newly released CDC data. While overall maternal mortality dropped below pre-pandemic levels, racial disparities grew. The maternal death rate for white women declined from 19 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2022 to 14.5 per 100,000 in 2023. In contrast, the rate for Black women rose slightly from 49.5 to just over 50 per 100,000.

Thursday, the Senate confirmed Robert Kennedy Jr for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The vote was 52-48, with Sen. Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor and former Republican majority leader, being the only Republican to join Democrats in opposing Kennedy. Mc Connell said, "In my lifetime, I've watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world. I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles."

Science magazine discussed the launch of the Journal of the Academy of Public Health, co-founded by NIH nominee Jay Bhattacharya, which has raised concerns due to its association with individuals against COVID lockdowns, childhood vaccination and other public health measures. Critics fear the journal may serve as a platform for disseminating misinformation and advancing political agendas, potentially undermining scientific integrity. According to Science, “only members of a newly formed body called the Academy of Public Health can submit articles and all submitted articles are published.”

Eric Topol MD wrote a very interesting and concerning article recently regarding microplastics and the brain. A new study in Nature reveals that microplastics accumulate in the brain at significantly higher levels than in other organs with brain microplastic levels at 7 to 30x higher than those in the liver or kidneys. Even greater concentrations were seen in the brains of individuals with dementia. Research in mice shows microplastics can impair brain blood flow and cause brain blood clots, raising concerns about their potential role in neurodegenerative diseases.

A county in West Texas near the New Mexican border has an outbreak of measles. Many in the community are Mennonite and 18% of kindergarteners in the county have not been vaccinated against the measles. Measles is very contagious, has a high hospitalization rate and is preventable with vaccination. There are 49 confirmed measles cases, up from 24 cases the week prior, and health officials suspect 200 to 300 people may be infected.

❤️ Valentines from the Washington State Department of Health

A long-delayed Czech dam project that had been stalled since 2018 was unexpectedly completed by beavers who built their own dams. The beavers saved local authorities 1.2 million euros and created a wetland twice the size of the planned human-made project. Conservationists praised the beavers' work for improving the ecosystem, highlighting their natural engineering skills.

Two days ago, a humpback whale accidentally swallowed a kayaker in Chile before he realized his mistake and spit him out. The kayaker’s father filmed the whole thing.

Have a great rest of the long weekend,

Ruth Ann Crystal MD

P.S. Check out my other post trying to summarize all of the attempted government changes from this week here.

---

NOTES

RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES

Updated on Fridays. https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data/index.html

• Seasonal influenza activity is higher than it has been all season.

• COVID-19 activity is elevated in many areas of the country

• RSV activity is declining in most areas of the country.

WastewaterSCAN Regional wastewater levels:

2/14/25 Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb posted “We’re experiencing perhaps the worst flu season in 25 years, with severe cases also rising, and young children and seniors faring the worst. One in six of all ER visits in the 0-17 age groups are now for influenza.”

https://x.com/ScottGottliebMD/status/1890501376720978392

CDC Respiratory viruses (COVID, Flu, RSV) Hospitalizations (for those states reporting): https://www.cdc.gov/resp-net/dashboard/index.html

COVID news notes:

US Variant tracker: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions

XEC has decreased to 37%, as LP.8.1 increased from 22% to 31%.

CDC COVID data tracker: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/index.html#datatracker-home

COVID Emergency Dept visits: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#ed-visits_all_ages_combined

COVID deaths per week: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_weeklypctdeaths_00

Walgreens positivity rate: https://www.walgreens.com/businesssolutions/covid-19-index.jsp

CDC wastewater reporting: https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-nationaltrend.html

Midwest remains HIGH for COVID in wastewater according to the CDC.

CDC wastewater map: https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-currentlevels.html

Through February 8th, VERY HIGH levels of SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater in Arizona, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Delaware, Connecticut, Vermont.

National SARS-CoV-2 data from Sara Anne Willette: https://iowacovid19tracker.org/

US Composite Wastewater Data from both the CDC’s NWSS & WastewaterSCAN.

• Tennessee is EXCESSIVE. Arizona, Iowa, Mississippi, South Carolina, Maryland and Connecticut are VERY HIGH.

Wastewater SCAN: https://data.wastewaterscan.org/

California statewide view https://buff.ly/3YObiul

Santa Clara County wastewater: https://publichealth.santaclaracounty.gov/health-information/health-data/disease-data/covid-19/covid-19-wastewater

JP Weiland: https://twitter.com/JPWeiland https://bsky.app/profile/jpweiland.bsky.social

Michael Hoerger modeling: http://pmc19.com/data/, https://twitter.com/michael_hoerger

2/10/25

Canada wastewater https://health-infobase.canada.ca/wastewater/

UK

UKHSA Dashboard: https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/

UK COVID PCR Test Positivity Map: https://jamestindall.info/skeuomorphology/ladb_covid/index.html

NEW: European wastewater dashboard for COVID, Flu and RSV

https://wastewater-observatory.jrc.ec.europa.eu/#/content/the-eu-dashboard

https://arcgis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/portal/apps/dashboards/e296cdf0c0d042e6b60b07a351f2dc5c

International from @nichtGenes61287

Variants

2/10/25 Lancet (Sato Lab): Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 LP.8.1 variant https://buff.ly/4gF9iMi

Long COVID

2/11/25 Michael Peluso MD https://x.com/MichaelPelusoMD/status/1889356213999247703

Proud to have been a part of this @polybioRF effort to describe the path forward for #LongCOVID trials targeting SARS-CoV-2 persistence. We need a robust biomarker development program and to launch more trials to rigorously test treatments that target these pathways now.

2/10/25 Lancet: Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in long COVID https://buff.ly/4jQSIfd

1/4/2024 Nature (Wust lab): Muscle abnormalities worsen after post-exertional malaise in long COVID https://buff.ly/3vp9GN0

• Exercise-induced myopathy in long COVID

2/11/25 Nature Matters Arising (Ranque et al): Reply: Muscle abnormalities in Long COVID - Nature Communications https://buff.ly/3X46uRU

2/11/25 Nature (Rob Wust's lab): Reply: Muscle abnormalities in Long COVID https://buff.ly/3EBnys8

2/6/25 BMC Medicine: Prevalence of cardiovascular symptoms in post-acute COVID-19 syndrome: a meta-analysis https://buff.ly/3CPgKXg

2/11/25 The Sick Times- Now offline: Government resources about Long COVID as a disability https://buff.ly/41caJgL

2/8/25 International Immunology: Correlation of Interferons and Autoimmune Aspects in Long COVID-19 Patients https://buff.ly/3WSR7vu

H5N1

2/15/25 A woman in Wyoming was hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu, likely contracted from handling sick birds in a backyard flock.

A farm worker who worked with chickens is Ohio's first human H5N1 avian flu case.

2/10/25 NBC: CDC confirms Nevada dairy worker infected with different [D1.1] bird flu strain https://buff.ly/4jQaO0O

2/13/25 MMWR: Seroprevalence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5) Virus Infections Among Bovine Veterinary Practitioners — United States, September 2024

Other news

2/6/25 AP: Racial gap widened in deaths among US moms around the time of childbirth https://buff.ly/4hL3q5a

2/13/25 NPR: RFK Jr. confirmed as Trump's health secretary, over Democrats' loud objections https://buff.ly/3CE28Kn

2/7/25 Science: New journal co-founded by NIH nominee raises eyebrows, misinformation fears https://buff.ly/3CKlopy

• The Journal of the Academy of Public Health claims to open up scientific communication. But its unusual editorial policies have some scientists concerned.

• Only members of a newly formed body, the Academy of Public Health, can submit articles, and all submitted articles are published.

2/10/25 Eric Topol

2/11/25 Nature: Your brain is full of microplastics: are they harming you? https://buff.ly/418Y2mN

2/3/25 Eric Topol MD: The Microplastic Concerns Elevate—To the Brain https://buff.ly/4aYwIes

“A new study shows accumulation in the brain, much higher in people with dementia, and 7-30 times greater than other organs (liver and kidney).”

In rural West Texas, a measles outbreak grows with no end in sight https://buff.ly/4gOCPmx

• There are 49 confirmed measles cases, up from 24 cases the week prior, and health officials suspect 200 to 300 people may be infected.

2/12/25 NY Times: Czech Dam Project Was Stalled by Bureaucracy. Beavers Built Their Own. https://buff.ly/3X3llfs

2/13/25 AP: A humpback whale briefly swallows kayaker in Chilean Patagonia — and it's all captured on camera https://buff.ly/41goJGk