First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 following a family trip to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Her spokeswoman said that she is experiencing only mild symptoms.
US President Joe Biden has tested negative for Covid-19 and is scheduled to attend the G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi, as confirmed by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Biden would continue testing regularly and be monitored for symptoms.
The US has reported a manifold increase in Covid-19 hospitalisations. 17,400 people were hospitalised with Covid, up nearly 16% from the previous week, according to the CDC data for the week ending August 26. Two cases of Pirola were detected in the US as of August 23, as per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the national public health agency of the US.
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The BA.2.86 Covid strain, also known as the Pirola variant, has been detected in five US states so far: New York, Texas, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio.The Pirola variant, first identified in Denmark and Israel, has spread to various countries, including the US, UK and Canada among others.
Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist and Covid-19 Technical Lead at the WHO, said very limited information was available on the newly discovered strain to assess it as compared to others but a large number of mutations within it needed closer monitoring.
Pirola variant of Covid-19 has “more than 30 mutations to its spike protein compared to XBB.1.5, a variant of Omicron”, as per a Yale Medicine Review report. Owing to the high number of mutations, the new variant could be causing a surge in the cases, added the report.
Pirola variant symptoms closely resemble those of the Omicron variant, including cough, sore throat, headaches, runny nose, and sneezing.The first Pirola variant case in the United States was a senior citizen, who had returned from Japan, but she reportedly experienced only minimal symptoms.
The CDC has said that there is not much clarity on “how well this (Pirola) variant spreads” and advised precautionary measures which include:-- Get your Covid-19 vaccines- Get tested for Covid- Seek treatment if you have Covid-19 and are at high risk of getting very sick- If you choose to wear a mask, wear a high-quality one that fits well over your nose and mouth Improve ventilation- Wash your hands
Scientists are evaluating the effectiveness of the forthcoming, updated Covid-19 booster against BA.2.86, according to the CDC. The CDC added that their current assessment is that this updated vaccine will be effective at reducing severe disease and hospitalisation.