US CDC says existing antibodies can work against new COVID variant Early research data has shown that antibodies produced by prior infection or existing vaccines against the coronavirus were sufficient to protect against the new BA.2.86 variant, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday. Reuters Reuters

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Trump surgeon general admits Trump White House made mistakes during Covid The Trump administration made some serious missteps during the coronavirus pandemic, Trump’s top doctor Jerome Adams admits. Sarah Owermohle STAT

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Demand for at-home Covid-19 tests is high, but don’t expect a shortage anytime soon | CNN The US is in the midst of a surge of Covid-19, with weekly hospital admissions and test positivity rates increasing, according to federal data. It should come as no surprise that some Americans say they’re having a hard time finding at-home Covid-19 tests – often the first step when someone feels ill or finds out they have been exposed to the coronavirus. Amanda Musa CNN

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Manufacturers say that a sudden increase in demand, not a slump in production, is to blame for any problems finding tests on store shelves.

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England confirms 34 COVID cases linked to highly mutated variant - UKSHA UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) said on Friday that 34 COVID-19 cases linked to the highly mutated variant BA.2.86 had been identified in England. Reuters Reuters

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The agency said 28 of the confirmed cases were identified from a single outbreak at a care home in Norfolk.

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Study shows elite athletes suffered no long-lasting heart damage after COVID-19 Sean Fornelli / Flickr cc CIDRAP

...in Heart, researchers from Amsterdam University Medical Centers reportthat elite athletes followed up for 2 years after COVID-19 infections suffered no lasting damage to their hearts and faced no career setbacks because of their illnesses.

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Cancer diagnoses fell early in COVID pandemic, but many types eventually climbed again Roberto Jimenez / iStock CIDRAP

A pair of new studies documents initial drops—and, in some cases, rebounds—in cancer diagnoses in Canada and the United States in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Hurricane Idalia could become 2023’s costliest climate disaster for the US Analysts estimate the category 3 storm has already racked up a preliminary cost of $9.36bn, straining the insurance industry The Guardian

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Study links blood clots to brain fog after Covid

A recent UK study suggests that blood clots in the brain or lungs may explain some of the common symptoms experienced by people with "long Covid", including brain fog and fatigue. The study, which included 1,837 people admitted to hospital due to Covid, found that two blood proteins, fibrinogen and D-dimer, were associated with cognitive problems. It is estimated that 16% of these patients experience difficulties with thinking, concentrating, or remembering for at least six months.

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Explainer: Do I need to worry about COVID again? New data from scientists and vaccine makers Moderna and Pfizer /BioNTech suggests that a newer, highly mutated variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 is not as alarming as some experts had feared when it was first detected several weeks ago. Deena Beasley,Julie Steenhuysen Reuters

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In the ICU, doctors see rise in Covid cases but less severe disease Hospitalizations from Covid are still happening, but in many instances, patients aren't getting as sick as in the early days of the pandemic. NBC News

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WHO airs concerns about global COVID trends Meanwhile, several more BA.2.86 sequences were reported, as Moderna notes reassuring lab findings against BA.2.86 for its updated vaccine. CIDRAP

At a briefing on global health issues today, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said there are concerning trends ahead of the Northern Hemisphere winter, including rising deaths in parts of the Middle East and Asia and increased hospitalizations in multiple regions.