California to permit hospitals to resume scheduled surgeries
California Gov. Gavin Newsom loosened stay-at-home orders that have been in place for more than one month by permitting hospitals to resume scheduled surgeries. The modified order allows for surgeries dealing with cancers, heart valves and chronic diseases. Cosmetic surgeries are still prohibited. Gov. Newsom said state officials will monitor hospitals to make sure they are not overwhelmed. However, he said the state was not ready to reopen its economy, saying it depends on how widely available testing will become. Read more.
JAMA study finds 94% of patients had more than one disease other than COVID-19
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), health records from 5,700 patients hospitalized within the Northwell Health system, which has housed the most patients in the country throughout the pandemic, showed that 94% of patients had more than one disease other than COVID-19. The median age of patients was 63 years old and 53% of all coronavirus patients suffered from hypertension, the most prevalent ailment among patients. Additionally, 42% of patients who had body mass index (BMI) data on file suffered from obesity and 32% of patients suffered from diabetes. Read more.
COVID-19 causes sudden strokes in young adults, doctors say
Doctors reported Wednesday that the new coronavirus appears to cause sudden strokes in adults in their 30s and 40s who are not otherwise very ill. They say there’s growing evidence that the COVID-19 infection can cause the blood to clot in unusual ways, and stroke would be an expected consequence of that. “The virus seems to be causing increased clotting in the large arteries, leading to severe stroke,” said Dr. Thomas Oxley, a neurosurgeon at Mount Sinai Health System (New York, NY). “Our report shows a seven-fold increase in incidence of sudden stroke in young patients during the past two weeks. Most of these patients have no past medical history and were at home with either mild symptoms or no symptoms of COVID-19. All tested positive [for COVID-19]. Two of them delayed calling an ambulance.” Read more.
President Trump says it is too soon for Georgia to reopen
President Donald Trump has said he “strongly disagrees” with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to allow businesses like barbershops and nail salons to reopen. Gov. Kemp said the state “will continue with this approach to protect the lives – and livelihoods – of all Georgians.” Gov. Kemp’s decision has been widely criticized by mayors in Georgia as premature. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said, “I have great respect for Governor Kemp and believe that future re-openings can occur rather quickly, but we must get Phase I right.” Read more.
Top U.S. health official says he was ousted for pushing back on drug
Dr. Rick Bright, a top official at HHS, says he was fired from his job this week for pushing back on demands he sign off on the hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine treatment plan for coronavirus. “Specifically, and contrary to misguided directives, I limited the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, promoted by the administration as a panacea, but which clearly lack scientific merit. While I am prepared to look at all options and to think ‘outside the box’ for effective treatments, I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the American public,” said Dr. Bright. Read more.