What We're Reading: COVID-19 Infections Rising Nationwide; Alcohol-Related Liver Disease; Mysterious Health Incidents in Vienna

New COVID-19 Infections Rising in Every State

Reported by USA Today, new cases of COVID-19 rose in all 50 states yesterday for the third consecutive day, with hospitalizations resulting from infection with SARS-CoV-2, particularly for intensive care, exhibiting stark increases as well. Because unvaccinated Americans account for 97% of hospitalizations tied to the virus, misinformation has become a topic of contention addressed by US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, and President Joe Biden, who recently blamed Facebook for their handling of false statements about COVID-19 vaccines. Refuting President Biden’s comments, the social media giant said that data show 85% of users have been or want to be vaccinated.

Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Hospitalizations Up Amid Pandemic

With a growing prevalence of alcohol abuse seen amid the pandemic, an article by NBC News reports the significant increase observed in hospital admissions for alcohol-associated liver disease. At the University of Southern California, hospital admissions have risen by 30% for alcohol-associated liver disease since March 2020, with women under the age of 35 cited as a potentially at-risk group. Health experts noted that it will take approximately 2 years to collect nationwide data on the increase of these hospitalizations.

Exploring Mysterious Health Incidents in Vienna Among US Personnel

Reported by CNN, nearly 2 dozen reports of symptoms of mysterious health incidents among US diplomats, intelligence staffers, and other government personnel have been observed in Vienna since the beginning of the year. Noted as similar to the unexplained brain injuries that have become known as Havana syndrome, the new reports indicate that cases remain ongoing despite previous commitments from President Joe Biden’s top national security team to double down in their investigation of the incidents.