New coronavirus mutant raises concerns in India and beyond The quickly changing coronavirus has spawned yet another super contagious omicron mutant that’s worrying scientists as it gains ground in India and pops up in numerous other countries, including the United States. AP NEWS

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US monkeypox cases top 600 in 34 states WHO data show that, among monkeypox patients with known HIV status, 41% are HIV-positive. CIDRAP

The monkeypox virus outbreak is growing in the United States and elsewhere, with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now reporting 605 cases in 34 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

New York has the most cases, with 122, followed by California with 116 and Florida with 64.

U.S. FDA grants full approval to Pfizer COVID vaccine for ages 12-15 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it has granted full approval to Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents aged between 12 and 15 years. Reuters Reuters

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New York City health officials said Friday all New Yorkers should wear high-quality face masks indoors and near crowds due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.

 "We're currently seeing high levels of COVID-19 in NYC," the city's Department of Health said in a tweet recommending N95, KN95 or KF94 masks for the public.

Got COVID? Doctors warn powering through it — even from home — can worsen health toll

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As vaccines and new treatments have eased some of the alarm around a COVID-19 diagnosis, continuing to work — but from home — has become a familiar practice among professionals who can do their jobs remotely. ...

Physicians caution, however, that rest is an important part of weathering a COVID-19 infection. Plugging away from home is better than putting others at risk of getting infected, but it can still strain the immune system, worsening the toll of a COVID infection, experts say.

“Sleep equals immunity,” said Dr. Susan Cheng, a cardiologist, researcher and professor in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. As it fights off the virus, “you want to have your immune system not distracted by anything else,” including stress from work.

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Is Covid-19 surging again? Our expert explains how to prepare The much-awaited summer lull in coronavirus cases doesn't appear to be happening. CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen offers her insights about what precautions to take as infections continue to increase in much of the United States. Katia Hetter, CNN CNN

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Omicron symptoms: What we know about illness caused by the new subvariants Symptoms of omicron and the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are similar, doctors say. They're all still Covid, and they can still cause severe disease. NBC News

The current wave of the omicron variant of the coronavirus making its way across the U.S. — dominated by the subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 — is sparking new concerns about a seemingly endless cycle of Covid infections.

What the BA.5 Subvariant Could Mean for the United States The most transmissible variant yet of the coronavirus is threatening a fresh wave of infections in the United States, even among those who have recovered from the virus fairly recently. The New York Times

The most transmissible variant yet of the coronavirus is threatening a fresh wave of infections in the United States, even among those who have recovered from the virus fairly recently.

After backlash, Beijing drops COVID vaccination mandate for crowded venues

BEIJING, July 8 (Reuters) - Beijing's city government has dropped plans to allow only vaccinated people to enter crowded venues such as libraries, cinemas and gyms from Monday, following a strong online backlash to the measure announced earlier this week.

The mandatory requirement would have marked a rare move in China, where the central government insists on voluntary vaccination and has quickly overruled other attempts by front-line officials to issue compulsory vaccination directives.

The pandemic has eroded Americans’ trust in experts and elected leaders alike, a survey finds.

As the coronavirus pandemic entered its third year, the American public had lost much of its trust both in public health experts and in government leaders, and was less worried than before about Covid-19, according to a survey conducted in early May and released Thursday by the Pew Research Center.

Confidence ratings for public health officials, like those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; for state and local elected officials; and for President Biden fell in a range from 43 percent to 54 percent in the survey — much lower than during the early stages of the pandemic.