LONDON—Europe’s medicines regulator has backed using AstraZeneca’s preventative COVID-19 therapy as a treatment for the disease and also endorsed another medicine as preventative option for another common virus. The regulator’s recommendations are usually followed by the European Commission when it takes a final decision on drug approvals. AstraZeneca said on Friday the European Medicines Agency…

About a quarter of hospitalizations designated as being for COVID-19 were actually patients admitted for other reasons, according to a new study. Researchers with Massachusetts General Hospital led the study, which analyzed a random selection of electronic health records from COVID-19 patients in 60 hospitals across four U.S. health care systems. Researchers manually reviewed the…

Half of the COVID-19 patients in Quebec hospitals were admitted for reasons other than the disease itself, the province’s data shows. The figure is in the ballpark of the Ontario number, announced to be around 45 percent by the province’s chief medical officer. In the latest daily update of Quebec’s COVID-19 situation, the province’s health…

The bulk of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in New Jersey were actually admitted for a reason other than COVID-19, officials said Monday. Of the 6,075 people with COVID-19 and hospitalized in the state, just 2,963 were admitted for COVID-19, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said during a briefing. “We have a fair number of what…

The bulk of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in New Jersey were actually admitted for a reason other than COVID-19, officials said Monday. Of the 6,075 people with COVID-19 and hospitalized in the state, just 2,963 were admitted for COVID-19, New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said during a briefing. “We have a fair number of what…

The number of hospital patients in the United States with COVID-19 has dropped consistently in recent weeks, reaching a low not seen since early August, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. An average of 41,162 patients with COVID-19 were in hospitals between Oct. 28 and Nov. 3, the data show. That’s…

SANTA ANA—Hospitalizations for COVID-19 increased again in Orange County as the Delta variant continues to fuel a resurgence of infections. The county reported 290 more infections, raising the total since the start of the pandemic to 259,985. Hospitalizations increased from 126 on July 20 to 143 on July 21, with the number of intensive care…

LONG BEACH, Calif.—While saying California has one of the best COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country, Gov. Gavin Newsom said July 21 the rate remains too low, and he blamed “right-wing” pundits for spreading misinformation and contributing to vaccine hesitancy. He also insisted the state has no plans to institute a “vaccine passport” system, again…

SANTA ANA, Calif.—Orange County’s weekly averages for COVID-19 doubled July 20, but hospitalizations decreased. The county’s case rate per 100,000 residents increased from 2.6 to 4.9 and the test positivity rate jumped up from 1.8 percent to 3.3 percent. The county’s Health Equity Quartile rate, which measures the disadvantaged communities hardest hit by the pandemic,…

SANTA ANA, Calif. —Orange County’s COVID-19 statistics reflected modest increases in a weekly update released July 6, but hospitalization rates have held steady since last week. According to state data released every Tuesday, the county’s average daily new case rate per 100,000 residents edged up from 1 last week to 1.5, while the overall test…