Website Last Updated 3:01 PM 12/6/2023 Data shown as of previous day at 11:59 pm PT.
These dashboards show trends in Washington state for COVID-19, influenza (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The data on these dashboards help us monitor early signs of disease spread, severity of illness, vaccination rates, virus variants or subtypes occurring in Washington, and hospital bed use due to COVID-19, flu, and RSV.
Instead of showing data by individual counties, these dashboards use larger regional areas calledAccountable Communities of Health (ACH).This change was made because sometimes there is not enough data reported from the county level to display publicly while maintaining an individuals privacy.See which ACH region covers your county.
Additional COVID-19 hospital admission data at the county level is available in theCDC COVID Data Tracker: Maps by Geographic Area.
Learn how to stop the spread of these illnesses by visiting ourCOVID-19,flu, and RSVpages.
Wednesday, December 6, 2023: Laboratory data for influenza is current through November 25, 2023. Death data for COVID-19, RSV, and influenza are current through November 25, 2023. All other data on this dashboard are current through December 2, 2023.
Information shown below is for the most recent week with complete data.
Every day, acute care hospitals in Washington report their COVID-19 patient occupancy to the Department of Health through WA-HEALTH, a hospital data collection system developed in partnership with the Washington State Hospital Association. The table below shows the total number of hospital beds occupied by patients with confirmed COVID-19 and influenza, and a subset of patients who occupy beds in intensive care units (ICUs). Data shown below are the most recent complete data available.
Information shown below is for the most recent week with complete data.
Information shown below is for the most recent week with complete data.
Information shown below is for the most recent week with complete data.
Information shown below is for the most recent week with complete data.
Information shown below is for the most recent week with complete data.
Information shown below is the total count of deaths with complete data. Counts below 10 are suppressed for privacy and shown as blank.
Information shown below is the total count of deaths with complete data. Counts below 10 are suppressed for privacy and shown as blank.
Information shown below is the total count of deaths with complete data. Counts below 10 are suppressed for privacy and shown as blank.
The following reports have been discontinued. Below are the final published reports.
If you have questions about our reports, email DOH-CDS-Surveillance@doh.wa.gov. If you are a member of the news media, email PIO@doh.wa.gov.
The Department of Health (DOH) provides detailed notes to help you understand the Respiratory Disease Dashboard data for COVID-19, Influenza (flu), and RSV. We present information for the following categories of data:
For each category, there may be detailed information on the data source, data lags and limitations, definitions, calculations, and additional resources and references. For more information about the Respiratory Illness Dashboard data, email DOH-CDS-Surveillance@doh.wa.gov.
Number of deaths with a date of death during the 7-day period :over:
Population
X :times: 100,000
Total positive clinical cases with a specimen collection date during a given week :over:
Population
X :times: 100,000
Adult + pediatricconfirmedCOVID-19hospitalizations over 7 days :over:
7
Adult + pediatricconfirmedCOVID-19hospitalizationsover7days :over:
Sumofstaffedhospitalbedcapacityover7days
X :times: 100
Adult + pediatricconfirmedCOVID-19 (or influenza)ICUoccupants :over:
7
Adult + pediatricconfirmedCOVID-19or influenza ICUoccupants :over:
SumofstaffedICUbedcapacityover7days
Health disparities are gaps in the quality of health and health care that mirror differences in social factors such as economic status, racial and ethnic background, gender, age, and education level.
Health disparities on the Respiratory Illness Data Dashboard can be observed when looking at different demographic factors such as age, sex, and race/ethnicity. An explanation of these factors and some of the health disparities observed for the respiratory illness displayed on this dashboard are described below.
To protect individual privacy, some very small counts and rates in a given category are not shared. Counts for some age categories may be small, especially in small counties. Therefore, we do not report counts if there are less than 10 in a category. We take additional measures to prevent recalculating these small counts by reporting data in related columns and rows. This data is not included in dashboard tables and downloadable files. Our policy for reporting small numbers (PDF) balances privacy protection with the publics need for data.
Due to the current lack of Small Area Estimates from Office of Financial Management (OFM), the population data used to calculate rates in this dashboard come from the Population Interim Estimates (PIE) developed by Public Health-Seattle and King County (PHSKC). Because we have applied PIE to historic data, some COVID-19 rates will be different from what we published previously.
BYLINE: Mario Boone
Newswise Rockville, Md. (December 12, 2023)Lung airway cells of people with alcohol use disorder developed enhanced inflammation three days after being infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new study from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and the University of Georgia.
An analysis of gene expression found that uninfected airway cells from people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) had mild pro-inflammatory characteristics that were amplified after SARS-CoV-2 infection when compared to cells not exposed to excessive alcohol use (control). In addition, control cells infected with the virus showed a protective response not seen in the AUD cells. The findings are published in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. It has been chosen as an APSselect article for December.
To achieve their findings, researchers isolated cells from the inside of the airway of people with and without alcohol use disorder. Next, the cells were cultured to create a model airway epithelium. Gene expression was analyzed by next-generation RNA sequencing to measure the effect of chronic alcohol exposure on airway cells. The research team then infected the cells with SARS-CoV-2 and measured the production of inflammatory factors.
People with alcohol use disorder who also have COVID-19 have higher rates of hospitalization and death. This indicates that chronic alcohol use puts people at risk for increased severity of COVID-19-related illness. By conducting this study, Michael Koval, PhD, of Emorys Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and his team determined that alcohol abuse causes lung airway cells to over-react to SARS-CoV-2 infection, which may increase the severity of early stages of COVID-19.
Read the full article, Chronic alcohol use primes bronchial cells for altered inflammatory response and barrier dysfunction during SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is highlighted as one of this months best of the best as part of the American Physiological Societys APSselect program. Read all of this months selected research articles.
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: To schedule an interview with a member of the research team, please contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more research highlights in our Newsroom.
Physiology is a broad area of scientific inquiry that focuses on how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. The American Physiological Society connects a global, multidisciplinary community of more than 10,000 biomedical scientists and educators as part of its mission to advance scientific discovery, understand life and improve health. The Society drives collaboration and spotlights scientific discoveries through its 16 scholarly journals and programming that support researchers and educators in their work.
FLORIDA, USA The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is reporting an increase in the COVID-19 virus both nationwide and in the state of Florida. While Florida has only recently resumed gathering wastewater surveillance data to track the spread of the virus by county, some of the currently available figures suggest the Sunshine State may be heading for levels of the virus last reached in August.
While not all Florida counties have submitted recent wastewater data, making the state's overall figures inconclusive for now, nearly all of the counties with data from November and December showed an upswing in virus activity.
Alachua, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Seminole counties all showed an increase in the virus starting in November and continuing to rise after Thanksgiving weekend, according to wastewater data submitted to Biobot.
In the nation at large, the highest levels of virus activity and the steepest jumps in hospital admissions from the virus are happening in states further north, including West Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Montana.
Of all the COVID-19 virus variants detected in wastewater sites, the predominant strain continues to be EG.5, which has dominated the strains for at least four months. A pediatric infectious disease specialist interviewed by the magazine "Health" said the patients she saw who had tested positive for the EG. 5 variant had symptoms similar to past Omicron variants. She also said some of her patients initially thought they had allergies due to the nature of the symptoms. These included:
The latest COVID-19 booster vaccine has been deemed effective in reducing symptoms and helping protect against the latest variants of the virus, though CDC data suggests only 17 percent of the population has gotten their COVID-19 booster shots.
December 12, 2023
2 min read
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Hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases declined significantly during the most recent 2 years of the pandemic, partly thanks to vaccination among vulnerable populations, according to data.
Although by the end of 2022 COVID-19 still remained prevalent, the severity of the disease in the general population had considerably decreased compared to earlier phases of the pandemic, Charalampos Papagoras, MD, PhD, of the University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, in Greece, and colleagues wrote in Clinical Rheumatology. This is due to infection-acquired, vaccine-induced and hybrid immunity against SARS-CoV-2, as well as the latest dominance of the omicron virus strain, which is thought to cause milder disease.
Preliminary evidence suggests that COVID-19 runs a milder course during the later phases of the pandemic among patients with SAIRDs, as well, they added. However, it is not clear whether this is due to previously acquired anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity, to infection by the Omicron strain or both.
To examine whether the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and the emergence of omicron as the dominant strain significantly impacted hospitalizations and mortality in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SAIRDs), Papagoras and colleagues analyzed data from the Greek Rheumatology Society COVID-19 registry. Patients were included in the analysis if they had a confirmed SAIRD diagnosis and had contracted COVID-19 at some point. Patients were excluded from the analysis if they had been diagnosed with non-inflammatory musculoskeletal diseases like osteoarthritis.
Severe disease was defined hospitalization or death. Patients were evaluated in groups according to vaccination status vaccinated vs. unvaccinated. Finally, the researchers evaluated the impact of the pandemic through four time periods defined by the dominant strain of disease in Greece. These were the wild-type variant, which lasted until the second week of 2021; the alpha variant, which was present until the 26th week of 2021; the delta variant, which was dominant until week 50 of 2021; and the omicron variant, which lasted until June 30, 2022.
During the study period from August 2020 to June 30, 2022, 456 cases of COVID-19 were reported among the cohort. Among unvaccinated individuals in this group, the proportion of patients requiring hospitalization was 24.5% and the proportion of those who died was 4%. Among vaccinated patients, meanwhile, 12.5% were hospitalized and 0.8% died (both P < .001).
According to the researchers, 24.7% of included patients were hospitalized and 2.7% died due to COVID-19 during the wild-type variant period, compared with 31.3% and 4% during the alpha period, 25.9% and 7% during the delta wave, and 8.1% and 0% during the omicron period (P = .001).
Factors associated with hospitalization were infection with variants other than omicron, as well as previous documented exposure to rituximab (Rituxan, Genentech) and not being vaccinated. Factors linked to death included infection during the alpha or delta periods, existing pulmonary disease and older age. Vaccination against COVID-19 was protective, according to the researchers.
Since the outset of the pandemic, the clinical features of COVID-19 in patients with SAIRDs have changed, with fewer hospitalizations and deaths during the latest phase, similar to the general population, Papagoras and colleagues wrote. This overview of the Greek COVID-19 registry shows that the major determinants for this shift was the acquisition of large-scale anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity, particularly through vaccination, as well as the dominance of the omicron virus strain, which appears to cause a less severe disease.
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House lawmakers investigating COVID pandemic demand testimony of top Cuomo aide on nursing home deaths
by Alex Weidner
Melissa DeRosa, a top aide to former Governor Andrew Cuomo. (FILE)
Albany, NY (WRGB)
Former Andrew Cuomo top aide Melissa DeRosa is finding herself in hot water with a congressional subcommittee. In a letter to DeRosa, Ohio Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup says DeRosa's memoir contradicts her own statements on her involvement with a New York State mandate that put COVID-positive patients back into nursing homes at the height of the pandemic.
The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic requested DeRosa's testimony this month. The panel is looking into the March 25, 2020 order from then-Governor Cuomo's Department of Health, and allegations of a cover up of the thousands of deaths blamed on it.
The subcommittee points to DeRosa's book, "What's Left Unsaid"-- which includes an entire chapter on the nursing home controversy. Part of the letter reads:
DeRosa would have the panel believe she doesn't have possession of any notes or journals used in writing that part of the book, a claim backed up by her attorney Greg Morvillo.
In calling again on DeRosa to testify, the subcommittee suggests she was involved in the administration's decision on nursing home residents, and the subsequent cover up. Excerpted from the letter:
"The Committees position is factually wrong," adds Morvillo. "There is nothing in Ms. DeRosas memoir that says this in fact, the Committee members claim to have read Ms. DeRosas book, but anyone who has actually read the book would know that this comment is clearly and factually inaccurate."
Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Andrew Cuomo, tells CBS 6, "Counsel is responding to the letter, but lets be clear the data they seek - which has already been reviewed twice by the DOJ, as well as the State Assembly and the AG, all of which found no there, there - is with the state. Once again, it's unfortunate that some DC politicians are seeking to transparently weaponize people's pain to advance a political agenda."
DeRosa has until January 19, 2024 to testify before the subcommittee, under penalty of criminal prosecution.
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Although COVID-19 hospital admissions in suburban Cook County continue to be low, they have almost doubled since the beginning of November; and emergency room visits associated with COVID have been trending upward since early October.
That is why Cook County Department of Public Health is urging residents to take precautions when gathering with their families and friends for the holidays.
We want to encourage Cook County residents to remain vigilant during this holiday season, said Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, chief operating officer of Cook County Department of Public Health.
The single most important way to protect yourself and your families from COVID, flu, and RSV is to stay up to date with recommended vaccinations. Its science at work. Its safe. Its proven. And it works.
According toCook County Department of Public Healthdata for the week ending Nov. 25, there are seven COVID-19 hospital admissions for every 100,000 residents of suburban Cook County. Most admissions are among those age 65 and older.
The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is an early indicator of COVID-19 activity. Wastewater viral concentrations are currently at the highest levels seen so far this year, indicating ongoing community transmission.
As of Dec. 1, 10% of Cook County residents have received the 2023-2024 updated annual COVID-19 vaccine.Everyone 6 months and older should get updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines each year. Immunization for RSV is recommended for infants; and the RSV vaccine is recommended for pregnant women and adults 60 years and older. Adults can receive the RSV, COVID-19, and flu vaccines at the same time.
In addition to staying up to date on all recommended vaccinations, Cook County Department of Public Health recommends residents take the following precautions when gathering during the holidays:
Find more information and resources about vaccinations atBoostUpCookCounty.com.
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily Newscriticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.
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Data backs use of Scinai's aerosolized NanoAbs as a platform for the treatment of hyperinflammatory viral diseases, addressing significant medical needs
JERUSALEM, Dec. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq: SCNI), a biopharmaceutical company focused on development of inflammation and immunology (I&I) biological products,is pleased to announce the publication following peer-review of an article titled "Nanobodies to multiple spike variants and inhalation of nanobody-containing aerosols neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture and hamsters" in the prestigious scientific journal Antiviral Research.
The article discusses a new generation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 NanoAbs, also known as nanobodies or VHH antibodies, developed in a research collaboration between the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (MPI-NAT), the University Medical Center Gttingen (UMG), and Scinai Immunotherapeutics, and exclusively licensed to Scinai. These NanoAbs are alpacaderived recombinant variable domain of heavy-chain-only antibodies.
The Antiviral Research paper covers several aspects of the NanoAbs, including their structure, mechanism of action, neutralization of a wide range of SARS-CoV-2 variants including Omicron, production in yeast, and formulation into aerosols. Moreover, the paper describes in vivo studies indicating that "exposing hamsters to these aerosols, before or even 24h after infection with SARS-CoV-2, significantly reduced virus load, weight loss and pathogenicity," concluding that these results show the great potential of aerosolized NanoAbs for the prevention and treatment of coronavirus infections.
Dr. Tamar Ben-Yedidia, Scinai's Chief Scientist, is a co-author of the paper together with Professor Dirk Grlich, Director at the MPI-NAT, Professor Matthias Dobbelstein at UMG, and others. Ben-Yedidiacommented, "These results are a striking proof-of-concept for the use of inhaled NanoAbs for the treatment of hyperinflammatory respiratory viral diseases. We are proud that our first NanoAb development project has been published in the prestigious peer-reviewed scientific journal Antiviral Research, as it validates our R&D strategy by clearly demonstrating our NanoAbs' potential superiority to existing therapies in several ways, including innate stability leading to more convenient routes of administration such as inhalation. While COVID-19 has dropped from the headlines, it continues to circulate and cause illness. We strongly believe that convenient self-administered treatments and prophylactics form the future of respiratory viral disease pharmaceuticals, andthe data in this paper demonstrates the exciting potential of our NanoAbs to fill this vital role. Indeed, we are currently actively marketing this COVID-19 project for partnering with either pharma companies or governmental health agencies."
"Our next pipeline project is an anti-IL-17 NanoAb for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as plaque psoriasis and psoriasis arthritis. Recent preclinical results have been promising, and I look forward to sharing more results soon," Ben-Yedidia concluded.
Amir Reichman, CEO of Scinai, added "The publication of this prestigious journal article comes at an auspicious time for our company. Scinai continues to make great strides forward, consistent with our previously announced plans. The publication validates the high level of innovative science being conducted both by our partners and in-house, as well as our decision to work with Max Planck and UMG to generate a pipeline of these versatile relatively small molecule biologics. In addition, Scinai Bioservices, our boutique CDMO business unit, now has several customers, strong interest from other potential clients, and financial support of the Israeli Innovation Authority via a competitive grant as we announced last month."
The Antiviral Researchpaper is available online athttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166354223002565. It is currently undergoing copyediting and typesetting and will soon be updated with the final version at this same link.
About Scinai's NanoAbs:
Scinai's NanoAbs are alpacaderived recombinant variable domain of heavy-chain-only antibodies and are also known as nanobodies or VHH antibodies. The Company's pipeline of NanoAbs is being discovered by and licensed out of the prestigious Max Planck Society and the University Medical Center Gttingen (UMG), both in Germany. By leveraging their unique attributes, Scinai's NanoAbs are designed to overcome limitations of existing antibody therapies to create therapeutics that address large and underserved patient populations. Scinai believes that its NanoAbs exhibit potential for several distinct advantages over current leading monoclonal antibody treatments, such as broader safety, effectiveness at very low doses, more convenient routes of administration such as inhalation and intra-dermal injection, and efficient manufacturing and supply chain.
Scinai's development pipeline includes two fully licensed NanoAbs, an anti-SARS-COV-2 NanoAb and an anti-IL-17 NanoAb for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). In addition, Scinai holds a five-year research collaboration agreement with Max Planck and UMG to discover and characterize additional NanoAbs aimed at molecular targets such as IL-13, IL-4, IL-4Ra and TSLP for the treatment of asthma and atopic dermatitis and Ang-2 and VEGF for the treatment of age-related wet macular degeneration. Scinai holds an exclusive option for an exclusive license for each of the NanoAbs discovered through this research collaboration. The pipeline approach affords Scinai considerable flexibility with respect to partnering and spinning out assets, opening enhanced potential to generate income through license fees, milestone payments and royalties, in return for participation in associated R&D costs.
About Scinai Immunotherapeutics:
Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (Nasdaq: SCNI) is a biopharmaceutical company with two complementary business units, one focused on in-house development of inflammation and immunology (I&I) biological products beginning with an innovative, de-risked, pipeline of nanosized VHH antibodies (NanoAbs) targeting diseases with large unmet medical needs, and the other a boutique CDMO providing services to help biotech companies efficiently bring their products to market by leveraging Scinai's drug development and GMP and non-GMP manufacturing capabilities for pre-clinical and clinical studies. Company website: www.scinai.com.
Company Contact
Joshua Phillipson | +972 8 930 2529 | joshua.phillipson@scinai.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expect," "believe," "intend," "plan," "continue," "may," "will," "anticipate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenue, projected expenses, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, the effect of the article titled"Nanobodies to multiple spike variants and inhalation of nanobody-containing aerosols neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture and hamsters" in the scientific journal Antiviral Research. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views with respect to certain current and future events and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause the results to differ materially from those expected by the management of Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company's financial health will not be positively impacted by the amendment of the finance contract; the risk that the Company will not remain listed on Nasdaq; the risk that the Company will not be successful in becoming an end-to-end provider of CDMO services at high international standards; the risk that Scinai may not be able to secure additional capital on attractive terms, if at all; the risk that the therapeutic and commercial potential of NanoAbs will not be met; the risk of a delay in the preclinical and clinical trials data for NanoAbs, if any; the risk that our business strategy may not be successful; the risk that the European Investment Bank (EIB) may accelerate the financial facility under its finance contract with Scinai; Scinai's ability to acquire rights to additional product opportunities; Scinai's ability to enter into collaborations on terms acceptable to Scinai or at all; timing of receipt of regulatory approval of Scinai's manufacturing facility in Jerusalem, if at all or when required; the risk that the manufacturing facility will not be able to be used for a wide variety of applications and other vaccine and treatment technologies; and the risk that drug development involves a lengthy and expensive process with uncertain outcomes. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on April 17, 2023, and the Company's subsequent filings with the SEC. Scinai undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason.
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SOURCE Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd.
LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - British former prime minister Boris Johnson gave his most explicit apology for his handling of the coronavirus crisis on Wednesday, saying his government had been too complacent and "vastly underestimated" the risks posed by the virus.
In an appearance before an official inquiry into the UK's handling of the pandemic, Johnson said he took responsibility for all decisions made and he understood the public's anger after the inquiry heard of government incompetence, backstabbing and misogyny as it battled the biggest health crisis in decades.
Johnson said COVID-19 had first appeared as a "cloud on the horizon" and not the "typhoon" that went on to kill more than 230,000 people in Britain and infect many millions more.
Initially, Johnson said he did not believe the forecasts of fatalities because previous health scares, such as the swine flu pandemic and mad cow disease, ended up with much lower death tolls than first expected.
But Johnson admitted only reading the minutes of the government's key scientific advisory group on a couple of occasions despite the conclusions leading to the biggest restrictions on freedoms in Britain since World War Two.
"Can I say that I understand the feelings of the victims and their families, and I am deeply sorry for the pain and the loss and the suffering," he said at the start of two days of testimony.
Johnson, prime minister for three years between 2019 and 2022, resigned in disgrace after a series of scandals including reports that he, and other officials, had been present at alcohol-fuelled gatherings in Downing Street during 2020 and 2021 when most people in Britain were forced to stay at home.
The inquiry has already heard damaging testimony about his reluctance to lock down, and how he was confused by the science of the virus, which almost killed him.
Johnson was said to have asked at one point if blowing a hair-dryer up his nose could kill COVID and suggested he should be injected with it on live TV. He admitted during his evidence being "bewildered" by data showing the health service could be overwhelmed.
[1/9]Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives evidence at the COVID-19 Inquiry, in London, Britain, December 6, 2023 in this screen grab obtained from a handout video. UK Covid-19 Inquiry/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing Rights
The inquiry gave Johnson a platform to map out his own history of the crisis. Where sometimes he was combative, on another occasion he fought back tears when he described 2020 as a "tragic year".
Britain had been an outlier in Europe at the start of the pandemic, when large public events remained open despite nightly news programmes showing chaotic scenes in Italian hospitals.
The former prime minister faced repeated questions about whether he waited too long to impose a lockdown at the start of 2020 and if that resulted in Britain ending up with one of the world's highest death tolls from the pandemic.
Denying he was indecisive, Johnson said there were constant, conflicting arguments between ministers and officials about how to respond and senior ministers were more reluctant than he was to impose restrictions on the public's movements.
Johnson arrived at the inquiry more than three hours before the hearing began, avoiding the families of some of those who died from COVID-19, who had wanted to confront him.
The start of the session was also disrupted by protesters.
Aamer Anwar, the solicitor representing some bereaved COVID families, said Johnson oversaw "a deadly culture of impunity, incompetence" and treated people like "toxic waste".
The inquiry heard evidence from former advisers that Johnson wanted to let the virus spread rather than order another lockdown and he once replied "let the bodies pile high".
Johnson said abusive messages between officials were sometimes "creatively useful". But he admitted his team would have worked better if it had more women.
In one messages shown to the inquiry, Cummings, who was then Johnson's most senior official, complained in profanity-laden messages that he was "dodging stilettos" from a female colleague and wanted to "handcuff her and escort her" from Downing Street.
Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, Sarah Young and Michael Holden; Editing by Kate Holton, Angus MacSwan, Christina Fincher, Alexandra Hudson
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Studies have suggested that around 1020% of people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 will go on to develop such symptoms, although many of these studies have been conducted in higher-income countries.
However, in low-income countries, many of which are in Africa, the scale of the burden is less clear because of a significant number of asymptomatic or undisclosed infections, and difficulties in accessing testing.
"Low- and middle-income countries do not generally have social safety nets, and the impact of chronic sequelae on the workforce and on families' livelihoods remain a concern. In these countries, health care systems need to also establish post-acute care services where physical, cognitive, and mental health disabilities will be recognised," Luisa Frallonardo, the research lead said.
Frallonardo and colleagues pooled the results of 25 studies from African countries that have reported on the incidence of various types of Long COVID symptoms, including a total of 29,213 participants.
The research found the incidence of any Long COVID symptoms was 48.6% with symptoms more common in older individuals and people who had been hospitalised. The researchers did not find that women were any more likely than men to report ongoing symptoms.
"Long COVID poses a significant burden in Africa, particularly concerning psychiatric conditions. The study recommends identifying at-risk people and defining treatment strategies and recommendations for African long-COVID patients," Frallonardo said.
Fatigue was the most reported symptom, affecting 35.4% of study participants. Frequently debilitating, this is often the first reason patients seek medical assistance, the researchers said.
Also, up to a quarter of patients experienced mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety.
Cognitive impairment, difficulty concentrating and headaches affected 1015% of participants, while 18% of them reported shortness of breath, and 11% experienced heart palpitations.
The researchers urged for additional studies to comprehend the long-term impact on quality of life and workforce activity, as well as the development of optimal therapeutic and prevention strategies for individuals in Africa.
