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New coronavirus subvariant Eris is gaining dominance. Is it fueling an increase in cases?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

Rong-Gong Lin II | (TNS) Los Angeles TimesA new coronavirus subvariant, nicknamed Eris, has rapidly risen to prominence nationwide and is now thought to account for more U.S. cases than any of its counterparts at a time when transmission has been creeping upward.It’s possible the subvariant, formally known as EG.5, may have even further immune-escape advantage than some earlier members of the sprawling Omicron family — a viral dynasty that has dominated the globe since December 2021.But officials emphasize that doesn’t necessarily mean Eris will cause a big wave.“There are a couple of mutations on this particular variant that may have more immune evasion again. But it is very similar, and still a subset variant of Omicron,” California state epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan said in a briefing with health professionals Tuesday.According to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Eris comprised 17.3% of coronavirus specimens nationwide fo...

Hot Property: Waterfront winner in Wareham

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

Boston just had its last post-8 p.m. sunset until next summer so we’ve got the perfect antidote to the end-of-summertime blues.It comes in the form of a waterfront home peering out over Wareham Harbor. Not only will 5 Oak Hill Road let you enjoy every bit of these last warm months, it’s also situated in peak cranberry country.The new owners get to snag a front-row seat to the comings and goings of the harbor, epic sunsets, and nature’s transition into New England fall colors.From your wraparound first-level deck, a lovely coastal scene unfolds with boats mooring nearby. Inside, the property boasts a spacious three-level, 5,376-square-foot interior living space that underwent a complete rebuild in 2018 that included all utilities.The main floor seamlessly integrates a gourmet kitchen, dining area, and a lounge-ready living room with fireplace, with a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water. A thoughtfully designed layout offers a bedroom, a full bathroom, and convenien...

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Tips for cancer patients to stay safe in the summer

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

Cynthia Weiss | Mayo Clinic News Network (TNS)DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have diabetes and high blood pressure. I take medication but have committed to a healthier lifestyle, including daily walks outside, swimming and other outdoor activities with my family. Recently, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. As temperatures begin to soar, I am concerned about whether the heat will affect me. Are there things I should know or do to stay safe?ANSWER: Keeping your body cool during extremely high temperatures is important, regardless of any medical conditions. As a cancer patient, it’s essential to take extra care during the hot summer months since cancer treatments can make your body more sensitive to the sun and heat.When temperatures soar, the heat can take a toll on the body, mind and spirit. A recent study noted an increased incidence of people going to the emergency department with psychiatric and mental health-related concerns during periods of high heat.In addition to physical discom...

Hawaii leaders assess wildfire damage as Maui rescue operations continue. Follow live updates

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

By REBECCA BOONE (Associated Press)Follow live updates about wildfires racing across part of Maui in Hawaii, destroying sections of a historic town on the island and forcing some to flee to the relative safety of the ocean, where the Coast Guard rescued them. The fires forced evacuations in some areas, including the popular tourist spot of Lahaina. The National Weather Service says Hurricane Dora, which is passing south of the island chain at a safe distance, was partly to blame for strong winds driving the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters.Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and Federal Emergency Management Agency staffers headed to Maui on Thursday morning to assess the damage from devastating wildfires, Schatz wrote on social media.Emergency rescue, recovery and firefighting operations were still underway, so the group would be careful not to interfere with those efforts, Schatz wrote on the X platform, previously known as Twitter.“...

Healey appoints Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker to POST Commission

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

Gov. Maura Healey has appointed Framingham Police Department Chief Lester Baker to the state’s police licensing commission, filling out one of two vacant spots on the powerful board that regulates police conduct and certifications, a source told the Herald.Baker was sworn-in Thursday morning, according to the source, and replaces Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn, who left the force last month. A spokesperson for the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission referred questions to the governor’s office, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Baker was present for a virtual Thursday morning meeting of the POST Commission where Executive Director Enrique Zuniga acknowledged his presence at the outset of the meeting.“Welcome, Commissioner Baker, it’s good to have you,” Zuniga said before launching into an update on a disciplinary records database and officer recertifications.A spokesperson for the City of Framingham did not immediately respond to a req...

4 ways restarting student loan payments could impact economy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

By Elizabeth Renter | NerdWalletAfter more than three years of an interest-free payment pause on federal student loans, millions of Americans will soon be on the hook for monthly payments. The effects could be felt across the economy.How resuming payments will affect a single borrower varies widely, depending on, among other things, whether they stopped making payments at all, how much debt they have, the repayment program they’re in, and their current and future expected income. It also depends on the other expenses competing for a piece of their monthly budget. Because so many people are affected — 43.6 million people hold federal student loan debt, according to the Department of Education — the impact to the economy stands to be broad even if some borrowers don’t have a difficult time adjusting.Currently, there is $1.6 trillion in federal student loan debt outstanding, according to data from the New York Fed’s first quarter Household Debt and Credit Report. This will come down by...

Column: Finding mecca, a journey into Chicago’s basketball culture

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

In order to find mecca, one must take a journey.For four Wednesdays this summer, fans in the flyest pairs of sneakers and trendiest fashions lined up at a high rise in the city’s West Loop neighborhood. Some show up an hour or more before the start time of the Jumpman Summer Series to ensure they can get into one of the most exclusive basketball events.Basketball, local basketball, is a dominant color in the fabric of Chicago’s sports culture. It has birthed high school legends whose names still carry weight in local gyms and NBA stars whose impact on the game will be remembered for years to come.Over the past two weeks, I’ve attended both the Summer Series and Wilson basketball’s Chi-League held at Whitney Young High School. Current NBA players such as Dalen Terry (Chicago Bulls), Wendell Carter Jr. (Orlando Magic), Kendrick Nunn (Washington Wizards) and Talen Horton-Tucker (Utah Jazz) can be seen playing alongside NBA G-League, WNBA and college players incl...

Maui surveys the burned wreckage caused by the deadliest US wildfire in years

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

By AUDREY MCAVOY, JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER and NICK PERRY (Associated Press)WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — The search of the wildfire wreckage on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of burned out homes and obliterated communities as firefighters battled the stubborn blaze that has already claimed 36 lives, making it the deadliest in the U.S. in recent years.Fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane, the fire started Tuesday and took the island by surprise, racing through parched growth and neighborhoods in the historic town of Lahaina, a tourist destination that dates to the 1700s and is the biggest community on the island’s west side.Maui County said late Wednesday that at least 36 people had died, making it the deadliest U.S. blaze since the 2018 Camp Fire in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise. The Hawaii toll could rise, though, as rescuers reach parts of the island that had been unreacha...

How San Diegans can help those affected by Maui wildfires

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- As wildfires ravage Maui, thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes with little to no belongings. With the confirmed death toll surpassing 35 people Thursday, many here at home in San Diego County are asking how they can help. Locally-based MMA fighter Ilima-Lei Macfarlane -- a Hawaii native -- is raising funds and accepting donations through her non-profit known as the Nā Wahine Toa Foundation. ‘It felt like we were in hell’: Men jump in ocean to escape Maui fire "Maui will need help in the rebuilding and resettlement phase...San Diego, let’s activate and stockpile what we can until it’s time to send the kākoʻo," Macfarlane wrote on Instagram.The Hawaiian fighter announced four drop-off locations throughout the county where donations can be made over the next few weeks. Here's a list of those spots with hours of operation:-- 10th Planet San Diego: Located at 6008 Mission Gorge Rd. in San Diego, donations will be accepted Monday-Friday from 6 a.m. to n...

Italy probes a migrant boat disaster that left 41 feared dead. Four survivors tell a harrowing tale

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:06:00 GMT

ROME (AP) — An Italian prosecutor investigating last week’s capsizing that left 41 migrants feared dead in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday denounced Tunisia-based smugglers who launch boats so badly built that they quickly take on water, overturn or break apart. The capsizing earlier this week was the latest in a string of similar recent tragedies that have killed dozens of people who entrusted themselves to smugglers based on Tunisia’s shores to reach Italy in hopes of finding a better life.Four young migrants who were rescued by a passing merchant ship following the Aug. 4 capsizing told doctors and police on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa where they were brought on Wednesday that they survived by clinging to air tubes for hours. They and a few other survivors spotted an empty boat and struggled to reach it. But only the four of them made it to the boat and climbed aboard — only to find the iron-hulled, open-topped vessel had no engine. State TV reported that t...