In the new year, the epidemic is not far away,
Australians seem to be in lately
Struggling in the new wave of the epidemic!
Many people find that the people around them have been tricked again!
Even, according to media reports,
168 deaths in 1 month in Victoria!
The new crown variant is menacing...
Such Australians are less likely to be infected!
01
168 deaths in 1 month, the new crown continues
In the new year, the new crown is still not far away from us... Many people find that the people around them have been tricked again!
The Herald Sun recently reported that more than 100 Victorian nursing homes are battling a COVID outbreak with the arrival of a new and highly contagious strain, JN.1.
澳洲卫生与老年护理部（Department of Health and Aged Care）的最新数据显示：
As of 4 January, there were 115 outbreaks in Victoria's care homes, with 425 residents and 156 staff.
According to the report, the mask rules in many nursing homes are lax, and the best thing is temporary and the bad one is that it does not exist at all, and many nursing home staff do not even insist on wearing masks.
(Image source: Herald Sun)
The Herald Sun reported on Saturday that nearly 380 Victorians were hospitalised with Covid every day that week.
Surveillance data released by Victorian Health on 5 January showed an average of 377 people were hospitalised each day for the week, up from 307 a day the week before.
The average number of patients in intensive care units also increased during the week, from 19 to 23, while tragically, 168 Victorians died in the most recent reporting period (22 November to 19 December 2023).
Victoria's chief health officer, Clare Looker, has warned that community transmission of COVID cases is on the rise, with hospitalisations soaring in recent weeks.
The surge in cases is due to the spread of a new variant, JN.1, which is now the dominant variant in Victoria.
(Image source: Herald Sun)
She advised Victorians to start wearing masks, get a booster shot, open windows and doors to get fresh air, and get outdoors where possible.
If they develop symptoms, they should also stay at home, get tested for Covid, and if they are very unwell or eligible, see a doctor for advice on antiviral medications.
At the same time, health authorities have stepped up warnings about the growing number of otherwise healthy young Victorians being diagnosed with long COVID.
Some public health and medical experts have warned that more and more young and middle-aged Victorians will face chronic fatigue, health problems and even disability in the future due to the direct consequences of long COVID.
Many of these people may not be able to work, care for their families, or participate fully in the community, which will create a second Covid crisis for the state.
02
These people are less likely to be infected
Covid is still not over, but there are studies that show that some people are less susceptible to infection...
The Herald Sun reported on January 10 that a new study shows that vegetarians are nearly 40% less likely to contract the new coronavirus than meat eaters, because vegetarians' predominantly plant-based diets may help them better defend themselves against the new coronavirus.
But a newly published international study shows that vegetarians are at a lower risk of contracting the coronavirus.
Researchers say the nutrients they get from vegetables may help their immune systems fight off the coronavirus.
"Even when factors such as weight and exercise are taken into account, people who are predominantly vegetarian are still less likely to contract COVID," the study said. ”
(Image source: Herald Sun)
These findings have prompted researchers to suggest eating more vegetables and nuts and less dairy and meat, as it may help people fight off the coronavirus.
Vegetarians typically eat more vegetables, legumes, and nuts and less dairy and meat. ”
The Brazilian study looked at 702 adult volunteers who contracted COVID between March and July 2022, including the severity and duration of symptoms.
"Vegetarians are 39% less likely to be infected than meat eaters," it found. ”
Meat eaters are also more likely to have moderate to severe symptoms than vegetarians.
03
Australia has set off a new wave of epidemics
Australia's COVID hospitalisation is increasing rapidly, with multiple highly contagious subvariants spreading across the country.
Two new Covid variants swept through NSW during the holiday season and are believed to be responsible for a new wave of disease.
(Image source: News)
According to News Corp Australia, BA2.86, known as Pirola, is the same as Omicron BA. A variant of the 2 subtype and is the ancestor of the currently dominant JN. 1.
As of January 6, more than three-fifths of Australia's new crown cases were caused by JN. 1 subtype variant.
These two strains have about 60 more spike protein mutations than the original coronavirus and more than 30 more than other Omicron variants, such as BA.2 and XBB.1.5.
A study from Ohio State University found that Pirola was able to infect cells in the lower lungs and entered the cell membrane more efficiently than other versions of Omicron, leading to an increase in hospitalizations.
NSW, Victoria and Queensland have all suffered from a new wave of infections and hospitalisations.
(Image source: News)
According to NSW Health Head James McAnulty, about 1,400 people are presenting to the emergency department each week with the virus, 400 of whom require hospitalisation.
"That's just the number of people who come to the hospital, so we know that there are a lot of people who aren't sick enough to need to be hospitalized or go to the emergency room," he noted. ”
He said, "COVID hospitalizations have been climbing since mid-October, initially driven by the XBB.1.5 subtype variant, and since early December, JN. Subtype 1 variants have emerged and are now dominant in Queensland. ”
(Image source: News)
Tony Cunningham of the University of Sydney and the Westmead Institute of Medical Research believes the virus has "a life of its own".
"Basically we're going through two successive waves, the Omicron variants are not as pathogenic as Delta, but they do cause problems for the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. ”
Benjamin Schwessinger of the Australian National University described the new variant as "more toxic" than previous variants.
Schwessinger urged the government to consider reintroducing mask-wearing measures in high-risk settings, such as hospitals and elderly care facilities, as in Spain, to prevent further large-scale outbreaks.