Top in ID: COVID-19 hospital data, traveling procedures

Last week, hospitals were ordered to send COVID-19 data directly to the Trump administration, bypassing the CDC. It was the top story in infectious disease.

Another top story is about new travel procedures amid the pandemic, which involve wearing masks, paying more attention to cleaning and disinfection practices and ensuring appropriate physical distancing.

Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:

All COVID-19 hospital data to be reported to Trump administration, bypassing CDC

All hospitals will now report COVID-19 patient data directly to HHS. The information will be shared with the CDC, state and local health officials and leaders. Read more.

Traveling during COVID-19 pandemic ‘an opportunity to set a new normal’

As the COVID-19 pandemic heightens concerns regarding national and international travel, Trish Perl, MD, MSc, sees a chance for Americans to change their behaviors. Read more.

Vaccine hesitancy could make it difficult to achieve herd immunity for COVID-19

Anthony S. Fauci, MD, told CNN last month that it is unlikely a COVID-19 vaccine with an efficacy of up to 75% that is taken by two-thirds of the population would be enough to create herd immunity against the novel coronavirus. Read more.

In NYC, COVID-19 outcomes not worse among patients with HIV

Patients with HIV who were hospitalized with COVID-19 during the peak of the spring epidemic in New York City did not experience worse outcomes than patients without HIV who were hospitalized with COVID-19, researchers reported. Read more.

Congo’s Équateur Province Ebola outbreak alarms health officials

The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Équateur Province has surpassed the total number of cases recorded during the province’s last outbreak in 2018, according to data reported by WHO. Read more.