Health

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida hospitals slammed with COVID-19 patients are suspending elective surgeries and putting beds in conference rooms, an auditorium and a cafeteria. As of midweek, Mississippi had just six open intensive care beds in the entire state.

Vaccine maker Novavax announced Thursday it has asked regulators in India, Indonesia and the Philippines to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine -- offering its shot to some low-income countries before rich ones with ample supplies.

BEIJING (AP) — The delta variant is challenging China’s costly strategy of isolating cities, prompting warnings that Chinese leaders who were confident they could keep the coronavirus out of the country need a less disruptive approach.

Can I get ‘long COVID’ if I’m infected after vaccination?

It's unclear, but researchers are studying the chances of long-term symptoms developing in anyone who might get infected after vaccination.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — It didn't take much for the White House to set Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis off. As coronavirus cases rise across the Sun Belt, President Joe Biden asked GOP governors to “get out of the way” of efforts to contain the virus.

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo reported 5,042 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, its most since the pandemic began as infections surge in the Japanese capital hosting the Olympics.

Tokyo has been under a state of emergency since mid-July, and four other areas of the country have since been added.

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey students from kindergarten to 12th grade will be required to wear masks in schools when the new year begins in a few weeks, Gov. Phil Murphy is set to announce Friday as COVID-19 cases rise in the state.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan is playing host to the Tokyo Olympics. But the capital, as well as other populous areas, are in the middle of a government-declared “state of emergency” to curb surging COVID-19 infections.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Karen Colby thought she could make it through an unprecedented Pacific Northwest heat wave with a little help from her neighbor, who dribbled cold water on her head and visited every hour to wrap frozen towels around her neck.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, went into a sixth lockdown on Thursday, with a state government leader blaming the nation’s slow COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

TOKYO (AP) — The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California will require all of its roughly 2.2 million health care workers and long term care workers to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30 as the nation's most populous state is losing ground in the battle against new infections of a more dangerous coronavirus variant.

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Kirk Cousins returned to practice with the Minnesota Vikings and vowed to go to even greater lengths for social distancing in order to keep the virus away and stay on the field.

SAO PAULO (AP) — The Brazilian Supreme Court's chief justice said Thursday he cancelled a meeting that had been intended to mollify President Jair Bolsonaro and avert institutional crisis after the far-right leader continued railing against the court's justices.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Staff members and students from kindergarten to 12th grade will be required to wear masks in New Jersey schools when the new year begins in a few weeks, Gov. Phil Murphy is set to announce Friday as COVID-19 cases rise in the state.

HONOLULU (AP) — A San Francisco investment banker recently sold his Maui mansion to a retired hedge fund CEO and a Hollywood actress for $45 million.

The cash sale of the oceanfront house in Kihei reflects a hot Hawaii real estate market fueled by a pandemic that has made the islands a desirable place to isolate and work remotely.

NEW YORK (AP) — CNN has fired three employees who violated company policy by coming to work unvaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

CNN chief Jeff Zucker told staff members of the firing in a memo sent Thursday that reminded them that vaccines were mandatory if they report to the office or out in the field where they come into contact with other employees.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Honky tonk honk if you love racing! There’s a new sound of this musical city that drowns out the country tunes at the Grand Ole Opry and the cacophony coming from bands playing at every bar — and the party people hanging from the rafters — as you walk down Broadway.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearing decision time, senators are wrapping up work on the bipartisan infrastructure plan and talks were underway late Thursday to expedite consideration and voting on the nearly $1 trillion proposal.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi's top health official said the delta coronavirus variant is “sweeping across Mississippi like a tsunami” as the state reported more than 3,000 new cases of the highly transmittable virus in a single day Thursday.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — State lawmakers told Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday that their ongoing investigation of his conduct in office is almost done and gave him a deadline of Aug. 13 to provide additional evidence as they moved toward what seemed like an increasingly inevitable impeachment battle.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Teen tennis sensation Coco Gauff said she was supposed to get her first vaccine shot the same week she got COVID-19, which forced her to pull out of the Tokyo Olympics and has left her without her sense of smell.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas’ ban on mask mandates faced new legal challenges -- including from a school district where more than 800 staff and students are quarantining because of a COVID-19 outbreak -- and defiance from the mayor of the state capital as Republican lawmakers rejected efforts to roll back the prohibition.

After a delay of more than four months caused by the pandemic, data from the 2020 census used for drawing congressional and legislative districts will be released next week, the U.S. Census Bureau said Thursday.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Lawmakers from the Virginia House and Senate were set to begin negotiations Thursday over the spending plan for Virginia’s share of federal coronavirus relief money after the two chambers passed different versions of the bill.

Plant-based meat maker Beyond Meat said Thursday that its revenue jumped 32% in the second quarter as demand from restaurants returned.

But the company's shares dropped after it forecast lower-than-expected third-quarter sales.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Most of Virginia’s state workers will have to be vaccinated or agree to regular COVID-19 testing, under a new requirement Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The judge overseeing the trial of a former suburban Minneapolis police officer who is charged in the death of Daunte Wright has denied a request to broadcast the proceedings, saying in a ruling Thursday that the public and media will have ample space to view the trial in the courtroom or in designated overflow rooms.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The next test for Republican candidates who hope to oust Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in a September recall election comes this weekend with a fight over a coveted endorsement by the California Republican Party.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico will step in to ensure a timely chile harvest after growers and producers raised concerns about an inadequate supply of labor, Lt. Gov. Howie Morales announced.

The state will funnel up to $5 million in federal pandemic relief toward enhanced wages for laborers who harvest New Mexico's renowned green and red chile crop in the late summer and early fall, along with cabbage and onions, Morales said Wednesday.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — British-born singer Yola broke through in 2019 with her critically acclaimed solo record “Walk Through Fire” that earned her four Grammy nominations after decades working as a singer and songwriter.