Health Ministry deputy chief: Second coronavirus wave in summer expected

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/health-ministry-deputy-prepare-for-second-coronavirus-wave-in-summer-627511

Deputy Director-General of the Health Ministry Itamar Grotto insisted that despite improvements in coronavirus conditions around the country, we must be prepared for a second wave in summer.

 

Reopenings spark new virus flareups as global infection total passes 4 million

https://www.timesofisrael.com/reopenings-spark-new-virus-flareups-as-global-infection-total-passes-4-million/

South Korea, Germany, Italy fret about fresh outbreaks after easing lockdowns; worldwide death toll hits 279,000; New York reports possible virus-linked fatal complications in kids

 

Virus Conspiracists Elevate a New Champion

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/09/technology/plandemic-judy-mikovitz-coronavirus-disinformation.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

A video showcasing baseless arguments by Dr. Judy Mikovits, including attacks on Dr. Anthony Fauci, has been viewed more than eight million times in the past week.

 

Seen 'Plandemic'? We Take A Close Look At The Viral Conspiracy Video's Claims

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/08/852451652/seen-plandemic-we-take-a-close-look-at-the-viral-conspiracy-video-s-claims

 

A slickly produced 26-minute video called Plandemic has exploded on social media in recent days, claiming to present a view of COVID-19 that differs from the "official" narrative.

The video has been viewed millions of times on YouTube via links that are replaced as quickly as the video-sharing service can remove them for violating its policy against "COVID-19 misinformation."

In it, filmmaker Mikki Willis conducts an uncritical interview with Judy Mikovits, who he says has been called "one of the most accomplished scientists of her generation."

Never heard of her? You're not alone.

Two prominent scientists with backgrounds in AIDS research and infectious diseases, who asked not to be identified over concerns of facing a backlash on social media, told NPR that they did not know who she was.

If you were aware of Mikovits before this week, it is probably for two books she published with co-author Kent Heckenlively, one in 2017 and another last month. Heckenlively has also written a book himself espousing the discredited link between autism and the vaccines. You might also know Mikovits for her central role in a pair of scientific controversies. One involves a paper she co-authored in 2009 that was published in the journal Science, and the other concerns allegations that she stole notebooks and a laptop from a laboratory.

Trump and some top aides question accuracy of virus death toll

https://www.axios.com/trump-coronavirus-death-toll-d8ba60a4-316b-4d1e-8595-74970c15fb34.html

President Trump has complained to advisers about the way coronavirus deaths are being calculated, suggesting the real numbers are actually lower — and a number of his senior aides share this view, according to sources with direct knowledge.

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What did China do about early outbreak?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52573137

T he US and other countries have raised questions about whether China was fully transparent when the virus first emerged there.

So what do we know about what happened in China, and what did it say and do about the outbreak?

Here's our timeline:

Republicans threaten to sanction Jordan for not extraditing terrorist

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/republicans-threaten-to-sanction-jordan-for-not-extraditing-terrorist-627444

This signals an increase in pressure on Jordan to extradite Ahlam Al-Tamimi, who facilitated the bombing of a Jerusalem Sbarro restaurant that killed 15 people, including two Americans, in 2001.

Storm builds around Barr over dropping of Flynn case

https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/496895-storm-builds-around-barr-over-dropping-of-flynn-case

Democrats and other critics are seizing on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to drop the case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn, arguing it shows how heavily politicized it has become under Attorney General William Barr.

Anger over the extraordinary move by Justice to drop charges even after it secured a guilty plea has created a new political storm around Barr, who had previously angered Democrats for his handling of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation

Sweden's death rate from COVID-19 surpasses USA

https://www.9news.com.au/world/coronavirus-sweden-death-toll-covid19-rate-greater-than-usa/2ff8dd35-ecdc-42b8-bc89-5da7736f52cd

 

The Scandinavian nation controversially rejected the stricter lockdown approach of other countries in their strategy to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping most schools open, as well as stores and restaurants.

According to data from John Hopkins University, now Sweden has a death rate of 297.16 for every 1 million citizens, after 3,040 died from coronavirus. There have been 24,623 confirmed COVID-19 cases and so far 4,074 have recovered.

Comparatively the death rate in the US is 226.33 per 1 million citizens, after 74,239 have passed away from the virus.

In Sweden the lockdown-free approach has seen their death toll far exceed that of their Scandinavian neighbours like Denmark (514), Norway (217) and Finland (255) who have imposed strict measures to try and contain the spread of COVID-19.

‘Playing Russian Roulette’: Nursing Homes Told to Take the Infected

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/us/nursing-homes-coronavirus.html

California, New Jersey and New York have made nursing homes accept Covid-19 patients from hospitals. Residents and workers fear the policy is risking lives.

Criticized on Virus, Trump Goes to His Playbook: Deflect, Reject and Minimize

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/07/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-fact-check.html

The president has served up a series of false and misleading statements as he seeks to counter uncomfortable facts about the spread of Covid-19 and questions about his push to reopen the economy.