coronavirus outbreak

As new coronavirus cases and virus-related deaths drop across the United States, the nation is now facing another challenge in its battle against the pandemic: new virus variants.

On Monday, President Joe Biden reinstated travel rules to help slow the spread of the virus. The restrictions will be on non-American travelers from Brazil, Ireland, the United Kingdom and 26 other European countries, as well as South Africa.

Three new COVID-19 vaccination sites are opening across the state today. This comes as more people are eligible to get the vaccine. Right now, people ages 75 and older are eligible as part of the state’s Phase 1b plan. That will be expanded to other groups in the coming weeks and months. As of last week, the state had administered…

MGM Springfield will return to 24-hour operations starting Friday, Jan. 29, according to a spokesperson with MGM Resorts International. This comes as Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is set to ease some restrictions related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic on Monday. An order requiring all businesses to close by 9:30 p.m. will be lifted. Health officials say COVID-19 data in Mass….

On his first full day in office, President Joe Biden signed 10 executive orders aimed at combating the coronavirus pandemic, including one broadening the use of the Defense Production Act to expand vaccine production.

Thursday marks exactly one year since the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reported the nation’s first confirmed case of the coronavirus – on Jan. 21, 2020

Lawmakers are poised on Thursday to dig into whether staff and labor issues might have exacerbated a catastrophic COVID-19 outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. A legislative committee convened to investigate the tragedy that led to the deaths of at least 76 veterans early in the pandemic who resided at the home will hold a hearing focusing on testimony from…

As the United States struggles with its coronavirus vaccine rollout, President-elect Joe Biden’s top health officials are confident there will be enough coronavirus vaccine doses to meet the incoming administration’s goal of inoculating 100 million people in 100 days. The country desperately needs the vaccines as the virus continues to spread across much of the country. On Monday, California became...

As the United States struggles with its coronavirus vaccine rollout, President-elect Joe Biden pledged Friday to maximize the available supply of vaccines and materials needed to administer them when he takes office on Wednesday. He also unveiled a $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” to confront the virus and provide temporary support for a shaky economy. So far, more than 11…

President-elect Joe Biden outlined his administration’s vaccination plan on Friday as the U.S. has seen more than 23 million confirmed coronavirus cases and over 392,000 deaths, according to NBC News. So far, more than 11 million Americans, or 3% of the total U.S. population, have received their first shot. But rapid expansion of COVID-19 vaccinations to senior citizens across the…

The United States on Wednesday surpassed 23 million confirmed coronavirus cases, the same day that Texas became the second state to top 2 million cases, according to a tally by NBC News.

The state’s COVID-19 positivity rate once again decreased, this time to 4.37%, as 17 more deaths were reported since Wednesday. There is now a total of 6,553 COVID-related deaths. Of over 22,000 tests performed, 968 came back positive. The state’s 7-day rolling positivity rate average is 7% and is relatively steady, but trending upwards a bit, according to Gov. Ned…

California, which has been suffering through a surge in coronavirus cases, saw a rare bright spot Wednesday as enough northern counties saw their COVID-19 rates fall to allow some reopening.

President-elect Joe Biden received his second dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Monday as the nation continues to ramp up its vaccination campaign.

People over the age of 75 can start making appointments to get the coronavirus vaccine as early as this week as the state gets ready to move into phase 1b of vaccine distribution. Starting Monday, providers will be able to fill vaccination appointments for those over the age of 75, according to Governor Ned Lamont. The governor said that starting…

Over the weekend, the United States topped 22 million virus cases and 374,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News.

It took just 39 new coronavirus cases for health authorities in China to put almost 11 million people into lockdown in the city of Shijiazhuang, NBC News reports. Health officials took no chances on Wednesday, sealing off the capital of the industrial Hebei province and ordering a mass testing drive. Travel restrictions were put in place in the remainder of the region, which...

As the coronavirus continues to spread in what is believed to be a post-holiday surge, the United States has reported more than 21.6 million virus cases and 365,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News.

A COVID-19 variant first found in the United Kingdom and believed to be more easily transmitted has arrived in New England, with Connecticut confirming two cases this week. The office of Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Thursday the variant, known as B.1.1.7, was found in two people between the ages of 15 and 25 who reside in New Haven County….

A COVID-19 variant first found in the United Kingdom and believed to be more easily transmitted is now in Connecticut after the state confirmed two cases on Thursday, the governor’s office announced. The variant, known as B.1.1.7, was found in two people between the ages of 15 and 25 who reside in New Haven County, according to the state. One…