COVID Variants Gain Ground; Kids and Online Sexual Abuse; Exploding E-Bike Batteries

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COVID subvariants BQ1 and BQ1.1 are gaining ground, making up around 5.7% each of the total U.S. cases in the last week according to CDC data.

More COVID-19 cases are emerging in China, with 1,026 new infections on Saturday. (Reuters)

Germany’s health minister said he favors a more cautious approach to COVID-19 amid a rise in new cases. (AP)

COVID-19 patients who had behavioral health conditions stayed at the hospital longer, a report in Massachusetts found. (Center for Health Information and Analysis)

As of Monday at 8:00 a.m. ET, the unofficial COVID toll in the U.S. reached 96,952,199 cases and 1,065,109 deaths, increases of 252,946 cases and 2,545 deaths since this time a week ago.

Inflation rose faster than medical costs for the first time in more than three decades. (USA Today)

South Dakota may be the last Republican-controlled state for the time being to expand Medicaid if voters approve an upcoming referendum. (Politico)

Following a lawsuit, CMS must release audits of private Medicare Advantage Health plans suspected of overcharging the government by hundreds of millions of dollars. (KHN)

Survey data showed a considerable proportion of youth experienced online sexual offenses and abuse, including dating abuse, sexual bullying, and sexual harassment in addition to events perpetrated by adult predators. (JAMA Network Open)

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to commit $1.2 billion to eradicate polio globally. (AP)

Residents of two districts in Uganda may not enter or leave after the president imposed a lockdown to contain an Ebola outbreak. (AP)

In India, the Serum Institute will manufacture 20,000-30,000 doses of a new Ebola vaccine to fight the Uganda outbreak. (Reuters)

A new dengue vaccine could also be on the horizon from Japanese company Takeda. (AP)

In Omaha, Nebraska, a zoo closed some of its exhibits after one of its pelicans died from bird flu. (AP)

E-bikes sold at Walmart and Amazon are being recalled due to exploding lithium batteries that have burned riders. (CBS)

A surge in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases is sending increasing numbers of children to the hospital, doctors in five states reported, straining their pediatric bed capacity. (CNBC)

Cases of influenza and similar viral illnesses, are higher than usual this year, the CDC reported, especially in the Southeast and central USA. (NBC)

Abbott Labs is again recalling lots of some baby formulas, but according to a spokesperson, it’s “less than a days’ worth” of the total used in the U.S. (CNN)

Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest are growing, prompting a red flag warning and bringing unhealthy air quality to the Willamette Valley. (Salem Statesman Journal)