Study: Not all masks protect you equally
Fitted N95 masks are the most effective at filtering respiratory droplets from the mask’s wearer while neck fleeces offer little protection compared with others, a team of Duke University researchers found.
Using 14 commonly available masks as well as a professional fit-tested N95 and a patch of mask material, the researchers set up an experiment using a laser light and camera to show how many respiratory droplets are emitted when a person wearing each kind of mask speaks for 10 seconds.
Each mask was tested 10 times, and the results show that in addition to fitted N95 masks, surgical and cotton masks are also most effective at filtering droplets. Knitted masks and bandannas, similar to neck fleeces, offered little protection.
The U.S. has recorded more than 163,000 deaths and 5 million cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there have been more than 732,000 deaths and 19.9 million cases.
‘No way’ virus leaked, Chinese officials say
Officials at the Wuhan Institute of Virology shot down a claim that the virus originated at their lab before spreading around the world, as NBC News provided an inside look at the facility.
In the first report by a foreign news organization from the lab, NBC News met with scientists who said they have been unfairly scapegoated as they continue to research the origins of the virus.
“Any person would inevitably feel very angry or misunderstood being subject to unwarranted or malicious accusations while carrying out research and related work in the fight against the virus,” Wang Yanyi, director of the lab, told NBC News.
President Donald Trump has claimed without evidence that the virus originated in the Wuhan facility. The lab is equipped to study coronaviruses and other dangerous diseases. Yuan Zhiming, vice director of the institute, told NBC News that it first received samples of the virus on Dec. 30, but the news outlet could not verify the claim.
97,000 children test positive in two weeks
At least 97,000 children in the United States tested positive in the last two weeks of July alone, according to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.
All told, more than 338,000 children have been infected since the pandemic began, according to the report, which relied on data from 49 states along with Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam.
NY registers lowest COVID-19 positivity rate
New York took another major step in its recovery Sunday when the state reported its lowest positivity rate since the beginning of the pandemic.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the rate – the average number of positive results for every 100 tests – hit a record low 0.78% on Saturday. Both the state and New York City have been at some version of the final stage of reopening for at least 20 days, and Cuomo said the current number of ICU patients – 131 – was the state’s lowest since March 16.
New Zealand: 100 days without new cases
New Zealand marked 100 days without a local transmission of COVID-19 on Sunday. “Achieving 100 days without community transmission is a significant milestone, however, as we all know, we can’t afford to be complacent,” Director-General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield said. There are 23 active cases in managed isolation facilities, the ministry said.