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A study yesterday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine from researchers at the Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) reviews all current literature on athletes, sudden cardiac arrest, and myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccines, and finds that athletes engaged in intensive activity are not at increased risk for heart complications following vaccination. On social media platforms, COVID-19 vaccines have been named the cause of cardiac arrest in young athletes, most recently Bronny James, LeBron James' college basketball-playing son who suffered a sudden heart attack while practicing for the University of Southern California last month. (Soucheray, 8/11)

A number of different conditions can lead to cardiac arrest: arrhythmic causes [relating to an irregular heartbeat], arterial causes [when the arteries can’t provide enough blood to the heart], or heart muscle causes. (Purtill, 7/26)

The two main indicators that federal health officials use to track COVID-19 activity—hospitalizations and deaths—both registered small rises this week, as did other indicators of virus activity, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Starting from very low levels, hospitalizations for COVID rose 12.5% this week compared to last week. Though levels have now risen for the fifth straight week, COVID admissions still make up a small percentage of all hospitalizations. (Schnirring, 8/11)

While COVID-19 cases remain low in Seattle and Washington state, some researchers expect to see increased infections from a new strain that was named a variant of concern by the World Health Organization this week. EG.5, a descendant of Omicron that's unofficially been nicknamed Eris on social media, was responsible for an estimated 17.3% of COVID-19 cases nationwide as of Aug. 5, up from 7.5% through the first week of July, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Clarridge, 8/11)

A new Covid-19 variant has become the dominant lineage of the virus in recent weeks in the US and while it should not be a cause of undue concern for the public, its emergence is a reminder of the need for greater surveillance of the virus and of the importance of vaccine boosters, according to infectious disease experts. (Berger, 8/14)

New Zealand on Monday removed the last of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions, marking the end of a government response to the pandemic that was watched closely around the world. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the requirement to wear masks in hospitals and other healthcare facilities would end at midnight, as would a requirement for people who caught the virus to isolate themselves for seven days. (Perry, 8/14)