Germany orders first local lockdown since easing…
German authorities on Tuesday ordered a new lockdown for an entire district — the first since easing coronavirus restrictions and a major setback to hopes of a swift return to normality.
“For the first time in Germany, we will return an entire district to the measures that applied several weeks ago,” Armin Laschet, state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, said.
“We will reintroduce a lockdown in the district of Guetersloh,” he said, adding that the restrictions that cover 360,000 people and will be valid until at least June 30.
High levels of cortisol associated with greater risk of death…
LONDON – Could stress from the COVID-19 pandemic be making cases more severe for some patients? New research suggests that high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, are associated with a greater risk of death in coronavirus patients.
Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Best known for its role in regulating our body’s fight-or-flight response in stressful situations, it’s also important for controlling other bodily functions. Those include metabolism, blood pressure, salt and water balance, and the body’s immune system response. Too little and too much cortisol are both dangerous. High levels are particularly dangerous because they can alter immune system function and increase the risk of infection and serious illness.
In the study, scientists collected blood samples from 535 hospital patients and examined the amount of cortisol in their blood. Of the sample, 403 of them had COVID-19. When scientists compared cortisol levels between patients with and without COVID-19, they found that patients with the virus have significantly higher cortisol levels.
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U.S. DEATHS: 120,402…