And a 105-year-old COVID-19 survivor attributes her victory to gin-soaked raisins.
Welcome to The Medical Republic’s COVID Catch-Up.
It’s the day’s COVID-19 news in one convenient post. Email bianca@biancanogrady.com with any tips, comments or feedback.
25 February
- Private healthcare provider allegedly falsified training data for vaccine-overdose doctor.
- Number of new COVID-19 infections globally fall for sixth week in a row.
- Gin-soaked raisins the secret to 105-year-old woman’s surviving COVID.
- Latest confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers from around Australia.
The private healthcare provider at the centre of the COVID-19 vaccine dosing error in Queensland is facing the government’s wrath after reports it falsified information about the doctor’s training.
According to Nine newspapers, the doctor who accidently gave two elderly aged care residents at least a double dose of the COVID-19 vaccine had not undergone the required training, but his employer – Healthcare Australia – allegedly provided false information to government about this.
Health minister Greg Hunt said Healthcare Australia had stood down its chief executive Jason Cartwright, and an internal investigation was underway. The doctor in question has also been referred to the medical regulator.
Meanwhile, the two individuals who received the higher-than-expected doses have so far shown no ill effects.
The number of new COVID-19 infections reported globally has declined for the sixth week running; down 11% this week compared to the previous week, according to the World Health Organisation. The number of deaths has also dropped by 20% compared to the previous week.
All regions except the Eastern Mediterranean and South-East Asia have shown declining infection rates, with the most significant happening in the Americas. The United States has experienced a 29% decrease in the number of new cases in the past week.
Gin-soaked raisins are apparently the secret to beating COVID-19, according to 105-year-old New Jersey resident Lucia DeClerck.
The New York Times interviewed Ms DeClerk after she survived an encounter with SARS-CoV-2, and she attributed her triumph over the spiky invader to daily consumption of nine gin-soaked golden raisins.
Here are the latest confirmed COVID-19 infection numbers from around Australia to 9pm Wednesday:
National – 28,939 with 909 deaths
ACT – 118 (0)
NSW – 5155 (1)
NT – 104 (0)
QLD – 1323 (0)
SA – 613 (0)
TAS – 234 (0)
VIC – 20,479 (0)
WA – 913 (0)
