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4 things to know about the new COVID variants in Massachusetts including symptoms

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4 things to know about the new COVID variants in Massachusetts including symptoms


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The world has been dealing with COVID since the pandemic set in back in 2020, and while we know more about the disease, it still hasn’t gone away.

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This year is no different, with new COVID variants arriving on the scene, and those variants have been taking their toll on Massachusetts residents.

Meanwhile, health officials are still advocating for staying up on vaccinations, as they say that is one of the best ways to fight the virus.

Here’s what to know about the new COVID variants.

What are the new COVID variants?

The new variants are called the FLiRT strains of the virus. There are three variants of FLiRT.

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They “accounted for the majority of COVID cases in the U.S. at the beginning of July. One of them, KP.3, was responsible for 36.9% of COVID infections in the United States, KP.2 made up 24.4%, and KP.1.1 accounted for 9.2% of cases,” according to a Yale Medicine study.

There is also another new strain – not FLiRT – called “LB.1,” strain, which is similar to the FLiRT variants.

“But with an additional mutation, (LB.1) has attracted attention as well,” Yale Medicine stated. “As summer began, it was responsible for 14.9% of COVID cases.”

More: COVID-19 emergency room visits, deaths are up. Should you be worried?

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Are the new FLiRT variants worse than other strains?

According to Yale Medicine, “There is no conclusive information yet about whether a COVID illness will be more severe with the new variants or how symptoms might change.”

More: COVID-19 variant KP.3 remains dominant in US, rises to 36.9% of cases: See latest CDC data

What’s the COVID situation in Massachusetts now?

The latest data from the Massachusetts Department of Health covers from June 23 to June 29. During that time, there were 1,151 confirmed cases of COVID in the state, with 99,565 for the entire spring and summer.

In that same time period, the state reported six confirmed deaths, with 985 confirmed COVID deaths for the season.

What are the best remedies for COVID?

Doctors say vaccination is still a key for defense against COVID. Other ways to defend against the disease include:

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What are symptoms of the new variant?

According to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, symptoms of the new variants include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue



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Massachusetts man charged with threatening girlfriend of FBI Director Patel

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Massachusetts man charged with threatening girlfriend of FBI Director Patel


A Massachusetts man was arrested last week after authorities said he sent FBI Director Kash Patel’s girlfriend an email ​saying he would be “happy” when her face is “canoed by an assault ‌rifle,” court records unsealed on Thursday showed.



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20 new charges brought against former Massachusetts doctor accused of rape

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20 new charges brought against former Massachusetts doctor accused of rape


A former Brigham and Women’s Doctor who was charged with raping two patients last year has been indicted on new charges. Derrick Todd, 52, from Wayland, Massachusetts, was indicted by a grand jury on three charges of rape and 17 counts of indecent assault and battery. He is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, March 25.

“The allegations outlined in those indictments reflect just an extraordinary exploitation of a patient’s vulnerability and abuse of a position of trust,” Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan told reporters.

The new charges stem from allegations by 11 women from the ages of 20 to 60 years old, Ryan said. The crimes allegedly occurred between 2022 and 2023 while Todd was a practicing rheumatologist and primary care physician at Charles River Medical Associates, a private practice in Framingham.

“Allegations include him making inappropriate sexual comments during exams, conducting exams that were excessively painful, and conducting examinations that lasted an unusual and unnecessary amount of time,” Ryan said.

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Todd first faced criminal charges last year when he was indicted on charges of raping a 39-year-old woman and 26-year-old woman, both patients at Charles River.

Dozens more women accuse Todd of abuse, some during his time at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Boston, with more than 270 plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against him.

“He was a master manipulator. And his ability to groom patients, giving them access, seeing them early hours, late in the evening, texting with them by cellphone privately,” said attorney William Thompson who is representing his accusers.

Faulker Hospital conducted its own investigation and fired Todd. He also relinquished his license to practice.

DA Ryan said her office has completed its investigation but that still leaves room for others to come forward and for other counties to bring charges.

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“It’s a journey. It’s day by day, and everyone is a survivor, and everyone is healing in their own way,” Thompson said.



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Massachusetts cop shoots and kills person who was armed with a knife: Norfolk DA

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Massachusetts cop shoots and kills person who was armed with a knife: Norfolk DA


A local police officer fatally shot a person who was armed with a knife and “appeared to be in distress” Wednesday afternoon, according to the Norfolk DA’s office.

The officer-involved shooting happened in Weymouth at around 4 p.m. after police responded to a 911 call for service at the Webb Memorial State Park off River Street.

“Police arrived to that location and encountered an individual with a knife who appeared to be in distress,” the Norfolk DA’s office wrote.

“The Officer immediately administered first aid to the victim prior to transporting him to an area hospital in critical condition,” the office added.

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The male who was critically injured was later pronounced dead at the hospital.



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