The most recent data from wastewater surveillance elucidates that the United States has now entered the tenth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week witnessed an unprecedented surge in wastewater viral markers—marking the steepest ascent in transmission metrics observed in nearly three years.

However, these figures remain subject to potential recalibration, and the full extent of this surge will become evident in the coming weeks. One plausible explanation for this dramatic rise is a delayed onset of the customary “winter surge,” causing the virus to escalate rapidly to seasonal norms, as per wsws.org. 

The Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative (PMC) predictive model estimates that approximately 1.6 percent of the US population is currently infected and capable of spreading the virus—equivalent to 1 in every 64 individuals, or roughly 750,000 new infections each day. Translating this to real-life scenarios, a flight carrying 100 passengers has an 80 percent probability of having at least one infectious traveler, while a flight with 300 passengers approaches near certainty at 99 percent. 

10th COVID wave now surging in the US, amid total silence in the corporate media https://t.co/nOQSWd47pf

— ALEJANDRO FREEDOM (@ALEJANDROM10371) December 20, 2024

This transmission intensity surpasses the average for 73 percent of the pandemic’s duration to date. The ramifications are profound, as these infection rates are projected to yield approximately 200,000 new Long-term COVID cases weekly, based on the known prevalence of post-viral sequelae. 

Despite the gravity of the situation, neither the Biden administration nor major corporate media outlets have addressed this emergent wave. The broader political establishment appears united in perpetuating a “forever COVID” framework, wherein unrestrained viral transmission and its consequent toll of death and chronic debility are normalized to safeguard economic interests over public health. 

PMC forecasts indicate that this winter wave might climax between New Year’s Day and January 7. However, the unpredictability of COVID-19’s 2024 transmission dynamics complicates precise modeling. The year’s summer surge was anomalously late and protracted, followed by an atypically rapid decline, with a protracted lull before the winter resurgence—deviations from established seasonal patterns, according to wsws.org. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported upticks in test positivity rates and emergency department visits—early indicators of heightened viral spread. Hospital admissions and fatalities, which traditionally lag, have yet to rise but are anticipated to follow in the coming weeks. 

The emergent XEC variant now constitutes the dominant strain, accounting for an estimated 44 percent of infections, an increase from 33 percent the previous week. It has overtaken the KP3.1.1 variant as the predominant lineage in circulation. 

In the absence of comprehensive governmental initiatives to upgrade public infrastructure for air purification in shared spaces, the populace is left to rely on vaccines and non-pharmaceutical interventions such as masking and physical distancing. Vaccination offers robust protection against severe outcomes, including death and hospitalization, while providing moderate defense against Long COVID. Yet, misinformation and financial barriers have resulted in alarmingly low vaccination uptake. Only 21.0 percent of US adults have received the latest vaccine, with pediatric coverage languishing at a dismal 10.6 percent—half the adult rate. 

Dr. Alexander Sloboda, the medical director for immunizations at the Chicago Department of Public Health, highlighted the enduring challenge of combating vaccine-related misinformation, “We’re constantly contending with a deluge of misinformation and disinformation about the COVID vaccine. Overcoming these false narratives remains an uphill battle, but disseminating accurate information is our steadfast mission,” as per wsws.org. 

In an ancillary development, a 2020 study claiming hydroxychloroquine’s efficacy against COVID-19 has been formally retracted due to ethical violations and severe methodological flaws. Despite early critiques from the scientific community, it took four years of sustained advocacy to compel journal editors to rescind the paper. Among its authors, Didier Raoult has faced scrutiny, with 28 of his papers retracted to date. Raoult and his colleagues at the French Hospital Institute of Marseille Mediterranean Infection (IHU) are under investigation for ethical breaches in at least 100 other publications. 

The debunked study significantly amplified misinformation, with then-President Donald Trump heavily promoting the drug as a panacea during his administration. Trump’s rhetoric drove a 200 percent surge in Amazon purchases of hydroxychloroquine, underscoring the dangerous intersection of pseudoscience and political influence. 

As Trump reenters the political stage, appointing staunchly anti-science figures to pivotal public health roles, vigilance against misinformation is paramount. The specter of disinformation being codified into official policy is a dire threat. However, even under the Biden administration, a negligent approach to pandemic management persists, allowing viral evolution to proceed unimpeded and endangering public health, according to the reports by wsws.org. 

To safeguard societal well-being, a paradigm shift is imperative. Only through a concerted effort to restructure societal priorities—placing human health above profit—can the cycle of unrelenting viral waves be broken. 

A mysterious disease, colloquially dubbed “Dinga Dinga,” has reportedly afflicted nearly 300 individuals in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district, as per The Monitor. This enigmatic ailment, predominantly targeting women and girls, manifests through feverish episodes and pronounced, uncontrollable bodily tremors that severely impede mobility, according to a report by several news agencies.

Dr. Kiyita Christopher, the district’s chief health officer, disclosed that patients are being treated with antibiotics administered by local health teams. Encouragingly, no fatalities have been recorded thus far.

Dinga Dinga ‘Dancing Disease’ Hits Uganda Community https://t.co/Y3Vyaxtuit

— Laba Oghenekevwe (@Labakevwe) December 20, 2024

“There is no empirical evidence to support the efficacy of herbal remedies for this condition. We are utilizing targeted treatments, and the majority of patients recuperate within a week. I implore residents to seek medical attention at authorized health facilities within the district,” he remarked, according to reports.

Dr. Christopher further emphasized that cases remain confined to Bundibugyo, with no reports from neighboring regions. Biological samples have been dispatched to the Ministry of Health for in-depth examination, though an official elucidation is yet to be released.

This bizarre outbreak evokes comparisons to the infamous “Dancing Plague” of 1518 in Strasbourg, France, wherein victims were seized by relentless dancing fits that occasionally culminated in fatal exhaustion.

A rapidly spreading mysterious disease called ‘Dinga Dinga’ is affecting mostly girls and women in the Bundibugyo district of Uganda. Those affected experience fever, shaking, and difficulty walking, making it appear as though they are dancing…1/2 pic.twitter.com/R1amxP3MOu

— MR FRIMPONG 👑 (@mr_frimpong22) December 19, 2024

Simultaneously, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) grapples with its own cryptic health crisis. Approximately 400 individuals have been affected in the Panzi health zone, with 394 cases and 30 fatalities, as confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO), as per reports.

Symptomatic manifestations in the DRC include fever, cephalalgia, persistent coughing, nasal discharge, and generalized myalgia. Investigative efforts are actively probing whether respiratory pathogens such as influenza, COVID-19, malaria, or measles might be culpable. However, until laboratory analyses yield conclusive data, the ailment’s true nature remains shrouded in ambiguity.

Even the most distinct and seemingly unrelated life forms on Earth share a fundamental connection—they arise from the same molecular scaffolding. As researchers delve deeper into the enigmatic molecular fabric of life, the prospect of crafting organisms with entirely unconventional biologies becomes increasingly tangible.

Among these ambitions, the endeavor to create “mirror bacteria” has garnered significant attention. However, a recent analytical investigation led by an international consortium of scientists underscores the profound risks associated with advancing this avant-garde scientific frontier, according to extremetech.com.

What Are Mirror Bacteria?

The foundational macromolecules of life possess a characteristic known as “chirality,” or molecular handedness. In essence, two molecules can exhibit identical chemical composition and atomic arrangements while existing as non-superimposable mirror reflections of one another. Terrestrial life universally exhibits right-handed nucleic acids in DNA and RNA, alongside left-handed amino acids within proteins—save for glycine, which deviates from this pattern.

Laboratory methods enable the synthesis of left-handed nucleotides and right-handed amino acids, thereby paving the theoretical pathway for constructing mirror-image cellular entities. But the pertinent query arises: should such entities be created?

Examining the Risks

While the technology to create these organisms is still years away, many are worried about the impact of mirror bacteria. https://t.co/lI2dXOgC0V

— ExtremeTech (@ExtremeTech) December 19, 2024

Under the stewardship of Katarzyna Adamala from the University of Minnesota, an extensive 200-page technical dossier (excluding citations) scrutinizing the potential perils of mirror bacteria has been summarized in the esteemed journal Science. While humanity remains years away from fabricating fully functional cells composed of reversed-chirality molecules, incremental progress is notable. For instance, researchers have already synthesized DNA strands thousands of bases long with reversed chirality. Mirror bacteria represent a tantalizing horizon in synthetic biology, but this work meticulously catalogs the existential risks tied to their creation, according to extremetech.com.

Potential Hazards to Humanity and Ecosystems

Mirror bacteria could conceivably pose a profound existential threat. The functional properties of molecules hinge upon their geometric configurations and interactions with their surroundings. Immune systems, for instance, rely heavily on structural pattern recognition to detect potential hazards. A bacterium with inverted chirality might elude immune detection entirely, rendering even ordinarily benign bacteria dangerous.

Global #Health Risk Posed by 'Mirror Bacteria' https://t.co/kpti9ilEqS

— Shadi Alkasim (@Shadi_Alkasim) December 19, 2024

Environmental ramifications are also conceivable. Their mirrored biochemistry could render them impervious to predation by other microorganisms and resilient to bacteriophages (bacterial viruses), enabling them to outcompete natural counterparts and destabilize ecosystems.

Containment Challenges and Insufficient Safeguards

#Scientists Warn of 'Mirror Bacteria' Threat to Life on Earth#MirrorBacteriahttps://t.co/FeHzt8QQiN

— EBCNEWS (@ebcnewss) December 18, 2024

While laboratory containment measures are robust, they are not infallible. The report emphasizes that indefinite confinement of mirror bacteria might prove unfeasible, and their accidental release could trigger uncontrollable proliferation. Countermeasures, such as mirrored bacteriophages or chiral antibiotics, have been proposed but deemed inadequate. As a fictional scientist once famously stated, “Life, uh, finds a way,” as per extremetech.com.

Alternatives and Ethical Considerations

This is sheer suicidal stupidity! Why would we allow this at all in this country..it's insane.

Scientists Experiment With ‘Mirror Bacteria,’ Prompting Huge Warnings.https://t.co/kSKT9MxK95 pic.twitter.com/Fw7R7wgxrv

— P. J. Lofland (@pamjlofland) December 18, 2024

Although mirror bacteria could theoretically yield certain therapeutic applications, more straightforward methodologies exist to achieve similar outcomes. For example, mirror biomolecules themselves hold promise for medical advancements without necessitating the creation of mirror organisms. Similarly, alternative live-cell therapeutic approaches could offer comparable benefits without disrupting the delicate chiral equilibrium of terrestrial life.

Conclusion: Proceed with Caution

Dozens of scientists warn 'mirror bacteria' research poses significant risks
Synthetic biologists make artificial cells, but one particular kind isn't worth the risk. As synthetic biologists, we have spent the last few decades in awe of the breakthroughs ihttps://t.co/J9PSac0vux

— Chrístofir ✝️☦️🌎🌍🌏 (@Jamtheimen) December 19, 2024

The study concludes that advancing synthetic biology research into mirror bacteria should be approached with extreme caution. A comprehensive understanding of associated risks is imperative before venturing further. At the same time, it is crucial to strike a balance, ensuring that regulatory measures do not hinder promising research into mirror-image nucleic acids and proteins with potential benefits for humanity. The authors aspire to foster broader discourse within the scientific community, aiming for an informed consensus by 2025.