The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 14 COVID patients today, the same as yesterday. Other significant numbers:

• 5 with the active virus today, 9 yesterday
• 2 in ICU, 1 yesterday
• 1 on ventilator, 0 yesterday
• 9 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 5 yesterday

Key points from today’s guests:

Dr. Steve Lauer, pediatrician, The University of Kansas Health System

• More than 200 children in the world, and ten states in the U.S., suffering acute hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver
• Very rare in children, experts still trying to figure out the cause and treatment. Not caused by typical hepatitis viruses.
• Symptoms include vomiting that won’t stop, not eating, lethargy and as the liver starts to become more infected, jaundice in skin
• Basic rules of infection prevention should help prevent the disease as it spreads by respiratory droplets

Dr. David Robbins, endocrinologist, Cray Diabetes Self-Management Center

• 37 million Americans have diabetes, 96 million have pre-diabetes
• Obesity, age and genetics are important factors as well as the environment. Gave example of environmental effect on Pima Indians of Arizona who in 1955, had only five of 10,000 people with diabetes. Today, 70 to 80 percent are diabetic.
• New 800 calorie per day diet claims to reverse diabetes. But any diet that will help you use more energy than you take in to lose weight will help
• Diet will not reverse damage caused by type 1 diabetes, which is the kind someone is born with
• New FDA approved drug seems to attack the immune system and slow the development of type 1 diabetes
• Several drugs in final development that both cause weight loss and improve blood sugar for type 2 diabetes, the kind adults develop

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System

• Discussed long COVID effects and some of the things patients can do to help ease symptoms
• COVID virus is still circulating in the community, but too early to say what’s going to happen or whether we’ll see another surge
• Even if on Paxlovid to treat COVID, still need to observe isolation guidance
• It’s reasonable to wait six or eight weeks after recovering from COVID to get second booster

Wednesday, May 4 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Open Mics With Dr. Stites. Cystic Fibrosis is the most common life-limiting fatal genetic disorder. We’re going to show you the science behind the leading CF drug Trikafta and share news of a new trial investigating gene therapy.

ATTENTION: media procedure for joining:

Zoom link: https://kumc-ois.zoom.us/j/7828978628

Telephone Zoom link: 1-312-626-6799, meeting ID: 782 897 8628

TVU Grid link: UoK_Health_SDI

Restream links: Facebook.com/kuhospital

YouTube.com/kuhospital

Send advance questions to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.