Several infected after convention touting ivermectin; some hospitals overwhelmed ahead of Thanksgiving holiday: Latest COVID-19 updates

Several people who attended a conference in Florida earlier this month where ivermectin was promoted as treatment against COVID-19 have since contracted the virus.

Dr. John Littell, the Ocala-based physician who organized the Florida Summit on COVID at an equestrian center Nov. 6, said one physician got sick and that a "handful of others" had mild cases.

The Food and Drug Administration says ivermectin is approved to treat or prevent parasites in animals. For humans, ivermectin tablets are approved to treat some parasitic worms, and there are topical formulations for head lice and skin conditions. The FDA has not authorized ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19 in humans or animals.

Littell, who is unvaccinated and believes ivermectin is effective at treating and preventing the virus, said he does not believe the infections were spread at the conference.

"Only one physician got sick and that's because his father had been ill in the Florida Keys before he came," Littell said. "In each case, everyone is healthy now and back in the saddle. And all were given early treatment and ivermectin and the usual combination of therapies."

– Dustin Wyatt, The Ledger

Also in the news:

►Boston's temporary outdoor dining program designed to help boost struggling restaurants has been extended to Dec. 31, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Wednesday. The extension applies to private patios and many public streets.

►Maryland will distribute 500,000 at-home COVID testing kits to health departments across the state. Gov. Hogan said the kits will give "Marylanders more options and more peace of mind as we head into the holiday season."

►Honolulu and Maui counties will allow restaurants and bars to operate at 100% capacity and eliminate a requirement that groups sit 6 feet apart at restaurants when Hawaii eases some statewide restrictions at month's end.

►Social distancing became mandatory again across the Netherlands on Wednesday. The country’s leading intensive care physician, Diederik Gommers, called for even tougher measures – including closing schools – to rein in soaring infection rates.

►Malaysia and Singapore said Wednesday they will partially reopen their borders next week to fully vaccinated citizens and some others, after nearly two years of closure.

📈Today's numbers: The U.S. has recorded more than 48 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 775,300 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Global totals: More than 259.3 million cases and 5.17 million deaths. More than 196 million Americans — 59% of the population — are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

📘What we're reading: COVID-19 has pushed a decadeslong Michigan emergency medical service workers shortage into a crisis. How much longer before people call 911 and it'll take too long for help to arrive, if it ever does at all?

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Of Connecticut's 169 cities and towns, 65% are in red alert level for COVID

The majority of cities and towns in Connecticut are now in the red alert level, the state's highest of four levels for COVID-19 infections, according to state data released Wednesday.

Of the state's 169 municipalities, 110, or 65%, were in the red zone – the most since April 22.