Axios

A Texas hospital reported its first case of the Lambda COVID-19 variant as cases rise across the state, ABC News writes.

The big picture: The Lambda variant was first detected in Peru last August. From this April through June, the variant made up 81% of COVID-19 cases in Peru, according to the World Health Organization.

Press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday confirmed that there have been multiple breakthrough coronavirus cases among White House staffers.

Driving the news: Her comments come after Axios first reported that a White House official and a staff member for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the same reception last week

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Anthony Fauci accused each other of lying at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, amid yet another clash over whether the National Institutes of Health funded risky "gain-of-function" research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Why it matters: It was a remarkable exchange between the U.S. government's top infectious diseases expert and a prominent Republican senator — an outburst that followed more than a year of tensions and two previous confrontations in hearings related to COVID-19.

The more transmissible Delta variant now accounts for 83% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky said during a Senate hearing Tuesday.

Why it matters: The "dramatic increase," up from 50% on July 3, has led to a rise in virus-related deaths, Walensky told lawmakers.

A White House official and a staff member for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have both tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the same reception last week, officials confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: While both individuals are vaccinated and mildly symptomatic, they illustrate how Americans inoculated against the coronavirus can still contract and, potentially, unknowingly transmit the virus — even at the highest levels of the nation's government.

New York reached a $1.1 billion settlement on Tuesday with three of the country's largest drug distributors for their alleged role in the opioid epidemic, New York Attorney General Letitia James said.

The big picture: The settlement comes as the three companies — McKesson, Cardinal Health, and Amerisource Bergen — as well as Johnson & Johnson near a $26 billion deal with states and municipalities that would settle thousands of lawsuits related to the opioid crisis, the New York Times reports.

UnitedHealthcare said Tuesday it will pay for either a 12-month digital Peloton membership or a four-month "all-access" Peloton membership (each costs $156) for workers who are in a fully insured plan.

The bottom line: Health insurers want their members to be as young and healthy as possible so they don't have to pay out as much in medical claims. UnitedHealthcare is attempting to attract more of this affluent, healthy crowd through this Peloton perk.

The total number of excess deaths in India during the pandemic is likely more than than 3 million and could be as high as 4.9 million, according to a study released Tuesday.

Why it matters: The number is almost 10 times the country's official death toll, making it "arguably India’s worst human tragedy," said the research team, who includes a former chief economic adviser to the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Two new analyses show that governments' economic responses to COVID-19 haven't been remotely as climate-friendly as multilateral agencies and advocates called for when the crisis took hold last year.

Driving the news, part 1: An International Energy Agency report finds that as of this year's second quarter, 2% — or $380 billion — of the $16 trillion worldwide fiscal response has been allocated to clean energy measures.

More people said they experienced negative emotions and feelings in 2020 than any other year in recent history, according to Gallup's latest Negative Experience Index.

Why it matters: "2020 officially became the most stressful year in recent history," Gallup writes.

Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. and the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease are launching a $40 million study to examine long COVID and multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children.

Why it matters: While kids have been comparatively unscathed by COVID, this is the largest study of its kind aimed at understanding the long-term impacts COVID can have on children when they do have more serious outcomes.

Most Americans who still aren't vaccinated say nothing — not their own doctor administering it, a favorite celebrity's endorsement or even paid time off — is likely to make them get the shot, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.

Why it matters: The findings are more sobering evidence of just how tough it may be to reach herd immunity in the U.S. But they also offer a roadmap for trying — the public health equivalent of, "So you're telling me there's a chance."

Mothers — particularly young ones — are still much more reluctant than fathers to the idea of getting their children vaccinated against the coronavirus, per a new report by the COVID States Project.

The big picture: Vaccine resistance among parents has decreased across most demographic groups since last winter, but there are still wide gaps between parents of different ages and genders.

Fox News host Sean Hannity implored viewers on his show Monday night to "please take COVID seriously" and get vaccinated against the virus.

Why it matters: Fox News has been criticized for views expressed by some personalities on its network who've been accused of spreading pandemic misinformation as they railed against health precautions.

A sixth member of the Texas Democratic delegation that fled their state for D.C. in an effort to block a state GOP voting bill has tested positive for COVID-19, the Dallas Morning News first reported Monday night.

What they're saying: State Rep. Rafael Anchia told the outlet that all 55 members of the delegation had been observing CDC guidelines, adding: "We're grateful that 100% of us were vaccinated in advance…. This delta variant is no joke."

Peru's electoral authority declared socialist Pedro Castillo "president-elect" Monday night after he won the country's presidential election, per Reuters.

Driving the news: The 51-year-old son of peasant farmers narrowly beat the daughter of a conservative former president known for being part of the country's elite, the New York Times reports.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) vowed Monday to appeal a court ruling in favor of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention restrictions on cruise ships.

Why it matters: The cruise industry is worth billions of dollars for Florida's economy and DeSantis filed a lawsuit against the CDC last April in an effort to see normal operations resume.