Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Latest Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

WHO survey: COVID-19 halted mental health services in 93% of countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted or halted critical mental health services in 93% of countries worldwide while the demand for mental health is increasing, according to a new WHO survey.

5 Oct 2020

Will COVID-19 become a seasonal virus?

In this interview, Dr. Hadi Yassine and Dr. Hassan Zaraket speak about their research into whether COVID-19 will become a seasonal virus.

5 Oct 2020

Midges and mosquitoes unlikely to spread SARS-CoV-2

A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in September 2020 looked to see if biting insects pose a risk for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans or animals following a SARS-CoV-2 infected blood meal.

5 Oct 2020

Supporting Coronavirus Research with Liquid Chromatography

The RNA in viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 are an ideal research target. RNA purification with liquid chromatography is essential in the fight against SARS-CoV-2.

From KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH 5 Oct 2020

Sebum changes in COVID-19 patients, for future testing and prognosis

Now, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 shows that sebum lipids change in COVID-19. This could help develop a cheap and straightforward method of non-invasive diagnosis.

5 Oct 2020

Viral loads peak before symptom onset in COVID-19

By reviewing published literature on viral loads and viral shedding, researchers found that viral loads for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)peak before symptoms are seen. This has substantial implications for prevention strategies.

5 Oct 2020

Feasibility of using dry reagents LAMP assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection

In a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv, researchers evaluated the suitability of the Loopamp SARS-CoV-2 Detection kit from Eiken Chemica, Japan, for detecting SARS-CoV-2. This is a LAMP method that uses dry reagents for RNA amplification.

5 Oct 2020

Researchers determine the predictability of Ebola's trajectory in China and throughout Southeast Asia

What exactly happened in Asia that caused SARS-CoV-2 to rapidly spread across the region and then essentially came to a halt there? That's what researchers from the University of South Florida are trying to determine in a new study funded by an NSF Rapid Response grant.

5 Oct 2020

Study: Virtual follow-up care is just as beneficial as those who meet face-to-face

Surgical patients who participate in virtual follow-up visits after their operations spend a similar amount of time with surgical team members as those who meet face-to-face.

5 Oct 2020

An effective Origami mask for COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in September 2020 reports constructing disposable masks using simple paper folding or origami steps, from filter material. This could make mask-wearing more acceptable and their construction less cumbersome.

5 Oct 2020

Another study finds cross-reactivity T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2

Using ELISpot and proliferation assays, researchers show strong responses in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, but not so much in negative samples. However, there may be cross-reactive T cell responses from other human coronaviruses.

5 Oct 2020

AbC-19 blood test detects COVID-19 antibodies 20 weeks after first symptoms/PCR positive result

Serological antibody immunoassays are one of the essential tools to combat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In a new study, Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies are detected in a large cohort, lasting up to 140 days. The researchers propose an alternative to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive status as a standard for assessing SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays and show robust performance metrics for the AbC-19 rapid test.

5 Oct 2020

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses in patients with aggressive hematological malignancies

Patients with hematological malignancy (PHM), also infected with COVID-19, were investigated for SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses while undergoing systemic anti-cancer therapy. While no obvious correlation is found between the serological results and the hematological diagnosis and the treatment, the immune response is similar to the severity of COVID-19 infection observed in the general population.

4 Oct 2020

Higher prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 with D614G mutation in Washington State

The study findings also indicate that the 614G viral variant is associated with higher viral load, but not with disease severity. The study is currently available on the medRxiv preprint server.

4 Oct 2020

The implications of COVID-related sexual distancing and clinical service interruption

A recent study conducted in the Atlanta area reveals that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related sexual distancing together with clinical service interruption for sexually transmitted diseases can potentially impact the future incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

4 Oct 2020

More evidence Pangolin not intermediary in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans

The team proposed a different model named the ‘circulation model’ to illustrate how SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses could have circulated in different species, including humans, before COVID-19 emerged.

4 Oct 2020

NPIs reduced SARS-CoV-2 transmission in South Korea

Although some studies examined how public health interventions can help contain COVID-19 outbreaks, not much information was available on public health measures against SARS-CoV-2 transmission, specifically in South Korea.

4 Oct 2020

A comprehensive clinical and genetic model for predicting severe COVID-19 risk

While determining the risk of severe COVID-19, age, and gender are usually the only considerations. A recent preprint paper published in medRxiv, discusses how researchers from Genetic Technologies Limited, Australia, used the UK Biobank data to develop a comprehensive model that can predict severe COVID-19 risk by incorporating comorbidity risk factors, demographic information, and a set of genetic markers.

4 Oct 2020

Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 with portable CRISPR-based mobile phone diagnostic test

A large group of researchers from the United States reported developing an amplification-free CRISPR-based mobile phone assay for direct detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from nasal swabs. Their state-of-the-art paper is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

4 Oct 2020

Furin cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein enhances viral replication in the lungs

In a new bioRxiv* preprint paper, researchers from the Imperial College London, King's College London, and the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom show that the furin cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein represents a key determinant for transmission among humans, as it substantially facilitates replication in airway cells - opening the door for the development of novel therapeutics.

4 Oct 2020