Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Study details first locally-transmitted case of severe SARS-CoV-2 in the USA

Person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurred between two people with prolonged, unprotected exposure while the first patient was symptomatic. Despite active monitoring and testing of 372 contacts of both cases, no further transmission was detected

12 Mar 2020

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Coronavirus goes viral

This was the week the coronavirus hit the U.S. in general and Washington, D.C., in particular in a big way.

12 Mar 2020

Vaccinating both boys and girls can help eliminate HPV infections

The human papillomavirus causes, amongst other diseases, cancer of the cervix and oropharynx. A Swedish-Finnish study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases now shows that the most oncogenic HPV types can be eliminated, but only if both girls and boys are vaccinated.

12 Mar 2020

Low-dose aspirin linked to lower risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related mortality

Among adults at high risk of liver cancer, those who took low-dose aspirin were less likely to develop the disease or to die from liver-related causes.

12 Mar 2020

Uninsured older adults in China less likely to receive needed inpatient care

A new study, published this week in the International Journal of Health Services, found that older adults without health insurance in China were 35% less likely to receive needed inpatient care compared to those with job-based health insurance.

12 Mar 2020

Robots and AI deployed to fight against coronavirus

Robots and artificial intelligence are being deployed across the globe in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

12 Mar 2020

Could rushing a coronavirus vaccine cause more harm?

Amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic that is rapidly spreading worldwide, scientists are becoming more concerned that rushing vaccine production to prevent the infection may do more harm than good to patients.

12 Mar 2020

COVID-19 spares children but they play a crucial role in its spread – What can be done?

The new coronavirus (COVID-19) mysteriously spares children from severe disease, but it does not mean they do not get it. Though children and teens do not appear so far to get sick COVID-19, they play a pivotal role in the spread of the deadly pathogen.

12 Mar 2020

COVID-19 epidemic is now an official pandemic

The spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has reached pandemic status, spanning 114 countries and territories, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared. The novel coronavirus that emerged three months ago has rapidly infected more than 126,000 people, taking the lives of more than 4,600.

12 Mar 2020

Virtual reality becomes a drug design tool

A new study published in March 2020 in the journal PLOS ONE shows the use of virtual reality (VR) as a powerful tool to create next-generation therapeutics. The focus is on the ability of VR to simulate the way commonly used drugs act on the cells at the molecular level, which enables innovation to improve the mechanism of action or to use alternate mechanisms.

11 Mar 2020

Potential targets for immune responses to novel coronavirus identified

Within two months, SARS-CoV-2, a previously unknown coronavirus, has raced around globe, infecting over a 100,000 people with numbers continuing to rise quickly.

11 Mar 2020

Fight for Sight funded researcher develops gene therapy approach for glaucoma

A Fight for Sight funded researcher from the University of Bristol has used gene editing techniques to successfully demonstrate a gene therapy for glaucoma in the lab, in results published in Molecular Therapy in March.

11 Mar 2020

India's Holi Festival subdued amid coronavirus fears, Indonesia reports first death

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has spread to more than 100 countries, and to contain the virus, many festivities, gatherings, and events that draw large crowds have been canceled. However, in India, Holi, a traditional Hindu festival that celebrates the beginning of spring as well as the triumph of good over evil, still went ahead.

11 Mar 2020

Now over 1,200 coronavirus cases in the U.S.

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) started in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, in China in the last month of 2019 and had so far spread to more than 100 countries, including the United States. The country has seen a sharp spike in confirmed cases, which now totals 1,220, trailing behind hotspot countries that have thousands of confirmed cases of the contagious disease.

11 Mar 2020

'Virtual screening' identifies active substances with potential to combat coronavirus

The University of Basel is part of the global search for a drug to fight the rampant coronavirus. Researchers in the Computational Pharmacy group have so far virtually tested almost 700 million substances, targeting a specific site on the virus - with the aim of inhibiting its multiplication.

11 Mar 2020

How to avoid coronavirus? Lessons from people whose lives depend on it

Andrea Amelse knows hand-washing.

11 Mar 2020

UK reports 6th death, Health Minister tests positive for COVID-19

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues to spread across the globe, with more than 100 countries affected. Now, the United Kingdom has reported its sixth death related to the viral infection.

11 Mar 2020

Australia: Coronavirus spreads, drive-through testing, pop up clinics and $2.4 billion

Australia has seen an increase in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, and this will continue for weeks despite strict border control measures, experts say. With 116 confirmed cases and thousands of people waiting to be tested, Australian hospitals could be overwhelmed by thousands of patients.

10 Mar 2020

Exploring the biological link between reactivated HSV and neurological disease

Without even knowing it, most of us carry around latent Herpes Simplex Virus in our nervous system- a simple result of being born and living together with others carrying the virus.

10 Mar 2020

Researchers discover human protein that potently inhibits coronavirus

A protein produced by the human immune system can potently inhibit several coronaviruses, including the one behind the current COVID-19 outbreak, an international team of investigators reports today. The research reveals that the LY6E protein impairs the coronavirus' ability to initiate infection, which could lead to treatments for the illness.

10 Mar 2020