CoronaVirus

Apr 17th, 2021 - MUMBAI: Almost 50% of the samples that have tested positive for Covid-19 in the state of late and were sent for genome sequencing have the newly identified and highly infectious Indian variant of SARS-CoV-2 called B.1.617. Most of these samples are from Vidarbha and no sample submitted from the city has so far shown the B.1.617 variant, said scientists involved with INSACOG, a grouping of 10 national laboratories carrying out whole genomic sequencing of samples. has so far not given specific ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2021 - Florida Posted: Updated: TAMPA (WFLA) – The Florida Department of Health added a total of 6,323 new coronavirus cases in Saturday’s report, bringing the cumulative number of cases in the state to 2,162,067. On Saturday, over 110,000 people received the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Florida Department of Health. New cases reported (2,162,067 total since start of pandemic): Saturday: 6,323 Friday: 7,296 Thursday: 6,762 Wednesday: 6,772 Tuesday: 9,068 Percent positive : The latest report ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2021 - A few "breakthrough" COVID-19 cases in vaccinated folks are being widely reported. We asked experts what this means Digital generated image of circular pattern made out of Syringes with COVID-19 vaccine targeting into coronavirus cell A new report reveals that 5,800 people who have been fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the virus which caused COVID-19, have developed infections anyway. 5,800 might sound like a lot of people — and indeed, experts fear that the number reported without ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2021 - A fire that broke out Saturday morning in a pedestrian tunnel at O’Hare International Airport caused a headache for many travelers. A fire that broke out Saturday morning inside a busy pedestrian tunnel at O’Hare Airport caused headaches for many travelers — and forced them close together in the middle of a pandemic. The fire broke out in the tunnel between concourses B and C in Terminal 1 shortly after 8 a.m., according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. The incident forced hundreds ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2021 - SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, likely does not directly infect the brain but can still inflict significant neurological damage, a new study suggests. The findings, published in the journal Brain, suggest that the neurological changes often seen in these patients may result from inflammation triggered by the virus in other parts of the body or the brain’s blood vessels. "We’ve looked at more brains than other studies and we have used more techniques to search for the virus. The ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2021 - Two Studies Support Key Role for Immune System in Shaping SARS-CoV-2 Evolution Two studies published in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens provide new evidence supporting an important role for the immune system in shaping the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19 . These findings – and the novel technology behind them – improve understanding of how new SARS-CoV-2 strains arise, which could help guide treatment and vaccination efforts. For the first study, Rachel Eguia ... [Read More]

Apr 17th, 2021 - Bangkok (AFP) Hundreds waited in grim silence at a Bangkok stadium to get free Covid-19 tests Saturday as a spiraling infection rate gripped Thailand, on a fourth consecutive day of more than 1,000 new cases. The capital appears to be the epicentre of the kingdom's third wave, after infections were traced back to a nightlife district earlier this month. In the past 10 days, the national infection total has jumped from 29,900 to more than 40,500 -- the sharp increase probably due to a highly ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a wide range of symptoms, including dry cough, fever, breathlessness, fatigue, diarrhea, and loss of smell and/or taste. Although a considerable proportion of COVID-19 patients remain asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, the disease can often be fatal among susceptible individuals, including older adults and those with comorbidities. Studies characterizing COVID-19-related host immunity have revealed that both binding ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - The global death toll from Covid-19 is nearing 3 million. The world’s Covid-19 death toll is approaching yet another once unthinkable number — nearly three million people have died from the virus since the first cases surfaced more than 14 months ago and upended life for people across the globe. The global death toll stands at 2,990,993, while the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has surged to nearly 140 million, according to a New York Times database , as countries race to provide ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is primarily a respiratory illness. However, as the pandemic evolves, scientists have observed a range of different ways that the virus can affect the body. Alongside the lungs, SARS-CoV-2 has been seen to affect other organs, including the heart, brain and gastrointestinal tract. Now, a team of researchers in China and Australia has shown that SARS-CoV-2 infection can ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - Early into the pandemic it became clear that something was wrong: the first signs of a tangential and potentially deadly threat emerging in the wake of COVID-19 . It was an old problem, in truth, but one given fresh potency as humans scrambled to protect themselves from the coronavirus . As production of single-use face masks and other disposable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like medical gloves exploded, so too did their presence in the environment. That presence is one that ensnares and ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - An experimental antiviral drug can significantly decrease levels of the virus causing COVID-19 and the damage it causes in the lungs, according to new research. Scientists from the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Plymouth found that MK-4482—initially developed to treat influenza—was effective when provided up to 12 hours before or 12 hours after infection with SARS-CoV-2. Writing in Nature Communications, the researchers say it suggests treatment with ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - Large-scale supercomputer simulations at the atomic level show that the dominant G form variant of the COVID-19-causing virus is more infectious partly because of its greater ability to readily bind to its target host receptor in the body, compared to other variants. These research results from a Los Alamos National Laboratory-led team illuminate the mechanism of both infection by the G form and antibody resistance against it, which could help in future vaccine development. "We found that the ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - Even with Covid-19 vaccines scaling up, testing remains a crucial tool for bringing the pandemic under control -- and keeping it that way. While the challenge in 2020 was to develop and increase supplies of SARS-CoV-2 tests, this year health officials are looking to use these tools more often and in new ways to help get life back to normal as fast as possible. Testing is needed to track where SARS-CoV-2 is flaring up, identify variants that could pose a greater risk, and gauge the immunity of ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - The best way to prevent others from getting sick If there were ever a perfect time to practice good hand hygiene and cough etiquette, it’s now. We’ve been locked in this pandemic for over a year and we’re all keenly more aware than ever before just how easy it is to spread germs. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy Before coronavirus, it was normal ... [Read More]

Apr 16th, 2021 - From Doug to Nelly and Eeek, we look at how mutations are affecting the battle against the virus From the moment public health officials started to track new variants of coronavirus, it became clear that the same mutations were cropping up time and again and making the virus more troublesome. What are these mutations, what do they do, and what do they mean for the pandemic? What are mutations? The genetic code of the coronavirus is held in about 30,000 letters of RNA, a molecule similar to DNA. ... [Read More]