SARS CoV 2 News and Research

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Electromagnetic waves disrupt SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and lower infectivity

Researchers demonstrated that specific electromagnetic wave frequencies can disrupt the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein structure in virus-like particles, leading to reduced infectivity in cell models. This proof-of-concept study suggests new avenues for non-chemical viral inactivation methods.

18 May 2025

Lower fitness before infection raises risk of long COVID, study finds

Adults who later developed long COVID had lower cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) before infection than those who did not. COVID-19 was not linked to accelerated or clinically significant declines in CRF, even among long COVID cases.

15 May 2025

Breakthrough bat organoid platform sheds light on behavior of zoonotic viruses

Did you know that more than 75% of new infectious diseases affecting humans originally come from animals? Bats, in particular, are natural hosts to some of the world's most dangerous viruses, including those responsible for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), MERS-CoV, influenza A, and hantavirus outbreaks.

15 May 2025

New AI tool predicts viral mutations to help future-proof COVID vaccines

A novel AI-driven method helps scientists stay ahead of viral evolution by engineering synthetic spike proteins that anticipate future SARS-CoV-2 escape mutations, offering a powerful tool to test and strengthen next-generation vaccines.

11 May 2025

Study shows strong COVID immunity from infection and vaccination

A first-of-its-kind study led by the University of Oxford has successfully investigated human immunity against COVID-19 in people who already have antibodies against it.

9 May 2025

Oxford study reveals how COVID-19 vaccines prevent severe illness

A landmark study by scientists at the University of Oxford, has unveiled crucial insights into the way that COVID-19 vaccines mitigate severe illness in those who have been vaccinated.

9 May 2025

Nirsevimab slashes RSV hospitalizations in infants by 78% in real-world study

A Spanish study found that nirsevimab prophylaxis significantly reduced infant hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and severe symptoms linked to RSV and other respiratory viruses. Hospitalizations for RSV dropped by 78% following nirsevimab rollout in Madrid maternity wards.

8 May 2025

New evidence shows long COVID’s toll on health across all U.S. states

A nationally representative U.S. study of over 100,000 adults found that post-COVID conditions (PCCs) significantly reduce quality of life. Key risk factors for poor health outcomes include obesity, inactivity, chronic disease, and socioeconomic disadvantage.

8 May 2025

Wildlife trade, not bats, likely moved the ancestors of SARS-CoV-2 to humans

New genetic analyses reveal that the bat virus ancestors of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 likely circulated in Western China or Northern Laos just years before human outbreaks. Their rapid appearance thousands of kilometers away suggests wildlife trade, not bat migration, was the likely transmission path.

8 May 2025

Hidden heart and lung damage detected in patients with long COVID

Patients suffering from long COVID may exhibit persistent inflammation in the heart and lungs for up to a year following SARS-CoV-2 infection-even when standard medical tests return normal results-potentially placing them at elevated risk for future cardiac and pulmonary conditions.

6 May 2025

Scientists use AI to build mutation-proof antibodies for SARS-CoV-2

Researchers used AI models to design antibodies that neutralize over 1,300 SARS-CoV-2 strains, including Delta and Omicron. The models demonstrated faster, cheaper, and more adaptable therapeutic development compared to traditional methods.

5 May 2025

New albumin-based vaccine shows promise for mucosal immunity

Vaccines save millions of lives every year, but there is still an urgent need for more efficient vaccines. Strategies to combat serious outbreaks of viral infections are particularly important.

2 May 2025

HHS and NIH announce the development of next-generation, universal vaccine platform

Colorized transmission electron micrograph of influenza A/H1N1 virus particles. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) today announced the development of the next-generation, universal vaccine platform, Generation Gold Standard, using a beta-propiolactone (BPL)-inactivated, whole-virus platform.

1 May 2025

New antiviral compounds show broad protection against COVID-19 variants

Novel Mpro inhibitors exhibit broad activity against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.

30 Apr 2025

Global Virus Network urges action to prevent H5N1 pandemic

Today, the Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from 80+ Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in 40+ countries, published a comprehensive analysis and call-to-action in The Lancet Regional Health-Americas on the North American avian influenza virus, or H5N1, outbreak. The GVN calls on world governments to address the threat of H5N1 avian influenza by enhancing surveillance, implementing biosecurity measures, and preparing for potential human-to-human transmission.

29 Apr 2025

CoVaRR-Net research network concludes with major contributions to pandemic preparedness

The operations of CoVaRR-Net, a national interdisciplinary research network initiated with the support of the University of Ottawa to study COVID-19 variants and enhance Canada's preparedness for future pandemics, have concluded following the expiration of funding.

25 Apr 2025

Rare lung cell found to protect against COVID-19 death

A rare cell type in the lungs is essential to survival from the COVID-19 virus, a new study shows.

25 Apr 2025

COVID-19 lowers sperm count and motility, new study confirms

SARS-CoV-2 infection is linked to significant declines in sperm quality, including reduced sperm count, motility, and increased DNA fragmentation, as shown in both cross-sectional and longitudinal observations.

24 Apr 2025

H5N1's evolutionary leap could undermine vaccines and heighten human infection risk

From egg prices to pet food recalls – and now, confirmation that another strain of bird flu has infected a large commercial flock of broiler chickens on a Mississippi farm – headlines are capturing escalating concern over H5N1's spread.

24 Apr 2025

New biosensor offers fast detection of H5N1 in farm air

As highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza continues to spread in the U.S., posing serious threats to dairy and poultry farms, both farmers and public health experts need better ways to monitor for infections, in real time, to mitigate and respond to outbreaks.

24 Apr 2025