SARS CoV 2 News and Research

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U.S. needs to boost the number of beds for COVID-19 patients

A new study published in JAMA Network Open sheds light on the increased demand for intensive care and inpatient beds amid the coronavirus outbreak, based on two cities in China to determine the level of hospital capacity needed to respond to outbreaks of severe coronavirus disease 2019 in U.S. cities.

7 May 2020

Excluding children from COVID-19 clinical trials may limit their treatment options

A new viewpoint article from Harvard Medical School, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, discusses the hesitancy to include children in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) clinical trials, potentially diminishing their therapeutic options in the long run.

7 May 2020

Talking and breathing can contribute to COVID-19 spread, shows study

Current knowledge about the role of aerosols in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 warrants urgent attention.

7 May 2020

EFP develops safety protocol for dental practices during Covid-19

Oral healthcare is severely affected all over the world by the Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic because of the risk implied for both dental professionals and patients.

7 May 2020

Twist Bioscience Identifies Competitive Antibodies for SARS-CoV-2

Twist Bioscience Corporation has identified competitive antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, which could potentially be used for diagnostic tests and treatments.

7 May 2020

Antibiotic combined with measurement technology may save time and money in developing new active ingredients

A minimal – and therefore innocuous – dose of an antibiotic coupled with highly sensitive measurement technology could save time and money in the development of new active ingredients.

7 May 2020

BIOCAD becomes Vector’s industrial partner to develop COVID-19 vaccine

The biotechnology company BIOCAD has signed an agreement with the State Scientific Center for Virology and Biotechnology &laquoVektor» (Novosibirsk) on joint work on a vaccine based on rVSV against the COVID-19 virus.

7 May 2020

Researchers develop nano-based anti-coronavirus surface coating

The coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, is transmitted between people mainly via respiratory droplets, but it is known that the virus remains stable on various surfaces for days.

7 May 2020

Researchers show how bats carry the MERS coronavirus

A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team has uncovered how bats can carry the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus without getting sick--research that could shed light on how coronaviruses make the jump to humans and other animals.

7 May 2020

Arrayjet develops COVID-19 antibody screening technology to facilitate vaccine development

Arrayjet Limited, the Scottish-based bio-printing technology specialist for the life sciences industry, has re-purposed its in-house antibody screening technology to create a population-scale diagnostic program that will help scientists better understand the behavior of the Covid-19 virus and further the rapidity of a global vaccination program.

7 May 2020

QUT professor proposes an interim solution to relax social isolation

Your house number could be the key to the safe relaxation of COVID-19-related restrictions if government follow a new exit strategy proposal published today in the British Medical Journal.

7 May 2020

The effect of weather on COVID-19 infection rate

Viral epidemics are nothing new in human history. Several viruses circulate freely every year among human beings, causing seasonal outbreaks of disease and death, such as the seasonal flu. A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* reports that temperature plays a significant role in the growth of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

6 May 2020

Air pollution associated with greater virulence of COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in April 2020 provides convincing evidence that air pollution contributes to greater severity of COVID-19. The researchers say, “This suggests the detrimental impact climate change will have on the trajectory of future respiratory epidemics.”

6 May 2020

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and rivers

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in May 2020 shows that while the virus causing COVID-19 may be present in wastewater and rivers, the biological agent is typically devoid of vitality and unable to cause active infection. This should provide some relief to public health authorities in their quest to contain the virus.

6 May 2020

Study discovers inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 entry priming protein by approved drug

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome -coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread to most of the world, causing millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths. A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* shows that a protease inhibitor drug already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could inhibit viral entry.

6 May 2020

Low CD8 and NK cell counts in the lung linked to high SARS-CoV-2 ACE2 receptor levels

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in April 2020 reports that low levels of specific immune cells, namely, CD8 T cells and NK cells, are linked to higher expression of the ACE2 molecule, which acts as a receptor for the CoV.

6 May 2020

How do betacoronaviruses evolve?

Researchers have worked on the evolution of the pathogenic strains of the betacoronaviruses including the SARS CoV-2 that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

6 May 2020

Research looks at best ways to disinfect N95 masks for reuse

The world is gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The health care personnel and those caring for these patients are at considerable risk of contracting the infection. N95 masks have been mentioned as protective face gear to cover the face, nose, and mouth of the user to prevent the spread of the infection via aerosols generated while coughing, sneezing, or even breathing.

6 May 2020

Spillover of more bat coronaviruses likely due to destruction of wildlife habitats

A new study available on the preprint server bioRxiv used phylogenetic analysis to demonstrate how certain groups of bats harbor multiple coronavirus lineages that are not readily transmitted across different bat taxa. However, the researchers caution that another novel human coronavirus outbreak originating from bats is imminent due to the destruction of wildlife habitats.

6 May 2020

Study points towards the potential spread of COVID-19 via sewage

Environmental biologists at the University of Stirling have warned that the potential spread of COVID-19 via sewage "must not be neglected" in the battle to protect human health.

6 May 2020