Pandemic News and Research

RSS

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Migrant workers contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in India’s villages

India's lockdown may have hastened spread of COVID-19 to rural areas as millions of migrant workers, trapped in the big cities, ended up being exposed to the virus — which they carried into their distant villages when finally allowed to return.

7 Jul 2020

Evolutionary snapshot reveals genetic stability of SARS-CoV-2

A multinational study currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server shows that in the early large genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) only a handful of amino acids are exchanged, implying a relatively low mutation rate and selection pressure.

7 Jul 2020

Surgical delay linked to increased risk in gastrointestinal malignancies, study finds

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread cancellations of electively-scheduled or "non-emergency" operations were implemented to free up hospital beds and conserve protective equipment for health care workers.

7 Jul 2020

Early life exposure to influenza shapes our susceptibility to future infections

Early infections of influenza A can help predict how the virus will affect people across different ages in the future and could impact the effectiveness of flu vaccines, says a new study published today in eLife.

7 Jul 2020

7 in 10 U.S. adults worry poor health will limit their life experiences, survey finds

Seven in 10 U.S. adults worry poor health will prevent them from doing all the things they'd like to do in life, according to a new survey from the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association.

7 Jul 2020

‘Please tell me my life is worth a LITTLE of your discomfort,’ nurse pleads

When an employee told a group of 20-somethings they needed face masks to enter his fast-food restaurant, one woman fired off a stream of expletives. "Isn't this Orange County?" snapped a man in the group. "We don't have to wear masks!"

7 Jul 2020

Extra weight gain during lockdown could have significant health implications, cardiologist warns

Many more of us could have diabetes and high blood pressure if we don't lose the extra weight we've put on during lockdown, a renowned cardiologist at Keele University has warned.

7 Jul 2020

COVID catch-22: They got a big ER bill because hospitals couldn’t test for virus

Fresh off a Caribbean cruise in early March, John Campbell developed a cough and fever of 104 degrees. He went to his primary care physician and got a flu test, which came up negative.

7 Jul 2020

Methotrexate is not an additional risk factor for interstitial lung disease in RA patients

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often suffer from what is referred to as interstitial lung disease (ILD).

7 Jul 2020

Life beyond COVID seclusion: Seniors see challenges and change ahead

Months into the coronavirus pandemic, older adults are having a hard time envisioning their "new normal."

7 Jul 2020

Spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 covered by mobile glycans that shield its surface

A new study of the structural dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein published in the preprint server bioRxiv in July 2020 reports on the epitopes that could be possible immune targets for the development of vaccines.

7 Jul 2020

Scientists identify compounds that block replication of COVID-19 virus

As the death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic mounts, scientists worldwide continue their push to develop effective treatments and a vaccine for the highly contagious respiratory virus.

7 Jul 2020

Faulty immune response to SARS-CoV-2 one of the main causes of death

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in July 2020 describes the organ and tissue-specific spread of the virus causing the current COVID-19 pandemic, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

7 Jul 2020

SARS-CoV-2 detected in Santiago, Chile wastewater with very little loss of viral RNA

A preliminary report from Chile describes the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in sewage as a sensitive method to assess the circulation of viruses within a community.

7 Jul 2020

Viral and bacterial co-infections are pervasive in severe COVID-19 patients

A large group of researchers from China recently characterized microbial co-infections in the respiratory tract of hospitalized coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients and demonstrated a high prevalence of both viral and bacterial co-infections – particularly in individuals presenting with severe disease.

6 Jul 2020

Surge in gun purchases in U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic

A team of experts from the University of California Firearm Violence Research Center says the purchase and interpersonal use of firearms in the United States has increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

6 Jul 2020

COVID-19 risk halved when airplane middle seats empty, expert statistician says

As the coronavirus cases skyrocket, many countries have started to ease lockdown measures to save the ailing economy. Restaurants, malls, recreational centers, and transportation are slowly returning to normal operations. However, one of the most heavily impacted sectors amid the pandemic is the aviation industry.

6 Jul 2020

Work begins on UK-wide system for detecting coronavirus in wastewater

Scientists will develop a standardized UK-wide system for detecting coronavirus in wastewater, in order to provide an early warning of future outbreaks and reduce reliance on costly testing of large populations.

6 Jul 2020

Mongolia warns of suspected bubonic plague

Mongolia has issued a warning to residents in the western Khovd region after two people are suspected of having the bubonic plague. The National Center for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD) states that the disease is linked to the consumption of marmots, a relatively large ground squirrel.

6 Jul 2020

Researchers discover novel class of safer analgesics

Researchers at LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence and colleagues have discovered a new class of pipeline drugs to relieve pain and reduce fever without the danger of addiction or damage to the liver or kidneys.

6 Jul 2020