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CDC launches coronavirus self-checker – an online triage system

The influx of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases has overwhelmed healthcare systems across the globe, including the United States. The country has seen a sharp increase in its infection and death toll, prompting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to launch an online triage system to help residents make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care.

23 Mar 2020

Behave or expect lockdown like Italy, UK warns

Governments across the globe need to impose strict measures to implement lockdowns and quarantine procedures to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. The United Kingdom has imposed social distancing guidance, but some are still not following it appropriately.

23 Mar 2020

Three doctors succumb to coronavirus as Philippines scrambles to trace 215 people

The Philippines has reported a sharp increase in confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with the death toll now at 33. The country has also seen the fall of front liner health workers amid the coronavirus fight, with three doctors succumbing to the infection.

23 Mar 2020

Lockdowns not enough to combat coronavirus, WHO warns

With more than 336,000 confirmed cases and at least 14,600 deaths across the globe, many countries and regions have imposed lockdowns in their territories to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO), however, says it is not enough.

23 Mar 2020

New data shows Wuhan COVID-19 fatality rate 1.4 percent, lower than other countries

It is now abundantly clear that COVID-19 is not "just the flu" as Italy grapples to contain the virus. The country has taken surpassed the death toll of China since it recorded 5,476 deaths with a fatality rate of 8.3 percent. China has first shown a fatality rate of 2 to 3.4 percent, but a new study shows that the rate is lower than previously known.

22 Mar 2020

Using 'young NK cells' could improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy for cancer patients

Immunotherapy that involves treating cancer with the body's own immune cells, or those of a matched donor, shows promise in clinical trials for some patients, but not all.

22 Mar 2020

Researchers decode 3D architecture of SARS-CoV-2 main protease

Teams around the world are working hard to develop active substances against SARS-CoV-2. The structural analysis of functional proteins of the virus is very helpful for this goal. The function of a protein is closely related to its 3D architecture.

21 Mar 2020

Lopinavir and ritonavir drug combo tested in severe COVID-19

Researchers from China and the United Kingdom have collaborated to conduct a clinical trial looking at the efficacy of a combination of two anti-HIV drugs lopinavir and ritonavir to combat severe cases of COVID-19. Their study titled, “A Trial of Lopinavir–Ritonavir in Adults Hospitalized with Severe COVID-19,” was published in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

19 Mar 2020

Coronavirus can stay in the air for hours and surfaces for days – how to disinfect?

As COVID-19 (coronavirus) spreads across the globe, scientists have found the virus can persist in the air for hours and on surfaces for days.

19 Mar 2020

Some children may become seriously ill with coronavirus, experts warn

Evidence shows that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) most often affects older adults, who are 60 years old or more, and those with underlying medical conditions. But a new study has shown that several children in China had developed severe or critical conditions, with one child dying from COVID-19.

19 Mar 2020

Cryo-electron microscopy helps visualize ball-and-chain inactivation of ion channels

Ion channels, which allow potassium and sodium ions to flow in and out of cells, are crucial in neuronal 'firing' in the central nervous system and for brain and heart function.

19 Mar 2020

Social media giants join forces to tackle spread of fake coronavirus news

Social media giants such as Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter, and YoutTube have, for the first time, joined hands to fight the spread of fake news on their platforms. They have issued a joint statement.

18 Mar 2020

Bacterial extracellular vesicles could combat antibiotic resistance

Children's National Hospital researchers for the first time have isolated bacterial extracellular vesicles from the blood of healthy donors, a critical step to better understanding the way gut bacteria communicate with the rest of the body via the bloodstream.

18 Mar 2020

Strict measures to halt coronavirus spread will reduce deaths

Amid the coronavirus global pandemic, it is still unclear which government measures are useful in curbing the spread of the virus. Some countries had imposed lockdowns and community quarantines, while others took time to restrict population movement before they closed schools and nonessential businesses. Others are still allowing regular routines despite an increasing number of infections.

18 Mar 2020

Lessons learned from three Singapore COVID-19 clusters

A study published in the journal The Lancet in March 2020 reports on three clusters of COVID-19 that happened in Singapore in February 2020. The first was because of a tour group, the second a company conference, and the third a church gathering.

17 Mar 2020

Ibuprofen could increase risk of coronavirus complications

The UK’s National Health Service says that people who have COVID-19 and are self-quarantined should rest and drink plenty of fluids. So far, so good. However, it goes on to advise that they take paracetamol or ibuprofen to keep down fever and pain.

17 Mar 2020

COVID-19 stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces

The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces, according to a new study from National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University scientists The New England Journal of Medicine.

17 Mar 2020

EHD2 protein plays a key role in fat metabolism

Many foods - whether it's the mozzarella on your favorite pizza, the olive oil in salad dressing or hollandaise sauce during asparagus season - contain lots of fat. The fatty acids in these foods are among the essential nutrients that people need to survive.

17 Mar 2020

Can you get the coronavirus twice?

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has rippled across the globe, spanning 155 countries with infections. The virus has touched all continents, except Antarctica, making it a global pandemic. The novel coronavirus has now infected more than 196,000 worldwide, while more than 7,800 have succumbed to the viral infection.

17 Mar 2020

You can now donate to a COVID-19 WHO, UN response fund

Now that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is officially a global pandemic, everyone has one common goal, keep everybody safe from the deadly disease. To strengthen the response against the rapid spread of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations have partnered to curb the pandemic, as they launched the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

16 Mar 2020