Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Latest Coronavirus Disease COVID 19 News and Research

Risk of severe COVID-19 in ~50 kb genomic segment inherited from Neanderthals

Researchers have found that a small fragment of the genetic code that has been inherited by modern humans from Neanderthals could carry the secret of why some people succumb to a severe form of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization, while others recover.

7 Jul 2020

New 'catch and kill' air filter can trap SARS-CoV-2 virus

Researchers from the University of Houston, in collaboration with others, have designed a "catch and kill" air filter that can trap the virus responsible for COVID-19, killing it instantly.

7 Jul 2020

Gene expression networks flag potential therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2

An international team of researchers from Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and the United States has identified dozens of genes that could contribute to the pathology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and serve as potential therapeutic targets.

7 Jul 2020

Cerebrospinal fluid autoantibodies target the brain in some COVID-19 patients

A study conducted by German researchers has shown that the neurological symptoms observed in some patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be caused by autoantibodies targeting the brain.

7 Jul 2020

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

‘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

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

Repurposing public health systems can provide near-to-real-time data on SARS-CoV-2

Existing public health monitoring systems in the UK, could improve understanding of the risk factors associated with severe COVID-19.

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

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein hidden as pH changes

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in July 2020 reports the role of pH in helping the virus escape neutralization by antibodies, by inducing a key conformational switch.

7 Jul 2020

New technique evaluates connectivity of brain networks in COVID-19 patients

Many patients with severe coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) remain unresponsive after surviving critical illness.

7 Jul 2020

People find non-round numbers unique and jarring, shows research

A vaccine for the novel coronavirus has been developed that is 91.27% effective. If public health officials present this information using the specific number, people are likely to think the vaccine is actually less effective than if it is presented as being 90% effective.

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

Dutch trial of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 discontinued

Now, a recent trial published on the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 reports that a majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have a high titer of neutralizing antibodies, at the time of admission, within 10 days of symptomatic disease.

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