Featured Headlines
‘It’s Too Late’: In Sprawling Indonesia, Coronavirus Surges – NYT
A random sampling of thousands found that one in 10 had antibodies for the coronavirus, an alarming glimpse at what could be runaway transmission.
Brazil Counts Almost Twice As Many Daily Covid-19 Deaths As The U.S. – Forbes
Brazil reported nearly twice as many new Covid-19 deaths as the U.S. in the previous 24 hours Tuesday, a menacing marker as the country emerges as the world’s new epicenter for the virus. [Related video from CNN]
New Paper Finds Startling Number Of Asymptomatic Covid-19 Carriers – Forbes
Some of the most fascinating data in the Covid-19 pandemic have been produced by small, naturalistic experiments—from “sealed” environments (cruise ships) to subgroups of the population who had routine testing way before it was widely available (women checking into hospitals to give birth). These studies have shown lower death rates than previously thought and a relatively high rate of asymptomatic carriers. [Related Study]
Coronavirus Epidemics Began Later Than Believed, Study Concludes – New York Times
In Washington State and Italy, the first confirmed cases were not linked to the outbreaks that followed, the analysis found. The epidemics were seeded later. [Related pre-print paper]
Clinical Considerations
Neurological complications of COVID-19: What is known so far? – Medical News
Researchers at the São Leopoldo Mandic School of Medicine in Brazil have presented a review of the current data available on the neurological effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-9). Paulo Mei and Laura Loeb hope their review will help researchers understand what is known so far about the link between infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the incidence of neurological conditions. [Related pre-print paper]
Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took a new step to support the agency’s evaluation of diagnostic tests for COVID-19, by providing a SARS-CoV-2 reference panel. Reference panels are an additional step to ensure the quality of the tests, validation of new assays, test calibration, and monitoring of assay performance. Nucleic acid tests identify infection by confirming the presence of a virus’ genetic material (RNA) and the FDA-supplied reference panel provides developers access to this material. The FDA’s reference panel is an independent performance validation step for diagnostic tests of SARS-CoV-2 infection that are being used for clinical, not research, purposes. The FDA panel is available to commercial and laboratory developers who are interacting with the FDA through the pre-emergency use authorization (EUA) process.
Less Nasal ACE2 May Explain Fewer COVID-19 Cases in Children – Contagion
A new study found that children have less angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in nasal epithelium than older populations, which might confer some protection against SARS-CoV-2 entering cells at this vulnerable site for infection and transmission, and explain their lower incidence of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). [Related Study]
Study Undercuts ARDS ‘Phenotypes’ in COVID-19 – MedPageToday
Lung compliance often doesn’t correlate with radiographic findings.A proposed division of COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) into two types requiring different ventilation approaches found no support from a proof-of-concept study. The division proposes two subphenotypes of COVID-19 pneumonia based on lung physiology and radiographic findings: Typical cases, dubbed “H type,” with high elastance, high shunt, and high lung weight that may benefit from lower tidal volumes and higher positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) Atypical “L type” ARDS with low elastance, low shunt, and low lung weight that might be better treated by higher tidal volumes and lower PEEP [Related Study]
The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to the death of thousands of people around the world.1 Neurologic manifestations are not much specific apart from acute anosmia, and postinfectious manifestation data are missing.2 We described the cases of 2 patients exhibiting demyelinating form of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and summarized neurologic manifestations and investigations results.
Blood clots fill lungs of black coronavirus victims, study finds – CNN
Careful autopsies of 10 African-American victims of coronavirus show their lungs were clogged with blood clots, researchers reported Wednesday.
All 10 patients had underlying conditions that have been shown to worsen infection, including high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. But genetic factors could also be at play, the team at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine said. [Related Study]
Clues to COVID-19 in the brain uncovered in new study – Science Daily
A study reviewing neuroimaging and neurological symptoms in patients with COVID-19 may shed light on the virus’s impact on the central nervous system. [Related Study]
New data show low rates of COVID-19 in pregnant women – CIDRAP
A research letter published yesterday in JAMA revealed a 3.9% prevalence of COVID-19 among women giving birth at three Yale New Haven hospitals in Connecticut. [Related Study] [Another Study]
Official Reporting for May 28, 2020
| WHO SITREP #128 | ECDC | Johns Hopkins | |
| Confirmed Cases | 5,488,825 | 5,656,615 | 5,746,086 |
| Deaths | 349,095 | 355,355 | 357,377 |
Total deaths: 99,031
Surveillance Headlines
USA
USA: Sewage Could Become Next Virus Surveillance Method, EPA Says – Bloomberg Law
Colorado: Confirms 1,135 deaths due to COVID-19 as positive cases near 25,000 – Denver Post
Louisiana:13 Louisiana children have developed illness tied to virus – WWLTV
Texas: Official Confirms More Than 200 COVID-19 Cases at North Texas Meat Plant – Local News
Tennessee: Dozens of workers test positive for COVID-19 at Chattanooga poultry plants – Local News
Virginia: At least 317 cases of COVID-19 identified among Shenandoah Valley poultry workers – Local News
ASIA
South Korea: New Virus Cases Double, Biggest Spike in 53 Days – Bloomberg
MEXICO
SOUTH AMERICA
EUROPE
ASIA
Science and Tech
As we move into summer, many unanswered questions about the COVID-19 pandemic remain. Who gets sick and why? What are the routes of transmission, and how do we stay safe? What activities can we return to and when?
Droplets created by speech could contribute to COVID-19 spread, new study suggests – Physics World
Droplet clouds emitted during 1 min of loud speech by an individual infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus could contain more than 1000 virus particles – according to new calculations done by scientists in the US. This work, alongside observations that these speech-generated droplet clouds persist in a confined space for 8-14 min, supports suspicions that COVID-19 may be transmitted when infected individuals speak. [Related Study/NEJM] [Related Study/PNAS]
Antivirals
Israeli scientists say Gaucher’s disease drugs may help treat Covid-19 – Pharmaceutical Technology
Scientists from the Israeli Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) claim that analogues of two drugs used for the treatment of Gaucher’s disease could be effective against Covid-19.
The long-awaited awaited remdesivir trial – FLARE Team
With millions of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and nearly 350,000 deaths worldwide due to COVID-19 to date, the need for specific antiviral therapies is imperative. Multiple repurposed or newly developed antiviral treatments have been proposed. Many treatments for COVID-19 have been described in case series and retrospective cohort studies (May 8 FLARE), but few have been tested in a randomized controlled trial (May 11 FLARE). In tonight’s FLARE, we review the publication of the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial-1 (ACTT-1), an RCT that resulted in the emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for remdesivir (Beigel et al. 2020).
Vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Search for Antibodies That ‘First Do No Harm’ – Scientific American
Biotechs and pharma want to protect patients without triggering immune system havoc
Infection Prevention
What’s the Risk of Catching Coronavirus From a Surface? – NYT
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen.
How to Safely Travel on Mass Transit During Coronavirus – Bloomberg
As lockdowns start to ease, trains, buses and planes are becoming an even greater focus of anxiety, with larger numbers of people considering when and how to resume travel. Larger crowds could pose a greater risk to both essential workers who may have been using transit all along, and the others who may start to join them. What factors most affect your risk of catching Covid-19 while using mass transit? CityLab talked to several experts about both the dangers and necessary precautions.
Even at the Clinic, COVID-19 Could Be in the Air – Med Page Today
Airborne aerosols were generated during speech, sneezing, and during nasal endoscopy procedures in an otolaryngology clinic, reinforcing the importance of universal source control during the COVID-19 epidemic, researchers found. [Related Study]
Published Research
Visualizing Speech-Generated Oral Fluid Droplets with Laser Light Scattering – NEJM
The airborne lifetime of small speech droplets and their potential importance in SARS-CoV-2 transmission – PNAS
Universal Screening for SARS-CoV-2 in Women Admitted for Delivery – NEJM
Nasal Gene Expression of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 in Children and Adults – JAMA
Airborne Aerosol Generation During Endonasal Procedures in the Era of COVID-19: Risks and Recommendations – SagePubs
Subphenotyping ARDS in COVID-19 Patients: Consequences for Ventilator Management – Annals of the American Thoracic Society
Pulmonary and cardiac pathology in African American patients with COVID-19: an autopsy series from New Orleans – The Lancet
Hospitalization and Mortality among Black Patients and White Patients with Covid-19 – NEJM
Pulmonary and cardiac pathology in African American patients with COVID-19: an autopsy series from New Orleans – The Lancet
Imaging in Neurological Disease of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: An Italian Multicenter Retrospective Observational Study – Radiology
Viral Load Dynamics in Patients Infected with SARS-CoV-2 – NEJM Journal Watch
Pre-Pub (not yet peer reviewed, should not be regarded as conclusive)
COVID-19: A Chronological Review of the Neurological Repercussions – What do We Know by May, 2020? – MedRXiv
Coping in Quarantine
How To Make A Mini-Zine About Life During The Pandemic – NPR
Have you ever wondered how to make your own magazine about life during the pandemic? No? Well, maybe you should consider it — and we’re here to show you how. All you need is a sheet of paper and a pen. Read the comic for directions on how to fold and what to write in your zine. Then share it with the Life Kit team on social media.
Stories from the Trauma Bay: COVID-19 Mythbusting
This is an interesting read, but I prefered the sweary version to the clean version. The occasional F bombs put emphasis in the right context. Sometimes sweary words used in the right amount can be like glitter. Just enough makes it sparkle.
10 Ways to Boost Your Odds of Surviving COVID-19 – Psycghology Today
This is also an interesting read!