Tulane Outbreak Daily – September 8, 2020

Upcoming Virtual Events

COVID-19 Open Online Briefings with Dr David Nabarro – 4sd

In complement to the COVID-19 Narratives, Dr David Nabarro, Special Envoy of the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General on COVID-19 and Co-Director of the Imperial College Institute of Global Health Innovation at the Imperial College London, is holding Open Online Briefings to answer further questions from the 4SD Academy and wider network. The briefings begin with an overview of the current situation and emerging issues followed by a Live Q&A.

Featured Headlines

The coronavirus is mutating — does it matter? – Nature

Different SARS-CoV-2 strains haven’t yet had a major impact on the course of the pandemic, but they might in future.

Researchers Say Fresh Air Can Prevent Aerosol Transmission Of The Coronavirus – NPR

There’s increasing evidence that the coronavirus can linger and spread through the air in crowded indoor rooms. Researchers say infectious clouds can be dispersed with fresh air.

Bradykinin and the Coronavirus – Science Magazine

There’s a new paper that a lot of people are talking about recently that presents a rather large unifying hypothesis about the effects of the coronavirus (and suggests some new modes of treatment as well). This is the “bradykinin hypothesis”, and before digging into it, it might be worth a paragraph to talk about what bradykinin is. [Related paper]

Real-time imaging shows how SARS-CoV-2 attacks human cells – Nano

What we’re doing here is actually visualizing binding of the spike to ACE 2 [angiotensin converting enzyme 2],” says Kirill Gorshkov a research scientist at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) in Maryland, U.S.

PICS: A Serious Issue for COVID-19 Survivors – MedPageToday

Even healthcare professionals may not be aware of and prepared for a condition called post-intensive care unit (ICU) syndrome (PICS) that can occur in the aftermath of COVID-19. What about those who were hospitalized for COVID-19, treated in the ICU, and are unaware of the possible long-term impact and rehabilitation phase?

Salmon May Harbor Infectious Coronavirus For a Week, Study Shows – Bloomberg

Coronavirus lingering on chilled salmon may be infectious for more than a week, according to researchers in China, where imported fish have been investigated as a potential source of infections.

Bloomberg Prognosis: COVID Learning as we Go – Bloomberg

audio file at the link –

How are educators and families navigating what we know, and don’t know, about the risks of restarting school during a pandemic?

Today’s special episode is a collaboration with Tradeoffs, a podcast about our costly, complicated and counter-intuitive health care system.

COVID-19 and obesity: Doctors studying link between excess weight and severe disease – NBC News

Obesity may be one reason some countries or communities have been hit hard by the virus, researchers say.

Clinical Considerations

Clinical Improvements in Moderate COVID-19: Remdesivir vs Standard Care – Pulmonary Advisor

NSAIDs, Such As Ibuprofen, Not Associated With Any Adverse Effects in People With COVID-19 – SciTechDaily

The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and diclofenac, is not associated with any adverse effects in people who have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a new study published today (September 8, 2020) in PLOS Medicine by Anton Pottegård of the University of Southern Denmark and colleagues from Aarhus University Hospital and the Danish Medicines Agency.

How the Aging Immune System Makes Older People Vulnerable to Covid-19 – NYT

As we age, the immune system begins to shift into a heightened state of alert, dialing up inflammation and running out of certain immune cells.

Delayed immune responses may drive COVID-19 mortality rates among men and the elderly – Science Daily

COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infections tend to be more severe among older adults and males, yet the mechanisms underlying increased mortality in these two demographics are unknown. A new study suggests that varying immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 due to age and sex may depend on viral load and the time-course of infection.

Is COVID-19 Primarily a Heart and Vascular Disease? – Infection Control Today

Several recent studies have supported the growing hypothesis that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is primarily a cardiovascular, and not a pulmonary virus. The narrative that those affected are usually asymptomatic and have very mild or no disease may be false. Many of those who are asymptomatic may actually fall victim to myocarditis, a sinister, stealth-like disease, whose resulting disability may take decades to manifest.

The Real Reason Post-COVID Myocarditis Is a Worry – MedPageToday

It’s not often that myocarditis trends on Twitter, but cardiac MRI findings after recovery from acute COVID-19 symptoms have rocketed to public attention for their impact on decisions being made about sports.

Official Reporting for September 8, 2020

World Health Organization

Weekly Epi Update SEP 7, 2020

Cumulative Cases: 27,236,916

Cumulative Deaths: 891,031

ECDC

Confirmed Cases: 27,366,648

Deaths: 894,306

Johns Hopkins

Confirmed Cases: 27,431,255

Deaths: 872,250

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Total cases: 6,287,362
Total deaths: 188,688

Surveillance Headlines

USA

EUROPE

UK: Hancock concern over ‘sharp rise’ in cases – BBC

Spain: Spain’s Business Leaders Fear Second Lockdown as Virus Surges – Bloomberg

France: France Leads Europe’s Coronavirus Surge Just as Schools Reopen – BBC

LATIN AMERICA

Peru: Peru Locked Down Early. Now It Battles One Of The Worst Coronavirus Outbreaks – NPR

ASIA

India: Skyrocketing Indian Virus Cases Could Eclipse U.S. Outbreak – Bloomberg

Science and Tech

Genome Data Help to Track COVID-19 Superspreading Event – NIH Director’s Blog

When it comes to COVID-19, anyone, even without symptoms, can be a “superspreader” capable of unknowingly infecting a large number of people and causing a community outbreak. That’s why it is so important right now to wear masks when out in public and avoid large gatherings, especially those held indoors, where a superspreader can readily infect others with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.

Apple and Google have launched coronavirus exposure notifications without an app – MIT Tech Review

The news: Apple and Google have announced they’re expanding their coronavirus exposure warning system so health agencies can take part without needing to create a customized app. It’s a significant upgrade to the system, which uses Bluetooth to work out if people have spent extended periods of time near each other and then notifies the close contacts of someone who tests positive for coronavirus. The original system launched in May and has since been adopted by six states in the US and at least 15 countries. Maryland, Nevada, Virginia, and Washington, DC, will be the first to sign up to use the revamped system, Apple and Google said in a conference call.

The scientists who swab subways for coronavirus – MIT Tech Review

What weird bugs did you pick up last time you rode a subway train? Just as the covid-19 pandemic was taking off, a global network of scientists began mapping the DNA of urban microbes and using AI to look for patterns. Join host Jennifer Strong as she rides along on a subway-swabbing mission and talks to scientists racing to find an existing drug that might treat the disease.

Vaccine

Pfizer, AZ, Moderna, others ink vaccine safety pledge; Pfizer, BioNTech prep phase 1/2 trial of 5th shot hopeful – Fierce Pharma

Pfizer, Moderna, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi and other major drugmakers issued a pledge to seek vaccine approval or authorization only on the basis of strong phase 3 data—not political pressure. Meanwhile, Pfizer and BioNTech quietly made plans to push a fifth shot candidate into human testing.

Social and Psychological Impact

Why human brains are bad at assessing the risks of pandemics – Washington Post

More than six months into a pandemic in the United States, we know a few things. We know that the novel coronavirus can be fatal, that it’s passed via respiratory droplets, that masks and social distancing help stop its spread. And yet many Americans, weary of lockdowns, seem determined to return to social gatherings and other “normal” activities, even though experts have warned against this. The question is, why? Why do some take the threat of the virus more seriously than others?

Published Research

Coronavirus (COVID-19), Coagulation, and Exercise: Interactions That May Influence Health Outcomes – Thrombosis and Hemostasis

COVID-19 is, in the end, an endothelial disease – European Heart Journal

Coping in Quarantine

I try to avoid politics in this daily product, but this is pretty funny. New Zealanders have responded to a recent political comment with a hashtag trending on Twitter. Take a look, it looks like a real #NZhellhole

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