Upcoming Virtual Events
Webinar: COVID-19: Navigating the COVID-19 Treatment Landscape
From antivirals and anti-inflammatory therapy to corticosteroids and convalescent plasma, the treatment landscape for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) evolves each and every day as more and more studies are added to the literature bank.
Featured Headlines
Coronavirus Cases Rise To Highest Level Since Late July – NPR
With coronavirus outbreaks picking up speed in dozens of states, the U.S. is now climbing steadily toward a new peak in cases that may soon rival the summer surge — when the country hit more than 60,000 infections on average a day for weeks in a row.
10 states reported their highest single-day coronavirus case counts last week – CNN Video
Covid-19 cases continue to soar across the country and one top infectious disease expert warned Americans that the next few months will be the “darkest of the pandemic.” Health experts say the predicted fall surge is here, and rising cases across the US appear to bear that out. The US is averaging more than 55,000 new cases a day, and 10 states reported their highest single-day case counts on Friday. At least 27 states are showing an upward trend in the number of cases reported, according to a CNN analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University.
Should we plan for regular ‘circuit-breaker’ coronavirus lockdowns?
With cases of covid-19 rising in most parts of the UK, there is fierce debate over the best way to respond. While some people argue for a “let the virus rip” strategy, others want increasing social restrictions, up to and including full lockdown, as happened in the pandemic’s first wave.
Why the coronavirus is killing more men than women – Washington Post
Men have weaker immune systems that, in some cases, may actually sabotage the body’s response to an invader. But social and cultural factors may also play a role. By mid-October, the coronavirus had killed almost 17,000 more American men than women, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For every 10 women claimed by the disease in the United States, 12 men have died, found an analysis by Global Health 50/50, a U.K.-based initiative to advance gender equality in health care.
Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 – Science Magazine
There is overwhelming evidence that inhalation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) represents a major transmission route for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is an urgent need to harmonize discussions about modes of virus transmission across disciplines to ensure the most effective control strategies and provide clear and consistent guidance to the public. To do so, we must clarify the terminology to distinguish between aerosols and droplets using a size threshold of 100 µm, not the historical 5 µm (1). This size more effectively separates their aerodynamic behavior, ability to be inhaled, and efficacy of interventions.
Can Frozen Food Packaging Spread Covid-19? China CDC Finds Live Coronavirus – Forbes
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should quit frozen foods cold turkey. But apparently the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has detected and isolated live Covid-19 coronavirus from the outer packaging of imported frozen cod while contact tracing an outbreak in Qingdao, China.
Former FDA Commissioner says ‘biggest wave’ of coronavirus infections still to come – WTOP
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, warned Sunday that the current wave of new coronavirus infections is likely to be the “biggest wave” the nation experiences before a vaccine.
Clinical Considerations
COPD Linked to Three-Fold Greater Mortality Risk in Severe COVID-19 Patients – MD Magazine
The prevalence of comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among patients hospitalized with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is actually lower than its presence in the general population, according to a new observational cohort analysis.
SARS-CoV-2 Detection on Bronchoalveolar Lavage: An Italian Multicenter experience – Karger.com
Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) during the SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) pandemic should be reserved to a limited number of clinical indications. The yield of BAL for the diagnosis of suspected or confirmed pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 infection is still unknown.
Covid-19 Could Lead To ‘Sudden’ Permanent Deafness – Forbes
Doctors warn that coronavirus could cause permanent deafness after a patient lost hearing in one ear following hospital treatment for Covid-19, calling on doctors to ask patients in intensive care about hearing loss.
Official Reporting for October 19, 2020
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update October 16, 2020 (Last Updated)
Cumulative Cases: 39,944,882
Cumulative Deaths: 1,111,998
ECDC
Confirmed Cases: 40 106 965
Deaths: 1 114 636
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 40,256,991
Deaths: 1,116,060
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 7,958,254 (data for Oct 19 not available at time of publication)
Total deaths: 216,917
Surveillance Headlines
ASIA
India: Has the pandemic really peaked in India? – BBC
South Korea: South Korea Eases Coronavirus Restrictions, Touts ‘Exceptional’ Success – NPR
UNITED STATES
USA: The last COVID-free counties in America – ABC
Missouri: Kansas City hospitals overwhelmed, some forced to divert ambulances as COVID-19 cases jump – ABC
Minnesota: Latest on COVID-19 in MN: 12 days of cases above 1K as virus spreads – MPR News
EUROPE
UK: Greater Manchester restrictions delay ‘puts lives at risk’ – BBC
Belgium: Belgium facing ‘tsunami’ of new infections – BBC
Italy: Covid-19’s first wave largely missed southern Italy. The second wave is hitting it hard – Washington Post
Italy: Opts for Light Touch in Europe’s Battle to Contain Virus – Bloomberg
Ireland: Readies Some of Europe’s Toughest Virus Curbs – Bloomberg
Science and Tech
These ‘Silent’ Mutations May Give Covid-19 Coronavirus An Evolutionary Advantage – Forbes
It’s evident that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19, existed in a benign way in bats and other wildlife populations before it jumped to humans. But the stability of the virus in bats and other wildlife populations—the result of so-called “silent mutations”—may also potentially help to explain its virulence, setting the stage for the current global pandemic.
The European Union has switched on cross-border interoperability for a first batch of COVID-19 contacts tracing apps that use Bluetooth proximity to calculate the exposure risk of smartphone users after a pilot of the system last month.
Therapeutics
Novel Antiviral Strategy for Treatment of COVID-19 – Sci Tech Daily
research team led by Professor Hongzhe SUN, Norman & Cecilia Yip Professor in Bioinorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, and Professor Kwok Yung YUEN, Henry Fok Professor in Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has discovered a novel antiviral strategy for treatment of COVID-19.
Vaccine
UNICEF to stockpile more than half a billion syringes by year’s end – UN
To begin preparations, this year, UNICEF will stockpile 520 million syringes in its warehouses, part of a larger plan to have a billion syringes ready for use through 2021, to guarantee initial supply and help ensure that syringes arrive before vaccines are distributed.
Johns Hopkins Vaccine Symposium – 5 part series
Preserving the Scientific Integrity of Getting to COVID-19 Vaccines: From Clinical Trials to Public Allocation
Psychological and Sociological Impact
Behavioral Health Faces Challenges During and After the Pandemic – MedPageToday
Public and private insurers need to continue allowing psychiatrists and other behavioral health clinicians to see patients via telehealth even after the pandemic ends, Lori Raney, MD, said at this year’s Population Health Colloquium.
Published Research
Case Series of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection — United Kingdom and United States, March–August 2020 – CDC
SARS-CoV-2 viremia may predict rapid deterioration of COVID-19 patients – Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases
The household secondary attack rate of SARS-CoV-2: A rapid review – Clinical Infectious Diseases
Pre-Print Studies
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories
As the novel coronavirus began to spread, so did the idea that 5G networks were to blame — or Bill Gates, or a ring of satanic pedophiles trying to divert attention from itself. Perhaps the virus was created in a lab as a bioweapon, or by pharmaceutical companies to boost sales of drugs and vaccines.
Published Research on Mis/Disinformation
Susceptibility to misinformation about COVID-19 around the world – Royal Society Open Science