Tulane Outbreak Daily – October 26, 2020

Featured Headlines

More SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections Reported, But Still a Rare Event – The Scientist

Repeat COVID-19 cases could offer clues about people’s immunity to the novel coronavirus and how to vaccinate against it.The first indications that reinfection could occur came from case reports out of Hong Kong and Europe, and then Nevada. What distinguished some of these cases as clear reinfections rather than lingering initial infections is that the genomes of the viruses causing the first and second infections weren’t identical.

Universal mask use could save 130,000 U.S. lives by the end of February, new study estimates – STAT

Back in April, President Trump picked out a single computer model of coronavirus spread as his oracle of choice. Unsurprisingly, that simulation initially had rosier estimates than other algorithms, projecting many fewer Covid-19 deaths — and its unconventional calculations and fluctuating estimates drew sharp criticism from epidemiologists.

A 7-hour flight has been linked to 59 coronavirus cases in Ireland, researchers say – Washington Post

A seven-hour international flight to Ireland this summer has been linked to 59 coronavirus cases in the country, Irish researchers said in a report. [Related Report Eurosurveillance]

Studies show long-term COVID-19 immune response – CIDRAP

The durability of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 is critical for understanding community outbreaks and serologic testing data, and to predict the longevity of vaccine protection. Two new studies demonstrate how severity of disease is predictive of longer-lasting antibody production and detail how immunity wanes over time but may exist for up to 7 months.

Preventing the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 With Masks and Other “Low-tech” Interventions – JAMA

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused a global pandemic of historic proportions in the 10 months since cases were first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, with worldwide morbidity, mortality, and disruptions to society.

Fauci: Wear a Mask Even When COVID Vaccine Comes – Infection Control Today

When the vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) finally arrives, people should keep on wearing masks, says a viewpoint in today’s JAMA Network which includes Anthony Fauci, MD, as one of its co-authors. “As countries around the world seek to safely reopen businesses, schools, and other facets of society, mask use in the community to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, in conjunction with other low-cost, low-tech, commonsense public health practices, is and will remain critical,” writes Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and 2 other NIAID investigators, Andrea M. Lerner, MD, and Gregory K. Folkers, MS, MPD. “Return to normalcy will require the widespread acceptance and adoption of mask wearing and other inexpensive and effective interventions as part of the COVID-19 prevention toolbox.”

Estimating risk of airborne COVID-19 with mask usage, social distancing – Science Daily

The Contagion Airborne Transmission inequality model illustrates correlation between physical distancing and protection, the efficacy of face masks and the impact of physical activity on transmission.

Face Shields Staved Off COVID-19, HAIs at Texas Hospital – MedPageToday

A program of universal face shields for healthcare personnel (HCP) at one Texas hospital was not only tied to fewer COVID-19 infections, but fewer hospital-associated infections (HAI), a researcher said.

Study: Air Pollution Increases Transmission of SARS-COV-2 – International SOS

Air pollution has been implicated as a factor that increases the transmissibility of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), leading to more COVID-19 cases. This can happen as air pollution increases the susceptibility to respiratory infections, impairs the immune system and aerosols can help in the longer survival of the virus. [Related pre-print study]

Clinical Considerations

Male Sex May be the Defining Factor in Predicting Susceptibility to and Severity of SARS=COV-2 Infection: A Case Series – EMJ

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This paper will describe a series of three confirmed cases of COVID-19 and use patterns observed in these cases to discuss the association of this infection with male sex through different mechanisms linked to the X chromosome. The patients’ symptoms and diagnostic testing are reviewed, while also focussing on the illness status of their immediate family members. It is known that the X chromosome is linked to SARS-CoV-2 viral infectivity through the androgen receptor gene which is located on the X chromosome, and that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 has an unconfirmed pattern of X-linked inheritance of its allelic variants, some of which are known to afford stronger binding affinity to SARS-CoV-2. However, there are no studies that investigate these factors in combination with each other and how this combination predicts disease outcome in males versus females, providing a more concrete explanation for the observed pattern that suggests this disease leads to poorer disease outcomes in males. Investigation of these factor combinations will allow for greater understanding of the epidemiology of this virus and the development of more accurate guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Official Reporting for October 26, 2020

World Health Organization

Weekly Epi Update October 16, 2020 (Last Updated)

Cumulative Cases: 42,966,344
Cumulative Deaths: 1,152,604

ECDC

Confirmed Cases: 43 140 173
Deaths: 1 155 235

Johns Hopkins

Confirmed Cases: 43,421,678
Deaths: 1,158,321

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Stats for 10/23 not available at time of publishing

Total cases: 8,249,011
Total deaths: 220,362

Surveillance Headlines

UNITED STATES

U.S. sees highest number of new COVID-19 cases in past two days – Retuers

Texas now tied with California for most Covid-19 cases in country – NBC

Wisconsin: How Wisconsin Docs Are Handling the COVID Onslaught – MedPageToday

Maryland: 565 New Cases Reported As Positivity Rate, ICU Beds Climb Up – CBS

EUROPE

European Countries Reinstate Curfews To Try To Slow COVID-19 Surge – NPR

AUSTRALIA

As Europe And The U.S. Struggle To Contain Covid-19 Surge, Australia Lifts Its Strictest Lockdown – Forbes

Science and Tech

New COVID-19 related genes — helpful and harmful — found in massive screen – Yale News

Researchers at Yale University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard screened hundreds of millions of cells exposed to the COVID-19 and MERS viruses and identified dozens of genes that both enable the viruses to replicate in cells and also those that seem to slam the door on the virus.

Global Crowdsourcing Can Help the U.S. Beat the Pandemic – Harvard Business Review

To fight Covid-19, the United States must be open to ideas from everywhere, including developing countries. Sometimes less-wealthy countries can offer simple, low-tech solutions that are highly effective at containing infectious diseases.

Tracking evolution of SARS-CoV-2 virus mutations – Science Daily

Researchers tracked the mutation rate in SARS-CoV-2 virus’s proteome — the collection of proteins encoded by genetic material — through time, starting with the first SARS-CoV-2 genome published in January and ending more than 15,300 genomes later in May. The team found some regions still actively spinning off new mutations, indicating continuing adaptation to the host environment. But the mutation rate in other regions showed signs of slowing, coalescing around single versions of key proteins.

Therapeutics

Eli Lilly Says Its Antibody Treatment Does Not Work on Hospitalized Virus Patients – New York Times

The drug maker Eli Lilly said on Monday that its antibody treatment was ineffective on patients hospitalized with advanced Covid-19 and that a government-sponsored trial would not administer the drug to new participants.

Study identifies 3 existing drugs that may help treat COVID-19 – Medical News Today

In a new study, scientists have found three previously-available drugs that may be effective at treating COVID-19 in its early stages. [Related study]

Compassionate Use of Tocilizumab in Severe SARS-CoV2 Pneumonia – International Journal of Infectious Diseases

Tocilizumab is an interleukin 6 receptor antagonist which has been used for the treatment of severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (SSP), aiming to ameliorate the cytokine release syndrome (CRS) -induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, there are no consistent data whom might benefit most from it.

Where Are We in the Quest for Coronavirus Treatments? – Bloomberg Prognosis

The scramble to develop treatments for Covid-19 has paid off, as some are improving the chances of survival for very sick patients. Since the disease first emerged, medical professionals have gone from fumbling in the dark to a better understanding of what drugs work — notably steroids and the antiviral medicine remdesivir. Other treatments have shown promise in clinical trials, including an experimental antibody therapy that U.S. President Donald Trump received after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Vaccine

A Federal Coronavirus Vaccine Contract Released At Last, But Redactions Obscure Terms – NPR

Even as the companies enlisted by the government’s Operation Warp Speed project to develop COVID-19 vaccines say they’re making quick progress, details of their lucrative federal contracts have been slow to emerge.

Diagnostics

New SARS-CoV-2 test to deliver results in under 5 minutes – Healthcare in Europe

Unlike current approaches (using blood, saliva, or a nasopharyngeal swab), the new test will identify SARS-CoV-2 virus particles in a person’s exhaled breath. The solution promises the accurate identification of a contagious case in less than five minutes. This will make for faster, easier, more comfortable, and larger-scale testing – an essential requirement for getting a grip on epidemics much sooner while limiting their economic and social impact. Imec is teaming up with the UZ Leuven University Hospital for the solution’s clinical validation. By the summer of 2021, imec intends to test a functional prototype at Brussels Airport.

 

Psychological and Sociological Impact

COVID-19 could erase parenting gains of the last 30 years – Brookings

Past research has attributed income-based inequalities in young children’s academic achievement and educational attainment in part to differences in the home environment; that is, to differences in what parents do and the goals that drive their behavior. H

Published Research

Genome-wide CRISPR screens reveal host factors critical for SARS-CoV-2 infection – Cell

COVID-19–Associated Hospitalizations Among Health Care Personnel — COVID-NET, 13 States, March 1–May 31, 2020
– CDC

A large national outbreak of COVID-19 linked to air travel, Ireland, summer 2020 – Eurosurveillance

Effectiveness of steroid treatment for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia with COP-like reaction: a case report – Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness

Virtual and In Vitro Antiviral Screening Revive Therapeutic Drugs for COVID-19 – ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science

Spike mutation D614G alters SARS-CoV-2 fitness – Nature

Pre-Print Studies

The Causal Effect of Air Pollution on COVID-19 Transmission: Evidence from China – MedRXIV

Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories

How to spot scammers running fake COVID-19 trials – WTOP

There are thousands of trials and studies underway with the goal of developing a treatment or vaccine for the coronavirus. But in a news release Friday, the commission said some studies are more interested in taking your money and personal information than they are in developing a COVID treatment.