Tulane Outbreak Daily – July 9, 2020

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Featured Headlines

Asymptomatic and presymptomatic people transmit most COVID-19 infections: Study – ABC News

Silent transmission of the novel coronavirus could account for more than half of infections, according to one new mathematical model by U.S. and Canadian researchers. The researchers utilized data on asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission from two different epidemiological studies and estimated that more than 50% of infections were attributable to people not exhibiting symptoms. [Related Study from PNAS] [Another related study from Nature]

When It Comes To Reopening Schools, ‘The Devil’s In The Details,’ Educators Say – NPR

11 min Audio at the link – Jeanne Norris is a teacher, the wife of a teacher and the mother of an 8-year-old in St. Louis. She’d love to send her son back to school in August. But, she says, “I feel like my government and my fellow citizens have put me in a position where it’s not really in the best interests of our family.”

COVID-19 cases surge higher in Americas and African regions – CIDRAP

At a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) media briefing yesterday, it was stated that cases increased 20% last week compared to the previous week, and about 100,000 cases a day are reported from the region. However, new patterns are emerging. Two months ago, the United States made up 75% of cases in the region, but this past week it reported under half of the cases, with cases in Latin America and the Caribbean area accounting for about 50% of cases.

What COVID-19 Seroprevalence Surveys Can Tell Us – CDC

Serology, or antibody, testing checks a sample of a person’s blood to look for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibodies usually become detectable in the blood 1-3 weeks after someone is infected.

WHO rethinking how Covid-19 spreads in air – BBC

The WHO has so far said that the virus is transmitted through droplets when people cough or sneeze. “We wanted them to acknowledge the evidence,” Jose Jimenez, a chemist at the University of Colorado who signed the paper, told the Reuters news agency.

Authorities in Hong Kong warn of potential ‘exponential growth’ in coronavirus cases just weeks after loosening restrictions – CNN

Authorities in Hong Kong, a city lauded for its quick and effective response to the coronavirus pandemic, are now warning of potential “exponential growth” in new cases of Covid-19 after a surge in local transmissions.

Clinical Considerations

Lung, immune function in kids could protect from severe COVID-19 – Science Daily

Differences in lung physiology and immune function in children could be why they are more often spared from severe illness associated with COVID-19 than adults, according to pediatric and adult physicians at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and Baylor College of Medicine, who teamed up to investigate the disparity.

Brain Damage And Hallucinations Associated With Even Mild Covid-19 Coronavirus Infection – Forbes

A new study has warned that potentially deadly brain disorders may be a symptom of Covid-19, even in people with otherwise mild disease. The research published today in the journal Brain, looked at 40 adult patients with Covid-19 in the U.K., finding that they showed symptoms of a wide range of serious brain diseases. Many of the patients had only mild typical Covid-19 symptoms such as fever or respiratory issues and for some, their neurological symptoms were the only sign they were sick.

Bloomberg Prognosis Podcast: Virus Treatment Is Changing

In the almost 200 days since coronavirus cases were first reported in central China, health workers and researchers have raced to learn more about the brand new pathogen. As many as 1,000 Covid-19-related research papers are being released daily. Jason Gale reports that the research, and the experience of front-line health care workers, is informing better ways to diagnose, prevent and treat the disease. That’s helping to save lives.

COVID-19 Linked to Late Stent Thrombosis? – MedPageToday

A case of late stent thrombosis in a patient hospitalized with COVID-19 called attention to the importance of antithrombotic therapy for those with coronary artery disease (CAD) who get infected, according to a case report from Spain. [Related study from Spain]

Acute hypokinetic-rigid syndrome following SARS-CoV-2 infection – Neurology.org

We report a previously healthy 58-year-old man who developed hyposmia, generalized myoclonus, fluctuating and transient changes in level of consciousness, opsoclonus and an asymmetric hypokinetic-rigid syndrome with ocular abnormalities after a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. DaT-SPECT confirmed a bilateral decrease in presynaptic dopamine uptake asymmetrically involving both putamina. Significant improvement in the parkinsonian symptoms was observed without any specific treatment.

Why men get sicker: Male hormones may help coronavirus infiltrate human cells – SF Chronicle

A mysterious and troubling gender disparity in the way the coronavirus attacks its victims has prompted scientists in the Bay Area and around the world to look more closely at the biology of men and women and how their bodies react to disease.

Official Reporting for July 9, 2020

World Health Organization

SITREP #170

Confirmed Cases: 11,669,259

Deaths: 539,906

ECDC

Confirmed Cases: 12,017,118

Deaths: 549,276

Johns Hopkins

Confirmed Cases: 12,093,782

Deaths: 550,689

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Total cases: 2,982,900
Total deaths: 131,065

Surveillance Headlines

UNITED STATES

California: California ramps up hospital capacity as cases surge – NBC

California: Coronavirus deaths surge in California, as state records deadliest day of pandemic – Mercury News

Arizona: Less Than 150 ICU Beds Left in All of Arizona As Coronavirus Cases Spike – Newsweek

Texas: Nearly 14% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases are recorded in Texas – Texas Tribune

AFRICA

South Africa Readies 1.5 Million Graves For Coronavirus Mass Burials – Forbes

MIDDLE EAST

Israel: Israel battles new wave of coronavirus infections after reopening – NBC

ASIA

Indonesia: Burial traditions clash with coronavirus safety in Indonesia – AP

Science and Tech

Vaccine

Want to participate in a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trial?

The NIAID has you covered, with a sign-up portal for volunteers.

Indian Company Starts Mass-Producing Coronavirus Vaccines Before Trials – NPR

3 min audio at the link – An Indian vaccine company has started mass production of four coronavirus vaccines before clinical trials. If one of the formulas proves effective, India will have hundreds of millions of doses ready.

SARS-CoV2 vaccines: Slow is fast – Science

Catastrophic numbers of infections, morbidities, and mortalities during the COVID-19 pandemic, together with the disastrous impact on world economies, have mandated a historically unparalleled effort to produce an effective vaccine. There are currently 95 vaccines in development against SARS-CoV2, the causative virus of COVID-19 (1), with several in or entering clinical trials. Most of these are expected to clear phase 1, and two experimental vaccines have moved into phase 2 trials.

Infection Prevention

Minimization of spreading of SARS-CoV-2 via household waste produced by subjects affected by COVID-19 or in quarantine – Science of Total Environment

Currently available evidence supports that the predominant route of human-to-human transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 is through respiratory droplets. Indirect hands contact with surfaces contaminated by infectious droplets subsequently touching the mouth, nose or eyes seems to be another route of an indirect contact transmission. Persistence of the virus on different surfaces and other materials has been reported in recent studies: SARS-CoV-2 was more stable on plastic and stainless steel than on copper and cardboard. Viable virus was detected up to 72 h after application to different surfaces, although infectivity decay was also observed.

Social/Psychological Impact

 

 

Published Research

 

Pre-Pub (not yet peer reviewed, should not be regarded as conclusive)

None Today

Coping in Quarantine

Photo essay on how Argentinians are dealing with quarantine – AP