Tulane Outbreak

Upcoming Virtual Events:

1. SARS-CoV-2 serological testing: What is it and what does it mean?
   May 13 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm EDT
2. TARGETED NGS OF SARS-COV-2
   May 13 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT
3. EPA Expands Research on SARS-CoV-2 in the Environment
   May 27 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT

Details for registration on our website

Featured Headlines

Studies Have Found New Mutations in The Coronavirus. Here’s What That Means – Science Alert

For a virus, spreading for a few months and reaching more than 3 million hosts is a long time span to evolve and change. Some viruses – like influenza – mutate a lot, meaning that we need to update vaccines yearly to remain on top of the spread of seasonal flu. Meanwhile, the coronavirus that has caused the current COVID-19 pandemic has stayed relatively stable, and it seems to be mutating much more slowly than influenza. [Related paper] [Related pre-print]

Latest evidence on obesity and COVID-19 – Medical News Today

A summary of the evidence so far suggests that obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing severe symptoms and complications of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), independent of other illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease.

New Data on Protective Immunity after COVID-19 – FLARE

1. The world is eager for an “immunity test” for SARS-CoV-2, but the level and duration of protective immunity after recovery from COVID-19 remain to be defined.
2. Protective immunity depends on both production of antibodies by B cells and development of virus-specific T cell responses.
3. A new paper suggests not only that SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies are detected in convalescent subjects, but that, in most of these individuals, antibodies are neutralizing and there is also evidence of a virus-specific T cell response.
4. While more work is needed, these results continue to provide assurance that natural infection will confer protective immunity, and that future vaccination may be effective.

The patients who just can’t shake off Covid-19 – BBC

Part of the problem is that so much about the coronavirus is unknown, including why some people experience relatively mild symptoms lasting a few days, while other perfectly healthy people are left struggling for weeks.

Asthma and COVID-19 Risk: Good, Bad or Indifferent? – Medical News Today

CDC says condition increases risk of severe outcomes; emerging evidence suggests otherwise. [Related Study]

The ‘boogeyman’ of pediatrics: What is Kawasaki disease and is it linked to the coronavirus? – USA Today

Symptoms of a rare inflammatory condition have been identified in at least 15 children in New York City hospitals, alarming pediatricians across the country and raising concerns about a possible link to the coronavirus.

A Cardiologist, COVID-19, and His 2-Inch Brain Infarct – Medical News Today

“When they said stroke, that blew me away,” said the 49-year-old physician who says he had no stroke risk factors. Imaging revealed a 5-cm cerebellar infarct. [Related NEJM Study]

Podcast: How to break America’s covid-19 testing bottleneck – MIT Technology Review

MIT Technology Review’s Antonio Regalado explains the reasons why the US is still behind on testing, and outlines promising schemes to fix the problem at scale.

How chloroquine, coronavirus duke it out inside a dish – Stanford Medicine

A pair of closely related drugs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, have gotten tons of attention, but so far, at best, mixed results in clinical trials for treating COVID-19

New Studies Add to Evidence that Children May Transmit the Coronavirus – NYT

Experts said the new data suggest that cases could soar in many U.S. communities if schools reopen soon. [Related Study]

The unreal dichotomy in COVID-19 mortality between high-income and developing countries – Brookings

Low-income and lower-middle income countries (LICs and LMICs) account for almost half of the global population but they make up only 2 percent of the global death toll attributed to COVID-19.

Disease Experts Expand The List Of Coronavirus Symptoms – NPR

It’s not just a fever and dry cough. For milder cases of COVID-19, symptoms can include headaches and fatigue, loss of smell or taste, and even red, purple or pink bumps and a rash on toes.