The U.S. CDC reported the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus decreased from 6.2% during week #33 to 5.7% during week #34, as of August 28, 2020. There have been over 43 million commercial tests in the USA to confirm if a person has a SARS-CoV-2 infection since March 1, 2020.
Coronavirus Breaking News
The coronavirus disease COVID-19 is currently reaching pandemic levels in various countries.
Aug 31, 2020 • 2:55 am CDT
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Aug 31, 2020 • 2:43 am CDT
Derek Lowe's commentary on August 27, 2020, discusses the newly authorized Abbott “BinaxNOW”, which is a lateral flow assay, that should be familiar to anyone who’s seen a pregnancy test, but a flipped version. In this case, a nasal swab is taken, and several drops of solvent are used to put that sample onto the beginning of the absorbing strip inside the card. As it soaks up along the length of the strip, the sample will encounter a zone of antibodies that recognize the Np antigen, and these antibodies are also attached to nanoparticles of gold.
This gold-antibody-Np complex is carried along in solution further along the strip until it runs into another antibody zone, one that’s immobilized on the solid support and which will bind the gold-antibody-Np complex molecules tightly. That stops them in their tracks and allows the gold nanoparticles to pile up enough to be visible as a pink or purple line. Along the way, the sample has also crossed a zone containing another soluble gold conjugate species as a control, which gets carried along until it runs into another separate zone of immobilized antibodies specific to it.
The presence of a pink control line means that the test has been performed correctly; the absence of such a control line means that the whole test has been messed up somehow and needs to be run again.
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Aug 30, 2020 • 6:38 pm CDT
'For 6% of the fatalities, COVID-19 disease was the only cause mentioned,' reported the U.S. CDC on August 26, 2020. Furthermore, 'for deaths with conditions or causes in addition to COVID-19, on average, there were 2.6 additional conditions or causes per fatality, based on provisional death certificate data coded by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Aug 30, 2020 • 4:26 pm CDT
The “infodemic” of misinformation about the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has made it difficult to distinguish accurate information from false and misleading advice, reported The Conversation on August 27, 2020. The problem is that there is no common understanding of what constitutes 'harm.'
In an essay published by SAGE on August 17, 2020, the authors examine some of the key challenges in implementing policies in real-time and at scale, calling for more transparent and nuanced content moderation strategies from social media platforms to increase public trust about the ongoing pandemic.
'The different ways these companies define harm can produce very different results, which undermines public trust in the capacity for tech firms to moderate health information. Social media platforms are never neutral and impartiality is impossible to implement. This is especially the case when the decision to moderate health content extends beyond legal requirements.'
Aug 30, 2020 • 4:10 pm CDT
In Paris, France, face coverings are mandated when people are in all public places, which includes when on public transportation and in stores. And starting September 1, 2020, all employees in workplaces will have to wear face masks to protect themselves and others for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The wearing of masks will be mandatory in company meeting rooms, open spaces, corridors, changing rooms, or shared offices. However, an employee in an individual office, workspaces separated by plexiglass or with low-levels of proximity have some flexibility, reported Morgan Lewis on August 25, 2020.
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Aug 30, 2020 • 3:57 pm CDT
As of August 30, 2020, the country of India set a new COVID-19 pandemic record when it reported 78,761 new coronavirus infections in 24 hours, and surpassing the USA for the highest single-day total. The Hindu reported there have been 3,619,126 virus cases during 2020.
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Aug 30, 2020 • 1:50 pm CDT
According to various media sources and Twitter posts, a pro tennis player from France was recently diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and has withdrawn from the US Open. This confirmed case, and potentially other players, who were instructed to stay in their hotel rooms, indicates the tennis 'bubble' in New York City failed to protect the players and staff.
Furthermore, this news may force the US Open leaders to postpone this Grand Slam tournament's scheduled to launch on August 31, 2020.
Aug 30, 2020 • 6:05 am CDT
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new contract to Abbott for delivery of 150 million rapid, Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Point of Care SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests to expand testing in the USA. This innovative test will cost $760 million and will potentially be deployed to schools and other special needs populations.
The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card test uses nasal swabs, is simple to use, and can deliver results in about 15 minutes.
ADM Brett Giroir, M.D. stated on August 27, 2020: "... we are prepared to fully deploy this new testing asset in 2020 to continue combatting the virus and safely reopening our nation.”
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Aug 29, 2020 • 5:44 am CDT
A rare but serious complication from COVID-19 disease known as a multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), is reported in 27 children a new study from Chile on August 27, 2020. MIS-C, which can look like Kawasaki disease, toxic shock syndrome, or sepsis, has been described in Europe and the United States during the current pandemic, but it has been rare in South America. Unfortunately, there is no known treatment for MIS-C.
In this new study, three Santiago hospitals reported the average age of MIS-C patients was 6 years old and 59% required admission into the intensive care unit.
Aug 29, 2020 • 5:16 am CDT
The U.S. CDC announced on August 28, 2020, that it 'typically posts travel health notices for international destinations, not types of transportation, such as ships. But, because of the unprecedented nature of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic, and the increased risk of transmission of viruses on cruise ships, the U.S. government is advising U.S. travelers to defer all cruise travel. Recent reports of COVID-19 disease cases on cruises highlight the risk of virus infections to cruise passengers and crew, says the CDC.
Previously, on July 16, 2020, the CDC extended the No Sail Order and Suspension of Further Embarkation for ships in U.S. waters through September 2020.
Aug 28, 2020 • 3:41 pm CDT
Lat of August 27, 2020, the U.S. CDC issued new recommendations regarding the use of face-mask during the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic. The CDC now recommends that people wear masks when in public settings ... around people who don’t live in your household, and when you can’t stay 6-feet away from others. And, face masks should NOT be worn by children younger than 2 years of age, people who have trouble breathing, and/or people who cannot remove the mask without assistance.
Furthermore, the CDC says people should wear masks with 2 or more layers to stop the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.
Aug 28, 2020 • 2:49 pm CDT
Based on death certificate data combined from the 3 laboratory types, the percentage of fatalities attributed to pneumonia, influenza, or COVID-19 disease for Week #34 was reported by the U.S. CDC to be 7.9%. This is currently lower than the percentage during Week #33 (12.3%). However, this percentage will likely increase as more certificates are processed.
Aug 28, 2020 • 1:52 pm CDT
Despite countries enforcing new travel restrictions, the desire to travel internationally remains very strong, reported Amex Trendex on July 29, 2020. But one thing that could be a win-win for both consumers and airlines are increased virus prevention measures. In fact, 63% of U.S. consumers are willing to pay extra to have every other seat on an airplane remain empty.
That’s according to a new monthly poll from American Express that tracks how consumers, small businesses, and merchants feel about spending, saving, traveling, and other aspects of life during the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic of 2020.
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Aug 28, 2020 • 11:07 am CDT
'This study was one of the earliest to assess and confirm asymptomatic transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on an aircraft' said the researchers in the U.S. CDC's early-release November 2020 report. 'Our results suggest that stringent global regulations for the prevention of COVID-19 disease transmission on aircraft can prevent public health emergencies.'
'Our findings suggest the following strategies for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission on an aircraft.'
'First, masks should be worn during the flight. Second, because contact with contaminated surfaces increases the risk for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among passengers, hand hygiene is necessary to prevent infections. Third, physical distance should be maintained before boarding and after disembarking from the aircraft.'
Aug 28, 2020 • 9:27 am CDT
On August 28, 2020, Kato Katsunobu, the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan and Moderna, Inc., a biotechnology company, confirmed discussions to potentially purchase 40 million or more doses of mRNA-1273, Moderna’s vaccine candidate. Under the terms of this arrangement, the vaccine would be distributed in Japan by Takeda Pharmaceutical beginning in the first half of 2021, if the vaccine candidate receives regulatory approval.
