The coronavirus disease COVID-19 is currently reaching pandemic levels in various countries.
'Aerosol generating procedure is a misleading term, and its use probably leads to an overestimation of risk in stable patients, while proven aerosol-generating activities such as coughing are often neglected, stated an article published by the BMJ on August 20, 2020.
'In the interim, healthcare workers require access to respirator masks for all high-risk encounters, not just during selected clinical procedures.'
“Our Phase 3 program is intended to be as robust as possible, could include up to 60,000 participants and will be conducted in places with high incidence rates,” J&J spokesman Jake Sargent said in a statement to CNBC on August 20, 2020. J&J and Janssen Vaccines registered their experimental coronavirus vaccine candidate Ad26.COV2.S for up to 60,000 clinical trial participants in various countries on August 10th.
According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund's statement on August 20, 2020, the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine candidate will be tested on 40,000 volunteers beginning next week to confirm clinical efficacy.
Although current media reports suggest that Black patients represent a disproportionate share of COVID-19 infections and death in the USA. However, in this new study, mortality for those able to access hospital care did not differ between Black and White patients after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities.
This study was published in JAMA on August 18, 2020, after reviewing 11,210 individuals with COVID-19 disease presenting for care at 92 hospitals across 12 states. These researchers found there was no difference in all-cause, in-hospital mortality between White and Black patients, after adjusting for age, sex, insurance status, comorbidity, neighborhood deprivation, and site of care.
The U.S. FDA has authorized 218 coronavirus diagnostic tests as of August 19, 2020, which includes 176 molecular tests, 39 antibody tests, and 3 antigen tests. Yesterday, the FDA issued its 3rd authorization for a COVID-19 antigen test ... LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test.
A study published on August 16, 2020, concludes that 'Fitbit can detect almost 50% of COVID-19 disease cases 1 day before enrollees in the study reported the onset of symptoms, and they do so with 70% specificity.
Based on physiological signs, Fitbit obtained an AUC of 0.77 ± 0.03 for the prediction of illness on a specific day with 4 previous days of history. Respiration rate and heart rate are typically elevated by illness, while heart rate variability is decreased. Measuring these metrics can help in early diagnosis, and in monitoring the progress of the disease, concluded this research.
Conor Heneghan, Director of Research, Algorithms at Fitbit and senior author of the study, wrote in a blog post, “This is important because people can transmit the coronavirus before they realize they have symptoms or when they have no symptoms at all. If we can let people know they should get tested a day before symptoms begin, they can isolate and seek care sooner, helping to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”
To help treat COVID-19 disease patients, 50 U.S.-manufactured ventilators have been donated to the Pacific Island countries of Fiji (30), Nauru (10), and (10) are on the way to Kiribati, announced USAID on August 19, 2020.
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has inadvertently been reporting fewer new SARS-CoV-2 infections and a smaller percentage of daily positive tests, according to Dana Jones, an Iowa City nurse practitioner. 'It’s particularly significant because school districts are relying on state data to determine whether they will offer in-person instruction when school resumes in the coming days and weeks,' reported the AP on August 17, 2020.
On August 20, 2020, IDPH reported a 4.4% coronavirus positivity rate, with Polk County (Des Moines) confirming the vast majority of Iowa's cases during 2020.
Mexico is confronting the coronavirus pandemic with legislative measures to reduce COVID-19 disease fatalities by changing food consumption trends. These actions are important since Mexico has reported a significant number of coronavirus-linked fatalities in 2020.
On August 5, 2020, the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca banned the sale, distribution, and advertising of junk food and sugary drinks to children reported Reuters. This legislation is related to a 2015 study by the Pan American Health Organization, which stated 'sugars, such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, are associated with increased risk of weight gain and, as a result, development of obesity.'
And on August 17, 2020, Tabasco became the 2nd Mexican state to guarantee the right of adolescents to nutritious, sufficient, and quality food.
The recent U.S. CDC update says 'Having obesity, defined as a body mass index of 30 or above, increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19 disease.
Recent research published on August 14, 2020, found a coronavirus outbreak that occurred on a Seattle-based fishing vessel may be the first direct evidence that antibodies to the coronavirus could prevent people from reinfection. This study says 104 of the 122 fishing crew members had become infected during the outbreak, an attack rate of more than 85%.
However, none of the 3 crew members who had neutralizing antibodies before the ship went fishing showed signs of reinfection nor had they experienced any symptoms. The fact that none of the 3 crew members with neutralizing antibodies got infected, while 103 of the 117 without antibodies did indicate having the antibodies was significantly associated with protection.
The University of Washington’s School of Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center issued a report on August 18th, saying “Our results provide the first direct evidence that anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies are protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans."
The Canadian province of Quebec continues batteling the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease. As of August 18, 2020, Quebec's health department stated 'For now, the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is under control in Québec.
Quebec, located in eastern Canada, with a population of 8.1 million, has confirmed 61,316 coronavirus cases and 5,729 related fatalities. This data indicates Quebec has reported about 63% of Canada's 9,049 coronavirus fatalities in 2020.
Since the pandemic started in 2019, there has been extensive concern that the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus may be transmitted to infants by breastfeeding. Data from a small study, published by JAMA on August 19, 2020, 'suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA does not represent replication-competent virus and that breast milk may not be a source of infection for infants.
Furthermore, when control samples spiked with replication-competent SARS-CoV-2 were treated by Holder pasteurization, no replication-competent virus or viral RNA was detectable.
Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced he reached an agreement with AstraZeneca to receive the vaccine candidate AZD1222. “If this vaccine proves successful we will manufacture and supply vaccines straight away under our own steam ... and make it free for 25 million Australians," reported SCMP on August 17, 2020.
Brazil's regulator Anvisa announced the approval to conduct a phase 3 clinical trial of the vaccine candidate called Ad26.COV2.S, composed of a recombinant, non-replicating vector of adenovirus type 26 (Ad26), built to encode the S protein of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. This authorization was requested by Jansen-Cilag, the pharmaceutical division of J&J.
The study foresees the inclusion of 7,000 Brazilians, distributed in the states of São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte during 2020.
Brazil has already approved phase 3 studies for vaccine candidates from AstraZeneca, China’s Sinovac Biotech, and Pfizer - BioNTech.
