Coronavirus (COVID)

The most important site is E484, where neutralization by some sera is reduced >10-fold by several mutations, including one in emerging viral lineages in South Africa and Brazil. Going forward, these serum escape maps can inform surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 evolution. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.31.425021v1.full.pdf+html

SARS-CoV-2 Variants Disease Outbreak News 31 December 2020 SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has had a major impact on human health globally; infecting a large number of people; causing severe disease and associated long-term health sequelae; resulting in death and excess mortality, especially among older and vulnerable populations; interrupting routine healthcare services; disruptions to travel, trade, education and many other societal functions; and more broadly having a negative impact on peoples physical and mental health. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO has received several reports of unusual public health events possibly due …

AstraZenica has halted COVID pjase III COVID trial after UK participant developed an adverse response, which has been reported to be Transverse Myelitis, the same problem which halted the phase I trial. one volunteer in the trials of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 developed symptoms of transverse myelitis (inflammation in the spinal cord), which has not required medical treatment and is being investigated http://www.isrctn.com/editorial/retrieveFile/d5d41992-c90f-4c8b-97ec-cd85ddfe12fa/38245

Here we report the isolation of 61 SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies from 5 infected patients hospitalized with severe disease. Among these are 19 antibodies that potently neutralized the authentic SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, 9 of which exhibited exquisite potency, with 50% virus-inhibitory concentrations of 0.7 to 9 ng/mL. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2571-7

The D614G change is almost always accompanied by three other mutations: a C-to-T mutation in the 5’ UTR (position 241 relative to the Wuhan reference sequence), a silent C-to-T mutation at position 3,037; and a C-to-T mutation at position 14,408 that results in an amino acid change in RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp P323L). The haplotype comprising these 4 genetically linked mutations is now the globally dominant form. https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(20)30820-5.pdf?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867420308205%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

The coronavirus may have mutated to become more infectious, Dr. Anthony Fauci says PUBLISHED THU, JUL 2 20205:15 PM EDTUPDATED 3 HOURS AGO https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/02/the-coronavirus-may-have-mutated-to-become-more-infectious-dr-anthony-fauci-says.html

A change in the virus was appearing again and again. This mutation, associated with outbreaks in Europe and New York, eventually took over the city. By May, it was found in 95 percent of all the genomes Ozer sequenced. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2020/06/29/coronavirus-mutation-science/?arc404=true&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJjb29raWVuYW1lIjoid3BfY3J0aWQiLCJpc3MiOiJDYXJ0YSIsImNvb2tpZXZhbHVlIjoiNWU2MWFkODc5YmJjMGYyMTk0YTlkOGUxIiwidGFnIjoid3BfdG9feW91cl9oZWFsdGgiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YXNoaW5ndG9ucG9zdC5jb20vc2NpZW5jZS8yMDIwLzA2LzI5L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLW11dGF0aW9uLXNjaWVuY2UvP2FyYzQwND10cnVlJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj13cF90b195b3VyX2hlYWx…

Hi everyone, I am very concerned about the effectivness of N95 masks for health workers. The current literature reflects that SARS-COV2 particle size can be from 60-140nm (.06 to .14 micron) However, OSHA states particle respirators and filters (e.g., N95 and N100) are “all” tested at the same particle size, 0.3 microns, a much, much, larger particle. So where is the data showing effectivity of N95 and N100 on the significantly smaller SARs-COV2 sized particle? Reported median of 67 nm (.067 micron): SD 15 nm, median 65 nm, 95% CI 41–102; n=33). Varga Z, Flammer AJ, Steiger P, et al. Electron microscopy of SARS-CoV-2: a challenging task - Authors…

The research may explain why early outbreaks in some parts of the world did not end up overwhelming health systems as much as other outbreaks in New York and Italy, according to experts at Scripps Research. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-infectivity/mutation-in-new-coronavirus-increases-chance-of-infection-study-idUSKBN23M1M9

Dexamethasone reduced deaths by one-third in ventilated patients (rate ratio 0.65 [95% confidence interval 0.48 to 0.88]; p=0.0003) and by one fifth in other patients receiving oxygen only (0.80 [0.67 to 0.96]; p=0.0021). There was no benefit among those patients who did not require respiratory support (1.22 [0.86 to 1.75]; p=0.14). https://www.recoverytrial.net/files/recovery_dexamethasone_statement_160620_v2final.pdf

For those receiving hydroxychloroquine and an antibiotic — the cocktail endorsed by Trump — there was a 45 percent increased risk of death and a 411 percent increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/22/hydroxychloroquine-coronavirus-study/

The Italian lineage has the D614G mutation in the Spike Protein. A recent pre-print notes increased virulence. Spike mutation pipeline reveals the emergence of a more transmissible form of SARS-CoV-2 The mutation Spike D614G is of urgent concern; after beginning to spread in Europe in early February, when introduced to new regions it repeatedly and rapidly becomes the dominant form. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.29.069054v1.full.pdf+html

The new coronavirus has a HIV-like mutation that means its ability to bind with human cells could be up to 1,000 times as strong as the Sars virus, according to new research by scientists in China and Europe. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3052495/coronavirus-far-more-likely-sars-bond-human-cells-scientists-say

Hospitalized patients with advanced COVID-19 and lung involvement who received remdesivir recovered faster than similar patients who received placebo, according to a preliminary data analysis from a randomized, controlled trial involving 1063 patients, which began on February 21. The trial (known as the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, or ACTT), sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is the first clinical trial launched in the United States to evaluate an experimental treatment for COVID-19. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/nih-clinical-trial-shows-remdesivir-accelerates-recov…

New York clinical trial quietly tests heartburn remedy against coronavirus By Brendan BorrellApr. 26, 2020 , 12:00 PM Science’s COVID-19 reporting is supported by the Pulitzer Center. The fast-growing list of possible treatments for the novel coronavirus includes an unlikely candidate: famotidine, the active compound in the over-the-counter heartburn drug Pepcid. On 7 April, the first COVID-19 patients at Northwell Health in the New York City area began to receive famotidine intravenously, at nine times the heartburn dose. Unlike other drugs the 23-hospital system is testing, including Regeneron’s sarilumab and Gilead Sciences’s remdesivir, Northwel…

A mysterious blood-clotting complication is killing coronavirus patients Once thought a relatively straightforward respiratory virus, covid-19 is proving to be much more frightening By Ariana Eunjung Cha Ariana Eunjung Cha National reporter EmailBioFollow April 22, 2020 at 12:59 p.m. EDT https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/22/coronavirus-blood-clots/

In contrast to vehicle-treated animals, animals treated with remdesivir did not show signs of respiratory disease and had reduced pulmonary infiltrates on radiographs. Virus titers in bronchoalveolar lavages were significantly reduced as early as 12hrs after the first treatment was administered. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.15.043166v1?ct=ct

AChicago hospital treating severe Covid-19 patients with Gilead Sciences’ antiviral medicine remdesivir in a closely watched clinical trial is seeing rapid recoveries in fever and respiratory symptoms, with nearly all patients discharged in less than a week, STAT has learned. https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/16/early-peek-at-data-on-gilead-coronavirus-drug-suggests-patients-are-responding-to-treatment/

Compassionate Use of Remdesivir for Patients with Severe Covid-19 List of authors. Jonathan Grein, M.D., Norio Ohmagari, M.D., Ph.D., Daniel Shin, M.D., George Diaz, M.D., Erika Asperges, M.D., Antonella Castagna, M.D., Torsten Feldt, M.D., Gary Green, M.D., Margaret L. Green, M.D., M.P.H., François-Xavier Lescure, M.D., Ph.D., Emanuele Nicastri, M.D., Rentaro Oda, M.D., Kikuo Yo, M.D., D.M.Sc., Eugenia Quiros-Roldan, M.D., Alex Studemeister, M.D., John Redinski, D.O., Seema Ahmed, M.D., Jorge Bernett, M.D., Daniel Chelliah, M.D., …

As a comment and inquiry refering to this and earlier articles regarding pulmonary autopsy of COVID-19 patients showing obstructed alveoli https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1181121.shtml Background It is suported by forensic autopsies that alveoli are blocked from effective gas exchange by the formation of mucus in COVID 19 and if I recall correctly other articles mention fibrinous plack formation in SARS hindering oxygen and carbon dioxide perfusion through the semipermeable membrane of the alveoli. A mucolytic treatment strategy For this reason it would in theory be valuable to be able to apply mucus …

Here we reported a case of asymptomatic carrier of SARS-CoV-2 infection. A 50-year old woman, lived with her husband in Anqing (Anhui, China) with no significant past medical history, travel history to Wuhan or adjacent area, or exposure to wild animals. She took throat swab test for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid due to her husband’s close contact with patients who had SARS-CoV-2 infection. Her results were confirmed positive on February 6, 2020. But she did not report elevation of temperature measurement, nor respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms and her chest CT scan showed no significant abnormalities. She was hospitalized on February 6 and treated with antiviral agents. …

Text doesn't copy well....Not peer reviewed: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.22.20026500v1.full.pdf

The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, acknowledging what has seemed clear for some time — the virus will likely spread to all countries on the globe. Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the situation will worsen. “We expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher,” said Tedros, as the director general is known. https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/11/who-declares-the-coronavirus-outbreak-a-pandemic/

I've been tracking trends and would like a place to collect them for the public. I'll be reading and listening to all your content, so this is just a convenient place for me to send people for your content and mine. Hopefully you'll find my content good enough to allow it in this thread. The following equation is my estimate of minimal U.S. & Canada cases by April 15th based on Dr. Niman's estimate that 750 infected people got off the Diamond Princess Feb 21, that 1 person was infected in Seattle on January 15 (see Trevor Bedford), the assumption Europe (without Italy) is similar to the U.S. in temperature and culture, and that it is increasing about 20% per da…