The severe and devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic were undoubtedly made worse by a substantial lack of pandemic preparedness, with the exception of East and South East Asia, which had built up defenses after their experience with SARS in 2003. So it is crucial that governments begin to develop…
COVID-19 virus test sensitivity varies with body’s circadian rhythm, according to research
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, health care practitioners have relied on COVID-19 testing to tell them what safety precautions to follow with each patient. Carl Johnson, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Biological Sciences, wondered how the virus might act differently depending on the time of day and the body’s circadian rhythms. Johnson…
Study reveals differential effects of UK COVID-19 lockdowns across social groups
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in the UK, the virus and its related lockdown measures had unequal and varying impacts on people's income, time use, and subjective well-being based on their gender, ethnicity and educational level, according to a new study of around 51,000 UK adults. The study is published…
China virus cases rise as Delta variant challenges Beijing
China’s coronavirus cases hit a seven-month high on Tuesday, after a cluster at a test site drove up numbers as the Delta variant challenges Beijing’s grip on the pandemic. State media has described the current outbreak—which has sparked local lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions—as the most severe since the…
COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the consumption of audio music streaming
The COVID-19 pandemic was expected to change how people consume media. A new study analyzed online music streaming data for top songs for two years in 60 countries, as well as COVID-19 case and lockdown statistics and daily mobility data, to determine the nature of those changes. The study found…
Virus spreads in S. Korean regions with lighter restrictions
South Korea reported a near-high in coronavirus infections Thursday as a weekslong surge extends beyond the capital region and the country’s toughest pandemic restrictions. The surge, increasingly fueled by the more contagious delta variant, is a worrisome development in a country where 70% of the population is waiting for their…
Existing drug may be effective in treating COVID-19
A new University of Chicago study has found that the drug masitinib may be effective in treating COVID-19. The drug, which has undergone several clinical trials for human conditions but has not yet received approval to treat humans, inhibited the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in human cell cultures and in a…
Sweden tops EU virus case rates
For the first time this year, Sweden’s incidence rate of coronavirus cases has topped European Union figures, the EU’s health authority said Thursday, but associated deaths are among the lowest. The country had a 14-day-notification rate of 577 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention…
Singapore steps up virus curbs as infection clusters grow
Singapore announced a slew of new coronavirus restrictions Tuesday including a ban on spectators at sporting events as infections rise in the wealthy city-state. After a partial lockdown and rigorous regime of testing and contact tracing, COVID-19 had almost disappeared in Singapore, with authorities in recent months reporting hardly any…
India virus patients suffocate from low oxygen amid surge
Authorities scrambled anew Saturday to supply medical oxygen to Indian hospitals where COVID-19 patients were suffocating amid low supplies as the country with the world’s worst coronavirus surge set a new global daily record of infections for the third straight day. The 346,786 infections over the past day brought India’s…
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic underscores importance of understanding evolution of RNA genomes
The current COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), underscores the importance of understanding the evolution of ribonucleic acid (RNA) genomes. Scientists Zachary W. Kockler and Dmitry A. Gordenin, from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, US National Institutes of Health,…