by Lancet Older age, being male, deprivation, living in a densely populated area, ethnicity, obesity, and chronic kidney disease are associated with a positive test for COVID-19, according to results from 3,802 people tested for SARS-CoV-2 (including 587 positive tests) in the UK. The observational study was conducted in between Jan 28 and April 4 using...
After 17 years underground, cicadas will make their return in 2020—amassing in the millions in parks, woods, and other outdoor spaces. While the numbers might seem alarming, never fear. The critters may prove a nuisance, but they’re actually harmless, says Gary Parsons, an entomologist at Michigan State University. Here, Parsons digs into the life of...
Due to the devastating worldwide impact of COVID-19, the illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, there has been unprecedented efforts by clinicians and researchers from around the world to quickly develop safe and effective treatments and vaccines. Given that COVID-19 is a complex new disease with no existing vaccine or specific treatment, much effort is...
by Marilynn Marchione This electron microscope image made available and color-enhanced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Md., shows Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, orange, isolated from a patient. Research released on Thursday, May 28, 2020 shows how dangerous the coronavirus is for current and former...
by The Mount Sinai Hospital Pathologists at The Mount Sinai Hospital, at the epicenter of the COVID-19 global pandemic, have prepared one of the largest, most comprehensive analysis of autopsies of COVID-19 victims to date, revealing many complex new details about the disease. The analysis was released on the preprint server MedRxiv. “An essential contribution...
Researchers at Hokkaido University in Japan have developed a microfluidic test that can detect antibodies against a viral infection. So far, the test has been optimized to detect avian flu, but could be adapted to detect antibodies against the virus causing COVID-19. The device can provide a result in as little as 20 minutes and...
Washing your hands with plain soap and water can destroy the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. But how does soap work to keep you healthy? “There are so many unknowns about this pandemic that are driving fear and leading to irrational actions, like panic-buying of toilet paper,” says Bill Wuest, an associate professor in the chemistry...
The same technologies that people once blamed for tearing society apart might be our best chance of staying together during the COVID-19 outbreak, an expert argues. Social distancing—voluntarily limiting physical contact with other people—has been vital to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. It’s important that people remain connected during social distancing, however,...
by Tamara Hew-Butler and Mariane Fahlman, The Conversation So here we are, perfecting our social distancing skills while schools, sports and other forms of social engagement are on indefinite hold, by a dangerous virus named after a (regal) crown. The coronavirus is named because the center envelope is surrounded by small protein spikes called peplomers....
By Rich Haridy March 19, 2020 A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the first analysis of COVID-19 cases in the United States. While patient ages and fatalities so far seen in the US do resemble data from other countries, the numbers are a reminder the disease can be...
