In the News

Infectiousness Peaks Early in Patients With COVID-19, Emphasising the Need to Rapidly Isolate Cases

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 3 human coronaviruses, published in The Lancet Microbe, suggests that people infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are most likely to be highly infectious in the first week after symptom onset, highlighting the...

High Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Variation, D614G Mutation in Children With COVID-19

By Denise Baez

NEW YORK -- November 20, 2020 -- A whole genome study in children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, has found a greater than expected genetic diversity across the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (...

Study Suggests a Potential Link Between SARS-CoV-2 Mutations, Disease Severity in Children

When it comes to children, it is becoming clear that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impacts them more than was initially thought, and a study published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases has, for the first time, found a possible link between specific viral mutations and severity of...

Delirium Can Signal Presence of COVID-19 in Asymptomatic Older Patients

A study published in JAMA Network Open supports evidence that older persons admitted to emergency departments (ED), and subsequently test positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), often present with delirium when they show no other typical coronavirus...

FDA Authorises Baricitinib, Remdesivir Combo for Hospitalised Patients With COVID-19

The US Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorisation (EUA) for baricitinib, in combination with remdesivir, for the treatment of suspected or laboratory confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in hospitalised adults and paediatric patients aged 2 years and older...

Overweight, Obese Younger People at Greater Risk for Severe COVID-19

Obese people aged 50 years and younger are more likely to be hospitalised with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and are at higher risk of in-hospital death or mechanical ventilation, according to a study published in Circulation.

For the study, Nicholas Hendren, MD, University...

Promising Interim Results From mRNA-1273 COVID-19 Vaccine Trial

An independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) overseeing the phase 3 trial of the investigational coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine known as mRNA-1273 reviewed trial data and found that the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in adults.

The...

Cardiac Arrest Treatment That Uses Life Support Machine Boosts Survival

Using a life support machine to replicate the functions of the heart and lungs significantly improved the survival of people who suffered from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, according to a study published in The Lancet.

The treatment program involving extracorporeal membrane...

Benefits of High-Dose Blood Thinners in Patients With COVID-19 Remain Unclear

While patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) should be treated with standard anticoagulation therapies, a new study published in Thrombosis Research showed that anticoagulating patients at higher doses, without traditional medical indications to do so, may be ineffective and...

Fluvoxamine May Prevent Clinical Deterioration in Outpatients With COVID-19

By Denise Baez

Adult outpatients with symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treated with fluvoxamine had a lower likelihood of clinical deterioration over 15 days compared with patients treated with placebo, according to a preliminary study published in JAMA.

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