COVID-19

Researchers from Geneva demonstrate that 50% of SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive children of all ages also sheded viable (in vitro cultured) virus, which is potentially infectious. Culture positivity correlated positively with viral RNA copy number

In this retrospective, single-center case series of the 1'178 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infections at the Central Hospital of Wuhan, China, involving 362 patients with hypertension, no difference in severity of the disease, complications, and risk of death in those who were taking ACEIs/ARBs, compared with those not treated with these medications was observed.

First published randomized trial evaluating remdesivir vs. placebo in hospitalized patients from China. No impact of remdesivir on time to clinical improvement or viral load. Larger trials are needed to show a potential beneficial impact if remdesivir is started early

An accurate one-page summary of the current status of vaccine development against SARS-CoV-2

Eight ways in which scientists hope to provide immunity to SARS-CoV-2

Hospital toilets can be a hotspot for airborne viral RNA. The new coronavirus’s RNA can travel through the air, and might spread by way of small particles exhaled by infected people. The team detected elevated levels of viral RNA in locations such as a small toilet used by patients, and staff changing rooms. No viral RNA was detected in staff rooms after they had been disinfected. Low to undetectable levels were found in the hospitals’ well-ventilated patient wards. They suggest that measures such as routine disinfection and better ventilation could help to control the virus’s spread

Among household contacts of infected patients the secondary attack rate was unrelated to age. Children and adolescents were equally likely to be infected as older adults (infection rate 7.4% in children <10 years vs overall proportion of 6.6%).

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 studies with 3027 patients corroborating that male, aged over 65 and smoking patients might face a greater risk of developing into the critical or mortal condition and the comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or respiratory diseases could also greatly affect the prognosis of COVID-19.

Case-Series of histopathology findings from 26 patients who died from COVID-Infection in China.

Recombinant human ACE-2 inhibits protects kidney organoids from infection with COVID-19 virus particles.