Category: Infection
UK: XE growth rate now 12.6% higher than BA.2
“Earlier published growth rates for XE were not significantly different from BA.2, but using the most recent data up to 30 March 2022, XE has a growth rate 12.6% above that of BA.2. More...
China: 24,000 Covid cases reported in new pandemic high
China has reported 24,101 new Covid cases on 8th April 2022, with Shanghai accounting for more than 21,000 of those cases. More...
Preprint: L452R mutation increases Omicron variant fusogenicity and infectivity
Here, we developed an L452R mutated Omicron variant (Omicron-L452R) and found that the Omicron-L452R variant rescued fusogenicity and strengthened the high infectivity by enhancing the cleavage of the spike protein. More...
EMA: “Too early to consider using a fourth dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines”
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and EMA’s COVID-19 task force (ETF) have concluded that it is too early to consider using a fourth dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer’s Comirnaty and Moderna’s Spikevax) in the general population. More...
USA: Biden White House Memorandum on Long Covid
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Addressing the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. More...
Preprint: 100% symptomatic infection with XD recombinant
“This recombinant (XD) exhibits immune escape properties similar to Omicron, while its behavior in mice expressing the human ACE2 receptor is more similar to Delta.” More...
Spain: SARS-CoV-2 spillover infection into wild otters in Valencia
“We present evidence of spillover infection of wild mustelids by reporting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in a Eurasian river otter found near a water reservoir in the Valencian Community, Spain.” More...
Thailand: first cases of XE and XJ recombinants reported
Thailand has reported its first cases of Omicron XE and XJ. More...
China: new subvariant of BA.1.1 found in Suzhou
China is battling record coronavirus infection numbers as its fight against the Omicron variant intensifies. More...
Preprint: SARS-CoV-2 neuroinflammation, microhemorrhages, brain hypoxia, and neuropathology
“Here, we show neuroinflammation, microhemorrhages, brain hypoxia, and neuropathology that is consistent with hypoxic-ischemic injury in SARS-CoV-2 infected non-human primates (NHPs), including evidence of neuron degeneration and apoptosis. More...