You may have noticed a rash of provocative headlines this week suggesting that mouthwash can “inactivate” coronaviruses and help curb their spread. While the news is based on a new study from researchers at the Penn State College of Medicine, it’s important to note that the study focused on a coronavirus that causes common colds — not the one that causes…
Tag: SARS-CoV-2
The coronavirus can last for 28 days on some surfaces
Scientists have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is viable even after sitting on surfaces such as glass and bank notes for 28 days. Source: https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-covid-lasts-28-days-some-surfaces.html
Coronavirus mutations: what we’ve learned so far
How fast is the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, mutating? And how have those genetic changes affected the virus? Source: https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-mutations-explained.html
CDC Report Links Dining Out To Increased COVID-19 Risk
gollum123 shares a report from CNBC: Dining out raises the risk of contracting Covid-19 more than other activities, such as shopping or going to a salon, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings come as many states consider the safest ways to reopen businesses, especially restaurants. Those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2,…
Seven lineages of SARS-CoV-2 identified in Nigeria: Why that matters
There are over 1,000 lineages of SARS-CoV-2 circulating around the world. Nigerian scientists have found seven in the country and this is important. Source: https://www.livescience.com/seven-lineages-of-sars-cov-2.html
More Covid-19 Reinfections Found, But Researchers Urge Caution
That Covid-19 reinfection in Hong Kong was followed by similar reports in Belgium and the Netherlands. It was announced today that a 27-year-old woman in Karnataka, India also tested positive for the disease a second time (though the government is still seeking confirmation), and now researchers in Nevada are also reporting a “likely” case of reinfection. The health-news site Stat reports:…
Creepy images show airway cells teeming with SARS-CoV-2
The images were captured with a scanning electron microscope. Source: https://www.livescience.com/sars-cov-2-images-infecting-cells.html
The Coronavirus is Most Deadly if You Are Older and Male — New Data Reveal the Risks
An anonymous reader shares a report: For every 1,000 people infected with the coronavirus who are under the age of 50, almost none will die. For people in their fifties and early sixties, about five will die — more men than women. The risk then climbs steeply as the years accrue. For every 1,000 people in their mid-seventies or older who…
Biogen Conference Likely Led To 20,000 COVID-19 Cases In Boston Area
schwit1 shares a report from The Boston Globe: A new study estimates the Biogen conference held at Boston’s Marriott Long Wharf hotel in February played a far greater role in spreading the coronavirus than previously thought. The research team analyzed the genetic sequences of the virus that caused COVID-19 in the 772 patients, almost all from Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk…
Hurricane Hanna shrinks Gulf of Mexico dead zone
The Gulf of Mexico dead zone was much smaller than usual this year because Hurricane Hanna stirred up the area of low-oxygen water. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/hurricane-hanna-shrinks-2020-gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone…