Clinical Symptoms Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Research Articles

Clinical Features and Treatment Outcomes of COVID-19 Admissions in the Can Tho City Hospital of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Vietnam: A Hospital-Based Observational Study.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, is among the top global health crises. As confirmed by the Vietnam Ministry of Health on 25th January 2023, Vietnam had a cumulative total of more than 11.52 million COVID-19 patients, including 10.61 million recoveries and 43,186 deaths. This study aimed to describe the clinical and subclinical characteristics, treatment progress, and outcomes of 310 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. A total of 310 patients with medical records of SARS-CoV-2 were admitted to Can Tho City Hospital of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Can Tho city, Vietnam, between July 2021 and December 2021. Demographic and clinical data, including laboratory examinations, of all the patients were collected and analyzed. The median duration of hospital stay was 16.4 ± 5.3 days. There were 243 (78.4%) patients with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and 67 (21.6%) patients without clinical symptoms. The common symptoms included cough (71.6% of 310 patients), fever (35.4%), shortness of breath (22.6%), sore throat (21.4%), loss of smell/taste (15.6%), and diarrhea (14.4%). Regarding treatment outcomes, 92.3% of the patients were discharged from the hospital, 1.9% of the patients suffered a more severe illness and were transferred to a higher-level hospital, and 5.8% of the patients died. The RT-PCR results were negative in 55.2% of the patients, and 37.1% of the patients had positive RT-PCR results with Ct values of >30 on the discharge/transfer day. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that comorbidity and decreased blood pH were statistically significantly related to the treatment outcomes of the patients with COVID-19 (p < 0.05). This study provides useful information (i.e., the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes) on the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam during its biggest outbreak; the information may be used for reference and for making improvements in the handling of future health crises.

Study of coronavirus disease 2019 cases at the isolation department of el-dakhla general hospital

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is currently the greatest atypical pneumonia outbreak, causing widespread anxiety and fear. Objectives To study cases with clinical manifestations that have been identified as COVID-19 according to the Egyptian Ministry of Health’s criteria, their management protocol, and outcome data at the isolation department of El-Dakhla General Hospital. Patients and methods This work was performed upon 106 patients with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 at the isolation department of El-Dakhla General Hospital. Results Mortality was associated with older age. No patients within the died group had been vaccinated. Vaccination was significantly associated with decreased severity of chest affection, admission to the ICU, and duration of admission. Mortality was associated with severity of chest affection. All died patients were admitted to the ICU. This study also revealed that abnormal vital and laboratory data were significantly associated with mortality. On using binary regression analysis of factors to be significantly associated with mortality, lower duration of admission and not being admitted to ICU decreased the risk of mortality among the studied patients, yet was statistically nonsignificant (P>0.05), whereas higher C-reactive protein on admission increased the risk by 1.186 folds. Conclusion Age, vaccination state, severity of chest affection, ICU admission and duration, use of some medications, vital data, and laboratory data are important factors to assess the prognosis and severity of COVID infection.

SARS-CoV-2 infections among asymptomatic individuals contributed to COVID-19 cases: A cross-sectional study among prospective air travelers from Ghana.

The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by asymptomatic individuals has been reported since the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in various parts of the world. However, there are limited data regarding SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic individuals in Ghana. The aim of the study was to use test data of prospective travelers from Ghana as a proxy to estimate the contribution of asymptomatic cases to the spread of COVID-19. The study analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 PCR test data of clients whose purpose for testing was classified as "Travel" at the COVID-19 walk-in test center of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) from July 2020 to July 2021. These individuals requesting tests for travel generally had no clinical symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of testing. Data were processed and analyzed using Microsoft Excel office 16 and STATA version 16. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data on test and demographic characteristics. Out of 42,997 samples tested at the center within that period, 28,384 (66.0%) were classified as "Travel" tests. Of these, 1,900 (6.7%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The majority (64.8%) of the "Travel" tests were requested by men. The men recorded a SARS-CoV-2 positivity of 6.9% compared to the 6.4% observed among women. Test requests for SARS-CoV-2 were received from all regions of Ghana, with a majority (83.3%) received from the Greater Accra Region. Although the Eastern region recorded the highest SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate of 8.35%, the Greater Accra region contributed 81% to the total number of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases detected within the period of study. Our study found substantial SARS-CoV-2 positivity among asymptomatic individuals who, without the requirement for a negative SARS-CoV-2 result for travel, would have no reason to test. These asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals could have traveled to other countries and unintentionally spread the virus. Our findings call for enhanced tracing and testing of asymptomatic contacts of individuals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Headache in Post-COVID-19 Patients: Its Characteristics and Relationship with the Quality of Life.

Little is known on the characteristics of headaches associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Indonesia. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of headache in post-COVID-19 patients, and its impact on the patients’ quality of life (QoL), as well as to determine the associated determinants of the poor QoL. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms of COVID-19, characteristics of headache, and the QoL were collected and assessed. Headache was diagnosed and characterized using the International Classification of Headache Disorders, version 3 (ICHD-3). QoL was assessed using a Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) tool. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the associated determinants of poor QoL in post-COVID-19 patients. A total of 215 post-COVID-19 patients were included in the final analysis, and 21.4% (46/215) of them had a poor QoL due to headache following COVID-19. Those who were unemployed and who contracted COVID-19 less than three months prior to the study had higher odds of having poor QoL compared to those who were employed and who contracted COVID-19 more than three months prior to the study. Low QoL was also related to headache that occurred less than one month after recovering from COVID-19 (compared to that which occurred longer than one month after); had a high frequency; had a combination sensation of pulsating, pressing, fiery, and stabbing pain; had a high severity score; and had additional symptoms accompanying the headache. In conclusion, headache related to COVID-19 is associated with low QoL among post-COVID-19 patients. A guideline on prevention measures of headache on COVID-19 patients, therefore, needs to be established to avoid long-term consequences.

Diagnosis and Clinical Symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)

The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 vary widely, ranging from asymptomatic to very severe respiratory distress. Both the body's immune response, both the natural body's immune response and the adaptive body's immune response, play a very important role in the course of COVID-19. Most patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 show symptoms of the respiratory system such as fever, coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath. The most common symptoms are fever, dry cough, fatigue, and anosmia or ageusia. Other symptoms that can be found are productive cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, myalgia/arthralgia, chills, nausea/vomiting, nasal congestion, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hemoptysis, and conjunctival congestion. A study concluded that more than 40% of fevers in COVID-19 patients had peak temperatures between 38.1-39°C, while 34% had fevers over 39°C.

COVID-19 in familial Mediterranean fever: Clinical course and complications related to primary disease.

ABSTRACTObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) features on the clinical course and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and clinical course of FMF after COVID-19.MethodsConsecutive FMF patients with COVID-19 were enrolled from three referral hospitals. Clinical features of FMF and detailed COVID-19 information were obtained from patient interviews and medical records.ResultsSeventy-three FMF patients were included in the study. 94.5% of patients had clinical symptoms of COVID-19. We found 24.7% hospitalization, 12.3% respiratory support, 4.1% intensive care unit admission, 6.8% complication, and 1.4% mortality rate in patients. The risk factors of hospitalization for respiratory support were male gender [OR: 7.167 (95% CI: 1.368–37.535)], greater age [OR: 1.067 (95% CI: 1.016–1.121)], and non-adherence to colchicine treatment before the infection [OR: 7.5 (95% CI: 1.348–41.722)]. One-third of patients had reported attacks after COVID-19. The patterns of triggered attacks were fever, peritonitis, pleuritis, transient arthritis, chronic knee mono-arthritis, and protracted febrile myalgia.ConclusionsFMF characteristics were not associated with worse outcomes of COVID-19. Colchicine non-adherence was the risk factor of hospitalization for oxygen support. The rate of FMF attacks after COVID-19 is prominently increased, with some of them being protracted and destructive.

Field evaluation of COVID-19 rapid antigen test: Are rapid antigen tests less reliable among the elderly?

BACKGROUNDThe global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) leads to the development of accessible and cost-effective rapid antigen-detection tests (RATs), as quick and accurate diagnosis is crucial to curb the pandemic. AIMTo evaluate the Humasis COVID-19 Ag Test (Humasis Co., Ltd., Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea) in the diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).METHODSThis retrospective study was carried out at the Croatian Institute of Public Health and included patients with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 lasting no longer than 5 d prior to testing, whose nasopharyngeal swabs were primarily tested with RAT. Negative RAT samples underwent confirmatory real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Diagnostic efficacy was determined compared to RT-PCR. The patients were divided into three age groups (< 18, 19-65, > 65 years). Statistical analysis was performed with the significance level set at P < 0.05.RESULTSIn total, 2490 symptomatic patients were tested; 953 samples were positive on RAT, and 1537 were negative. All negative RAT samples were subjected to RT-PCR; 266 samples were positive and marked as false-negative results on RAT. The calculated negative predictive value as a measure of RAT efficacy was 82.69%. The χ2 test and Kruskal-Wallis test showed a significant difference in the proportion of false negatives (P < 0.001) and RT-PCR cycle (Ct) values for false-negative RATs (P = 0.012) among the age groups. The young age group was significantly less likely to be false negative, whereas the false negatives from the elderly group experienced significantly lower Ct values than the other two age groups.CONCLUSIONEvaluated RAT demonstrated satisfactory performance with more reliable results in younger patients. Humasis COVID-19 Ag RAT is potentially a valuable tool in areas where access to molecular methods is limited; however, RT-PCR remains a gold standard for SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Smaller reaction volume of triplex taqman real-time reverse transcription-PCR assays for diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019.

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has had a devastating impact on public health services worldwide. Currently, there are no standard remedies or therapies for COVID‐19. it is important to identify and diagnose COVID‐19 to control the spread. But clinical symptoms of COVID‐19 are very similar to those of other respiratory viruses.ResultsAs a result, the diagnosis of COVID‐19 relies heavily on detecting pathogens. We established a bunch of triplex new TaqMan real‐time PCR assays. Three sets of primers and probes (targeting the ORF1ab, N, and E genes, respectively) are poorly consistent with other human coronaviruses and the human influenza virus. The sensitivity of established PCR assays notices as few as 100 copies per PCR of the ORF1ab, N, and E genes. Meanwhile, standard curves concluded from constant PCR reaction all showed glorious linear correlations between Ct values and the polymer loading copy variety (correlation coefficient (R2) of ORF1ab, N, and E genes is 0.996, 0.991, and 0.998, respectively). Surveillance of RNA‐based pseudovirus demonstrated that they were identified to be positive with respect to SARS‐CoV‐2 and that established PCR assays are achievable.ConclusionThe assays established provide a smaller reaction volume for diagnosing COVID‐19.

Comparison of the History of Food Intakes of Diabetic, Hypertension, and Heart Disease Patients with Clinical Symptoms of COVID-19 and Asymptomatic Controls

Background: In recent months, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a global health challenge. Nutrition is a determining factor for health. Objectives: In the present research, we assessed and compared dietary food groups and nutrient supplements intake of diabetic, hypertensive, and heart disease patients with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and asymptomatic controls. Methods: This retrospective case-control research was conducted on 98 patients with diabetes, hypertension, and/or heart disease, of whom 37 cases were COVID-19 positive with clinical symptoms. Dietary intakes of participants were recorded using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), which was designed and validated for the Iranian population. Results: We found that 54% of all subjects had consumed nutritional supplements in the last six months, and there was no significant difference in the type of nutritional supplements between cases and controls. There was no significant difference in the median intake of food groups in the last year in patients with metabolic syndrome and clinical symptoms of COVID-19 compared to controls. The CRUD odds ratio (OR) showed that adequate consumption of any food group was not associated with the occurrence of COVID-19. Conclusions: Although dietary intake and nutritional supplements are effective in preventing clinical symptoms of COVID-19, up to now, adequate data are available for recommending these supplements above the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for the prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19.

Comparison of the History of Food Intakes of Diabetic, Hypertension, and Heart Disease Patients with Clinical Symptoms of COVID-19 and Asymptomatic Controls

Background: In recent months, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a global health challenge. Nutrition is a determining factor for health. Objectives: In the present research, we assessed and compared dietary food groups and nutrient supplements intake of diabetic, hypertensive, and heart disease patients with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and asymptomatic controls. Methods: This retrospective case-control research was conducted on 98 patients with diabetes, hypertension, and/or heart disease, of whom 37 cases were COVID-19 positive with clinical symptoms. Dietary intakes of participants were recorded using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), which was designed and validated for the Iranian population. Results: We found that 54% of all subjects had consumed nutritional supplements in the last six months, and there was no significant difference in the type of nutritional supplements between cases and controls. There was no significant difference in the median intake of food groups in the last year in patients with metabolic syndrome and clinical symptoms of COVID-19 compared to controls. The CRUD odds ratio (OR) showed that adequate consumption of any food group was not associated with the occurrence of COVID-19. Conclusions: Although dietary intake and nutritional supplements are effective in preventing clinical symptoms of COVID-19, up to now, adequate data are available for recommending these supplements above the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for the prevention and/or treatment of COVID-19.

Recommendations regarding the admission, infection prevention and control of pediatric patients during coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in Shanghai China.

Since December 2019, the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and severe cases caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in China has been increasing rapidly (1,2). A total of 80,926 confirmed and 349 suspected cases have been reported by March 10, 2020. Epidemiological data showed that all people were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. Respiratory droplets and close contact are main means of transmission, and aerosol transmission occur in a closed environment exposed to high concentrations of aerosols (3). The clinical symptoms of COVID-19 were atypical (4-6). Provinces and municipalities in China have launched first-level response to this major public health emergency. It has been one month since the lockdown were launched in all cities in Hubei Province. The increasing number of people returning home during the Spring Festival across the country has posed a new challenge to prevention. There are still medical demands for patients due to the diseases other than COVID-19. There is a need to attend to pediatric inpatients by caregivers. Currently, diagnosis of suspected cases is nucleic acid detection, but cannot be used as a universal screening method. COVID-19 symptoms are atypical with infectious possibility during incubation period, it is necessary to inquire about the epidemiological history and related symptoms for the prevention and control of outbreak in children’s hospitals or pediatric wards at general hospitals. In order to prevent the occurrence and spread of COVID-19 infection, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University formulated this expert recommendation, “Recommendations on the admission and management of pediatric patients during COVID-19 outbreak (1st edition)” (referred to as Recommendations). This study is based on a study first published on Chinese Journal of Evidence-based Pediatrics in Chinese (7). We aimed to prevent transmission of COVID-19 infection.

Are history of dietary intake and food habits of patients with clinical symptoms of COVID 19 different from healthy controls? A case-control study.

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that put unprecedented significant strain on clinical services and healthcare systems. The aim of the present research was to assess dietary food groups and also food habits of patients with clinical symptoms of COVID 19 and healthy controls.MethodsThis case–control research was carried out on 505 participants (279 subjects with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and 226 controls), in age 18–65 years. Dietary food group's intake last year was investigated by a food frequency questionnaire. Food habits were asked by a general information questionnaire. The strength of the association between food group's intakes with the odds ratios (ORs) of COVID-19 was assessed using Logistic regression models.ResultsAfter adjusting for physical activity in the logistic regression models, intake of dough and yogurt had a significantly protective role on occurrence of COVID19 (OR = 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.44–0.87; P = 0.006) (OR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.56–0.98; P = 0.044), respectively. No significant differences were seen in food habits between the two groups in the last year ago.ConclusionsHigh risk population for COVID19, advised to consume enough amount of yogurt and dough at the time of this pandemic.

A systematic review of clinical and laboratory parameters of 3,000 COVID-19 cases.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide. It is still a pandemic and poses major health problem across the globe. In our review, clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters of COVID-19 patients were compiled systematically, with special reference to pregnant women in order to understand the disease course. An extensive literature search on various scientific databases for relevant manuscripts was conducted, which yielded 7 manuscripts for final analysis. The most common symptoms were fever (85%), cough (70.63%), chest tightness (37.36%), expectoration (33.27%), fatigue (32%), dyspnea (31.95%), and shortness of breath (31.19%), while hemoptysis (1.0%) was the least common. The associated comorbidities were hypertension (21.6%) and diabetes (10.0%). In terms of hematological parameters, lower total leukocyte counts were observed in 65% of cases and biochemical parameters, patients demonstrated elevated levels of albumin (53.72%), lactate dehydrogenase (45.71%), and natriuretic peptide (34.84%); however, total bilirubin was elevated in only 8% of cases. In the acute inflammatory cytokine profile, C-reactive protein (59.0%), tumor necrosis factor (58.0%), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (57.0%), interleukin-2 (IL-2, 54.0%), and IL-6 (52.0%) levels were increased, while prolactin levels (6.5%) were minimally elevated. The recovery rate was approximately 41%, and mortality was about 6.5%. The study also concluded that the clinical symptoms of COVID-19 were similar among pregnant and non-pregnant women. There was no evidence of vertical transmission of COVID-19 infection. This review critically analyzed COVID-19 as a public health hazard in order to help policy makers, health care givers, and primary physicians to promote early diagnosis and prevention.

Assessment of global asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and management practices from China.

With ongoing research, it was found that asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was widespread in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) populations. Studies have confirmed asymptomatic patients with COVID-19 have potential infectivity, and most of the transmission occurred before symptoms appear. Asymptomatic infection rates varied widely in different countries and regions. Identifying the asymptomatic infected persons and cutting off the infection source is an effective way to prevent the spread of this disease. However, asymptomatic patients have hidden clinical symptoms, and screening based only on the clinical symptoms of COVID-19 can easily lead to a missed diagnosis. Therefore, determining asymptomatic infection patients by SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing is the gold standard. A series of prevention and control measures adopted by the Chinese government, especially the “Four Early” policy, have achieved outstanding achievements, which are worth learning from by other countries.

The Diagnostic and Predictive Roles of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio for Severity of Disease in COVID-19 Patients.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are inflammation markers in inflammatory, cardiovascular, and malignant diseases and are important to assess prognosis. The aim of the study is to show the correlation between the inflammation markers of NLR, LMR, and PLR identified in total blood count of patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with the disease severity. A total of 409 patients attending hospital with clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and with positive quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test were divided into two groups as 61 severe patients and 348 non-severe patients. The levels of inflammation markers NLR, LMR, PLR, and c-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. The mean age of 409 patients was 49.9 ± 18.3 years and 48.7% of all patients were female. In the severe patient group, NLR 8.94 ± 13.24, LMR 2.24 ± 1.46, and PLR 248 ± 254 were identified. NLR exhibited the largest area under the curve at 0.698, with the highest specificity (67%) and sensitivity (67.3%) among the other inflammation markers such as LMR and PLR. Consistent with the severity of disease in severe COVID-19 patients, NLR, PLR, CRP and other inflammation markers increase, while LMR is observed to reduce. NLR and PLR, calculated with the simple, cheap, and easily accessible hemogram test requested for diagnosis and follow-up of COVID-19 disease, were correlated with the total score for radiological findings and duration of hospitalization, and we observed NLR and LMR may predict disease severity.

COVID-19 during pregnancy: a narrative.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in December 2019, in Wuhan, China, and it is a serious public health emergency, particularly to vulnerable populations. Pregnant women and their fetuses represent high-risk population during outbreaks of infectious diseases. They have very high risk of infection, due to changes in their immune system. Limited data are available on COVID-19 during pregnancy. Therefore, we searched articles published between December 2019 and May 30, 2020, in three databases: PubMed, Embase and Web of Science, using MeSH words COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 and 2019-nCoV. 39 articles were included, and they revealed that clinical symptoms of COVID-19 in pregnant women are not different from those of general population, and they can turn into atypical pneumonia. Only one maternal death was reported. Fetal distress, prematurity, and respiratory distress syndrome are frequent in newborns; one intrauterine death and one perinatal death were reported. The most frequent sign found was fever (77-86%). The main maternal perinatal complications were prematurity (47%) and pneumonia (40%); serious illness was rare (4.4%) and similar to the reported in the general population (5%); the most frequent route of interruption was cesarean section in 89% of the cases. Maternal-fetal transmission is not ruled out, since 8.5% (4/47) of the included cases had positive SARS-CoV-2 tests. More research is needed on the subject and management protocols in pregnancy with intentional search for transmission to the newborn.

Distributions of time, place, and population of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from January 20 to February 10, 2020, in China

Background and objectiveSince December 2019, increasing cases of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are being detected worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to provide a scientific reference for the global prevention and control of COVID-19. MethodsGeneral demographic characteristics, epidemiological history, and clinical symptoms of COVID-19 were collected that had been reported on the websites of multiple Municipal Health Commissions in China. We herein describe distributions in time, place, and population of COVID-19. ResultsAs of midnight on February 10, 2020, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in China was 42,638, and the province with the largest number of confirmed cases was Hubei (31,728), followed by Guangdong (1177), Zhejiang (1117), and Henan (1105) province. The number of cases and the speed of confirmed cases in provinces other than Hubei were more moderate than those of the Hubei province. The median (interquartile range) age of 1740 patients with COVID-19 was 44 (33, 54) years, with a range of 10 months to 89 years. ConclusionsThe COVID-19 epidemic should be considered a global threat and the steps for control include early diagnosis and treatment, as well as isolation.

A possible role for B cells in COVID-19? Lesson from patients with agammaglobulinemia

Summary COVID-19 had a mild clinical course in patients with Agammaglobulinemia lacking B lymphocytes, whereas it developed aggressively in Common Variable Immune Deficiency. Our data offer mechanisms for possible therapeutic targets.

Strengthening basic and clinical research on ocular infection caused by coronavirus

This article was published ahead of print on the official website of Chinese Jounal of Ophthalmology on February 19, 2020. The prevention and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) has reached the critical stage in China. Ocular surface represents a possible route for infection. Based on the previous studies and our own research, we summarize the potential transmission route and clinical symptoms of COVID-2019 in the eye, as well as the further prevention and research, with the expectation of contributing to the development in the field of infectious eye disease in China. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56:250-252).

Distribución temporal, geográfica y por población de la nueva enfermedad por coronavirus (COVID-19) desde el 20 de enero hasta el 10 de febrero del 2020, en China

Background and objectiveSince December 2019, increasing cases of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are being detected worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to provide a scientific reference for the global prevention and control of COVID-19. MethodsGeneral demographic characteristics, epidemiological history, and clinical symptoms of COVID-19 were collected that had been reported on the websites of multiple Municipal Health Commissions in China. We herein describe distributions in time, place, and population of COVID-19. ResultsAs of midnight on February 10, 2020, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in China was 42,638, and the province with the largest number of confirmed cases was Hubei (31728), followed by Guangdong (1177), Zhejiang (1117), and Henan (1105) province. The number of cases and the speed of confirmed cases in provinces other than Hubei were more moderate than those of the Hubei province. The median (interquartile range) age of patients with COVID-19 was 44 (33, 54) years, with a range of 10 months to 89 years. ConclusionsThe COVID-19 epidemic should be considered a global threat and the steps for control include early diagnosis and treatment, as well as isolation.