Coronavirus Disease 2019 Virus Research Articles

Physicochemical properties of respiratory droplets and their role in COVID-19 pandemics: a critical review.

ABSTRACTThe ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a serious challenge faced by the global community. Physical scientists can help medical workers and biomedical scientists, engineers, and practitioners, who are working on the front line, to slow down and eventually contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This review is focused on the physicochemical characteristics, including composition, aerodynamics, and drying behavior of respiratory droplets as a complex and multicomponent soft matter system, which are the main carrier of the virus for interpersonal transmission. The distribution and dynamics of virus particles within a droplet are also discussed. Understanding the characteristics of virus-laden respiratory droplets can lead to better design of personal protective equipment, frequently touched surfaces such as door knobs and touchscreens, and filtering equipment for indoor air circulation. Such an understanding also provides the scientific basis of public policy, including social distancing rules and public hygiene guidelines, implemented by governments around the world.

Advancing African otolaryngology and head & neck surgery education and training through virtual academic platforms and multidisciplinary teams.

To overview the rise of virtual tools to propagate academia and clinical service within Africa, in the field of otolaryngology, propelled by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The rise of the COVID-19 virus saw a dramatic reduction in elective surgery and outpatient services with a subsequent reduction in experiential learning for trainees. This has spurred the rising trend to maintain the mission of education and clinical service, virtually. There have been unprecedented levels of international collaboration in the 'pandemic year of 2020' that has seen various platforms conceived to harmonize varying practices from global experts towards the ultimate goal of education propagation and improved patient care. The continent of Africa, amidst its own unique challenges, has boldly stepped into the virtual realm in form of a resident-centred platform coined University Of Cape Town-Africa Virtual ENT, and two multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings: the African Head and Neck Society Virtual Tumour Board and the African Virtual Cochlear Implant Meeting. The COVID-19 pandemic will have long-lasting effects on clinical practice and training programs globally. This has demanded academicians to re-imagine novel ways to buoy academia and maintain international collaboration in an inexpensive and convenient way to nourish the sacred mission of education and clinical service within our spirited continent.

TANGGAP COVID – 19 MASYARAKAT DI RT TENGKAN KELUARAHAN MAKALE KABUPATEN TANA TORAJA TAHUN 2020

Corona virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is known to cause respiratory tract infections in humans ranging from colds to more serious coughs such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The spread of the COVID-19 virus is increasing faster through droplets of saliva or out of the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes.(Prasetyo and Suherlan 2020) However, there is still very little community in RT Tengkan, Lamunan Village, Makale District, Tana Toraja implementing health protocols to avoid the spread of the corona virus. Therefore, there is a need for an understanding of the health protocol for handling COVID-19. Based on these problems, the authors carry out community service through the STIK Makassar Response COVID-19 Real Work Lecture (KKN) activities carried out using methods of supporting public safety against COVID-19. Such as making banners about health protocols, building hand washing stations, distributing masks to break the chain of distribution of viurs, and working together to clean up the environment by applying physical distancing. Hopefully with this program the community can comply with health protocols.
 As a result of this activity, I managed to distribute 20 masks to people who often leave their homes, put up health protocol banners around people's homes, build hand washing stations around Lamunan Village, and invite people to work together to clean the road to the Zion church by implementing health protocols.

Patient Perceptions of SARS-CoV-2 Exposure Risk and Association With Continuity of Ophthalmic Care

Patient perceptions regarding the risks of obtaining in-person ophthalmic care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may affect adherence to recommended treatment plans and influence visual outcomes. A deeper understanding of patient perspectives will inform strategies to optimize adherence with vision-preserving therapies. To evaluate perceptions of COVID-19 exposure risk and their association with appointment attendance among patients at high risk of both reversible and irreversible vision loss from lapses in care. This survey study included a nonvalidated telephone survey designed in April and May of 2020 and a retrospective medical record review conducted in parallel with survey administration from May 22 to August 18, 2020. Participants were recruited from 2 tertiary eye care centers (Emory Eye Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and W.K. Kellogg Eye Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan). The study included a random sample of patients with diagnoses of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or diabetic retinopathy (DR) who received an intravitreal injection between January 6 and March 13, 2020, and were scheduled for a second injection between March 13 and May 6, 2020. Association between perceptions regarding COVID-19 risks and loss to follow-up. Of 1004 eligible patients, 423 (42%) were successfully contacted, and 348 (82%) agreed to participate (participants' mean [SD] age, 75 [12] years; 195 women [56%]; 287 White [82%] patients). Respondents had a mean (SD) of 2.7 (1.1) comorbidities associated with severe COVID-19, and 77 (22%) knew someone with COVID-19. Of all respondents, 163 (47%) were very concerned or moderately concerned about vision loss from missed treatments during the pandemic. Although 208 (60%) believed the COVID-19 virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), exposure at the eye clinic was extremely unlikely or unlikely, 49 (14%) believed it was extremely likely or likely. Seventy-eight participants (22%) were lost to follow-up. Concern regarding COVID-19 exposure during clinic visits (odds ratio [OR], 3.9; 95% CI, 1.8-8.4) and diagnosis of DR (vs AMD) (OR, 8.130; 95% CI, 3.367-20.408) were associated with an increase in likelihood of loss to follow-up. Among patients at high risk for vision loss from lapses in care, many expressed concerns regarding the effect of the pandemic on their ability to receive timely care. Survey results suggest that fear of SARS-CoV-2 exposure was associated with a roughly 4-fold increase in the odds of patient loss to follow-up. These results support the potential importance of clearly conveying infection-control measures.

Analysis of medical waste management and impact analysis of COVID-19 on its generation in Taiwan.

Medical waste management in Taiwan is a crucial issue due to its highly environmental and human health risks. The main objectives of this paper were to analyse the status of medical waste generation and treatment in recent years, and also address the discussions on the impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on its generation in the first half of 2020. It showed that the reported quantities have slightly increased from 35,747 metric tonnes (Mt) in 2016 to 40,407 Mt in 2019, showing an average increase by 4.17%. This rate of increase was consistent with the hospital services. When classified by the reported codes, the C-type waste (infectious waste) accounted for about 89% of the reported quantities, which indicated an annual increase by 4.14% during the same period. In addition, the medical waste treatment in 2019 was mainly dependent on the commissioned treatment (80.18%), followed by the recycling (18.53%) and the self-treatment (1.29%). Furthermore, the impact of COVID-19 on the medical waste generation in Taiwan was not significant in the first half of 2020 compared to the data during the years of 2016-2019. It was indicated that the consistent trend was observed at the daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in Taiwan during this period. Obviously, the reduction in the hospital medical services during the COVID-19 outbreak should be offset by the increase in medical waste generation from the medical services. In order to try to ensure safe and complete destruction of the COVID-19 virus, all the waste generated from the healthcare facilities should be treated in the incineration plants.

The Effect of COVID-19 Infection on Human Blood Ghrelin Hormone: A Pilot Study

Objectives: The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been one of the major health concerns for all the countries around the globe. This study was aimed to study the potential effect of COVID-19 virus on the level of blood ghrelin appetite hormone in order to determine the influence of this infection on the patient appetite.
 Methods: This is a cross-sectional study was conducted between July and the end of August 2020 in the western region of Saudi Arabia. A total of 50 confirmed positive patients with COVID-19 (positive group) and 30 control healthy subjects with negative blood samples (negative group) were collected to determine the level of ghrelin appetite hormone using the human ghrelin (GHRL) ELISA technique. A student’s t-test was carried out to find out the statistical change between different study groups.
 Results: The serum total ghrelin concentrations, on average, were 51.32 pg/mL on positive group and 50.37 pg/mL on negative group, respectively. The difference of ghrelin was statistically insignificant between the two groups (P >0.05). Although the sample size of the study was small, the results showed high number of COVID-19 cases in male than female.
 Conclusion: The current data shows that there are no significant changes in the level of serum ghrelin hormone in COVID-19 patients. Consequently, it might be possible that the ghrelin hormone showed potential changes in the saliva compared to the effect in the blood. Thus, a further analysis of the ghrelin hormone in the saliva of COVID-19 patients will be conducted in the near future.

Prevention for post-traumatic stress disorder after the COVID-19 epidemic: Lessons from the SARS epidemic

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 as the sixth public health emergency of international concern, and on March 11, 2020, the WHO declared that COVID-19 is a pandemic. To date, patients with COVID-19 are present in most countries in the world. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-19 virus and the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus are approximately about 79% homologous, and their transmission modes are similar, but the transmission speed and range of COVID-19 virus far exceed those of the 2003 SARS virus, causing people to experience panic, anxiety, and depression. After the SARS epidemic, many survivors and medical workers had severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which seriously affected their quality of life. Here, we reviewed the situations of PTSD after the SARS epidemic. The lessons and experiences of PTSD caused by SARS may help deal with the more severe occurrence of PTSD during and after the COVID-19 epidemic.

Ocular Complication of a Child with Confirmed 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease: A Case Report

Introduction: The first cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and then it immediately spread to other parts of the world. Conjunctivitis has been reported as one of the manifestations of the disease. In this study, we report a three-year-old child with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 developing conjunctivitis in Iran. Case Presentation: The patient was a three-year-old male child who was referred to Namazee Hospital (Shiraz) due to fever, dry cough, tachypnea, and respiratory distress. He was admitted with the impression of a COVID-19 infection. On the sixth day of admission, the patient developed unilateral red-eye and foreign body sensation in the left eye. A conjunctival swab was done for collecting tears and conjunctival secretions from the lower eyelid fornix without topical anesthesia and was sent for assessing the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which was demonstrated to be positive after two days. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the COVID-19 virus can be present in tears and conjunctiva. Additionally, it should be taken into account that ocular complications may not appear in the early stages of infection.

Assessing the impact of COVID 19 on male fertility: A systematic review

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is presently a global pandemic; it is mainly an acute respiratory infection. It can affect various organs of the body, primarily the lung, GI tract, and CVS and can even affect the urinary system and male reproductive system. A systematic search using PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus was performed using the keywords and Boolean operators. There were 55 studies, which were found to be relevant to the search conducted in the above-mentioned databases. Out of the 55 studies, 32 were identified to be fitting the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the review. Recent studies have conflicting results on the presence of COVID-19 in the semen of patients who were reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive for COVID-19. Majority studies negate COVID-19 infection in semen as per RT-PCR, but semen parameters are adversely affected especially in moderate cases. One study states that RT-PCR is positive in few semen samples of severe cases. Testes have high angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression and transmembrane serine protease 2 is essential for priming of the spike (S) protein in COVID-19 virus and it is concentrated in spermatogonia and spermatids, which means if spermatogonia is infected with COVID-19 and it hampers the spermatogenesis, it can lead to dysfunction of the male reproductive system. There is evidence of high ACE2 expression in renal tubules, which means there can be renal tubular damage because of COVID-19 infection and there is a possibility of shedding of virus in urine. The COVID-19 detected in the semen could also be because of shedding of virus from the urinary tract in men. The authors thus conclude that there is a need larger study to answer the questions like whether the COVID-19 infection just present in the semen or it is attached to the spermatozoa or its present inside the cells because of interaction of COVID-19 S protein and ACE2 receptor on the spermatogonia. If COVID-19 infection is detected in the semen, then whether it can be removed from the semen by the sperm washing techniques and is it safe to use in ART procedures or any other fertility treatment.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Toward COVID-19 Among Jordanian Residents During the Quarantine Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a communicable disease transmitted via respiratory droplet from 1 person to another caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study aims to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of Jordanian people toward COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the paper explores the lack of perception and adherence to preventive measures toward COVID-19. A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive online survey was used to explore study variables. A convenience sample of individual who are of Jordanian nationality, were aged 18 years or older, understood the content of the questionnaire, and agreed to participate voluntarily was surveyed. The average correct score of COVID-19 knowledge was 84.44% (12.66/15). In addition, knowledge scores significantly differed across demographic characteristics of participants. Moreover, 93.8% (1009) of the study sample had confidence that Jordan can win the battle against the COVID-19 virus. However, study participants acknowledged that they did not visit crowded places in recent days (91.6%), while 71.3% (767) wore masks when leaving home. The current study added a new knowledge that generally the Jordanian people during the quarantine period have a high knowledge and optimistic attitudes and practices toward COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance and Its Associated Factors Among a Middle Eastern Population.

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a major threat to public health and has had a significant impact on all aspects of life. An effective vaccine is the most anticipated resolution. This study aims to evaluate Jordanian intent to be vaccinated.Methods: This is a cross-sectional web-based study. Sample characteristics were gathered, and the participants were classified according to the degree of COVID-19 risk based on the categories of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Participants' KAP toward COVID-19 were assessed, and two scores were calculated: knowledge score and practice score. The association between different sample characteristics and these scores was identified using binary logistical regressions. The participants' vaccination intention was evaluated and multinomial logistic regression was applied to identify the predictors of vaccination intention. Finally, the reasons behind the participants' vaccination refusal/hesitation were determined and categorized into different groups.Results: 1,144 participants were enrolled in the study (females = 66.5%). 30.4% of the participants were at high risk of COVID-19 complications, and 27.5% were at medium risk. Overall, participants' knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, transmission methods, protective measures, and availability of cure were high (median of knowledge score = 17 out of 21). High protective practices were followed by many participants (median of practice score = 7 out of 10). 3.7% of participants were infected, and 6.4% suspected they were infected with the COVID-19 virus. 36.8% of the participants answered “No” when asked if they would take the vaccine once it becomes available, and 26.4% answered, “Not sure.” The main reasons for the participants' vaccination refusal or hesitancy were concerns regarding the use of vaccines and a lack of trust in them.Conclusion: Participants reported high refusal/hesitancy. Several barriers were identified, and efforts should be intensified to overcome these barriers.

Impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on orthodontic patients and their attitude to orthodontic treatment

IntroductionThis study aimed to assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the orthodontic patient. It also assessed the knowledge and attitude of patients to the COVID-19 infection and the willingness to carry out specific precautionary measures in the orthodontic clinics to mitigate the spread of the virus.MethodsIt was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Questionnaires were distributed to orthodontic patients via Google forms. The questionnaire assessed participants’ knowledge, attitude, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on orthodontic treatment, and willingness to carry out infection control precautionary measures in the orthodontic clinic.ResultsA total of 304 responses were obtained; 83 males (27.3%), 221 females (72.7%) with a mean age of 35.6 years. Subjects demonstrated good knowledge of COVID-19 infection (94.7%). Most respondents (95%) considered the infection as dangerous and believed the orthodontic patient was at risk of contracting the disease but were willing regardless to carry on with their orthodontic treatment during the pandemic. Fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus during orthodontic appointments and missed orthodontic appointments (74%), and increased treatment time (50%) were the immediate and long-term concerns, respectively. A high acceptance rate of compliance to precautionary measures to mitigate virus spread in the clinic was observed.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the orthodontic treatment and the financial and emotional wellbeing of orthodontic patients. Patients were willing to continue with orthodontic management during the pandemic while complying with precautionary measures to prevent disease spread in the orthodontic practice setting.

Pneumatosis Intestinalis Due to COVID-19 Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipient: A Case Report

BackgroundPneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a rare condition usually occurring among adults who have undergone solid organ transplant and are taking steroid therapy. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in gastrointestinal epithelium as a receptor for entry process. Due to the steroid intake, the COVID-19 virus is present in the patient's gastrointestinal tract for extended period of time. It may therefore increase the possibility of PI in such patients. It is usually asymptomatic, with a clinical spectrum ranging from indolent to life-threatening. Unfortunately, there are no algorithms concerning diagnosis and treatment of PI. Aim of studyThe aim of this study is to highlight the problem of PI induced by COVID-19, especially in high-risk groups such as solid organs recipients. ConclusionOn the basis of the presented case of a severe course of COVID-19–induced PI, we conclude that laparotomy with bowel resection can be a feasible and a safe option for treatment.

English

An outbreak of a respiratory disease with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) – like manifestations emerged in late December 2019 in the Wuhan city of China. The causative agent of this disease was later identified to be a novel Coronavirus. Subsequently, the disease was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organisation and later declared as a pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 came with many misinformation and misconceptions about viruses and the COVID-19 disease. Questions have been asked by non - virologists and the general public about what viruses are. Some wondered if viruses are living organisms or not. While some asked how big viruses are or if all viruses and the COVID-19 virus is artificially created. Yet others attributed the outbreak to the new quantum leap in the electromagnet field; the latest 5G technology. There are also concerns raised about the new virus being a bioweapon or an act of biowarfare. These numerous questions needed to be clarified concisely with available scientific knowledge. Thus, this review is providing answers to the 10 frequently asked questions aimed at informing the non - virologist in the academic field and beyond.   Key words: Virus size, virus origin, giant viruses, synthetic viruses, SARS-Cov-2, bioweapon.

The Influence of Human-Animal Interactions on Mental and Physical Health during the First COVID-19 Lockdown Phase in the U.K.: A Qualitative Exploration.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents an opportunity to explore the role of animals as sources of emotional and physical support during a period when most of the population is experiencing social and environmental challenges. We investigated how companion animal owners perceived the influence of human–animal interaction on their physical and mental health during the first COVID-19 lockdown phase in the U.K., and what concerns they had regarding their animals at this time. We also explored the impact of participants’ interaction with non-companion animals during this phase. A cross-sectional online survey of U.K. residents aged over 18 was conducted between April and June 2020. The final item of the survey invited open-ended free-text responses, allowing participants to describe any experiences and/or perceptions of their human–animal relationships during the COVID-19 lockdown phase. A qualitative thematic analysis of responses was undertaken. Four main themes related to the following aspects of human–animal interactions during the COVID-19 lockdown phase were identified: the positive impact of animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., amelioration of wellbeing and mental health), concerns relating to animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., concerns over animals carrying the COVID-19 virus), grief and loss of an animal during the COVID-19 lockdown and the impact of engaging with non-companion animals during the COVID-19 lockdown. The findings complement and extend previous insights into the impact of human–animal interaction with both companion and non-companion animals. They also highlight the challenges of caring for an animal during the lockdown phase and indicate the need to consider the development of further targeted support strategies, such as “day care” for the companion animals of key workers in this context.

Low-dose radiation therapy: a treatment for pneumonia resulting from COVID-19

AbstractBackground:The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly throughout the world. Lung is the primary organ which the COVID-19 virus affects and leads to pneumonia, an acute respiratory distress syndrome. COVID-19 infects the lower respiratory system, and the lung’s response to this infection is recruiting macrophages and monocytes leading to inflammation, this response causes widespread damage to the lung’s airways.Aim:The purpose of this study is to review studies of using low-dose radiation as a treatment for the inflammation of the tissue and pneumonia resulting from COVID-19. These studies were compared with the risk of developing lung cancer during performed dose for the treatment of COVID-19 in radiation therapy.Materials and methods:Our study focused on in vitro, in vivo and clinical reports of using low-dose radiation for the treatment of inflammation, pneumonia and COVID-19. The risk of lung cancer resulting from suggested dose in these studies was also evaluated.Conclusion:From the review of articles, we have found that low-dose radiation can lead to improvement in inflammation in different line cells and animals; in addition, it has been effective in treating inflammation and pneumonia caused by COVID-19 in human up to 80%. Since suggested doses do not remarkably increase the lung cancer risk, low-dose radiation can be an adjuvant treatment for COVID-19 patients.

Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education in India: Lessons Learned and Mitigation Measures

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a communicable disease caused by a newly detected severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 virus has spread all over the world including India. This corona virus pandemic has radically disrupted all the sectors including education sector, which affects the socio-economic conditions of the people and education system. This study is aiming to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on educational institutions, especially imparting higher education and related stakeholders till date, when the government has taken early decisions to breakdown the spread of virus among the community. The study is descriptive and analytical in nature where the information has been collected from the various official websites, newspapers, online news articles, and discussions with colleagues working in the higher education setup. This review study suggested some measures to overcome the situation such as special hygiene and health related measures like social distancing, using precautionary tools and equipment and some socioeconomic and technological measures such as economic supports for redesigning of the sector, public private partnerships in education system, digitization of the study techniques and educational infrastructure and use of Indian traditional knowledge. The higher education plays a key role for socio-economic development of the people in any country and with the implementation of these suggestive measures, the country will move forward and ensure the overall progress in education sector.

Chest X-ray image phase features for improved diagnosis of COVID-19 using convolutional neural network.

Purpose:Recently, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has seriously endangered human health and life. In fighting against COVID-19, effective diagnosis of infected patient is critical for preventing the spread of diseases. Due to limited availability of test kits, the need for auxiliary diagnostic approach has increased. Recent research has shown radiography of COVID-19 patient, such as CT and X-ray, contains salient information about the COVID-19 virus and could be used as an alternative diagnosis method. Chest X-ray (CXR) due to its faster imaging time, wide availability, low cost, and portability gains much attention and becomes very promising. In order to reduce intra- and inter-observer variability, during radiological assessment, computer-aided diagnostic tools have been used in order to supplement medical decision making and subsequent management. Computational methods with high accuracy and robustness are required for rapid triaging of patients and aiding radiologist in the interpretation of the collected data. Method:In this study, we design a novel multi-feature convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture for multi-class improved classification of COVID-19 from CXR images. CXR images are enhanced using a local phase-based image enhancement method. The enhanced images, together with the original CXR data, are used as an input to our proposed CNN architecture. Using ablation studies, we show the effectiveness of the enhanced images in improving the diagnostic accuracy. We provide quantitative evaluation on two datasets and qualitative results for visual inspection. Quantitative evaluation is performed on data consisting of 8851 normal (healthy), 6045 pneumonia, and 3323 COVID-19 CXR scans. Results:In Dataset-1, our model achieves 95.57% average accuracy for a three classes classification, 99% precision, recall, and F1-scores for COVID-19 cases. For Dataset-2, we have obtained 94.44% average accuracy, and 95% precision, recall, and F1-scores for detection of COVID-19.Conclusions:Our proposed multi-feature-guided CNN achieves improved results compared to single-feature CNN proving the importance of the local phase-based CXR image enhancement. Future work will involve further evaluation of the proposed method on a larger-size COVID-19 dataset as they become available.

Experimental Models to Study COVID-19 Effect in Stem Cells.

The new strain of coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2)) emerged in 2019 and hence is often referred to as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This disease causes hypoxic respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and is considered as the cause of a global pandemic. Very limited reports in addition to ex vivo model systems are available to understand the mechanism of action of this virus, which can be used for testing of any drug efficacy against virus infectivity. COVID-19 induces tissue stem cell loss, resulting inhibition of epithelial repair followed by inflammatory fibrotic consequences. Development of clinically relevant models is important to examine the impact of the COVID-19 virus in tissue stem cells among different organs. In this review, we discuss ex vivo experimental models available to study the effect of COVID-19 on tissue stem cells.

The COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: Predictions using the SIR Model

Since the earliest reports of the Coronavirus disease - 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China in December 2019, the disease has rapidly spread worldwide, attaining pandemic levels in early March 2020. However, the spread of COVID-19 has differed in the African setting compared to countries on other continents. To predict the spread of COVID-19 in Africa and within each country on the continent, we applied a Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered mathematical model. Here, our results show that, overall, Africa is currently (May 29, 2020) at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, after which we predict the number of cases would begin to fall in June 2020. Furthermore, we predict that the ending phase of the pandemic would be in Mid-August 2020 and that decreasing cases of COVID-19 infections would be detected until around December 2020 and January 2021. Our results also reveal that of the 51 countries with reported COVID-19 cases, only nine, including South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia, are likely to report higher monthly COVID-19 cases in June 2020 than those reported in the previous months. Overall, at the end of this pandemic, we predict that approximately 279,000 (about 154,000 future cases) individuals in Africa would have been infected with the COVID-19 virus. Here, our predictions are data-driven and based on the previously observed trends in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shifts in the population dynamics and/or changes in the infectiousness of the COVID-19 virus may require new forecasts of the disease spread.