Coronavirus Outbreak Research Articles

THE INCREASE OF CYBERCRIME AMIDST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A SPOTLIGHT ON THE MOROCCAN CONTEXT

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the entire world has been turned upside down. Daily practices such as work and education have shifted to the online and remote model at homes. This transition from in-person to online transactions has increased the prevalence of electronic crimes, commonly known as ‘cybercrimes’. These types of crimes are among the most significant types of crimes for the entire world and Morocco is no exception. Cyber-attackers have seized the opportunity of the pandemic to multiply their digital crimes and take advantage of individuals who were extremely frightened by the virus and bombarded with a significant amount of constant updates, including fake news, related to the Coronavirus outbreak. They have also exploited the increased use of people’s virtual communication particularly via social media platforms and the online vulnerabilities to target victims with low digital and media literacy. The current paper seeks to investigate the kinds of cybercrimes that have been committed online during the pandemic notably false promotion of products claiming to protect against COVID-19, online fraud operations, extortion, identity theft, threats, abuse, harassment, defamation, among others. Moreover, the researcher attempts to suggest proper ways to address these types of crimes and enhance cybersecurity that involve promoting digital literacy, implementing legal deterrence, and engaging multiple parties.

Single Ferritin Nanocages Expressing SARS-CoV-2 Spike Variants to Receptor and Antibodies.

SARS-CoV-2 virus variants of concern (VOCs) have rapidly changed their transmissibility and pathogenicity primarily through mutations in the structural proteins. Herein, we present molecular details with dynamics of the ferritin nanocages stitched with synthetic chimeras displaying the Spike receptor binding domains (RBDs). Our findings demonstrated the potential usage of ferritin-based vaccines that may effectively inhibit viral entry by blocking the Spike-ACE2 network and may induce cross-protective antibody responses. Taking the nanocage constructs into consideration, we evaluated the effects of variants on the docked interface of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD with the ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) host cell receptor and neutralizing antibodies (Abs). Investigating the VOCs revealed that most of the mutations reported a possibly reduced structural stability within the Spike RBD domain. Point mutations have moderate or no effect for VVH-72, CR3022, and S309 Abs when bound with the Spike RBD, whereas a significant effect was observed for B38, CB6, and m396 over the surface of the H-ferritin nanocage. In addition to providing useful therapeutic approaches against COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), these structural details can also be used to fight future coronavirus outbreaks.

The effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on maternal and childhood health services in Meru County, Kenya

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus put unprecedented burden on healthcare systems, governments and health professionals worldwide. It caused a global crisis of unequalled magnitude on service delivery and accessibility of essential health services. Women and children in poor countries were most affected. In view of the foregoing, it became necessary to examine the effects of COVID -19 outbreak on Maternal Child Health (MCH) in Meru County Kenya, to recommend mitigation strategies and safeguard the gains previously made in MCH indicators. Methods: Ethical clearance for the study was sought from Meru University of Science and Technology Institute Research Ethics and Review Committee (MIRERC). Data were gathered through focus group discussions, key informant interviews and review of health records in Meru County. A period of one year before and one year after COVID-19 pandemic were compared in the nine sub-counties. Analysis was done using SPSS computer package and statistical tests carried out using 2t test. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to summarize the data. Results: There were no significant changes in the overall BCG coverage (p=.30), FIC (p=.098), proportion of pregnant adolescents 10-19 years (p=.83), pregnant women attending at least one ANC visit (p=.41) and the number of WRA who received FP commodities (p=.66). Nevertheless, the proportion of women with 4th antenatal care visit and adolescents 10 - 14 years pregnant at the first ANC visit had lower and higher mean scores during the pandemic with significant changes at p=.05 of (p=0.011) and (p=0.003) respectively. Conclusions: COVID- 19 pandemic did not fundamentally affect MCH services during the first year of the sickness in Meru County. However, the proportion of teenage pregnancies increased significantly, while the proportion of women with 4th antenatal care visit decreased.

COVID-19 Study: A New Principle Discovery

Abstract:: The impact and burden of coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2) still exists worldwide. Different knowledge, opinions, and techniques determine the various outcomes and potency of preventive and therapeutic strategies. COVID-19 infections, long COVID, and the complexity of treatment variability are challenging issues for therapeutic promotion and cost-effective consideration. To speed up global efforts against COVID-19, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic selections, and drug combination studies should be optimized in different ways. The epidemic condition, vaccination, techniques, and therapeutic options are open to new expeditions. To target infectious and therapeutic variability, biomedical mechanisms and pathways should be understood. Facilitating and enhancing new global machinery and roadmap against viral-induced social damages and potential epidemics should be established for biological and pharmaceutical purposes. Thus, in this study, the ways of medical translation for COVID-19 treatment are discussed.

Discovery of First-in-Class PROTAC Degraders of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease.

We have witnessed three coronavirus (CoV) outbreaks in the past two decades, including the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Main protease (MPro), a highly conserved protease among various CoVs, is essential for viral replication and pathogenesis, making it a prime target for antiviral drug development. Here, we leverage proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to develop a new class of small-molecule antivirals that induce the degradation of SARS-CoV-2 MPro. Among them, MPD2 was demonstrated to effectively reduce MPro protein levels in 293T cells, relying on a time-dependent, CRBN-mediated, and proteasome-driven mechanism. Furthermore, MPD2 exhibited remarkable efficacy in diminishing MPro protein levels in SARS-CoV-2-infected A549-ACE2 cells. MPD2 also displayed potent antiviral activity against various SARS-CoV-2 strains and exhibited enhanced potency against nirmatrelvir-resistant viruses. Overall, this proof-of-concept study highlights the potential of targeted protein degradation of MPro as an innovative approach for developing antivirals that could fight against drug-resistant viral variants.

The Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 in Sudan: Results from the Sudan High-Frequency Survey on COVID-19, 2020

The coronavirus outbreaks and the measures taken to control their spread negatively impacted the global economy. This study aims to provide insights into the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 in Sudan, using data from the Sudan High-Frequency Survey on Covid-19 conducted by phone. The study used descriptive and analytical statistical analysis. The results revealed that about 98% of the population heard about the coronavirus. However, the measures taken to limit the spread of the virus were more practiced in Khartoum than in other regions. An estimate of about 1.7 million households (47%) lost income from any source due to COVID-19. Accordingly, around 25%-30% of households could not access staple foods and medicine. More than 90% of school- children in all regions, except Khartoum (76%), were not engaged in any education activity during school closures. Adopted coping strategies were living on previous savings in 1.3 million households (22%), reducing food consumption in 2.8 million households (48%), reducing non-food consumption in 1.4 million households (23%), relying on credit purchasing in 873,362 households (15%), and engaging in additional income-generating activities in 389,003 households (7%) while 7% received assistance from friends and relatives. These results will enable policymakers to design result-based policies to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of coronavirus in Sudan and to learn lessons for future precautions.

Covid-19 Study, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Transition.

The outbreak of coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2, COVID-19, SARS-Co-2) in Wuhan, China occurred three years ago. However, the healthcare state and legislature for Covid-19 varied greatly worldwide. After three years, the social life of most countries worldwide is gradually back to normal. Diagnosis and therapeutics worldwide are formalized now. Improvement of the knowledge about this devastating disease will shed new light on its management and spawn the development of new counter measures. Due to the differences in socioeconomic conditions and policies worldwide, the diagnostic and therapeutic transition should be established. The schedules and techniques of vaccines, drugs, or other therapeutic strategies could be formalized in the future. The origin and hidden nature of Covid-19 biology (relationship between viral strain and drug targeting) should be further investigated. Knowledge and opinion breakthroughs may significantly heighten the quality of preventive and therapeutic strategies against Covid-19. To further stabilize the global situation, the issues of viral spread and induced mortality should be emphasized. Existing animal models, pathophysiological knowledge, and therapeutics for different infected patients played vital roles. The diagnostic widening, variants of COVID, and therapeutic selection worldwide totally solve the complex outcomes and promote the curability for infected patients. Different diagnostic platforms can reach different therapeutic selections, responses, and benefits in the clinic. It will provide advanced diagnostic dimensions, therapeutic paradigms, and drug selection strategies for the purpose of the greatest benefiting and recoveries of Covid-19 patients. To speed up the global fight against Covid-19, biomedical knowledge, prophylactic vaccines, and therapeutic paradigms should be updated in dynamic states.

Parents' perceptions of the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on the eating behaviors and routines of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Restricted interests and repetitive behavior are characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The likelihood that persons with ASD will respond adversely to unfamiliar situations is great. The novel coronavirus outbreak has resulted in disruptions to all aspects of routine and behavior. Hence, this study proposed to investigate the impact of the outbreak on the eating behavior and routines of children with ASD in Saudi Arabia through the perceptions of their parents. A cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was utilized to obtain data from 150 parents of children with ASD aged ≤18 years in Saudi Arabia. The data collected included demographic data of the parents, the ASD status of the family, impact of COVID-19 to the family, eating behavior of the children with ASD, and daily routines of the children with ASD. Moreover, parents were able to provide comments regarding their children's eating behavior or daily routines. The study found that changes in the eating behavior of children with ASD were found to differ significantly (p<0.05) based on the number of children with ASD, the age of the children with ASD, the gender of the children with ASD, and the severity of their ASD symptoms. Moreover, changes to dinner-time routines were found to differ significantly (p<0.05) based on the age of the children with ASD. Also, changes to morning routines were found to differ significantly (p<0.05) based on the age of the children with ASD, their gender, and the severity of their ASD symptoms. Additionally, impact of COVID-19 to the family had a significant impact to eating behavior and daily routines of the children with ASD. This study found that the eating behavior and daily routines of children with ASD in Saudi Arabia have been considerably worsened and changed. The study recommends the collaboration of multidisciplinary teams and parents to modify or design interventions that help to change their eating behavior and routine can be implemented in the home. It also recommends the provision of virtual helplines to aid parents of children with ASD in such cases.

Outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in a Rural Community Hospital during Omicron Predominance.

Healthcare-associated infections due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has increased since the discovery of the Omicron variant. We describe a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in the medicine-surgery unit of a rural community hospital at the time of high community transmission of Omicron variant in our county. The outbreak occurred in the medicine-surgery unit of an 89-bed rural community hospital in northern Maine. The characteristics of the patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) affected by the outbreak are described. Patient and HCW data collected as part of the outbreak investigation were used in this report. The outbreak control measures implemented are also described. A total of 24 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 including 11 patients and 13 HCWs. A total of 12 of the 24 (50%) persons were symptomatic, and rhinorrhea was the most common symptom noted (8/12, 67%). None of the symptomatic persons had gastrointestinal symptoms or symptoms of a loss of sense of smell or taste. All HCWs were vaccinated and 8 of the 11 patients were vaccinated. Outbreak control measures in the affected unit included implementation of full PPE (N95 respirators, eye protection, gowns and gloves) during all patient care, serial testing of employees and patients in the affected unit, cohorting positive patients, closing visitation and thorough environmental cleaning including use of ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection. This outbreak exemplifies the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. The outbreak occurred despite a well-established infection control program. We noted that serial testing, use of N95 respirators during all patient care and UV disinfection were some of the measures that could be successful in outbreak control.

GAME-THEORETICAL MODEL OF COVID-19 VACCINATION IN THE ENDEMIC EQUILIBRIUM

An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), epi-centred in Hubei Province of the People’s Republic of China, quickly spread worldwide and caused COVID-19 pandemic. It infected hundreds of millions of people and caused millions of deaths. In this paper, we develop a compartmental ODE model of COVID-19 transmission. We consider a possibility of breakthrough infections after the vaccination and account for both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections and transmissions. We also incorporate game theory to study the optimal vaccination decisions from the individuals’ perspective. We show that vaccination alone is unlikely to eliminate COVID-19. To achieve herd immunity, the individuals would have to receive a dose of a vaccine more frequently than once every 3 months. It is therefore crucial to adhere to various guidelines, such as quarantine, isolate and wear a mask if tested positive for COVID-19.

Establishment of a human organoid-based evaluation system for assessing interspecies infection risk of animal-borne coronaviruses

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic presents a major threat to global public health. Several lines of evidence have shown that the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), along with two other highly pathogenic coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) originated from bats. To prevent and control future coronavirus outbreaks, it is necessary to investigate the interspecies infection and pathogenicity risks of animal-related coronaviruses. Currently used infection models, including in vitro cell lines and in vivo animal models, fail to fully mimic the primary infection in human tissues. Here, we employed organoid technology as a promising new model for studying emerging pathogens and their pathogenic mechanisms. We investigated the key host-virus interaction patterns of five human coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2 original strain, Omicron BA.1, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-OC43) in different human respiratory organoids. Five indicators, including cell tropism, invasion preference, replication activity, host response and virus-induced cell death, were developed to establish a comprehensive evaluation system to predict coronavirus interspecies infection and pathogenicity risks. Using this system, we further examined the pathogenicity and interspecies infection risks of three SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoV), including WIV1 and rRsSHC014S from bats, and MpCoV-GX from pangolins. Moreover, we found that cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive plant extract, exhibits significant inhibitory effects on various coronaviruses in human lung organoid. Cannabidiol significantly enhanced interferon-stimulated gene expression but reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines. In summary, our study established a reliable comprehensive evaluation system to analyse infection and pathogenicity patterns of zoonotic coronaviruses, which could aid in prevention and control of potentially emerging coronavirus diseases.

Правові аспекти державної політики стосовно запобігання та подолання COVID-19 у Північній Кореї: впровадження та ефективність правових заходів

This article analyses some (publicly available) legal aspects of COVID-19 policy in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea since the beginning of the global coronavirus outbreak and in the following years. The focus is on the legal measures implemented to prevent the spread of the virus. The paper draws conclusions about the effectiveness of the practical application of the «zero tolerance» policy in the fight against the pandemic. Pyongyang explains its success in countering the coronavirus as a proactive response to the struggle for «national survival». The country has closed its border, reduced trade with China, established a 30-day quarantine period, and imposed restrictions on the activities of foreign diplomatic and international personnel based in North Korea (essentially choosing a position of even greater isolation from the outside world in the fight against the pandemic). Having officially recognized the first case of coronavirus infection in the country only in May 2022, 3 months later, in August of the same year, North Korea declared a complete victory over COVID-19. However, the real situation with COVID-19 in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is not obvious: in contrast to the many unreliable statements and propaganda news reports, there are studies by external experts, as well as UN reports, which seem to reflect a more realistic situation behind the Iron Curtain. Such conclusions can also be drawn from the fact that no COVID-19 vaccination campaigns have been officially conducted, and food insecurity caused by various factors, including prolonged sanctions, border closures and adverse climatic conditions, may also have hindered the ability of the population to overcome COVID-19 as successfully as claimed by the DPRK. In this article, we will try to analyze in more details the methods of countering the coronavirus in North Korea based on available official sources and assess their effectiveness, as well as their impact on the civil liberties of the DPRK population.

Comparison of K-Means, K-Medoids and K-Means++ algorithms based on the Calinski-Harabasz index for COVID-19 epidemic in China

The novel coronavirus spreads from person to person through close contact and respiratory droplets such as coughing or sneezing. Various studies have been conducted globally to deal with COVID-19. However, no cure for the virus has been found , and efficient data processing methods for sudden outbreaks have not yet been identified. This study compares three algorithms for data sets to analyze clustering patterns to determine the best data processing method. The data of this study comes from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, including two attributes of confirmed cases and death cases. We selected the data from the initial stage of the outbreak until October 31, 2021. We compared the data analysis and processing results of the clustering of the spread of the new coronavirus in China by the K-Means, K-Medoids and K-Means++ algorithms. By comparing the Calinski-Harabasz index values from K=2 to K=10, the results show that the K-Means, K-Medoids and K-Means++ algorithms have almost the same clustering effect when K does not exceed 6, but when the K value is greater than 6. When the K-Medoids clustering effect is significantly better, therefore, from the three clustering algorithms used, it can be concluded that the best method for clustering the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China is the K-Medoids method. The results of this study provides ideas for future researchers to choose an appropriate cluster analysis method to effectively process the data in the early stages of the epidemic.

Prevalence and dynamics of contraceptive use by type during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Western Iran.

Contraception represents a deliberate choice made by individuals, both men and women, to regulate their desired number of children. The primary objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and predictors of contraceptive use, while also exploring the shifts in contraception methods following the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employed a quantitative approach with a survey technique. The survey was conducted in Kermanshah, one of Iran's metropolises located in the western part of the country. The sampling methodology employed in this study involved a combination of multi-stage classification and systematic random methods. The survey took place between July and August 2022. The target population for the survey included women between the ages of 15 and 49. A total of 600 women from this population were selected and included in the survey sample. The sample was described using frequency tables, as well as central and dispersion indices (mean and standard deviation). Additionally, multivariate analysis was conducted through the application of logistic regression. Findings pointed out that approximately 65% of the women in the sample utilized contraception methods. Among these methods, the condom and oral pill were found to be the most prevalent choices. Moreover, the findings indicated that an increase in the number of both living and ideal children was associated with a decreased likelihood of contraceptive use. Following the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an observed increase in the utilization of traditional and natural methods of contraception. This shift highlights the importance of considering a broader range of contraceptive options and not solely focusing on restricting contraception services. In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, women turned to traditional contraceptives, which may increase the risk of unintended pregnancies and subsequent miscarriages. Therefore, providing in-person services to women at their place of residence is necessary during epidemics.

Tele-Urology in the Era of COVID-19: an Experience of the Reconstructive Urology Department in Iran.

The outbreak of coronavirus has put additional pressure on the health care systems of many countries; but telemedicine can be an important way to deal with it, especially for people whose health has been affected by the virus. The present study aims to investigate the Implementation of a Tele-urology Program for Reconstructive Urologic Referrals: Initial Results and Patient Satisfaction. All patients with a history of a urethral reconstructive surgery during last year was entered to our study and two nurses collected data of demographic and past medical history of patients by existed. Telephone visits:Fellowship of reconstructive urology was connected to patients during a phone call and filled the USS-PROM and COVID-19 questionnaires. Face to face visits: All patients were asked to answer the questionnaire about recent exposure and infection by corona virus, recent travel and other risk factors of COVID-19. Mean of USSPROM scale was calculated as 1.65 (+2.91) with a range of 0-15. Based on categorization for USSPROM scale, 74 patients (94.8%) had mild symptoms while 4 patients (5.1%) had moderate symptoms and needed further medical attention. Four patients with moderate USSPROM score were required to cystoscopic evaluation, which one patient with moderate USSPROM score had severe stricture and candidate for redo urethroplasty. Two other patients need for urethral stricture dilatation. Cost was calculated based on taxi-service fee. Accordingly, the average (+SD) cost for in-person visits to the physician was estimated as 4.80 + 4.32 million Rials. In terms of distance, the average distance for receiving medical services according to the patient`s residence area was 373.2 +348.79 kilometres.In terms of the patient`s opinion regarding virtual examination, inappropriateness of virtual visits for physical examination, and patient`s inability to explain the problem correctly, patient`s condition at the time of the virtual visit were the main challenges reported by the respondent. Considering that the present COVID-19 emergency will likely last for months, telehealth could be the safest way to deliver urological care for a large percentage of the patients, such as those who are more at risk of unfavorable outcomes of COVID-19.

Infectiousness model of expelled droplets exposed to ultraviolet germicidal irradiation coupled with evaporation

Respiratory diseases propagated by droplet-based transmission are a serious public health hazard, leading, in extreme cases, to pandemics such as influenza and the recent Coronavirus outbreak. Droplet infectiousness evolves in response to the environment in such a way that it decreases with time and distance from the source. Droplets can also be treated with ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) to accelerate the reduction in their survival rate. In addition, airflow management and furnishings in public spaces can be optimized to reduce exposure to expelled droplets. This introduces a role for engineered medical interventions based on precise modelling of the time evolution of droplet infectiousness. However, information is lacking on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of the time evolution of droplet infectiousness when exposed to both evaporation and UVGI at the same time. Therefore, in this study, we developed and presented algorithms for tracking droplet infectiousness in a CFD simulation. The variations of droplets’ infectiousness were investigated through the combination of parameters describing humidity and temperature, as well as the deployment of UVGI in confined public space environments. We have shown that, for airborne droplets, increased temperature leads to decreased infectiousness in propagation lengths and entrainment time, while increased humidity leads to increased infectiousness propagation lengths and entrainment times. Smaller droplets with diameters ≤ 110 μm remain entrained longer in the air, whereas droplets with a diameter ≥ 140 μm travel in the air stream for a relatively short time before falling to a surface due to gravity, depending on the specific relative humidity (RH) and temperature conditions. Thus, our data suggest that infectiousness of droplets is substantially reduced due to the influence of evaporation, and it is further decreased when exposed to UV irradiance. We also show that, due to the combined influence of UVGI and evaporation conditions, the infectiousness of droplets decreased faster. Our model can track droplet infectiousness, thus helping to understand how the spread of infectious droplets is reduced in a confined environment.

Comparative Immunogenicity and Neutralization Potency of Four Approved COVID-19 Vaccines in BALB/c Mice.

Since the outbreak of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), several vaccine candidates have been developed within a short period of time. Although the potency of these vaccines was evaluated individually, their comparative potency was not comprehensively evaluated. To compare the immunogenicity and neutralization efficacy of four approved COVID-19 vaccines in Iran, including: PastoCovac Plus, Sinopharm, SpikoGen, and Noora in BALB/c mice. Different groups of female BALB/c mice were vaccinated with three doses of each vaccine. The serum levels of antibodies against the viral receptor binding domain (anti-RBD) and spike (anti-spike) protein as well as the vaccine formulation (anti-vaccine) were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The neutralization efficacy of these four vaccines was assessed through four neutralization assays: conventional virus neutralization test (cVNT), pseudotype virus neutralization test (pVNT), surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT), and inhibition flow cytometry. All four vaccines induced seroconversion in vaccinated animals. All vaccines successfully induced high levels of anti-vaccine antibody; however, PastoCovac Plus and Sinopharm vaccines induced significantly higher levels of anti-RBD antibody titer compared to Noora and SpikoGen. Moreover, the results of the antibody response were corroborated by the virus neutralization tests, which revealed very weak neutralization potency by Noora and SpikoGen in all tests. Our results indicate significant immunogenicity and neutralization efficacy induced by PastoCovac Plus and Sinopharm, but not by Noora and SpikoGen. This suggests the need for additional comparative assessment of the potency and efficacy of these four vaccines in vaccinated subjects.

CT image classification of COVID-19 based on VGG16 image classification algorithm

This paper introduces the background of the novel coronavirus outbreak and the role of CT scanning in diagnosis, as well as the importance of automated CT image analysis system. COVID-19, a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has caused millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide since it broke out in Wuhan, China, in early 2020. CT scan is a commonly used diagnostic means to help doctors determine the extent and location of lung lesions, but due to the large number of COVID-19 patients, doctors have a large workload, so automated CT image analysis system is needed to assist doctors in rapid diagnosis. With the continuous training process, the accuracy of the training set of automated CT image analysis system is gradually stabilized at 90%. The accuracy of the test set exceeds 85%, and the prediction effect is good. The loss of training set and test set became smaller and the training accuracy gradually improved. According to the confusion matrix, 6 CT images that should have been COVID-19 were predicted to be non-COVID-19, 57 CT images that should have been non-COVID-19 were predicted to be COVID-19, and the remaining images were predicted correctly, and the prediction effect of the model was good, which could predict the COVID-19 images more accurately. The application of automated CT image analysis system can greatly reduce the work burden of doctors, improve the efficiency and accuracy of diagnosis, and provide strong technical support for the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19. At the same time, the continuous optimization and improvement of the system will also provide more effective technical means for future epidemic prevention and control and medical diagnosis. However, there are still some problems and challenges in the application of automated CT image analysis system. For example, there may be bias in the models training data, resulting in inaccurate model predictions. At the same time, the case data in different regions are quite different, so targeted training and optimization are needed. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously improve and optimize the system to improve its prediction effect and reliability. In conclusion, the application of automated CT image analysis system provides strong technical support for the prevention, control and treatment of the novel coronavirus pneumonia, which can quickly and accurately diagnose lung lesions and provide better treatment and care for patients. With the continuous development and improvement of the technology, the application prospect of the system will be broader and make greater contributions to the cause of human health.

Strengthening COVID-19 Surveillance Using the Existing National Respiratory Surveillance Framework.

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global outbreak of coronavirus and has significantly changed the dynamics and framework of healthcare delivery system. Acknowledging the fact that the clinical manifestations of both influenza and COVID-19 are quite similar and both are respiratory pathogens, it will be ideal to use the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) for monitoring the community-level transmission in any nation. During the initial stages of pandemic itself, with the intention to strengthen the surveillance activities, it was recommended that all the nations should use the existing surveillance networks in the nation and employ them for the surveillance of COVID-19 cases. In conclusion, the GISRS continues to play an important role in the COVID-19 pandemic response since its onset. As a matter of fact, this system is an efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable platform for nations to continue their battle against the pandemic.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus in middle ear effusions and its association with otitis media with effusion.

A large-scale outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in Shanghai, China, in early December 2022. To study the incidence and characteristics of otitis media with effusion (OME) complicating SARS-CoV-2, we collected 267 middle ear effusion (MEE) samples and 172 nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs from patients. The SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected by RT-PCR targeting. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) expression in human samples was examined via immunofluorescence. During the COVID-19 epidemic in 2022, the incidence of OME (3%) significantly increased compared to the same period from 2020 to 2022. Ear symptoms in patients with SARS-CoV-2 complicated by OME generally appeared late, even after a negative NP swab, an average of 9.33 ± 6.272 days after COVID-19 infection. The SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected in MEE, which had a higher viral load than NP swabs. The insertion rate of tympanostomy tubes was not significantly higher than in OME patients in 2019-2022. Virus migration led to high viral loads in MEE despite negative NP swabs, indicating that OME lagged behind respiratory infections but had a favorable prognosis. Furthermore, middle ear tissue from adult humans coexpressed the ACE2 receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the TMPRSS2 cofactors required for virus entry.