COVID-19 Cases Worldwide Research Articles

Measures to Mitigate Covid-19 in the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) of Malaysia: Implications to Parliamentary Privileges

The surge of Covid-19 cases worldwide has had its impact on how every institution discharges its functions, including the legislature. Governments, under the pretext of containing the spread of the virus, have paralysed parliament and incapacitated it from performing its duties, particularly its oversight function. This article explores the extent to which the standard operating procedures (SOP) for Covid-19 in the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) of Malaysia should be permitted under the Federal Constitution of Malaysia on parliamentary procedure. Despite attempts to restrict parliament in many countries, legislatures such as in Canada, Australia and Brazil have demonstrated their ability to adapt and move progressively to minimise disruptions that the pandemic might cause toparliament. Taken together, legislatures’ responses in times of Covid-19 offer an interesting impression of parliamentary privileges while also raise an important question of the role of parliament in representing people and checking the government actions.

Pelatihan Tableau Untuk Visualisasi Data Secara Cepat dan Mudah

Human consumption of data and information has become very large due to the enormous growth of data. On the other hand, the increasing need for data visualization in various information media (online or offline) has also become very interesting. Data visualization is not only about beautifying the appearance of data but also about making data more quickly understood and engaging. Tableau specializes in data visualization, data storytelling and dashboards. Training to operate Tableau can answer the needs of pupils, students, the general public, teachers and lecturers as participants. This training aims for participants to apply interactive data visualization quickly and easily using Tableau in dashboard creation activities to explain data in visual form. The methods used in implementing this training are preparation methods and implementation methods as well as training. As a result of this training, 34 participants learned about the importance of data visualization. They learned Tableau as a data visualization tool and visualization training using Tableau to create self-ordered dashboards for examples of COVID-19 cases worldwide.

An Investigation of Subsequent Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Patients With a History of Infection of COVID-19 at Tadbir Clinic in Urmia City During the Period From December 2020 to July 2021

Introduction More associated symptoms have been reported with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases worldwide. However, the precise impact of the disease on the urinary system and related urinary symptoms has yet to be adequately evaluated. The present study aims to investigate the subsequent lower urinary tract symptoms in patients attending Tadbir Clinic in Urmia City who have a history of infection due to COVID-19 within less than two months. Methods This study evaluated patients referred to the Urology Department of Tadbir Clinic in Urmia City between December 2020 and July 2021 who had tested positive for COVID-19 by RT-PCR within the past two months. The patient’s hospitalization history and the occurrence or exacerbation of urinary symptoms were recorded, and they completed the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire. Results This study included 150 patients with a mean age of 44.12 years, including 80 males and 70 females. None of the patients had severe urinary symptoms. 92.7% of the patients had mild urinary symptoms, and 7.3% had moderate urinary symptoms. The prevalence of moderate urinary symptoms was significantly higher in females than in males (P-value = 0.04). Individuals with moderate urinary symptoms had a higher mean age than those with mild urinary symptoms (P-value = 0.03). Among patients with or without a history of hospitalization, including those with a history of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, there was no significant difference in the severity of urinary symptoms (P-value = 0.5). Nocturia was the most common symptom reported by patients after the COVID-19 infection. Conclusion The severity of urinary symptoms was higher in females than males, and individuals with more severe urinary symptoms were generally older. There was no significant difference in terms of hospitalization history or the occurrence of severe urinary symptoms. Nocturia and frequency were the most prevalent symptoms among the patients.

SARS-CoV CH.1.1 Variant: Genomic and Structural Insight

In early February 2023, the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, also known as “Kraken”, accounted for more than 44% of new COVID-19 cases worldwide, whereas a relatively new Omicron subvariant named CH.1.1, deemed “Orthrus”, accounted for less than 6% of new COVID-19 cases during the subsequent weeks. This emerging variant carries a mutation, L452R, previously observed in the highly pathogenic Delta and the highly transmissible BA.4 and BA.5 variants, necessitating a shift to active surveillance to assure adequate preparedness for likely future epidemic peaks. We provide a preliminary understanding of the global distribution of this emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant by combining genomic data with structural molecular modeling. In addition, we shield light on the number of specific point mutations in this lineage that may have functional significance, thereby increasing the risk of disease severity, vaccine resistance, and increased transmission. This variant shared about 73% of the mutations with Omicron-like strains. Our homology modeling analysis revealed that CH.1.1 may have a weakened interaction with ACE2 and that its electrostatic potential surface appears to be more positive than that of the reference ancestral virus. Finally, our phylogenetic analysis revealed that this likely-emerging variant was already cryptically circulating in European countries prior to its first detection, highlighting the importance of having access to whole genome sequences for detecting and controlling emerging viral strains.

Tourism Demand Prediction after COVID-19 with Deep Learning Hybrid CNN–LSTM—Case Study of Vietnam and Provinces

The tourism industry experienced a positive increase after COVID-19 and is the largest segment in the foreign exchange contribution in developing countries, especially in Vietnam, where China has begun reopening its borders and lifted the pandemic limitation on foreign travel. This research proposes a hybrid algorithm, combined convolution neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM), to accurately predict the tourism demand in Vietnam and some provinces. The number of new COVID-19 cases worldwide and in Vietnam is considered a promising feature in predicting algorithms, which is novel in this research. The Pearson matrix, which evaluates the correlation between selected features and target variables, is computed to select the most appropriate input parameters. The architecture of the hybrid CNN–LSTM is optimized by utilizing hyperparameter fine-tuning, which improves the prediction accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. Moreover, the proposed CNN–LSTM outperformed other traditional approaches, including the backpropagation neural network (BPNN), CNN, recurrent neural network (RNN), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and LSTM algorithms, by deploying the K-fold cross-validation methodology. The developed algorithm could be utilized as the baseline strategy for resource planning, which could efficiently maximize and deeply utilize the available resource in Vietnam.

Deficient Radiation Transcription Response in COVID-19 Patients

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in over 6.3 million deaths and 560 million COVID-19 cases worldwide. Clinical management of hospitalized patients is complex due to the heterogeneous course of COVID-19. Low-dose radiation therapy is known to dampen localized chronic inflammation and has been suggested to be used to reduce lung inflammation in patients with COVID-19. However, it is unknown whether SARS-CoV-2 alters the radiation response and associated radiation exposure related risk. We generated gene expression profiles from circulating leukocytes of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and healthy donors. The p53 signaling pathway was found to be dysregulated, with mRNA levels of p53, ATM, and CHK2 being lower in patients with COVID-19. Several key p53 target genes involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and p53 feedback inhibition were upregulated in patients with COVID-19 while other p53 target genes were downregulated. This dysregulation has functional consequences as the transcription of p53-dependant genes (CCNG1, GADD45A, DDB2, SESN1, FDXR, APOBEC) was reduced 24 hours after x-ray exposure ex vivo to both low (100 mGy) or high (2 Gy) doses. SARS-CoV-2 infection affects a DNA damage response that may modify radiation-induced health risks in exposed patients with COVID-19.

Post-COVID Syndrome in Adults-An Overview.

This article provides an overview of various aspects related to post-COVID syndrome. Apart from its prevalence, symptoms and sequelae, risk determinants, and psychosocial implications, the pathogenesis of post-COVID condition is discussed in more detail. A focus on thrombo-inflammation in SARS-CoV-2 infection, the role of neutrophil extracellular traps, and the prevalence of venous thromboembolism is made. Moreover, COVID-19 and post-COVID syndrome in immunocompromising conditions, and the impact of vaccination on the prevention and treatment of post-COVID symptoms are reviewed. Autoimmunity is a hallmark of post-COVID syndrome, and, therefore, is another focus of this article. Thus, misdirected cellular and humoral immune responses can enhance the risk of latent autoimmunity in post-COVID syndrome. Facing the high prevalence of COVID-19 cases worldwide, it can be assumed that autoimmune disorders will increase globally over the next few years. Recent advances in identifying genetically determined variants may open the avenue for a better understanding of the susceptibility to and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection and post-COVID syndrome.

Factors associated with resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection discovered using large-scale medical record data and machine learning.

There have been over 621 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide with over 6.5 million deaths. Despite the high secondary attack rate of COVID-19 in shared households, some exposed individuals do not contract the virus. In addition, little is known about whether the occurrence of COVID-19 resistance differs among people by health characteristics as stored in the electronic health records (EHR). In this retrospective analysis, we develop a statistical model to predict COVID-19 resistance in 8,536 individuals with prior COVID-19 exposure using demographics, diagnostic codes, outpatient medication orders, and count of Elixhauser comorbidities in EHR data from the COVID-19 Precision Medicine Platform Registry. Cluster analyses identified 5 patterns of diagnostic codes that distinguished resistant from non-resistant patients in our study population. In addition, our models showed modest performance in predicting COVID-19 resistance (best performing model AUROC = 0.61). Monte Carlo simulations conducted indicated that the AUROC results are statistically significant (p < 0.001) for the testing set. We hope to validate the features found to be associated with resistance/non-resistance through more advanced association studies.

Organizational Impact of an ID NOW™ COVID-19 Point-Of-Care Testing for SARS-Cov2 Detection in A Maternity Ward

Background: SARS-CoV-2 has been responsible for more than 676 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide. RT-PCR is considered the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of patients suspected of having COVID-19. During the heightened waves of the pandemic, more rapid tests have been required. Point-of-care tests (POCT) for COVID-19 include antigen tests, serological tests, and other molecular-based platforms. The ID NOW™ COVID-19 assay (Abbott) performs an isothermal gene amplification of a target encoding the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARSCoV-2. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the organizational impact following the implementation of a POC testing platform ID NOW™ in a maternity ward.

Evaluation of the anti-diabetic drug sitagliptin as a novel attenuate to SARS-CoV-2 evidence-based in silico: molecular docking and molecular dynamics.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03406-w.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Solid Organ Transplantation: More Doses, More Protection.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Solid Organ Transplantation: More Doses, More Protection.

DAMPAK COVID-19 TERHADAP PEREKONOMIAN INDONESIA DARI SISI PENDAPATAN NASIONAL PENDEKATAN PRODUKSI

The number of Covid-19 cases worldwide continues to show a rapid increase. As of October 31, 2020, the number of cases has reached 45,866,380 and 1,192,684 deaths worldwide, 410,088 people exposed and 13,869 people died in Indonesia. The study aims to determine the extent of the impact of Covid-19 on the Indonesian economy in terms of national income, which is calculated based on the mode of production (business field) Y =  (Pi.Qi)), and predictions in the future, if possible. The Covid-19 pandemic is still going on for a long time. Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) which were implemented in various regions in Indonesia in April and May, suppressed economic activity in all sectors. Some business sectors have been forced to lay off their employees. Meanwhile, people hold their consumption until conditions are more stable. As a result, Indonesia's economic growth in the second quarter of 2020 contracted by 5.3 percent (YoY). &#x0D; Contribution of corrections came from mining and quarrying (-2.72%), processing industry (6.19%), electricity and gas procurement (-5.46), construction (-5.39%), Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Cars and Motorcycles (-7.57%), Transportation and Warehousing (-30.84%), Provision of Accommodation and Food and Drink (-22.02), company services (-12.09%), and other services ( -12.60%). Then other sectors grew positively in the range of 1.03% -10.88%, with the largest positive growth contribution in the information and communication sector by 10.88%. &#x0D;

COVID-19-INDUCED PULMONARY SARCOIDOSIS: A CASE REPORT

COVID-19-INDUCED PULMONARY SARCOIDOSIS: A CASE REPORT

The Omicron variant of concern: The genomics, diagnostics, and clinical characteristics in children.

Since WHO announced the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, SARS-CoV-2 has undergone several mutations, with the most recent variant first identified in South Africa in November 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC B.1.1.529) named by WHO as Omicron. To date, it has undergone more mutations compared to previous SARS-CoV-2 variants, particularly, in the S gene that encodes the spike protein, which can cause S gene target failure in some PCR kits. Since its discovery, the Omicron variant has caused a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases worldwide and was responsible for a record of 15 million new COVID-19 cases reported globally in a single week, although this may be an underestimate. Since January 2022, Omicron subvariants with variable genetic characteristics, BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5, and BA.2.12.2 have been identified, with several countries reporting BA.1.1 was the major subvariant (27.42%), followed by BA.2 (25.19%). At the begining of May 2022, BA.2.12.1 mostly (42%) was detected in the United States. Like adults, the clinical manifestations of the Omicron variant in children are similar to the previous variants consisting of fever, cough, vomiting, breathing difficulties, and diarrhea, with some reports on croup-like symptoms and seizures. Though it presents apparently milder disease than the Delta variant, it is significantly more contagious and has caused more hospitalizations, especially in unvaccinated children younger than 5 years and unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated adults. However, there is insufficient evidence yet to distinguish the Omicron variant from the other variants based solely on the clinical manifestations, therefore, this review presents a brief literature review of the most current evidence and data related to Omicron.

Factors influencing the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination: A cross-sectional study from Malaysia

BackgroundWith the surge of COVID-19 cases worldwide, vaccines against COVID-19 are also developing across the countries. However, the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination among general people is questionable. The availability of several vaccines’ options against COVID-19 has perplexed people regarding individual vaccines’ efficacy and safety. Therefore, we aim to determine the acceptance, preferences, impact factors of future COVID-19 vaccines in Malaysia and the factors influencing the COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among vaccine demand and vaccine delay groups. Material and methodsAn online-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among Malaysian residents 18 years and above of either gender using the snowball sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was made available to participants through various social media networks, email, and telegram. The data obtained from the survey were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Association between background characteristics and respondents were analyzed using the Chi-square test in the vaccine delay group and vaccine acceptance group. ResultsTotal of 1282 responses were considered for the study, mainly from male respondents (71%). Among the respondents, 95.9% thought that vaccination would be an effective way to prevent and control COVID-19, and 96% would accept vaccination if the COVID-19 vaccine were successfully developed and approved for listing in the future. Essential factors influencing vaccination decisions were vaccine convenience (95.7%) and doctor's recommendation (97.3%). Bivariate analysis revealed that age less than 24 years, Malay race, living in urban areas, tertiary education, students, single marital status, family income (Malaysian ringgits) RM 4,850 to RM 10,959 and >RM 10,960 were significantly associated with vaccine acceptance of COVID19 vaccination. ConclusionAll the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates throughout the country should be studied on a larger scale, and appropriate steps to ensure vaccine acceptance among the public should be meticulously devised by the government and related authorities.

Allosteric Binding Sites of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease: Potential Targets for Broad-Spectrum Anti-Coronavirus Agents.

The current pandemic caused by the COVID-19 disease has reached everywhere in the world and has affected every aspect of our lives. As of the current data, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported more than 300 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide and more than 5 million deaths. Mpro is an enzyme that plays a key role in the life cycle of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and it is vital for the disease progression. The Mpro enzyme seems to have several allosteric sites that can hinder the enzyme catalytic activity. Furthermore, some of these allosteric sites are located at or nearby the dimerization interface which is essential for the overall Mpro activity. In this review paper, we investigate the potential of the Mpro allosteric site to act as a drug target, especially since they interestingly appear to be resistant to mutation. The work is illustrated through three subsequent sections: First, the two main categories of Mpro allosteric sites have been explained and discussed. Second, a total of six pockets have been studied and evaluated for their druggability and cavity characteristics. Third, the experimental and computational attempts for the discovery of new allosteric inhibitors have been illustrated and discussed. To sum up, this review paper gives a detailed insight into the feasibility of developing new Mpro inhibitors to act as a potential treatment for the COVID-19 disease.

Landscape Design Toward Covid-19 in the Old Town Semarang, Indonesia

A significant increase in Covid-19 cases worldwide disrupted many sectors. The virus transmission through the air requires that people limit outdoor activities and apply social distancing. However, outdoor activities cannot be avoided because it is how people meet their daily needs. The urban landscape design arrangement is crucial, especially in public spaces. Old Town Semarang is a location with the potential for high outdoor activities, especially tourism. CCTV data shows that tourists could reach up to 500 people per day, and the average visitor does a comply with health protocols. This is worsened by the unadopted landscape conditions in this area to the current pandemic conditions. Therefore, a landscape design approach is needed to adapt to visitors' needs and minimize virus transmission. This research examined the effect of landscape design on Covid-19 in the Old Town area. Data were collected on the existing landscape conditions, cultural heritage, and the distribution of positive Covid-19 cases and analyzed using spatial analysis, design simulation, and quantitative descriptive. The results were presented as simulation or landscape design recommendations according to cultural heritage elements and health protocols. The recommendations are a division of activity zones with a visitor quota system, and optimization of health facilities, signage for physical distance, as well as a clean and healthy lifestyle for visitors.

Infection prevention and control risk factors in health workers infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Jordan: A case control study.

Despite under-reporting, health workers (HWs) accounted for 2 to 30% of the reported COVID-19 cases worldwide. In line with data from other countries, Jordan recorded multiple case surges among HWs. Based on the standardized WHO UNITY case-control study protocol on assessing risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in HWs, HWs with confirmed COVID-19 were recruited as cases from eight hospitals in Jordan. HWs exposed to COVID-19 patients in the same setting but without infection were recruited as controls. The study lasted approximately two months (from early January to early March 2021). Regression models were used to analyse exposure risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in HWs; conditional logistic regressions were utilized to estimate odds ratios (ORs) adjusted for the confounding variables. A total of 358 (102 cases and 256 controls) participants were included in the analysis. The multivariate analysis showed that being exposed to COVID-19 patients within 1 metre for more than 15 minutes increased three-fold the odds of infection (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.25-6.86). Following IPC standard precautions when in contact with patients was a significant protective factor. The multivariate analysis showed that suboptimal adherence to hand hygiene increased the odds of infection by three times (OR 3.18; 95% CI 1.25-8.08). Study findings confirmed the role of hand hygiene as one of the most cost-effective measures to combat the spreading of viral infections. Future studies based on the same protocol will enable additional interpretations and confirmation of the Jordan experience.

Is post-COVID syndrome an autoimmune disease?

Introduction : Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes a long-term and persistent condition with clinical features similar to previous virulent outbreaks and other epidemics. Currently, post-COVID syndrome (PCS) is recognized as a new entity in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Though its pathogenesis is not completely understood, persistent inflammation from acute illness and the development of autoimmunity play a critical role in its development. As the pandemic develops, the increasing latent and overt autoimmunity cases indicate that PCS is at the intersection of autoimmunity. Areas covered The mechanisms involved in the emergence of PCS, their similarities with post-viral and post-care syndromes, its inclusion in the spectrum of autoimmunity and possible targets for its treatment. Expert opinion An autoimmune phenomenon plays a major role in most causative theories explaining PCS. Due to the wide scope of symptoms and pathophysiology associated with PCS, there is a need for both PCS definition and classification criteria (including severity scores). Longitudinal and controlled studies are necessary to better understand this new entity, and to confirm that PCS is the chronic phase of COVID-19 as well as to find what additional factors participate into its development. With the high prevalence of COVID-19 cases worldwide, together with the current evidence on latent autoimmunity in PCS, we may observe an increase of autoimmune diseases (ADs) in the coming years. Vaccination’s effect on the development of PCS and ADs will also receive attention in the future. Health and social care services need to develop a new framework to deal with PCS.

The COVID-19 and Dynamics in Cryptocurrencies: An empirical evidence

The coronavirus pandemic occurred in 2019 and caused an impact on cryptocurrencies. This paper focuses on the relation between the return of cryptocurrencies and the new daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, taking Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether as three examples. It is shown that the new daily cases have a significant influence on Bitcoin and Ethereum. And the short-term impact of new global confirmed cases on Bitcoin is positive, then remains volatile and eventually disappears. The different phenomena show that different cryptocurrencies have reacted differently to the pandemic impact.