Resurgence Of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Research Articles

Environmental monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil

Since starts the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic identified the presence of genomic fragments of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in various environmental matrices: domestic sewage, surface waters, and contaminated freshwater. Environmental monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 is a tool for evaluating trend curves over the months, compared to several clinical cases of the disease. The objective of this study was to monitor the SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples collected in different sites in a metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil. During 10 months from 2020 to 2021, 300 samples were collected weekly and biweekly from nine points located in 3 cities: one point from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in São Leopoldo (fortnightly collection), two points in Dilúvio Stream in Porto Alegre (fortnightly collection), two points in Pampa and Luiz Rau Streams (weekly collection), and two points in public fountains (fortnightly collection) in Novo Hamburgo. After collection, samples were concentrated by ultracentrifugation, and viral nucleic acids were extracted using MagMax® Core Nucleic Acid Purifications kits and submitted to RT-qPCR, using E, N1, and N2 gene targets of SARS-CoV-2. Only 7% (3/41) samples from public fountains were positive, with a mean viral load (VL) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA of 5.02 × 101 gc/l (2.41~8.59 × 101 gc/l), while the streams had average VL of 7.43 × 105 gc/l (Pampa), 7.06 × 105 gc/l (Luiz Rau), 2.01 × 105 gc/l (Dilúvio), and 4.46 × 105 cg/l (WWTP). The results showed varying levels of viral presence in different sample types, with a demonstrated correlation between environmental viral load and clinical COVID-19 cases. These findings contribute to understanding virus persistence and transmission pathways in the environment. Continuous monitoring, especially in less developed regions, is crucial for early detection of vaccine resistance, new variants, and potential COVID-19 resurgence.

Unraveling complex relationships between COVID-19 risk factors using machine learning based models for predicting mortality of hospitalized patients and identification of high-risk group: a large retrospective study.

At the end of 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic increased the hospital burden of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-Cov-2 and became the most significant health challenge for nations worldwide. The severity and high mortality of COVID-19 have been correlated with various demographic characteristics and clinical manifestations. Prediction of mortality rate, identification of risk factors, and classification of patients played a crucial role in managing COVID-19 patients. Our purpose was to develop machine learning (ML)-based models for the prediction of mortality and severity among patients with COVID-19. Identifying the most important predictors and unraveling their relationships by classification of patients to the low-, moderate- and high-risk groups might guide prioritizing treatment decisions and a better understanding of interactions between factors. A detailed evaluation of patient data is believed to be important since COVID-19 resurgence is underway in many countries. The findings of this study revealed that the ML-based statistically inspired modification of the partial least square (SIMPLS) method could predict the in-hospital mortality among COVID-19 patients. The prediction model was developed using 19 predictors including clinical variables, comorbidities, and blood markers with moderate predictability (Q2 = 0.24) to separate survivors and non-survivors. Oxygen saturation level, loss of consciousness, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were the top mortality predictors. Correlation analysis showed different correlation patterns among predictors for each non-survivor and survivor cohort separately. The main prediction model was verified using other ML-based analyses with a high area under the curve (AUC) (0.81-0.93) and specificity (0.94-0.99). The obtained data revealed that the mortality prediction model can be different for males and females with diverse predictors. Patients were classified into four clusters of mortality risk and identified the patients at the highest risk of mortality, which accentuated the most significant predictors correlating with mortality. An ML model for predicting mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients was developed considering the interactions between factors that may reduce the complexity of clinical decision-making processes. The most predictive factors related to patient mortality were identified by assessing and classifying patients into different groups based on their sex and mortality risk (low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups).

Oral Manifestations among Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients: Evidence from the Thar Desert Region of India

Introduction: The global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been known to cause fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing. However, several case studies and case reports have also documented alteration of taste, dryness of mouth, and vesiculobullous lesion, but there is a scarcity of planned epidemiological studies to provide scientific evidence regarding such associations. Thus, this study was conducted to assess oral manifestations in symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a dedicated COVID facility of Jodhpur. Mild and moderate symptomatic laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were included in the study. Data collection was done using the WHO Oral Health Self-Assessment Questionnaire for adults. Compiled data were analyzed using Chi-square statistics and odds ratio considering P < 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: Out of 351 participants, 65.5% developed oral manifestations, with ageusia being the most common with 56.4% prevalence. Significant associations of the manifestations were observed with chronic systemic conditions and oral deleterious habits. Conclusion: The study provided epidemiological evidence regarding oral manifestations due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and their associations with chronic conditions and oral deleterious habits. Due to the continued resurgence of COVID-19, it is recommended that oral evaluation and management accompany the routine treatment in infected patients.

Point-of-care CRISPR/Cas biosensing technology: A promising tool for preventing the possible COVID-19 resurgence caused by contaminated cold-chain food and packaging.

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused great public health concern and has been a global threat due to its high transmissibility and morbidity. Although the SARS-CoV-2 transmission mainly relies on the person-to-person route through the respiratory droplets, the possible transmission through the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging to humans has raised widespread concerns. This review discussed the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission via the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging by tracing the occurrence, the survival of SARS-CoV-2 in the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging, as well as the transmission and outbreaks related to the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging. Rapid, accurate, and reliable diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 is of great importance for preventing and controlling the COVID-19 resurgence. Therefore, we summarized the recent advances on the emerging clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas system-based biosensing technology that is promising and powerful for preventing the possible COVID-19 resurgence caused by the contaminated cold-chain food and packaging during the COVID-19 pandemic, including CRISPR/Cas system-based biosensors and their integration with portable devices (e.g., smartphone, lateral flow assays, microfluidic chips, and nanopores). Impressively, this review not only provided an insight on the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through the food supply chain, but also proposed the future opportunities and challenges on the development of CRISPR/Cas system-based detection methods for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2.

The Incidence and Severity of COVID-19 in the Liverpool Severe Asthma Population Undergoing Biologic Therapy.

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection can have a variable impact on patients. Various host factors have been identified that play a significant role in the risk of COVID-19 infection and its severity. Patients with severe asthma have been clinically vulnerable since the first wave of the pandemic and the resurgence of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom in January 2020. In addition, those on treatment with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been identified as being vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and severity by the World Health Organization and the Department of Health. However, the evidence to support this notion is limited, and there has been contrary evidence to suggest severe asthma is protective against COVID-19. In this study, a retrospective review of severe asthma patients in the Liverpool population between 1st January 2020 and 31st January 2021 was conducted. This study aimed to determine the association between asthma severity and the risk of COVID-19 infection and/or its severity for patients on mAb treatment.MethodologyWe conducted a review of all patients from the Liverpool severe asthma database/spreadsheet who tested positive in the community and at the hospital. Admission records, primary records, emails, and microbiological data for Anglia ICE were reviewed at the Royal Liverpool and Aintree University Hospital. A COVID-19 diagnosis was predefined as a positive lateral flow test and a positive polymerase chain reaction test. The proportion of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and severe COVID-19 disease requiring hospital admission and escalation to intensive care (observation, intubation, continuous positive airway pressure) was noted. Other patient characteristics were recorded including age, weight, body mass index (BMI), gender, smoking status (never, former, current smoker), bronchiectasis, and the forced expiratory volume.ResultsIn total, 760 patients were identified to have severe asthma, of whom 59 (7.8%) tested positive for COVID-19 and 701 (92.2%) tested negative. A total of 244 (32%) patients were taking mAbs, and 516 (68%) were not on mAb treatment. Patients were more susceptible to COVID-19 on an mAb (13.5%) versus non-mAb (5%) (odds ratio (OR) = 2.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.72 to 5.05) . A larger proportion of severe asthma patients on mAb treatment testing positive for COVID-19 were current smokers and had a higher BMI. Furthermore, severe asthmatics taking mAbs did not have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease, hospitalisation, and intensive care admission.ConclusionsIn the Liverpool severe asthma population, patients undergoing mAb therapy had a higher incidence of COVID-19 compared to non-mAb groups; however, they were not at a higher risk of severe disease progression. These findings suggest that continuing biologic therapy in severe asthmatics with COVID-19 appears to be safe to prevent exacerbations.

Impact of low vaccine coverage on the resurgence of COVID-19 in Central and Eastern Europe

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a tremendous global impact both socially and economically. The mechanisms behind the disparity in the severity, vaccine coverage, and variant replacement patterns across European countries are unclear. In this work, we aim to reveal the possible reasons via data visualization and model fitting. We developed a model with a vaccination component to simulate the mortality waves in these countries. Deaths averted by the vaccination campaign were estimated. Finally, we discuss the potential reasons behind the differences in vaccine coverage across European countries. Contemporary transportation and global trade bring significant convenience to our daily life but also facilitate the spread of the novel virus COVID-19 to anywhere globally within a short time. The observations and results in this work highlight the importance of the global campaign to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics under the One Health approach.

Evaluation of the VOC pollution pattern and emission characteristics during the Beijing resurgence of COVID-19 in summer 2020 based on the measurement of PTR-ToF-MS

A second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections emerged in Beijing in summer 2020, which provided an opportunity to explore the response of air pollution to reduced human activity. Proton-transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) coupled with positive matrix factorization (PMF) source apportionment were applied to evaluate the pollution pattern and capture the detailed dynamic emission characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the representative period, with the occurrence of O3 pollution episodes and the Beijing resurgence of COVID-19. The level of anthropogenic VOC was lower than during the same period in previous years due to the pandemic and emission reduction measures. More than two thirds of the days during the observation period were identified as high-O3 days and VOCs exhibited higher mixing ratios and faster consumption rates in the daytime on high-O3 days. The identified VOC emission sources and the corresponding contributions during the whole observation period included: vehicle + fuel (12.41 ± 9.43%), industrial process (9.40 ± 8.65%), solvent usage (19.58 ± 13.46%), biogenic (6.03 ± 5.40%), background + long-lived (5.62 ± 11.37%), and two groups of oxygenated VOC (OVOC) factors (primary emission and secondary formation, 26.14 ± 15.20% and 20.84 ± 14.0%, respectively). Refined dynamic source apportionment results show that the ‘stay at home’ tendency led to decreased emission (−34.47 ± 1.90%) and a weakened morning peak of vehicle + fuel during the Beijing resurgence. However, a growing emission of primary OVOCs (+51.10 ± 8.28%) with similar diurnal variation was observed in the new outbreak and afterwards, which might be related to the enhanced usage of products intended to clean and disinfect. The present study illustrated that more stringent VOC reduction measures towards pandemic products should be carried out to achieve the balanced emission abatement of NO x and VOC when adhering to regular epidemic prevention and control measures.

Rebooting the ambulatory enterprise in a community medical group in Kentucky following the initial surge of COVID-19.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has intensified globally since its origin in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Many medical groups across the United States have experienced extraordinary clinical and financial pressures due to COVID-19 as a result of a decline in elective inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures and most nonurgent elective physician visits. The current study reports how our medical group in a metropolitan community in Kentucky rebooted our ambulatory and inpatient services following the guidance of our state's phased reopening. Particular attention focused on the transition between the initial COVID-19 surge and post-COVID-19 surge and how our medical group responded to meet community needs. Ten strategies were incorporated in our medical group, including heightened communication; ambulatory telehealth; safe and clean outpatient environment; marketing; physician, other medical provider, and staff compensation; high quality patient experience; schedule optimization; rescheduling tactics; data management; and primary care versus specialty approaches. These methods are applicable to both the current rebooting stage as well as to a potential resurgence of COVID-19 in the future.

Clinical characteristics of the first and second COVID-19 waves in the Bronx, New York: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundThere is limited clinical patient data comparing the first and second waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States and the effects of a COVID-19 resurgence on different age, racial and ethnic groups. We compared the first and second COVID-19 waves in the Bronx, New York, among a racially and ethnically diverse population. MethodsPatients in this retrospective cohort study were included if they had a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection by a real-time PCR test of a nasopharyngeal swab specimen detected between March 11, 2020, and January 21, 2021. Main outcome measures were critical care, in-hospital acquired disease and death. Patient demographics, comorbidities, vitals, and laboratory values were also collected. FindingsA total of 122,983 individuals were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection, of which 12,659 tested positive. The second wave was characterized by a younger demographic, fewer comorbidities, less extreme laboratory values at presentation, and lower risk of adverse outcomes, including in-hospital mortality (adj. OR = 0·23, 99·5% CI = 0·17 to 0·30), hospitalization (adj. OR = 0·65, 99·5% CI = 0·58 to 0·74), invasive mechanical ventilation (adj. OR = 0·70, 99·5% CI = 0·56 to 0·89), acute kidney injury (adj. OR = 0·62, 99·5% CI = 0·54 to 0·71), and length of stay (adj. OR = 0·71, 99·5% CI = 0·60 to 0·85), with Black and Hispanic patients demonstrating most improvement in clinical outcomes. InterpretationThe second COVID-19 wave in the Bronx exhibits improved clinical outcomes compared to the first wave across all age, racial, and ethnic groups, with minority groups showing more improvement, which is encouraging news in the battle against health disparities.

A data driven agent-based model that recommends non-pharmaceutical interventions to suppress Coronavirus disease 2019 resurgence in megacities.

Before herd immunity against Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is achieved by mass vaccination, science-based guidelines for non-pharmaceutical interventions are urgently needed to reopen megacities. This study integrated massive mobile phone tracking records, census data and building characteristics into a spatially explicit agent-based model to simulate COVID-19 spread among 11.2 million individuals living in Shenzhen City, China. After validation by local epidemiological observations, the model was used to assess the probability of COVID-19 resurgence if sporadic cases occurred in a fully reopened city. Combined scenarios of three critical non-pharmaceutical interventions (contact tracing, mask wearing and prompt testing) were assessed at various levels of public compliance. Our results show a greater than 50% chance of disease resurgence if the city reopened without contact tracing. However, tracing household contacts, in combination with mandatory mask use and prompt testing, could suppress the probability of resurgence under 5% within four weeks. If household contact tracing could be expanded to work/class group members, the COVID resurgence could be avoided if 80% of the population wear facemasks and 40% comply with prompt testing. Our assessment, including modelling for different scenarios, helps public health practitioners tailor interventions within Shenzhen City and other world megacities under a variety of suppression timelines, risk tolerance, healthcare capacity and public compliance.

Genomic Elucidation of a COVID-19 Resurgence and Local Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Guangzhou, China.

While China experienced a peak and decline in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases at the start of 2020, regional outbreaks continuously emerged in subsequent months. Resurgences of COVID-19 have also been observed in many other countries. In Guangzhou, China, a small outbreak, involving less than 100 residents, emerged in March and April 2020, and comprehensive and near-real-time genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 was conducted. When the numbers of confirmed cases among overseas travelers increased, public health measures were enhanced by shifting from self-quarantine to central quarantine and SARS-CoV-2 testing for all overseas travelers. In an analysis of 109 imported cases, we found diverse viral variants distributed in the global viral phylogeny, which were frequently shared within households but not among passengers on the same flight. In contrast to the viral diversity of imported cases, local transmission was predominately attributed to two specific variants imported from Africa, including local cases that reported no direct or indirect contact with imported cases. The introduction events of the virus were identified or deduced before the enhanced measures were taken. These results show the interventions were effective in containing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and they rule out the possibility of cryptic transmission of viral variants from the first wave in January and February 2020. Our study provides evidence and emphasizes the importance of controls for overseas travelers in the context of the pandemic and exemplifies how viral genomic data can facilitate COVID-19 surveillance and inform public health mitigation strategies.

COVID-19 and Heat Illness in Tokyo, Japan: Implications for the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.

The 2020 summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo were postponed to July–September 2021 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While COVID-19 has emerged as a monumental health threat for mass gathering events, heat illness must be acknowledged as a potentially large health threat for maintaining health services. We examined the number of COVID-19 admissions and the Tokyo rule for emergency medical care, in Tokyo, from March to September 2020, and investigated the weekly number of emergency transportations due to heat illness and weekly averages of the daily maximum Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) in Tokyo in the summer (2016–2020). The peak of emergency transportations due to heat illness overlapped the resurgence of COVID-19 in 2020, and an increase of heat illness patients and WBGT has been observed. Respect for robust science is critical for the decision-making process of mass gathering events during the pandemic, and science-based countermeasures and implementations for COVID-19 will be warranted. Without urgent reconsiderations and sufficient countermeasures, the double burden of COVID-19 and heat-related illnesses in Tokyo will overwhelm the healthcare provision system, and maintaining essential health services will be challenging during the 2021 summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Increased perioperative mortality for femoral neck fractures in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): experience from the United Kingdom during the first wave of the pandemic

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented modern healthcare with an unprecedented challenge. At the peak of the pandemic, trauma and orthopaedic services at our institutions undertook internal restructuring, diverting resources to frontline medical care. Consequently, we sought to assess the impact on the elderly and comorbid patients presenting with femoral neck fractures, with a particular focus on 30-day mortality, length of stay, multidisciplinary team involvement and departmental structuring.MethodA retrospective analysis of patients presenting with femoral neck fractures at three separate West London NHS Trusts was undertaken between March 11, 2020, to April 30, 2020. Length of stay, 30-day mortality and adherence to parameters constituting the best care evidence-based practice tariffs were compared between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive and negative patients. A similar comparison was also conducted between our cohort and the equivalent period in 2018 using data from the National Hip Fracture Database.ResultsA total of 68 patients presenting with femoral neck fractures were identified, mean age 81 (range 38–98), 73% female. There were 10 confirmed/suspected cases of COVID-19 on admission and a further seven confirmed as inpatients. The 30-day mortality within our cohort was 11.76% compared to 6% nationally in 2018 (p = 0.045). Orthogeriatric reviews occurred within 72 h in 71% of cases compared to 88% in the equivalent 2018 period. Within the cohort, mean length of stay was 17.13 days (SD 5.6, range 8-27 days) for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients compared to 10 days (SD 8.7, range 1–53 days) for negative patients (p < 0.05). Thirty-two patients (47%) required increased packages of care on discharge or rehabilitation.ConclusionsThe increase in 30-day mortality for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients presenting with femoral neck fractures is multifactorial, resulting from a combination of the direct effects of COVID-19 pneumonia as well as changes to the delivery of orthopaedic services. The provision of multidisciplinary care was directly affected by staff redeployment, particularly reorganisation of orthogeriatric services and lack of continuity of ward based clinical care. Our experiences have re-directed efforts towards the management of theatre teams, patient services and staffing, should we be faced with either a resurgence of COVID-19 or a future pandemic.

School and Community Reopening During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mathematical Modeling Study

Background: The closure of communities, including schools, has been adopted to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in most countries. Operating schools safely during the pandemic requires a balance between health risks and the need for in-person learning. We use compartmental models to explore school reopening scenarios.Methods: Using demographic and epidemiological data between July 31 and November 23, 2020 from the city of Toronto, we developed a Susceptible-Exposed-Asymptomatic-Infectious-Recovered-Hospitalized-Isolated model. Our model with age, household, and community transmission allow us to study the impact of schools open in September 2020. The model mimics the transmission in households, the community, and schools, accounting for differences in infectiousness between adults and children and youth and adults' working status. We assessed the extent to which school opening may have contributed to COVID-19 resurgence in the fall and simulated scenarios for the safe reopening of schools up to May 31, 2021. We further considered the impact of the introduction of the new variant of concern.Findings: Though a slight increase in infections among adults (2.8%) and children (5.4%) is anticipated by the end of the year, safe school opening is possible with stringent nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) decreasing the risk of transmission in the community and the household. We found that while school reopening was not the key driver in virus resurgence, but rather it was community spread that determined the outbreak trajectory, brief school closures did reduce infections when transmission risk within the home was low. When considered possible cross-infection amongst households, communities, and schools, we found that home transmission was crucial for mitigating the epidemic and safely operating schools. Simulating the introduction of a new strain with higher infectiousness, we observed substantial increases in infections, even when both schools and communities are closed.Interpretatio: nSchools can open safely under strict maintenance of strict public health measures in the community. The gradual opening of schools and communities can only be achieved by maintaining NPIs and mitigating household transmission risk to avoid the broader escape of infections acquired in schools into the community via households. If the new COVID-19 strain is more infectious for children, public spaces, including schools, should be closed, and additional NPIs, including the use of masks, should be extended to toddlers.Funding: This research was supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and York University Research Chair program.Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The Role of COVID-19 in Transitioning to a Better Pediatric Payment Model

* Abbreviations: COVID-19 — : coronavirus disease 2019 PMPM — : per member per month The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has quickly impacted health care systems and especially primary care pediatricians. Although fortunately cases of severe COVID-19 and the associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children have been rare, the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed the financial vulnerability of independent pediatric practices that rely primarily on fee-for-service revenue. Social distancing and stay-at-home advisories have led to the cancellation of routine well-child and follow-up visits for many children and young adults nationwide, as evidenced by the steep drop in childhood vaccines since March.1 Furthermore, social distancing has led to a significant reduction in the incidence of common infections and playground and sports injuries, further diminishing the need for office visits.2 And, even when children do become ill or injured, parents fear exposing their children to infection by bringing them for care during the pandemic. Yet although children have been relatively spared from the brunt of direct health effects of COVID-19, social isolation and lack of school attendance have placed them at increased risk for mental health disorders, missed screenings for lead poisoning, poor nutrition and/or exercise habits, and undetected child abuse, which are situations that call for a strengthening of the primary care infrastructure to assure children’s health needs are met. In our own affiliated primary care network, in-person visits initially fell by ∼75% after statewide … Address correspondence to Michael A. Lee, MD, MBA, Department of Accountable Care and Clinical Integration, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Mailstop 3196, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail: michael.lee2{at}childrens.harvard.edu

Using Innovation to Navigate Waves of COVID-19 Resurgence.

Using Innovation to Navigate Waves of COVID-19 Resurgence.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cardiac Electrophysiology Training: A Survey Study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a significant decrease in volume of electrophysiology (EP) procedures. There has been concern that trainees may not achieve the procedural numbers required to graduate as independent electrophysiologists within the usual timeline. We sought to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the percentage of clinical cardiac EP (CCEP) fellows in jeopardy of not meeting procedural volume requirements and overall sentiments regarding preparedness of fellows for independent practice. We surveyed CCEP fellows and program directors about baseline procedural volumes, curriculum changes due to the pandemic, and attitudes about preparedness for board examinations and independent practice. Ninety-nine fellows and 27 program directors responded to the survey. Ninety-eight percent of responding fellows reported a decrease in procedural volume as a result of the pandemic. Program directors reported an overall decrease in annual number of ablations and device procedures performed by each fellow during the 2019-2020 academic year compared to the preceding year. Despite this, a minority of fellows and program directors reported concerns about meeting Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education procedural requirements for devices (9% and 4%, respectively) and ablation (19% and 9%) or preparedness for independent practice after a 2-year fellowship. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a decrease in procedural volume for CCEP trainees, but the majority of fellows and program directors do not anticipate major barriers to timely graduation. This may change with COVID-19 resurgence and further interruptions in training.

Disease burden and clinical severity of the first pandemic wave of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in Wuhan, China, where the initial wave of intense community transmissions was cut short by interventions. Using multiple data sources, here we estimate the disease burden and clinical severity by age of COVID-19 in Wuhan from December 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020. Our estimates account for the sensitivity of the laboratory assays, prospective community screenings, and healthcare seeking behaviors. Rates of symptomatic cases, medical consultations, hospitalizations and deaths were estimated at 796 (95% CI: 703–977), 489 (472–509), 370 (358–384), and 36.2 (35.0–37.3) per 100,000 persons, respectively. The COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan had a higher burden than the 2009 influenza pandemic or seasonal influenza in terms of hospitalization and mortality rates, and clinical severity was similar to that of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Our comparison puts the COVID-19 pandemic into context and could be helpful to guide intervention strategies and preparedness for the potential resurgence of COVID-19.

Genomic Elucidation of a COVID-19 Resurgence and Local Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Guangzhou, China

The resurgence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been seen in many counties where outbreaks appear to be leveling off. While China experienced a dramatic decline of COVID-19 at the outset of 2020, regional outbreaks continuously emerged in recent months. In Guangzhou, a small outbreak emerged in March and April involving less than 100 residents, and a comprehensive and near-real-time genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 was conducted. When confirmed cases among overseas travelers increased, public health authorities enhanced measures as shifting self-quarantine to central quarantine and SARS-CoV-2 testing for all overseas travelers. From 109 imported cases we found diverse viral variants distributing in the global viral phylogeny, which were usually shared within households but not among passengers on the same flight. Nonetheless, local transmission was predominately attributed to two specific variants imported from Africa, including the local cases who reported no direct/indirect contact with imported cases. The introducing events of the virus were identified or deduced before enhanced measures were taken. These results show that the interventions are effective in containing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and also rule out the possibility of cryptic transmission of viral variants from the first wave in January and February. Moreover, we found that intra-host viral diversity was usually different between close contacts, implying a transmission bottleneck of SARS-CoV-2. Our study provides evidence and emphasizes the importance of controls for oversea travelers in the context of the pandemic, and exemplifies how viral genomic data facilitates COVID-19 surveillance and prevention.Funding: This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31870079, 91953122, 31871326), National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2017ZX10103011, 2018ZX10305410, 2018ZX10201001), Guangdong Provincial Novel Coronavirus Scientific and Technological Project (2020111107001), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2020A1515010776 and 2020B1515020057) and the Beijing Nova Program (Z181100006218114 and Z181100006218110) to M.N. and P.L..Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no competing interests.Ethical Approval: This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of Guangzhou (GZCDC-ECHR-2020P0002). Written informed consent was obtained from patients about the surveillance and data related to disease control and further analysis. All information regarding individual persons has been anonymized in this study.

COVID-19 deaths in people with intellectual disability in the UK and Ireland: descriptive study.

Rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected people with intellectual disability disproportionately. Existing data does not provide enough information to understand factors associated with increased deaths in those with intellectual disability. Establishing who is at high risk is important in developing prevention strategies, given risk factors or comorbidities in people with intellectual disability may be different to those in the general population. To identify comorbidities, demographic and clinical factors of those individuals with intellectual disability who have died from COVID-19. An observational descriptive case series looking at deaths because of COVID-19 in people with intellectual disability was conducted. Along with established risk factors observed in the general population, possible specific risk factors and comorbidities in people with intellectual disability for deaths related to COVID-19 were examined. Comparisons between mild and moderate-to-profound intellectual disability subcohorts were undertaken. Data on 66 deaths in individuals with intellectual disability were analysed. This group was younger (mean age 64 years) compared with the age of death in the general population because of COVID-19. High rates of moderate-to-profound intellectual disability (n = 43), epilepsy (n = 29), mental illness (n = 29), dysphagia (n = 23), Down syndrome (n = 20) and dementia (n = 15) were observed. This is the first study exploring associations between possible risk factors and comorbidities found in COVID-19 deaths in people with intellectual disability. Our data provides insight into possible factors for deaths in people with intellectual disability. Some of the factors varied between the mild and moderate-to-profound intellectual disability groups. This highlights an urgent need for further systemic inquiry and study of the possible cumulative impact of these factors and comorbidities given the possibility of COVID-19 resurgence.