Coronavirus

Fauci warns of 300,000 to 400,000 coronavirus deaths

By Shelton Muro 2 weeks ago

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned this week that the nation could see a surge of coronavirus cases and deaths in the coming months.

“The models tell us if we don’t do what we need to in the fall and winter, we could have 300,000-400,000 COVID-19 deaths,” Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a virtual event Tuesday, according to a tweet by The American University in Washington.

“We’re facing a resurgence of the wave we began with,” he said.

Fauci made the remarks during a wide-ranging conversation with Sylvia Burwell, president of the university, during a Zoom livestream event for students and their families during virtual Family Week, the university said in a statement.

“The big topic that we’re all discussing right now is that we’re now at the point where we’re going to be entering into the fall

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Rise of coronavirus in nursing homes has Muskegon County probing possible reinfections

By Shelton Muro 2 weeks ago

MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI – A concerning uptick in coronavirus cases among nursing homes is under investigation by Muskegon County health officials, who are exploring whether there may be some reinfections.

That’s according to Kathy Moore, director of Public Health-Muskegon County, who said she’s concerned about the continuing growth in new COVID-19 cases.

There is one known case of COVID-19 reinfection in the county, in which the two episodes of illness were about four months apart, Moore said.

Muskegon County statistics show a surge of 14 cases among individuals age 80 and older in the past week. There are another six new cases among people in their 70s.

Overall, the county recorded 74 additional cases since Sept. 30, bringing the cumulative total to 1,566. Deaths increased by two in the last eight days – both of whom were elderly patients from congregate living facilities, Moore said.

Muskegon County public health employees

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Most People Infected With Coronavirus During U.K. Lockdown Had No Symptoms When Tested

By Shelton Muro 2 weeks ago

Topline

A team of researchers in the U.K. are calling for more widespread coronavirus testing after finding that more than four in five Britons who tested positive during the country’s lockdown did not exhibit the symptoms most commonly associated with a Covid-19 infection, like a fever, lasting cough or a loss of taste or smell.

Key Facts

According to a study by researchers from University College London that was published Thursday in the Clinical Epidemiology journal, coronavirus symptoms appear to be “a poor marker of infection,” at least on the days the subjects of the study were tested.

The study used a representative sample collected by the U.K.’s Office for National Statistics of 36,061 people across the England, Wales and Northern Ireland who were tested between April 26 and June 27—during the U.K.’s

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The 2 Coronavirus Vaccine Stocks I’d Buy Right Now

By Shelton Muro 3 weeks ago

It’s too early to say which company — or companies — will win the coronavirus vaccine race. But we do have tools to identify the most promising players. It’s important to look at timelines, clinical trial data, and a company’s ability to fund and manufacture billions of doses of a safe and effective vaccine. More of this information is available now than was the case a few months ago.

Considering these elements, Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) would be on my buy list. The clinical-stage biotech and big pharma player are among the 11 programs currently in phase 3 trials. Both are working on messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. Unlike traditional vaccines, they don’t introduce weakened virus into the body. Instead, they instruct the body to make specific disease antigens to fight future infection. Let’s take a closer look at both companies to see exactly what makes them the best coronavirus

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Skipping the dentist might make it tougher to fight COVID-19 | Coronavirus in Arizona

By Shelton Muro 1 month ago

QUEEN CREEK, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) – Like a lot of other preventative appointments, the dentist is getting skipped because of COVID-19.

Dentist Alex Matheson at Matheson Dentistry and Implant Center estimates about 20% of patients are canceling or rescheduling their appointments. He said that could hurt you in the long run if you get COVID-19.
dentist

Dentist Alex Matheson at Matheson Dentistry and Implant Center estimates about 20% of patients are canceling or rescheduling their appointments.




“I want to maintain my appointments because I want to keep my health,” said patient, Tom Cassutt. “I’m a big believer in if you got good health, it will help you fight any disease including COVID.”

Matheson said he has the right idea. Cleanings get rid of bacteria in your mouth.
dentist

Cleanings get rid of bacteria in your mouth.




“One of the things research has shown is when we

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Opko Shares Climb on Phase 2 Trial of Coronavirus Treatment

By Shelton Muro 1 month ago

Shares of Opko Health  (OPK) – Get Report jumped on Tuesday after the drugmaker said it would start a Phase 2 clinical trial of rayaldee, a potential treatment for mild-to-moderate coronavirus. 

The trial will be a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study that is expected to enroll about 160 subjects. Many of the participants will have stage 3 or 4 kidney disease and are at higher risk for developing more serious illness. 

The trial will randomize outpatients in a 1:1 ratio for four weeks of treatment with rayaldee or placebo, with another two weeks of follow-up. 

One primary endpoint of the trial is the time to resolution of a patient’s coronavirus symptoms. 

Secondary endpoints for the trial include incidence of emergency-room or urgent-care visits, oxygen saturation below 94%, need for and duration of hospitalizations, requirement for ventilators, mortality rate, and severity and duration of illness evidenced by quality-of-life measures. 

Over

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Westbrook HS switches to distance learning through Wednesday after coronavirus case

By Shelton Muro 1 month ago


  • Westbrook High School Photo: Contributed Photo


WESTBROOK — Westbrook High School will be closed through Wednesday after a member of the school community tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a letter from the district.

In the letter, Zachary Faiella, director of health in Westbrook, and Interim Superintendent Patricia Charles said they became aware of the positive test on Sunday afternoon.

“The Westbrook Health Director, Zachary Faiella, has determined that the Westbrook High School facility needs to be closed for three days, September 14, 15, and 16,.” the officials said in the release. “These three days will enable the school to be thoroughly cleaned and to conduct the necessary contact tracing. The students will participate in distance learning during this period.”




“Pending further information on this investigation, students and staff who have not been identified as either being close contacts or in the same class

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Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day on ways to use remdesivir to treat coronavirus

By Shelton Muro 1 month ago

Gilead Sciences CEO Daniel O’Day told CNBC on Monday that the company is continuing to study new ways to use its coronavirus treatment remdesivir on patients, including potentially outside of the hospital all together. 

“We’re not finished with remdesivir,” O’Day said on “Squawk Box,” one day after the biopharmaceutical company announced a $21 billion acquisition of Immunomedics that will enhance Gilead’s availability of cancer treatments. 

Gilead in May received emergency approval for remdesivir from the Food and Drug Administration, allowing it to be used on people who were severely ill with Covid-19 in the hospital. The antiviral drug, which is administered through an intravenous infusion has been shown to help shorten the recovery time of some hospitalized patients.

Reuters reported last week that some large hospital systems in the U.S. are limiting their use of remdesivir to severely ill people. In late August, the FDA expanded its emergency authorization to

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Italy’s Berlusconi taken to hospital after positive coronavirus test

By Shelton Muro 1 month ago

ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has been admitted to hospital in Milan for further checks after testing positive for the new coronavirus, his Forza Italia party said on Friday.

The party said his medical condition was not a cause for concern.

The 83-year-old-media tycoon had been in isolation in his house in the town of Arcore, north of Milan.

Forza Italia said he was now at the San Raffaele Hospital “as a precaution”.

Berlusconi had spoken via video link to a meeting of Forza Italia supporters on Thursday and said his fever had passed.

“I no longer have fever, nor pain, I want to reassure everyone that I am quite well,” he said.

Berlusconi decided to test for COVID-19 after having a holiday in Sardinia, his personal physician said.

The Mediterranean island suffered a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in August as tourists descended on its

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Israeli hospital enlists recovered coronavirus patients as volunteers for COVID-19 ward

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

Hadassah University hospital in Jerusalem is running a pilot program in which recovered coronavirus patients volunteer to help those currently hospitalized with COVID-19, BBC reports.

The hospital’s 30 or so recovered volunteers — who have all been tested to confirm they have antibodies for the virus and wear full protective gear (since it’s still unclear how long immunity lasts) — aren’t performing any medical tasks. Rather, they’re there to lend an ear or sit and talk with patients who would otherwise be in isolation. Dr. Rely Alon, the director of nursing at Hadassah, told BBC that the volunteers are a “great help” for both patients and staff, even if their tasks sound simple.

That’s because, while first and foremost COVID-19 is a deadly disease that may have lasting, harmful affects on the human body, scientists are also concerned about the potential long-term mental health issues that could arise for hospitalized

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