- The recent coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
- Known as SARS-CoV-2, the virus has resulted in more than 920,000 infections and 46,000 deaths.
- SARS-CoV-2 infection causes a respiratory illness called COVID-19.
- COVID-19 has now been reported on every continent except Antarctica.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) publish their latest confirmed numbers on this situation dashboard every day.
- Keep up to date with the latest research and information about COVID-19 here.
04/01/2020 11:59 GMT — UK scientists suggest that loss of smell and taste are symptoms of COVID-19
A team of scientists from King’s College London, in the United Kingdom, have developed an app that allows individuals to self-report COVID-19 symptoms, or lack of symptoms, on a daily basis.
After analyzing data from 1.5 million users between March 24 and 29, the team found that 59% of people who had received a COVID-19 diagnosis experienced a loss of smell and taste.
Among those who had tested negative for COVID-19, only 18% reported a loss of smell and taste.
“When combined with other symptoms, people with loss of smell and taste appear to be 3 times more likely to have contracted COVID-19, according to our data, and should therefore self-isolate for 7 days to reduce the spread of the disease,” says Prof. Tim Spector, the senior author of the research.
Commenting on the findings, Prof. Trish Greenhalgh, from the University of Oxford, in the U.K., notes:
“This is an important study because it is the first to demonstrate scientifically and in a large population sample that loss of smell is a characteristic feature of COVID. The researchers also showed that loss of smell occasionally occurs in people who do not have COVID, and that not everyone with COVID loses their sense of smell.”
The findings echo calls by UK ENT, the professional body representing ear, nose, and throat surgery in the U.K., which issued a notice on March 23 suggesting that anosmia, or a loss of smell, could be a sign of COVID-19 in people who may otherwise have no symptoms.
Read more about the research here.
04/01/2020 10:54 GMT — White House predicts 100,000 to 240,000 COVID-19 deaths in the coming months
At a press briefing yesterday, White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx presented modeling data for the next few months. She warned that the number of deaths would likely lie in the range of 100,000 to 240,000, with a peak in cases forecast to occur around the middle of April.
This figure is based on the general population sticking to the containment measures, which are to stay in place until April 30.
Brix also explained that without these measures, as many as 2.2 million people in the U.S. could die from COVID-19.
“There’s no magic bullet,” Birx said. “There’s no magic vaccine or therapy. It’s just behaviors: each of our behaviors translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic over the next 30 days.”
Read more here.
04/01/2020 08:50 GMT — China begins reporting asymptomatic cases
As of today, China will include asymptomatic cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in their official reports.
As China returns to comparative normality, concerns of a second wave are ever present. Officials hope that this change in reporting will help minimize public fears.
Although China is still restricting travel to reduce the threat of imported cases, some officials are worried that asymptomatic individuals might spark a second wave. Currently, it is unclear how many people become infected with SARS-CoV-2 but display no symptoms.
Scientists estimate that around 1–3% of SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic, but, at this stage, it is not clear what role these individuals might play in the pandemic. Because asymptomatic carriers do not cough or sneeze, they are, perhaps, less likely to transmit the virus than carriers with symptoms. China’s change in reporting will help experts draw a clearer picture.
The full story here.
04/01/2020 08:28 GMT — FDA authorizes 2-minute COVID-19 test
Yesterday, the U.S. FDA approved another coronavirus test for use in emergencies. The test, designed by Bodysphere Inc., can return a diagnosis in just 2–10 minutes. The FDA have now authorized 22 versions of the COVID-19 test.
The latest test, called the COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid test, will only be available to medical staff. It can detect antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 in human whole blood, serum, or plasma.
According to the FDA, they are “providing unprecedented flexibility” to allow laboratories and manufacturers the ability to test and bring their products to the professionals who need them.
More details here.
