Category: Corona Virus Vaccine

Written by M S Seshadri, T. Jacob John | New Delhi | Updated: July 14, 2020 4:06:49 pm Hydroxychloroquine, pulled out of WHO Solidarity trial, has now shown fresh promise in a Detroit study. (Getty Images)

The usefulness of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in Covid-19 has been controversial, without clarity or clear evidence one way or the other, until very recently. A study on more than 2,500 patients in six units under the Henry Ford Hospitals group in Detroit, Michigan, USA, peer-reviewed, accepted and ready for publication in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, has found good evidence that HCQ reduces Covid-19 mortality significantly. It should be noted that conditions apply.

HCQ has been widely used as a drug to treat malaria and to prevent malaria in travellers to malaria-endemic zones, for decades. Once its anti-inflammatory and immune suppressant properties were identified, it began to be used the world over in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. In fact, in developed countries without malaria, it is widely but almost exclusively used by rheumatologists. The side-effect profile has been well characterised and protocols for monitoring side effects are taught in all medical colleges. The drug has withstood the test of time.

When the chikungunya pandemic seeded epidemics in various states in India during 2002 through 2006, many patients in the post-chikungunya-fever phase developed persistent and disabling large joint pain and swelling, lasting months to years. HCQ came to their rescue and physicians have been using it with remarkable success, but with all due precautions.

HCQ in Covid pandemic

The story of HCQ and Covid-19 began in Wuhan, China, where patients who were on HCQ, attending rheumatology clinics, seemed to be relatively protected from serious Covid-19 than those attending other clinics. Looking for possible treatment options, Chinese physicians stumbled on HCQ . So they began using HCQ empirically for treating Covid-19.

French physicians, familiar with HCQ used against an endemic bacterial disease called Q fever, followed up with scientific studies for seeking objective evidence for HCQ use in Covid-19. There was laboratory evidence that HCQ acts against SARS coronavirus type 1 and, more recently, also against type 2 that causes Covid-19. The French reported that HCQ reduced both the viral load and duration of virus shedding in the upper respiratory tract of Covid-19 patients. That paved the way for global use of the drug for Covid-19, with believers and sceptics raising a cacophony of controversies. Adding fuel to the fire, indiscriminate use without due precautions, over-dosing, and prolonged usage resulted in many adverse side effects described in the books, even deaths. So the pendulum swung away from its use in many countries.

Express Explainedis now onTelegram. Clickhere to join our channel (@ieexplained)and stay updated with the latest

In the US, rheumatologists were unhappy because of shortage of HCQ for the legitimate needs of their patients, on account of heavy demand for the drug to prevent and treat Covid-19 based more on empiricism than evidence. India, the worlds largest producer of HCQ, exported huge supplies of the drug to the US and Brazil in April.

There was a widespread clamour for controlled clinical trials. There was the Recovery trial in the UK and the Veterans Administration trial in the US, both on seriously ill Covid-19 patients. HCQ did not reduce mortality and the pendulum swung against HCQ use in Covid-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) had the Solidarity trial with HCQ in one arm. A scientific paper on a large number of patients, published in The Lancet, reported an unacceptable frequency of serious HCQ side-effects, based on which WHO hastily withdrew it from the study. Within days, it became evident that the Lancet article was based on doubtful data and the journal withdrew the article with alacrity. Immediately WHO made a volte face and re-introduced HCQ in the Solidarity trial, only to withdraw it soon after the UK Recovery trial showed lack of benefits with the drug.

The Detroit study on Covid-19 patients aged 18 to 76, the majority with co-morbidities, was protocol-driven. In one group a short course of HCQ was started early, preferably on the first or latest second day of hospitalisation. In order to avoid serious side effects, the drug regimen was short 400 mg twice on day one, followed by 200 mg twice daily for four more days. Corticosteroids were used as adjunct therapy in a proportion of patients in both groups. The in-hospital mortality for Covid-19 was 26.4 per cent in those not given HCQ, reduced to 13.5 per cent in the HCQ-treated group.

The Detroit study has swung the pendulum all the way back, favourable to HCQ use in Covid-19. If the scientific evidence from France was for reduction of viral load in the upper respiratory tract, was it not likely that it reflected a reduction of viral load in all other infected body tissues also? When should the viral load be reduced late in the course of disease or early? Does it not make sense to use the drug early and not late?

The road ahead

HCQ is obviously not a panacea for severe cases of Covid-19. Given early, it helps reduce mortality by about half, compared to those not given HCQ. In India the drug is widely available and not expensive. A number of Indian states have already incorporated a short course of HCQ in their Covid-19 treatment protocol, and states that have not done so will do well to implement this quickly.

Two other therapies for mortality reduction are a short course of dexamethasone and convalescent plasma. Indian physicians have a golden opportunity to use the three modalities in sequence dexamethasone in those who do not improve with early use of HCQ and convalescent plasma for those who do not improve with dexamethasone. The outcome of this treatment sequence will inform the medical community how to save many lives.

Dont miss from Explained | What works (and does not) in Covid-19 treatment

Dr Seshadri is retired Professor of medical endocrinology, Christian Medical College, Vellore and currently Director, Thirumalai Mission Hospital Ranipet. Dr John is retired Professor of Clinical Virology, CMC, Vellore and Past President of Indian Academy of Pediatrics.

The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest Explained News, download Indian Express App.

The Indian Express (P) Ltd

See more here:

Experts Explain: The case for using hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 - The Indian Express

Kristin Urquiza, 39, grieves over the fact that her family could only allow about a dozen people at the burial of her father, Mark Anthony Urquiza, after his death from the coronavirus.

"It was so heartbreaking. My father deserved to have his entire community there to put him to rest," Urquiza told NBC News about the service on Wednesday in Phoenix. "We have a really large Latino family, and culturally, when there's a funeral or a wedding or a birth, we like to come together."

While her family reluctantly held a small ceremony, "I think that elected officials and the governors can make tough decisions to make sure that we keep as many Arizonans as safe as possible," she said.

Many families have publicly expressed their grief in the last few months over the deaths of their loved ones from the coronavirus, but the Urquiza family has touched a nerve for publicly stating their anger and blasting elected officials for what they see as inactions that have deadly consequences.

"I was gripped not only by grief, but by anger and rage, that his life didn't seem to matter to the people in charge," Urquiza said. "They have blood on their hands. People are dying."

In a gesture that has gone viral, the family wrote an obituary in the Arizona Republic, the state's largest newspaper, calling out "the carelessness of the politicians who continue to jeopardize the health of brown bodies through a clear lack of leadership, refusal to acknowledge the severity of the crisis, and inability and unwillingness to give clear and decisive direction on how to minimize risk."

She also held an "ofrenda," or altar, ceremony in memory of her dad in front of the state Capitol and invited the governor to her father's funeral. She said she hasn't heard back.

Her father, nicknamed "Black Jack" because he loved playing the card game as a kid, is one of over 2,150 people in Arizona who have died of COVID-19. Cases have skyrocketed since May, after Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted stay-at-home orders, quickly reopened businesses and went on local news station KTAR "to encourage people to get out and about, to take a loved one to dinner, to go retail shopping."

"That made it really difficult for me, in talking to my dad and other people about what is actually safe," Urquiza said.

"In the case of my father, he thought it was safe because the governor of Arizona said it was safe to go out to a restaurant," she said. "I don't know exactly where he contracted the virus, but he contracted it within three weeks of the state opening. At the same time, Gov. Ducey was encouraging people to go back to normal life."

The Morning Rundown

Get a head start on the morning's top stories.

Ducey resisted allowing cities to put their own measures in place to contain the virus, arguing that statewide directives avoid a patchwork of regulations. It wasn't until mid-June that he allowed Arizona mayors to make face masks mandatory.

In a letter addressed to Ducey on July 6, Urquiza said her father "contracted the virus during the period when you forbade local governments from implementing their own safety measures, such as mandating the wearing of masks."

In response to the family's criticism, Patrick Ptak, a spokesperson for Ducey's office, told NBC News via email that their "hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Mark Anthony Urquiza. We know nothing can fully alleviate the pain associated with his loss, and every loss from this virus is tragic."

Available ethnicity data shows that Latinos are being disproportionately hit by the virus in several states across the country. In Arizona, Latinos make up about a quarter 23 percent of the state's more than 120,000 coronavirus cases; they make up about a third of the state's population.

Mark was 65 and had no pre-existing conditions, Urquiza said. He became ill with a high fever and a cough on June 11. He was hospitalized and later transferred to the intensive care unit.

"Every time we tried to call him, I could barely hear his voice because of the machines in the room," Urquiza said. "I don't think the public quite realizes what this living nightmare is like. You can't see your loved one once they're hospitalized."

Mark was then put on a ventilator. He died on June 30.

"He ended up dying alone in an ICU room with a nurse holding his hand. My father did not deserve that, and nearly 2,000 Arizonans who have died from COVID-19 do not deserve that," Urquiza said.

On Thursday, Ducey started requiring "restaurants with indoor seating to operate at less than 50 percent capacity," weeks after encouraging people "to take a loved one to dinner." He also took action "to prohibit large gatherings, cease the issuance of new special event licenses and pause the operations of bars, gyms, movie theaters, waterparks and tubing rentals." There are no statewide mandates on wearing masks.

Diego Lozano, 28, said his grandfather was recently diagnosed with COVID-19 at a time when "he already requires a lot of medical attention. He's diabetic and needs dialysis, as well."

Lozano said his family doesn't know how their grandfather, who is 75, contracted the virus, but they believe he was exposed to it at church or by someone who works at the transportation company that picks him up for his dialysis.

.

"Some of them would show up with no mask. While we were wearing masks, our leader was not mandating masks," he said about Ducey. "I feel like if there was a consistent mandate being enforced by our leaders, people would act more responsibly."

Lozano said all the places where his grandfather normally went to treat his pre-existing conditions were not equipped to deal with someone with COVID-19. They tried reaching out to hospitals for help, but most of them were at capacity and wouldn't take their grandfather in unless he was "experiencing the most severe symptoms of COVID-19."

"He was constantly being denied and denied, and it was very frustrating and stressful," Lozano said.

Over a week later, the family found a hospital willing to treat their grandfather. But "they're trying to discharge him already," Lozano said. "Our biggest worry is that we're not equipped to take care of our grandfather at the house while he has COVID and is experiencing all these other medical conditions."

Arizona has the highest rate of coronavirus-related hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It became the first state to trigger crisis care standards, giving hospitals more leeway on how to allocate resources and decide who gets treatment. About 90 percent of the states ICU beds are occupied, according to Arizona's Department of Health Services.

Mark Urquiza's death and the circumstances surrounding it compelled Kristin to start a social media campaign called "Marked by Covid" to amplify the stories of families that have gone through her same pain.

"I'm completely enraged by the lack of decisive clear direction, the downplaying of this virus by both the Ducey administration and the Trump administration," Urquiza said. "Their actions have put needless people's lives at risk."

"I'm compelled to speak up, not just to rectify my father's legacy," she added, "but to be able to draw attention to how core leadership and terrible policy is responsible for these surge in cases that we're seeing here in the United States."

Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Read more:

A Latino family lost a father to COVID-19. The obituary blamed the 'carelessness of politicians.' - NBC News

TheWest Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR)reports as of 10:00 a.m., on July 12, 2020, there have been 206,920 totalconfirmatory laboratory results receivedfor COVID-19, with 4,207 total cases and 96 deaths.

In alignment with updated definitions fromthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the dashboard includes probablecases which are individuals that have symptoms and either serologic (antibody)or epidemiologic (e.g., a link to a confirmed case) evidence of disease, but noconfirmatory test.

CASESPER COUNTY (Case confirmed by lab test/Probable case):Barbour(19/0), Berkeley (514/19), Boone (34/0), Braxton (5/0), Brooke (25/1), Cabell(192/7), Calhoun (4/0), Clay (12/0), Fayette (79/0), Gilmer (13/0), Grant(19/1), Greenbrier (71/0), Hampshire (42/0), Hancock (39/3), Hardy (46/1),Harrison (120/0), Jackson (148/0), Jefferson (251/5), Kanawha (400/12), Lewis(22/1), Lincoln (9/0), Logan (40/0), Marion (106/3), Marshall (64/1), Mason(24/0), McDowell (9/0), Mercer (62/0), Mineral (65/2), Mingo (30/2), Monongalia(522/14), Monroe (14/1), Morgan (19/1), Nicholas (20/1), Ohio (143/0),Pendleton (15/1), Pleasants (4/1), Pocahontas (36/1), Preston (81/19), Putnam(86/1), Raleigh (75/3), Randolph (186/2), Ritchie (2/0), Roane (12/0), Summers(2/0), Taylor (23/1), Tucker (6/0), Tyler (10/0), Upshur (24/2), Wayne (123/1),Webster (1/0), Wetzel (34/0), Wirt (6/0), Wood (176/9), Wyoming (7/0).

As case surveillance continues at thelocal health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certaincounty may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individualin question may have crossed the state border to be tested.

Please visit thedashboard at http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.

Read the rest here:

COVID-19 Daily Update 7-12-2020 - 10 AM - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 56,485, probable cases to 163, confirmed deaths to 950 and 11 probable deaths.

COLUMBIA, S.C. South Carolina health officials say they've recorded the two cases of a coronavirus related child illness in the state, the first time this complication has been seen in the state since the pandemic began. The news comes a day after the state recorded its first child death from COVID-19.

The state also recorded its second-highest total of coronavirus cases since the outbreak began in March and a record number of hospitalizations.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) confirmed Sunday cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). Two children are the first in the state with a confirmed diagnosis of MIS-C, a rare health condition recently recognized to occur in some children and teenagers who have contracted COVID-19 or been in contact with someone infected with the virus.

One child is from the Midlands region and one is from the PeeDee region. Both are under the age of 10. To protect the privacy of the children and their families, no other information will be disclosed at this time.

We continue to see more and more young people, especially those under 20, contracting and spreading COVID-19, and we know MIS-C is a threat to our youngest South Carolinians, said Dr. Linda Bell, State Epidemiologist. MIS-C is a serious health complication linked to COVID-19 and is all the more reason why we must stop the spread of this virus. Anyone and everyone is susceptible to COVID-19 as well as additional health risks associated with it, which is why all of us must stop the virus by wearing a mask and stay six feet away from others. These simple actions are how we protect ourselves and others, including our children.

The first reports of this syndrome came from the United Kingdom in late April. Cases in the United States were first reported in New York City in early May.

On May 15, 2020, DHEC sent a health alert informing healthcare providers and facilities of the condition and requesting that all providers report suspected cases of MIS-C to the agency. Symptoms of MIS-C include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes, and feeling tired.

DHEC recommends parents and caregivers learn and watch for the signs for MIS-C in their children. Emergency warning signs of MIS-C include trouble breathing, chest pain or pressure that does not go away, confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, bluish lips or face, and severe abdominal pain. For more information about MIS-C, click here.

Latest Overall Numbers:

There were 1,952 new confirmed cases and no new probable cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, 10 additional confirmed deaths and no new probable deaths. There are currently 1,472 hospital beds occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19, and 188 of those patients are on ventilators.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 56,485, probable cases to 163, confirmed deaths to 950 and 11 probable deaths.

Eight of the deaths occurred in elderly individuals from Anderson (1), Charleston (1), Chester (1), Clarendon (1), Greenville (2), Horry (1), and Lexington (1) counties, and two of the deaths occurred in middle-aged individuals from Lee (1) and Lexington (1), counties.

The number of new confirmed cases by county are listed below.

Abbeville (3), Aiken (62), Allendale (2), Anderson (19), Bamberg (13), Barnwell (3), Beaufort (66), Berkeley (93), Calhoun (8), Charleston (282), Cherokee (9), Chester (12), Chesterfield (11), Clarendon (6), Colleton (15), Darlington (16), Dillon (8), Dorchester (83), Edgefield (4), Fairfield (9), Florence (51), Georgetown (23), Greenville (216), Greenwood (32), Hampton (5), Horry (213), Jasper (7), Kershaw (13), Lancaster (23), Laurens (23), Lee (8), Lexington (109), Marion (17), Marlboro (5), McCormick (6), Newberry (26), Oconee (15), Orangeburg (36), Pickens (31), Richland (152), Saluda (9), Spartanburg (97), Sumter (51), Union (1), Williamsburg (6), York (53)

The graphic below shows the total number of daily cases since the virus began.

Testing in South CarolinaAs of Saturday, atotal of 538,022 tests have been conducted in the state. See a detailed breakdown of tests in South Carolina on the Data and Projections webpage.DHECs Public Health Laboratory is operating extended hours and is testing specimens seven days a week, and the Public Health Laboratorys current timeframe for providing results to health care providers is 24-48 hours.

Percent Positive Test Trends among Reported COVID-19 CasesThe total number of individual test results reported to DHEC Saturday statewide was 8,769 (not including antibody tests) and the percent positive of those tests was 22.3%.

More than 75 Mobile Testing Clinics Scheduled StatewideAs part of our ongoing efforts to increase testing in underserved and rural communities across the state, DHEC is working with community partners to set up mobile testing clinics that bring testing to these communities. Currently, there are 79 mobile testing events scheduled through August 1 with new testing events added regularly. Find a mobile testing clinic event near you at scdhec.gov/covid19mobileclinics.

Residents can also get tested at one of 180 permanent COVID-19 testing facilities across the state. Visit scdhec.gov/covid19testing for more information.

Hospital Bed OccupancyAs of Sunday morning, 2,890 inpatient hospital beds are available and 7,721 are in use, which is a 72.76% statewide hospital bed utilization rate. Of the 7,721 inpatient beds currently used, 1,472 are occupied by patients who have either tested positive or are under investigation for COVID-19.

This graphic below shows the daily hospital bed use related to COVID-19 in South Carolina.

For the latest information related to COVID-19 visit scdhec.gov/COVID-19. Visit scdmh.net for stress, anxiety and mental health resources from the S.C. Department of Mental Health.

*As new information is provided to the department, some changes in cases may occur. Cases are reported based on the persons county of residence, as it is provided to the department. DHECs COVID-19 map will adjust to reflect any reclassified cases.

Go here to see the original:

First confirmed cases of COVID-related child illness in SC; 1,952 new confirmed cases - WLTX.com

Human trials are under way of a potential vaccine for COVID-19 being developed by scientists at the University of Oxford.

If it proves effective it could be the silver bullet that brings the pandemic to an end.

Dr Ellie Cannon is a family GP and well-known broadcaster and columnist. Here, she tells Sky News about the next stage of her volunteering as part of the Oxford Vaccine Trial.

It is a month since I was vaccinated and time to go back to the hospital for a check-up.

The trial is known as a blind trial. As a volunteer you do not know whether you are given the trial vaccine against the virus - known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination, or a control vaccination.

I would like to say I can tell which one I was given four weeks ago, but I really cannot. After my vaccination, I felt exactly the same as before with no side effects.

I was warned I may feel achy or have flu like symptoms the first weekend, but I did not and I have felt normal ever since.

Every week I have to take a swab at home to test if I have COVID-19. This is probably the worst part of the trial for me and not something I look forward to each week. The swab kits are the same as the NHS self-test kits you can order if you have symptoms.

Each Friday morning, I take the swab - which looks like an elongated cotton bud - and test my throat and nose. This involves rubbing the swab repeatedly over my tonsils, which is pretty nasty, before pushing it up my nose as far as it will go before pain.

I am keen to make sure I do these as best as I can, but it is certainly not nice, and it makes me wonder when people order a self-test, how many actually do them properly, as the experience is horrible. I suspect there are lots of inaccurate results as people find it so unpleasant.

Each week, 24 hours after I post my swab kit in the local priority post box, I get a text with my results, which have all been clear.

I have not been in contact with any patients or friends with COVID-19, and I am an avid mask-wearer, so this is not surprising.

The weekly swab test is certainly one of the advantages of joining the trial. The reassurance is very welcome as far as I am concerned.

Returning to the hospital after a month, I was reassessed to see how I had fared after the vaccination and how I have been generally.

I have had repeat blood tests today for antibody testing - but I will not get to find out the results. Knowing the results would clearly reveal which vaccination I have had, and the researchers do not want this to influence the behaviour or risks of the volunteers, as it could skew the results.

It is a bit strange to think I could have antibodies to COVID-19 right now, but I will not know that for at least a year. I had a thorough health check with a research nurse, and she was keen to know any symptoms I may have had since the vaccination.

She wanted to see the injection site in my arm, but there is nothing to see, which is good news. The nurse also talked me through the protocol again, and I had to consent to make sure I still agree to continue.

From today, I have to carry on my weekly swabs for at least another two months, with a bit of juggling if I do decide to go on holiday, as I cannot post them from abroad. I am in a routine now, and as unpleasant as it is, I like the reassurance of my Saturday text messages telling me I do not have COVID.

:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

As the cases drop in the UK and we ease lockdown tentatively, experts still believe a vaccination will be a vital part of reclaiming our normal lives.

Since I joined the Oxford trial, the Imperial vaccine trial has also started with volunteers signing up and being vaccinated.

The vaccination solution to the virus could very well come from the UK, and it is great to think I could have already had it.

See the original post here:

Coronavirus: It is great to think I could have already had the COVID-19 vaccine - Sky News

Before the pandemic, most healthcare investors had probably never heard of the vaccine biotech Vaxart (NASDAQ:VXRT). At the end of 2019, Vaxart's market cap was a minuscule $16.9 million, a far cry from the nearly $700 million it has reached today. Because of the pandemic, however, Vaxart's stock exploded overnight when its COVID-19 vaccine candidate showed early indications of effectiveness.

As perhaps the least developed company in the race for a COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxart is a compelling opportunity for investors, and given its string of vaccine development successes so far, there's plenty of time to invest for growth.

Image source: Getty Images.

For a biotech company, Vaxart's research and development (R&D) expenditures are fairly low, costing the company only $1.5 million in the first quarter of this year. Given the company's nearly $30 million in cash on hand, its $2.13 million in debt, and its trailing-12-month cash outflows of $11.6 million, Vaxart has more than enough money to continue developing its pipeline projects for the time being.

Since Vaxart doesn't have any products approved for sale and its trailing 12-month revenues are only $7.4 million, it shouldn't surprise investors if the company issues new stock or enters into licensing agreements with larger companies to keep the lights on. This will probably remain true even if its COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise.

As with all of its vaccines, Vaxart's COVID-19 vaccine candidate is an oral tablet, rather than an injectable liquid like many other common vaccines. Vaxart claims that its oral tablets have a number of advantages over injectable liquids, including greater environmental friendliness, a smaller logistical footprint for clinics, and most importantly, superior efficacy for droplet- or aerosol-based infectious diseases like COVID-19.

However, it's important to note that Vaxart's claim regarding its vaccine's superior efficacy is based on internal studies of its influenza vaccine, as well as head-to-head comparisons with market-leading influenza vaccines, not on any specific studies of its vaccine candidate for COVID-19.

Including its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Vaxart has six prophylactic vaccines in development for infectious diseases, but none of the company's programs have advanced beyond phase 2 clinical trials so far. This means that the pace of COVID-19 vaccine development required to match the needs of the pandemic will likely be difficult for the relatively small and relatively new company to meet without help from collaborators.

Vaxart is moving aggressively to secure outside help for its clinical development capabilities, with the company signing multiple agreements with contract vaccine component manufacturers over the past few months in addition to its late June induction into Operation Warp Speed (OWS), the U.S. government's vaccine accelerator program.

Vaxart's collaboration with OWS entails dosing non-human primate (NHP) subjects with the company's COVID-19 vaccine candidate, then testing their immunity by exposing them to the virus in a controlled setting. This will be the second immunity study in animal models for the company's COVID-19 vaccine; the first study reported favorable results in April, likely sparking the government's interest.

If the vaccinated animals don't test positive for COVID-19 after their intentional exposure, it will be the strongest validation of any COVID-19 vaccine produced by any company or group to date, and the company's clinical trials in humans will almost certainly be fast-tracked even more aggressively than before.

Needless to say, investors should expect the company's stock price to skyrocket once again if the animal study delivers favorable results. Keep a close eye on the company's press releases in August for updates on the study's progression. If the animal study doesn't pan out, don't give up on Vaxart -- its oral vaccine platform makes it an appealing collaborator for other vaccine developers, and it has a handful of other vaccines in the pipeline for future growth.

Visit link:

Everything You Need to Know About Vaxart and Its Potential Coronavirus Vaccine - The Motley Fool

MADISON (WKOW) -- After Wisconsin's record-breaking spike in reported COVID-19 cases Saturday, the number of newly reported cases dropped again Sunday -- but the percentage of tests that came back positive rose.

The Department of Health Services reported 7,617 new test results, of which 769--or 10.1 percent--came back positive, according to the numbers released today.

Measuring the percentage of new cases returned in tests each day helps differentiate if increases in cases are due to greater spread or more testing, according to DHS.

Theseven-day average, another measure reported by DHS,has risen over the last several weeks.

The next highest total of new cases reported in a single day was the 845 reported yesterday.

DHS also listed no new deaths and 27 new hospitalizations.

DHS also said that there was a a negative change in deaths in Sunday's COVID-19 numbers because a death was reported to the DHS in error and the correction has decreased the death count by one.

More than 680,000 tests have come back negative since testing began.

Of the positive cases, 28,318, or 78 percent have recovered.

DHS now has a county-level dashboard to assess the COVID-19 activity levelin counties and Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition regions that measure what DHS calls the burden in each county.View the dashboard HERE.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services updates the statistics each dayon its website around 2 p.m.

(Our entire coronavirus coverage is available here.)

The new strain of the coronavirus causes the disease COVID-19. Symptoms include cough, fever and shortness of breath. A full list of symptoms is available onthe Centers for Disease Control website.

In severe cases, pneumonia can develop. Those most at risk include the elderly, people with heart or lung disease as well as anyone at greater risk of infection.

For most, the virus is mild, presenting similarly to a common cold or the flu.

Anyone who thinks they may have the disease should call ahead to a hospital or clinic before going in for a diagnosis. Doing so gives the staff time to take the proper precautions so the virus does not spread.

Those needing emergency medical services should continue to use 911.

View original post here:

10.1 percent of new COVID-19 tests come back positive in WI Sunday - WKOW

A gorilla at a zoo in Florida has been tested for COVID-19 after he was taken to an animal hospital to receive treatment following a fight with his younger brother.

Zoo Miami says 31-year-old Shango - who weighs 433lbs - and Barney, 26, got into a fight on Wednesday, resulting in bite wounds.

They were both born at San Francisco Zoo and arrived at Zoo Miami in 2017, where they have lived together ever since.

It says conflicts between adult male gorillas in bachelor groups are not uncommon, but that most consist of posturing and rarely result in serious injury.

The zoo says Shango received X-rays, vaccinations, an ultrasound, a TB test and a bronchoscopy as part of its overall preventative medicine program.

It says the lowland gorilla's bite wounds were "quite deep", but "fortunately did not appear to result in any permanent damage".

Because he was presenting with a low grade fever, and as a precaution during the coronavirus pandemic, he was also tested for COVID-19, but it came back negative.

Shango has since been returned to the gorilla area where he will be closely monitored as he continues to heal.

The zoo says no decision has been made yet about whether he will be reintroduced to brother Barney, as that will depend on "behavioral assessments made by the staff combined with the healing progress of his injuries".

View original post here:

Coronavirus: Shango the gorilla given COVID-19 test after fever - Sky News

Anyone can be tested at the site for free, regardless of where they live.

This story will be continuously updated.

Federal support for COVID-19 testing sites in Dallas and Houston has been extended through the end of July, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday.

The Department of Health and Human Services had previously been providing support for these sites, but funding was set to expire. The governor previously secured an extension in June as well, according to a news release from the governor's office.

The Ellis Davis Field House testing location at 9191 South Polk St. in Dallas was set to run out of federal support by July 14, according to officials.

Anyone can be tested at Ellis Davis Field House for free, regardless of where they live. The federal site is currently open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

"The extension of this program in Dallas and Houston will help secure more testing for Texans in these communities," Abbott said in the release. "There are over 900 testing sites across the state of Texas, and I urge Texans in need of a test to find a site nearest them."

To find such a testing site, Texans can visit covidtest.tdem.texas.gov.

The state has continued to see new daily cases and hospitalizations reach greater heights since the beginning of June, with exponential growth in both measurements.

Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients statewide surpassed 10,000 cases for the first time on Friday, at 10,002, according to state data. That number went up to 10,083 on Saturday.

At the same time, the number of new daily cases has continued to increase as well, reaching a new high of 10,351 new cases reported statewide Saturday.

At least 3,112 Texans who had COVID-19 have died since tracking began in March,state data shows. More than 250,000 have now been infected with the disease.

Top updates for Sunday, July 12:

Tarrant County reports 404 new cases

County officials said another 404 people have now tested positive for the novel coronavirus Sunday. Four more people died in the county as well, though officials have not yet released any details on those who died.

There are currently around 694 people hospitalized with the disease in the county, more than triple the number of patients a month ago on June 12, which was around 209, according to county data.

A total of 272 people have died since tracking began in March, with 18,161 testing positive. So far, around 8,186 people have recovered.

Rockwall police chief asks for prayers after officer catches coronavirus

A Rockwall police officer is struggling with COVID-19, Rockwall Police Chief Max Geron tweeted Sunday. He asked supporters for their prayers and well-wishes, and that people wear a mask when in public.

Health experts recommend taking the following actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

More on WFAA:

Original post:

COVID-19 updates: As Texas surpasses 10,000 daily hospitalizations, federal funding for Dallas testing site will continue - WFAA.com

TORONTO -- A baby girl in Texas tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after her birth, offering what researchers call the strongest evidence yet that the disease can be transmitted from mothers to children in the womb.

There have been several well-documented cases of female COVID-19 patients giving birth while positive for the disease. Doctors were even able to deliver a baby boy in Colombia last month 14 weeks early, after the mother slipped into a coma.

Researchers have also found evidence of the novel coronavirus in at-term placenta, an umbilical cord and breast milk of infected mothers.

However, there had been no known examples of a baby born to a COVID-19-positive mother also testing positive for the disease not until Friday, when researchers affiliated with the University of Texas published their findings in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

In this case, the baby was born prematurely, at 34 weeks. Because of that and because of the possible exposure to COVID-19 through her 37-year-old mother, she was placed in a neonatal intensive care unit for observation.

Although all her vital signs were normal on the day of her birth, the researchers say, she developed a fever and some mild breathing difficulty the following day. A test administered 24 hours after her birth came up positive for SARS-CoV-2, as did a second test 24 hours later.

Further tests of the placenta revealed the presence of coronavirus particles and a protein that is believed to be specific to the virus. Because of these results, the researchers concluded that COVID-19 was passed on to the baby in the womb, not during or after her birth.

The researchers say this sort of transmission "appears to be a rare event" given that no other documented cases of it have come to light.

The baby was given supplemental oxygen for a few days and continued to test positive through her first two weeks of life. Three weeks after she was born, she and her mother were sent home, and both are said to be in good condition.

Here is the original post:

A mother with COVID-19 gave birth to a baby girl who also tested positive - CTV News