Category: Corona Virus

In a recent study published in The Lancet Digital Health, a group of researchers analyzed severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), focusing on the effects of medications, comorbidities, and vaccination status during different pandemic phases.

Study:Machine learning to understand risks for severe COVID-19 outcomes: a retrospective cohort study of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, immunomodulatory medications, and comorbidities in a large US health-care system. Image Credit:fizkes/Shutterstock.com

As of February 28, 2024, the global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in over 7 million deaths, posing significant risks, particularly to those with IMIDs, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and allergic asthma.

These conditions are marked by chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation, potentially exacerbating COVID-19 severity. Contributing factors include immune dysfunction, use of immunomodulatory medications (IMMs), and prevalent comorbidities like heart disease and diabetes.

Interestingly, allergic asthma may lessen severe COVID-19 risks, indicating complex interactions between IMIDs and the virus. Further research is needed to clarify these relationships to enhance patient-specific guidelines and care.

In the present study, clinical data were sourced from electronic health records (EHRs) of Providence St Joseph Health (PSJH), which operates 51 hospitals and 1,085 clinics across Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington.

The study was divided into two periods: the pre-omicron phase (March 1, 2020- December 25, 2021) featuring the wild-type and early variants like alpha and delta, and the omicron-predominant phase (December 26, 2021-August 30, 2022).

Patients with IMIDs and controls without IMIDs were identified from medical records, ensuring data on diseases, medications, and comorbidities were recorded before their first COVID-19 infection.

The study, adhering to Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines and approved by an Institutional Review Board, tracked outcomes like hospitalization based on the date of a valid COVID-19 test.

Statistical analysis utilized machine learning models to parse the data, focusing on patient demographics, vaccination status, active comorbidities, IMID diagnoses, and IMM use. Variables were normalized, and missing data was handled through median imputation.

The study employed logistic regression (LR) for its interpretability and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) due to its capability to handle non-linear data efficiently.

Performance was evaluated on a held-out test set with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve as a metric. Additionally, the study examined variable importance and interactions using various statistical techniques to ensure robustness and reliability in findings.

In the large-scale analysis of 2,167,656 patients tested for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), 290,855 (13.4%) were confirmed to have COVID-19, including 15,397 (5.3%) patients with IMIDs and 275,458 (94.7%) without.

During the pre-omicron period, 110,217 (64.8%) individuals testing positive for COVID-19 were not fully vaccinated, a trend that decreased slightly in the omicron-predominant period with 64,864 (53.7%) unvaccinated.

Notably, in the omicron-predominant period, both the overall patient cohort and those testing positive had higher comorbidity rates and increased vaccination coverage compared to earlier in the pandemic.

In the pre-omicron period, 169,993 (11.2%) of 1,517,295 tested individuals were COVID-19 positive. Among them, 23,330 (13.7%) were hospitalized, 1,072 (0.6%) required mechanical ventilation, and 5,294 (3.1%) died.

IMID patients had higher rates of hospitalization (1,176 [14.6%] vs. 22,154 [13.7%]; p=0.024) and mortality (314 [3.9%] vs. 4,980 [3.1%]; p<0.0001) compared to controls. During the omicron-predominant period, the positive test rate increased to 18.6%, but hospitalizations (14,504 [12.0%]), mechanical ventilation (567 [0.5%]), and deaths (2,001 [1.7%]) declined.

IMID patients continued to show higher hospitalization (1,082 [14.8%] vs. 13,422 [11.8%]; p<0.0001) and mortality rates (187 [2.6%] vs. 1,814 [1.6%]; p<0.0001) than controls.

Age and certain comorbidities like atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic liver disease, and cancer consistently emerged as risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes across both time periods.

Conversely, vaccination and booster statuses were associated with significantly better outcomes. Interestingly, asthma and psoriasis were linked to reduced risks of severe consequences, highlighting the complexity of interactions between IMIDs and COVID-19.

Analysis via LR and XGB revealed insights into these associations. The XGB model, in particular, demonstrated superior performance in classifying health outcomes, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranging from 0.77 to 0.92, outperforming LR by approximately 7.5%.

Further detailed analysis confirmed the importance of variables such as opioid dependence and specific IMIDs like rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis in predicting severe COVID-19 outcomes.

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Inflammatory disease not major risk factors for severe COVID-19, focus on comorbidities urged - News-Medical.Net

Theres a new group of Covid-19 variants within the Omicron JN.1 lineage which have demonstrated increased transmissibility and immune resistance. Detected in the United States, this variant group has been named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) FLiRT variant KP.2, and is a spinoff of JN.1.11.1. Reports suggest that it is rapidly spreading in the US. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this FLiRT variant accounted for around 25 per cent of new sequenced cases for the two weeks ending April 27, 2024.

The rapid emergence and diversification of the JN.1 variant and its descendant, KP.2, which shows significant alterations in spike (S) protein structure and increased resistance to existing vaccines, underscore the necessity for further research to understand the implications for public health and vaccine development, read a medical.net news report.

Heres what to know about the variants symptoms, transmissibility, and precautionary measures you need to take.

Where does the name come from?

The letters of FLiRT variation are derived from the technical names of the mutations: F and L are included in one, and R and T which is included in another.

Symptoms

The symptoms are similar to Omicron, said Dr Manjusha Agarwal, senior consultant, internal medicine, Gleneagles Hospitals Parel Mumbai. One will experience sore throat, cough, congestion, tiredness, headache, muscle or body aches, runny nose, fever or chills, loss of smell and taste, or even breathlessness in extreme cases, said Dr Agarwal.

Transmissibility

This variant is highly transmissible and can impact immunity and overall health, emphasised Dr Agarwal. This variant spreads via respiratory droplets of the person to others, or touching infected surfaces such as faucets, furniture, elevator buttons, kitchen countertops, or coming in close contact with the person who is sick with this variant, said Dr Agarwal.

Prevention

It is essential to prevent the infection of this variant, by following Covid-appropriate steps of practicing social distancing, masking, hand sanitising, avoiding public places, limiting visitors at home, not coming in close contact with sick people, staying isolated when one has symptoms such as high fever, sore throat and loss of smell and taste. Getting vaccinated is the need of the hour to protect yourself and the community from these potentially life-threatening infections. However, people shouldnt panic and take utmost care of themselves, said Dr Agarwal.

Who needs to be extra careful?

Children, pregnant women, those with comorbidities such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer, and the elderly population should be extra vigilant when it comes to their well-being, urged Dr Agarwal.

With the onset of summer, we do get an increase in viral infections like Covid-19 variants, urged Dr Agarwal. There is no cause for concern because now we are seeing that the Covid-19 variants are relatively getting milder and there is no serious illness that is associated with Covid. So, no cause for concern. Just follow basic precautions and consult your doctor when you get any cold, cough, or fever for more than three days, said Dr Agarwal.

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First uploaded on: 07-05-2024 at 18:05 IST

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All you need to know about FLiRT, the new Covid-19 variant detected in the US - The Indian Express

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom Scientists are apparently already preparing for the next coronavirus pandemic. Researchers in the United Kingdom have developed a new vaccine that can provide protection against a wide range of coronaviruses, including future threats we dont even know about yet. This proactive approach to vaccine development, dubbed proactive vaccinology, is aiming to get ahead of the curve by building defenses before another coronavirus strain sweeps across the globe.

The innovative vaccine, revealed in the journalNature Nanotechnology, works by training the bodys immune system to recognize specific shared genetic material found in eight different coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID-19), and several others currently circulating in bat populations with the potential to jump to humans. Crucially, these targeted viral regions also appear in many related coronaviruses beyond those included in the vaccine itself.

Think of it like this: several coronavirus strains share many of the same parts, from strains causing the common cold to COVID-19. This new vaccine focuses on all of those shared parts, so even if theres a coronavirus that doesnt exist yet, the vaccine may still defeat it if it carries those parts.

Our focus is to create a vaccine that will protect us against the next coronavirus pandemic, and have it ready before the pandemic has even started, says Rory Hills, a graduate researcher in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology, in a media release. Weve created a vaccine that provides protection against a broad range of different coronaviruses including ones we dont even know about yet.

Remarkably, while the vaccine does not contain the SARS-CoV-1 virus responsible for the 2003 SARS outbreak, it still triggered an immune response against that pathogen in testing.

We dont have to wait for new coronaviruses to emerge. We know enough about coronaviruses, and different immune responses to them, that we can get going with building protective vaccines against unknown coronaviruses now, says Professor Mark Howarth in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology, senior author of the report.

Scientists did a great job in quickly producing an extremely effective COVID vaccine during the last pandemic, but the world still had a massive crisis with a huge number of deaths. We need to work out how we can do even better than that in the future, and a powerful component of that is starting to build the vaccines in advance.

The Quartet Nanocage vaccine achieves this broad protection through a novel design centered around a nanoparticle a tiny ball of proteins held together by extremely strong interactions. Multiple viral antigen chains, engineered to include regions shared across coronaviruses, are attached to this nanoparticle core using a protein superglue. When injected, this prompts the immune system to develop antibodies targeting those widespread viral regions.

Importantly, the vaccine raised this broad immune response even in mice previously immunized against SARS-CoV-2, demonstrating its potential as a universal booster shot. Its relatively simple design could also accelerate its path to clinical trials compared to other broad coronavirus vaccines in development.

The breakthrough results from a collaboration between the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford and Caltech, building on prior work. While a more complex Oxford/Caltech vaccine is slated for human trials in 2025, manufacturing challenges could limit large-scale production underscoring the importance of this simplified but powerful vaccine approach.

Traditional vaccines typically target only a single virus, leaving populations vulnerable to the many existing coronaviruses and inevitable future threats still to come. This pioneering proactive strategy aims to overcome that limitation, providing vital preparedness against the next potential pandemic before it even begins.

Article reviewed by StudyFinds Editor Chris Melore.

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New vaccine protects against coronaviruses that don't exist yet - - Study Finds

An artistic depiction of a ball of proteins used in the vaccine. AI-generated image.

A team of scientists from Cambridge University have developed a vaccine that works against the common elements of all coronaviruses. The vaccine, which has only been tested on mice so far, promises to protect us from existing strains, as well as ones that havent emerged yet.

Our focus is to create a vaccine that will protect us against the next coronavirus pandemic, and have it ready before the pandemic has even started, said Rory Hills, a graduate researcher in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology and first author of the report.

Weve created a vaccine that provides protection against a broad range of different coronaviruses including ones we dont even know about yet, he added.

Few people had global pandemic on their 2020 Bingo card let alone one caused by a coronavirus. Yet the year kicked off with a dreadful disease that would end up bringing society to a halt for months. In fact, it was only when we developed vaccines that we were finally able to supress the new coronavirus.

The SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were developed with unprecedented speed, surpassing even the most optimistic predictions. But it still took around a year, a year in which many lives were lost, and society took a big hit. Researchers now know we can react quickly to diseases, but they want something more: they want to be proactive.

The problem is that most viruses that can cause epidemics are new viruses that mutate, often from animals. So how do you protect yourself from a virus that hasnt evolved yet?

This is where the new vaccine comes in.

The so-called Quartet Nanocage vaccine works with a ball of proteins bound together. This ball also contains numerous chains of different viral antigens that target features shared by many coronaviruses.

We dont have to wait for new coronaviruses to emerge. We know enough about coronaviruses, and different immune responses to them, that we can get going with building protective vaccines against unknown coronaviruses now, said Professor Mark Howarth in the University of Cambridges Department of Pharmacology, senior author of the report.

Testing the vaccine on mice seemed to trigger a broad immune response that should protect against multiple coronaviruses. Although theres still a long way to go from mice to humans, the vaccine design is simpler than other candidates in development. This should bring it into clinical trials faster.

The project improves on previous work by Oxford and Caltech groups. These groups were also involved in the present research, joined by a team from Cambridge. The new vaccine should enter Phase 1 clinical trials in early 2025, researchers say, but there are few guarantees in this type of project.

Overall, this new vaccine is part of a strategy of proactive vaccination. This involves developing vaccines before disease outbreaks, rather than reacting to them once they occur. The idea is to build immunity within a population before they are exposed to a virus or bacteria. With this, we may finally be able to reduce the impact of infectious diseases.

Proactive vaccination is especially critical in managing diseases with pandemic potential. It prepares communities and healthcare systems to handle infections more effectively, thereby saving lives and reducing healthcare costs. In the past few decades, weve grown complacent against infectious diseases. But, as the novel coronavirus pandemic showed, all it takes is one pathogen to cause a global disaster.

Howarth mentions:

Scientists did a great job in quickly producing an extremely effective COVID vaccine during the last pandemic, but the world still had a massive crisis with a huge number of deaths. We need to work out how we can do even better than that in the future, and a powerful component of that is starting to build the vaccines in advance.

However, despite its promise, proactive vaccination also comes with big challenges. In addition to the vaccines themselves, there are no procedures on how something like this would be used. For instance, one option would be to administer them in populations where new coronaviruses are most likely to emerge (for instance around bat populations). Another would be to deliver it as a COVID-19 booster in vulnerable people, with the benefit of protecting against other coronaviruses.

But what researchers really hope is that countries will also stockpile these vaccines and have them ready for when a dangerous new pathogen emerges. Were still a ways off from that objective, but researchers are slowly inching closer. Hopefully, when the next pandemic-potential pathogen emerges, well be prepared. Because it will come.

The study was published in Nature Nanotechnology.

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This new vaccine could protect us from all coronaviruses even those that don't exist yet - ZME Science

New research, led by University of Cambridge investigators, shows they have developed a new vaccine technology that provides a broad range of protection against coronaviruses, even those that dont yet exist. This approach to vaccine development is called proactive vaccinology, which seeks to build disease-fighting immunity before some pathogens emerge.

Their approach, reported in Nature Nanotechnology, trains the immune system to recognize the specific regions of eight coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and several others that are currently circulating in bats and have the potential to jump to humans and cause a pandemic. The team has demonstrated the new vaccines effectiveness in mouse models. It works because the eight regions targeted also appear in many related coronaviruses. By training the immune system to attack these regions, as opposed to each individual virus, it provides protection against others not represented in the vaccineincluding those that havent been identified.

For example, the researchers noted that their new vaccine doesnt include the SARS-CoV-1 coronavirus, which caused the 2003 outbreak, but still induces an immune response to it.

Our focus is to create a vaccine that will protect us against the next coronavirus pandemic and have it ready before the pandemic has even started, said first author of the study Rory Hills, a graduate researcher at the University of Cambridge department of pharmacology.

Senior author Mark Howarth, PhD, a professor at the University of Cambridge department of pharmacology, added: Scientists did a great job in quickly producing an extremely effective COVID-19 vaccine during the last pandemic, but the world still had a massive crisis with a huge number of deaths. We need to work out how we can do even better than that in the future, and a powerful component of that is starting to build the vaccines in advance.

While conventional vaccines include a single antigen to train the immune system to target a single specific virus, these vaccines may not protect against a diverse range of existing coronaviruses, or against pathogens that are newly emerging. As witnessed by the latest pandemic and the emergence of different SARS-C0V-2 variants, finding ways to develop proactive vaccines is a powerful new approach.

Called the Quartet Nanocage vaccine, the new vaccine attaches chains of different viral antigens to nanoparticles using what the investigators dub a protein superglue. With multiple antigens included in each of these chains, the vaccine trains the immune system to target the eight regions that are shared across a range of different coronaviruses.

Even in mice that were pre-immunized with SARS-CoV-2, the vaccine demonstrated a broad immune response. Further, the Quartet Nanocage design is simpler than other vaccines currently in development to provide broad protection, which could help speed its path to clinical trials.

This new work is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge researchers and teams at the University of Oxford and Caltech. It improves upon earlier work by the Oxford and Caltech groups to develop a novel all-in-one vaccine against coronaviruses. Set to enter early clinical trials in 2025, the Oxford/Caltech vaccine could face significant hurdles due to its complexity, which may limit its large-scale production.

The hope is the newly created vaccine will overcome this production hurdle and become an important tool in fighting pandemics of the future.

We dont have to wait for new coronaviruses to emerge, said Howarth. We know enough about coronaviruses, and different immune responses to them, that we can get going with building protective vaccines against unknown coronaviruses now.

More here:

New Vaccine Approach Offers Protection from Coronaviruses That Haven't Yet Emerged - Inside Precision Medicine

Researchers from the Townsend Groupin the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine,have collaborated with the Howarth Lab (University of Cambridge) and the Bjorkman Group (Caltech) to develop an improved version of a novel all-in-one vaccine against coronavirus threats. Results from this study have been published in the journalNature Nanotechnology.

Previous work by the Townsend and Bjorkman groups contributed to the development of a nanoparticle vaccine (Mosaic-8b RBD-mi3), which was able to target multiple different types of SARS-like betacoronaviruses (sarbecoviruses). This vaccine should enter Phase 1 clinical trials early next year. However, the complex nature of this vaccine makes it challenging to manufacture, which could limit large-scale production of the vaccine in the future. In this new study, the authors present an updated version of the vaccine that should be simpler to make.

The Mosaic-8 vaccine developed previously featured Receptor Binding Domains (RBDs) from eight different coronaviruses. RBDs are parts of the viral spike protein that are targeted by antibodies, host proteins that are raised by the immune system in response to pathogens. These eight RBDs were glued onto a nanocage structure, allowing one vaccine to present the eight different domains and generate an immune response. The Mosaic-8 vaccine was shown to provide protection against a diverse range of sarbecoviruses,not just the eight with RBDs included in the vaccine.

In the new study, led by ProfessorsHowarth,TownsendandBjorkman,the authors introduce a new version of the Mosaic-8 vaccine, which they named a Quartet Nanocage vaccine. For the new vaccine, the researchers fused RBDs from four different coronaviruses to make one protein molecule, called a Quartet. The Quartet molecules were then glued to the same nanocage structure used previously for the Mosaic-8 vaccine. By making two different Quartets and attaching them to the nanocage, researchers could once again manufacture a vaccine that displays RBDs from eight viruses. However, this time, only three different components needed to be prepared (two Quartets and one nanocage) rather than nine as in the Mosaic-8 (eight RBDs and one nanocage), simplifying the vaccine manufacturing process.

The new Quartet Nanocage vaccines were able to produce a level of immune responses and protection against coronaviruses that were similar, if not better, than the Mosaic-8 vaccine. Another advantage of the Quartet Nanocages is the ability to display more RBDs. The Quartet Nanocage design allows four RBDs to be displayed from one site on the nanocage, rather than needing four individual sites as is the case with the Mosaic-8 design.

Rory Hills, first author of the paper, said:

We have shown that a relatively simple vaccine can produce a protective response for several coronaviruses. This is an important step towards our goal of creating vaccines for pandemic threats before they are able to infect humans.

Read the full paper in Nature Nanotechnology.

Hear from first author Rory Hills in this video produced by the Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge.

More here:

Nature Nanotechnology study introduces new and improved version of all-in-one coronavirus vaccine - Radcliffe Department of Medicine

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Health officials say the number of Americans receiving flu shots and COVID-19 treatments are down (Credit: FOX News/News Edge)

ATLANTA - A new group of COVID-19 variants is circulating across the United States.

According to tracking by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the family of variants, nicknamed "FLiRT" after their mutations, are currently the dominant strains in the country.

One of its variants, KP.2, accounts for about 25% of all infections in the U.S. and is currently the dominant variant. The variants are part of the omicron family.

Megan L. Ranney, the dean of the Yale School of Public Health, told WebMD that FLiRT also has some concerning features, like changes in the spike protein, which play a role in helping SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, take hold, and thus make people sick.

Coronavirus visible under microscope. (Credit: BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images) ((Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)

The CDC did not immediately respond to FOX Television Stations request for more information.

The CDC notes that COVID-19 remains an important public health threat, despite overall decreases in COVID-19-related severe disease. COVID-19 hospitalization rates remain higher among adults over 65 years old.

The health agencys Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends all people over the age of 65 receive an additional dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

They said the implementation of these recommendations is expected to enhance immunity that might have waned and can decrease the risk for severe COVID-19-associated outcomes, including death.

This is a developing story. Check back later for more updates.

Continue reading here:

COVID-19 variants called FLiRT are spreading across US - LiveNOW from FOX

Preventing the rise of the next coronavirus pandemic or epidemic could depend on creative developments in vaccine technology.

And now a trans-Atlantic research group has developed a vaccine it says trains the bodys immune response against at least 8 known coronaviruses and potentially many more.

Led by Cambridge University with contributions from researchers at Oxford and Caltech, the vaccine includes specific regions of the viral genomes of multiple coronaviruses, as well as many others currently circulating in bats.

Results from the study are published today in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

But while it primes the body against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID, the genetic material from the pathogen isnt included in the vaccine.

Instead, among the segments of the 8 other coronaviruses included in the jab are regions that occur in SARS-CoV-2. Its hoped that the product could serve as a broad-spectrum protection against deadly diseases by isolating and including common genetic segments. That includes against viruses that humans havent encountered yet.

Our focus is to create a vaccine that will protect us against the next coronavirus pandemic, and have it ready before the pandemic has even started, says Rory Hills, a graduate pharmacologist from Cambridge, who is the studys lead author.

The Cambridge-led study builds on previous vaccine developments by its partner institutions; one such broad-spectrum coronavirus vaccine built by Oxford and Caltech is due for Phase 1 clinical trials in 2025.

But this new therapy aims to harness the similarities in antigens across several viruses. Antigens stimulate antibody responses in animals and humans.

For its latest work, the group produced a multi-viral Quartet Nanocage from 4 viruses.

These nanocages are protein bundles bound with antigen chains, which provide several targets for the bodys immune system.

They then measured how mice responded, finding vaccine boosts that omitted segments of SARS-CoV-2 still generated an immune response to the virus. In their study, the authors write overall, Quartet Nanocages achieved broad [coronavirus] response. The outcome could be a vaccine product that is quick to make and can progress rapidly to clinical trials, says the studys senior author Mark Howarth, a professor in Cambridges department of pharmacology.

We dont have to wait for new coronaviruses to emerge, Howarth says.

We know enough about coronaviruses, and different immune responses to them, that we can get going with building protective vaccines against unknown coronaviruses now.

See the original post:

Cambridge-Oxford-Caltech project makes vaccine that confers immunity to many coronaviruses, in mice - Cosmos

For Monday, May 6, WGNs Dina Bair has the latest on new medical information, including:

New research may make it possible to protect against COVID-19 strains that have yet to emerge

University of Cambridge scientists have developed new vaccine technology that provides immunity against a broad range of coronaviruses, including some we dont even know about.

They tested the shot at beating future disease outbreaks in mice.

Its called proactive vaccinology, where scientists build a vaccine before the disease-causing pathogen is found circulating.

The vaccine trains the body to recognize various coronaviruses, including those currently found in bats but have not yet jumped to humans.

There is a push for better pregnancy screening to protect women and unborn children.

The American Heart Association is urging personalized care to improve pre-eclampsia detection.

The dangerously and potentially deadly pregnancy high blood pressure threatens both mom and baby.

More extensive screening in the first trimester may help doctors better predict who is at risk for developing the condition and who may benefit from preventative treatment.

Simulated chemistry to help advance drug development.

Scientists at UC San Diego created an algorithm to perform time-consuming chemical equations that will help identify and test candidate drugs.

The AI-generated tests work in a fraction of the time it takes in the lab.

So far, the technology has pinpointed 32 new drug candidates for cancer.

Sign up for our Medical Watch newsletter. This daily update includes important information from WGNs Dina Bair and the Med Watch team, including, the latest updates from health organizations, in-depth reporting on advancements in medical technology and treatments, as well as personal features related to people in the medical field. Sign up here.

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Protection against COVID-19 strains that have not yet emerged and more - WGN TV Chicago

For the 16th consecutive week, reported coronavirus cases decreased statewide.

But it was only two cases from 488 to 486 a decrease of 0.004%, in the week ending April 27.

And, in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle, reported cases increased by 8, from 12 to 20. Thats an increase of 66.66%.

The 10 communities are Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, Mansfield, Norton, Foxboro, Wrentham, Norfolk, Rehoboth and Seekonk.

This marked the seventh consecutive week the number of reported cases statewide has been under 1,000.

Overall, reported cases have dropped 13 consecutive weeks statewide, from 4,999 to 486 cases, which is a decrease of 90.27%. In the week ending April 27, two towns had zero cases. They were Norfolk and Rehoboth.

There were 336 coronavirus tests administered by health professionals in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle, with 20 positives, which is a percentage of 5.95%, or 2.30 points higher than the week of April 20.

Thats an increase of 8 tests, which equals 2.43%.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the area and state, however, is not accurate. Not all the positive cases found through home-testing are reported to health officials. Also, many people who become ill with COVID-like symptoms fever, congestion, sneezing, fatigue, body aches, and headaches dont bother testing as the virus has weakened and the symptoms caused by the virus are less severe.

For context, the highest number of new, reported cases statewide for one week, was recorded on Jan. 14, 2022, at 132,557.

The highest number locally for one week was 3,463, recorded on Jan. 13, 2022.

All told, since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, the area has recorded 50,807 cases. Thats 25.30% of the 200,793 population in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle.

Percentages of the disease in each community range from 22% to 29% (rounded up) with the average of 24.68%

In the week ending April 27, the reported case counts in each of the 10 communities was:

Statewide, the number was 486 confirmed cases with 153 probable cases for a total statewide of 2,152,246 confirmed and probable cases since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide for the week ending April 27, was 3, and the number of probable deaths was 0.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, is 23,452, and the number of confirmed and probable deaths is 29,960.

A recent poll for the communities covered by The Sun Chronicle reported the total number of deaths at 520. Thats a death rate of 1.02%.

Death totals per community covered by The Sun Chronicle are:

Most of the deaths caused by the virus were suffered by the elderly. Most deaths due to the virus occur in people at or over the age of 65.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the rate of positive tests for coronavirus nationwide is 3.0% as of April 27.

In the Attleboro area, its 5.95% as of April 27.

Emergency room visits nationwide were down 11% as of April 27. Hospital admissions for coronavirus are down 11.1% nationwide as of April 27.

There has been no change in the percentage of deaths nationwide as of April 27.

The percentage rate for all deaths nationwide is 1.1%. In the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle its 1.02%

George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.

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Reported coronavirus cases in Attleboro area and statewide relatively stable - The Sun Chronicle