SARS-CoV-2 shares 82% genome sequence similarity to SARS-CoV and 50% genome sequence homology to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)—all three coronaviruses are known to cause severe respiratory symptoms. Liver impairment has been reported in up to 60% of patients with SARS3 and has also been reported in patients infected with MERS-CoV.4 At least seven relatively large-scale case studies have reported the clinical features of patients with COVID-19.
In this Co...

Owing to the rapid spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), an extraordinary situation has been declared,1 and acute hospitals will therefore be confronted with a massive influx of patients. Initially, this can be absorbed by the restriction of elective procedures,2 the transfer of patients to intermediate care units (IMCUs), an increase in ventilator-equipped beds, and the avoidance of personnel-intensive treatment options. However, if insufficient resources are available, rationing decisions...

ObjectiveMeteorological parameters are the important factors influencing the infectious diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). This study aims to explore the association between coronavirus disease (COVID-19) death and weather parameters. 
Methods In this study, we collected the daily death number of COVID-19, meteorological and air pollutant data from 20 January, 2020 to 29 February, 2020 in Wuhan, China. Then, the generalized additive model was applied to explore the...

Here, Nextstrain analyzed 723 publicly shared COVID-19 genomes. By comparing these viral genomes to each other, they can characterize how COVID-19 is moving around the world.

In this report, it is highlight that the virus has been introduced and is circulating in many parts of the globe. Knowing if and to what degree COVID-19 circulates locally and how mitigation measures can slow this spread requires a good knowledge of the local outbreak dynamics. This, in turn, requires widespre...

The largest study on COVID-19 to date showed that the prevalence of elevated aminotransferases and bilirubin in people faring worst was at least double that of others. Although clinically significant liver dysfunction was not quantified, this and other studies have led some to suggest that this finding might present clinical challenges. Close inspection of the available data supports a higher prevalence of abnormal aminotransferase levels in severe COVID-19 disease, but these studi...

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus is spreading rapidly, and scientists are endeavoring to discover drugs for its efficacious treatment in China. Chloroquine phosphate, an old drug for treatment of malaria, is shown to have apparent efficacy and acceptable safety against COVID-19 associated pneumonia in multicenter clinical trials conducted in China. The drug is recommended to be included in the next version of the Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Pne...

In December 2019, an outbreak of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan was caused by a new coronavirus infection named COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019). Noncontrast chest CT may be considered for early diagnosis of viral disease, although viral nucleic acid detection using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) remains the standard of reference. Chung et al. reported that chest CT may be negative for viral pneumonia of COVID-19 at initial presentation (3/21 patients). Recently, Xi...

Annals of surgery has just released a publication about the experience gained about minimally invasive surgery and the novel coronavirus outbreak.“So all a man could win in the conflict between plague and life was knowledge and memories.” Albert Camus French writer and philosopher in “The Plague” 1947 .
As elective operations are being cancelled, and surgeons are called upon to perform only emergency or carcinological surgery, the precautions to take when operating on patients wh...

New research into data from more than 200 people who received medical care for COVID-19 reveals that almost half of this group experienced digestive symptoms, such as loss of appetite and diarrhea. Click here to read the entire new from Medical News Today. The experts behind this study analyzed data from 204 people who received medical care for COVID-19 between January 18 and February 28, 2020. The patients had an average age of 54.9 years, and of the total, 107 were male and 97 female. A 48,...

The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces, according to a new study from National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University scientists in The New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between the ABO blood group and the COVID-19 susceptibility. 
DESIGNThe study was conducted by comparing the blood group distribution in 2,173 patients with COVID-19 confirmed by SARS-CoV-2 test from three hospitals in Wuhan and Shenzhen, China with that in normal people from the corresponding regions. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and 2-tailed χ 2 and a meta-analysis was performed by random effects models. SETTING Three tertiary...

Background Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have been found to be efficient on SARS-CoV-2, and reported to be efficient in Chinese COV-19 patients. We evaluate the role of hydroxychloroquine on respiratory viral loads. 
Patients and methods Patients were included in a single arm protocol to receive 600mg of hydroxychloroquine daily and their viral load in nasal swabs was tested daily. Depending on their clinical presentation, azithromycin was added to the treatment. Untreated patient...