Researchers find “hidden gene” in COVID-19 virus
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRESEARCHERS discovered that a new hidden gene in the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 may have contributed to its unique biology and pandemic potential. SARS-CoV-2 only has about 15 genes, and knowing more about this and other overlapping genes–or “genes within genes” could have a significant impact on fighting the virus, scientists say. The new gene is described in the journal eLife. […]
Pinpointing the ‘silent’ mutations that gave the coronavirus an evolutionary edge
Reading Time: 2 minutesWE know that the coronavirus behind the COVID-19 crisis lived harmlessly in bats and other wildlife before it jumped the species barrier and spilled over to humans. Now, researchers at Duke University have identified a number of “silent” mutations in the roughly 30,000 letters of the virus’s genetic code that helped it thrive once it […]
CSIRO scientists publish new research on SARS-COV-2 virus ‘survivability’
Reading Time: 2 minutesRESEARCHERS at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can survive for up to 28 days on common surfaces including banknotes, glass – such as that found on mobile phone screens – and stainless steel. The research, undertaken at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in Geelong, […]
Researchers in Singapore develop 60-second breath test to detect COVID-19
Reading Time: 2 minutesRESEARCHERS in Singapore have developed a breath test to detect COVID-19 within a minute, said the National University of Singapore (NUS) on Tuesday (Oct 20). The test, which detects volatile organic compounds (VOC) in a person’s breath, achieved more than 90 per cent accuracy in a clinical trial involving 180 patients. A person testing for COVID-19 […]
Scientists: Coronavirus survive on phone screen up to 28 days
Reading Time: 2 minutesTHE entire world is getting burnt out with this Covid-19 pandemic and it becomes more depressing as it drags with no end in sight. Numerous preventive measures have been taken to battle the pandemic such as wearing a mask, washing hands frequently and practicing social distancing. Beyond that, do you clean your phone screen and […]
Nigerian scientists identify seven lineages of SARS-CoV-2
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE first coronavirus infection in Nigeria was recorded on February 27, 2020. Samples were sent to the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control for genome sequencing. As a result, the first SARS-CoV-2 sequence data on the African continent was published on March 6, 2020. Now, scientists at ACEGID in […]
FAO reports lack of progress in achieving SDG
Reading Time: < 1 minuteTHE world is lagging in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030, and the COVID-19 pandemic is making it even harder, according to the report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “We need better data to better understand the path we need to take to get to our destination,” said FAO Chief Economist […]
Can the common cold protect you from COVID-19?
Reading Time: 2 minutesSEASONAL colds are by all accounts no fun, but new research suggests the colds you’ve had in the past may provide some protection from COVID-19. The study, authored by infectious disease experts at the University of Rochester Medical Center, also suggests that immunity to COVID-19 is likely to last a long time – maybe even a […]
Flu may increase the spread of Covid-19
Reading Time: 2 minutesSCIENTISTS at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin and the Institut Pasteur in Paris used a mathematical model to study the first months of the corona pandemic in Europe. They show that the decrease of Covid-19 cases in spring was not only related to countermeasures but also to the end of the […]
Many ventilation systems may increase risk of COVID-19 exposure, study suggests
Reading Time: 4 minutesMANY ventilation systems may increase risk of COVID-19 exposure, study suggests Ventilation systems in many modern office buildings, which are designed to keep temperatures comfortable and increase energy efficiency, may increase the risk of exposure to the coronavirus, particularly during the coming winter, according to research published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics. A team from […]