scholarly journals Early transmission of COVID-19 has an optimal temperature but late transmission decreases in warm climate

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
xinru wan ◽  
Chaoyuan Cheng ◽  
zhibin zhang
Keyword(s):  
Population Size ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Confounding Factors ◽  
Human Intervention ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The World ◽  
Space Data ◽  
Transmission Ability

The COVID-19 novel virus, as an emerging highly pathogenic agent, has caused a pandemic. Revealing the influencing factors affecting transmission of COVID-19 is essential to take effective control measures. Several previous studies suggested that the spread of COVID-19 was likely associated with temperature and/or humidity. But, a recent extensive review indicated that conclusions on associations between climate and COVID-19 were elusive with high uncertainty due to caveats in most previous studies, such as limitations in time and space, data quality and confounding factors. In this study, by using a more extensive global dataset covering 578 time series from China, USA, Europe and the rest of the world, we show that climate show distinct impacts on early and late transmission of COVID-19 in the world after excluding the confounding factors. The early transmission ability of COVID-19 peaked around 6.3°C without or with little human intervention, but the later transmission ability was reduced in high temperature conditions under human intervention, probably driven by increased control efficiency of COVID-19. The transmission ability was positively associated with the founding population size of early reported cases and population size of a location. Our study suggested that with the coming summer seasons, the transmission risk of COVID-19 would increase in the high-latitude or high-altitude regions but decrease in low-latitude or low-altitude regions; human intervention is essential in containing the spread of COVID-19 around the world.

Characterizing the effectiveness of COVID-19 mitigation measures: A data-centric approach (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukman Olagoke ◽  
Ahmet E. Topcu
Keyword(s):  
Control Measure ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
The World ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND COVID-19 represents a serious threat to both national health and economic systems. To curb this pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a series of COVID-19 public safety guidelines. Different countries around the world initiated different measures in line with the WHO guidelines to mitigate and investigate the spread of COVID-19 in their territories. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of these control measures using a data-centric approach. METHODS We begin with a simple text analysis of coronavirus-related articles and show that reports on similar outbreaks in the past strongly proposed similar control measures. This reaffirms the fact that these control measures are in order. Subsequently, we propose a simple performance statistic that quantifies general performance and performance under the different measures that were initiated. A density based clustering of based on performance statistic was carried out to group countries based on performance. RESULTS The performance statistic helps evaluate quantitatively the impact of COVID-19 control measures. Countries tend show variability in performance under different control measures. The performance statistic has negative correlation with cases of death which is a useful characteristics for COVID-19 control measure performance analysis. A web-based time-line visualization that enables comparison of performances and cases across continents and subregions is presented. CONCLUSIONS The performance metric is relevant for the analysis of the impact of COVID-19 control measures. This can help caregivers and policymakers identify effective control measures and reduce cases of death due to COVID-19. The interactive web visualizer provides easily digested and quick feedback to augment decision-making processes in the COVID-19 response measures evaluation. CLINICALTRIAL Not Applicable

scholarly journals Epidemiological perspectives of COVID-19 in Telangana and India: a descriptive study design

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1817
Author(s):  
Amruta Barhate ◽  
Prakash Bhatia
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
The World ◽  
To Come ◽  
Second Wave

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world to come to a standstill. What started as on 16th March 2020, as 114 confirmed cases of COVID‑19 in the country has now reached worrisome figures. The latest world scenario as per WHO as on 30th November, 2020 is as under-World data: 62,509,444 cases, deaths: 1,458,782; USA: 13,082,877 cases, deaths: 263,946; India: 9,431,691 cases, deaths 137, 139. It is evident that worldwide India is number two in case load and there’s no reason to prevent India from becoming number one unless appropriate corrective steps are taken.Methods: The present study has looked into various data sources available in public domain. The study covered a period of almost nine months i.e., from March 2020 to November 2020. The study revealed a steady increase in the number of COVID-19 cases from March 2020 with peak of pandemic occurring in the mid of September and then a steady decline of cases from October.Results: The data analysis shows that after peaking of cases in September, the epidemic will decline in a phased manner by the end of March 2021. Even though there is a decline seen from the month of October, spike of COVID-19 cases was seen in November in some of the states of India. Therefore, we can’t deny the possibility of a second wave of pandemic to occur in the month of December 2020 and January 2021.Conclusions: Hence appropriate and strict control measures have to be put in place for effective control of the Pandemic and its resurgence.

scholarly journals Alternate primers for whole-genome SARS-CoV-2 sequencing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Cotten ◽  
Dan Lule Bugembe ◽  
Pontiano Kaleebu ◽  
My V T Phan
Keyword(s):  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Information Content ◽  
Genome Sequence ◽  
Virus Genome ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
The World

Abstract As the world is struggling to control the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there is an urgency to develop effective control measures. Essential information is encoded in the virus genome sequence with accurate and complete SARS-CoV-2 sequences essential for tracking the movement and evolution of the virus and for guiding efforts to develop vaccines and antiviral drugs. While there is unprecedented SARS-CoV-2 sequencing efforts globally, approximately 19 to 43% of the genomes generated monthly are gapped, reducing their information content. The current study documents the genome gap frequencies and their positions in the currently available data and provides an alternative primer set and a sequencing scheme to help improve the quality and coverage of the genomes.

scholarly journals ORGANIZATION OF STATE CONTROL FUNCTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL FINANCES: INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

2019 ◽  
pp. 128-141
Author(s):  
I. V. Karikh ◽  
V. V. Myrgorod-Karpova
Keyword(s):  
International Finance ◽  
The State ◽  
Financial Assistance ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Financial Control ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Foreign Experience ◽  
Form Of Government ◽  
The World

Most countries in the world are building a state system of financial control and control over international finances, taking into account the fundamental principles laid down in international legal sources and on the basis of world experience. The realization of the task of ensuring sustainable economic, social and political development of Ukraine requires further investigation of the problems of establishing effective control over international finances and initiating the reform process in this field, which can become a key element in the complex systemic transformations in the financial sphere and the construction of a new financial system of the state. We believe that Ukraine should look for the most important challenges of today, drawing on international experience in this field, with a view to its further use. The importance and importance of using foreign experience is also closely linked to the process of state integration into the world community and the implementation of international practice of financial control. Therefore, it is crucial for Ukraine to study foreign experience of financial control and to borrow appropriate experience in this field in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the domestic financial control system. It should be noted that the global practice in the field of financial control is extremely voluminous and multifaceted, it has different approaches to the organization and implementation of control measures, most of which have been validated over time. N. Lazareva and GV Dmitrenko point out that the choice of a particular model is based on the relevant factors: the state of democratic development of society and the level of construction of civil society, the specifics of the distribution of powers between branches of government, the normalized form of government, historically accepted in the state form of government, historically the way of development of statehood and development of institute of financial control [2, p. 68; 3, p. 22]. Most countries in the world have gone a long way in finding ways to develop and build financial control. The highest financial control authorities in most countries of the world have endured a long period of searching for their effective functioning and implementation of really effective control measures. For example, the National Audit Office of Great Britain was formed in 1120, the Regular Audit Organization of Belgium - 1386, the General Chamber of Prussia - 1714, the Main Accountancy Chamber of the Principality of Warsaw - 1808, etc. [4, p. 127]. Such bodies were far from the current vision of public authorities in the area of financial control. However, they have become the prototype of the current institutions, with a defined range of tasks, functions, powers and goals for their implementation. Given the challenges and needs of today, the powers of such institutions and bodies have been expanded to control the cash provided or received in the form of international financial assistance. Unfortunately, historically Ukraine has been deprived of the possibility of gradually building state institutions in this area. Gaining independence in 1991 put the country in a position to address key challenges to economic development and the effective functioning of public authorities and government. Considering this fact, we consider that foreign experience in any sphere for Ukraine is the most valuable source of solving urgent problems, including the borrowing of the world practice of organization of financial control, control in the sphere of international finances and proper regulatory fixing of such mechanism. Keywords: international finance, international financial assistance, control over international finance in Ukraine.

scholarly journals Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission Risk Assessment for Farmed Cervids in Minnesota and Wisconsin

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1586
Author(s):  
James M. Kincheloe ◽  
Dennis N. Makau ◽  
Scott J. Wells ◽  
Amy R. Horn-Delzer
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Chronic Wasting Disease ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Wasting Disease ◽  
Qualitative Risk Assessment ◽  
Low Uncertainty ◽  
High Uncertainty

CWD (chronic wasting disease) has emerged as one of the most important diseases of cervids and continues to adversely affect farmed and wild cervid populations, despite control and preventive measures. This study aims to use the current scientific understanding of CWD transmission and knowledge of farmed cervid operations to conduct a qualitative risk assessment for CWD transmission to cervid farms and, applying this risk assessment, systematically describe the CWD transmission risks experienced by CWD-positive farmed cervid operations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. A systematic review of literature related to CWD transmission informed our criteria to stratify CWD transmission risks to cervid operations into high-risk low uncertainty, moderate-risk high uncertainty, and negligible-risk low uncertainty categories. Case data from 34 CWD-positive farmed cervid operations in Minnesota and Wisconsin from 2002 to January 2019 were categorized by transmission risks exposure and evaluated for trends. The majority of case farms recorded high transmission risks (56%), which were likely sources of CWD, but many (44%) had only moderate or negligible transmission risks, including most of the herds (62%) detected since 2012. The presence of CWD-positive cervid farms with only moderate or low CWD transmission risks necessitates further investigation of these risks to inform effective control measures.

scholarly journals A simple model to assess Wuhan lock-down effect and region efforts during COVID-19 epidemic in China Mainland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheming Yuan ◽  
Yi Xiao ◽  
Zhijun Dai ◽  
Jianjun Huang ◽  
Yuan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Government ◽  
Lower Transmission ◽  
China Mainland ◽  
Transmission Ability ◽  
At Home

AbstractSince COVID-19 emerged in early December, 2019 in Wuhan and swept across China Mainland, a series of large-scale public health interventions, especially Wuhan lock-down combined with nationwide traffic restrictions and Stay At Home Movement, have been taken by the government to control the epidemic. Based on Baidu Migration data and the confirmed cases data, we identified two key factors affecting the later (e.g February 27, 2020) cumulative confirmed cases in non-Wuhan region (y). One is the sum travelers from Wuhan during January 20 to January 26 (x1), which had higher infected probability but lower transmission ability because the human-to-human transmission risk of COVID-19 was confirmed and announced on January 20. The other is the “seed cases” from Wuhan before January 19, which had higher transmission ability and could be represented with the confirmed cases before January 29 (x2) due to a mean 10-day delay between infection and detection. A simple yet effective regression model then was established as follow: y= 70.0916+0.0054×x1+2.3455×x2 (n = 44, R2 = 0.9330, P<10−7). Even the lock-down date only delay or in advance 3 days, the estimated confirmed cases by February 27 in non-Wuhan region will increase 35.21% or reduce 30.74% - 48.59%. Although the above interventions greatly reduced the human mobility, Wuhan lock-down combined with nationwide traffic restrictions and Stay At Home Movement do have a determining effect on the ongoing spread of COVID-19 across China Mainland. The strategy adopted by China has changed the fast-rising curve of newly diagnosed cases, the international community should learn from lessons of Wuhan and experience from China. Efforts of 29 Provinces and 44 prefecture-level cities against COVID-19 were also assessed preliminarily according to the interpretive model. Big data has played and will continue playing an important role in public health.

scholarly journals Alternate primers for whole-genome SARS-CoV-2 sequencing

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Cotten ◽  
Dan Lule Bugembe ◽  
Pontiano Kaleebu ◽  
My V.T. Phan
Keyword(s):  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Information Content ◽  
Genome Sequence ◽  
Virus Genome ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
The World

AbstractAs the world is struggling to control the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there is an urgency to develop effective control measures. Essential information is encoded in the virus genome sequence with accurate and complete SARS-CoV-2 sequences essential for tracking the movement and evolution of the virus and for guiding efforts to develop vaccines and antiviral drugs. While there is unprecedented SARS-CoV-2 sequencing efforts globally, approximately 19 to 43% of the genomes generated monthly are gapped, reducing their information content. The current study documents the genome gap frequencies and their positions in the currently available data and provides an alternative primer set and a sequencing scheme to help improve the quality and coverage of the genomes.

scholarly journals Origin and Molecular Evolution of the Determinant of Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococci

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 4352-4359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sae Tsubakishita ◽  
Kyoko Kuwahara-Arai ◽  
Takashi Sasaki ◽  
Keiichi Hiramatsu
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Genetic Element ◽  
Common Ancestor ◽  
Chromosomal Region ◽  
Methicillin Resistance ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Commensal Bacterium ◽  
The World ◽  
Probable Origin

ABSTRACT Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important multidrug-resistant pathogens around the world. MRSA is generated when methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) exogenously acquires a methicillin resistance gene, mecA, carried by a mobile genetic element, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), which is speculated to be transmissible across staphylococcal species. However, the origin/reservoir of the mecA gene has remained unclear. Finding the origin/reservoir of the mecA gene is important for understanding the evolution of MRSA. Moreover, it may contribute to more effective control measures for MRSA. Here we report on one of the animal-related Staphylococcus species, S. fleurettii, as the highly probable origin of the mecA gene. The mecA gene of S. fleurettii was found on the chromosome linked with the essential genes for the growth of staphylococci and was not associated with SCCmec. The mecA locus of the S. fleurettii chromosome has a sequence practically identical to that of the mecA-containing region (∼12 kbp long) of SCCmec. Furthermore, by analyzing the corresponding gene loci (over 20 kbp in size) of S. sciuri and S. vitulinus, which evolved from a common ancestor with that of S. fleurettii, the speciation-related mecA gene homologues were identified, indicating that mecA of S. fleurettii descended from its ancestor and was not recently acquired. It is speculated that SCCmec came into form by adopting the S. fleurettii mecA gene and its surrounding chromosomal region. Our finding suggests that SCCmec was generated in Staphylococcus cells living in animals by acquiring the intrinsic mecA region of S. fleurettii, which is a commensal bacterium of animals.

scholarly journals COVID-19 in the Eyes of Community Leaders in Selected Rural Districts in Eastern Uganda

2021 ◽  
pp. 20-37
Author(s):  
Abdul Walusansa ◽  
Jacob S. Iramiot ◽  
Joseph L. Mpagi ◽  
Ali Kudamba ◽  
Shaban A. Okurut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virus Disease ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Community Leaders ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Rural Settings ◽  
The World ◽  
Knowledge Levels ◽  
Eastern Uganda

Introduction: Corona virus disease (COVID-19) is one of the topmost global hindrances to human existence. Rural settings have been reported to be more vulnerable in some parts of the world. In Uganda, community leaders in rural villages are among the immediate personnel mandated to support compliance with preventive guidelines, and to identify and report/deliver COVID-19 cases to health units. We examined the potential risks of COVID-19 transmission, knowledge levels, perceptions and opinions of Village Council Leaders (VCLs) in selected districts in Eastern Uganda, to support the design of risk-based COVID-19 control measures in rural settings, to protect lives better. Methodology: A convenience sample of ten VLCs were purposively selected in three districts in Eastern Uganda. Pretested questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to assess the knowledge levels, perceptions, and opinions of respondents about COVID-19. An observational survey was also conducted to examine the barriers to effective control of COVID-19, with reference to health guidelines set by the Ugandan government and the World Health Organization. Data was analyzed using HyperRESEARCH 2.8 software, and STATA version-15.0. Results: Eighty percent of VCLs reported that they were formally engaged in the fight against COVID-19, and the common means of engagement were; dissemination of COVID-19 information by word of mouth, regulation of public events, and monitoring of visitors that come from distant places. All clients reported having received some information about this pandemic, but there was generally low knowledge on some vital aspects: 70% of the respondents did not know the meaning of COVID-19; 100% were uninformed on these common symptoms; headache, sore throat, nausea, and loss of taste & smell; 10% did not know if willingness to conform to health guidelines may affect COVID-19 prevention, and they believed that domestic animals are viable vectors. Radio was the commonest source of COVID-19 information, but it was confounded by poor quality of radio-signals. Most respondents were of the view that in the communities they lead; inaccessibility to authentic health information, financial constraints, and belief that COVID-19 is a fallacy, were some of the leading obstacles to the fight against the pandemic. Low awareness and misconceptions on COVID-19 could be explained by; technological challenges, low literacy levels, and dissemination of wrong information about this pandemic. From the observational survey, the major factors which might intensify the risk of COVID-19 spread were: scarcity of requirements for hand hygiene, face protection, violation of health guidelines and directives, porous borders, terrain, and use of potentially polluted open water sources. Conclusion: Communities in Eastern Uganda are vulnerable to the drastic spread of COVID-19 due to challenges related to: low awareness, poor compliance with preventive guidelines, finances, technology, terrain, illiteracy, scarcity of protective wear and hygiene resources. Awareness creation, material aid, execution of preventive rules, and more research on COVID-19 are warranted.

scholarly journals Hydatid disease – still a global problem

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marshall Lightowlers ◽  
David Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Hydatid Disease ◽  
Cystic Echinococcosis ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Limited Success ◽  
The World ◽  
Human Infections

Hydatid disease (cystic echinococcosis) remains highly prevalent and a serious cause of human morbidity and mortality in many parts of the world. While there are some regions where the disease has been controlled, most efforts to control transmission of the parasite have had limited success. Recent genetic data indicates that Echinococcus granulosus, which was formally thought to be a single species, comprises a number of distinct species. The vast majority of human infections are caused by the most common genotype which is generally transmitted by sheep and goats. Renewed hope for effective control of the parasite’s transmission has followed the development of the EG95 vaccine that can be used to reduce infection levels in livestock animals thereby reducing the reliance of control measures on interventions in dogs.

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