scholarly journals Effect of Lockdown,Temperature,and Humidity on the Pattern of COVID-19 in Erbil Province,Kurdistan Region, Iraq

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-67
Author(s):  
Rundk Hwaiz ◽  
◽  
Katan Ali ◽  
Namir Al-Tawil
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Death Rate ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Temperature And Humidity ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Background: COVID-19 was first reported in Erbil province in Iraq on March 19, 2020. The effect of lockdown on reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus and the effect of weather conditions (air temperature and humidity) on the daily reported number of cases and death rate of COVID-19 were investigated during April to July, 2020. Objective: To investigate the effect of lock down on reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic and the effect of weather conditions (air temperature and humidity) on the daily reported number of cases and death rate of COVID-19. Patients and Methods: The data collected during three different periods, the first (total lockdown), followed by the second period of lockdown relaxation, which was followed by the third period (interrupted relaxation of lockdown) that reported hundreds of new cases daily. The real-time PCR .assay was performed on suspected COVID-19 patients according to the protocol established by the World Health Organization. Results: Temperature and relative humidity were recorded in Erbil city in Iraq. Patients’ age ranged (2-70) years old. Out of (1469) patients confirmed positive with COVID-19, 57.7% of them were males, 31.3% were females, and the rest (11%) were children. The mean number of patients per day was 32.77 during the period of interrupted relaxation lockdown which was significantly higher than in the total-lock down period (3.88 patient), and the relaxation lockdown period (1.93 patient). The mortality rate per day was 0.77 during the period of interrupted relaxation lockdown was significantly higher than the rates (0.0%) of the other periods. Moreover, increasing the temperature increased the number of confirmed cases in July while, low relative humidity significantly increased the rate of reported cases. Conclusion: The increase in the number of reported cases of COVID-19, might be related to the interruption of lockdown. Moreover, the daily reported cases and mortality rates increased by increasing the temperature from April to June.

scholarly journals Perspectives on COVID-19 therapies: conflicts and consensus

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. e85997019
Author(s):  
Kaline Romeiro ◽  
Régida Cléa da Silva Batista ◽  
Luciana Gominho ◽  
Caio Vinícius Batista de Arruda ◽  
Antonio Carlos Moura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
World Health ◽  
Viral Diseases ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Persistent Fever ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
The Family ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

The chronology of COVID-19 infections shows us that the first cases were reported in December 2019. A number of patients were admitted to hospitals with a respiratory disease of an unknown etiology in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The patients presented symptoms such as coughing, persistent fever, sore throat and pneumonia. The respiratory infection situation got worse rapidly and had a very fast spread. Soon after, it was reported that the causing agent of the disease had been confirmed as the novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which belongs to the subfamily Orthocoronavirinae, of the family Coronaviridae in the order Nidovirales. On January 7, 2020, the disease was named as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO). Chloroquine (CQ), Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), Remdesivir, Heparin, Convalescent Plasma, Corticosteroid, Anticoagulants, Lopinavir, Ritonavir, Ivermectin and Nitazoxanide are some of the drugs on the market that are being tested to combat COVID-19. The purpose of this literature review is to analyze studies regarding the healing potential of these drugs for COVID-19.  Some researchers about the effectiveness of these medications, the success rate on viral diseases and its action potential by different mechanisms. Thus, given the researches analyzed in this study, it was evident for most authors that these drugs are promising treatments for COVID-19, while the vaccine is not manufactured and available.

scholarly journals Potential of CRISPR/Cas13 System in Treatment and Diagnosis of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Khodavirdipour ◽  
Motahareh Piri ◽  
Sarvin Jabbari ◽  
Mohammad Khalaj-kondori
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tool ◽  
Human Kidney ◽  
World Health ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Rapid Action ◽  
Antiparasitic Drug ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Treatment And Diagnosis

AbstractThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) belongs to coronaviridae families, like sarbecovirus (SARS), and causes pyrexia, pertussis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in major. Started from Wuhan, China now forced the World Health Organization (WHO) to call it a pandemic. These dreadful figures elevate the need for rapid action for a rapid diagnostic tool, an efficacious therapy, or vaccine for such widespread disease. Here we reviewed all the latest research and trials including conventional antiviral medicines that have a narrow and finite effect on COVID-19. Recently, some advances have been made by a nucleotide/nucleoside analogues (NUC) inhibitor (remdesivir), ivermectin (antiparasitic drug), and convalescent plasma, the later one has more recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition, a clinical-grade soluble human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2), named hrsACE2, was able to inhibit the infection of human blood vessel organoids, as well as the human kidney organoids, by the virus. As of now, innovative therapeutics based on the CRISPR/Cas13d might overcome the challenge of COVID-19 either as a treatment option or precise and rapid diagnostic tool due to its rapid and precise nature. In this updated comprehensive rapid review, we try to cover all recent findings in terms of genomics, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

scholarly journals Viability of Bacillus subtilis Cells in Airborne Bioaerosols on Face Masks

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1496
Author(s):  
Eun-Hee Lee ◽  
Yunsoo Chang ◽  
Seung-Woo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Fine Dust ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Viable Cells ◽  
Mask Material ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Sand Dust

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a general health crisis and has irreversible impacts on human societies. Globally, all people are at risk of being exposed to the novel coronavirus through transmission of airborne bioaerosols. Public health actions, such as wearing a mask, are highly recommended to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases. The appropriate use of masks is necessary for effectively preventing the transmission of airborne bioaerosols. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests washing fabric masks or throwing away disposable masks after they are used. However, people often use masks more than once without washing or disposing them. The prolonged use of a single mask might—as a result of the user habitually touching the mask—promote the spread of pathogens from airborne bioaerosols that have accumulated on the mask. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate how long the living components of bioaerosols can be viable on the masks. Here, we evaluated the viability of airborne Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) in bioaerosols filtered on woven and anti-droplet (non-woven) face masks. As a simulation of being simultaneously exposed to sand dust and bioaerosols, the viability rates of bioaerosols that had accumulated on masks were also tested against fine dust and airborne droplets containing bacteria. The bioaerosols survived on the masks immediately after the masks were used to filter the bioaerosols, and the bacteria significantly proliferated after one day of storage. Thereafter, the number of viable cells in the filtered bioaerosols gradually decreased over time, and the viability of B. subtilis in bioaerosols on the masks varied, depending on the mask material used (woven or non-woven). Despite the reduction in viability, bioaerosols containing living components were still found in both woven and anti-droplet masks even after six days of storage and it took nine days not to have found them on masks. The number of viable cells in bioaerosols on masks significantly decreased upon exposure of the masks to fine dust. The results of this study should provide useful information on how to appropriately use masks to increase their duration of effectiveness against bioaerosols.

scholarly journals A Bittersweet Memoir

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-135
Author(s):  
Anita Y. N. Lim
Keyword(s):  
Video Clip ◽  
Early Period ◽  
General Medicine ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
The Novel ◽  
National University ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract I wrote this journal in March 2020 prior to the World Health Organization declaring the COVID-19 infection as a worldwide pandemic on March 11. The situation in Singapore was unfolding even as public healthcare institutions were tasked to lead the charge to contain the novel coronavirus as it was then called. This journal describes my experiences and impressions during my work in an isolation ward at the National University Hospital during this early period. I was to be catapulted into Pandemic Team 3 in the second and third weeks of February 2020. The urgency of hospital measures to respond to the novel coronavirus meant that the general medicine consultant roster which I was on was hijacked to support the pandemic wards. I thought wryly to myself that it was a stroke of genius to commandeer the ready-made roster of senior physicians; it would have been difficult for the roster monster to solicit senior physicians to volunteer when there were still so many unknowns about this virus. Graphic images of the dire situation in Wuhan, China, were circulating widely on social media. It was heart-wrenching to read of Dr. Li Wen Liang’s death. He had highlighted the mysterious pneumonia-causing virus. The video clip of him singing at a karaoke session that went viral underscored the tragedy of a young life cut short. Questions raced in my mind. “Are we helpless to prevent the spread of this virus?” “Is the situation in China to be replicated here in Singapore?” This seemed incredulous, yet, might it be possible? The immediate responses that jumped up within me was “yes, it’s possible, but let’s pray not. Whatever has to be done, must be done.”

scholarly journals Cutaneous presentation of COVID-19 Case Report

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 01-02
Author(s):  
Khadiga Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Scientific Journals ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Spread ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Recent Attention

COVID-19 has high transmissibility and infectivity among human. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) in an effort to slow down the global spread of the virus declared the outbreak, “A global public health emergency of international concern". The skin manifestations of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 were not recognized at the early stages of the pandemic but have received much recent attention in scientific journals. Reported manifestations range from pseudo-chilblains to a morbilliform (measles-like) exanthem, urticaria, vesicular eruptions, a dengue-like petechial rash and ovate scaling macules, and plaques mimicking pityriasis rosea.

A Qualitative Comparison of the Covex Respirator with Face Shield Versus the N95 Respirator

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reid Mimmack ◽  
Elijah Germo ◽  
Garrett Augustine ◽  
Kumar Belani
Keyword(s):  
Filtration Efficiency ◽  
Current Medical ◽  
Pass Rate ◽  
World Health ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Qualitative Comparison ◽  
Medical Standard ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a worldwide pandemic. The pandemic led to concerns of shortages regarding healthcare-related resources, including personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators, and more. The uniquely designed COVEX respirator with face shield was engineered and manufactured by Augustine Surgical, Inc. to combat the PPE shortage. The novel COVEX mask is an “all-in-one” face shield and filter with a Viral Filtration Efficiency (VFE) greater than 99%. A standard respirator qualitative fit test was completed on the COVEX respirator as well as the current medical standard 3M N95 respirator. Fit test studies comparing the two masks yielded similar outcomes. The COVEX respirator had a qualitative fit test pass rate of 96.6% and the 3M N95 respirator had a pass rate of 93.3% (n=30). Participants also reported other variables comparing the comfort and fit of each mask, which is described further in the discussion. The COVEX respirator with face shield passed a standardized qualitative fit test at a rate similar to the current medical standard N95 respirator. Our results suggest that the COVEX mask may be a viable PPE option in the future.

scholarly journals Emergency Radiology During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Canadian Association of Radiologists Recommendations for Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ciaran E. Redmond ◽  
Savvas Nicolaou ◽  
Ferco H. Berger ◽  
Adnan M. Sheikh ◽  
Michael N. Patlas
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Radiology ◽  
World Health ◽  
Guidance Document ◽  
Emergency Setting ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Canadian Association ◽  
Imaging Service ◽  
Emergency Imaging ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus officially named the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented challenge to emergency radiology practice. The continuity of an effective emergency imaging service for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients is essential, while adhering to best infection control practices. Under the direction of the Board of the Canadian Association of Radiologists, this general guidance document has been synthesized by collaborative consensus of a group of emergency radiologists. These recommendations aim to assist radiologists involved in emergency diagnostic imaging to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and continue to add value to patient care in the emergency setting.

scholarly journals COVID-19: update of the Italian situation

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 834-837
Author(s):  
Carla Prezioso ◽  
Valeria Pietropaolo
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Northern Regions ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Restrictive Measures ◽  
Italian Territory

AbstractOn the March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic. The first cases in Italy were reported on January 30, 2020, and quickly the number of cases escalated. On March 20, 2020, according to the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) and National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), the peak of COVID-19 cases reported in Italy reached the highest number, surpassing those in China. The Italian government endorsed progressively restrictive measures initially at the local level, and finally, at the national level with a lockdown of the entire Italian territory up to 3 May 2020. The complete Italian territory closing slowed down the contagion. This review retraces the main numbers of the pandemic in Italy. Although in decline, the new reported cases remain high in the northern regions. Since drugs or vaccines are still not available, the described framework highlights the importance of the containment measures to be able to quickly identify all the potential transmission hotspots and keep control subsequent epidemic waves of COVID-19.

scholarly journals The Online Education Mode and Reopening Plans for Chinese Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mini Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuanzhen Cen ◽  
Dong Sun ◽  
Ming Rong ◽  
Gusztáv Fekete ◽  
Julien S. Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
World Health ◽  
Classroom Teaching ◽  
Full Time ◽  
The Novel ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
And Control

Recently, an unprecedented coronavirus pandemic has emerged and has spread around the world. The novel coronavirus termed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization has posed a huge threat to human safety and social development. This mini review aimed to summarize the online education mode and plans for schools to resume full-time campus study in China during COVID-19. Chinese schools have made significant contributions to the prevention and control of the transmission of COVID-19 by adopting online learning from home. However, normal opening and classroom teaching have been affected. For education systems at all levels, online education may be an effective way to make up for the lack of classroom teaching during the epidemic. To protect staff and students from COVID-19, the timing of students returning to full-time campus study needs to be considered carefully. Reviewing and summarizing of the Chinese education system's response to the virus would be of great value not only in developing educational policy but also in guiding other countries to formulate educational countermeasures.

scholarly journals An atypical case: RT-PCR-negative, sero-positive covid-19 patient

Pneumologia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-114
Author(s):  
William Suriady ◽  
Andika Chandra Putra ◽  
Wiwien Heru Wiyono ◽  
Mohammad Fahmi Alatas ◽  
Bettia Bermawi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
False Negative ◽  
Severe Pneumonia ◽  
World Health ◽  
Diagnostic Process ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Atypical Case ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract The novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a public health emergency of international concern. The first confirmed COVID-19 case in Indonesia was announced on 2 March 2020, and later on, 11,192 confirmed cases were reported as of 3 May. The World Health Organization has stated that performing a real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) specific for SARS-CoV-2 on specimens from the upper and the lower respiratory tracts, especially nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, is the standard diagnostic procedure for COVID-19. In Indonesia, we also use other diagnostic tests, such as rapid antibody tests specific for SARS-CoV-2. Herein, we report an atypical case of COVID-19 and describe the diagnostic process, the clinical course, with progression to severe pneumonia on Week 3 of illness and the case management. We also try to highlight the possibility of false-negative RT-PCR tests.

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