September 24, 2020
Yesterday, Harrison County reported 8 new cases, Gregg 7, and Smith County 22.
From Johns Hopkins:
1. WEDDING RECEPTION OUTBREAK An August wedding in Maine has been linked to more than 175 associated cases and 8 deaths, including many who did not attend the wedding. Notably, none of the associated deaths attended the wedding. Six of the 8 deaths were residents of a nearby long-term care facility, where an employee who lives with someone who attended the wedding is believed to have introduced the virus. Associated cases have been identified in multiple long-term care facilities and the county jail. The outbreak at the jail has been attributed to an employee who attended the wedding, and it has resulted in at least 84 cases, including nearly half of the incarcerated population and employees as well as 17 household contacts of employees.
The wedding reportedly had 62-65 attendees and an indoor ceremony and reception, which violated the state prohibition on gatherings of more than 50 people, and attendees reportedly did not adhere to recommendations regarding physical distancing or mask use. All attendees had their temperatures checked before entering; however, this failed to identify infectious individuals. The Maine CDC issued an “imminent health hazard” citation to the event facility where the reception was held for failing to maintain social distancing measures, allowing too many people to congregate, and neglecting to collect contact information from wedding guests. The facility reportedly suspended all operations due to the outbreak. This case study highlights the potential for transmission at individual events to spill over into the community as well as the limitations of temperature or symptom monitoring to identify infectious individuals.(J. Harris: This could happen tomorrow at any site in the US. Good tracking and testing made the situation informative — as well as frightening. The contagiousness of the virus is still as prevalent as it was in August. So, space out, avoid crowds, and wear your mask.)
2. Long-term hydroxychloroquine use in patients with rheumatic conditions and development of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a retrospective cohort study
From The Atlantic:The Core Lesson of the COVID-19 Heart Debate (The Atlantic) Autopsies have found traces of the coronavirus’s genetic material in the heart, and actual viral particles within the heart’s muscle cells. Experiments have found that SARS-CoV-2 can destroy lab-grown versions of those cells. Several studies have now shown that roughly 10 to 30 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had high levels of troponin—a protein released into the blood when the heart’s muscle cells are damaged. Such patients are more likely to die than others with no signs of heart injury.
Massive genetic study shows coronavirus mutating and potentially evolving amid rapid U.S. spread
“…The new report, however, did not find that these mutations have made the virus deadlier or changed clinical outcomes. All viruses accumulate genetic mutations, and most are insignificant, scientists say. The new report, however, did not find that these mutations have made the virus deadlier or changed clinical outcomes. All viruses accumulate genetic mutations, and most are insignificant, scientists say…. A larger batch of sequences was published earlier this month by scientists in the United Kingdom, and, like the Houston study, concluded that a mutation that changes the structure of the “spike protein” on the surface of the virus may be driving the outsized spread of that particular strain…“Although we don’t know yet, it is well within the realm of possibility that this coronavirus, when our population-level immunity gets high enough, this coronavirus will find a way to get around our immunity,….If that happened, we’d be in the same situation as with flu. We’ll have to chase the virus and, as it mutates, we’ll have to tinker with our vaccine.”The genetic data show the virus arrived in Houston many separate times, presumably at first by air travel. Notably, 71 percent of the viruses that arrived initially were characterized by a now famous mutation, which appears to have first originated in China, that scientists increasingly suspect may give the virus a biological advantage in how it spreads. It is called D614G, referring to the substitution of an amino acid called aspartic acid (D) for one called glycine (G) in a region of the genome that encodes the spike protein…’
Yesterday, Harrison County reported 8 new cases, Gregg 7, and Smith County 22. From Johns Hopkins:1. WEDDING RECEPTION OUTBREAK An August wedding in Maine has been linked to more than 175 associated cases and 8 deaths, including many who did not attend the wedding. Notably, none of the associated deaths attended the wedding. Six of the 8 deaths were residents of a nearby long-term care facility, where an employee who lives with someone who attended the wedding is believed to have introduced the virus. Associated cases have been identified in multiple long-term care facilities and the county jail. The outbreak at the jail has been attributed to an employee who attended the wedding, and it has resulted in at least 84 cases, including nearly half of the incarcerated population and employees as well as 17 household contacts of employees.
The wedding reportedly had 62-65 attendees and an indoor ceremony and reception, which violated the state prohibition on gatherings of more than 50 people, and attendees reportedly did not adhere to recommendations regarding physical distancing or mask use. All attendees had their temperatures checked before entering; however, this failed to identify infectious individuals. The Maine CDC issued an “imminent health hazard” citation to the event facility where the reception was held for failing to maintain social distancing measures, allowing too many people to congregate, and neglecting to collect contact information from wedding guests. The facility reportedly suspended all operations due to the outbreak. This case study highlights the potential for transmission at individual events to spill over into the community as well as the limitations of temperature or symptom monitoring to identify infectious individuals.(J. Harris: This could happen tomorrow at any site in the US. Good tracking and testing made the situation informative — as well as frightening. The contagiousness of the virus is still as prevalent as it was in August. So, space out, avoid crowds, and wear your mask.)
2. Long-term hydroxychloroquine use in patients with rheumatic conditions and development of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a retrospective cohort study
From The Atlantic:The Core Lesson of the COVID-19 Heart Debate (The Atlantic) Autopsies have found traces of the coronavirus’s genetic material in the heart, and actual viral particles within the heart’s muscle cells. Experiments have found that SARS-CoV-2 can destroy lab-grown versions of those cells. Several studies have now shown that roughly 10 to 30 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had high levels of troponin—a protein released into the blood when the heart’s muscle cells are damaged. Such patients are more likely to die than others with no signs of heart injury.
Massive genetic study shows coronavirus mutating and potentially evolving amid rapid U.S. spread
“…The new report, however, did not find that these mutations have made the virus deadlier or changed clinical outcomes. All viruses accumulate genetic mutations, and most are insignificant, scientists say. The new report, however, did not find that these mutations have made the virus deadlier or changed clinical outcomes. All viruses accumulate genetic mutations, and most are insignificant, scientists say…. A larger batch of sequences was published earlier this month by scientists in the United Kingdom, and, like the Houston study, concluded that a mutation that changes the structure of the “spike protein” on the surface of the virus may be driving the outsized spread of that particular strain…“Although we don’t know yet, it is well within the realm of possibility that this coronavirus, when our population-level immunity gets high enough, this coronavirus will find a way to get around our immunity,….If that happened, we’d be in the same situation as with flu. We’ll have to chase the virus and, as it mutates, we’ll have to tinker with our vaccine.”The genetic data show the virus arrived in Houston many separate times, presumably at first by air travel. Notably, 71 percent of the viruses that arrived initially were characterized by a now famous mutation, which appears to have first originated in China, that scientists increasingly suspect may give the virus a biological advantage in how it spreads. It is called D614G, referring to the substitution of an amino acid called aspartic acid (D) for one called glycine (G) in a region of the genome that encodes the spike protein…’
Yesterday, Harrison County reported 8 new cases, Gregg 7, and Smith County 22. From Johns Hopkins:1. WEDDING RECEPTION OUTBREAK An August wedding in Maine has been linked to more than 175 associated cases and 8 deaths, including many who did not attend the wedding. Notably, none of the associated deaths attended the wedding. Six of the 8 deaths were residents of a nearby long-term care facility, where an employee who lives with someone who attended the wedding is believed to have introduced the virus. Associated cases have been identified in multiple long-term care facilities and the county jail. The outbreak at the jail has been attributed to an employee who attended the wedding, and it has resulted in at least 84 cases, including nearly half of the incarcerated population and employees as well as 17 household contacts of employees.
The wedding reportedly had 62-65 attendees and an indoor ceremony and reception, which violated the state prohibition on gatherings of more than 50 people, and attendees reportedly did not adhere to recommendations regarding physical distancing or mask use. All attendees had their temperatures checked before entering; however, this failed to identify infectious individuals. The Maine CDC issued an “imminent health hazard” citation to the event facility where the reception was held for failing to maintain social distancing measures, allowing too many people to congregate, and neglecting to collect contact information from wedding guests. The facility reportedly suspended all operations due to the outbreak. This case study highlights the potential for transmission at individual events to spill over into the community as well as the limitations of temperature or symptom monitoring to identify infectious individuals.(J. Harris: This could happen tomorrow at any site in the US. Good tracking and testing made the situation informative — as well as frightening. The contagiousness of the virus is still as prevalent as it was in August. So, space out, avoid crowds, and wear your mask.)
2. Long-term hydroxychloroquine use in patients with rheumatic conditions and development of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a retrospective cohort study
From The Atlantic:The Core Lesson of the COVID-19 Heart Debate (The Atlantic) Autopsies have found traces of the coronavirus’s genetic material in the heart, and actual viral particles within the heart’s muscle cells. Experiments have found that SARS-CoV-2 can destroy lab-grown versions of those cells. Several studies have now shown that roughly 10 to 30 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had high levels of troponin—a protein released into the blood when the heart’s muscle cells are damaged. Such patients are more likely to die than others with no signs of heart injury.
Massive genetic study shows coronavirus mutating and potentially evolving amid rapid U.S. spread
“…The new report, however, did not find that these mutations have made the virus deadlier or changed clinical outcomes. All viruses accumulate genetic mutations, and most are insignificant, scientists say. The new report, however, did not find that these mutations have made the virus deadlier or changed clinical outcomes. All viruses accumulate genetic mutations, and most are insignificant, scientists say…. A larger batch of sequences was published earlier this month by scientists in the United Kingdom, and, like the Houston study, concluded that a mutation that changes the structure of the “spike protein” on the surface of the virus may be driving the outsized spread of that particular strain…“Although we don’t know yet, it is well within the realm of possibility that this coronavirus, when our population-level immunity gets high enough, this coronavirus will find a way to get around our immunity,….If that happened, we’d be in the same situation as with flu. We’ll have to chase the virus and, as it mutates, we’ll have to tinker with our vaccine.”The genetic data show the virus arrived in Houston many separate times, presumably at first by air travel. Notably, 71 percent of the viruses that arrived initially were characterized by a now famous mutation, which appears to have first originated in China, that scientists increasingly suspect may give the virus a biological advantage in how it spreads. It is called D614G, referring to the substitution of an amino acid called aspartic acid (D) for one called glycine (G) in a region of the genome that encodes the spike protein…’
J. Harris’ version of Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A Review of Viral, Host, and Environmental Factors Click here to read the document
When a man opens a car door for his wife, it’s either a new
car or a new wife.
~ Prince Philip
If a 7-Eleven is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the doors?
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