A rising star in the COVID-19 treatment arena, dexamethasone – a powerful corticosteroid – has stirred excitement among World Health Organization experts and researchers around the world, following the publication of promising early results from the United Kingdom’s Recovery trial. In COVID-19 patients only receiving supplemental oxygen, the trial found that dexamethasone reduced mortality by […] Continue reading ->
About 1.7 billion people, or 22% of the world’s population, has at least one underlying health condition that puts them at increased risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, according to a new modelling study published in Lancet Global Health. Based on the new assessment, about 4% of the world’s population, in total, is at […] Continue reading ->
A major clinical trial ongoing in the United Kingdom has fingered dexamethasone, a common anti-inflammatory drug used to treat arthritis and asthma, as the “first” treatment to actually reduce mortality among COVID-19 patients – by as much as one-third. The preliminary findings were announced by the trial’s principal investigators, Martin Landray and Peter Horby, both […] Continue reading ->
Countries must be prepared to detect and control resurgences, warned the World Health Organization on Monday, as Beijing, China faced its first local cluster of COVID-19 cases in almost two months, and reopened states across the United States saw sharp rises in new cases. “Even in countries that have demonstrated the ability to suppress transmission, […] Continue reading ->
Preliminary results from a Swiss study found that the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in children ages 5 to 9 years old is 68% lower than the seroprevalence in adults aged 20 to 49 years old. The study, titled SEROCoV-POP, reported seroprevalence results from almost 2800 participants followed from April […] Continue reading ->
A severe disruption of reproductive and children’s health services during the pandemic could cause more deaths in women, children, and adolescents than COVID-19 itself, according to World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The indirect effects of COVID19 on this group may be greater than the number of deaths due to the virus itself,” […] Continue reading ->
A novel study published in preprint form by Harvard University suggests that cases of the novel SARS-COV-2 virus that has caused a global pandemic may have begun appearing in Wuhan hospitals as early as August 2019 – several months before China officially admitted that a new coronavirus was circulating. The study Tuesday found an unusual […] Continue reading ->
In the wake of widespread demonstrations in the United States against police brutality, catalyzed by the death of George Floyd while being pinned under an officer’s knee, the World Health Organization has urged protestors to protect themselves against COVID-19. “We have certainly seen a lot of passion this week, we’ve seen people who’ve felt the […] Continue reading ->
In a series of flip-flops on Friday, the United Kingdom suspended the enrollment of new patients into the hydroxychloroquine arm of its massive RECOVERY trial, one of the largest randomised COVID-19 clinical trials in the world, after preliminary data showed “no benefit” for COVID-19 patients receiving the drug. The suspension of the trial came just […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization finally appears poised to recommend wider public use of masks as an additional measure to prevent transmission of COVID-19 – after months of hesitation while countries took unilateral action mandating face coverings, particularly for busy shops, transport systems and public settings. The WHO move, announced at a Wednesday press briefing, follows […] Continue reading ->