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Round-up: COVID-19 April 2021 (Part Two)

We know how difficult it is to stay on top of all the latest COVID-19 news and research – so we have summarised it all for you here!

Statistics

At the time of writing, there have been:

  • 151,179,240 cases
  • 3,180,630 deaths
  • 128,606,239 recoveries

Research

  • Researchers have characterised the aftereffects of COVID-19 on diagnoses, medication use and laboratory abnormalities in survivors – highlighting a higher risk of death and health resource utilisation. (Al-Aly et al, 2021)
  • A new cell atlas of COVID-19 lungs reveals why the virus is so deadly and different from other infectious diseases. (Melms et al, 2021)
  • Researchers have discovered a mechanism by which the coronavirus hijacks human cell machinery to evade the immune response. (Li et al, 2021)
  • A new COVID-19 vaccine that could provide protection against existing and future strains shows promising results in early animal testing. (Maeda et al, 2021)
  • Using data from the Human Cell Atlas, researchers have discovered the differing immune responses in asymptomatic cases versus those with severe symptoms. (Stephenson et al, 2021)
  • Researchers have discovered how SARS coronaviruses reprogram host cells to enhance the production of viral proteins. (Lei at al, 2021)
  • New research provides evidence of human-to-cat transmission of the virus. (Hosie et al, 2021)
  • A study reveals a surge of paediatric patients presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis – a severe complication of type 2 diabetes. (Chao et al, 2021)
  • Australian researchers have found neutralising nanobodies that block the SARS-CoV-2 virus from entering cells in preclinical models. (Pymm et al, 2021)
  • Scientists have developed a CRISPR-based method – LEOPARD – that can potentially detect a variety of disease-related biomarkers in one test. (Jiao et al, 2021)

Other news

  • An article in Nature has explored the key questions that scientists want to know as the first COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials begin in young children. (Callaway, 2021)
  • Over million coronavirus genome sequences from 172 countries and territories have been shared on GISAID. (Maxmen, 2021)
  • The coronavirus is spreading more than ever before across India as the country suffers an oxygen crisis and bodies continue to pile up. (Mallapaty, 2021)

Image credit: By starline – freepik


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