Another year and the coronavirus is still mutating and spreading across the globe. Below, we summarise the latest insights and news surrounding COVID-19.
Statistics
At the time of writing, there have been:
- 298, 434, 662 cases
- 5,484,399 deaths
- 256,946,057 recoveries
Research
- A research team has developed a new molecule that attaches to the surface of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. (Valero et al, 2021)
- A study led by researchers from the LKS Faculty of Medicine at The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) provides the first insight into how the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant infects the human respiratory tract. (HKUMed, 2021)
- A new paper is the most comprehensive single-cell study to compare SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults and children across multiple organs. (Yoshida et al, 2021)
- A research group has investigated the link between the APOE4 allele and the severity of COVID-19 in the Finnish population. (Kurki et al, 2021)
- Scientists have identified antibodies that neutrailise Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants. (Cameroni et al, 2021)
- Despite its significantly higher number of mutations compared to other variants, researchers have revealed that T cells are still effective in mounting an immune response against Omicron. (Ahmed et al, 2021)
- New study has reported that an additional booster dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is required for immunity against the Omicron variant. (Garcia-Beltran et al, 2021)
Other news
- A highly anticipated clinical trial in eight sub-Saharan countries will be the first to specifically explore the efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine in people living with HIV. (HVTN, 2021)
- An article in Nature has summarised the growing evidence from animal studies that suggests Omicron does not multiple readily in lung tissue. (Kozlov, 2022)
Image credit: canva
