There are “substantial” rates of coronavirus infection in dogs and cats whose owners have COVID-19, new research shows. The researchers also found that, in several cases, infected pets had COVID-like respiratory symptoms at the time their owners were infected. SARS-CoV-2 has been reported to infect a number of animals, but the risks, susceptibility and symptoms…  read on >

THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2020 (Healthday News) — The details of a plan to rapidly deliver a future coronavirus vaccine to Americans were unveiled by federal officials on Wednesday. Two of the key parts of the plan are to begin distributing a vaccine with 24 hours of any approval or emergency authorization and offering the vaccine…  read on >

As the coronavirus pandemic wears on, it’s clear that not everyone’s on the same page when it comes to preventing the risk of infection. Lots of people wear masks, try to maintain social distancing and avoid large gatherings. But plenty of others forgo a mask or wear it on their chin, go to busy bars…  read on >

Smokers have a significantly raised risk of dying from a bleeding stroke, a new study warns. For the study, researchers analyzed data from over 16,000 same-sex twin pairs in Finland. The twins were born before 1958 and followed for about 42 years (between 1976 and 2018). During the follow-up, there were 120 deaths from subarachnoid…  read on >

Transplants of organs from dead donors haven’t slowed during the coronavirus pandemic, but living donor transplants remain suspended in many places, an expert says. Dr. Fauzia Butt, a transplant surgeon at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa., also said that organ donation and transplant surgery are safe during the pandemic.…  read on >

Timely rehabilitation is crucial for stroke survivors, but some may not be receiving it due to the coronavirus pandemic, experts say. Rehabilitation can help the 795,000 stroke survivors in the United States achieve the best possible recovery, according to the American Stroke Association (ASA). That’s why it’s critical to begin rehabilitation within three months of…  read on >

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2020 (Healthday News) — A single infusion of an experimental drug dramatically lowers levels of coronavirus in the bodies of newly infected patients and cuts their chances of hospitalization, the drug’s maker reported Wednesday. Eli Lilly’s announcement did not include detailed data and hasn’t been peer-reviewed or published yet, The New York…  read on >

Most people now know that COVID-19 can cause blood clots, potentially leading to paralysis, stroke, heart attack and death. While it’s not clear precisely how SARS-CoV-2 causes clots, a new study suggests that the amount of a particular protein — called factor V — in a patient’s blood may have something to do with it.…  read on >

Hearts donated by severely obese donors aren’t more risky for recipients than hearts from people who aren’t obese, a new study indicates. “These findings were somewhat surprising because the severely obese donors did tend to have more medical problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, than the non-obese donors,” said study author Dr. Leora…  read on >