Since the coronavirus pandemic began, rates of hospital admission and death from COVID-19 have been significantly higher in men than women. Now, new Dutch research suggests a reason why: Compared to women, men have higher concentrations of a blood enzyme that helps the new coronavirus infect human cells. The enzyme is called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2… read on >
A cough or other respiratory symptoms aren’t the only early signs of COVID-19 in children, according to researchers. They examined the cases of five children who were admitted to the hospital with digestive tract symptoms and later diagnosed with pneumonia and COVID-19. Children with sickness and diarrhea who also have a fever or history of… read on >
(HealthDay News) — As U.S. coronavirus cases topped 1.3 million and the death toll was set to pass 80,000 on Monday, three of the nation’s top health officials have started to quarantine themselves after being exposed to two White House aides who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The officials include Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of… read on >
Efforts to create a COVID-19 vaccine are proceeding at an unprecedented pace, with eight different candidates now being tested in humans around the world. But to have a vaccine available for widespread use by early next year could entail bending some rules regarding safety and testing — actions that might put the health, and possibly… read on >
Many COVID-19 patients are at risk for acute kidney failure, according to a new study. Acute kidney failure — also called acute kidney injury (AKI) — is a serious complication of COVID-19 that’s underreported and not well understood, the Northwestern University researchers said. The death rate for patients with severe acute kidney failure is about… read on >
Need counseling about the care of bone or joint issues? During the coronavirus pandemic, it may be available on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) website. Its OrthoInfo.org blog includes tips for treating bone and joint pain while sheltering in place, as well as a look the pandemic’s implications for postponed surgery. “To say… read on >
Asking your child to mow the lawn is a risky proposition, a new study suggests. About 9,400 American kids are injured by lawn mowers each year, and mowers cause 12% to 29% of all traumatic amputations among them, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Toe and foot amputations are the most common. “Lawn… read on >
As pandemic-related restrictions ease and people return to parks and other outdoor spaces, remember to protect yourself against another threat — ticks. “With our latest mild winter, ticks have been active in much of the region on warmer days all winter long,” said Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, an entomologist at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., who said… read on >
With U.S. coronavirus cases topping 1.2 million and the death toll climbing to more than 75,000 on Friday, the federal government’s monthly jobs report showed a staggering 14.7 percent of Americans are now unemployed. A total of 20.5 million jobs were lost during the April lockdown, and not since the Great Depression has the unemployment… read on >
COVID-19 has directly claimed tens of thousands of U.S. lives, but conditions stemming from the novel coronavirus — rampant unemployment, isolation and an uncertain future — could lead to 75,000 deaths from drug or alcohol abuse and suicide, new research suggests. Deaths from these causes are known as “deaths of despair.” And the COVID-19 pandemic… read on >
