New research sheds light on why the experimental drug remdesivir might become the most powerful weapon in the fight against COVID-19: It is highly effective against an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the spread of the new coronavirus. Remdesivir is one of several drugs being fast-tracked in various coronavirus treatment trials around the… read on >
Low-dose aspirin may reduce the risk of several types of digestive tract cancers, according to a team of researchers in Europe. For the new study, the researchers analyzed 113 studies investigating colon/rectal (“bowel”), head and neck, esophageal, stomach, liver, gallbladder, bile duct and pancreatic cancers in the general population. The studies were published up to… read on >
(HealthDay News) — With protective gear in short supply, Duke University researchers say they’ve designed a much-needed respirator for health care workers battling COVID-19. The respirator was created by a medical and engineering team at the university and is being used by Duke Health doctors treating patients with suspected cases of COVID-19. The idea for… read on >
“Am I going to die?” It was 11 days since Dr. Vijay Battu’s first symptoms, and four days since his admission as a patient to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. And now the ravages of COVID-19 had begun to make breathing nearly impossible. “I asked because I was scared,” recalled Battu. “It was… read on >
(HealthDay News) — As the U.S. coronavirus death toll climbed to 30,000 on Wednesday, state and federal officials hammered out the details of plans for re-opening some parts of the country in May. Amid those efforts, President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the United States will halt payments to the World Health Organization pending a… read on >
It’s clear that age and chronic disease make bouts of the pandemic coronavirus more severe — and even deadly — but obesity might also put even younger people at higher risk, a pair of new studies suggest. The researchers suspect that inflammation throughout the body linked to obesity could be a powerful factor in the… read on >
As the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic grows, it is increasingly clear the infection is more than a lung disease. Many patients are developing heart complications, though the reasons are not fully understood. People with heart disease or a history of stroke are at increased risk of the coronavirus infection, and of suffering more severe… read on >
Trying to identify animals that are most likely to transmit viruses to humans may not help prevent future pandemics, researchers say. Instead, the focus should be on specific types of viruses and how they spread, they suggest. The current coronavirus pandemic is believed to have originated in bats, and most emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic,… read on >
The coronavirus hits older people and those with chronic medical conditions hardest. But many of these folks didn’t take the virus seriously as the outbreak took off in the United States, a new study finds. Before stay-in-place orders were announced, investigators called nearly 700 people in the Chicago area who were part of five U.S.… read on >
You’re in lockdown, yet you still have to go grocery shopping, but how do you stay safe and avoid catching the coronavirus? The American Medical Association has some timely tips. When you go to the store: Stay at least six-feet away from other shoppers. Don’t shake hands, hug or have any physical contact. Wipe down… read on >
