The Devastating Impact of Infectious Disease Outbreaks - ISSA The impact of having a simple conversation with another person is enough to spread diseases. Eleni Sakas ISSA

By Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner | July 29, 2020

As an epidemiologist or “disease detective,” a question I am frequently asked regarding SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19 disease) is: “How does someone become infected?”

Costa Rica-made plasma shown to inhibit coronavirus, ready for clinical trials: UCR Alejandro Zúñiga The Tico Times Costa Rica

Costa Rica is set to begin clinical trials on antibody-rich plasma that has been extracted from horses with the purpose of treating COVID-19 patients.

Two versions of the plasma were shown to inhibit the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in tests performed at the National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases in the United States. 

A virus cluster in France splits generations, raises fears PARIS (AP) — As the sun went down, their partying got into full flow, with an unwanted guest: the coronavirus. An outbreak among 18- to 25-year-olds at a seaside resort on the Brittany coast... AP NEWS

ARIS (AP) — As the sun went down, their partying got into full flow, with an unwanted guest: the coronavirus.

An outbreak among 18- to 25-year-olds at a seaside resort on the Brittany coast is crystallizing fears that the virus is flaring again in France, on the back of vacationers throwing COVID-19 caution to the summer winds.

U.S. records 10,000 coronavirus deaths in 11 days as fatalities approach 150,000 U.S. deaths from the novel coronavirus were approaching 150,000 on Wednesday, the highest level in the world and rising by 10,000 in 11 days, according to a Reuters tally. Lisa Shumaker U.S.

(Reuters) - U.S. deaths from the novel coronavirus were approaching 150,000 on Wednesday, the highest level in the world and rising by 10,000 in 11 days, according to a Reuters tally.

New heart problems discovered post COVID-19; virus mutation may make vaccines more effective More than three-quarters of recently recovered COVID-19 patients had heart muscle problems show up during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests, German doctors reported on Monday in JAMA Cardiology. In some patients, the heart may be "in serious trouble as a part of COVID-19 disease," Dr. YahooNews

By Nancy Lapid

CHICAGO — The latest count of new coronavirus cases was jarring: Some 1,500 virus cases were identified three consecutive days last week in Illinois, and fears of a resurgence in the state even led the mayor of Chicago to shut down bars all over town on Friday.

But at the same moment, there were other, hopeful data points that seemed to tell a different story entirely. Deaths from the virus statewide are one-tenth what they were at their peak in May. And the positivity rate of new coronavirus tests in Illinois is about half that of neighboring states.

“There are so many numbers flying around,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago health department. “It’s hard for people to know what’s the most important thing to follow.”...