COVID-19
Virendra Mane; Priya Prabhu; Poorva Bhalerao
Abstract
Background: The first wave of COVID-19 in India began to decline suddenly in September 2020 and appeared to be nearly over by the end of January 2021. At the time, no models or papers predicted or explained this decline. The authors hypothesized in their previous study that the cases decreased due to ...
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Background: The first wave of COVID-19 in India began to decline suddenly in September 2020 and appeared to be nearly over by the end of January 2021. At the time, no models or papers predicted or explained this decline. The authors hypothesized in their previous study that the cases decreased due to increased Relative Humidity during Monsoon and forecasted that another wave would begin with the dry season in February 2021 and would be contained by monsoon humidity. The current study was carried out to put the seasonality hypothesis to the test in 2021-22. The study also included findings about the effectiveness of policy control measures on case decline.Methods: Humidity cycles in India were studied to determine the most humid periods, which corresponded to changes in daily cases across the country, on a zone-by-zone basis, and in smaller regions. The enforcement date and subsequent case decline (if any) were observed for the effectiveness of policy control measures.Results: In low humidity periods, there was a clear relationship between relative humidity and case decline and case increase. Policy controls have been found to be effective in reducing and halting case increase, resulting in a subsequent decline.Conclusion: In India, COVID-19 increases during the dry season around February and decreases during the monsoon season. Policy controls (lockdowns) are an effective way to halt the virus's exponential spread. The findings may be useful in planning local control and prevention activities.
COVID-19
Joseph Oyepata Simeon; Joseph Opeyemi Tosin
Abstract
Background and Objective: Scientists and world leaders are still trying to understand COVID-19 and its potential global consequences. While there have been some successes, there are still many that remain unknown. This study provides an update report on the virological and immunological distribution ...
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Background and Objective: Scientists and world leaders are still trying to understand COVID-19 and its potential global consequences. While there have been some successes, there are still many that remain unknown. This study provides an update report on the virological and immunological distribution and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world from January 28th to February 3rd, 2022..Material and Method: The United Nations geoscheme was used to obtain data from 196 countries and regions around the world. The results were compiled and compared to the values obtained for the United States.Results: When available data was compared to that of the United States, the American continent had a higher mortality comparison factor than infection cases, whereas the European continents had a higher infectious comparison value than mortality value. With the exception of South Africa and Botswana, the African continents appear unconcerned about the value of mortality and infectivity.Conclusion: The new wave and virus variant have caused a resurgence in its global impact. There is a need to understand how Africa has survived all variants of the virus despite having few medical resources.
COVID-19
Sarah Cuschieri; Elizabeth Grech
Abstract
Background: Medical research dynamics are complex, and stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic make them even more so.Aims: The purpose of this article was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on medical students' willingness to become doctors and their goals. It also investigated how COVID-19 affects ...
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Background: Medical research dynamics are complex, and stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic make them even more so.Aims: The purpose of this article was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on medical students' willingness to become doctors and their goals. It also investigated how COVID-19 affects students' mental health and well-being.Methods: A literature-based anonymous online survey was created to assess students' future career goals, willingness to become doctors, and various aspects of their mental health. There was descriptive and univariate regression analysis.Results: Males enrolled in medical school at a higher rate than females. After the pandemic, a minority of students changed their initial specialty choice, but there was no statistical significance in their willingness to become a doctor (p =0.45). Only students who had long COVID-19 symptoms showed significant variation in their sleep patterns (p =0.01). Female students had significantly higher anxiety levels than male students, with 11.21% (CI95%:6.34 - 18.74) experiencing severe anxiety.Conclusion: Enrolling in medical school is a deeply personal decision that should not be taken lightly. Workplace conditions should be improved in order to attract the next generation of health-care providers. It is thus recommended that medical schools consider establishing a pre-entry course to inform and expose potential medical students to the working lives of doctors. All medical schools must ensure that mental and psychological support is easily accessible and non-stigmatizing.
COVID-19
Zahra Karimi; Zahra Davoodi; Leila Rabiei; Mahnaz Jafari; Mansoureh Kiani Dehkordi; Roy Rillera Marzo; Masoud Lotfizadeh
Abstract
Objective: COVID-19 prevalence is a new and serious threat to public health. The disease has had an impact on nearly every important economic, political, social, and even military aspect of many countries around the world. As a result, the psychological effects of this viral disease on different levels ...
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Objective: COVID-19 prevalence is a new and serious threat to public health. The disease has had an impact on nearly every important economic, political, social, and even military aspect of many countries around the world. As a result, the psychological effects of this viral disease on different levels of society's psychological health are critical, necessitating scientific research. This study looked into the possible link between COVID-19 and psychological distress and anxiety in Iran.Methods: The first large-scale global study of psychological distress and anxiety in public society, this cross-sectional (descriptive-analytical) study was based on the participation of people from some Asian countries during the COVID-19 epidemic. Only the results from Iran were presented in this article. This study had 1480 participants and used a standard questionnaire called the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI) with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.82.Results: It was discovered that 1171 (79%) of the participants were female, while 309 (21%) were male. The CPDI Questionnaire yielded a mean score of 54.16±6.13. There was a significant relationship (p=0.0002) between age group and total score of psychological distress and anxiety. The findings revealed a link between anxiety variables and education (p = 0.0001), monthly income (p = 0.008), and gender (p = 0.019).Conclusion: It can be concluded that the majority of study participants were in an unfavorable psychological distress and anxiety situation.
COVID-19
Ram Prasad Sharma G; Kalpana Sharma; Niki Shrestha
Abstract
Background: When working in Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) wards and ICUs, Health Care Workers (HCWs) face numerous physical and psychosocial challenges. The purpose of this study was to look into the difficulties that HCWs face when caring for COVID-19 patients. Method: A qualitative phenomenological ...
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Background: When working in Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) wards and ICUs, Health Care Workers (HCWs) face numerous physical and psychosocial challenges. The purpose of this study was to look into the difficulties that HCWs face when caring for COVID-19 patients. Method: A qualitative phenomenological study was used, and the study sample included 12 HCWs (8 nurses and 4 doctors) who worked specifically with COVID-19 patients. A semi-structured interview guideline was used for data collection, and Giorgi's method was used for analysis. Results: During the pandemic, HCWs faced numerous challenges while caring for COVID-19 patients in a hospital. HCWs faced five major challenges: (i) increased workload and staff shortages, (ii) mental stress, (iii) social stigma and isolation, (iv) resource scarcity, and (v) a lack of specific skill training. Conclusion: While caring for COVID-19 patients during the pandemic, health care workers faced numerous physical, psychological, and social challenges. As a result, these issues must be addressed in order to provide quality care in the hospital.
COVID-19
Samuel Olorunfemi Adams; Godwin Somto
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 has claimed the lives of millions of people in Nigeria and around the world during the last two years. It is a recognized global health crisis of our day, as well as a persistent threat to the earth. The goal of this study was to examine the trend and fit an Error Trend and Seasonal ...
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Background: COVID-19 has claimed the lives of millions of people in Nigeria and around the world during the last two years. It is a recognized global health crisis of our day, as well as a persistent threat to the earth. The goal of this study was to examine the trend and fit an Error Trend and Seasonal (ETS) exponential smoothing and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model to Nigeria's COVID-19 daily fatalities.Methods: A dataset of daily COVID-19 confirmed fatality cases was used in the investigation. Data was acquired from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) web database between the 10th of July 2020 and the 2nd of December 2021. The ARIMA model and twelve (12) ETS exponential smoothing techniques were investigated using a dataset of COVID-19 pandemic deaths in Nigeria. The ARIMA and ETS exponential smoothing algorithms were evaluated using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), Hannan Quinn Information Criterion (HQC), and Average Mean Squared Error (AMSE) selection criteria.Result: The ARIMA (0,1,0) model was the best time series modeling for the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic in Nigeria since it had the lowest AIC=2863.51, BIC=2866.90, HQ = 2866.90, and AMSE = 0.55471 values.Conclusion: The ARIMA (0,1,0) model is preferred above the other thirteen (13) competing models based on daily confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Nigeria. This research would assist the Nigerian government in better understanding the pestilence's evolution pattern and providing adequate provisions, prompt mediation, and treatment to prevent additional deaths caused by the virus.
COVID-19
Jose Luis Turabian
Abstract
Background: Longitudinal data on SARS-CoV-2 re-infection are scarce. Objectives: 1) Characterize COVID-19 reinfection cases clinically and epidemiologically; 2) Determine whether the risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection has altered over time in the context of the development of beta, delta, and omicron ...
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Background: Longitudinal data on SARS-CoV-2 re-infection are scarce. Objectives: 1) Characterize COVID-19 reinfection cases clinically and epidemiologically; 2) Determine whether the risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection has altered over time in the context of the development of beta, delta, and omicron variants.Methods: From March 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022, an observational, longitudinal, and prospective investigation of Covid-19 re-infections was done in a general medical practice in Toledo, Spain.Results: There were 43 cases in total, including 45 reinfections (2 cases presented 2 reinfections). The average period between first infection and reinfection was 346 days (range: 95-813 days). The average age was 41 years (range: 17-70 years). 5% were over the age of 65. 56% were female. 14% belonged to an ethnic minority. 82% of reinfections occurred among individuals who had been vaccinated (19%, 28%, and 35% in those who had received one dose, two doses, and a booster, respectively). They were symptomatic in 96% of the cases. All cases of reinfection were minor, with nonspecific symptoms (discomfort, asthenia, myalgia, fever, arthralgia) predominating (39%). Chronic illnesses were present in 60% of reinfection cases, with the Genitourinary (19%), Endocrine (17%), and Respiratory (16%) systems predominately. Reinfections have been steadily growing since 2020, with 67% occurring in 2022.Conclusion: We discovered evidence of a continual increase in the incidence of reinfections in Toledo, Spain, primarily beginning in January 2022, which is temporally congruent with the introduction of the omicron variety, indicating its improved ability to infect previously infected persons.
COVID-19
Tintu Tom; Sonymol K
Abstract
Background: The Coronavirus Disease-2019 manifested as a serious infectious disease that affected people of all ages and genders, particularly older patients with comorbidities. Patients who have recovered from COVID have serious restrictions. Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the ...
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Background: The Coronavirus Disease-2019 manifested as a serious infectious disease that affected people of all ages and genders, particularly older patients with comorbidities. Patients who have recovered from COVID have serious restrictions. Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of post-COVID-19 functional status (PCFS) in patients and the relationship between post-COVID-19 functional status and selected demographic characteristics.Methods: This study employed a descriptive survey research design and a quantitative, non-experimental research approach. Data were obtained from 190 COVID-19 recovered patients admitted to an Indian quaternary hospital who met the inclusion criteria utilizing an online survey approach and a mobile app. Prior to the study, the institutional scientific and ethical committees approved it. The study's findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square.Results: The percentage of demographic data is identified, and the post COVID functional limitation of samples shows that 58 percent have negligible functional limitation, 24 percent have no functional limitation, 16 percent have slight functional limitation, 1 percent have moderate functional limitation, and 1 percent have severe functional limitation. There was an association between PCFS and age, as well as PCFS and the COVID-19 group.Conclusion: Some COVID-19 survivors suffered functional difficulties after infection. The severity of the disease and its duration are important risk factors for the development of post-COVID-19 functional impairments. The study's findings assist healthcare professionals in improving their understanding of post-COPID functional status and providing appropriate care to post-COPID recovered patients.
COVID-19
Oyepata S Joseph
Abstract
Background and Objective: COVID-19 has had a worldwide impact in a variety of ways since its discovery in China. As a result, it's critical to maintain a constant eye on the virus's impact around the world. The goal of this research is to compile a global assessment of COVID-19 demographics and distribution, ...
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Background and Objective: COVID-19 has had a worldwide impact in a variety of ways since its discovery in China. As a result, it's critical to maintain a constant eye on the virus's impact around the world. The goal of this research is to compile a global assessment of COVID-19 demographics and distribution, as well as a COVID-19 update report till February 17th, 2022.Methods: Data was provided by the United Nations Geochem database from 151 nations and areas throughout the world. The results were compiled and compared to the figures obtained for the United States.Result: When compared to the United States, the American continent has a lower incidence but the same fatality rate. When compared to the United States, most European and Asian countries have the same cumulative incidence and mortality rates as the United States, except for a few countries such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. When compared to the United States, the African continent has an extremely low incidence and fatality rate.Conclusion: The development of the Omicron variety seems to make COVID-19's approach and comprehension more complicated. As a result, the virus has had a long-term impact all over the world. Africa, on the other hand, is not particularly afflicted by all the virus's strains. As a result, the rest of the world must research the cause of this "African exception" and maybe comprehend its ramifications in terms of potential immunity.
COVID-19
Farnoosh Rashvand; Bahareh Yousefi; Omid Taherkhani; Ali Mahmoudi
Abstract
Introduction: It is vital to identify psychological disorders and their effective elements among nurses working in acute wards. As a result, the current study was carried out with the goal of determining the link between COVID-19-related anxiety and nurse resilience.Methods: At 2021, 249 nurses working ...
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Introduction: It is vital to identify psychological disorders and their effective elements among nurses working in acute wards. As a result, the current study was carried out with the goal of determining the link between COVID-19-related anxiety and nurse resilience.Methods: At 2021, 249 nurses working in Qazvin teaching hospitals participated in this descriptive cross-sectional survey. A three-part tool was used to gather information: a demographics questionnaire, the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale.Results: The mean resilience and COVID-19-related anxiety scores were 66.28 ± 14.12 and 9.81 ± 9.74 (p0.001), respectively. Resilience, job tenure in corona wards, work experience in corona wards, and workplace are the most effective and significant factors on nurses' COVID-19-related anxiety, while marital status and workplace are the most effective and significant factors on nurses' resilience, according to the results of univariate regression analysis.Conclusions: COVID-19-related anxiety was reduced in the wards by nurses with higher resilience levels. This discovery can be used in management planning to help nurses feel less anxious.
COVID-19
Moslem Taheri Soodejani; Seyyed Mohammad Tabatabaei
Abstract
A "prevention paradox," according to Thompson, is a type of prevention that has many benefits for the entire population but may not be as beneficial to each individual as it is to the entire community. COVID-19 is one of the most mysterious developing viruses in history, capable of being transmitted ...
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A "prevention paradox," according to Thompson, is a type of prevention that has many benefits for the entire population but may not be as beneficial to each individual as it is to the entire community. COVID-19 is one of the most mysterious developing viruses in history, capable of being transmitted from one person to another mostly through breathing. If we do not follow specific advice, such as wearing a face mask, we will all become infected very rapidly. To save the lives of a small percentage of the population, millions of people should wear face masks.
COVID-19
Jose Luis Turabian
Abstract
Background: It's unclear whether vaccination individuals against SARS-CoV-2 protects family members in the same way. Objective: The assessment of risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 transmission from index cases with COVID-19 breakthrough infection in completely vaccinated patients to fully vaccinated family ...
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Background: It's unclear whether vaccination individuals against SARS-CoV-2 protects family members in the same way. Objective: The assessment of risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 transmission from index cases with COVID-19 breakthrough infection in completely vaccinated patients to fully vaccinated family members. Methods: From February 1 to November 30, 2021, an observational, longitudinal, and prospective research of families with one primary case of COVID-19 breakthrough infection was done in a general medicine practice in Toledo, Spain.Results: Thirteen primary cases of COVID-19 breakthrough infection in 13 families with at least one other family member were included, of which 9 were positive secondary cases (sick) and 8 were negative partners (healthy) properly vaccinated. Being a woman, being over 45 years old, being a social-health professional, being an ethnic minority, and having chronic conditions all increased the likelihood of developing COVID-19 in fully vaccinated contacts and main cases. Although vaccination 2ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 had a higher effectiveness than BNT162b2 mRNA, none of these risk or protective factors were statistically significant.Conclusion: Young women, social health workers, ethnic minority groups, and people with chronic diseases are the completely vaccinated contacts with the highest risk of having COVID-19, after primary cases also vaccinated in the family, in Toledo (Spain), when the delta variant became dominant but before the rise of omicron.
COVID-19
Sarah Cuschieri; Tamara Attard Mallia; Elaine Piscopo; Anneka Pace; Daniela Chatlani; Karl Mifsud; Nicole Mifsud; Jake Vella; Andrea Cuschieri
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 has impacted the European microstates of Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, the Republic of San Marino, and Vatican City. Even though they have similar population sizes, they are rarely studied. The goal was to summarize the COVID-19 situation (January 2020–July 2021) for ...
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Background: COVID-19 has impacted the European microstates of Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, the Republic of San Marino, and Vatican City. Even though they have similar population sizes, they are rarely studied. The goal was to summarize the COVID-19 situation (January 2020–July 2021) for these microstates, as well as the outcome and immunization roll-out throughout the first 18 months. While researching COVID-19 incidence and mortality trends among microstates and their land bordering nations,Methods: Epidemiological data was gathered from the database "Our World in Data," whereas COVID-19-related tactics were based on Ministry of Health webpages and local newspapers. Using COVID-19 data (where applicable), the six microstates and their adjacent nations were compared.Results: From the start of COVID-19 until August 1, 2021, the microstates reported a total of 60,174 positive cases and 730 deaths. Andorra had the greatest rates of COVID-19 infection (190 per 1,000) and mortality (1.66 per 1,000). The microstates had similar COVID-19 results, but their bordering nations shared the most striking similarities. COVID-19 cases, fatality rates, and vaccine doses all have a bidirectional link.Conclusion: Whether land borders exist, timely mitigation measures and vaccination rollouts appear to be the keys to pandemic containment. The greatest pandemic impact on a country, however, appears to be dependent on cross-border transmission rates.
COVID-19
Kyosuke Ono
Abstract
Background: A mathematical investigation of the reasons for the fifth wave's quick expansion and reduction in Tokyo, Japan, is required to avoid the spread of subsequent COVID-19 infections. Methods: Using the simple IR theory underlying the susceptible-infectious-removed (SIR) hypothesis of infectious ...
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Background: A mathematical investigation of the reasons for the fifth wave's quick expansion and reduction in Tokyo, Japan, is required to avoid the spread of subsequent COVID-19 infections. Methods: Using the simple IR theory underlying the susceptible-infectious-removed (SIR) hypothesis of infectious disease epidemics, infected persons (I), infection rate, and testing/isolation rate are determined from accessible data of daily positive cases (R) and testing numbers. Results: The rapid spread of illness from late July to mid-August was owing to a drop in the number of people tested to half that of weekdays during the Olympic Games' four and three-day vacations. The maximum number of daily positives would have been lowered to two-fifths of the actual positives in early August if the number of weekday tests had been maintained during these holidays and would have fallen monotonically thereafter. The infection rates mean value fell steadily from 0.65 in late August to around 0.25 by the end of September. The significant increase in vaccination rates is mostly to blame for the fall in infection rates. In Tokyo, the impact of mRNA-based vaccines on infection prevention and increased vaccination rates could reduce the infection rate to 1/2 on September 10 and 1/3 by the end of October. Conclusion: According to the findings, a new infection like the delta variant can be suppressed to less than the fifth wave by increasing vaccination rates, eliminating three consecutive holidays, and implementing a precautionary testing system that maintains the same number of tests on weekends as on weekdays in the event of a rapid spread of infection in an emergency.
COVID-19
Kuok Ho Daniel Tang
Abstract
Vaccination has offered the hope of restoring life to pre-COVID-19 normalcy. However, new COVID-19 cases have continued to emerge and have increased in certain regions even with increasing vaccination coverage. This study aims to explore the correlations between daily COVID-19 case fatality rates, vaccination ...
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Vaccination has offered the hope of restoring life to pre-COVID-19 normalcy. However, new COVID-19 cases have continued to emerge and have increased in certain regions even with increasing vaccination coverage. This study aims to explore the correlations between daily COVID-19 case fatality rates, vaccination coverage as well as daily new cases and deaths of COVID-19 in Malaysia. It aims to compare the pre- and post-vaccination COVID-19 case fatality rates and examine if any difference between the rates is statistically significant. It also aims to identify the main predictors of COVID-19 case fatality rates. This study obtained the data of daily new cases and deaths of COVID-19, as well as the daily vaccination coverage in Malaysia from official platforms and government offices for non-parametric statistical analysis. It explored the Spearman’s correlations between daily COVID-19 case fatality rates, daily new COVID-19 cases and deaths as well as the vaccination coverage in Malaysia. It examined the difference in the pre- and post-vaccination daily COVID-19 case fatality rates with Mann-Whitney U Test. It constructed a multiple regression model to identify the significant predictors of the daily case fatality rates. This study shows that daily COVID-19 case fatality rates are positively correlated with daily new COVID-19 cases and deaths, and vaccination coverage. It reveals that post-vaccination case fatality rates are lower than pre-vaccination and the difference is statistically significant. People fully vaccinated per 100 population is a significant predictor of the decline of daily case fatality rates.
COVID-19
Hooman Angoorani; Soheila Masoudi; Molood Jafari Fesharaki; Bita Zoghalchi; Paniz Jahani; Marzieh Urumieh
Abstract
Background: Following the resumption of football training and competitions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it was necessary to tighten up the hygiene protocol and impose restrictions such as prohibiting spectators from entering stadiums and the detection of positive disease cases, ...
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Background: Following the resumption of football training and competitions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it was necessary to tighten up the hygiene protocol and impose restrictions such as prohibiting spectators from entering stadiums and the detection of positive disease cases, particularly among sub clinically infected players. The purpose of our study was to find out how common COVID-19 is among professional football players and to see if regular PCR testing and symptom recording are adequate screening methods in football.Study design: A cross-sectional retrospective study was used as the study design.Method: Periodic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing are used to evaluate athletes and other involved people for breaks in the transmission chain and to preserve their health. From March to November 2020, 784 players from Iran's prime and second division leagues participated in this study. The symptoms of the participants, as well as the results of the PCR testing, were recorded.Results: The results showed that 107 cases (13.6%) had positive PCR tests, with 52 Premier League players (10.4%) and 55 second-tier League players among them (19.3 percent). 41.1 percent of individuals who had positive PCR testing were symptom-free, while 17.5 percent of those who tested negative experienced at least one symptom. Myalgia was the most commonly reported symptom among symptomatic participants (7%).Conclusion: Due to the large number of asymptomatic patients, we advocate combining a periodic PCR test with serologic tests for the diagnosis of COVID-19 in football players to improve diagnostic accuracy.
COVID-19
Virendra Mane; Poorva Bhalerao
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was expected to affect India severely; cases rose exponentially from May-June 2020, but around mid-September reached their peak and started declining. It showed a sign of the wave’s completion by the end of January 2021. This decline was not predicted by any models ...
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was expected to affect India severely; cases rose exponentially from May-June 2020, but around mid-September reached their peak and started declining. It showed a sign of the wave’s completion by the end of January 2021. This decline was not predicted by any models and the authors have not come across any explanation. Winter seasonality of influenza and similar viruses is well known and observed fact and that it has a direct correlation to the colder temperatures as well as lower humidity. Similarly, in low humidity, viruses are most viable, and they become ineffective as the humidity increases and reaches its maximum extent. This article hypothesizes and tries to explain the cause behind the first major decline and shows the subsequent rise of the second wave, and one short low humidity period followed by a high humidity period between the first and second waves. Methods: The humidity cycles in India were studied to find high and low relative humidity periods, which then corresponded to the daily cases in the country (macro-level), region (mid-level), and smaller regions (micro-level). Results: A definite correlation was observed between Monsoon-induced humidity and the incidence rate decline. This happens in 8 to 10 weeks. Incidence rates start declining about 4 weeks after the peak humidity is reached in a particular region. A decrease in humidity below 65% or 55% or lower causes an increase in the case increase/uptrend in about 3-4 weeks. Conclusion: COVID-19 has a seasonal peak in India, peaking in the middle of the monsoon season around mid-September and reaching its lowest levels in January-February. As humidity drops from February to June/July, a trend reversal and sharp rise are expected. The subsequent wave/case peak would be expected to be seen around mid-September 2021.
COVID-19
Fazlollah Keshavarzi; Berry Wei Qi Ting; Betty Zhi Xin Tang; Kai Xin Chang; Fei San Chee; Kar Mey Chen
Abstract
Background. The worldwide economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is comparable with the largest disastrous events of modern human history, such as the first and second world wars. This study investigated the nationwide impact of the pandemic on the local Malaysian firms.Methods. A cross-sectional, ...
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Background. The worldwide economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is comparable with the largest disastrous events of modern human history, such as the first and second world wars. This study investigated the nationwide impact of the pandemic on the local Malaysian firms.Methods. A cross-sectional, online survey was carried out in East and West Malaysia by inviting the Malaysian firms’ executives to fill in a questionnaire that was adopted from previous similar studies in other countries. The final questionnaire included 16 questions distributed in three categories. The executives of firms were contacted through email and social media. SSPS was used to analyse the collected data.Results. A total of 379 responses were received. Nearly 42% of firms reported a small impact with some difficulties in business operations but overall stability. Approximately 32% of businesses were severely impacted, and operations were barely maintained. Six percent of the firms had no significant difficulties and 5.3% reported that the pandemic provided new opportunities for development.Conclusion. Almost one-third of the Malaysian firms are affected significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic. The business operation of half of the Malaysian firms is also affected to some extent. Supportive policies are needed to reduce the companies’ manufacturing costs and assist them in surviving and eventually returning to normal business operations.
COVID-19
Samira Zouhri; Mohcine El Baroudi
Abstract
A woman in her sixties with a normal medical history was admitted to a general medical floor with Neuropathic pain symptoms such as a burning sensation throughout her body (head, back, spine, throat, and tongue with dry mouth, chest, abdomen, kidneys, thighs, toes), inability to eat, urinary incontinence, ...
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A woman in her sixties with a normal medical history was admitted to a general medical floor with Neuropathic pain symptoms such as a burning sensation throughout her body (head, back, spine, throat, and tongue with dry mouth, chest, abdomen, kidneys, thighs, toes), inability to eat, urinary incontinence, difficulty wearing clothing, and difficulty leaning on the back. There was a difficulty and delay in diagnosing the patient's condition, which was confirmed to have severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with no respiratory symptoms. The patient's pain did not respond to the covid-19's first-line medications, but it did respond to neuropathic medication with Pregabalin and Alprazolam. Our study shows that Pregabalin could be helpful in relieving the patient’s pain and very effective for treating neuropathic pain with a safe profile, unlike Alprazolam, which interferes with the same stages of sleep, which made her sleep condition worse.
COVID-19
Jose Luis Turabian
Abstract
BackgroundMost people with COVID-19 receive care at home, increasing the likelihood of exposure for household members.ObjectiveTo study the prevalence and characteristics of secondary cases in families after the appearance of a primary caseMethodologyAn observational and retrospective study of families ...
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BackgroundMost people with COVID-19 receive care at home, increasing the likelihood of exposure for household members.ObjectiveTo study the prevalence and characteristics of secondary cases in families after the appearance of a primary caseMethodologyAn observational and retrospective study of families with at least one polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed COVID-19 primary case was conducted from March 15 to December 25, 2020, in a general medicine office in Toledo, Spain. Socio-demographic and clinical variables were compared between primary and secondary cases in the families. The outcome of interest was secondary attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 within the family.Results39 families with a primary case (average size 3.4 members) with a total of 132 cohabitants were included. There were 22 cohabitants with negative PCR (22/92 = 24%), 70 secondary cases with positive PCR (Secondary attack rate 76%), of which 25 were asymptomatic (25/70 = 36%), and a cohabiting new-born. A high frequency of people from ethnic minorities, low household income and complex families was found, both in primary and secondary cases. The secondary cases with respect to the primary ones were more women, younger, students and with a lower socio-occupational level, with more asymptomatic cases, and milder symptomatic cases.ConclusionsIn this context, the prevalence of secondary domestic contacts is very high, and it occur in young women, being asymptomatic or mild. The high secondary attack rate suggests the importance of the pre-symptomatic or early symptomatic period of COVID-19, as well as the possible failure to comply with isolation measures.
