The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota 📨 Daily News newsletter: cidrap.umn.edu/newsletter

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CIDRAP's Vaccine Integrity Project and The Evidence Collective today announced complementary initiatives designed to improve US vaccine policymaking and strengthen public trust in vaccines. Read full press release: ow.ly/FLsx50Zgf24
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CDC cuts back foodborne illness surveillance program The CDC's FoodNet program has reduced required surveillance from eight foodborne pathogens to two, a move some experts warn could leave the country more vulnerable to outbreaks. cidrap.umn.edu/foodborne-dis…
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WHO designates JN.1 as separate COVID-19 variant of interest As part of its announcement today, the WHO recommended universal masking for health facilities and protection for health workers. ow.ly/L21E50Qkmjr Photo: PAHO/Flickr cc
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Smart people first in line for COVID-19 vaccines, study suggests A total of 80% of the most intelligent people were vaccinated within 40 days of #COVID-19 vaccine availability, compared with 180 days for those with the lowest cognitive ability. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/smar…
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Study notes high rate of COVID-infected healthcare workers still caring for patients Half of all HCWs with symptomatic #COVID19 continued to go to work, even if they were involved with direct patient care cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Study finds 27% rate of long COVID in infected health workers Multiple #COVID19 infections were predictive of developing #LongCOVID ow.ly/i3Bn50OGca8 Photo: Hospital Clinic / Flickr cc
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Wastewater sampling in Canada suggests COVID case rate 19 times higher than reported Sampling suggested that #Omicron #COVID19 cases were up to 19 times higher than reported because of changes in clinical testing cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/wast…
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Study: Sperm counts decline even after mild COVID infections The findings suggest #COVID19 does long-term damage to the male reproductive tract ow.ly/82EO50OXzXQ
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COVID study: 40% of children still infectious after symptom resolution The median time to symptom resolution was 6 days, and 12% of participants still had symptoms at day 10. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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COVID Omicron carries 4 times the risk of death as flu, new data show #Flu was tied to 7,851 deaths from week 33, 2022, to week 12, 2023, compared with 32,607 deaths tied to #COVID19 cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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Study of Novavax #COVID19 vaccine estimates 100% efficacy against hospitalizations A post hoc analysis of a randomized, controlled trial estimates that 2 doses are 100% effective against hospitalization by 95 days cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Study shows infants exposed to COVID in utero at risk for developmental delay At 12 months, 20.3% of COVID-exposed children and 5.9% of the controls received a diagnosis of neurodevelopmental delay. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud… Joshua Rappeneker / Flickr cc
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SARS-CoV-2 can damage mitochondrion in heart, other organs, study finds Mitochondrial dysregulation leads to long-term damage and may help explain long COVID, the authors say. ow.ly/B1G950PwaiK
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1 in 4 COVID survivors had impaired lung function 1 year on, study shows Of all patients, 11%, 22%, and 48% of those with mild, moderate, or severe #COVID-19, respectively, had impaired lung function. ow.ly/ieGR50PKOGK Photo: mr.suphachai praserdumrongchai / iStock
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COVID-19 tied to dangerous blood clots in cancer patients The risk of developing venous thromboembolisms is elevated among cancer patients with #COVID19 taking anticancer drugs, new data show cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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New update from USDA APHIS: Avian flu now confirmed in Michigan dairy cows, with presumptive positives for more herds in NM, Idaho, and Texas ow.ly/pk2450R59K3
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Studies: Dogs can detect COVID-19 with greater than 80% sensitivity A review of 27 studies reveals that dogs have more than 80% sensitivity and more than 90% specificity for detecting #COVID19 in people through scent cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Maternal COVID infections may affect newborn heart development 10.08% of the newborns in the COVID-19 group had abnormalities, compared with 4.13% in the control group. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/mate…
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Early-life infection burden continues throughout childhood, new data reveal A study in Denmark found children who have a lot of common infections early in life have a higher risk of moderate to severe infections and antibiotic use throughout childhood. cidrap.umn.edu/antimicrobial…
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US data show rise in hospitalizations for fungal infections during COVID-19 The increase was driven by #COVID19 –associated fungal infections cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/us-d…
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Study: 1 in 6 kids have persistent COVID symptoms for 3 months after infection A review of 31 studies reveals that #LongCOVID affects 16% of children and adolescents after #COVID19 cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Study: Regardless of variant, half of long-COVID patients fail to improve after 18 months The analysis included 806 patients who were infected with the wild-type strain, Alpha, Delta, or Omicron strain. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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SARS-CoV-2 can infect coronary arteries and trigger heart attack, stroke, study suggests The researchers found #SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in coronary atherosclerotic plaques in all patients—regardless of the extent of plaque buildup. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/sars…
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Using both nose, throat swabs boosts sensitivity of rapid #COVID testing The findings suggest that US rapid antigen testing recommendations should include throat specimens. ow.ly/aY8150Qg7GO Photo: Banc d'Imatges Infermeres, Ariadna Creus/Angel Garcia / Flickr cc
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US government failure to protect frontline workers from #COVID led to thousands of deaths, scientists say CDC guidance was based on droplet dogma rather than the current view that SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily through aerosols, the authors said. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/us-g…
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US reports more #H5N1 #AvianFlu detections in mammals Species include skunk, raccoon, bobcat, red fox, grizzly bear, black bear, tiger, and mountain lion cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influen…
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Common diabetes drug lowers SARS-CoV-2 levels, clinical trial finds The mean SARS-CoV-2 viral load was reduced 3.6-fold with metformin. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/comm…
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Study shows COVID leaves brain injury markers in blood Researchers looked at blood levels of serum inflammatory proteins (cytokines), antibodies, and brain (neuroglial) injury proteins. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Study suggests higher risk of new-onset #post-COVID autoimmune, autoinflammatory disorders Relative to controls, COVID-19 patients had significantly higher risks of conditions such as alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, Crohn disease, and sarcoidosis. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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1 in 5 US retail milk samples test positive for H5N1 avian flu fragments The highest concentrations were from regions where the virus has been found in dairy herds. ow.ly/57Km50RouKb
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Study sheds new light on severe COVID's long-term brain impacts One of the most striking findings was that post-COVID deficits in hospitalized patients looked similar to 20 years of normal aging. ow.ly/gf3h50TuwG5
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Tests confirm avian flu on New Mexico dairy farm, probe finds cat positives The virus was also confirmed on five more Texas farms, as investigators find more clues from animal samples and genetic sequences. ow.ly/vNOo50R6T75
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COVID's aftermath: Persistent organ damage at 1 year, lung abnormalities at 2 Of all participants, 59% had organ damage at 1 year—even those with non-severe infections ow.ly/HvHV50MTzfT #LongCovid #COVID19
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Study: COVID can trigger changes to the immune system that may underlie persistent symptoms Over 90% of #COVID-19 survivors had no neutralizing antibody activity at 10 months, implying that they had lost protection from reinfection. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Study: Death rates in COVID ICU patients 69% higher than for flu #COVID19 patients had a longer hospital stay and a 69% higher mortality rate than ICU patients with influenza, national French data show cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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COVID booster linked to 25% lower odds of long COVID People who received the COVID-19 booster vaccine had 25% lower odds of having long COVID than their unvaccinated counterparts. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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Researchers identify type of long COVID with persistent inflammation About 60% of #LongCOVID patients had signs of persistent inflammation, including elevated neutrophil activation, while recovered and uninfected participants did not ow.ly/Tg5S50ONshq #COVID19
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COVID-19 infection associated with increased risk of new-onset vascular dementia in older adults Prior COVID-19 infection was associated with a 41% increased risk of all-cause dementia. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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Study links air quality improvements to fewer school COVID cases The study took place at a school that serves vulnerable students in a setting where air quality improvements were made and then monitored. ow.ly/CbVs50R8OTw
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The much-awaited first report in our "COVID-19: The CIDRAP Viewpoint" series has just been published: "The future of the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned from pandemic influenza" lays out several potential #pandemic scenarios ow.ly/pT0w30qCamV #COVID19 #coronavirus
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Study shows dogs can detect COVID-19 faster, better than most PCR tests Studies show that dogs can detect asymptomatic people, those who had #LongCOVID, and new #COVID19 variants ow.ly/9QEI50PfBeA
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COVID-19 infection associated with type 1 diabetes in kids The incidence of new-onset type 1 diabetes was almost double in kids diagnosed as having #COVID19 cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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NIH announces launch of clinical trial for nasal COVID vaccine Nasal vaccines have the potential for reducing transmission and preventing milder illness. ow.ly/MwrB50Su9eL Photo: NIAID/Flickr cc
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Some kids, teens have long-term lung damage after #COVID19 MRI reveals lung damage in children who either had COVID-19 up to a year earlier or who have #LongCOVID ow.ly/9SZ950KQKsw
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Almost a third of preteens, teens with long COVID still not recovered at 2 years, study shows Those who reported COVID reinfections during the study period had the most symptoms through 24 months. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/almo…
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Researchers: Live #H5N1 avian flu can survive in raw-milk cheese for up to 6 months Infectious virus persisted throughout the cheese-making process and aging in cheeses made with raw milk at pH levels above 5.0. cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influen…
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Death certificate analysis pushes European COVID toll 18% to 27% higher than official records Three of four death certificates listed a COVID complication or pre-existing condition as the cause. ow.ly/Jzmb50SGeSU Photo: Victoria Pickering / Flickr cc
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Study: Kids with COVID but no symptoms play key role in household spread The clinical secondary attack rate (SAR) for asymptomatic positive children was 10.6%. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Sepsis associated with COVID-19 infections more common than thought Overall, SARS-CoV-2–associated sepsis was present in 28.2% of patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/seps…
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COVID-19 behind thousands of excess US deaths, analysis shows A total of 162,886 of these excess natural-cause deaths (90% PI, 14,276 to 308,480) were not reported as COVID-19. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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Denmark reports Mycoplasma pneumonia epidemic Before COVID, Denmark experienced Mycoplasma outbreaks every 3 to 7 years. ow.ly/iIKG50QcGLc
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Patients with COVID-19 at time of heart attack have more clotting Clots were seen in multiple arteries in close to 30% of patients with #COVID19 at the time of their heart attack, but in less than 5% of heart-attack patients who did not have COVID-19 cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/pati…
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New breath test shows promise for rapid COVID-19 detection The test provided no false results, with accurate results obtained after 2 breaths for each participant ow.ly/RKW050PrivA Photo: Chakrabarty lab / Washington University
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Long-COVID rate among disabled people double that of able-bodied People with disabilities are also more likely to have severe #COVID-19, face treatment refusals, and be hospitalized, the researchers say. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/long…
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#COVID19 may trigger new-onset high blood pressure While the exact cause of hypertension is unknown, it is possible that SARS-CoV-2 causes cardiac dysfunction and blood pressure dysregulation via the ACE2 receptors ow.ly/czzp50PBGjT
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COVID tied to higher risk of inflammatory autoimmune diseases for 1 year #COVID-19 patients were at a 25% to 30% increased risk for new-onset inflammatory autoimmune diseases after the first 30 days post-infection. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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Antihistamine nasal spray prevents COVID-19, study finds Azelastine also showed a significant association with reducing rhinovirus infections. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/anti…
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Study: Cats can transmit COVID-19 to each other Cats can become infected with #COVID19 through contact with other infected animals or contaminated surroundings, the data show cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud… Photo: Thryn / Flickr cc
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Sick cows in 2 states test positive for avian flu Dead wild birds were found on the affected farms. ow.ly/ars750R1IBR
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Scientists estimate higher rate of new-onset diabetes after #COVID than in general population Of 4.4 million COVID-19 patients, 1.4% had new-onset diabetes, with 0.8% being type 2 and 0.02% type 1. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/scie…
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📢 ANNOUNCEMENT! CIDRAP's Vaccine Integrity Project has released an interim update and call to action. It outlines urgent, high-impact recommendations needed to protect public health. cidrap.umn.edu/vaccine-integ…
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New antiviral application for COVID-19 preventive drug submitted to FDA Ensitrelvir, known as Xocova, is already approved for use in Japan. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/new-…
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FDA greenlights Novavax's updated COVID vaccine The FDA's announcement paves the way for people to start receiving the vaccine at pharmacies and doctor's offices. ow.ly/HPoX50PSGte Photo: Courtesy of Novavax
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Long-COVID patients performed worse on cognitive tests for up to 2 years The effects were equivalent to a 10-year age increase. ow.ly/8mW850PjZpC
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USDA reports more H5N1 detections in mice and cats Officials reported 36 more detections in mice, as well as 4 more H5N1 positives in cats. ow.ly/ZovB50Sg9ux
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Asthma patients report worse asthma control after COVID-19 People with asthma experienced worse control of their asthma after they had recovered from mild to moderate #COVID19 cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/asth…
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#COVID19 reinfection ups risk of long COVID, new data show People who had 2 COVID infections were more than twice as likely to report #LongCOVID as those with 1 infection, and the risk rose with more reinfections cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/covi…
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Less than 5% of US preschool cohort hospitalized for #COVID were fully vaccinated, study finds Most critically ill children were unvaccinated or hadn't completed their primary series. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/less…
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WHO continues global polio emergency as breach noted at Dutch vaccine facility Virus was detected in a sewage sample and was genetically similar to stocks used at the lab, then a lab worker tested pos ow.ly/v9bC50MIoNt Photo: IAEA Imagebank, Dejan Vidanovic / Flickr cc
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Cancer patients with COVID at higher risk of death, hospitalization amid Omicron The 30-day death rate after #COVID-19 diagnosis was twice as high in the cancer group than in controls. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/canc…
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Decline in COVID reporting muddles tracking of global illness patterns Amid reduced testing and case reporting, hospitalization and death trends may be more reliable COVID activity markers. Photo: NIAID/Flickr cc ow.ly/JPgB50OQQkL
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Studies across 14 nations show 25% to 30% rate of long COVID Among the 25.1% of participants who said they experienced long-COVID symptoms, 12.8% reported sleeping disorders. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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High-risk patients with #COVID symptoms should use PCR rather than rapid tests, study suggests The sensitivity of rapid tests was 47%, compared with RT-PCR and 80% versus viral culture. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/high…
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Long COVID changes heart rate variability, study suggests Long-COVID patients had reduced HRV at rest and during deep breathing. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/long…
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Paxlovid tied to fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations, reduced risk of long COVID Paxlovid was associated with a 61% lower risk of hospitalization. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/paxl…
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Not 'little adults': Experts say #long COVID undercounted, misdiagnosed in kids Experts say it could be better defined and measured through well-designed longitudinal studies that take children's unique presentations into account. ow.ly/OFKf50PVjGG
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Codagenix announces promising findings for intranasal COVID vaccine Earlier this month, the company received a contract from Project NextGen, a federal effort to deliver new treatments and vaccines. ow.ly/3nNB50PVOaU
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Study: 1 in 7 Americans have had long COVID Americans who report having experienced long COVID said they also experienced more anxiety, low mood, and difficulty with memory. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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CDC reports rising levels of Mycoplasma pneumonia and RSV in young kids The CDC said the rise in M pneumoniae in children ages 2 to 4 is notable, because it isn't typically known as leading cause of pneumonia in the age group. ow.ly/99Sk50TOMk7
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Blood donor study finds 21% incidence of long-term symptoms attributed to COVID-19 Among blood donors with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, 23.6% reported long-term neurologic symptoms cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/bloo…
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Analysis suggests COVID-19 diminishes sperm quality A study at a fertility clinic in China ties COVID-19 exposure to reduced sperm count and lower sperm motility. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/anal…
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Canadian teen with suspected avian flu in critical condition The teen was previously healthy and didn't have any links to farms or poultry. ow.ly/cPfJ50U5FB3
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Research links #COVID to poor kidney outcomes in US youth Children and adolescents were at higher risk for new-onset mild and moderate chronic kidney disease from 2020 to 2023. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/rese…
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COMMENTARY: Wear a respirator, not a cloth or surgical mask, to protect against respiratory viruses 2 papers say surgical masks and respirators r no different in preventing spread of respiratory diseases like #COVID19 and #flu, but they are deeply flawed ow.ly/uHtK50N0BNe
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Teen vaccination cut COVID-19 cases by 37% in California, new data show Researchers also estimated that 230,134 cases were averted in kids aged 5 to 11 years, a 24% reduction. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/teen…
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Study links COVID infection to heart attacks, strokes Patients with COVID-19 had a 21% greater risk of heart attack, stroke, and death than people with cardiovascular disease without COVID-19 infection. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Novavax says its #COVID vaccine produces fewer, milder reactions than Pfizer version On average, workers who received Novavax had 1.7 systemic symptoms, compared with 2.8 in Pfizer recipients. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/nova… Photo: Novavax
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WHO elevates XBB.1.16 to variant of interest as levels rise in US and other countries The subvariant could spread globally and fuel increased cases, due its growth advantage and immune escape properties. bit.ly/3H8Kxcj Photo: NIAID/Flickr cc
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Imaging shows significant lung injury in kids with long COVID In participants with long COVID, greater lung perfusion correlated with increased chronic fatigue severity. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/imag…
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Study estimates 1.4 million deaths shortly after 'zero COVID' ended in China A new analysis estimates that 1.41 million #COVID19 deaths occurred in the 35 days following the relaxation of China's policy cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud…
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Positive avian flu bulk-tank tests prompt another raw-milk recall in California Also, the USDA today confirmed Louisiana's first outbreak in a poultry flock, marking the appearance of the virus in all 50 states. cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influen…
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Experts say CDC not getting right advice on hospital infection prevention The guidance is meant to protect both healthcare workers and patients. cidrap.umn.edu/experts-say-c… Department of Defense, Reese Brown / Flickr cc
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CDC releases ventilation guidance for curbing indoor respiratory virus spread Advice includes optimizing HVAC systems and other steps to improve air quality and circulation. ow.ly/lMeM50R1IQX Photo: Adam Winsor/Flickr cc
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Feds launch indoor air quality research program The group is looking for research proposals on indoor air biosensors, respiratory virus risk assessment software, and optimizing building controls. ow.ly/akng50RfnVQ Photo: Michael Casey/Flickr cc
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Severe #COVID-19, death lowest by far among vaccinated Canadians The unvaccinated were 11 to 17 times more likely to die than those who completed a primary COVID-19 vaccine series. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/seve…
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Study: China saw almost 2 million excess deaths just after zero-COVID policy ended Researchers use obituary reports to estimate that 1.87 million excess deaths occurred in the first 2 months after the policy lifted cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud… #COVID19
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‘A deadly societal force’: Q&A with Peter Hotez on the #anti-science movement Some call it misinformation, but Hotez dislikes that term "because it implies that it's just some random junk on the internet. It wasn't that at all." ow.ly/PBBT50PTaqB Photo: Michael Stravato
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TB-COVID co-infections increasingly common, tied to worse outcomes, data show The estimated fatality rate among hospitalized patients with TB-COVID co-infection was 11.4%. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/tb-c…
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Review: Human #H5N1 avian flu cases can be asymptomatic, and the virus likely spreads among people The findings highlight a critical gap in many national and global H5N1 surveillance systems. cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influen…
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#LongCOVID patients with severe fatigue report little relief by 20 months Only 7 of the 55 patients (13%) in the severely fatigued group saw improvement in their physical impairments over time ow.ly/rqJv50PFEYA #COVID19
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Study: Vaccinated patients have lower risk of long COVID At 90-days post-infection, 8% of vaccinated cases were still reporting symptoms, compared with 27% of unvaccinated cases. cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stud… Photo: Blake Patterson / Flickr cc
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