Omicron may not be the final variant, but it may be the last of concern

 The disease might very likely be mild as some past exposure creates immunity that reduces the likelihood of hospitalisation and death

It is controversial whether viruses are alive, but – like all living things – they do evolve. This fact has become abundantly clear during the pandemic, as new variants of concern have emerged every few months. Some of these variants have been better at spreading from person to person, eventually becoming dominant as they out-compete slower versions of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This improved spreading ability has been ascribed to mutations in the spike protein – the mushroom-shaped projections on the surface of the virus – that allow it to bind more strongly to ACE2 receptors. ACE2 are receptors on the surface of our cells, such as those that line our airways, that the virus attaches to in order to gain entry and start replicating.

These mutations allowed the alpha variant, and then the delta variant, to become globally dominant. And scientists expect the same thing to happen with omicron. The virus cannot, however, improve indefinitely. The laws of biochemistry mean that the virus will eventually evolve a spike protein that binds to ACE2 as strongly as possible. By that point, the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to spread between people will not be limited by how well the virus can stick to the outside of cells. Other factors will limit virus spread, such as how fast the genome can replicate, how quickly the virus can enter the cell via the protein TMPRSS2, and how much virus an infected human can shed. In principle, all of these should eventually evolve to peak performance.

Coronavirus protein redesigned in lab, may enable stable vaccine production

Scientists have redesigned a key protein from coronavirus which it uses to enter and infect human cells, an innovation that may lead to faster and more stable production of vaccines

Scientists have redesigned a key protein from the novel coronavirus which it uses to enter and infect human cells, an innovation that may lead to much faster and more stable production of vaccines against COVID-19. According to the researchers, including those from the University of Texas at Austin in the US, most COVID-19 vaccine candidates train the human immune system to recognise a key protein on the surface of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 called the spike (S) protein to fight infection.

In the current study, published in the journal Science, the scientists designed a new version of this protein which can be produced up to 10 times more in cells than that of an earlier synthetic S protein already in use in multiple COVID-19 vaccines. “Depending on the type of vaccine, this improved version of the protein could reduce the size of each dose or speed up vaccine production,” said study senior author Jason McLellan from the University of Texas at Austin. “Either way, it could mean more patients have access to vaccines faster,” McLellan said.

The new protein, dubbed HexaPro, is also more stable than the team’s earlier version of the S protein, which according to the scientists should make it easier to store and transport. They said the new S protein also keeps its shape under heat stress, during storage at room temperature, and through multiple freeze-thaws — qualities that are desirable in a robust vaccine.

Coronavirus: China death toll now at 80; virus spreads to Beijing, Shanghai

The newly identified coronavirus has created alarm because much about it is still unknown, such as how dangerous it is and how easily it spreads between people

The death toll from China’s new coronavirus grew to 80 on Monday as residents of Hubei province, where the disease originated, were banned from entering Hong Kong amid global efforts to halt the rapid spread of the outbreak. The number of deaths from the flu-like virus in Hubei province climbed from 56 to 76 overnight, health commission officials said, with four deaths elsewhere. The total number of confirmed cases in China had risen about 30% to 2,744. U.S. S&P500 e-mini futures fell more than 1% in Asian trade on Monday on mounting worries the outbreak of the virus could severely disrupt the Chinese economy, an engine of global growth.

Kicking off the Asian trading day, New Zealand shares fell with travel and tourism-related stocks among the worst performers as the speed of the outbreak’s spread raised alarm over its future impact on movement. China’s cabinet said it would extend the week-long Lunar New Year holiday by three days to Feb. 2 in a bid to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. The Hubei city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, is already under virtual lockdown, with severe restrictions on movement in place in several other Chinese cities.

Beijing has called for transparency in managing the crisis, after public trust was eroded by a cover-up of the spread of SARS, a coronavirus that originated in China and killed nearly 800 people globally in 2002 and 2003. The newly identified coronavirus has created alarm because much about it is still unknown, such as how dangerous it is and how easily it spreads between people. It can cause pneumonia, which has been deadly in some cases.

Dengue - A continuing global threat

Dengue fever is a painful, debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by dengue viruses. Each year, an estimated 400 million people globally are infected with the virus; about 100 million get progressively sick and 2.5 percent of those patients die. It is the fastest growing mosquito borne infection in the world.

BS| The World health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 40 percent of world’s population is at risk of being infected due to environmental conditions and burden of disease; people of all age groups are at risk. Most people who are infected have mild or no symptoms.

Dr Mohammed Sakeel of Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, said that mild symptoms of dengue may be confused with other illnesses that cause fever and flu-like symptoms. He stated that the most common symptoms are fever, and one or more of the following:

1) Headache

2) Eye pain (typically behind the eyes)

3) Muscle, joint, or bone pain

4) Rashes

5) Nausea and vomiting

6) Unusual bleeding (nose or gum bleed, small red spots under the skin, or unusual bruising)

Severe symptoms of dengue can be labelled as an emergency. Therefore, it is important to recognise the warning signs early.

Warning signs:

Watch for signs and symptoms of severe dengue, which develop 24-48 hours after initial fever goes away. If you or a family member develops any of these warning signs, go to a physician or nearest emergency department immediately:

1) Severe stomach pain or vomiting (at least 3 vomiting episodes within 24 hours)

2) Bleeding from the nose or gums

3) Vomiting blood, or blood in the stool

According to Rasika Parab of Fortis Hospital, Mulund and Rajeshwari Shetty of SL Raheja Hospital, dengue has the most vague myths associated with itself and the rise of social media just adds to the problem.

>Keep Reading :-  Dengue – A continuing global threat<< 

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