COVID-19 Case 26: Malaysia has seen Covid-19 mutations, warns of aggressive infectivity.

In addition, new research suggests that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could have already mutated into more than 30 separate strains and making them far more dangerous and in Malaysia, strains A, B, and C of the novel coronavirus mutations already exist in Malaysia.

One strain, for example, appeared to generate 270 times the viral load — meaning the infected person produces 270 times as much of the virus compared to the least potent strain [1].

That makes it far harder to fight off infections and facilitates spread, hypothetically explaining why some cases of COVID-19 are significantly worse than others. In the context of Malaysia, “Case 26″ had one mutation and this may have caused the virus to become more aggressive, infecting 120 others.

“The new mutations are even more aggressive, that is for sure,” — Datuk Seri Dr. Noor Hisham, Director-General of Health of the Malaysian Ministry of Health

When coming to COVID-19, prevention is always better than cure. Always practice social distancing & clean your hands regularly. Visit our website to learn more about our solutions for COVID-19 screening and testing applications (https://lnkd.in/fdKd6fj)

Source: 1. https://bit.ly/2VQOuex

COVID-19 & R0

An average coronavirus patient infects at least 2 others. To end the pandemic, that crucial metric needs to drop below 1.

However, a recent study show COVID-19 maybe twice as contagious as we thought. A single person with COVID-19 may be more likely to infect up to 5 or 6 other people, rather than 2 or 3, suggests a new study of Chinese data from the CDC. It’s not clear if this higher number applies only to the cases in China or if it will be similar in other countries.

If the higher number does remain true elsewhere, it means that more people in a population need to be immune from the disease—either from having already had it or from a vaccine—to stop it from circulating. The new study, published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, shifts the R0 for COVID-19 from about 2.2 to about 5.7.

Regardless, when coming to COVID-19, prevention is always better than cure. Always practice social distancing & clean your hands regularly. Visit our website to learn more about our solutions for COVID-19 screening and testing applications (https://lnkd.in/fdKd6fj)

Source:
1. https://lnkd.in/g5fqVtg

#covid19 #kitamestimenang #stayathome

COVID-19: Passive antibody therapy

The antibodies conferred from the donor’s blood act as a stop-gap to provide immediate immunity while the individual develops their own humoral response to fight the infection. The main mechanism for this is through the action of neutralizing antibodies, but also includes antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-mediated phagocytosis.

Passive antibody therapy dates back to the 1918 influenza pandemic and was used with great effect during the recent 2009 H1N1 Influenza and 2013/2014 Ebola epidemics, showing significantly longer survival in treated patients. For COVID-19, antibodies could be used both prophylactically, to protect healthcare workers in COVID-19 wards, as well as a therapeutic for patients with severe infection.

However, when coming to COVID-19, prevention is always better than cure. Always practice social distancing & clean your hands regularly. Visit our website to learn more about our solutions for COVID-19 screening and testing applications (https://lnkd.in/fdKd6fj)

Adapted from:
1) https://lnkd.in/fgufKPB
2) https://lnkd.in/gxsAy3n

However, expert says the evidence for using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 is flimsy.

Human trials of hydroxychloroquine, by contrast, have so far yielded mixed results. A tiny study by researchers in France found that the drug could clear the infection in a few days [5]. But the study sample included only 36 patients, and the trial wasn’t randomized, meaning the administrators were deliberately picking which patients received the treatment, potentially skewing the results.

Other studies have been even less promising. A study in China found that hydroxychloroquine was no better than standard medical treatments without the drug [6]. This study was also small, 30 patients, but the treatment was randomized.

More trials are needed before we will know for sure if hydroxychloroquine is effective for COVID-19.

Ultimately, when coming to COVID-19, prevention is always better than cure. Always practice social distancing & clean your hands regularly. Visit our website to learn more about our solutions for COVID-19 screening and testing applications (https://lnkd.in/fdKd6fj)

References:
1. https://bit.ly/2V7hw7W
2. https://lnkd.in/fgT5bRg
3. https://bit.ly/3c7zoX9
4. https://bit.ly/3bYC6hC
5. https://bit.ly/2UUTyOH
6. https://bit.ly/2XkROzH

Why use real-time RT-PCR?

The real-time RT-PCR technique is highly sensitive and specific and can deliver a reliable diagnosis as fast as three hours, though usually, laboratories take on average between 6 to 8 hours. Compared to other available virus isolation methods, real-time RT-PCR is significantly faster and has a lower potential for contamination or errors as the entire process can be done within a closed tube. It continues to be the most accurate method available for the detection of the coronavirus.

Visit our website to learn more about our solutions for COVID-19 screening and testing applications
https://lnkd.in/fdKd6fj

Current detection methods for COVID-19

As more rapid test kits become available, rRT-PCR remains the golden standard for COVID-19 detection.

FC-BIOS committed to providing complete molecular biology solutions with our comprehensive product range from PCR tubes, extraction kits, and buffers.

Let’s all do our part & be socially responsible.

• Stay at home
• Wash your hand frequently with soaps
• Avoid touching your face with your hands
• Monitor your temperature twice daily

What curve? And why is flatter better?

If you look at the image above, you can see two curves – two different versions of what might happen in Malaysia, depending on the next steps.

The tall, skinny curve is bad – it means that a lot of people will get sick at once, in a short period of time because we don’t take enough steps to prevent the virus from spreading from person to person.

Most people won’t get sick enough to need a hospital. But those who do could overwhelm the number of beds and care teams that our nation’s hospitals have available.

If individuals and communities take steps to slow the virus’s spread, that means the number of cases of COVID-19 will stretch out across a longer period of time. As the curve shows, the number of cases at any given time doesn’t cross the dotted line of the capacity of our nation’s health care system to help everyone who’s very sick.

Canceling, postponing, or moving online for our work, education & recreation may be inconvenient, annoying, and disappointing. But hospitals need to have enough room, supplies and staff to care for those who need hospital-level care — whether it’s for coronavirus, a heart attack, car crash, broken bone or birth.