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<ul><li>BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin said that it is highly likely that the company’s COVID-19 vaccine will work against the <keyword id="1092325" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-virus">new virus</keyword> strain, and that they can adapt it in six weeks if necessary. </li><li>Sahin added that the current vaccine would most likely work for the mutant COVID-19 strain as “as the new form of COVID-19 shares 99% of the proteins with the previous iterations.” </li><li>On December 19, UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson had spoken about the new variant of the Sars-Cov-2, which scientists believed was “70% transmissible”</li></ul>BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin, the man behind the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, has said that it is highly likely that their vaccine will be efficient against the emerging mutant coronavirus strain, and if needed they can adapt it further in six weeks, according to <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/biontech-says-can-make-mutation-beating-coronavirus-vaccine-in-six-weeks-news-agency-afp-2342027">news agency AFP. </a> Sahin said that the current vaccine would most likely work for the mutant COVID-19 strain as “as the new form of COVID-19 shares 99% of the proteins with the previous iterations”. However, according to the AFP report he said that in a scenario that it doesn’t they can create a new vaccine soon. “In principle the beauty of the messenger technology is that we can directly start to engineer a vaccine which completely mimics this new mutation - we could be able to provide a new vaccine technically within six weeks,” he said. Sahin also added that they would need more data to understand the implications of the mutant COVID-19 strain. On December 19, UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson had spoken about the new variant of the Sars-Cov-2 which scientists believed was “70% transmissible”. Following the announcement, an immediate lockdown was announced in London. Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only approved vaccine in the UK. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) which approved the use of the vaccine in the country said that it could work against the new mutant strain as well. “At this moment there is no evidence to suggest this vaccine will not work against the new variant,” said EMA chief <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/world/no-evidence-pfizer-covid-vaccine-won-t-work-against-new-virus-variant-says-eu-regulator-after-its-approval-11608560670603.html">Emer Cooke</a>. Indian government has suspended all flights from the United Kingdom after reports that the country has seen a new strain of COVID-19, which has been termed as a "<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-urges-government-to-ban-all-flights-from-uk-immediately-over-mutant-coronavirus-strain-2341472">super spreader</a>". Nine passengers from the UK who have arrived in India have tested positive for COVID-19 and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology to test <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/uk-passenger-tests-positive-for-covid-19-in-ch[%E2%80%A6]o-niv-to-check-for-mutant-strain/articleshow/79852040.cms">for the mutant strain</a>. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/quarantine-rules-in-mumbai-for-passengers-arriving-from-uk/articleshow/79851557.cms">Quarantine rules in Mumbai for passengers arriving from UK — here’s all you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/two-passengers-from-uk-test-positive-for-covid-19-at-kolkata-airport/articleshow/79855281.cms">Two passengers from UK test positive for COVID-19 at Kolkata airport</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/delhi-airport-six-passengers-on-london-delhi-f[%E2%80%A6]light-test-positive-for-covid-19/articleshow/79854999.cms">Delhi airport: Six passengers on London-Delhi flight test positive for COVID-19</a>

BioNTech chief says they are capable of providing a new vaccine 'in six weeks' for the COVID-19 virus variant

Boston, Apr 20 (AP) Massachusetts has become a hotspot of coronavirus infections, drawing the concern of federal officials and promises of aid from hard-hit New York.The state's death toll is expected to surpass 2,000 this week, doubling in less than a week. Officials are scrambling to boost hospital capacity and trace new infections to curb the spread of the disease.Vice President Mike Pence has said the White House is closely watching the Boston area. The coordinator of the federal coronavirus task force, Dr. Deborah Birx, said officials are "very much focused" on Massachusetts. There were 146 new deaths reported in Massachusetts on Sunday, bringing the state's death toll to more than 1,700. (AP) RS RS

Massachusetts becoming new virus hotspot

The <keyword id="196717" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indonesian-government">Indonesian government</keyword> announced the temporary closure of entrances for <keyword id="105019" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-nationals">foreign nationals</keyword> from all countries on January 1-14, 2021, due to the emergence of a <keyword id="10470105" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-virus-variant">new virus variant</keyword> that causes Covid-19. The regulation exempts foreign state officials at the level of ministers and above, who are required to apply tight protocols to prevent further Covid-19 transmissions, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told a virtual press conference on Monday following a limited cabinet meeting, Xinhua news agency reported. Foreigners who arrive in Indonesia on Monday (December 28) till December 31 are still allowed to enter the country by showing negative results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted in their countries of origin. The test results shall be valid for 48 hours since their departure, and there will be re-examination of PCR upon their arrival in Indonesia. If proven negative in both the PCR tests, the foreigners are required to do a mandatory quarantine for five days, and after that they must return to undergo PCR tests. If the tests show negative results, the foreigners are allowed to continue their trips, the minister said. Meanwhile, all the Indonesian nationals who want to return from abroad are allowed to enter the country by conducting the same PCR tests. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-screening-for-mutant-covid-19-strain-by-genome-sequencing-uk-returnees-who-test-positive-for-virus/articleshow/79991161.cms">India screening for mutant COVID-19 strain by genome sequencing UK returnees who test positive for virus</a>

Indonesia to close borders till January 14 to stop new Covid strain

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Brazil-Zika-Birth-Defects/021276ab2f6f46cfa4b10deda370d4c5/7/0">Felipe Dana/AP</a>Dejailson Arruda holds his daughter Luiza, who was born with microcephaly, at their house in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Brazil on Dec. 23, 2015.</div></div></div>The disease can be so mild, some people don't even know they have it. <a href="http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=9183&amp;Itemid=41463&amp;lang=en">Zika virus</a>, caught from the bite of an infected mosquito, resembles many other diseases. Symptoms can include rashes, fevers, and headaches. <a href="http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=9183&amp;Itemid=41463&amp;lang=en">Up to a quarter</a> of people infected have no symptoms at all.But the virus can cross the placenta, and an increase in both birth defects and Zika outbreaks in Brazil is causing scientists to wonder if the virus is to blame. Over the past year, almost 3,000 babies in Brazil have been born with <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/microcephaly/basics/definition/con-20034823">microcephaly</a>, a condition where their heads are much smaller than they should be. It can cause developmental delays and seizures, and sometimes death. In past years, the country recorded fewer than 200 cases annually, and the spike in microcephaly cases is alarming.At the same time, Brazil has been experiencing an outbreak of Zika, a virus that <a href="http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/zika-virus-americas-association-with-microcephaly-rapid-risk-assessment.pdf">until 2015</a> didn't exist in the Americas.<a href="http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/zika-virus-americas-association-with-microcephaly-rapid-risk-assessment.pdf">Preliminary estimates</a> by local health officials, reported in the <a href="http://oglobo.globo.com/sociedade/saude/registros-de-pessoas-com-zika-podem-chegar-15-milhao-ate-fim-do-ano-18284282">Brazilian newspaper O Globo</a>, put the number of people infected in Brazil last year somewhere between 500,000 and 1.5 million. (Clearly that is a wide range; diagnosis is challenging and final counts are not yet available.) Puerto Rico's first case was <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/s1231-zika.html">reported</a> on December 31. Zika has shown up in <a href="http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_topics&amp;view=article&amp;id=427#">at least 13</a> different countries and territories in the Americas.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/zika/">CDC</a>Countries that have past or current evidence of Zika virus as of December 2015.</div></div></div>But the connection between the increase in both microcephaly and Zika is just a hypothesis. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has <a href="http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_docman&amp;task=doc_download&amp;Itemid=&amp;gid=32636&amp;lang=en">asked national health departments</a> to report any patterns that mirror Brazil's, but a link hasn't been proven, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcos-espinal-1902a136">Dr. Marcos Espinal</a>, director of communicable diseases at PAHO, told Tech Insider. Preliminary "studies suggest there is a link - there's no doubt," Espinal said. "Now, we cannot conclude scientifically [Zika] is the cause of [microcephaly]. It may be, because it's not easy to conclude. This just needs time. In the meantime, that's not saying we can't do anything."Brazillian health officials have confirmed in a few of the microcephaly cases that the mother was also infected with Zika. But in some of the other cases, the mothers were not infected with Zika, according to the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/zika/pdfs/possible-association-between-zika-virus-and-microcephaly.pdf">US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Brazil-Zika-Birth-Defects/b9b421bf33c54bea8e8001e2ed087eb6/12/0">Felipe Dana/AP</a>Luiza's mom Angelica Pereira applies perfume on her as her father holds her at their home in Brazil.</div></div></div>This is not the first time a potential link has been observed.A few years ago, researchers <a href="http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20720">reported in the journal Eurosurveillance</a> a higher-than-usual rate of microcephaly in French Polynesia following an outbreak of Zika and dengue viruses. But that report couldn't prove causation either. Part of the problem is that microcephaly can be <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/microcephaly/basics/causes/con-20034823">caused</a> by a number of chemicals, environmental factors, or diseases - including German measles and chickenpox. Similar <a href="http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_docman&amp;task=doc_download&amp;Itemid=&amp;gid=32405&amp;lang=en">early reports</a> suggesting a possible connection between Zika and neurological symptoms in adults have also not been proven.And it can be difficult to detect Zika, making any potential lingering effects difficult to trace. The symptoms are generally so mild, and can so easily resemble other diseases, that Zika can sometimes be mistaken for its close viral cousins dengue or chikungunya - when it is diagnosed at all. And Zika can only be detected in the blood for five days. Whether Zika is causing microcephaly or not, Espinal told Tech Insider that the best way to contain the virus is to control the mosquitoes. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, so the only way to prevent it is to avoid getting bit by the Aedes mosquitoes that carry it. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">CDC</div></div></div>He said PAHO plans to bring together the World Health Organization, the CDC, the US National Institutes of Health, and top experts to brainstorm ways to prevent and treat Zika at a meeting in February. Until then, mosquito control and disease detection are the priorities.While the <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/12/11/459209383/why-brazil-doesnt-want-women-in-the-northeast-to-become-pregnant">Brazilian government has urged women</a> to refrain from getting pregnant until the Zika outbreak is under control, Espinal told Tech Insider that PAHO is not recommending that at this time. It's also <a href="http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=9183&amp;Itemid=41463&amp;lang=en">not suggesting</a> that anyone avoid travel to affected regions."Every country is free to do what they think it best for their people," he said. "I think the best thing is try to be cautious. I don't think it's something to say stop pregnancy at the moment, because we need more evidence. Prevention is the most important thing." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/killing-off-disease-spreading-mosquitoes-2015-6">Should we kill off one of the most dangerous creatures in the world?</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="lpd3lodTpxXMq8NSPc-xe5q-zK106WUF" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Mosquitoes are spreading an alarming new virus across the Americas

Seoul, May 22 (AP) South Korea has reported 20 new coronavirus cases, including nine in the Seoul metropolitan area, as authorities scramble to stem transmissions while proceeding with a phased reopening of schools. The figures announced Friday by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought national totals to 11,142 cases and 264 deaths. Nine other new cases were linked to international arrivals. South Korea was reporting around 500 new cases a day in early March but has since managed to stabilize infections with aggressive tracing and testing. Officials have eased social distancing measures and began reopening schools, starting with high school seniors on Wednesday. But students at dozens of schools in Incheon, near Seoul, were sent back home after some tested positive after visiting a karaoke room or taking private classes from a virus carrier. Health Minister Park Neung-hoo pleaded with people Friday to avoid visiting karaoke rooms or computer gaming centers near schools to lower infection risks for students.(AP) AMS AMS

South Korea reports 20 new virus cases

Seoul, May 29 (AP) South Korea has reported 58 new cases of the coronavirus, all in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, as officials scramble to stem transmissions linked to a massive e-commerce warehouse near the capital. The figures announced Friday by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought national totals to 11,402 infections and 269 deaths. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun called for officials to examine working conditions at warehouses of online shopping companies, which have seen orders surge during the pandemic, and other congested workplaces where infection risks may be high. Health authorities on Thursday said they found at least 82 infections linked to workers at a warehouse operated by local e-commerce giant Coupang in Bucheon, near Seoul. Officials had planned to complete testing on 4,000 workers and visitors to the warehouse. South Korea has reported 177 new COVID-19 cases over the past three days, a resurgence that threatens to erase some of its hard-won gains against the virus and worsen a massive shock to the country's trade-dependent economy. (AP) AMS AMS

South Korea reports 58 new virus cases

Seoul, May 26 (AP) South Korea has reported 19 new cases of the coronavirus, most from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, where officials have been actively tracing transmissions linked to nightclubs and other entertainment venues. South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday also reported two more deaths, bringing national totals to 11,225 cases and 269 fatalities. Officials linked three of the new cases to international arrivals. South Korea has been reporting around 20 new cases per day over the past two weeks after health workers found hundreds of infections linked to club goers who went out in early May as the country eased social distancing measures. The new infections in the greater capital area have caused concern as authorities proceed with a phased reopening of schools, which began with high school seniors last week. Around 2.4 million high school juniors, middle school seniors, first and second graders and kindergarten students will be returning to school on Wednesday. Health Minister Park Neung-hoo urged school officials to double check their preventive measures. He called for authorities to strengthen monitoring on some 390,000 undocumented foreign nationals who may have poor access to medical services and tests, but related measures weren't immediately announced. (AP) AMS

South Korea reports 19 new virus cases

<ul><li>US stocks closed mixed on Tuesday after Congress <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-approves-stimulus-package-white-house-trump-next-signature-2020-12">passed a multitrillion-dollar spending bill</a> that includes $900 billion in new stimulus.</li><li>The package, which also funds the government through September 30, includes $600 direct payments, $300 in additional federal unemployment benefits, and aid for small businesses. </li><li>The fresh fiscal support locked horns with concerns around a new strain of COVID-19 in the UK. The variant's emergence prompted several European nations to enact travel restrictions on UK visitors.</li><li>Oil futures fell as investors viewed the new virus strain as a risk to near-term energy demand. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/oil-price?type=wti?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestgest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">West Texas Intermediate crude</a> fell as much as 2.4%, to $46.60 per barrel.</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/indices">Watch major indexes update live here</a>.</li></ul>US equities closed mixed on Tuesday as investors weighed Monday's stimulus vote against the emergence of a new coronavirus strain in the UK.Congress <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-approves-stimulus-package-white-house-trump-next-signature-2020-12">approved the measure Monday night</a> after months of negotiations over additional fiscal support. The bill, which includes $900 billion in new stimulus, funds the government through September 30. The package also includes $600 direct payments, $300 in additional federal unemployment benefits, and funds for the Paycheck Protection Program.Here's where US indexes stood at the 4 p.m. ET market close on Tuesday:<ul><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestm=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S&amp;P 500</a>: 3,687.26, down 0.2%</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/dow_jones?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestgest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dow Jones industrial average</a>: 30,015.51, down 0.7% (201 points)</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/nasdaq_composite?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestgest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nasdaq composite</a>: 12,807.92, up 0.5%</li></ul>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-picks-to-buy-cheap-medtech-healthcare-2021-bofa-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BANK OF AMERICA: Buy these 16 medtech stocks with strong fundamentals that are set to soar post-pandemic</a>The White House has indicated President Donald Trump will sign the bill. Economists have largely backed additional fiscal support, though the slowed pace of economic recovery and rising COVID-19 cases still present sizeable risks."The $900 billion fiscal aid package is months late and will likely fall short of what is needed to prevent a rough winter, but it's better than nothing," Gregory Daco, chief US economist at Oxford Economics, said, adding the measure will "partially buffer the current economic slowdown" while vaccines are distributed.Enthusiasm toward the new fiscal support was somewhat offset by reports of a new COVID-19 variant in the UK. Several European countries implemented travel restrictions on UK visitors to slow its spread.Fears were somewhat allayed later in the day after public health experts said Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines are likely effective against the new strain. Still, the new restrictions and virus fears threaten to tamper down on already weakened economic activity.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-picks-to-buy-for-2021-zevenbergen-brooke-de-boutray-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brooke de Boutray has beaten 99% of her peers over the last 5 years and runs a fund that is up 148% in 2020. She shared with us 4 stocks she's most bullish on heading into 2021.</a>Economic indicators also flashed some warning signs. US consumer confidence <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-consumer-confidence-december-unexpectedly-falls-coronavirus-economic-restrictions-2020-12">unexpectedly fell to a four-month low</a> this month as surging COVID-19 cases and stricter lockdown measures offset a slight improvement in Americans' long-term outlooks, Conference Board said Tuesday. The organization's sentiment gauge fell to 88.6 from 92.9, while economists expected a jump to 97.The tech and real estate sectors outperformed, while communications-service and energy stocks lagged.The <keyword id="156451" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nasdaq-Composite">Nasdaq composite</keyword> index was lifted by <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/aapl-stock">Apple</a>, which <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/apple-stock-price-electric-car-production-battery-technology-report-aapl-2020-12-1029913910">extended a late Monday climb</a> following a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-autos-exclusive/exclusive-apple-targets-car-production-by-2024-and-eyes-next-level-battery-technology-sources-idUSKBN28V2PY">Reuters</a> report that the iPhone maker aims to produce electric cars by 2024. The news <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/luminar-velodyne-stock-price-lidar-sensors-apple-car-report-2020-12-1029914125">also boosted lidar-sensor producers</a>, as Apple reportedly plans to partner with such firms for its vehicle systems.<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/peloton-stock-price-420-million-precor-acquisition-exercise-equipment-pandemic-2020-12-1029913028">Peloton soared</a> after the company inked a deal to buy exercise-equipment company Precor for $420 million. Peloton plans to use Precor's facilities to boost its manufacturing capacity and cut down on its order backlog.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/investing-strategy-for-2021-jpmorgan-phil-camporeale-high-conviction-bets-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A fund manager at JPMorgan's $1.9 trillion asset management arm breaks down the 6 high-conviction bets he's making to stand out from the crowd next year - and shares the 2 biggest risks on his radar</a><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/btc-usd">Bitcoin</a> rose back above $23,000 after <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-price-volatile-after-record-breaking-surge-ledger-hack-2020-12-1029911258?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestgest">plunging the most in nearly a month</a> on Monday. The cryptocurrency faced pressure after the US Treasury proposed rules that would require exchanges to collect information from users who transfer more than $10,000 to a crypto wallet.<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/gold-price">Spot gold</a> erased early gains and fell as much as 1%, to $1,858.97 per ounce, at intraday lows. The US dollar strengthened against all of its Group-of-10 peers and Treasury yields dipped.Oil prices fell amid fears that the new COVID-19 strain will further cut into demand. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/oil-price?type=wti?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestgest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">West Texas Intermediate crude</a> dropped as much as 2.4%, to $46.60 per barrel. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/oil-price?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brent crude</a>, oil's international benchmark, declined 2.7%, to $49.56 per barrel, at intraday lows.Now read more <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="markets">markets</keyword> coverage from Markets Insider and Business Insider:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/investing-strategy-for-digital-age-cambiar-fund-manager-brian-barish-2020-12">Brian Barish's mutual fund crushed the market for 8 straight years and is in the top 2% after reinventing value investing for the digital age. Here's how they pulled it off.</a><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/softbank-spac-raise-525-million-blank-check-company-svp-investment-2020-12-1029912217">SoftBank aims to raise up to $525 million for its own blank-check company</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stimulus-checks-direct-deposits-arrive-next-week-treasury-secretary-mnuchin-2020-12">Treasury Secretary Mnuchin expects direct stimulus checks to be released next week, says he 'couldn't be more pleased' about deal</a>

US stocks close mixed as stimulus optimism clashes with new virus strain

Moscow, May 31 (AP) Russia reported 9,268 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday, the first time in a week that the daily tally exceeded 9,000, but the lowest death toll in several days: 138. Overall, Russia has recorded 405,843 cases and 4,693 deaths from COVID-19. The relatively low mortality rate compared with other countries has prompted skepticism domestically and abroad. In a bid to dispel suspicions that authorities are trying to lower the death toll for political reasons, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova explained last week that Russia's count contains only those confirmed to have died directly of the infection, but she also gave figures for people who tested positive for the virus but died of other causes. (AP) IND

Russia sees over 9,000 new virus cases

Moscow, May 30 (AP) Russia has recorded nearly 9,000 new cases of the coronavirus, roughly consistent with the increases reported over the past two weeks. The national coronavirus task force said Saturday that 4,555 Russians have died of COVID-19 and 396,575 infections have been confirmed overall. The relatively low mortality rate compared with other countries has prompted skepticism domestically and abroad. In a bid to dispel suspicions that authorities are trying to lower the death toll for political reasons, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova explained Friday that Russia's count contains only those confirmed to have died of the infection, but she also gave figures for people who tested positive for the virus but died of other causes. If all categories are counted as COVID-19 deaths, the nation's total toll for April would stand at 2,713, or nearly 60 per cent more than the previously announced number. (AP) NSA

Russia records nearly 9,000 new virus cases

Seoul, Jun 5 (AP) South Korea has reported 39 new cases of the coronavirus over a 24-hour period, a continuation of an upward trend in new infections in the Asian country. The additional figures released Friday by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took the country's total to 11,668 cases, with 273 deaths. The agency says 34 of the additional cases were reported in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, where about half of South Korea's 51 million people live. South Korea has seen a rise in the number of new cases after easing much of its rigid social distancing rules in early May. But the caseload hasn't exploded, unlike when the country reported hundreds of new cases every day in late February and early March. (AP) ANB ANB

39 new virus cases in South Korea, most in Seoul

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new study found hundreds of unique viruses called bacteriophage on toothbrushes and shower heads.</li><li>Phage target bacteria, not humans, and could be a useful tool against disease.</li></ul>The next big breakthrough in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disease-prevention-ideas-us-could-learn-from-uk-israel-canada-2022-12">disease-fighting innovation</a> could be no further away than your bathroom.A recent study found hundreds of viruses on samples from toothbrushes and shower heads, including many that have never been seen before, let alone examined.But this specific kind of viruses, known as bacteriophage, aren't concerning for human health because they target and infect bacteria, not us, according to Erica Hartmann, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University who led the study."It's still a big deal; it's just not scary. It's actually really exciting," Hartmann told Business Insider.Understanding how these infectious particles work could be a valuable step in protecting us from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/conditions-symptoms/what-is-the-difference-between-bacteria-and-virus">harmful pathogens and bacteria</a>, including those that cause tuberculosis and other serious diseases."The more we know about what's in shower heads and what's on toothbrushes with regard to viruses and microbes, the more we can advance in understanding how we get sick and even devise new tools to fight those pathogens," Miryam Wahrman, a professor of Biology at William Paterson University of New Jersey who was not involved with the study, told Business Insider.<h2 id="cfd924b0-3be2-4e3b-8329-12a9c8ebdb95">Unexplored ecosystems are living on your household items</h2>Researchers from Northwestern University were inspired to investigate toothbrushes because of a previous study investigating whether <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-show-droplets-aerosols-emerge-when-flush-toilet-2022-12">flushing the toilet could release aerosols</a> that might contaminate a toothbrush left out on the countertop.The good news is that the study, nicknamed "Operation Pottymouth," found no evidence of poop-related germs on toothbrushes."Overwhelmingly, we find that microbes on your toothbrush come from your mouth," Hartmann said.The research team decided to put all those used toothbrushes to good use and took a closer look at what's hanging out there.In a previous study, they also analyzed samples taken from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/home/how-to-clean-shower-head">shower heads</a> to offer even more insight into our bathrooms' microscopic occupants.The researchers weren't surprised to find that these household items were home to many germs because of their warm, moist environments.But they were blown away by how many different kinds of viruses were present. There was so much diversity that there was almost no overlap between the samples, meaning each toothbrush and shower head was host to its own unique microscopic world.The findings were published October 9 in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiomes/articles/10.3389/frmbi.2024.1396560/full">Frontiers in Microbiomes</a>."I'd encourage people to look at things they see every day and think of these as places where we could be making exciting discoveries for new biotechnology," Hartmann said.<h2 id="a5e9a1f5-fb1b-4af8-9e10-a9a211c4ecf9">Phages could be the new frontier in disease-fighting biotech</h2>There's no reason to be grossed out by the tiny inhabitants sharing our homes."I don't think there's any need to change behavior or enhance cleaning. These are not viruses that are going to infect you, these are viruses that are potentially cool," Hartmann said.It's a common misconception to think of all germs and microorganisms as potential threats, but plenty of microbes are neutral, beneficial, and sometimes <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/foods-better-than-probiotics-for-gut-health-2023-8">necessary for human health</a>.Bacteria and viruses have sparked groundbreaking innovations in science, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-stem-cell-biotech-reverse-aging-cellular-reprogamming-2024-9">biotechnology</a>, and healthcare that we benefit from every day, such as penicillin and DNA research."Microbes are everywhere all the time, and the vast majority of them won't make you sick," Hartmann said. "If we approach with wonder and curiosity instead of fear, we can work with microbes instead of against them."Phage are exciting because they specialize in attacking and replicating inside bacteria, including bacterial pathogens. These pathogens make us sick and can become resistant to our current protective strategies, like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/treatments/how-long-does-it-take-for-antibiotics-to-work">antibiotics</a>."The enemy of our enemy is our friend. They are potentially a very helpful tool for us," Wahrman said.Researchers have known about the existence of phage for more than a century, but antibiotics have gotten most of our attention. Now that some pathogens have outsmarted antibiotics, phage are a wide-open frontier for innovation.In the future, phage might be a rich source of biotech innovations like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ampliphi-phage-therapy-treatment-bacterial-infections-2017-10">phage therapy,</a> in the same way pharmaceuticals have developed medicines from plants or animals. Rather than scouring remote reaches of the planet, these discoveries could come from digging deeper into what surrounds us every day."There are a lot of things waiting to be discovered just under our noses or on our toothbrushes," Hartmann said.

Your toothbrush is home to hundreds of new viruses. They could be the future of biotech.

London, A team of Swedish researchers has revealed how different kinds of <keyword id="92416" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Immune-cells">immune cells</keyword>, called <keyword id="1323752" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="macrophages">macrophages</keyword>, develop in the lungs, and which of them may be behind severe lung diseases, a discovery that may contribute to future treatments for Covid-19, among other diseases. To date, research on the development of <keyword id="10522711" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-lung-macrophages">human lung macrophages</keyword> has been limited. In a new study published in Immunity, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in <keyword id="23050" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sweden">Sweden</keyword> used a model to study the development of lung macrophages directly in a living lung. This has been combined with a method to study gene activity in individual cells, RNA sequencing, and thereby discovered how <keyword id="10522710" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="blood-monocytes">blood monocytes</keyword> become human lung macrophages. "In our study, we show that classical monocytes migrate into airways and lung tissue and are converted into macrophages that protect the health and function of the lungs," said Tim Willinger, Associate Professor at the <keyword id="199625" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Medicine">Department of Medicine</keyword> who led the study. "We have also identified a special kind of monocyte, HLA-DRhi, which is an intermediate immune cell between a blood monocyte and an airway macrophage." These HLA-DRhi monocytes can leave the blood circulation and migrate into the lung tissue. Macrophages are immune cells that, among other things, protect the lungs from such attacks. But under certain conditions, lung macrophages can also contribute to severe lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Covid-19. The non-classical monocytes, however, develop into macrophages in the many blood vessels of the lungs and do not migrate into the lung tissue. In an infection with the novel coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, which causes Covid-19, researchers believe that protective, anti-inflammatory macrophages are replaced by pro-inflammatory lung macrophages from blood monocytes. "Given their important role in rapid inflammatory responses, our results indicate that future treatments should focus on inflammatory macrophages and monocytes to reduce lung damage and mortality from severe Covid-19," said Willinger. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-tata-steel-vedanta-adani-green-tata-motors-maruti-mm-dhfl-v-mart-indian-bank-and-others/articleshow/80038635.cms">Top stocks to watch — Tata Steel, Vedanta, Adani Green, Tata Motors, Maruti, M&amp;M, DHFL, V-Mart, Indian Bank, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/checkout-the-list-of-upcoming-new-mobiles-in-january-2021-with-expected-price/articleshow/80039794.cms">Upcoming smartphones in India in January 2021</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/ten-of-the-most-outrageous-predictions-for-2021-according-to-saxo-bank/slidelist/80040045.cms">From Amazon buying Cyprus to Germany bailing out France — here are ten of the most ‘outrageous’ predictions for 2021</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/india-edtech-in-charts-how-the-shi[%E2%80%A6]es-of-byjus-unacademy-and-others/articleshow/80040270.cms">India’s edtech in charts – How the shift to online learning meant money, valuation and users for the likes of BYJU’S, Unacademy, and others</a>

New research explains severe virus attacks on lungs

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:398px"><div class="image"></div>Agence France PresseA medical staff adjusts his mask in front of patients' X-ray files at the entrance of the National Taiwan Universty Hospital in Taipei, 27 May 2003. A SARS-like virus that has struck in Britain and the Middle East has claimed a new victim in <keyword id="50996" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Saudi-Arabia">Saudi Arabia</keyword>, bringing the global toll from the mystery illness to nine, the World Health Organisation said Tuesday.</div>A SARS-like virus that has struck in Britain and the Middle East has claimed a new victim in Saudi Arabia, bringing the global toll from the mystery illness to nine, the World Health Organisation said Tuesday.
The United Nations agency said the Saudi health ministry informed it that a 39-year-old man, who developed symptoms on February 24 and was hospitalised four days later, died on March 2.
"Preliminary investigation indicated that the patient had no contact with previously reported cases," the WHO said in a statement. "Other potential exposures are under investigation."
Novel coronavirus -- known in health jargon as nCoV -- was first detected in the middle of last year.
Including the latest victim, a total of 15 cases have now been reported.
The nine fatalities have been clustered in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Britain. In the latter country, it affected a family, one of the members of which had visited the Middle East and Pakistan.
On Tuesday the WHO reiterated calls on its member states to remain vigilant for cases of severe acute respiratory infections and to carefully review any unusual patterns.
"The WHO is currently working with international experts and countries where cases have been reported to assess the situation and review recommendations for surveillance and monitoring," it said.
Member states should promptly assess and notify WHO of any new case of infection with nCoV, along with information about potential exposures that may have resulted in infection, it added.
"The WHO does not advise special screening at points of entry with regard to this event nor does it recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied," it said.
Coronaviruses cause most common colds and pneumonia, but are also to blame for unusual conditions such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, better known by its acronym SARS.
A SARS epidemic killed more than 800 people when it swept out of China in 2003, sparking a major international health scare.
The new virus however is different from SARS, especially in that it causes rapid kidney failure.
<div class="nc_footer">
Copyright (2013) <keyword id="68053" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="AFP">AFP</keyword>. All rights reserved.
</div>

A Saudi Man Is The Latest Victim Of A New SARS-Like Virus

Seoul, May 24 (AP) South Korea has reported 25 additional cases of the coronavirus over a 24-hour period, amid a continuation of small-scale outbreaks in the country. The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says the additional figures released Sunday took the country's total to 11,190 with 266 deaths. The agency says 10,213 of them have recovered and been released from quarantine. It says 17 of the 25 new patients were locally infected while the rest eight came from overseas. South Korea eased much of its strict social distancing rules in early May before it saw a sudden uptick in the number of cases associated with nightclubs in Seoul's Itaewon entertainment district. Health authorities say they've confirmed a total of 225 cases linked to Itaewon cubs as of Sunday noon. (AP) SCY SCY

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