Sewer sampling, the authors say, could be expanded to track other infectious diseases such as H5N1 avian flu or mpox or to detect unexpected pathogens.
Plaque growth can lead to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening cardiovascular events for as long as 1 year.
Post-exertional malaise, or exercise intolerance, was seen in 36% of those with long COVID.
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In other developments, Australia and Japan reported cases involving the South African SARS-CoV-2 variant.
Older people, Asians, and those with Medicaid coverage and preference for a non-English language at one US hospital system had fewer completed telemedicine visits than their peers during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study of patients scheduled for primary care or specialty telehealth visits at the University of Pennsylvania.
As cases soar in both the UK and South Africa, scientists are scrambling to detail variant virus characteristics.
The next few months could be difficult, if Christmas and New Years gatherings and travel seed a new surge in infections.
A study of hospital air contamination in JAMA Network Open last week found that 17.4% of air samples from environments near COVID-19 patients were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, the virus that causes COVID-19, but only 8.6% contained viable virus.
Only two reinfections occurred in antibody-positive workers, both asymptomatic, and researchers said earlier infection appears to protect for at least 6 months.
One reason for concern: The variant has developed 23 mutations in just months.
More than 40% of US hospitals with ICUs are at 85% or higher capacity, as Pfizer agrees to supply 100,000 more vaccine doses.
France eases its ban on travel from England, a move prompted by the discovery of a rapidly spreading variant virus.
No COVID vertical transmission was found, but maternal antibody transfer was less than expected.
