Data Snapshot
UW Medicine Hospitals:
King County: The county reported 137 new positive cases and 0 new death on Sept. 30.
Washington: The state reported 87,522 cases and 2,126 deaths as of Sept. 29.
United States: The CDC reports 7,168,077 cases and 205,372 deaths as of Sept. 30.
Global: WHO reports 33,722,075 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,009,270 deaths as of Oct. 1.
*Numbers update frequently, please follow links for most up-to-date numbers.
COVID-19 Literature Situation Report
COVID-19 Literature Situation Report is a daily (M-F) newsletter put together by the Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness that provides a succinct summary of the latest scientific literature related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Takeaways: COVID-19 Literature Situation Report Sept. 29, 2020
- A university in North Carolina experienced 670 cases of COVID-19 within 2 weeks of reopening, likely due to student living arrangements and gatherings both on and off campus. More.
- The incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in August and the first week of September increased by 150% among people 18-22 years old in the US, with the increase driven entirely by young people who are non-Hispanic white. During this period, the incidence declined in all other age groups and among 18-22 year-olds in other racial/ethnic groups. The increase was partially attributed to the resumption of in-person attendance at some colleges and universities. More.
- A modeling study found that in-person sports events on college campuses may pose a risk to the campus community, even if COVID-19 outbreaks on campus and in the surrounding community are controlled. More.
UW Medicine in the News
Refinery 29: How To Vote Safely During COVID-19
Featuring: Paul Pottinger, Allergy & Infectious Diseases
“The novel coronavirus has killed nearly 206,000 people in the U.S. and infected more than 7.2 million. We know it’s mainly passed via respiratory droplets that are expelled when infected people cough or talk, which can make us understandably anxious about being around others, especially indoors. But that fear shouldn’t discourage you from exercising your right to cast a ballot. ‘I think voting can be done totally safely and think people should do it,’ says Paul Pottinger, MD, a professor specializing in infectious disease at the University of Washington School of Medicine. ‘No one should be intimidated or frightened.’ We asked him for advice on how to stay safe this year.
KING 5: Fall and winter could bring increases in COVID-19 cases in Washington state
Featuring: Ali Mokdad, IHME
“In terms of COVID-19 transmission rates, Washington state is doing better than a lot of other states, according to experts from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). Dr. Ali Mokdad of the IHME said many counties, including King County have had a steady, but small decrease in cases over the last month or so. ‘Our numbers have been coming down, cases are coming down, mortality is coming down. Unfortunately, lately we have seen the past week cases start to increase, slight increase but they are going up,’ Mokdad said. There’s been a jump of about five to 10 cases a day for most counties. That might not seem like a lot, but Mokdad worries it will only grow as we head into fall and winter.”
NIH: Computer-designed proteins may protect against coronavirus:
Featuring: David Baker, Longxing Cao, UW Medicine Institute of Protein Design
“The surface of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is covered with spike proteins. These proteins latch onto human cells, allowing the virus to enter and infect them. The spike binds to ACE2 receptors on the cell surface. It then undergoes a structural change that allows it to fuse with the cell. Once inside, the virus can copy itself and produce more viruses. Blocking entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cells can prevent infection. Researchers are testing monoclonal antibody therapies that bind to the spike protein and neutralize the virus. But these antibodies, which are derived from immune system molecules, are large and not ideal for delivery through the nose. They’re also often not stable for long periods and usually require refrigeration. Researchers led by Dr. David Baker of the University of Washington set out to design synthetic ‘miniproteins’ that bind tightly to the coronavirus spike protein. Their study was funded in part by NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Findings appeared in Science on September 9, 2020.”
Tweet of the Week
"We are continuing to use (remdesivir) because if you look at all the data in total, there probably is some benefit.” – Dr. Randy Curtis @JRandallCurtis1 @harborviewmc @uwpccm https://t.co/l4gFm9IBJd @UWMedicine
— UW Medicine Newsroom (@uwmnewsroom) September 30, 2020
