Data Snapshot
UW Medicine Hospitals:
King County: The county reported 1,393 new positive cases and 0 new deaths on Nov. 23.
Washington: The state reported 147,537 cases and 2,655 deaths as of Nov. 22.
United States: The CDC reports 12,175,921 cases and 255,958 deaths as of Nov. 23.
Global: WHO reports 58,900,547 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,393,305 deaths as of Nov. 24.
*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 Nov. 20, 2020
- Mask mandates at the county-level were associated with a decrease in the rate of COVID-19 infections in Kansas. More.
- A motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota was linked to an ongoing SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Minnesota, including at least 51 index cases, 21 secondary cases, and 5 tertiary cases. More.
- Changes in the concentration of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 over time in children were found to be similar to adults up to three months after infection. More.
- The antiviral drug favipavir was associated with faster time-to-resolution of clinical symptoms in an open-label study of Indian adults with non-severe COVID-19. More.
You can read more literature reports from the COVID-19 Literature Surveillance Team, an affiliated group of medical students, PhDs, and physicians keeping up with the latest research on SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19. Here’s their latest report: Nov. 23 | Daily COVID-19 LST Report.
UW Medicine in the News
The New York Times: Antibodies Good. Machine-Made Molecules Better?
Featuring: David Baker, Lauren Carter, IPD
“Using computational tools, a team of researchers at the University of Washington designed and built from scratch a molecule that, when pitted against the coronavirus in the lab, can attack and sequester it at least as well as an antibody does. When spritzed up the noses of mice and hamsters, it also appears to protect animals from becoming seriously sick. This molecule, called a mini-binder for its ability to glom onto the coronavirus, is petite and stable enough to be shipped en masse in a freeze-dried state. Bacteria can also be engineered to churn out these mini-binders, potentially making them not only effective but also cheap and convenient. The team’s product is still in the very early stages of development, and will not be on the market any time soon. But so far ‘it’s looking very promising,’ said Lauren Carter, one of the researchers behind the project, which is led by the biochemist David Baker. Eventually, healthy people might be able to self-administer the mini-binders as a nasal spray, and potentially keep any inbound coronavirus particles at bay.”
Today: Wide rollout of coronavirus vaccine could be 6-7 months away, doctor says
Video Featuring: Vin Gupta, IHME
“With Pfizer announcing it is seeking emergency use authorization of its coronavirus vaccine, NBC News analyst Dr. Vin Gupta joins Weekend TODAY to discuss how soon it could be widely available and start a return to normalcy. Gupta also talks about the risks of traveling to see family for Thanksgiving.”
Newsweek: Experts Predict ‘Very Dark Couple of Months’ Following Super-Spreader Holiday Gatherings
Featuring: Ali Mokdad, IHM
“Dr. Ali Mokdad is a professor of health metrics sciences and the chief strategy officer of population health at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), a research institute based at the University of Washington. IHME creates modeled projections for COVID-19 infections, deaths and hospitalizations based on current and anticipated measures taken to curb the spread of the pandemic. The institute recently revised its models to predict that the number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. could rise from the more than 250,000 reported by mid-November to an estimated 471,000 by March 1—and that’s only if at least 40 states reimpose pandemic restrictions due to continued surges in new infections. If additional restrictions are not introduced, the country’s total COVID-19 death count could exceed 650,000 by March 1. ‘We are heading in the wrong direction,’ Mokdad told Newsweek, adding that the IHME’s models predict it ‘looks like a very dark couple of months’ ahead for the U.S., with new infections likely to peak in mid-January and daily death counts expected to rise until mid-February.”
Tweet of the Week
"By far, the safer and most effective way to develop herd immunity is through a safe and effective #COVID-19 vaccine," said microbiologist Dr. Deborah Fuller @UWMedicine. @NickPopham @Komonews @FullerLab_UWhttps://t.co/urE6R6Hkes
— UW Medicine Newsroom (@uwmnewsroom) November 24, 2020
