Coronavirus COVID-19 Weekly Update 2nd August 2021

This update will be published weekly at 12pm GMT on Mondays and aims to provide clinicians and the public with an overview of the latest data, guidelines, key publications and policy around COVID-19, with links to essential resources and information.

If you are a healthcare professional, please join the discussion on these latest COVID-19 cases on MedShr:

Please post any anonymous, educational COVID-19 cases, images or learning points from your clinical practice on MedShr - share key knowledge and experience with a global network of healthcare professionals to help improve patient care.

Please email COVID@medshr.net if you have any data, publications or information you would like to share.

Global Impact of COVID-19 to Date

Data from WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard, reported on 2nd August 2021

Sources: World Health Organization

COVID-19 Cumulative Global Cases

Data from WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard, reported on 2nd August 2021

Source: World Health Organization

Global Vaccinations Against COVID-19

Official data collated by Our World in Data - data up to 1st August 2021

For full vaccination data, Our World in Data state: "Total number of people who received all doses prescribed by the vaccination protocol. This data is only available for countries which report the breakdown of doses administered by first and second doses."

Mathieu, E., Ritchie, H., Ortiz-Ospina, E. et al. A global database of COVID-19 vaccinations. Nat Hum Behav (2021)

Total UK COVID-19 Cases

Data for 24 hour period, reported on 01-08-21

Source: Public Health England

COVID-19 in the African Region

Data for 24 hour period, reported on 01-08-21

Source: World Health Organization

COVID-19 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Data for 24 hour period, reported on 01-08-21

Source: World Health Organization

Latest COVID-19 Publications and Guidelines:

A selection of recent publications and useful clinical guidance from scientific journals

The Lancet: Characterisation of in-hospital complications associated with COVID-19 using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK: a prospective, multicentre cohort study

Drake TM, Riad AM, Fairfield CJ, et al. Characterisation of in-hospital complications associated with COVID-19 using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK: a prospective, multicentre cohort study. Lancet. 2021 Jul 17;398(10296):223-237. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00799-6. PMID: 34274064.

Thorax: Clinical phenotypes and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV and seven other respiratory viruses: a retrospective study using complete hospital data 

Hedberg P, Karlsson Valik J, van der Werff S, et al. Clinical phenotypes and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV and seven other respiratory viruses: a retrospective study using complete hospital data. Thorax. 2021 Jul 5:thoraxjnl-2021-216949. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-216949. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34226206; PMCID: PMC8260304.

The Lancet: Estimating global and regional disruptions to routine childhood vaccine coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020: a modelling study

Causey K, Fullman N, Sorensen RJD, et al. Estimating global and regional disruptions to routine childhood vaccine coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020: a modelling study. Lancet. 2021 Jul 14:S0140-6736(21)01337-4. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01337-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34273292.

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology: Traditional medicines for COVID-19: Perspectives from clinical pharmacologists

Yimer G, Ekuadzi E, Fasinu P, et al. Traditional medicines for COVID-19: Perspectives from clinical pharmacologists. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2021 Jul 16. doi: 10.1111/bcp.14981. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34272755.

JAC Antimicrob Resist: Antibiotic prescribing patterns in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: lessons from the first wave

O'Kelly B, Cronin C, Connellan D, et al. Antibiotic prescribing patterns in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: lessons from the first wave. JAC Antimicrob Resist. 2021 Jun 30;3(2):dlab085. doi: 10.1093/jacamr/dlab085. PMID: 34223144; PMCID: PMC8242139.

Journal of Travel Medicine: Migrants in the Middle East and North Africa in a time of COVID-19

Wickramage K, Ito C, Hilali M, et al. Migrants in the Middle East and North Africa in a time of COVID-19. J Travel Med. 2021 Jun 30:taab097. doi: 10.1093/jtm/taab097. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34195828.

The Lancet Regional Health - Europe: Trends in respiratory virus circulation following COVID-19-targeted nonpharmaceutical interventions in Germany, January - September 2020: Analysis of national surveillance data

Oh DY, Buda S, Biere B, et al. Trends in respiratory virus circulation following COVID-19-targeted nonpharmaceutical interventions in Germany, January - September 2020: Analysis of national surveillance data. Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2021 Jul;6:100112. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100112. Epub 2021 Jun 7. PMID: 34124707; PMCID: PMC8183189.

NEJM: Bamlanivimab plus Etesevimab in Mild or Moderate Covid-19 

Dougan M, Nirula A, Azizad M, et al. Bamlanivimab plus Etesevimab in Mild or Moderate Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021 Jul 14. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2102685. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34260849.

JAMA Network Open: Exploring the Gap Between Excess Mortality and COVID-19 Deaths in 67 Countries

Sanmarchi F, Golinelli D, Lenzi J, et al. Exploring the Gap Between Excess Mortality and COVID-19 Deaths in 67 Countries. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2117359. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.17359. PMID: 34269809.

Nature: Antibody epitopes in vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia

Huynh A, Kelton JG, Arnold DM, et al. Antibody epitopes in vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopaenia. Nature. 2021 Jul 7. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03744-4. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34233346.

Educational Resources:

WHO: COVID-19 Course Series and Vaccine Series

Johns Hopkins University: Understanding the COVID-19 Pandemic

BMJ Best Practice: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) - clinical decision support tool

BSAC and JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance: COVID-19 Resource Hub

Elsevier: COVID-19 Health Education resource center, including the Health Education Faculty Hub

NEJM: Covid-19 Vaccine Resource Center

BMJ: Covid-19 vaccination hesitancy 

BMJ: A living WHO guideline on drugs to prevent covid-19

NEJM: Covid-19 Rx: Treatment Simulations

MDCalc: COVID-19 Resource Center

MedShr Open: COVID-19 Articles and Learning Modules

The COVID-19 Hub on MedShr Open includes a selection of articles covering a range of topics related to COVID-19, ranging from emerging therapies, long-term effects of COVID-19, and considering the effects of the pandemic on other essential healthcare services. There are also new, free COVID-19 Learning Modules live in the the COVID-19 discussion group:

Global Health Data for COVID-19

Global.health - a Data Science Initiative - open public health COVID-19 dataset to advance the response to infectious diseases

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)

Research related to COVID-19

Below is a list of links to organisations who are making great efforts to categorise, evaluate and summarise the vast catalogue of COVID-19 research. If you discover any other great resources please feel free to share these in the comments section below.

Global research on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) - WHO Global research database and links to further research catalogues

LitCovid - a curated literature hub for tracking up-to-date scientific information about COVID-19

Public Health Emergency COVID-19 Initiative - PubMed Central

COVID-19 Science Updates - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Treatment Guidelines - National Institutes of Health

ClinicalTrials.gov - COVID-19 clinical trials

Finding the evidence: Coronavirus – Knowledge & Library Services - Public Health England

Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Cochrane resources and news - Cochrane

India and Pakistan COVID-19 Support Groups

New groups have been launched as part of MedShr's COVID-19 education programme in response to the current challenges in India and Pakistan. The groups are intended to be a dedicated place for all healthcare professionals to share information and resources, and discuss how to manage increasingly unwell patients with limited resources, as well as giving access to international experts in COVID-19.

Weekly Update by MedShr Open Editorial Team