Coronavirus COVID-19 Weekly Update 7th December 2020

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Weekly update published on MedShr: 7th December 2020
Last updated: 7th December 2020

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Coronavirus COVID-19 Weekly Update 7th December 2020

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 COVID-19 cases, images or learning points from your clinical practice on MedShr - share key knowledge and experience with a global network of doctors to help improve patient care. Include #COVID19 in your case title.

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

WHO official data, reported on 6th Dec 2020

COVID-19 Cumulative Global Cases

WHO official data, reported on 6th Dec 2020

Total UK COVID-19 Cases

As of 7th Dec 09:00 (GMT) - Data for 24 hour period, reported on 06-12-20

Total UK daily cases over past month

COVID-19 in the African Region

As of 7th Dec 09:00 (GMT) - Data for 24 hour period, reported on 06-12-20

COVID-19 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

As of 7th Dec 09:00 (GMT) - Data for 24 hour period, reported on 06-12-20

Latest COVID-19 Publications and Guidelines:

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


Editorials, Research Articles and Commentary:

BMJ Global Health: Infection and mortality of healthcare workers worldwide from COVID-19: a systematic review

Bandyopadhyay S, Baticulon RE, Kadhum M, et al. Infection and mortality of healthcare workers worldwide from COVID-19: a systematic review. BMJ Glob Health. 2020 Dec;5(12):e003097. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003097. PMID: 33277297.

NEJM: Repurposed Antiviral Drugs for Covid-19 - Interim WHO Solidarity Trial Results

WHO Solidarity Trial Consortium, Pan H, Peto R, Henao-Restrepo AM, et al. Repurposed Antiviral Drugs for Covid-19 - Interim WHO Solidarity Trial Results. N Engl J Med. 2020 Dec 2. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2023184. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33264556.

NEJM: Effect of Hydroxychloroquine in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19

RECOVERY Collaborative Group, Horby P, Mafham M, Linsell L, et al. N Engl J Med. 2020 Nov 19;383(21):2030-2040. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2022926. Epub 2020 Oct 8. PMID: 33031652; PMCID: PMC7556338.

The Lancet: Detecting COVID-19 infection hotspots in England using large-scale self-reported data from a mobile application: a prospective, observational study

Varsavsky T, Graham MS, Canas LS, et al. Detecting COVID-19 infection hotspots in England using large-scale self-reported data from a mobile application: a prospective, observational study. The Lancet; 2020 Dec 3 (ePub ahead of print). doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30269-3

BMJ: Clinical spectrum of coronavirus disease 2019 in Iceland: population based cohort study

Eythorsson E, Helgason D, Ingvarsson RF, et al. Clinical spectrum of coronavirus disease 2019 in Iceland: population based cohort study. BMJ. 2020 Dec 2;371:m4529. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m4529. PMID: 33268329; PMCID: PMC7708618.

JAMA Paediatric: Assessment of 135 794 Pediatric Patients Tested for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Across the United States

Bailey LC, Razzaghi H, Burrows EK, et al. Assessment of 135 794 Pediatric Patients Tested for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Across the United States. JAMA Pediatr. 2020 Nov 23:e205052. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.5052. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33226415; PMCID: PMC7684518.


Latest Developments in the News:

WHO Weekly Situational Reports: Epidemiological and Operational


Africa

The Lancet: An African plan to control COVID-19 is urgently needed 

BMJ: African malaria deaths set to dwarf covid-19 fatalities as pandemic hits control efforts, WHO warns

WHO: A double challenge: Tackling COVID-19 and malaria in Uganda 

WHO: Landmark alliance launches in Africa to fight COVID-19 misinformation

WHO: Working with the media in Nigeria’s COVID-19 fight

BBC: Coronavirus in Africa tracker

WHO in the African Region: COVID-19


Eastern Mediterranean

WHO: WHO Iraq conducts community awareness-raising campaign to halt the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Mosul

WHO: WHO support increases the capacity of Central Public Health Laboratory in Jordan

WHO: WHO EMRO - World AIDS campaigns 2020 (including analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential services for HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment)

WHO: Regional COVID-19 response: success stories

WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: COVID-19


United Kingdom

BMJ: Covid-19: UK approves Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine with rollout due to start next week

BMJ: Vaccinating the UK against covid-19

BBC: Coronavirus: Vaccine rollout 'marathon not a sprint' - Powis

BMJ: Covid-19: Concerns persist about purpose, ethics, and effect of rapid testing in Liverpool

BBC: Lockdown rules: What Covid tier is your area in and what are the restrictions?

UK Government Advice

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK


Global Health

WHO: Vaccine acceptance is the next hurdle

WHO: WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 30 November 2020

Nature: COVID research updates: Smell tests could sniff out rising COVID case counts

BMJ Opinion: A call for equitable distribution of covid-19 vaccines

The Lancet: South Africa and India push for COVID-19 patents ban 

MSF: MSF and coronavirus COVID-19 June to August 2020

UNICEF: UNICEF and Microsoft launch improved, scalable technology to protect vulnerable children and women amid rise in domestic and gender-based violence due to COVID-19

UNICEF: As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to enter a new phase, UNICEF reminds the world that ‘the light at the end of the tunnel needs to shine for all’


Useful Sources for Latest Developments and News

WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (including links to regional offices)

United Nations: COVID-19 Response

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine: Coronavirus Resource Center

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Médecins Sans Frontières: Response and News Articles

BBC: Covid-19 pandemic: Tracking the global coronavirus outbreak

Financial Times: Coronavirus tracker: the latest figures as countries fight Covid-19 resurgence

Harvard Medical School: Coronavirus Resource Center

Our World in Data: Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) - Statistics and Research


Educational Resources:


WHO: COVID-19 Course Series

"Real-time training during global emergencies is critical for effective preparedness and response. The COVID-19 channel provides learning resources for health professionals, decision-makers and the public for the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)." (WHO 2020)


MedShr Open: COVID-19 Weekly Article - Long COVID

MedShr's recent COVID-19 Open Article focuses on post-COVID-19 syndrome, widely known as Long COVID. The article highlights the origins of the term, explores what is currently known about epidemiology and risk factors, and considers the research challenges moving forward. Current and future management approaches are also considered, including the potential challenges of caring for patients with Long COVID in low- and middle-income countries.


Public Health Emergency COVID-19 Initiative - PubMed Central

An open collection of COVID-19 and coronavirus-related publications, and the available data supporting them, from over 50 publishers to support the ongoing public health emergency response efforts (PMC).

Other Useful Resources:

Intensive Care Society (UK) Covid-19 Resource Hub

The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust COVID-19 Bulletins - A weekly bulletin detailing the "latest guidelines, research and reports relating to COVID-19"

NHS England: Coronavirus guidance for clinicians and NHS managers

CDC: COVID-19 Science Updates



Weekly Update by Dr Ryan Broll, MedShr Open Editorial Team, Medical Education Fellow

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