A Wuhan man who came down with the coronavirus in mid-January said he
spent three agonizing weeks with worsening symptoms that began when he
woke up one day feeling “sore all over.”
The coronavirus had yet to sweep China when Tiger Ye began feeling
ill on Jan. 17, and he suspected nothing more than the common cold or
flu, he told the Guardian.
After four days of cold medication and no improvement, he admitted
himself to Tongji hospital — where he was greeted by a chaotic scene and
“realized something bad was happening.”
“On arrival I saw the hospital already overwhelmed with patients.
Seeing doctors in their hazmat suits in real life for the first time,
something I’d only seen in documentaries about SARS,” he said.
His parents rushed him to a second hospital that had yet to be hit
with a rush of patients where a CT scan showed “patchy shadows on the
lower sides of both of my lungs.”
Doctors prescribed him medication and sent him to quarantine at home,
where his family stocked up on food and Ye retreated to his room.
A week later, he began to develop a cough and fever, and was re-admitted to the hospital. Tests showed the infection had spread throughout his lungs, but he had yet to be diagnosed with coronavirus.
Ye said that from Jan. 21-26 was “the worst time.”
“I coughed so bad my stomach was hurting and my back ached,” he said,
adding, “I thought I may have to say goodbye to this life forever.”
On Jan. 29, his older brother and grandmother — who had been
delivering him food to his room — came down with symptoms. On the same
day, doctors officially diagnosed Ye with the virus, and prescribed him
five days of anti-HIV medication.
By Feb. 4, a test showed improvements in Ye’s lungs. His family also
began to feel better. Three days later, doctors declared him
coronavirus-free.
Ye said his one regret is not visiting a hospital earlier, rather than dismissing his symptoms as a cold.
“Now that I think of it, I might have missed the best time for
treatment, failing to contain the virus with antiviral drugs in its
early stages,” he said.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/29/wuhan-man-details-what-it-feels-like-to-have-coronavirus/
Saturday, February 29, 2020
New York will begin coronavirus testing ‘immediately,’ Cuomo says
New York State got the go-ahead from the feds to perform its own
coronavirus testing “immediately,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday.
“I spoke to Vice President Pence, I urged him to approve New York State’s Coronavirus test — we just received word that our test has been approved by the FDA,” Cuomo said in a statement.
Testing for the deadly bug, officially called COVID-19, will begin at Wadsworth Lab in Albany.
“This approval will expedite wait time and improve New York’s ability to more effectively manage the Coronavirus situation as it unfolds,” Cuomo added.
New York City is currently monitoring one potential case of coronavirus, a person who recently traveled to Italy. The news comes as the first American death from coronavirus was confirmed Saturday in Washington state.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/29/new-york-will-begin-coronavirus-testing-immediately-cuomo-says/
“I spoke to Vice President Pence, I urged him to approve New York State’s Coronavirus test — we just received word that our test has been approved by the FDA,” Cuomo said in a statement.
Testing for the deadly bug, officially called COVID-19, will begin at Wadsworth Lab in Albany.
“This approval will expedite wait time and improve New York’s ability to more effectively manage the Coronavirus situation as it unfolds,” Cuomo added.
New York City is currently monitoring one potential case of coronavirus, a person who recently traveled to Italy. The news comes as the first American death from coronavirus was confirmed Saturday in Washington state.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/29/new-york-will-begin-coronavirus-testing-immediately-cuomo-says/
First Covid-19 outbreak in a U.S. nursing home raises concerns
Washington state reported on Saturday the first death in the U.S.
from the new coronavirus, the first health care worker to be infected
with the disease, and most worrying, the first known outbreak in a
long-term care facility.
At a nursing facility in Kirkland, Wash, approximately 27 of the 108 residents and 25 of the 180 staff have some symptoms, health officials said during a teleconference with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Authorities report that some among them have pneumonia.
“We are very concerned about an outbreak in a setting where there are many older people, as we would be wherever people who are susceptible might be gathering,” said Jeff Duchin, health officer for public health for Seattle and King County. He added that older adults and people with underlying health conditions like diabetes, heart or lung disease should be especially careful to protect themselves by washing their hands, not touching their faces, and avoiding contact with people who are sick.
The deceased, a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions, was
not a resident of the facility, and officials have not yet found a link
between his case and the outbreak in the nursing facility. “At the
present time, we do not see a connection between the two. But there are
some evolving threads that are being investigated,” said Frank Riedo,
the medical director of infection control at EvergreenHealth Hospital,
where the death occurred. “I think … what we’re seeing is the tip of the
iceberg,” he added. “We’re seeing the most critically ill individuals.
Usually that means there’s a significant percentage of individuals with
less severe illness floating around out there. So in all likelihood
there is ongoing low level transmission.”
As of Saturday, the World Health Organization reported that there were more than 85,403 cases worldwide, from 46 countries. While most of the cases are still from China, cases elsewhere are on the rise.
The United States has reported more than 60 cases at this point. The bulk of the cases, 47, are people who were evacuated from China or from the Diamond Princess Cruise ship. There have been 15 previous cases in people who contracted the virus overseas.
So far, two people from the nursing facility outbreak have tested positive for Covid-19. One is a health worker in her 40s, who is currently in “satisfactory condition,” Duchin said, while the other is a resident in her 70s with significant underlying chronic health issues and is in “serious condition.”
“We haven’t been onsite yet,” he said, adding that a team from the CDC will be arriving Saturday evening to help investigate and control the situation.
Kathy Lofy, state health officer for the Washington State Department of Health, said that if Washington starts to see more spread, the state might consider social distancing measures, such as canceling large events.
“While there is some spread in some communities, there is not national spread of Covid-19,” said Nancy Messonier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “CDC and the federal government are working to keep it that way.” She emphasized that most people in the United States are at low immediate risk, but added that this was “an historic public health challenge.”
At a nursing facility in Kirkland, Wash, approximately 27 of the 108 residents and 25 of the 180 staff have some symptoms, health officials said during a teleconference with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Authorities report that some among them have pneumonia.
“We are very concerned about an outbreak in a setting where there are many older people, as we would be wherever people who are susceptible might be gathering,” said Jeff Duchin, health officer for public health for Seattle and King County. He added that older adults and people with underlying health conditions like diabetes, heart or lung disease should be especially careful to protect themselves by washing their hands, not touching their faces, and avoiding contact with people who are sick.
As of Saturday, the World Health Organization reported that there were more than 85,403 cases worldwide, from 46 countries. While most of the cases are still from China, cases elsewhere are on the rise.
The United States has reported more than 60 cases at this point. The bulk of the cases, 47, are people who were evacuated from China or from the Diamond Princess Cruise ship. There have been 15 previous cases in people who contracted the virus overseas.
So far, two people from the nursing facility outbreak have tested positive for Covid-19. One is a health worker in her 40s, who is currently in “satisfactory condition,” Duchin said, while the other is a resident in her 70s with significant underlying chronic health issues and is in “serious condition.”
“We haven’t been onsite yet,” he said, adding that a team from the CDC will be arriving Saturday evening to help investigate and control the situation.
Kathy Lofy, state health officer for the Washington State Department of Health, said that if Washington starts to see more spread, the state might consider social distancing measures, such as canceling large events.
“While there is some spread in some communities, there is not national spread of Covid-19,” said Nancy Messonier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “CDC and the federal government are working to keep it that way.” She emphasized that most people in the United States are at low immediate risk, but added that this was “an historic public health challenge.”
First Covid-19 outbreak in a U.S. nursing home raises concerns
Cuomo urges Mike Pence to let New York handle coronavirus testing
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday he is pushing Vice President Mike Pence to allow New York to perform its own coronavirus testing.
“The CDC has to do all the tests in Washington, how can they handle that volume? I told the vice president … ‘Look … we can do that test, we have the sophistication,’ ” Cuomo said.
The governor, speaking on Long Island Radio, said he talked with the White House’s point man on coronavirus Thursday and told him “this is not going to be a Health and Human Services agency function.
“People are coming into the airport at JFK, they’re coming from a place that may have the virus. You now have more countries that have the virus.”
“How do you test that volume? Which is an issue right now,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo said he wants permission from the feds to perform testing at the Wadsworth Center, the state Department of Health’s research lab in Albany. Right now the state only has the power to identify cases and refer them to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing.
The governor said he also plans to request an extra $40 million in state funds to go toward DOH coronavirus preparations.
“I want to make sure we have what we need and we have it now before you have a world scrambling to buy proper masks and gloves, etc. I want to make sure we can hire the staff now,” Cuomo added.
New York has one possible case
— in New York City — in which tests are still pending. Another 27
people suspected of possibly having the virus were tested, but the
results came back negative.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/28/cuomo-urges-mike-pence-to-let-new-york-handle-coronavirus-testing/
“The CDC has to do all the tests in Washington, how can they handle that volume? I told the vice president … ‘Look … we can do that test, we have the sophistication,’ ” Cuomo said.
The governor, speaking on Long Island Radio, said he talked with the White House’s point man on coronavirus Thursday and told him “this is not going to be a Health and Human Services agency function.
“People are coming into the airport at JFK, they’re coming from a place that may have the virus. You now have more countries that have the virus.”
“How do you test that volume? Which is an issue right now,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo said he wants permission from the feds to perform testing at the Wadsworth Center, the state Department of Health’s research lab in Albany. Right now the state only has the power to identify cases and refer them to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing.
The governor said he also plans to request an extra $40 million in state funds to go toward DOH coronavirus preparations.
“I want to make sure we have what we need and we have it now before you have a world scrambling to buy proper masks and gloves, etc. I want to make sure we can hire the staff now,” Cuomo added.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/28/cuomo-urges-mike-pence-to-let-new-york-handle-coronavirus-testing/
Honeywell sees surge in demand for face masks in North America, China
Industrial conglomerate Honeywell International Inc (HON.N)
said on Friday it was seeing a surge in demand for its protective face
masks in North America, Europe, India and China, following the
coronavirus outbreak.
The company said it was increasing production at multiple facilities globally to address the growing demand.
“We are ready and willing to partner with the U.S. government to support national response efforts,” a Honeywell spokesman told Reuters.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Friday the United States will invoke special powers to boost production of masks, gloves, gowns and other items to protect against the new virus.
The number of confirmed U.S. cases of coronavirus is still relatively
small at around 60, most of them repatriated American passengers from
the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Japan, but there are growing
fears that the country is on the cusp of wider outbreak.
U.S. and global stocks plummeted on Friday as rattled investors braced for the prospect that a pandemic could further dent an already slowing world economy, increasing the pressure on governments to quickly respond to the crisis.
The outbreak started in China late last year and the latest World Health Organization figures indicate over 82,000 people have been infected, with over 2,700 deaths in China and 57 deaths in 46 other countries.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-honeywell/honeywell-sees-surge-in-demand-for-face-masks-in-north-america-china-idUSKCN20M3DN
The company said it was increasing production at multiple facilities globally to address the growing demand.
“We are ready and willing to partner with the U.S. government to support national response efforts,” a Honeywell spokesman told Reuters.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Friday the United States will invoke special powers to boost production of masks, gloves, gowns and other items to protect against the new virus.
U.S. and global stocks plummeted on Friday as rattled investors braced for the prospect that a pandemic could further dent an already slowing world economy, increasing the pressure on governments to quickly respond to the crisis.
The outbreak started in China late last year and the latest World Health Organization figures indicate over 82,000 people have been infected, with over 2,700 deaths in China and 57 deaths in 46 other countries.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-honeywell/honeywell-sees-surge-in-demand-for-face-masks-in-north-america-china-idUSKCN20M3DN
FDA to allow some labs to use coronavirus tests prior to review
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday said it will
allow some laboratories to immediately use tests they have developed and
validated to achieve more rapid testing capacity for the coronavirus in
the country.
The policy cleared the way for state public health labs to
immediately begin local testing and possibly get results within hours,
which public health officials say will be critical to a rapid response
to the fast-spreading virus that originated in China.
“Under this policy, we expect certain laboratories who develop validated tests for coronavirus would begin using them right away prior to FDA review,” Jeff Shuren, the director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement.
The World Health Organization on Friday said the virus, which causes a sometimes fatal respiratory illness and has spread to 46 countries, poses a “very high risk” at a global level.
On Saturday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said his state would immediately begin using its own test kit developed in-state. The state’s Department of Health on Friday filed an emergency application with the FDA to request permission to do so.
“We just received word that our test has been approved by the FDA. New York State will begin testing immediately at Wadsworth Lab,” the governor said in a statement, referring to the state’s lab in Albany.
New York’s public health lab was the first in the country to seek emergency authorization from the FDA to use its own testing kits after health officials said faulty tests from the federal government left them unable to diagnose people quickly in New York City, the nation’s most populous city.
There are 62 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the United States. Most of the people infected fell sick while abroad and before they were repatriated. No cases have been detected in New York City, but Mayor Bill de Blasio and health officials have said its arrival in the city is inevitable.
The weeks-long struggle to expand local testing has been criticized as an early misstep in the response by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to the outbreak.
Trump, who earlier this week described the risk from the coronavirus as “very low” in the United States, said on Twitter he will hold a White House press conference about the virus at 1:30 pm EST (18:30 GMT) on Saturday.
Three weeks ago, the FDA gave the green light for state and local labs to start using a testing kit developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
But most labs that received the kits complained they had faulty components and produced inconclusive results, which the CDC later acknowledged.
Meanwhile, the CDC has been working to manufacture new kits that produce more reliable results.
In a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar said a newly manufactured CDC test could be sent to 93 public health labs as soon as Monday.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-usa-fda/fda-to-allow-some-labs-to-use-coronavirus-tests-prior-to-review-idUSKBN20N0R6
“Under this policy, we expect certain laboratories who develop validated tests for coronavirus would begin using them right away prior to FDA review,” Jeff Shuren, the director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement.
The World Health Organization on Friday said the virus, which causes a sometimes fatal respiratory illness and has spread to 46 countries, poses a “very high risk” at a global level.
On Saturday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said his state would immediately begin using its own test kit developed in-state. The state’s Department of Health on Friday filed an emergency application with the FDA to request permission to do so.
“We just received word that our test has been approved by the FDA. New York State will begin testing immediately at Wadsworth Lab,” the governor said in a statement, referring to the state’s lab in Albany.
New York’s public health lab was the first in the country to seek emergency authorization from the FDA to use its own testing kits after health officials said faulty tests from the federal government left them unable to diagnose people quickly in New York City, the nation’s most populous city.
There are 62 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the United States. Most of the people infected fell sick while abroad and before they were repatriated. No cases have been detected in New York City, but Mayor Bill de Blasio and health officials have said its arrival in the city is inevitable.
The weeks-long struggle to expand local testing has been criticized as an early misstep in the response by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to the outbreak.
Trump, who earlier this week described the risk from the coronavirus as “very low” in the United States, said on Twitter he will hold a White House press conference about the virus at 1:30 pm EST (18:30 GMT) on Saturday.
Three weeks ago, the FDA gave the green light for state and local labs to start using a testing kit developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
But most labs that received the kits complained they had faulty components and produced inconclusive results, which the CDC later acknowledged.
In a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar said a newly manufactured CDC test could be sent to 93 public health labs as soon as Monday.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-usa-fda/fda-to-allow-some-labs-to-use-coronavirus-tests-prior-to-review-idUSKBN20N0R6
Biotech week ahead, March 2
Biotech stocks came under significant weakness along with the broader
market in the week ended Feb. 28. Despite fears the COVID-19 epidemic
will likely drag global growth, the viral outbreak proved
advantageous for some biotechs that disclosed plans to work on therapies or vaccines for countering the viral attack.
The FDA approved Esperion Therapeutics Inc’s ESPR 3.46% LDL-cholesterol lowering combo therapy and Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co Ltd’s BHVN 8.24% migraine drug.
The following are key catalysts that could move biotech stocks in the unfolding week.
PPD Inc PPD 2.38%
The FDA approved Esperion Therapeutics Inc’s ESPR 3.46% LDL-cholesterol lowering combo therapy and Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co Ltd’s BHVN 8.24% migraine drug.
The following are key catalysts that could move biotech stocks in the unfolding week.
Conferences
Cowen 40th Annual Healthcare Conference: March 2-4 in Boston, MassachusettsEarnings
Monday- Albireo Pharma Inc ALBO 2.9% (before the market open)
- Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. FOLD 2.25% (before the market open)
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc ITCI 3.03% (before the market open)
- Seres Therapeutics Inc MCRB 8.19% (before the market open)
- Urogen Pharma Ltd URGN 1.83% (before the market open)
- Wave Life Sciences Ltd WVE 7.52% (before the market open)
- Fate Therapeutics Inc FATE 1.42% (after the close)
- FibroGen Inc FGEN 3.06% (after the close)
- GenMark Diagnostics, Inc GNMK 3.59% (after the close)
- Omeros Corporation OMER 0.34% (after the close)
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc. PTCT 2.43% (after the close)
- Precigen Inc PGEN 1.88% (after the close)
- ZIOPHARM Oncology Inc. ZIOP 3.34% (after the close)
- Zogenix, Inc. ZGNX 5.87% (after the close)
- Antares Pharma Inc ATRS 3.33% (before the market open)
- Autolus Therapeutics Ltd – ADR AUTL 4.88% (before the market open)
- Neuronetics Inc STIM 1.86% (before the market open)
- TG Therapeutics Inc common stock TGTX 1.21% (before the market open)
- Sierra Oncology Inc SRRA 7.2% (before the market open)
- Infinity Pharmaceuticals Inc. INFI 3.31% (after the close)
- Syndax Pharmaceuticals Inc SNDX 12.47% (after the close)
- VIVUS, Inc. VVUS 3.21% (after the close)
- Voyager Therapeutics Inc VYGR 2.83% (after the close)
- DURECT Corporation DRRX 0.56% (after the close)
- Cytokinetics, Inc. CYTK 0.04% (after the close)
- Axonics Modulation Technologies Inc AXNX 0.98% (after the close)
- Orthopediatrics Corp KIDS 4.74% (after the close)
- Opiant Pharmaceuticals Inc OPNT 0.17% (after the close)
- Arbutus Biopharma Corp ABUS 5.81% (before the market open)
- BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. BCRX 9.29% (before the market open)
- Eyepoint Pharmaceuticals Inc EYPT (before the market open)
- Xtant Medical Holdings Inc XTNT 19.58% (before the market open)
- Fulcrum Therapeutics Inc FULC 2.88% (before the market open)
- Syros Pharmaceuticals Inc SYRS 12.03% (before the market open)
- Obseva SA OBSV 0.98% (before the market open)
- OptiNose Inc OPTN 6.2% (before the market open)
- Caladrius Biosciences Inc CLBS 0.79% (after the close)
- Eton Pharmaceuticals Inc ETON 0.74% (after the close)
IPO Quiet Period Expiry
Beam Therapeutics Inc BEAM 1.92%PPD Inc PPD 2.38%
Apart from scheduled catalysts, any company updates on COVID-19
programs could be of interest for investors given the potential for big
swings.
https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/20/02/15443793/the-week-ahead-in-biotech-covid-19-stocks-in-the-spotlight-earnings-taper-off
https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/20/02/15443793/the-week-ahead-in-biotech-covid-19-stocks-in-the-spotlight-earnings-taper-off
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