Everyday Science in a Nutshell

On March 3, 2020, a very recent study published in National Science Review found that two strains of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) are spreading around the world, based on the analysis of 103 SARS-CoV-2 genomes. Researchers found that these viruses evolved into two major types (L and S), which are well defined by two different Single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs that show nearly complete linkage across the viral strains sequenced to date. Approximately 70 % of samples were L type, whereas 30 % of samples were S type (the ancestral version).  In the early stages of outbreak in Wuhan, the L type was more prevalent. But, after this, the frequency of the L type decreased, which may be attributed to the fact that human intervention may have placed more severe selective pressure on the L type ( the more aggressive and spread one) On the other hand, the S type, which is evolutionary older and less aggressive, might have increased in relative frequency due to relat...

Hong Kong authorities confirmed that a pet dog belonging to a coronavirus patient is infected with a “low level” of the virus, marking what’s likely the first known instance of human-to-animal transmission. The dog had tested “weak positive” for the virus last week, raising the question of whether it had been contaminated by traces of the virus in its surroundings or genuinely infected with a disease. Further tests confirmed the virus in the pet’s nasal and oral cavities, “which indicates a low-level of infection" said Hong Kong’s agricultural and fisheries department in an official statement late Wednesday The dog has not shown any symptoms of Covid-19 and will remain in quarantine until it tests negative, the department said. References https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202003/04/P2020030400658.htm https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/03/05/Dog-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-in-Hong-Kong-SCMP-.html?fbclid=IwAR2VA7x9sFWdpcuiYLenvNxZxzfxVyglDR...

On February 24, 2020, an unprecedented study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that novel antiviral drug Remdesivir could be used against new coronavirus or the deadly COVID-19. The novel antiviral drug Remdesivir is a member in the class of nucleotide analogs. Back in 2014, it was developed by Gilead Sciences as a treatment for Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus infections. According to the authors of the study from the University of Alberta, the Remdesivir had previously been found to be effective against other similar viruses such as MERS and SARS, which are also coronaviruses and are structurally similar to COVID-19. The team, therefore, wanted to test the efficacy of Remdesivir against the new COVID-19 strain. References https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200301/Drug-for-Ebola-MERS-effective-against-COVID-19.aspx https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-remdesivir-treat-covid-19-begins https://ww...