First Test for Long COVID Approved, State of COVID Numbers in the US, and CDC Monitoring Variants at the Border
COVID News Update #1: May 16th, 2023
Hello all. I feel like I should be writing about COVID more than I have been. So in order to reignite a healthy writing habit, I’ll be working towards daily updates covering COVID news items and research that have caught my eye. Enjoy.
First Test for Long COVID Approved
IncellDx, Inc. a California based company has developed a blood-based test for long COVID that uses machine learning to assess the cytokine and chemokine patterns that are unique in long COVID patients. Which biomarkers may be unique to long COVID sufferers was detailed in this Frontiers in Medicine Review article; “Biomarkers in long COVID-19: A systematic review”. Researchers found that out of 193 potential biomarkers, 113 were significantly elevated in long COVID patients. Within these biomarkers 33.6% were inflammation and immune. Other biomarkers were related to biochemical pathways (21.2%), vascular system (17.7%), neurological (5.3%), and others (22.1%). A few of these biomarkers are detailed below in Figure 4 from the publication.
“Figure 4. Biomarkers of long COVID symptoms. The Venn diagram presents the 41 biomarkers that were reported by two or more eligible studies. Red indicates up-regulated, while blue refers to down-regulated biomarkers.”
Tests are currently only available in Australia and more information on how your physician or primary care provider can order one can be found here: https://www.covidlonghaulers.com/australia/home
The incellKINE test has received CE-IVD mark in Europe allowing for launch and use in participating countries (33 EU member states) in September. Interestingly, the company has also reported finding reservoirs of SARS CoV-2 S1 spike protein monocytes, a type of immune cell, up to 15 months after infection. IncellDx has not indicated if it has filed for test approval with the US FDA.
COVID Numbers in the US
According to current numbers from the Health and Human services department COVID hospitalizations and infections continue to decline in most states. It is important to remember that testing and reporting has undergone significant cuts and if areas are reporting still, data is coalesced on a weekly basis making trends in infection rates more difficult to ascertain.
Five states are bucking the downward trend in COVID infections: North Dakota (+67% ) and Virginia (+10%), Wyoming (+6%), Pennsylvania (+4%), and Wisconsin (Flat) over the last 14 days. US Virgin Islands (+383%), Guam (+77%), and Puerto Rico (+36%) are also seeing recent increases in cases over the last 14 days. Test positivity is currently highest in Washington (35%), followed by Missouri (19%), Puerto Rico (+19%) and Wyoming (17%). Of the states that are reporting New Jersey and Massachusetts have the lowest test positivity (2.7%), with New York (2.8%) and Washington DC (2.9%) also below 3%.
Large state positivity rates: California (4.6%), Texas (5.8%), and Florida (7.1%).
I will incorporate wastewater analysis as I can find it in my next report on COVID infection numbers. Wastewater is a good leading indicator for the general direction infection numbers will take, but it can not be translated to number of people infected.
A concerning trend in hospitalization continues where children under 18 are being hospitalized with COVID-19 at a similar or slightly higher rate than 18-29 year old adults. Despite new variants and vaccine waning over time reducing the efficacy of vaccines in preventing infection, vaccination still reduces hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
Currently, an average of 840 people are dying each week from acute COVID-19 infection. If this death rate is annualized it is similar to our most recent “bad” flu season (2017-2018) which caused an estimated 51,646 deaths. However, this is the lowest death rate for COVID documented since the second week of March, 2020. These numbers do not include deaths related to post-COVID health issues caused by viral infection.
CDC Monitoring Variants at the Border
This flew under my radar for the last few years but I recently noticed and participated in the CDC variant monitoring program at an international arrivals terminal. The Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance Program is designed to supplement international surveillance of variants and provide early detection of new and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
A very similar booth to the one shown above (Seattle-Tacoma) was in the arrival area of my local international airport. Testing is voluntary and anonymous. I do think that testing all arrivals would give us a better chance at catching incoming variants. At least it does not appear that this program will be impacted by the ending of the COVID national emergency.
I stopped by to give the people manning the booth a morale boost as we all know science and scientists have experienced more hate and vitriol than any other time in recent memory. I took two swabs, one for individual testing and one for pooled testing. I will not know my results but in case I picked up something new overseas, it was the least I could do (aside from wearing a mask and self-testing at home).
More about this program can be read here:
CDC launches Traveler-based SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance Program
Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance for Early Detection of New SARS-CoV-2 Variants
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