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Coronavirus
- Thread starter Tigers of Old
- Start date
This explains why Italy has copped the brunt of the Coronavirus.
CORONA VIRUS EXCLUSIVE: WHY ITALY? - AltNewsMedia
As the impact of the Corona Virus (Covid-19) continues to grow, nowhere in Europe has been more affected than Italy, and in particular northern Italy. With a complete lockdown announced […]
www.altnewsmedia.net
Fifty hospitals to receive HIV, malaria meds to fight coronavirus (paywalled)
Sue Dunlevy & Tom Minear
Herald Sun
March 20, 2020
A handful of Australian COVID-19 patients – some of the first to be infected with the deadly virus – were successfully medicated with malaria and HIV drugs in a secret trial which will now be rolled out around Australia within days.
Such was the success of the secret treatments fifty Australian hospitals will be given HIV medication Kaletra and malaria treatment hydroxychloroquine in a clinical trial which promises to “cure” the virus.
Curing the virus means there will be no trace of it in the body.
Additionally, the outcomes of the first trial of a promising treatment for COVID-19 will be reported within weeks and the drug could be approved for use in China as early as May.
The news comes as News Corp can reveal the federal government will provide researchers with $13 million to fast-track coronavirus treatments.
The cash injection from the Medical Research Future Fund includes $8 million to develop antiviral therapies for people who contract the virus.
Up to 10 treatments are expected to be tested, with the most promising options pushed rapidly through human clinical trials to regulatory approval and commercialisation.
Another $5 million will be spent on clinical trials to help patients with severe acute respiratory distress, which can be fatal, especially among older people and those with compromised immune systems and chronic illnesses.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said Australian researchers had “outstanding capacity to contribute to global efforts to control the outbreak and save lives”.
He said the funding was part of the government’s $2.4 billion coronavirus national health plan.
“Australia has produced some of the world’s best medical research,” Mr Hunt said.
The World Health Organisation has declared the medication – Remedsivir – to be one of the most promising treatments for COVID-19.
The hunt for a treatment and a vaccine for COVID-19 is proceeding at a spectacular pace with some scientists skipping animal trials as they race to find a way of halting the terrifying death toll.
And scientists and medical journals are freely sharing early results of clinical trials before they are peer reviewed to progress research as quickly as possible.
The use of antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine on its own also has Australian scientists excited.
In France, scientists have reported success beating COVID-19 using this drug with only 25 per cent of patients treated with the drug still showing signs of the virus compared to 90 per cent of patients who did not receive the treatment in a small trial.
About 35 companies and academic institutions are working to create a vaccine, and four are already testing in animals.
The first human trial of a COVID-19 vaccine began in the US this week with four people injected with a low dose of a vaccine developed by US company Moderna even before animal trials had started.
Another US company Inovio Pharmaceuticals is testing its COVID-19 vaccine in animals and plans to begin human trials next month.
Researchers at Queensland University are hoping to begin animal trials of its COVID-19 vaccine next month and Griffith University announced on Thursday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Queensland-based Luina Bio to work on a vaccine.
However, it could be 12 to 18 months before a vaccine is ready.
Extensive clinical trials are necessary as ferrets, given a vaccine for the 2003 SARS outbreak, suffered a more serious form of the illness following vaccination.
University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research Director Professor David Paterson is heading the Australian clinical trial of a COVID-19 treatment combining HIV medication Kaletra and malaria medication Hydroxychloroquine.
The combination treatment was found to kill off coronavirus in test tubes and completely cleared the virus in a select handful of Australian patients, he said.
“Prior to the clinical trials going ahead, the medications were given to some of the first Australian patients infected with COVID-19, and all have completely recovered without any trace of the virus left in their system,” he said.
“These medications have the potential to be a real cure for all, unlike the random anecdotal experiences of some people.”
The trial will compare the effectiveness of the malaria drug on its own against the HIV drug on its own.
Other patients will be given the medications in combination.
“This will enable us to test the first wave of Australian patients and gain real-world experience with this treatment, especially since we expect ongoing infections to continue for many months,” he said.
Researchers at Queensland University are hoping to begin animal trials of its COVID-19 vaccine next month and Griffith University announced on Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding with Queensland-based Luina Bio to work on a vaccine.
“If we can obtain the best possible information now, then we can quickly treat subsequent patients down the track.”
Professor Paterson said the drugs to be used in the clinical trials can be administered orally as tablets.
Australia’s medicines regulator says it is ready to fast track the approval of any vaccines or treatments to beat the coronavirus.
In relation to the multimillion-dollar grant to researchers, Mr Hunt added: “This is another example of us contributing to address important health challenges for Australians and for the global population.”
Researchers will be able to apply for the grants – to be managed by the National Health and Medical Research Council – from next week.
Sue Dunlevy & Tom Minear
Herald Sun
March 20, 2020
A handful of Australian COVID-19 patients – some of the first to be infected with the deadly virus – were successfully medicated with malaria and HIV drugs in a secret trial which will now be rolled out around Australia within days.
Such was the success of the secret treatments fifty Australian hospitals will be given HIV medication Kaletra and malaria treatment hydroxychloroquine in a clinical trial which promises to “cure” the virus.
Curing the virus means there will be no trace of it in the body.
Additionally, the outcomes of the first trial of a promising treatment for COVID-19 will be reported within weeks and the drug could be approved for use in China as early as May.
The news comes as News Corp can reveal the federal government will provide researchers with $13 million to fast-track coronavirus treatments.
The cash injection from the Medical Research Future Fund includes $8 million to develop antiviral therapies for people who contract the virus.
Up to 10 treatments are expected to be tested, with the most promising options pushed rapidly through human clinical trials to regulatory approval and commercialisation.
Another $5 million will be spent on clinical trials to help patients with severe acute respiratory distress, which can be fatal, especially among older people and those with compromised immune systems and chronic illnesses.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said Australian researchers had “outstanding capacity to contribute to global efforts to control the outbreak and save lives”.
He said the funding was part of the government’s $2.4 billion coronavirus national health plan.
“Australia has produced some of the world’s best medical research,” Mr Hunt said.
The World Health Organisation has declared the medication – Remedsivir – to be one of the most promising treatments for COVID-19.
The hunt for a treatment and a vaccine for COVID-19 is proceeding at a spectacular pace with some scientists skipping animal trials as they race to find a way of halting the terrifying death toll.
And scientists and medical journals are freely sharing early results of clinical trials before they are peer reviewed to progress research as quickly as possible.
The use of antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine on its own also has Australian scientists excited.
In France, scientists have reported success beating COVID-19 using this drug with only 25 per cent of patients treated with the drug still showing signs of the virus compared to 90 per cent of patients who did not receive the treatment in a small trial.
About 35 companies and academic institutions are working to create a vaccine, and four are already testing in animals.
The first human trial of a COVID-19 vaccine began in the US this week with four people injected with a low dose of a vaccine developed by US company Moderna even before animal trials had started.
Another US company Inovio Pharmaceuticals is testing its COVID-19 vaccine in animals and plans to begin human trials next month.
Researchers at Queensland University are hoping to begin animal trials of its COVID-19 vaccine next month and Griffith University announced on Thursday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Queensland-based Luina Bio to work on a vaccine.
However, it could be 12 to 18 months before a vaccine is ready.
Extensive clinical trials are necessary as ferrets, given a vaccine for the 2003 SARS outbreak, suffered a more serious form of the illness following vaccination.
University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research Director Professor David Paterson is heading the Australian clinical trial of a COVID-19 treatment combining HIV medication Kaletra and malaria medication Hydroxychloroquine.
The combination treatment was found to kill off coronavirus in test tubes and completely cleared the virus in a select handful of Australian patients, he said.
“Prior to the clinical trials going ahead, the medications were given to some of the first Australian patients infected with COVID-19, and all have completely recovered without any trace of the virus left in their system,” he said.
“These medications have the potential to be a real cure for all, unlike the random anecdotal experiences of some people.”
The trial will compare the effectiveness of the malaria drug on its own against the HIV drug on its own.
Other patients will be given the medications in combination.
“This will enable us to test the first wave of Australian patients and gain real-world experience with this treatment, especially since we expect ongoing infections to continue for many months,” he said.
Researchers at Queensland University are hoping to begin animal trials of its COVID-19 vaccine next month and Griffith University announced on Thursday it signed a memorandum of understanding with Queensland-based Luina Bio to work on a vaccine.
“If we can obtain the best possible information now, then we can quickly treat subsequent patients down the track.”
Professor Paterson said the drugs to be used in the clinical trials can be administered orally as tablets.
Australia’s medicines regulator says it is ready to fast track the approval of any vaccines or treatments to beat the coronavirus.
In relation to the multimillion-dollar grant to researchers, Mr Hunt added: “This is another example of us contributing to address important health challenges for Australians and for the global population.”
Researchers will be able to apply for the grants – to be managed by the National Health and Medical Research Council – from next week.
It will be interesting to see how this develops but this a very slipshod trial. Non-randomised and unblinded. It may yet prove fruitful but it is very early days.
I can't find the source url anymore, but here is a quote from an analysis of what has been released so far.
"While the data have not yet been published, and should therefore be interpreted with caution, this non-randomised, unblinded study showed a strong reduction in viral load with hydroxychloroquine.
After 6 days, the percentage of patients testing positive for COVID-19 who received hydroxychloroquine fell to 25% versus 90% for those who did not receive the treatment (a group of untreated COVID-19 patients from Nice and Avignon).
In addition, comparing untreated patients, those receiving hydroxychloroquine and those given hydroxychloroquine plus the antibiotic azithromycin, the results showed there was "a spectacular reduction in the number of positive cases" with the combination therapy, said Prof Raoult.
At 6 days, among patients given combination therapy, the percentage of cases still carrying SRAS-CoV-2 was no more than 5%."
I can't find the source url anymore, but here is a quote from an analysis of what has been released so far.
"While the data have not yet been published, and should therefore be interpreted with caution, this non-randomised, unblinded study showed a strong reduction in viral load with hydroxychloroquine.
After 6 days, the percentage of patients testing positive for COVID-19 who received hydroxychloroquine fell to 25% versus 90% for those who did not receive the treatment (a group of untreated COVID-19 patients from Nice and Avignon).
In addition, comparing untreated patients, those receiving hydroxychloroquine and those given hydroxychloroquine plus the antibiotic azithromycin, the results showed there was "a spectacular reduction in the number of positive cases" with the combination therapy, said Prof Raoult.
At 6 days, among patients given combination therapy, the percentage of cases still carrying SRAS-CoV-2 was no more than 5%."
Fake news?
Forgive my scepticism.
621 deaths reported in Italy overnight. Horrific.
Meanwhile scenes at Bondi Beach..
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It seems Australia's reluctance to test for COVID-19 is because there isn't enough test kits. A couple of days ago it was reported that 100,000 kits would "arrive this week".
One hundred thousand kits is not going to be enough. Does Australia have the ability to manufacture our own kits?
Surely we can make them, ALL avenues should be explored into making our own test kits, and masks etc for that matter.
Testing as many people as possible is the key to flattening the curve.
One hundred thousand kits is not going to be enough. Does Australia have the ability to manufacture our own kits?
Surely we can make them, ALL avenues should be explored into making our own test kits, and masks etc for that matter.
Testing as many people as possible is the key to flattening the curve.
mate we all gotta go. Me, I am hoping to push on as long as I can.
This virus is a killer for many people, a much higher rate than the flu and give it time and it will infect more people than the flu.
Is it any different to walking onto the road with trucks and cars hurtling past?
We can choose to protect ourselves, or pretend that its just a hoax cooked up by a journalist who's eaten too many black peppers
As you would know the UK where planning to do this, then backed up and swung their pony around.
My guess is that the numbers with this approach is worse. Isolate old people and the highest risk to keep / hope they are safe.
Let everyone else get infected. The result is a lower rate of severe cases, but much higher total numbers of severe cases and deaths.
The herd immunity approach by the numbers :
Say 25million aussies, 84% under 65. So 21 million people infected over a period - this is uncontrolled.*
Now not everyone will catch it, but there is no inbuilt immunity.
Over 50's the fatal rate is 1.3% of 4 million so 52,000 dead aged 50+
Under 50's the fatal rate is 0.2% of 17 million so 34,000 dead aged below 50.
But the good news is that the over 65s are isolated and protected - roughly 4 million.
*Again not all 21 million australians will be infected, but this approach does not aim to reduce the infection rate. It is uncontrolled except for the size and location of people. Note that the virus infections are in each capital city, so most of the population would be exposed over time in this scenario.
But this is simply some quick calculations. So reduce the number who actually get sick - say only 15% of the 21 million aussies (15% infection rate used in modeling for NYC, which is not doing herd immunity). Only 13 thousand dead.
Note the fatal rate is based on the global numbers. "But i thought only those with existing health problems would die"..... Sure, but maybe 1% for 50+ and 0.2% for under 50 have existing health problems.
FINAL WORD - this is not to alarm people. The numbers may be wildly inaccurate. It is just to guess why the 'isolate those at risk / herd immunity' approach is so dangerous.
And why each country is not doing this and instead are mandating population isolation
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How's the red back situation in your outhouse? Got plenty of Mortein? Don't forget to allow ten minutes effective bug killin time before seating yourself.
The death rate numbers shoot up 10-fold without access to stable healthcare, so herd immunity cannot assume best case scenario percentages.
Herd immunity means the worst case is up to 1-2 million people dead.
I’d rather stay home a couple of months than see that happen. A few thousand would be a fantastic outcome.
Herd immunity means the worst case is up to 1-2 million people dead.
I’d rather stay home a couple of months than see that happen. A few thousand would be a fantastic outcome.
Interesting. I had a wonderful holiday in Northern Italy 18 months ago. What a beautiful place with beautiful people.This explains why Italy has copped the brunt of the Coronavirus.
CORONA VIRUS EXCLUSIVE: WHY ITALY? - AltNewsMedia
As the impact of the Corona Virus (Covid-19) continues to grow, nowhere in Europe has been more affected than Italy, and in particular northern Italy. With a complete lockdown announced […]www.altnewsmedia.net
This is very sad.
I was there 30 years ago, it certainly is a beautiful place, great food, wine, and beer.
Great people, the women were stunning.
If the malaria/HIV combo drugs really have that sort of success rate I think we've doged a bullet.
The malaria drug is now generic. Not sure about the HIV but imagine if it is whoever owns it is just going to have to take one for all of humanity
The malaria drug is now generic. Not sure about the HIV but imagine if it is whoever owns it is just going to have to take one for all of humanity
Case count excluding China (updated 11:30pm)
203,796 cases
8,587 deaths (4.21%)
6,182 severe (3%)
167,191 mild (82%)
21,836 recovered (11%)
203,796 cases
8,587 deaths (4.21%)
6,182 severe (3%)
167,191 mild (82%)
21,836 recovered (11%)
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I know there a few on here who don't like the ABC, personally I think it's an Australia institution, and a life blood.
I found this very interesting this morning while I was walking she who must be obeyed........the hound.
www.abc.net.au
I found this very interesting this morning while I was walking she who must be obeyed........the hound.
How Singapore and Taiwan coped with coronavirus; accessing super in times of stress; citizen's councils, MBS, only connect - ABC listen
International politics and business: Fran Kelly discusses with expert commentators the dramas, people and ideas that matter most to Australians.
www.abc.net.au
If it works, invest now in back scratchers. Chloroquine makes you think you have ants crawling all over you.
