New strain of coronavirus found in Malaysia could possibly be more infectious than COVID-19.

New strain of corona virus found in Malaysia could possibly be more infectious than COVID-19 .

A new strain of the corona virus, called D614G, is currently making its way across southeast Asia — and Malaysian health officials worry it may be more infectious than even COVID-19.

 Back in July, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, said that a new mutation of COVID-19 could help coronavirus replicate more easily .

 Here we are now, a new strain,the strain has been seen in several countries across the continent and was originally found in a Malaysian cluster of 45 cases, according to Bloomberg Quint, which follows international news out of India.

 Health officials say those 45 cases of D614G started after someone returned from India before completing his 14-day quarantine. Then, the strain was detected from several samples of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

Covid-19:The nano spray gun.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it innovative solutions to stay safe.

 The normal protocols to curb spread of the virus are 1) Personal hygiene,washing hands with soap or alcohol based hand sanitizer.

2) Use of face covering, preferably a shield as this will prevent touching face and mouth.

 3) Maintain social distancing

4) Increased cleaning of surfaces ,floor and spraying of offices with chemicals that will stop the virus.

It is common now to see this sign outside offices, No face covering no entry. Many other companies are adding temperature checks, mandatory hand washing as part of protocols to stem the spread.

The use of disinfection tunnels are also used in many companies,but as in cases of emerging diseases the innovative solutions keep increasing daily.

The key point in the various innovative solutions is the fact that the solutions are getting smaller and more handy.. This is the case of the Nano spray gun, will disinfect thoroughly and can be spread over a long distance. This can be used in banks,schools,offices,cars, malls and restaurants.

A school has added this protocol to ensure safety.

       

https://photos.google.com/u/1/photo/AF1QipOsqx3wz-G3LslSwqPSDhyX2pPG0o453EKgethb


 Ask the Covid -19 exterminators, order yours today.

Covid-19: How inspectors in abattoirs caused an outbreak.

Last month, two abattoirs in south-west Victoria were visited by inspectors who later tested positive for COVID-19 and were contagious while on site, but only one of the cases led to a large outbreak.


There have been criticisms leveled over how the state's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) handled both cases, but experts say there are lessons to be learnt in understanding what happened.

 The largest meat producer in the state, Warrnambool's Midfields Meats, has been on high alert as clusters in other abattoirs continue to grow

.When general manager Dean McKenna found out that a meat inspector who had visited the site had tested positive, the company immediately shut the plant down — before it had heard from the health department.

 The company organised testing for nearly 1,000 workers via the local health service, but before the results were known DHHS advised that the meatworks could reopen.Mr McKenna said he ignored that advice and opted to keep the abattoir shut."We still wouldn't go back to work until we had a feel for where the testing was going," he said.


 The company made the inspector wear full personal protective equipment, a measure that is now being made mandatory across all Victorian abattoirs.

 For the Australian Lamb Company (ALC), based in the small town of Colac, it's been a different story.
A meat inspector there tested positive for COVID-19 in the same week.There are now more than 80 cases associated with the cluster, which has also spread into the community along with 11 more infections suspected to have been transmitted through the community.

Corona Virus: Germany's Robert Koch Institute withdraws optimistic vaccine claim.

Germany's top institute for infectious diseases pulled its own paper which claimed a vaccine could be available this fall. The Robert Koch Institute said the document was posted in error and removed it from its website.

Covid-19 and benefits of face shields.

The use of face protection in the wake of corona virus pandemic is very important to ensure safety. The type of protection depends on your nature of work and the number of people you interact with daily. The use of face masks or face shields is of paramount importance to curb the spread of the corona virus.

 The face masks could be disposable or washable depending on your routine or work schedule. The use of face shield is offering better protection irrespective of your workflow and its so comfortable. The face shields protects from dust, spills and aerosol sprays.

The advantage of the face shield over the face mask is the fact that your entire face is protected with an added advantage of protecting your eyes. Corona virus has been reported to be transmissible through eyes.

The use of face shield offers protection from the virus as it creates a barrier between you and the next person and per adventure the person is asymptomatic and sneezes you are protected.

 A recent study gives credence to this fact that except you are working in the hospital or taking care of a Covid-19 patient then the face shield is your choice. Call to order your chemically treated face shields today.
 Face shield must be worn for optimal protection, the shield should extend below the chin , to the ears laterally, and there should be no exposed gap between the forehead and the shield’s headpiece. Clinical studies shows face shield is the most important for optimum protection.

 Face shields offer a number of advantages. The  surgical masks have limited durability and no potential for reprocessing, face shields can be reused indefinitely and are easily cleaned with soap and water, or  disinfectants.


They are comfortable to wear, protect the portals of viral entry, and reduce the potential for auto-inoculation by preventing the wearer from touching their face. People wearing surgical masks often have to remove them to communicate with others around them; this is not necessary with face shields.


The use of a face shield is also a reminder to maintain social distancing, but allows visibility of facial expressions and lip movements for speech perception.
   Face shields significantly reduce the amount of inhalation exposure to influenza virus, another droplet-spread respiratory virus.

 In a simulation study with face shields , these were shown to reduce immediate viral exposure by 96% when worn by a simulated health care worker within 18 inches of a cough. Even after 30 minutes, the protective effect exceeded 80% and face shields blocked 68% of small particle aerosols,which are not thought to be a dominant mode of transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

 When the study was repeated at the currently recommended physical distancing distance of 6 feet, face shields reduced inhaled virus by 92%, similar to distancing alone, which reinforces the importance of physical distancing in preventing viral respiratory infections.


 Reference Lindsley WG , Noti JD , Blachere FM , Szalajda JV , Beezhold DH . Efficacy of face shields against cough aerosol droplets from a cough simulator. J Occup Environ Hyg. 2014;11(8):509-518.PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

COVID-19 forces agrifood industries to adapt, innovate.

 This is the new norm in the face of the novel corona virus. Many agribusiness ventures are changing the way business is done.

  

  Today, a lot of the agrifood industries have a stronger presence in take-aways, deliveries at your door step . 

    This has created a  strong supply chain with emphasis on online placement of orders and door-door delivery.

    

The pandemic has shown that we need to change our model, the innovators in the food sectors raking in cash now are those with products with extended shelf-life.

       How has the Covid-19 Pandemic changed your business? share your thoughts. 

  Read Jacqueline Pieters, thoughts. Jacqueline Pieters lead finance and investment with the World Business Council of Sustainable Development at Rabobank, .

Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, recently spoke at a Women in Food and Agriculture webinar,

 “How Have Different Food and Agribusiness Leaders Addressed COVID-19 Challenges?”

    

Life-saving coronavirus drug 'major breakthrough.

Life-saving corona virus drug 'major breakthrough. A cheap and widely available drug can help save the lives of patients seriously ill with corona virus.

The low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus, UK experts say.

Corona virus terminators.

WATCH...

5 ways people could transmit the coronavirus — from respiratory droplets to semen — ranked in order of risk

5 ways people could transmit the coronavirus — from respiratory droplets to semen — ranked in order of risk. The coronavirus has one main mode of transmission: respiratory droplets that leave a person's mouth or nose when they sneeze, cough, or talk. Studies have also found virus particles in the air as aerosols, as well as in feces and semen, but those pose less of a transmission threat. Coronavirus particles have been found in spit, mucus, poop, semen, floating through the air, and on various surfaces, like doorknobs and packages. But your chances of getting sick after coming into contact with the virus in these different situations vary. Here are the five ways we know the coronavirus can spread, and how risky each one is for you.

Mink pass coronavirus to humans in the Netherlands.

Mink pass coronavirus to humans in the Netherlands.At least two people have caught the coronavirus from mink in the Netherlands, in probably the first mink-to-human transmission cases. The risk of infection outside mink farms is "negligible," Dutch officials said. Mink are bred for their fur at some 155 farms across the country. The authorities detected infected animals at four such locations, Agriculture Minister Carola Schouten said in a letter to parliament. At three out of four farms, a sick human was thought to be the source of the infection among the animals, while officials were still investigating the cause at the fourth one, the minister said.

COVID: 19: Can You Catch COVID-19 Through Your Eyes?

COVID: 19: Can You Catch COVID-19 Through Your Eyes? You can catch COVID-19 if an infected person coughs or sneezes and contagious droplets enter your nose or mouth. But can you become ill if the virus lands in your eyes?

 Virologist Joseph Fair, PhD, an NBC News contributor, raised that concern when he became critically ill with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

From a hospital bed in his hometown of New Orleans, he told the network that he had flown on a crowded plane where flight attendants weren’t wearing masks. He wore a mask and gloves, but no eye protection. “My best guess,” he told the interviewer, “was that it came through the eye route.”

Asked if people should start wearing eye protection, Fair replied, “In my opinion, yes.” The clear tissue that covers the white of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelid, known as the conjunctiva, “can be infected by other viruses, such as adenoviruses associated with the common cold and the herpes simplex virus.

There’s the same chance of infection with SARS-CoV-2, says Duh. “If there are droplets that an infected individual is producing by coughing or sneezing or even speaking, then the front of the eyes are directly exposed, just like the nasal passages are exposed. In addition, people rub and touch their eyes a lot. So there’s certainly already the vulnerability.

Did you know: reducing food waste can help the planet?.

Did you know: reducing food waste can help the planet? Did you know that approximately one third of all food produced in the world for human consumption is wasted? This has significant impacts on both the environment and food security.

 Climate change is exacerbating this problem — particularly for highly perishable products such as fruits and vegetables. Higher temperatures and new and worsening pests combine to make it very difficult for farmers to reduce their post-harvest losses. COVID-19 makes food waste an even more critical problem to solve.

TechnoServe is advising farmers on better practices to reduce food waste in Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania.

COVID-19 and Diabetes.

COVID-19 and Diabetes.Everyone needs to be careful to avoid the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you should be even more cautious. Your risk of catching the virus isn't higher than anyone else's. But you could have worse complications if you do get sick. That's especially true if your diabetes isn't well-controlled. To reduce your chance of getting infected: 1)Keep your distance from other people. 2)Use good hygiene. 3)Keep your blood sugar under control Diabetes and Coronavirus Early studies have shown that about 25% of people who went to the hospital with severe COVID-19 infections had diabetes. Those with diabetes were more likely to have serious complications and to die from the virus. One reason is that high blood sugar weakens the immune system and makes it less able to fight off infections. Your risk of severe coronavirus infection is even higher if you also have another condition, like heart or lung disease. If you do get COVID-19, the infection could put you at greater risk for diabetes complications like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA happens when high levels of acids called ketones build up in your blood. It can be very serious. Some people who catch the new coronavirus have a dangerous body-wide response to it, called sepsis. To treat sepsis, doctors need to manage your body's fluid and electrolyte levels. DKA causes you to lose electrolytes, which can make sepsis harder to control.

New data suggest people aren’t getting reinfected with the coronavirus.

New data suggest people aren’t getting reinfected with the coronavirus. People who test positive again for the coronavirus, despite having already recovered from COVID-19, aren’t being reinfected, a new study finds. Reports of patients discharged from hospitals in South Korea testing positive after their apparent recovery had raised concerns that people could get infected by the virus in the short term more than once or that the infection could come back. But diagnostic tests for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 rely on detecting the virus’s genetic material (SN: 4/17/20). A positive result does not indicate whether a person is shedding viruses capable of infecting cells — which would signal an active infection. Now, a May 19 report from the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that samples from “reinfected” patients don’t have infectious viruses. The finding hints that the diagnostic tests are picking up on the genetic material from noninfectious or dead viruses. That lack of infectious virus particles means these people aren’t currently infected and can’t transmit the coronavirus to others, the researchers say. “It’s good news,” says Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University. “It appears people are not being reinfected, and this virus is not reactivating.”

. Food security and safety using solar dryers for preservation.

Food security and safety by food preservation using solar dryers. The challenge brings a solution to curbing food waste by processing produce to extend shelf life and obtain a zero waste culture.

 Did you know 1/3 of food produce is lost or wasted along the value chain? Did you know food processing will curb food waste and loss? Did you know processing can be done at affordable prices with locally fabricated machines/equipment? Did you know harnessing the power of the sun is a cheap method of processing and preservation?

 

The good news is this solar dryers can be used for a variety of products and local fabrication is a cheap option. See how its used to process fish

 The products are processed  in hygienic conditions by properly kitted operators ensuring food safety. The processed foods are taken to food tanks/food banks for onward distribution by food vendors using the food on wheels model.

       

. #COVID-19 #Coronavirus

VETERINARY MEDICINE:Poultry, pigs not susceptible to COVID-19.

German researchers: Poultry, pigs not susceptible to COVID-19.Scientists in Germany have confirmed that chickens and pigs are not susceptible to COVID-19. Researchers around the world have been trying to find out whether SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, can infect other species after it was understood to have originated from bats. Germany’s Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut started infection studies in chickens, pigs, fruit bats and ferrets several weeks ago, inoculating animals nasally with SARS-CoV-2 to mimic the natural route of infection in humans. While early results indicated fruit bats and ferrets are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, pigs and chickens are not.The researchers said they tested chickens and pigs due to the close contact they make with humans. Tests were carried out to discover whether animals become infected, whether the pathogen replicates, and if the animals show symptoms of the disease.“Under experimental conditions, neither chickens nor were found to be susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2,” the institute said. “According to the current state of knowledge, they are not affected by the virus and therefore do not pose a potential risk to human health.” The final results are expected at the beginning of May. The German study follows research carried out in China that investigated the susceptibility of ferrets and animals in close contact with humans to COVID-19. Scientists at the Harbin Vet Research Institute found that SARS-CoV-2 replicates poorly in dogs, chickens, pigs, and ducks but efficiently in ferrets and cats. #COVID-19 #coronavirus #veterinarymedicine #onehealth.

Father who thought he had #coronavirus hangs himself in #India.

A father who wrongly believed he had the coronavirus threw stones at his family to keep them away from him and then hanged himself so they wouldn't catch the deadly virus in India

Scientists Say Bats Could Be Linked To Coronavirus .

Scientists Say Bats Could Be Linked To Coronavirus As Videos Of Bat Soup Appear Online.Scientists in China have suggested the coronavirus could have originated from fruit bats, while videos of people tucking into bat soup have been shared online. A statement published in the South China Morning Post: "The Wuhan coronavirus' natural host could be bats... but between bats and humans there may be an unknown intermediate."The report comes as videos have gone viral showing people tucking into bat soup - considered a delicacy in parts of China. Clips shared online show a bat floating inside a bowl of broth, while another shows a woman eating a bat with a pair of chopsticks. Scientists are still unclear on how the virus has spread, but the report found it has a 'strong binding affinity' to a human protein called ACE2. Scientists say this binding protein has a 'high resemblance to that of SARS'.more

New coronavirus emerges from bats in China, devastates young swine.

New coronavirus emerges from bats in China, devastates young swine. A newly identified coronavirus that killed nearly 25,000 piglets in 2016-17 in China emerged from horseshoe bats near the origin of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which emerged in 2002 in the same bat species. The new virus, called swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), doesn't appear to infect people, unlike SARS-CoV which infected more than 8,000 people and killed 774. No SARS-CoV cases have been identified since 2004. The study investigators identified SADS-CoV on four pig farms in China's Guangdong Province.

Viruses that spread from animals to humans are on the rise.

Viruses that develop in animals and can spread to humans are on the rise around the world and scientists say more research is needed to prevent them from evolving. Viruses that pose a risk to both human and animal health are known as zoonotic diseases.The more severe examples include ebola in west Africa, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in the Arabian Peninsula, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Asia, and even Hendra in Australia. The University's Dr Siobhan Mor has just completed a study into how much scientists know about such animal diseases before they develop.She said half of the data that exists focuses on known zoonotic diseases, and there is a lack of information on animal viruses that have the potential to develop into human ones."We identified 10 diseases that occur at the livestock-wildlife interface, majority of which also affect humans, and found that the majority of the research has been occurring on these [10] particular diseases since the 1960s," Dr Mor said."There has been a lot of research on these particular diseases, with far less on other diseases occurring."Dr Mor said the findings are concerning, given animal diseases could pose a greater risk to human health as livestock production systems become more intensive."We are seeing more diseases occurring now in people as a result of those livestock systems and the way we are producing human food," she said.We are seeing more diseases occurring now in people as a result of those livestock systems and the way we are producing human food. Dr Siobhan Mor, University of Sydney, "We are raising animals in close proximity to wildlife because we have cleared land in order to make way for our agricultural production." Dr Mor said sometimes new diseases are detected in humans first, which are later found to have initially developed in animals, such as HIV."Historically, we know that HIV comes from animals, but what the research shows is there are increasingly new diseases being found in humans and we later determine have been occurring in animals as well."Dr Mor said Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, is a more modern example of an animal disease that has become more problematic for humans in recent decades."I think everyone's eyes are on viruses known as coronaviruses," she said. Zoonotic diseases have become more publicised recently with the west African ebola outbreak, which has so far killed more than 10,000 people.Fruit bats are thought to be the natural hosts of the ebola virus, as is also the case with the deadly Hendra virus in Australia. Hendra has infected seven Australians and killed four, as well as countless horses, since it was first recorded in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra in 1994. Dr Mor said human Hendra cases demonstrated a need to understand more about bats, which are linked to a number of zoonotic diseases."Bats are really interesting and we now know they harbour many germs which can make people very sick," Read more here; http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-21/researchers-say-more-information-is-needed-zoonotic-diseases/6635738